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Entrepreneurs: 4 ways to use press releases for publicity

by at 9:52 pm 3 Comments

car 003One of the most confusing parts of a small business owner’s marketing plan is the press release. While virtually all entrepreneurs understand that marketing and publicity are essential to business success, how and when to write a press release is baffling.

In the social media landscape, many wonder if press releases are still relevant. As a former radio news reporter and news director, I say, yes they are relevant. But ONLY when used to announce something that’s newsworthy. 

Therein lies the confusion. How do you know what’s newsworthy? What do reporters and bloggers look for and cover?

Here are four press release strategies for small business owners:

1.      Avoid self-promotion. Remember that in the word “newsworthy” is the word “new.” When writing a press release or a pitch, be sure you have a fresh angle on a story, trend, or issue. Your announcement must be timely, relevant, and compelling to the public. It must fit with the reporter’s niche or demographic. Sales pitches are for the advertising department, not the newsroom. Hire a PR coach or read books on how to write and frame your story. Many of my blog posts cover this topic. Discover how you can help reporters and editors. The key is to build relationships and become a trusted resource. Before you begin writing a press release, ask yourself, “Who cares?” If your announcement doesn’t impact the public, you’re on the wrong path.

 2.      Keep your news antennae up. News is about people. People love great stories. You have great stories right under your nose but you’re busy running your graphic design company, staffing firm, or retail shop. And of course you’re consumed with learning social media. Take your ear buds out and pay attention to what’s happening around you.  What trends can you comment on? Is your company celebrating an anniversary? Have you recently expanded or gotten a small business grant? How have you helped a client to succeed? Do you have an interesting hobby or talent that’s out of the ordinary?

3.      Think multimedia. Reporters expect to see more than words; they want images, action, and video. They want to hear something. Have you considered using a flip cam to record your press release or pitch? These tools allow the reporter to get to know you by hearing you explain your story and watching your body language. Think about how a Pinterest board can visually tell your story. We live in a creative space. Stand out by inviting news decision makers to connect with you on an exciting and deeper level.

4.      Write tip-sheet style releases. To build your credibility, help people solve their problems. Position yourself as the expert in your industry. People have a pain and you have the medicine that will ease their discomfort. The tip-sheet format (like this list) is effective because it’s reader-friendly in our crazy, busy world.  The bullet points allow readers to skim the content and glean nuggets of information. Our cognitive bandwidth is more limited than ever. Brief tips are usually appreciated. 

Once you have a few press releases, think about how you can repurpose them into blog posts, short video clips, and content for e-zines. Minor tweaks to the format can easily create new content and marketing pieces.    

The bottom line: Your presence affects your prosperity. Don’t be the best-kept secret!

PS: If you want lots of tips like the ones above, you’ll want to see this! Hot off the Press: My new Kindle book, The Badass Book of Social Media and Business Communication.  It’s packed with hundreds of pointers and strategies on PR, news interviews, pitches, writing, blogging, and social media.

Filed Under: Business trends, media, PR, Press releases, Public Relations, publicity, Writing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

5 ways to get publicity during the July 4th holiday

by at 3:26 am Leave a Comment

Long holiday weekends like July 4th bring the news cycle to a screeching halt.  This year, the U.S. celebrates Independence Day on Wednesday.

But even though most are distracted with barbecues, fireworks, and sunburn, newspapers and electronic media still need fresh, new content to fill their pages and airwaves. Summer is typically slow in newsrooms as schools and state legislatures are out.

This is where you come in.

Many pitches that seem weak during a busy news cycle can easily grab the attention of a reporter during long weekends and holidays. This is one instance our 24-hour news cycle is good for PR practitioners.  

