Got Publicity How To Become A Household Name

Writen by Dale Klein

Are you working as hard as you can in your area of expertise? Are you implementing creative ideas? Are you valuable to your clients? And now the tough question: Does the public know about you? If you're like most business people, you answered "Yes" to the first three questions, and then perhaps hesitated on the last question and may have ultimately answered "No," or sheepishly said "Well, not as much as I'd hoped."

Getting your name "out there" requires getting yourself "out there." This means a very steady diet of first and foremost being visible in the business community, as well as actively "tooting your own horn." Being humble is not a virtue when one is striving to become a household name. So does this happen overnight? Of course not, but that's where repetition comes into play. If your name and your accomplishments are repeatedly positioned in different ways, you become familiar to others and that's when you know you're making inroads.

This begs the question of what's an accomplishment. Again, if you're in the humble category, you may minimize or downplay a project or new development. Rule #1 is that all your endeavors should be viewed as accomplishments. Then it becomes a matter of spreading the news. Let's say for example that you are offering a workshop in your local community and though to you it may be "old hat," it marks an opportunity to let the public know about it. This can range from telling family and friends, posting it on your website, sending postcard announcements to former clients, submitting it to newspapers and trade publications as well as local Chambers of Commerce; in fact, the more the merrier. While we're on the subject of print media, why not take this idea to the next level? You can email or telephone feature reporters in your local newspaper to let them know when and where your class will be conducted and use your skills to entice them as to why this would be a great story, photos and all. It may not be the right time the first time, but if you stay the course and remember your goal (to get your name out there), eventually it will happen.

While print media is phenomenal exposure, you don't want to overlook radio and television. In this instance the approach is to offer to be a guest to either take questions from viewers or to do an interview. The key here is to be prepared with "your hook." In other words, think through why your subject is of interest to the audience, how you can be a resource, the timeliness of your call (e.g. offering your professional opinion about the effectiveness of a politician who's running for office). You may want to approach it like a puzzle and determine where you best fit.

You may be wondering what the payoff is for all your perseverance. Once you do break through and get that well-earned publicity, it catches on like wildfire. Suddenly, you're "out there" like a household word, the world is your oyster…and the phone is ringing off the wall. That means only one thing which is you've got publicity. Now keep going!

Dale Klein, owner of SPEECH MATTERS, is a Corporate Communication & Speech Specialist. Having owned her own practice since 1994, Dale has the expertise you want when it comes to presenting yourself with professionalism. Learn more at http://www.speech-matters.com or call 518-664-6004.

The Story The Media Really Wants

Writen by Margie Fisher

If you're like most of my clients, you're probably interested in getting the media to cover the success of your business. These "business success stories" can be used for future marketing efforts -- including reprints of the story in your marketing materials or on your Web site, or framing the article and hanging it in your office.

Well, I'm all for that, of course.

But ... did you know that the media is often more interested in the story behind the story -- not necessarily a standard business profile?

What do I mean by the "story behind the story?"

Sometimes it means the reason why you started the business in the first place. Often, this is more interesting to the media's audience than the business itself. For example, my client, Christine King of Get Fit! Functional Fitness Studios, was the subject of a Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel Sunday Fitness Profile, not so much because she was the owner of a fitness studio, but because she was in an accident years ago that left her temporarily paralyzed, and she used functional fitness moves to rehabilitate herself. This led her to leave her corporate job and start a functional fitness studio.

Another "story behind the story" might be a major event that catapulted your business to incredible success. Some magazines, such as Fortune Small Business, have a regular feature on that subject. Local newspapers also often run these types of articles. For instance, client Lori Karmel of We Take the Cake was featured in a recent Monday South Florida Sun-Sentinel Small Business Profile in the Business Section. The main theme of the story was how her appearance on last November's Oprah Winfrey Show, in which she was featured offering one of Oprah's Favorite Things (the company's Key Lime Bundt Cake), helped We Take the Cake's sales skyrocket.

Another type of "story behind the story" is how you or your company helped another company become successful. This was the subject of a recent "Case Study" feature for client Bob Garner in the Wall Street Journal. A client of Bob's told how Bob's trade show presentation had increased the client's trade show ROI significantly.

