Thanks to self-publishing guru Dan Poynter’s excellent Your Publishing Poynters ezine for this tip. Marika Flatt of PR by the Book, says your pitch will always be more interesting to the media if it’s tied to a timely date, such as a health awareness month (October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month) or a holiday (Memorial… Read More
Publicity Blog
Press releases or news releases? Which is it?
After I announced my free 89-day tutorial this week called “89 Ways to Write Powerful Press Releases,” Publicity Hound Jim Nugent emailed me with this question: “In keeping with what you say about press releases, shouldn’t this series be renamed either ’89 Ways To Write Better News Releases?’ or maybe ‘Media Releases’ or perhaps, ‘Universal Information Pitches?’ After… Read More
Write articles in pairs to attract more readers
Chris Knight of EzineArticles.com, the granddaddy of article directories, says article authors should write articles in pairs to pull more readers. “Immediately below each article is a list of recently submitted articles in the same category,” he says. “If the reader of your current article didn’t find what they were looking for and they didn’t click on your… Read More
Publicity stunts to try when the idea well is dry
Author Marcia Yudkin is one of the most creative people I know. Her book “6 Steps to Free Publicity” is perhaps my very favorite book on how to work with the media. I’m one of her groupies, and I read her ezine “Marketing Minute” each week. So I was thrilled when she gave me permission… Read More
Bad customer service? Shame companies online
If you want the real scoop on what people think of your customer service, don’t bother asking the folks in your customer service department. For a much more accurate look, do an online search for your company. You might be shocked at what you find. A recent story in the Washington Post said disgruntled customers… Read More
Press releases just got easier thanks to this free tutorial
Writing press releases isn’t easy. If you think I’m wrong, take this little quiz. Answer true or false to the following statements: I write press releases primarily to encourage journalists at newspapers and magazines to write articles about my company, or for broadcasters who will feature us on the news or invite us as guests on talk shows.… Read More
I Keep Safe Coalition needs publicity tips
Carolyn Cox of Virginia Beach, Virginia asks: “Optimist International, one of the Big 4 of community services groups, focuses their volunteer efforts on ‘Bringing Out the Best in Kids. Right Here. Right Now.’ “We recently joined the I Keep Safe Coalition in order to help keep kids safe on the Internet. Our first effort is… Read More
Book reviews vs. advertising an easy call for book marketing expert John Kremer
Book marketing expert John Kremer says that if he had his choice between buying an ad to promote a book or going after free publicity, he’d choose free publicity almost every time. That’s because generating interviews, giving your expert opinion, writing articles and having journalists include excerpts of your book are powerful. So are many of the… Read More
Oprah needs gift ideas for magazines and “Oprah’s Favorite Things”
At the end of each year, the Queen of Daytime TV Talk Shows makes a list of things she likes, then features them on her show in December. They’re known to her fans simply as “Oprah’s Favorite Things.” Last year, they included an Apple iPod, croissants from William-Sonoma, a Burberry coat and purse, a Philip… Read More
MyShelf.com needs a book reviewer
Publicity Hound Carolyn-Howard Johnson, publisher of the Sharing with Writers ezine, says her editor at MyShelf.com is looking for another reviewer. Carolyn writes: “As many of you know, I recommend reviewing as a way to trade your writing for exposure. Some reviewers get paid but I don’t view it as an income booster — more as a… Read More