Here are five easy tips for getting publicity during the holiday week:  

  •  Plan in advance. This year, July 4th is on Wednesday. Many people are taking off part the beginning or end of the week to make for a long weekend. A lot of offices are closing early on Tuesday. Translation: It’s time to hustle. If you send your press release or pitch now,  reporters can use it anytime between now and July 9.  Your sleeper story on a busy news day could be a big headline over the extended holiday and even into next week.  
  •  Keep it undated. “Evergreen stories” with no real date attached to them are ideal for coverage in a slow news cycle. You may be pleasantly surprised to see it picked up a few weeks after it was sent.
  • Focus on business and hard news. Stay away from the typical seasonal stories that bore us all to tears. Hard news and business stories are perfect for these time periods. Think about trends in your industry. 
  • Make predictions. What will the next six months of 2012 look like? What trends, challenges, and legislative issues lie ahead? The key is that the voice of your company is willing to say something. He/she must be prepared to take a position and make a bold statement. For instance: If real estate is your specialty, make a forecast about the housing market or interest rates. People who are fearful of doing this or “don’t like the press” won’t get much press. Holiday or not. 
  • Get creative! Cause-related marketing is also a good opportunity to shine. For example, most groups conduct holiday food drives in November and December, yet there are plenty of hungry people in July. Launch a summer food drive with a local nonprofit. Human interest stories are always fun this time of year, too.  If you (or your client or boss) enjoys surfing or kayaking, invite a brave reporter to come along. It makes for great visuals.

 

Take advantage of this window of opportunity by planning ahead and thinking creatively. Reporters will appreciate your efforts and you’ll be building critical relationships for future pitching and PR.

Filed Under: Business, content, News, publicity Tagged With: , , , , ,

5 hard lessons for student journalists at Penn State

by at 8:11 pm 1 Comment

Aspiring writers for The Daily Collegian, the 125-year-old student-run newspaper at Penn State University, have gotten real-life lessons in journalism that professors could have never come up with. And they wouldn’t want to.

The sex abuse convictions of former defensive football coach Jerry Sandusky have turned the school upside down, on so many different levels.

To learn what student journalists have been dealing with these last eight months, I interviewed Casey McDermott, editor-in-chief of The Daily Collegian. McDermott and her team provided a combination of online and print coverage from Day 1. 

“It’s definitely been a challenge. We were asked to mature a lot this year. I was astonished at how professionally our staff of 18-to-22-year-olds handled this. Everyone just rose to the occasion and did what we had to do. All hands on deck in November; no questions asked.”  

There were the alleged cover-ups and firings of esteemed football Coach Joe Paterno and University President Graham Spanier.  There were the abrupt resignations and criminal charges filed against Athletic Director Tim Curley and Senior Vice President for Finance and Business Gary Schultz. There were violent student and community protests. There were police investigations, FBI search warrants, and the trial.

But above all, there were the victims. The boys and young men, who, for years, endured — and kept secret — the horrific and repugnant actions of a pathetic and sick man who stole their innocence.

Toss out the textbooks. This is not a syllabus for Journalism 303.    

Many seasoned reporters who have covered breaking news and criminal court cases have never had the experience of seeing such a high profile, shocking, and emotionally-charged case firsthand. McDermott says the staff has always covered local criminal cases, but nothing of this magnitude. Fair to say, the student journalists have done more than cut their teeth.

Consider these five lessons the students at The Daily Collegian have learned:    

