Tom Warneka of Cleveland, Ohio writes: “I spent two weeks in southern Mississippi last fall as a mental health worker with the Red Cross. We’re quickly coming up the first anniversary on August 29 of Hurricane Katrina. “As a way of promoting my book ‘Leading People the Black Belt Way: Conquering the Five Core Problems Facing… Read More
Holidays
Mother’s Day gift needs pitching tips from Publicity Hounds
Publicity Hound Jennifer Raaths of Barrington, Illinois writes: “I am working on a Mother’s Day gift idea for my client, DiCarlo Fine Wines & Spirits, a liquor store. The gift idea is a handmade purse by my friend, Carrie, a local stay-at-home mom. Each purse is unique. No two are the same. And they’re filled… Read More
Create your own holiday before April 15
Before you get buried in preparing your taxes, write a note and remind yourself that another deadline looms on April 15—it’s the last day to submit your own holiday, or your own day, week or month of the year to Chase’s Calendar of Events. This is the annal reference book used by thousands of journalists all over the… Read More
Valentine’s Day publicity ideas that worked
It’s too late for most of you to get into the news today by using a Valentine’s Day pitch, but remind yourself to start pitching Valentine’s Day ideas early enough next year. Here are some creative ways others have piggybacked onto Valentine’s Day: —Friday’s Wall Street Journal included an interesting article about how February 14… Read More
New publicity leads for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day gifts
The Gift List has just posted 75 new “short leads” for Publicity Hounds who want to promote products that would make great gifts for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and graduation. Several of those have deadlines this week. Getting your product mentioned in these guides is often far easier than convincing an editor to feature it in any other… Read More
TV Weatherpersons Day is February 5
You can score a great publicity hit if you tie into TV Weatherpersons Day on February 5, which this year also happens to be Super Bowl Sunday. I’ve been preaching about this for years because so many Publicity Hounds have told me it works. A few days before February 5, send your local TV weatherperson… Read More
Pitch ‘best of’ and ‘worst of’ year-end lists
This is the time of year to be pitching year-end lists. Thanks to Publicity Hound Scott Hansen of Carnation, Washington, for alerting us to the “2005 Most Unbelievable Workplace Events” issued by outplacement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas, Inc. They’re designed to make you ask, “What in the world was that company thinking?” The list… Read More
The best time to pitch is before and after Christmas
I can hear the engines revving right now. It’s the sound of Publicity Hounds starting a pitch-fest that lasts from now through the new year. Savvy Hounds know that this week and next are the very best times to pitch newspapers, TV stations, radio stations, bloggers, ezine publishers and other media that have short deadlines.… Read More
Pitch these story ideas in December
Thanks to Publicity Hound Shawne Duperon, a TV reporter, for reminding us that December is the very best month to pitch TV stations. “Newsrooms are no longer in a busy Sweeps month, so many employees are taking time off,” she says. Fewer employees means they need your story in a big way. She suggests: —Any… Read More
Pitch your gifts for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and graduates
If you have a product that would be a perfect gift for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or graduation day, now is the time to start thinking about pitching ideas to national magazines. You might even get in under the wire for Valentine’s Day. Here are some leads to get you started: —Vegetarian Times magazine is… Read More