Your Media Moment & Beyond! Expert Tips for DIY Publicity

Boost Your Publicity Power

A Tip of the Hat to Susan Young of Get In Front Communications for this video on YouTube about how to power-up your press releases and media pitches.   It's full of excellent advice.

Spiff Up Your Bio and Attract the Media

I have started working with a software program that changes articles into slideshow videos.  I had planned to post my first video here yesterday, but you know what happens with "plans."  I ran into technical gremlins and will have to work out the kinks before I can post my first effort.  (so much for the software's promise of quick and easy video creation!)

Instead, here's a link to an audio recording of a presentation this week by media expert Nancy Juetten. 

Click here to listen

Enjoy!

No Time for Publicity? Need Help?

                                                                  

Sometimes getting your publicity "ducks in a row" can be overwhelming. It takes time, persistence and a plan to attract the media and generate buzz about yourself and your business. It's also said that while ducks look like they're gliding serenely on the surface, they're actually paddling furiously under the water. Sometimes, doing all your own PR work can feel that way too.  

My friend and colleague Nancy Juetten can make it easier for you.  Nancy is a Marketing PR Expert who offers a terrific collection of products and services to help local business owners get seen and celebrated in their own backyards. I've interviewed several of her clients who rave about the results they've gotten from working with Nancy and following her advice. 

Nancy just added some new programs. To find out more, follow this link: http://www.mainstreetmediasavvy.com

(I'm not an affiliate, just a fan of her work)

Photo credit: stock.xchng/woqini

How to Work (with) the Media

I often talk about the value of getting "free" publicity to promote yourself, your business, or your cause, but free doesn't mean effortless. You need to do your homework and reach out to the media with an irresistible story pitch. Today I have a guest article to help you do it right from PR expert Drew Gerber, CEO of PublicityResults.com.  Thanks, Drew!

Connecting with the Media for PR Success

By L. Drew Gerber

 

PR success can only come from creating and cultivating healthy relationships with the media. From the very beginning you’ll need to connect with the media in such a way that proves to them you’re a unique expert who can provide their audience with a fresh perspective. When it comes to connecting with the media you need to make it clear you can offer the media something that no one else can.

 

Here’s a few ways to connect with the media to guarantee PR success:

 

Brand Your Messages

When you connect with the media you’ll need to speak about your brand succinctly. It’s imperative to talk about who you are and what you do in no more than three sentences, making sure those short sentences sum up your brand powerfully. Double-check what you say so you distinguish yourself powerfully from your competition. In your pitch start with an introduction on who you are as an expert and then follow-up with more news and story angles created specifically for their beat.

 

Use Online Press Kits

When you connect with the media over the phone, they will say one of two things: 1) “I pass”, or 2) “Send me more.” Just because they say “I pass” now, doesn’t mean they will pass on you forever. They’re simply saying they aren’t interested in the news hook you’re giving them today. You’ll rarely hear, “Quit contacting me.” Either way, don’t take it personally. But when the media says “Send me more,” send them your online press kit link (never send attachments unless you clear that with them first) and a personalized email, just for them.

 

Use Breaking and Seasonal News

When you’re researching new media connections take note of breaking and seasonal news most relevant to them and the media outlet. It’s the best way to introduce yourself. Say something like, “Celeb X is back in jail and I noticed you were covering it. I have something to say about it as I’m an expert in X. Have a second?” or “It’s July and I bet you’re already working on your December magazine. The advertising section of your website says you work six months in advance. Might you use information about X product? It would be perfect for your readers in December.” If you can provide a fresh take on a news story they’re working on, it will definitely increase your chances to build a quality relationship with the media.

 

Connecting with the media can be a frustrating endeavor so it’s important to never take rejection personally. Just keep doing what you’re doing, making tweaks along the way. Remember, if you’re always striving to make the media’s job easier, you’ll be sure to see results.