  1. Breaking news and wordsmithing. In early November, 2011, student journalists watch wide-eyed as local and national media converge on their beloved ‘Happy Valley’ campus. Reporters, along with bloggers and the public, want details on Sandusky’s arrest.  At a tumultuous press conference, there is shock that Paterno and Spanier had been fired. The Board of Trustees is bombarded with questions of ‘who knew what and when they knew it?’ The verbal dance is underway. Student journalists quickly discover the frustration in trying to get information during an active criminal investigation. They see that when attorneys and law enforcement are involved, the wordsmithing can be painfully frustrating. Wanna-be journalists come to understand the magnitude of the word ‘alleged.’ The old adage, ‘Read between the lines’ is a lesson unto itself.
  2. Writing a balanced and fair news story ain’t so easy. Especially when YOU are the news. The emotions and news judgment of student journalists are put to the test. They discover the importance of keeping opinions on the editorial page and out of a news story. This is significant for these student journalists, as they have only lived with sensationalized and biased news and talk show anchors; blowhards masquerading as reporters. 
  3. Thinking about power. Collegiate reporters quickly learn how ugly power and ego can be, especially when it’s tied to the country’s top university football program and coach. Hearing firsthand how respected leaders have turned their collective backs (for years) as young boys were being violated is a lesson that goes beyond scholarships and trophies. The definition of integrity is examined.
  4. Watching the interviews. As vile details of the case are revealed, student reporters get a glimpse of crisis communications and media coaching. Remember the interview Jerry Sandusky did with NBC’s Bob Costas just days after his arrest?  Sandusky said, “I have horsed around with kids. I have showered after workouts. I have hugged them and I have touched their legs without intent of sexual contact.” That’s a really bad sound bite, Jerry.
  5. Acting like a professional. Defense attorney Joe Amendola’s strategy and comments to the media have been described by one analyst as “unorthodox.” When telling a reporter about the “soap opera drama” in court, Amendola quipped, “This could be ‘All My Children.’” Pennsylvania’s Attorney General Linda Kelly spoke to the press (with prepared remarks) immediately after the verdict was delivered. Kelly talked about the courageous testimony from victims and the need for the public to protect children. Both Amendola and Kelly graduated from law school. The aspiring journalists learn that tact and class aren’t part of the bar exam. 

Will professors in the communications department rewrite course outlines using their own story as a case study? Will administrators in ‘Happy Valley’ allow it? 

And will any of the student journalists at The Daily Collegian who followed and covered this story pursue professional journalism careers? Or will they leave the Valley and head for the hills?

(Image via)

Filed Under: Crisis Communication, Journalism, Leadership, media, News, publicity, Student journalists Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Deciding what’s news: 6 questions to determine if your story is newsworthy

by at 2:32 am 21 Comments

Newsrooms and bloggers are constantly flooded with pitches that aren’t even close to being newsworthy. Why are only a few stories and pitches picked up and the rest land in the trash or delete folder? 

Let’s go back to the old “Journalism 101″ inverted pyramid style of writing news. OK, I’m dating myself here, but these six rudimentary questions will help determine if you have a remarkable story to share.  

Before you begin writing your pitch or press release, ask yourself: 

  1. Who gives a crap? If you can answer this question, your response belongs in the headline or subject line. Hint: Relatives and paid employees don’t count. 
  2. What makes my story outshine the other 372 that crossed the desk of the reporter or blogger today? Hint: Pitch purple snowflakes. 
  3. Where would my story fit in to this reporter’s world?  Hint: Relevance rules. 
  4. When is this most important? Today, tomorrow, next Tuesday?  Hint: Yesterday=snore. 
  5. Why would anyone sitting in their den in Utah, driving on I-95 in Florida, or bowling next to my dad in New Jersey want to pay attention to this story? Hint: Connect with emotions and the human factor.  
  6. How can this story help other people? Hint: It’s not about buying your book or hiring you to train execs.  

Most reporters look at unsolicited press releases from people they don’t know as mere interruptions in the workday. Don’t be an interruption. Go for impact. How do I know? I was a news reporter and radio news director.

My mantra when I read or heard a pitch: Come on, make my day. Hint: I’ve mellowed, but the business hasn’t.

P.S. Here’s my shameless plug: Check out my 21-day, free video series, Speaking of Communication. It’s packed with tips, tricks, and techniques for blogging, social media, publicity, and business communication. The box is on the top right.


Filed Under: Blogging, media, Public Relations, publicity Tagged With: , , ,

5 Pathetic PR Pitches Oprah Could Cover in Her Last TV Season

by at 12:49 pm 3 Comments

Wouldn’t it be grand if hard working public relations pros, our esteemed clients, and small business owners around the world finally witnessed Oprah Winfrey cave to our pathetic pitches? Can’t you just picture our misguided, delusional clients magically landing at Harpo Studios in Chicago? 