If you're wondering if these types of stories are as effective as pure business profiles, the answer is a resounding YES! Here's why:

1. These stories are often more interesting to readers and viewers, so the audience understands more of the story about you, which leads to better retention of your company's products and/or services.

2. These stories often incorporate a great deal of your company information, often in a very flattering way.

3. These stories show a different side of you and your business that is often hard to describe to others.

So if the media is interested in the "story behind the story", eagerly embrace the idea. It may very well lead to your best, and most effective, publicity coverage ever!

Copyright 2006 Margie Fisher All Rights Reserved

Margie Fisher, President of Zable Fisher Public Relations, is the author of the Do-It-Yourself Public Relations Kit. For more information on the Kit, the Pay for Results Publicity Program, and to sign up for the complimentary PRactical P.R. newsletter, visit http://www.zfpr.com

Public Relations For Home Schooling Groups

Writen by Lance Winslow

Home schooling is not easy and most parents that do home schooling will admit to you that it is a lot tougher than I thought. It is for this reason that many parents who do home schooling get together with home schooling groups, which does make it easier.

When home schooling groups get together they help all the parents do better with the home schooling. However, it is not easy to get together with all the parents and therefore the home schooling groups must do public relations and develop community goodwill.

More and more people are upset at the public schools and choose to do home schooling, by getting the school system to refer parents to home schooling groups is not easy because the school district does not want people to do home schooling, as they want those kids to come to the public school. Perhaps they see it as competition and are worried about their jobs, as well they should.

Public relations for home schooling could include having a web site with preplanned courses available for parents to download and use to teach their kids. Another thing home schooling groups can do is get together with all the parents and their children and set up soccer teams so the kids will also get some socialization. Please consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Make Front Page News By Not Inviting The Media

Writen by David Leonhardt

Not a single reporter showed up at our news event. And we were THRILLED!

Not a single photographer showed up to capture the moment. And we were pleased as punch!

Not a single newspaper knew about the event. And we received front page coverage in every one!

You can make front page news by keeping the media away. But how did we do it? Here is the media relations plan we used:

BACKGROUND: A few years ago, I was working for a politician. In fact, he was a Canadian Member of Parliament (MP). That was about the time that Canada Post decided not to deliver mail to homes in new developments. Instead, new homeowners had to pick up their mail at community "superboxes" near the end of their streets. After laying down big bucks for fancy new homes, people expected the same door-to-door service they were used to, and my MP took the heat . . . even though Canada Post was an arms-length organization of the government.

GOAL: Our goal was to demonstrate that my MP cared, that he was on their side, that he was doing everything he could to help them.

IDEA: One of the complaints the new residents had was that they were not receiving their junk mail (Go figure!), including weekly grocery specials and, by coincidence, my MP's mailing to constituents. This gave me an idea. Why not send my MP door to door to deliver his bulletin, explaining how he, too, was frustrated that Canada Post would not deliver his bulletin to them.

CHALLENGE NUMBER ONE: But what about the majority of people who would not be home to see how my MP shared their gripes? We needed media coverage, so that everyone would read about it in their local newspaper.

CHALLENGE NUMBER TWO: This is a juicy story for reporters. Imagine the headlines: "Resident sock it to MP". Imagine the photos of angry residents waving their fists in rage against Canada Post. My MP would not look good one bit. The media had to stay away. But how would we get media coverage?

METHOD: We would have to report to the media "after the fact" that my MP had just gone door-to-door. We would have to supply everything the newspapers would need so that they have no need to recreate the event, search for angry residents to interview or ignore the story altogether.

First I wrote a news release. OK, so it did not read quite like a typical news release. It read like a newspaper article. Actually, it read like five different newspaper articles, because I wrote a completely different story for each of the five newspapers in the area. To some degree, I was able to emulate each one's style.

Next, we decided to provide photographs. We dressed my MP in a postal cap and had him carrying a postal bag. I snapped shots of him at doorways chatting with residents. This was just too "human interest" for any newspaper to ignore. Off to the one-hour photo developer, then we chose the five best shots and attached one to each of the news releases.

Zoom, zoom. We hand delivered an envelope to each newspaper. The entire process took us just five hours from knocking on the first door.

RESULT: Each newspaper had its own, unique, original story with its own, unique, original photo. This made the journalists happy. Four out of the five editors even used the headlines I provided! It also made readers, many of who received two or three of the newspapers, believe the media had been there in person . . . making the story all the more credible.

