As I watched Tiger Woods sink his putt on Sunday to win the British Open, I couldn’t help but wonder whether the Porta Potties on the golf course at St. Andrews in Scotland had pretty toilet paper and delicate hand towels. I doubt it. But every time I watch golf on TV, I’m curious about… Read More
Special Events
Stop passing checks and passing it off as news
Publicity Hound Marilynn Mobley of Atlanta, Georgia writes with this comment about my advice two weeks ago to stop staging boring check-passing photos: “AMEN to your advice about how dreadful ‘passing the check’ photos are. I thought you might be interested to know that they can actually be dangerous as well. “Recently, I picked up… Read More
Danish company improves publicity campaign after tips from Hounds
Donald Hansen of The Viking Trader, a company that makes Nordic jewelry, wrote today to thank me and the rest of the Publicity Hounds for their wonderful suggestions a few months ago on how he can market his Nordic jewelry. His question was posted in my ezine, “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week,” and… Read More
Don’t offer exclusivity for special event photos
If the situation warrants it, some Publicity Hounds like to give a particular story to their favorite media that reaches a large audience. If a certain newspaper or magazine knows they will get the story first, they will be more inclined to cover you–as long as it’s a good story. With photos, however, that isn’t… Read More
Pitch “Before you go” info boxes
If you’re publicizing an event, consider providing the media with a small summary of key information that can be included in a “Before You Go” box to accompany the main article reporters are writing. Editors love using these boxes, which can include information such as how to order tickets, how to get to the event,… Read More
Promoting a law firm anniversary
Chris Joy of Methuan, Massachusetts wants to know how she can promote her client, an old and well-established law firm that merged with another firm. The new firm is celebrating its fifth anniversary. From Nicole Lipson of Marietta, Georgia: “To celebrate five years, each lawyer could pledge five hours a month for the next year… Read More
No more boring ribbon-cutting ceremonies
When Dan Collins had to drum up publicity for the opening of The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Center for Women’s Health and Medicine at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, he stayed away from the cliche ribbon-cutting ceremony. Instead, he thought of as many news angles as he could. There were the “magnet physicians” the hospital… Read More
Don’t let poor planning ruin your special event
In the more than two decades I worked as a newspaper editor, I saw one special event planner after another moan and complain that the media didn’t give them enough publicity to draw huge crowds–resulting in special events that were colossal flops. In many cases, it wasn’t the media’s fault. The event planners did it… Read More
Schmoozing at trade shows
Trade shows are great places to take reporters to lunch and to generate all kinds of publicity. Among the thousands of attendees at trade shows, you’ll sometimes find hundreds of reporters who are hungry for stories about new products and interesting people behind the products. But you must do your homework. –Even before you pack… Read More
Use daybooks to publicize Washington, D.C. special events
If you’re publicizing an event in Washington, D.C., be sure to submit your news to the Washington daybooks, the media’s source of events. By doing so, you can reach hundreds of major media outlets at no charge. While this is one method of driving the news cycle with a timely and newsworthy event, editors stress… Read More