Imagine this: The Queen of Daytime Television wraps up her stellar 25-year run with these “amazing” stories: 

1. Your business seminar series on how to sell more in a weak economy has expanded to a four-county region in Hartford, Connecticut. Even better, Oprah’s producers want to talk about your recent interview with the Business Journal. The game-changer: No one minded that the subject is of no interest to Oprah’s core audience. Yippee! 

2. The online “busy mom” calendar designed for the PTA is now featured on your revamped website– PayPal and all. Sweet!

3.  The record 200th blog post you just finished will be the lead story during sweeps. Oprah’s hook: It took you 23 days, 19 hours, and 27 minutes to complete. Woot!

4. The “lame duck” Halloween costume you wore to the office party is a fabulous tie-in to the Congressional session and election. The word “lame” in the e-mail subject line really grabbed the intern’s attention. Well done! 

5. Your new phone coaching niche on spirituality, enlightenment, and business in a stressful world will air when the show is co-hosted by Oprah and her chatty best friend Gayle King. Muuaaah!!!

Here’s the kicker: Oprah’s team insisted each guest write out all their answers, stare blindly into the camera (a la Cindy Brady), and ask 40 times in advance if they can get a copy of the interview. 

All in a day’s work.  

Filed Under: Business, Public Relations, publicity Tagged With: , , ,

10 Easy Things You Can Do Right Now to Get Publicity

by at 1:48 pm 5 Comments

Feeling stuck for creative ideas? Do you need a ”burst of amazing” for your own business or PR clients? Here are 10 easy ways to jumpstart the process and create a buzz.  

1. Sit down with your colleagues, staff, or clients and ask them good questions about what they have been doing. This includes hobbies, vacations, and interests that they have that you’ve never known about or discussed. Brainstorm. Quality questions will bring quality information.

2. Google a few PR and marketing firms in other states or regions that you’re not familiar. Browse their posts and articles. By seeing the issues and topics they’ve addressed, you will open up your own creative channels.

3. Take a walk. Go to a new park  or downtown area with your journal or flipcam and just watch people. New environments spark curiosity, which is integral to creativity. Consider taking a day off and breaking with your routine.  Adventures are good.

4. Look back. Read your own archives of press releases, articles, newsletters, and blog posts. You can probably recycle a few or find ways to  follow-up. You can also read newspaper archives from a year ago to see what stories were in the news, and what may have changed. Is there a fresh angle to explore?  

5. Read a few magazines or newspapers that you’ve never seen before. What kinds of headlines, trends, and stories can you apply to your world?

6. Check out new social media chats and groups. You don’t even have to participate; simply observe the conversations. Find new websites to visit, identify and watch new movers and shakers, and bookmark new resources. Subscribe to a new newsletter or e-zine.  

7. Read a biography of a leader you admire and respect.  Whether it’s FDR, Rosa Parks, or Larry Bird, you’re likely to be inspired and get fresh insights into overcoming challenges and staying on course. Learn from the best and figure out how you can apply these life lessons in your business.  

8. Be “on.” Hard core news pros are always “on.”  Their news antennae are up at the dry cleaners, school conferences, and in the mall. Interesting people with fabulous experiences and ideas are all around you. Don’t discount or pre-judge anyone as “boring.”  Be curious, pay attention, and speak with people. Above all, let them do most of the talking. Your job is to be “Life’s Little Observer.” 

9. Monitor the bloggers and reporters you want to pitch. Look at everything they’ve covered in the past three-to-six months. Determine where you fight in. 

10. Consider new approaches. If you haven’t blogged or written a Q&A style format, go for it. Offer to write a guest post for someone with similar interests. Think ahead for the next 15-30 days. Is there a two or three-part series you can develop with a colleague, client, or friend?  Team up with a nonprofit and do something nice for your community.

Here’s the bottom line. Step out of your comfort zone and open your eyes, mind, and heart.

By the way, if you want to learn more about publicity, social media, blogging, PR, and creativity, I invite you to sign up for my free, 21-day video series, “Speaking of Communication.”

