In this week’s issue of The Business Journal in Milwaukee, publisher Mark Sabljak says in his weekly column that “Press releases, frankly, are old news.” In most cases, he said, the media are looking for exclusive news, not the same old stuff that’s offered to all the other media. That’s particularly true with The Business… Read More
Publicity Blog
Pitch “Before you go” info boxes
If you’re publicizing an event, consider providing the media with a small summary of key information that can be included in a “Before You Go” box to accompany the main article reporters are writing. Editors love using these boxes, which can include information such as how to order tickets, how to get to the event,… Read More
Crisis training for public information officers
Public information officers for government agencies and nonprofits are often the first people the media contact when disaster strikes. Even though many have formal training on how to respond, PIOs representing numerous agencies in the same community sometimes never meet each other. When there’s a major disaster, the PIOs are on their own. Misinformation can… Read More
Keep track of who’s using your articles
If you write articles for print or online publications, here are three reasons why you should keep track of who’s using them. –You want to thank the editors and start establishing a relationship with them. –You want to add their names to your media database and continue submitting articles as often as you can. –You… Read More
Newsletter shows you what to do before crisis hits
“Crisis Manager,” the free international email newsletter about crisis management, has a complementary website, Crisis Manager University. The goal of the site is the same as that of the newsletter–it brings crisis management education to those who don’t work in this field, or even necessarily in PR. “People are crisis managers, whether they want to… Read More
Small business news is red hot
If you own a small business, you needn’t feel like the tiny David up against the giant Goliath when it comes to being covered by the media. Small business news is red hot right now because a huge segment of the economy is fueled by small businesses hiring. Check out the tips I offer on… Read More
Go out with a bang and write your own obit
True Publicity Hounds take every opportunity to build the buzz and keep it humming, even long after they’re gone. How? By writing their own obituaries. Check out this article in Newsweek magazine on an emerging trend–writing your own obit.
Double-check dates in press releases
Here’s a tip that seems so obvious that you’ll wonder why I’m even mentioning it. But TV personality Connie Dieken says it’s a frequent mistake that will send your news release or story pitch right into the TV station’s wastebasket. Ditto for news releases sent to print media outlets. Too often, the day and date… Read More
Submit online articles to pull website traffic
Once a month, small-business marketing expert Sharron Senter writes a how-to article that helps small businesses tackle a problem. She submits it to up to 30 different portals. A portal is a launching pad of sorts that helps consumers find destination and commerce sites. Search engine websites you are familiar with such as Google, Yahoo!,… Read More
Write special reports
If you aren’t writing special reports to help your customers help themselves, or to create a quick and easy product, you’re missing a wonderful chance to become better known and create an easy revenue stream. The secret is to choose topics that are only an inch wide, and then present content that goes a mile… Read More