When you pitch a story to a magazine editor and the editor declines, sometimes all it takes is a little tweaking to change the editor’s mind. That’s what happened when Tina Lancy emailed the editor of Go, Airtran’s inflight magazine, last November. She pitched a story about College Assistance Plus, the Rochester, New York-based consulting… Read More
Pitching
How to pitch bloggers–21 tips
Darren Rowse of ProBlogger offers a comprehensive list of almost two dozen excellent tips for anyone pitching bloggers. Most bloggers say they hate being referred to as journalists. But when you read his tips, you’ll notice how many of them also apply to pitching journalists.
New fall TV shows can be tied to your pitch
Michael Smart, national news director for Brigham Young University, generated fabulous publicity for the university several years ago just as the show “Survivor” was debuting on CBS. “We had an honors class at BYU on team-building that had been taught for 13 years, and it wasn’t new,” he said. “The students were told they were stranded on… Read More
Organic industry should be pitching right now
An article in the Oct. 1 issue of PR Week says recent recalls of Mattel toys and microwave popcorn presents the perfect opportunity for companies that make non-toxic, eco-friendly and organic products to generate publicity for their brands. Here are some ideas to get you started: —Restaurants can publicize organic menu offerings. Be willing to talk… Read More
Meet reporters at ‘New York’s Funniest Reporter’ contest
I look for every opportunity to help you connect face-to-face with journalists, and this one sounds like fun. Six New York-area journalists and broadcasters will take to the stage in a stand-up comedy competition that will raise money for Operation Uplink, a charity that supports U.S. Troops. The 2nd Annual “New York’s Funniest Reporter” contest will be at 9:30 p.m. October… Read More
Freelance writers need more lead time
Have a great story idea that you want to pitch to freelancers? If so, give them enough time to work with their client publications. Don’t expect to pitch, then hear from them immediately about whether they’re interested. That’s one of the tips from freelance journalist Helen Chang, who has contributed to Time, BusinessWeek, San Francisco Chronicle and… Read More
Halloween story ideas should be pitched now
If you sell a product or service related to Halloween, or you’re promoting a cause or issue that ties in, start pitching your story ideas now. Halloween-related stories and magazine covers started showing up as early as Labor Day this year, as the popularity of the holiday seems to grow each year. Halloween is the second… Read More
Press clubs: Logical place to meet journalists
If you’re looking for ways to meet your favorite local journalist in a relaxed a relaxed social setting, join your local press club. Press clubs promote journalism excellence through a variety of programs, activities and monthly meetings. Most members are from the working press, but plenty of PR people also belong. David Niles, former editor of… Read More
National Publicity Summit success story
Have you ever had these kinds of nightmares? —You’re taking a final exam for a college course, and it suddenly dawns on you that you’ve never attended one class. —You’re going about your business, usually at work or in a public place, and realize you aren’t wearing any clothes. —All your teeth have fallen out. Dream… Read More
Donate a prize for publicity at ProBlogger
There’s a clever promotion that’s tied to a contest at ProBlogger, one of the top blogging sites dedicated to showing bloggers how to add income streams to their blogs. The blog is celebrating its third anniversary, and Darren Rowse is asking readers to donate significant prizes—everything from cash to iPods—and generate some great publicity. Call me nuts,… Read More