Filed Under: Creativity, Public Relations, publicity, Social Media Tagged With: , , , ,

4 ways to get your e-mail pitch ignored by news reporters

by at 11:22 pm 13 Comments

You know the disclaimer: “Don’t try this at home.” Well, here’s a work-related disclaimer: Don’t try these on-the-job. 

If you’re sending e-mail pitches to reporters, it’s a good idea to do some basic homework and tailor your pitch. My friend Gordon Deal is the host of The Wall Street Journal This Morning.  It’s a syndicated business and news program that’s broadcast on 200 radio stations across the U.S.  

He urges people who pitch news stories to avoid the following when writing their subject line and opening sentences:  

  1. “Dear Gordon Deal” or ”Dear Radio Show Host”- that tells me I’m just an e-mail blast. I know this is intended for someone who just happened to be on the computer and picked it up. I am not interested whatsoever.
  2. “Greetings!” -Automatic delete. Just a blast e-mail.
  3. “Using the phrase ‘Breaking News’ - There’s a difference between breaking news, an investigative report, an exclusive, a developing story, an evergreen story, an analytical story, and a reaction piece. Using that to get my attention is wrong.
  4. Listing the specific other media that a guest has been on. This makes me feel like I’m late to the game. We want to feel like we’re getting somebody unique. I don’t care if your client was featured in five other major news outlets. Tell me why he should be on my show. 

When you throw out pitches like the ones Gordon has mentioned your credibility will quickly be trashed. The  likelihood of the same reporter opening one of your future e-mails diminishes.   

If you want to find out how to pitch your story to Gordon Deal and other news decision-makers, I invite you to read this interview.

Filed Under: media, News, publicity Tagged With: , ,

10 Sound Bites and Quotes from the Rescued Miners

by at 4:04 am Leave a Comment

miners exit mineshaftReporters and news pros around the world are already jockeying to snag the first interview with just one of the rescued miners in Chile.

While we wait for these brave men to recover from their ordeal, I wanted to share ten sound bites and quotable quotes uttered when the  survivors were brought to the surface. Shhhh, don’t tell anyone what I overheard.

1. I have great content for my blog. Wow!

2.  No thanks Procter and Gamble. I don’t want to be a spokesman for your new deodorant.

3.  Damn, I could have scheduled 70 days worth of Tweets.

4.  I knew Courtney Cox would leave that bum Arquette –just in time!

5.  I’d like to thank my family for deleting the following songs from my i-Pod: “I Feel the Earth Move Under my Feet” by Carole King and  “The Fire Down Below” by Bob Seger.

6.  I never did like that dress code at work.

7.  Did anyone Tivo the new season of “Jersey Shore?”

8.  Elliot Spitzer on CNN?! I thought my nightmare was over.

9.  No way Verizon, I am NOT paying the $93,000 bill you texted to me on September 27th. Your roaming charges are outrageous!

10.  So cool! We beat Larry King in the ratings.

Welcome home.

Filed Under: Blogging, Communication, media, News, publicity, Social Media, Social Networking Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Surprise Results: Most Reporters Don’t Want Social Media Pitches

by at 1:22 am 8 Comments

It takes a lot to shock me, but this one left me scratching my head. I asked a few of my media contacts and friends who work on the chaotic front lines of the news every day how they prefer to receive pitches.  I really wanted to see how plugged in to social media they were.

My bad.

The following is a smattering of their responses. Many people preferred to remain anonymous simply because they didn’t want to deal with the corporate food chain to get approval to speak with me.  That’s fine; I just wanted information that I could pass along to you.  I interviewed print, radio and TV pros in the New York/New Jersey media market. There’s also insight from a TV producer in San Antonio, TX.

The question: How do you want to receive a pitch or story idea?