 

L. Drew Gerber is CEO of www.PublicityResults.com and creator of www.pitchrate.com, a free media tool that connects journalists and the highest rated experts. Gerber's business practices and staffing innovations have been revered by PR Week, Good Morning America and the Christian Science Monitor. His companies handle international PR campaigns and his staff develops online press kits for authors, speakers and companies with Online PressKit 24/7, a technology he developed (www.PressKit247.com). Contact L. Drew Gerber at: AskDrew@PublicityResults.com or call him at 828-749-3548.

 

Dan Pink on What Motivates You!

Here's an interesting video I found on YouTube about Motivation. It uses animation to illustrate a talk given by author Daniel Pink (promoting his latest book DRIVE, no doubt). 

This could be a good idea for the authors and speakers among us, perhaps as part of a demo, since it essentially converts a speaking excerpt which could be presented as simply a boring talking head video into something much more visually engaging.   I found it very watch-able.

Make a Roadmap to Reporters

Everyone knows the best way to get somewhere you've never been is to follow a map.  Approaching the media for publicity is no different. You need to create a plan.

Here's a guest post from Storyteller to the Media Michelle Tennant to help you get pointed in the right direction.

Keeping Your Eye on the Ball When Creating a PR Plan

By Michelle Tennant

The biggest mistake people make when seeking publicity is focusing too much on their own needs and not enough on their audience.

Often our first response when we have news to share is to send out a new release in a shotgun fashion. But if we focus only on our need for publicity, our eyes are off the target.

It’s like in baseball where coaches teach players to focus on the ball they are getting ready to hit. Or dance teachers who tell ballerinas to look at a focus point when they are twirling.

To get effective publicity for your product, service or organization, you have to plan for your audience’s needs.

And your first audience is the media. You need to be familiar with the media and work to meet their needs.

Broadcast or print?

Although we speak of the media as if they are one entity, there are big differences between the needs of broadcast and print, local and national and general and specific media.

Print reporters tend to be serious journalists who want to educate the public about the topics they cover. They are interested in getting the scoop — in telling readers what is news, what has not been said before, and putting it into perspective.

Broadcast reporters are more interested in the entertainment value of the news they present. Since they are competing with other visual media to attract viewers, they often seek out news that is controversial, dramatic or compelling. Otherwise viewers will just change the channel.

Television reporters also are drawn to stories with great visual images while print reporters seek statistics, analysis and expert commentary to put stories in perspective.

Both print and broadcast journalists are looking for ways to illustrate larger national trends and stories, and reaction from the public and experts to breaking news.

You have to decide whether broadcast or print is the best venue for publicizing your organization, product or service. But there is a lot more to deciding your target media.

National or local?

In seeking publicity, are you looking at consumers on a local, regional or national level?

When you are working with local newspapers or broadcast media, they are first interested in the local angle — the person making news or their connection to a local or national story.

National media often use specific localized examples illustrate larger trends affecting everyone. A good example was a piece Good Morning America recently produced using contacts they got through my firm, Wasabi Publicity Inc.

Good Morning America specializes in producing great little segments that are entertaining. They were doing a story on parents who have trouble saying no to their children’s request for money in the recession.

This particular segment focused on parenting tips. They called me because they needed a family to interview. I was able to connect them with a family through one my expert clients.

This all came about because I had sent Good Morning America an email letting them know that I am a resource. That’s a good illustration of something I always say: it’s not just who you know, but who knows about you.

General consumer or industry specific audience?

Ask yourself which media will best reach my target audience? Do I need to reach general consumers? Then it may be best to go with TV and radio.

But if yours is a specialized product or service, your best bet is may be trade publications that deal with the details of each industry. For instance, my firm recently publicized a new auto cleaning product through several trade publications.

The point is you should consider your target audience — the media’s needs and interests — before publicizing your product or service. That is how to keep your eye on the ball to create an effective PR plan.

