I found the January issue of Restaurant Startup & Growth magazine in my mailbox today, sent by Patricia Luebke, the freelance writer who interviewed me for the story she wrote on restaurant publicity. The article includes a sidebar on how to please the media, with an interesting tip from Craig Gilbert—freelance writer, food lover and… Read More
Media Relations
Don’t lay guilt trips on media that won’t cover you
A reader emailed me today to show me a pitch letter that her friend had composed and wanted to send to her daily newspaper. The letter, about two pages, is meant to interest the media in her business. Not only does it break every rule of pitching etiquette, it pretty much promises that this particular… Read More
Research the media before you pitch
I grumble all the time about media mutts who deliver pitches that have nothing to do whatsoever with the media outlet they’re pitching it to. For a perfect example of what I’m talking about, check out this poorly written pitch I received this week from Travel Features Inc., complete with errors: “Kindly find a 900… Read More
Invite reporters to participate in your story
When members of the Women and Girls Foundation of Southwest Pennsylvania traveled by bus to Albany, Ohio earlier this month to meet with Abercrombie & Fitch and complain about the retailer’s controversial T-shirts, a reporter from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette rode along with them. The women were upset over sleazy T-shirt slogans such as “Who needs… Read More
How to get great radio publicity
Some Publicity Hounds sabatoge themselves and make it difficult for the media to find them, then wonder why they don’t get publicity. For example, they give media contacts only their office phone numbers, forgetting that radio talk show hosts and newspaper reporters work around the clock and sometimes need to contact sources in the wee… Read More
Let’s Expose the PR Flunkies
One of the worst ways that PR agencies rip off their clients is by forcing new hires to make those idiot phone calls to journalists asking questions like “I’m just calling to see if you got my news release and if you know when it will be printed?” These calls infuriate the reporters. The company… Read More
Research reporters with a “Reporter of the Month” club
If you don’t have a big PR budget, you’ll love this idea. In fact, it’s so cool, I wish I had thought of it myself. It’s called the “Reporter of the Month Club” and Dean Rotbart, a former Wall Street Journal columnist, deserves credit for suggesting it. Dean is head of the TJFR group and… Read More
Getting to know reporters will help you learn how to pitch reporters
When blogger Connie Bennett comes across an article on the dangers of sugar, she posts an item about it to her Sugar Shock! blog. She links to the article, then takes an extra little step that will generate publicity down the road. She emails the reporter who wrote the article and mentions that she linked… Read More
Travel writers complain about lazy PR people
For every PR person who grouses about a rude, inconsiderate journalist, there’s a journalist complaining about a lazy PR person. And the writers are sharing their gripes online. Thanks to Publicity Hound Lori Lisi of Joshua, Texas for pointing out this interesting thread at a discussion board for travel writers. Their gripes include PR people… Read More
Tip off reporters to blogs
Many of the great ideas you read about here come from the many Publicity Hounds who read this newsletter and my audiences who hear me speak. When I spoke recently to the Virginia chapter of the National Speakers Association, I picked up another great tip. It’s from Brian Kirwin, a consultant for Rourk Public Relations.… Read More