Juliet Hartley of St. Petersburg, Fla., writes: “I’ve been sending a lot of pitches to different magazines about my chic handmade hair accessories at BowAllure.com, but I just don’t hear anything back from them. It’s very frustrating. “I’m attaching a copy of a pitch I sent to a few magazines and would love to hear your input. I’ve… Read More
Pitching
7 phrases journalists hate hearing when you pitch
The next time you pitch a journalist, remember that what you don’t say is just as important that what you say. Mickie Kennedy of eReleases.com explains why journalists hate hearing these three phrases: 1. “Never seen anything like this.” 2. “When can we expect this to go up?” 3. “I know this isn’t your area,… Read More
5 reasons why PR interns shouldn’t be pitching the media
If you’re lucky enough to be hiring a PR intern this summer, don’t fall into the trap of letting them learn on the client’s nickel. There’s a good discussion at the Get Social PR blog where Rodger Johnson, a PR counselor and blogger, argues in favor of letting interns pitch, with supervision. “Interns need to learn how… Read More
Need local publicity? 6 tips for pitching Patch.com
If you need local publicity, and you live in one of 19 states in the United States, or the District of Columbia, Patch.com is almost begging for your pitch. A memo from Patch editor-in-chief Brian Farnham outlines a plan to increase traffic by increasing article production. Patch currently requires every site to post a minimum… Read More
15 ways to publicize a major publicity hit
The next time you generate publicity in a major newspaper or magazine, or at a blog, or you get onto a TV or radio show, don’t stop there. You also need to publicize your publicity. That’s what Michelle Tennant of Wasabi Publicity is doing, after landing her client, Landmark Education, in an article headlined Friendly Fight:… Read More
Piggyback onto the Royal Wedding with 70+ story ideas
Publicity guy Jerry Brown says the Royal Wedding on April 29, between Prince William and Kate Middelton, is the perfect opportunity for Publicity Hounds to “use headlines to make headlines.” He’s right. So here are my story ideas—yours for the taking. Authors who write about the topics below and speakers whose topics tie in should… Read More
AP: The news powerhouse you probably aren’t pitching
Quick. Find your media hit list—the list of media you have pitched recently either for your own story idea or one for a PR client. Now, scan the list. I’ll bet you a bag of dog treats that the Associated Press isn’t on the list. That news powerhouse is frequently forgotten by PR people. Yet the AP… Read More
Authors, the media don’t care about your books
I know that sounds harsh, but it’s true. If you’re trying to generate publicity for your book, you’re going about it all wrong. You should be generating publicity for your expertise. That’s one of the topics I discussed when I was a guest on Stacy Harp’s Blog Talk Radio show for Active Christian Media on… Read More
Need story ideas? Here are 6 to pitch in March
This time of year, with no major holidays around the corner, you might be hurting for story ideas. Here are several for the month of March, suggested by Shawne Duperon, a TV producer, and me, when we hosted a teleseminar on 116 WOW! Story Ideas from January through June. Remember that if you’re pitching TV, it… Read More
6 ways to romance journalists with your pitch
Let journalists know you care, and they will care about what you know, says publicity expert Jill Lublin. I first heard her say that about 10 years ago, and I’ve never forgotten it because she’s right. When I worked as a newspaper editor and reporter for more than two decades, I accepted and rejected thousands… Read More