Can you repeat this success? Yes. If you want to get great media coverage, but you are afraid the media will pick up a negative angle, this is the recipe to use:

1. Position your business as you would like to be seen.

2. Find a way to demonstrate your position or characteristic.

3. Write the story for each newspaper as the newspaper would write it, but place it in the format of a news release.

4. Get some great visuals, going for action or something with a twist, and ensure each newspaper has a unique photo.

5. Let the newspapers know that no other media outlet has the same photograph.

Of course, it is always best to invite the media to your event and serve donuts, but sometimes NOT inviting them is a better way to get not just "a" story, but the "right" story.

About The Author

David Leonhardt offers dozens more creative ways to make your business front page news in the media relations "how-to" guide Get In The News! at http://TheHappyGuy.com/publicity-self-promotion-report.html . For basic media interview training, visit http://TheHappyGuy.com/media-relations-video.html, or find out more about David Leonhardt at http://thehappyguy.com.

info@thehappyguy.com

The Legendary Press Release Is Not Always Your Key To Publicity

Writen by Mary Ann Carolyn Dalangin-Tordecilla

I have been thinking why when you speak about Public Relations, in one way or the other, you will start to speak of press releases too. I know it is not very amusing because it is expected that press releases always go with Public Relations. But then, many people always thought that there is one way to hit a good or say, better publicity, and that is to tandem your Public Relations with a knock out press release. (Buzz) Wrong. It does not always work that way.

I guess part of this belief has to do with PR professionals themselves. We could not blame that PR always has a way to make things be like a Hollywood show. Everything in glitter, all things glamorous, and problems (that seem bigger than life) is one heck of a piece of cake!

Just like the thing in press releases, it has become "the answer" to all problems concerning a company's publicity. A lot of PR professionals offer the latest ways in doing a press release in order to improve branding and promotions to the target audience. However, it should not work out that way. Press releases are just one of the many tools you could use to improve your PR. In fact, you could get with a good press release of your own without asking for any professional help.

Press release, in addition, has some disadvantages too. For one, no matter how good your press release is, you could not assure that writers and editors will accept your press release. Sometimes, it is a matter of interest and not of quality. Speaking from experience, my editor seldom gets to like my works no matter how good my stories are. It had got me thinking that he hates me. But then again, as I came to read topics from his column, I realized that he has a particular interest, which is in reverse to the topics I like to write. And so, I managed to write for the interest of my editor. And to tell you frankly, it is not much of a satisfaction at my side. But it is necessary. The same goes in doing press releases. You still have to know the interests of every writer and editor you want to send your press release to. And in fact, you could only come up with selected writers and editors for your press release. And this does not resolve your problems in getting more publicity.

Another thing in press releases is that it is not true that a well-written press release will solve your PR problems in an instant. In business, results are not done instantly. And when it comes to press releases, it will take you even for a month to get the amount of publicity you wanted. And take note, this is not done with a single shot of press release. And it is not an assurance too that once you send out a good press release, you could convince writers and editors to write a story for you.

In the Internet environment, there are many growing trends lately and these trends have already become popular, in fact, they have become a culture. Like for example, blogging. It has become one of the fastest growing cultures online. What I am suggesting here is that become a part of whatever trend there is online. This is the point I am trying to raise with regards to the use of press releases. Do not limit yourself with press releases alone. Explore every possibility there is. Below are suggestions you could try in increasing your publicity:

·Learn to become a writer of your own. You could use your experiences in the industry you are in to gain popularity. People always trust writers who speak based from their experience.

·Advertise your site by submitting your url to all search engines and directories.

·Exchange links to other sites to have a broader coverage and doubles the amount of effort you exert in promoting your site.

·Search by all means all the growing trends on the web and think of ways on how you could use them for your advantage.

I am always saying that online, all possibilities are available. And it's true. You just have to be open-minded and observant to all these things. Be creative. Be witty. Explore.

http://onlinepr.gbwatch.com gives updates on the ins and outs of public relations and marketing within the Internet. It helps various companies of all sizes to become competitive entrepreneurs, and to focus on building good publicity, promotion and higher sales. It aims to teach businessmen to be witty, confident, and strategic in whichever industry they hope to build their dreams upon.