 

 20-year PR Veteran and Chief Creative Officer of Wasabi Publicity, Michelle Tennant Nicholson's seen PR transition from typewriters to Twitter. Called a five-star publicist by Good Morning America's Mable Chan, Michelle specializes in international PR working regularly with the likes of Oprah, Larry King, BBC, The Today Show and all major media. Recently she secured a Dr. Phil placement for a client within eight hours of signing the contract. Contact her at PR blog http://www.StorytellerToTheMedia.com where she teaches tips from the trade.

 

Gifts and Reporters

                                                                   
 

Most of the time sending a gift to a reporter is a bad idea. Journalists don't take gifts.   All news organizations have ethics policies about accepting gifts. Some won't even let their reporters drink a free soda or cup of coffee, if it is offered by a source or a potential source (which means just about anyone).

Professional reporters and producers are trained to avoid conflict of interest or the appearance of being influenced or biased. While it is not likely a low cost trinket like a T-shirt or mug would sway a reporter to slant a story, it still could look that way.

In my experience, radio and TV people are generally okay with food.  If you send a tin of cookies, a can of popcorn or a box of chocolates to the newsroom, the whole crew gets to enjoy it and talk about who it's from and why.  Items sent to an individual could be a problem, no matter how well-intentioned. 

If you want to make a gesture of thanks, don't make it an ethical trap.  Send a simple thank you note with a few more good story ideas.  That's thanks enough. 

Social Media for Authors and Writers

    Here's a terrific guest post from Drew Gerber, the CEO of www.PublicityResults.com and creator of www.PitchRate.com.   While it's aimed at the authors and writers among us, this is timeless advice for anyone who wants to effectively balance the personal and the professional in their online relationships.  Enjoy!

 Keep a Personal Touch Online

Social Networking Tips for Writers

By L. Drew Gerber

 

Have you ever had someone tell you they were slammed with work, only to find their Facebook page full of frequent frivolous activity?

 

Or maybe you have been surprised by a rude, off-the-cuff remark on Twitter?

 

Social networking offers boundless potential for authors and writers to promote their works to a wide audience online. Just remember to avoid some common etiquette pitfalls.

 

Keeping a personalized touch makes all the difference. Let the Golden Rule govern your behavior online and treat people and situations as you would face to face:

 

Share — Provide valuable information that people can use. When I am networking online, I offer great content for free, whether it be seminars, newsletters or even articles that I find that would be interesting for the community.

 

Don’t just promote yourself — Engage with people online just as you would if you were building a business relationship in person. If someone comes in and all they want to do is promote, promote, promote, that approach is likely to go nowhere.

 

Be polite — People have a tendency to say things online they would never say face to face. I have seen instances where people on Twitter have a personal beef or a problem with a person and tweet it out publicly. Don’t say anything you would be embarrassed for your loved ones to read.

 

Don’t lower yourself — With electronic communication, whether email or social networking, there is no way to read facial expressions or body language. If there is a question about a person’s intentions, give them the benefit of the doubt rather than calling them out for being rude.

 

Be responsible — Not only for what you say, but for your time and your image. It will hurt your credibility if you tell people how busy you are and they see you taking those "Who am I?" and "5 Favorite" quizzes on Facebook every day. When you are online you should assume everyone is watching and behave accordingly.

 

Don’t butt in — If you are participating in an online discussion, let other people have a chance to share their ideas and perspectives. Wait your turn and you will get your chance.

 

Have fun and be creative — Think of ways you can share information about your article, book, writing service or yourself that are fun and make people want to follow you.

 

These tips work because social networking is all about building community. Just like in the community you live in offline, the people who have credibility online who are those who engage others and provide value for the community.

 

About the Author:

L. Drew Gerber is CEO of www.PublicityResults.com and creator of www.PitchRate.com, a free media tool that connects journalists, publicists, and experts. Gerber's business practices and staffing innovations have been revered by PR Week, Good Morning America and the Christian Science Monitor. His companies handle international PR campaigns and his staff develops online press kits for authors, speakers and companies with Online PressKit 24/7, a technology he developed (www.PressKit247.com). Contact L. Drew Gerber at: AskDrew@PublicityResults.com or call him at 828-749-3548.

