Franklin, of course, was a journalist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And his advice is as true today<\/strong> for bloggers and new media as it was back then for town criers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Any time you can involve journalists in your story, or whatever you’re promoting, it will result in a better story<\/strong>. When I worked as a reporter in the 1970s, I was assigned to cover a hypnotist who was hypnotizing 100 people to lose weight. Rather than just report on the story, I volunteered<\/strong> to be hypnotized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I reported on it for the following day’s paper, lost 15 pounds, and wrote a follow-up story. <\/strong>I described what it was like to be hypnotized. And it was so much better<\/strong> than if I had reported it as an observer. A lot more fun<\/strong> too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are 13 ways to involve journalists and bloggers in whatever you’re promoting:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If it’s a food contest, ask a food blogger. If it’s a high school essay contest on the topic of entrepreneurs, ask a business reporter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Warning: Print journalists are usually boring speakers.<\/strong> If you want the crowd to stay awake, invite your local TV anchor<\/strong> or a TV reporter. Or a local deejay.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is an almost guaranteed<\/strong> way to get a story from writers who might not otherwise cover it. But make sure you have a bug-free product<\/strong>. Read 6 things you need to do to approach the press, Item #6, in the Secret Formula to Turn Beta Testing Into a Viral Success for Startups.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Many, but not all, are tech-savvy. I taught a former TV reporter in my town how to use Twitter. And she still thanks me.<\/strong> It’s a great way to build the relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tell them you’d love an honest<\/strong> review, and make sure to insert a press release into the book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you need more reviews, don’t miss the killer free<\/strong> webinar I hosted with Debbie Drum yesterday on “How To Find Powerful Influencers on Amazon to Review Your Books and Help You with Your Marketing-for Free.” Our offer on a web-based program that will help you track down the perfect Amazon reviewers for your book lightning fast<\/strong> expires at midnight Monday night. Watch the replay here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also ask a journalist who you know well enough to write the foreword to your book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Wisconsin State Fair delivers boxes of cream puffs to local media, and they get fabulous free publicity as a result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n 7. Ask them if they\u2019d like to feature a quiz you\u2019ve created.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n They can take the quiz first and see how well they scored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Get permission to invite a photographer too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Or ask them to trade jobs with you for a day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n CPAs, invite them to a class on how to prepare your taxes. Professional organizers, volunteer to help a reporter clean her messy desk and keep paper and digital files organized. Or ask a mommy blogger in your community if you can show her how to organize her child’s playroom or bedroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n A Milwaukee deejay who had a snoring problem was invited to the Sleep Wellness Center to see if he could be cured of snoring. I\u2019m not sure if he was ever cured, but I remember hearing the promos for that particular story several dozen times over a two-week period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A Milwaukee TV station aired a two-minute segment in which two TV anchors were invited to help a local chef decorate Christmas cookies to promote a special holiday cookie workshop being held at a local hotel\/resort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I’ll bet a 15-second shot of the parade is on “News at 11.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Have you invited reporters, freelancers, broadcasters or bloggers to participate in your story? Share the link in the Comments. Or add to my list of ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [Tweet “Here are 13 ways to involve journalists and bloggers in what ur promoting via @PublicityHound”]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The quote from Ben Franklin goes something like this: \u201cTell me and I forget. Teach me and I may remember. Involve me and I’ll understand. Franklin, of course, was a journalist. And his advice is as true today for bloggers and new media as it was back then for town criers. Any time you can\u2026 Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","iawp_total_views":9,"wds_primary_category":691,"footnotes":""},"categories":[691],"tags":[139,631,784,36,7],"class_list":["post-30335","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-publicity","tag-journalists","tag-nonprofits","tag-photos","tag-pitching-the-media","tag-tv-publicity","entry"],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Joan Stewart","author_link":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/author\/jstewart\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30335","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30335"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30335\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42821,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30335\/revisions\/42821"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30335"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30335"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30335"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}1. Invite one of them to judge a contest you\u2019re sponsoring, or a competition you\u2019re hosting. <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Ask a journalist to deliver the keynote address or speak at your event. <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Ask a select group of bloggers to beta test an app, software or a techie tool you’ve created and offer feedback.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"WhatsApp\"](\"https:\/\/www.publicityhound.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/whatsapp-892926_640-300x200.jpg\" "\\"WhatApp")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n4. Offer to teach a journalist or blogger about how to use a social media site you\u2019ve found successful. <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. If you\u2019re an author, ask if they\u2019d like a copy of your new book. Don\u2019t send the book unsolicited. <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
6. If you\u2019re planning an event that features food, deliver food to the TV and radio stations the day before the event starts.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"creampuffs](\"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2015\/12\/creampuffs-at-wisconsin-state-fair.jpg\" "\\"free")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n8. Ask if they\u2019d like to volunteer to work for a day at your nonprofit\u2019s food pantry, or serving lunches to the homeless. <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"nonprofit](\"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2015\/12\/food-bank2.jpg\" "\\"nonprofit")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n9. Invite them to work at your job for a day, and report on it. <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
10. Invite them to a class, workshop, teleseminar, webinar or other training session you\u2019re planning.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"girl's](\"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2015\/12\/disorganized.jpg\" "\\"mommy")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n11. Don’t forget the broadcasters.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
12. Ask news anchors or local TV show hosts to join you in a demonstration that promotes your event or product. <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
13. Ask a local media personality to serve as the grand marshal in your parade.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n