Search Results for: journalists

February 14, 2006 by Joan Stewart

Does a gig on ‘Oprah’ guarantee book sales?

Does an author's appearance on "Oprah" automatically guarantee fame and fortune? My good friend Dan Janal, president of PR Leads, a company that provides leads from working journalists, and a former journalist himself, is skeptical. Last week, he blogged [Read more...]

February 12, 2006 by Joan Stewart

Blogging for publicity? 5 tips on how to write a better blog

I'm at the winter workshop sponsored by the National Speakers Association, and I attended great presentations yesterday and today by Tom Antion, my Internet marketing mentor, and blogger [Read more...]

February 8, 2006 by Joan Stewart

Spy on your competitors in their online media rooms

Thanks to Publicity Hound George McKenzie for this tip, which you'll find in his "Free Publicity Action Plan." Use your competitor's online media room to generate publicity for yourself. Simply check the media room on their website. George says they’ll probably be crowing about their media successes (as they should). You can contact the media … [Read more...]

February 1, 2006 by Joan Stewart

How to piggyback onto the “Million Little Pieces” controversy

Good for Oprah for finally admitting she was wrong and standing up to James Frey, the author who embarrassed her by fabricating parts of his book "A Million Little Pieces," the story of his recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction. The book zoomed to top of the best-seller's list and sold 3.5 million copies after she chose it for her [Read more...]

January 31, 2006 by Joan Stewart

Crain’s Chicago editor offers tips on how to get into his paper

I swear I'm not making this up. PR people actually call newspapers and ask journalists, "Can you help me get a client into your paper?" As in, "My butt's in a sling, and I need a media hit---fast!" As in, "I can't convince anybody else to write about this guy. Do you mind if we waste your time?" As in, "I don't care what you write. Just write … [Read more...]

January 30, 2006 by Joan Stewart

What you can do to fight bias in the media

I just finished reading the book "Bias---A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News," written by former CBS correspondent Bernard Goldberg and published about five years ago. It hit No. 1 on the New York … [Read more...]

January 29, 2006 by Joan Stewart

How to create an Experts Directory to promote your experts

If you have numerous experts within your company, nonprofit, government agency, trade association or other group, are you making it easy for the media to find them within seconds? For most of you, I'll bet the answer is no. Take a cue from colleges and universities, which publish annual "experts directories." The directory is an inexpensive, … [Read more...]

January 25, 2006 by Joan Stewart

How to find freelancers and start forming relationships

When it comes to forming valuable relationships with media people who can help you, treat freelance writers with the same respect you would staff writers. Here's why they can be so valuable to your publicity campaign: ---If you pitch a freelancer, it's their job to tweak the pitch, flesh out the story, and sell the story to the editor. All you … [Read more...]

January 19, 2006 by Joan Stewart

Create media kits that scream ‘Read me!’

Back in September, just before McGraw-Hill published Maria Grace's book "Reel Fulfillment: A 12-step Plan for Transforming Your Life Through Movies," Maria worked with me to create a media kit that would scream "Read me!" She joined The Publicity Hound [Read more...]

January 9, 2006 by Joan Stewart

Attend Business Journal parties, but don’t pitch

The Business Journal in Milwaukee hosts its annual Book of Lists party on January 19, and I'm kicking myself because I have a speaking engagement that night. Similar parties will be held all across the U.S. by … [Read more...]