Back where I come from in the world of newspapers, an editor would practically pull off a reporter’s fingers, one by one with a pair of pliers—then fire the sinner—for accepting a can of caramel corn from a source who wanted to say “thanks” at Christmas. The caramel corn, and other gifts that came to… Read More
PR Week awards deadline is Friday
When I worked as a newspaper reporter, nothing made my day more than winning a writing award from one of my trade associations. It’s no different if you work in PR. So you might want to hustle if you haven’t yet entered the 2006 PRWeek Awards. The deadline is Friday, October 14. The awards really… Read More
What do to when reporters won’t mention your name in an article
Here’s a common problem Publicity Hounds run into when they’re so eager for publicity that they’ll do almost anything for a journalist. Last week, a reader asked, “I spent a lot of time talking to a reporter and we really hit it off. But when she wrote the article, I was surprised to see she… Read More
How to promote caps for Latinos
Diane White of Venice, Florida writes: “I developed and patented an angled sportswear cap and have been promoting it on my own for the past 6 years. I have written press releases and have been blessed with several local articles. But that has not captured buyers and licensees. “You can see the Side-cap at my… Read More
Create a “Top 10” list
If your company or nonprofit serves a national or international audience, here’s a great idea publicity idea you can steal. Ditto if you’re an author, speaker or consultant. One of the ideas in my ebook “How to be a Kick-butt Publicity Hound” is to create a list of the top 10 cities or states that are… Read More
Pitch these Halloween ideas for publicity
From now until October 31, the media will be reporting an anything even remotely connected to Halloween. So start thinking about ways you can piggyback off this holiday—the second biggest retail holiday of the year. Here are some ideas to get you started: —Roadside markets, nurseries and agricultural associations can offer tips on how to… Read More
Pitch the Religion News Service for publicity on religion, spirituality topics
If you have a story idea about values, religion, spirituality or philanthropy, consider pitching it to reporters at the Religion News Service, owned by Newhouse News Service. The news service has more than 100 secular clients, including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, U.S. News & World… Read More
Create a quiz for inflight magazines
Whenever I fly American Airlines, I pull the inflight magazine out of the seat pocket in front of me and turn to the back to see if there’s a Mensa Quiz. Then for the next half hour or so, I go to work filling in the blanks, or decoding a series of numbers, or playing… Read More
How to Attract a Reporter’s Attention
Sponsoring an event? One of the best ways to generate publicity is to invite a reporter to participate in something that will result in a pre-event story. For example, if you’re sponsoring a hot-air balloon race, invite a reporter to take a hot-air balloon ride a week or two before your event, so she can… Read More
Vote for POOPY PR photos
I’ll bet many of you work for companies that regularly have “POOP” in their newsletters, annual reports and even at their websites. “POOP” stands for Photos that Ought to be Outlawed Permanently. The acronym is the brainchild of Jean Clough, who teaches photography. Her friend, Steve Crescenzo, thought it was so clever when he first… Read More