You win an industry award and you’re so tickled that you can hardly wait to call a press conference. Problem is, you’re only one that’s excited. Your publicist, in fact, is reluctant, because she thinks a press conference sounds, well, so old-fashioned. That’s what happened this week to a publicist who’s one my readers. Her… Read More
Public Relations
Moderate comments at your blog using these 7 tips
By Joan Stewart One of the most frequent questions from beginning bloggers is how to moderate comments. They’re afraid to allow comments “that criticize me or my company.” They don’t know whether to edit comments with a heavy hand, or not at all. Or whether to allow links to other people’s blogs and websites. And… Read More
7 places to stay off the sauce if reporters are present
Journalists and booze don’t mix. Just look at what happened to Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who was dumb enough to let an investigative freelancer for Rolling Stone into his inner circle and conduct a tape-recorded interview—over drinks. Never, ever drink while interviewing with a reporter. That’s a lesson in Interviewing 101 and keeping the media… Read More
Definitions of advertising, promotion, publicity and PR
If you work in PR, and you’re trying to explain to somebody what you do, and they look at you with a blank stare, explain it this way: “If the circus is coming to town and you paint a sign saying ‘Circus Coming to the Fairground Saturday,’ that’s advertising. If you put the sign on… Read More
Should BP pressure Twitter to remove the fake feed?
Here’s a tweet posted yesterday from the Twitter account known as @BPGlobalPR: That’s just one of a steady stream of sarcastic tweets that, as of this morning, has attracted more than 96,000 followers, almost 10 times more followers than BP has at its own Twitter account. CNET News offers a good summary of who might be… Read More
Learn words for persuasive PR during May 4 teleseminar
Company PR departments spend hours—entire days even—poring over a press release, picking apart every paragraph and sentence—and then waiting for multiple layers of approval before it goes live. Everyone puts their stamp of approval on the document that includes words and phrases THEY like. If only the readers were that receptive. The next time you write… Read More
NYC to give press passes to bloggers–Hooray!
If you’re a blogger and you’re covering news events in New York City, you’re now able to obtain a press pass. FishbowlNY reports that City Hall will now issue press passes to online journalists to cover events where the public is denied access. Under the proposed new rules, an applicant must show that he or… Read More
Don’t let PR clients insert damaging info into press releases
If you’re a publicist or PR pro and write press releases for your clients, you’re making a big mistake if you let your clients determine exactly what the final version of a press release will say—particularly if that release is being sent to the traditional media. Of course, they should read it for accuracy and… Read More
Pittsburgh PR company + social media = A virtual intern
By Joan Stewart When college student Miles Ritenour attended a job fair last year and learned that WordWrite Communications, a small PR firm in Pittsburgh, Pa., was looking for a virtual intern, he knew he wanted the job and did everything possible to get it. Ritenour already had met Paul Furiga, president of the firm, but he… Read More
Misnamed online media rooms can confuse visitors
If the media, bloggers or anyone else come to your website looking for the navigational button that will give them all the background information about your company, what will they find? If you’re trying to be clever and call that part of your website an “asset library” or “company press club,” visitors will find utter confusion, says publicity expert… Read More