Issue #1291 Jan. 15, 2019
Publisher: Joan Stewart
“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”
In This Issue
- 20 Bad PR Habits to Break Now
- Write a Powerful Email Signature
- Today: How to Pitch in 35 Seconds
- Hound Video of the Week
This Week in the Hound House:
I’m resigned to the fact that my bad cough is from my severe dust mite allergies. Prednisone did nothing but make me eat and keep me awake at night. I’m in the second year of a five-year regime of allergy shots which haven’t kicked in yet. Plan C is to do a clean sweep through my house to remove dust, then pray that I can withstand this until April or May when I can finally open the windows. A friend who’s allergic had a bad cold and a cough that lasted for six months. Thanks for your suggestions on how to deal with this.
1. 20 Bad PR Habits to Break Now
When I worked as a newspaper editor, this was my Number One pet peeve when dealing with people who would call the newsroom.
I’d pick up the phone and hear, “Hi. This is Sally Secretary. My boss, Mr. Big Cheese, needs to talk to you. But he’s just finishing up with someone in his office. Can you hold?”
In other words, “Mr. Big Cheese is too important to have his time wasted. But we don’t mind wasting yours.”
By the time Mr. Big Cheese finally picked up the phone, I was livid. By now, I’d already decided that regardless of what he wanted, he wasn’t getting it.
After 22 years in business, I still resent it when an assistants call or email me on behalf of their bosses or clients because it sends the message, “They’re more important than you are.” Assistants can follow a telephone script but they can’t always answer simple questions.
Before you hire an assistant to call journalists with a story idea, or meeting planners to get a speaking engagement or bookstore owners who can host a book signing, think about the message you’re sending. Find a way to save time and content them yourself.
When using email, never send it from a platform that includes “DO NOT REPLY” in the header. Always give recipients a chance to click “Reply” and send a response.
To do: Read Shalon Roth’s excellent article “20 common PR habits that drive journalists bonkers.”
#PRTips #PRFail
2. Write a Powerful Email Signature
I’m writing the press release and several media pitches for my author client Cheryl Obermiller.
She’s the CEO of a multi-million-dollar construction company who discovered that her bookkeeper had embezzled a half million dollars. Cheryl wrote about the nightmare in her new book “Fraud Points — The Small Business Owner’s Guide to Outwitting Embezzlers, Thieves, and Scallywags.”
The title stopped me in my tracks the first time I saw it because it screams, “Read me!” Don’t you just love the word scallywags?
When Cheryl emailed her photo and book cover last night, something else caught my attention.
The bottom of her email signature includes this: “Every morning I get up and look at the Forbes list of richest people in America. If I’m not there, I go to work.”
Wow. What a powerful quote from her. It made me realize that I need to erase my own limp email signature and start fresh.
I began researching email signatures and found an article that includes many examples of outstanding examples, along with suggestions on which kinds of email programs and signature templates you should and shouldn’t use.
To do: Read “27 Business Email Signature Examples From the Pros” for ideas on how to redo yours. If you’re launching a book, let me write your press release for you and help plan your publicity campaign. Contact me at JStewart@PublicityHound.com several months before the launch.
3. Today: How to Pitch in 35 Seconds
Do you hate talking to journalists on the phone and trying to deliver a concise publicity pitch in only 15 seconds?
If so, no worries. As long as your pitch includes 6 key elements, you can take up to 35 seconds. And you don’t even have to use the phone. Use email instead.
During free training today, Steve Harrison will share his 6-step formula for creating a compelling pitch. Once you learn his recipe, you’ll be able to be able to craft enticing publicity pitches in as little as 35 seconds.
Join Steve for a free web class at either 2 or 7 p.m. Eastern Time. Register using this affiliate link.
You will learn:
–How authors and speakers in different niches have used the 35-second Publicity Pitch Formula to land appearances on Good Morning America, Today, The View and many more shows.
–The 7 most common types of stories/segments that the media love and how you can make what you’re doing fit any or all of them.
–A “magic phrase” Steve discovered that will make your emails stand out from all the other emails that producers and journalists receive.
–The 6 key ingredients to a great media pitch – and how to pack ALL of them into a 35-second perfect publicity pitch.
–How to use the 35-second formula whether you’re delivering your pitch by email, phone or in person.
During the web class, Steve will give you a special email address and have anyone on the training send in their current pitches. He’ll tweak, edit and fine-tune them, as many as time allows, right on the spot.
To do: Register for the free call here.
#MediaPitch #MediaRelations
4. Hound Video of the Week
You know how dogs tilt their heads sideways when you’re talking to them as if they think it will help them better understand you? Watch Shilo, this funny Labradoodle, really listen.
[Tweet “#PublicityTips — 20 Bad PR Habits to Break Now #PRTips #PRFail”]
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