Crisis manager Jonathan Bernstein, one of the very best in the business, has been teaching companies how to get out of trouble—or stay out of it—for more than 20 years. Today, he’s dealing with the most unusual crisis he’s ever seen. In an email message this afternoon to subscribers of his electronic newsletter, he writes: “I am probably,… Read More
Publicity Blog
Online Politics 101: How to win elections
If you’re working on a political campaign this year, or vowing to get involved in the 2008 presidential election, download a free copy of the ebook Online Politics 101: The Tools and Tactics of Online Advocacy. Written by Colin Delany, editor in chief of epolitics.com, the free 44-page handbook shows how to promote candidates, shape public opinion, motivate supporters… Read More
Ban these phrases from press releases
Slap me if you ever hear me uttering the phrase “thinking outside the box.” I’m adding it to David Meerman Scott’s list of most offensive and overly used words and phrases in press releases. (I interviewed David several months ago on “The New Rules of Press Releases: How to Write Them to Attracty Buyers, Not only Journalists.”) His list of… Read More
Think you’re an expert? You’d better be blogging
If you’re a Publicity Hound who promotes yourself as an expert, you’d better be blogging. The time is coming soon when experts who don’t blog will erode their own credibility—sort of like companies that, for whatever reason, don’t yet have a website. Blogger Michael Coté makes a convincing argument for why experts must blog. If… Read More
How to promote a health rehabilitation facility
Publicity Hound Lisa Cupolo writes: “I am the marketing facilitator for Northwoods Health System. We offer six different health care facilities in upstate New York providing rehabilitation and long-term care services. This is a setting that bridges the gap between hospital and home (patients are discharged from the hospital but are unable to return home… Read More
Information products out of date? Give ’em a new twist
My article in the October issue of Professional Speaker magazine, the trade magazine for the National Speakers Association, offers 11 ideas on how authors, speakers and experts can come up with new products simply by giving their old products a new twist. They include: Get rid of those old cassette tapes and convert them to CDs. Turn… Read More
Want to get a blogger’s attention? Blog
If you’re trying to get your product, service, cause or issue in front of influential bloggers, or even those who don’t have a big following, there’s one excellent way to get their attention. Blog. That’s the very best way to tell them: “I get it. I understand what you do. I’m passionate about a topic, just like… Read More
Public relations firms: Use newspaper column to promote yourself
Attention PR people at agencies large and small, and sole practitioners who need more clients. Writing a column for your local newspaper is a fabulous way of demonstrating your expertise. Land a gig as a regular columnist and it’s akin to being anointed by the publishing company. That’s what happened to PR practitioner Nancy Juetten who’s writing a… Read More
October story ideas to pitch to the media
TV reporter Shawne Duperon and I had a blast brainstorming “103 Sizzling Story Ideas from July through December.” October is bursting with ideas about the second largest retail holiday of the year that you can pitch to newspapers, magazines and TV stations. Here are some we’re suggesting you use: —That pretty pumpkin looks great now, but how can… Read More
Press releases that include an incomplete tips list will send readers to your website
Web marketing expert Larry Chase has a dandy tip on how to lead people who are reading your press release online directly to your website: “I sometimes offer 3 out of 10 tips or trends within my press release and a live link thereafter for readers to jump to my site where they can read… Read More