  1. “As of right now, I don’t know anyone that would accept a pitch via social media. E-mail is the best way to pitch me, because it gives me time to read the story and go back to it, if I can’t read it right away.  That being said, social media is becoming more and more relevant, so I wouldn’t be surprised if stories were found on FB or Twitter. I am on both, but really use them for personal reasons, rather than business.” Producer, Today Show
  2. “We don’t have the time to follow all the pretty little shining objects that people use to try to get their message out. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Digg, MySpace and the other social media are interesting and varied ways to reach consumers, but journalists can’t monitor all of them and hope to produce the necessary stories and material needed for our paper and online platforms. If you want to get our attention, you need to use the basic channels we already have set up – our two main e-mail addresses. These are controllable and simple for us to monitor and use for the basis for future stories – either paper or online. And of course, someone can always, God forbid, pick up the phone!”- Paul Grzella, General Manager/Editor, The Courier News
  3. “The best is to e-mail story pitches that are super short. Tell me what visuals and interviews will be available. No huge files that clog my e-mail and gets immediately deleted. Brief follow-up e-mails are good. Once a relationship with a reporter is built, brief phone call pitches can work. I don’t look for stories on Twitter or Facebook.” -TV news reporter, New York
  4. “I don’t get pitches much on social media, well, maybe a few on FB.  Here are my thoughts. Be brief, to the point.  Sell me the idea.  If you can tie it into a “right now” story, either local or national, that helps.  Include contact information, and be available. And don’t take it personally if we don’t pick up on your story. There are many factors that influence daily coverage, and it may have nothing to do with the validity of your story at that moment. ”- Shari St. Clair, Special Projects Producer, KSAT-12 TV, San Antonio
  5. “I don’t like to be pitched via social media at all. That’s silly. I have a private e-mail address and phone number. Why contact me on a public site where everyone can see your pitch? It’s simply unprofessional.”- Reporter, The Wall Street Journal
  6. “I don’t get too many story pitches via social networking. We have an assignment desk at WCBS 880, so I have to refer what pitches I do get to the desk any way. Media professionals are welcome to send me a pitch via Facebook or Twitter, but they should remember that that is NOT the ‘official’ way to pitch a story at WCBS. It’s not an efficient way to do it.”- Steve Scott, WCBS Anchor, NY
  7. “I’m the last person in the world to ask about social media. I’m not on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. Regular old e-mail is my preference for pitches.” – TV Producer at Fox News, NJ/NY

Are you surprised at these comments? Let me know.

Filed Under: Communication, media, Public Relations, publicity, Social Media, Writing Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

How to Pitch Your News Story to The Wall Street Journal

by at 12:59 pm 28 Comments

on air signWhat’s the secret to grabbing the attention of a reporter at The Wall Street Journal? For the answer, I went straight to the source. I spoke with Gordon Deal, host of The Wall Street Journal This Morning, a syndicated business and news show that’s broadcast on 200 radio stations around the U.S.

Deal says he looks for three specific elements in an e-mail pitch.

1. The pitch has to be unique. “You have to think, ’Is our story going to improve the life or business of someone else?  How unique and relevant is it?’  That’s the filter I would ask someone to put themselves through when looking for a media hit.”

2. The pitch has to be concise. “We all get so many e-mails that we’re tired of reading them. The subject line is your ticket in. It’s got to capture the idea and the readers interest in just a handful of words. If I get so far as to open the e-mail, the final selling point has to be those first two lines because, chances are, I’m not going to get to that second or third paragraph. The sooner you can make your point, the better. Use the subject line to open door, and the first two or three sentences  to kick the door open and get invited in.”

3. The pitch has to be timely. ”We’re looking for people to provide relevance. Look at current trends. I do a small business podcast. Maybe you have a great marketing idea, or a different kind of lending and financing deal, or a unique take on hiring people from a large pool of candidates we have in this economy.”

If you want to pitch your small business story to Gordon Deal, his e-mail address is gordon.deal@wsj.com. His programs are available at http://www.wsjthis morning.com. Listen to the small business podcast at http://www.wsj.com/smallbusiness. Please let me know about your success stories.  I’d love to share them in a future post.

By the way, if you’re looking for tons of content like this on news, PR, Social Media, communication and business, sign up for my free 21-day video series, “Speaking of Communication.”

(Photo Credit: DPlanet)

Filed Under: Business, Communication, content, Creativity, media, News, Public Relations, publicity, Success, Writing Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
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