Savvy PR pros have known for years that if you have bad news to announce, the best day to announce it is on Friday. That's because Saturday's paper is skinny and has less space for stories. People are distracted by chores and other things on Saturday and don't watch as much TV as they do during the week. In newsrooms everywhere, the weekday crew … [Read more...]
Search Results for: journalists
Don’t be a bodyguard
If you do PR for your company or organization, one of the best things you can do to get in the media’s good graces is to encourage media people to contact your CEO or other sources directly, without demanding that they go through you. Also, don't act like a bodyguard, shielding Mr. or Ms. Important from difficult interviews or tough … [Read more...]
Media summit like “speed-dating with top media”
If you're looking for a way to get the attention of top national journalists, pay attention to these four tips courtesy of Mahesh Grossman, author of the book "Write a Book Without Lifting a Finger":
--Relationships are the name of the game.
--You need to be your own publicist.
--Try to tie in with the … [Read more...]
Business Wire waves its annual fee
--Business Wire is waiving its annual $120 membership fee starting January 1. That means you only have to pay a fee if you want the company to distribute your news release, or provide other services. Business Wire also will reduce rates on premier multimedia services.
Children’s troupe takes its act to trade shows
Publicity Hounds have tips for Melissa Pagan of Tequesta, Florida. She works for a performing arts troupe that specializes in children's entertainment. Their live shows have an education component that focuses on literacy, and some of their school programs address test-taking tips and techniques for relieving the anxiety of the high-stakes … [Read more...]
Talk badly about your competitors
Too many Publicity Hounds are much too nice when introducing a new product or service that's heads above the one offered by the competition.
Afraid of stepping on toes, they issue a bland news release with glowing quotes from the CEO about the wonders of the new offering. But never once do they mention what makes it better than the … [Read more...]
Authors share publicity ideas
Barb Bartlein of Bayview, Wisconsin, author of the book Why Did I Marry You, Anyway? 12.5 Strategies for a Happy Marriage , says she’s had great success with 99PR.com, a service that emails your pitch to radio talk show hosts and other journalists. The pitch looks like … [Read more...]
Use AP stylebook when writing releases
Smart Publicity Hounds know about the Associated Press Stylebook, "the journalist's bible."
It's the 427-page, spiral-bound book, organized liked a dictionary, that journalists throughout the world consult when they need to know the correct acronym for a government agency. They … [Read more...]
How to do background checks on reporters
In my workshop “Hey Boss, Mike Wallace is on Line 2,” I share a sneaky tip about how to do background checks on reporters.
Not the kind that will tell you whether they’ve been picked up for drunken driving or filed for bankruptcy. Rather, the kind that will help you determine … [Read more...]
Finding the nut graph will help you with pitches
Journalists refer to it as the "nut graph."
It's short for "nut paragraph," the part near the beginning that explains, in a nutshell, what the story is about. The nut graph often lends perspective, includes statistics or makes a comparison between something then and now.
Here's an examples from a recent Wall Street Journal.
A … [Read more...]