Easy Video Creation - Google Search Stories

No question web video is making a big impact.  Many people don't want to read, but they love watching.  TV?  Video?  It's all the same.  Google loves video and it is the number one search engine. YouTube video search is right behind it

Now's the time to get publicity for yourself and your business with online video marketing. Even if you don't want to go on camera, you can still put simple videos or links to videos on your blog, website, facebook fan page, in emails, etc.  

Here's a fun and easy way to do video without the need to become a "talking head."  In fact, you don't have to talk at all: 

Try creating your own google search-style video here  

Want Publicity? Start a Relationship!

We're beginning the work week with a terrific guest post from Publicity Pro and Storyteller to the Media, Michelle Tennant. 

    

A Love Potion for Media Attraction

By Michelle Tennant

 

 

I’ve worked at building relationships with the media for more than 20 years and over that time I’ve come to realize there are no shortcuts. What works with journalists are the same basic rules we all learned in kindergarten.

 

To open the media floodgates and become a sought-after expert, follow those same rules for building relationships. Here are a few simple tips to get you started:

 

• Make media friends — Connect with reporters and the media via free websites such as www.usnpl.com.

 

• Know what you’re talking about — Pitch responses that relate to your area of expertise. You’d think this was obvious, but it bears repeating. Stick close to home when pitching and your credibility will shine through.

 

• Early bird gets the worm — When the media contacts you, get back to them ASAP! Make it a high priority and never take more than 24 hours. Even on weekends.

 

• Pay attention — To be a great interview, you need to be a great listener. When talking to journalists, listen closely to what they’re saying and what they’re asking. Don’t force your agenda. Allow things to develop organically.

 

• Be helpful — Send journalists articles, stats and research to help them with their story. You’re the expert and you’ve done a lot of research in your field. Share relevant information and help your interviewer shine and you’ll ensure that you’ll get callbacks!

 

Keeping the Love Alive

 

Once your “Love Potion” has taken effect — that is, once you have a journalist’s attention — here are a few tips on how to keep it:

 

·        Get to the point — Keep it simple. When talking to the media, it’s time to break out your “elevator pitch” – that one to two minute snappy description of what you do and why it’s newsworthy right now. Stay on message and keep it simple. K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Silly) will win the day!

 

·        Make it easy to contact you — If you’re hard to reach or you’re slow to respond, the media will just go to the next person on their list. Here’s a simple trick I swear by: Use a landline while talking to media. We all know how frustrating static and dropped calls can be. Being a clear voice on the phone can take you farther than you think.

 

·        Give them what they want when they want it — Journalists are under tight deadlines. Make their job easier and you’re sure to get repeat PR. If you’re difficult to work with, you won’t be contacted again.

 

·        Be amazing in your interview, so you’ll be sought out again and again. Two tricks to being amazing: 1. Do your homework — Have your pitch prepared, know the points you want to make and stay on message! 2. Listen carefully to find out what the journalist is asking you. Not sure? Ask them directly what more you can do to help them with their story. The more positive the interaction, the more the journalist will want to work with you again.

 

This leads to my last point, the one that will help you in the future as well as now. Build a relationship. Be concerned about the journalist’s needs, not yours. As budgets get cut and news outlets struggle, journalists’ jobs are becoming more and more stressful. Be a resource for them. Filter out relevant information and supply them with additional resources. Make their jobs easier and you will become their go-to contact in your field. That’s priceless.

 

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About the Author:

20-year PR Veteran and Chief Creative Officer of Wasabi Publicity, Michelle Tennant Nicholson's seen PR transition from typewriters to Twitter. Called a five-star publicist by Good Morning America's Mable Chan, Michelle specializes in international PR working regularly with the likes of Oprah, Larry King, BBC, The Today Show and all major media. Recently she secured a Dr. Phil placement for a client within eight hours of signing the contract. Contact her at PR blog http://www.StorytellerToTheMedia.com where she teaches tips from the trade.