journalists

November 17, 2009
How Not to Get Media Coverage With Your Press Release

There was once a shepherd boy who craved attention. He grew bored and lonely tending his sheep every day, so one day he cried “Wolf!” (Read more…)
November 13, 2009
Important Do’s and Don’ts When You’ve Made a Connection With a Reporter

Even the most carefully crafted news release, eagerly received by a reporter will not guarantee effective coverage for your cause, product or service. It can take time, patience and the careful nurturing of relationships to get to the point where the reporter picks up the phone or shoots off an email to say, “yes, I’d like to talk to YOU.” It is this point where the rubber, as they say, meets the road. (Read more…)
November 12, 2009
Top 10 Tips for PR Success Using HARO

If you work in public relations or a related field, HARO (Help A Reporter Out) is a free service that can yield a substantial return for a minimal time investment-if you play by the rules, that is. One slip-up could get not just you but your entire company booted from HARO. (Read more…)
September 8, 2009
Holiday PR: Get Your Gift-Related Pitches Out Early

Journalists always know the holidays are upon them when they begin to receive pitches geared towards holiday-themed gift guides and such. Every year the holiday season seems to extend itself, so if you work in the public relations industry it’s best to start circulating your holiday-related pitches early in order to get the jump on the competition. The following tips should help public relations pros make the most of the hectic months before the holidays finally arrive. (Read more…)
September 1, 2009
Public Relations Basics: When It Comes to Holiday Press Releases, Sooner is Better

It’s no secret that the fourth quarter is the most important time of the year for companies marketing to consumers. Holiday shopping can make or break many businesses; many analysts wait to see how a company weathered the holidays before determining its financial outlook. However, booming holiday business doesn’t just happen. It takes hard work through triangulated marketing, advertising, and public relations efforts. Unfortunately, many companies fail to address their public relations campaigns until it’s too late in the holiday season, missing what is probably the most cost effective way to promote their product or service. (Read more…)
May 25, 2009
Public Relations and the Technology Sector: After the Bust

At the turn of the decade, you couldn’t open a newspaper without reading a story about some high-flying dot-com or tech company. The coverage of these companies bled from the business pages to the feature sections to the front-page. And when the dot-com bust came, the coverage faded back in the opposite direction — the downfall of a tech company went from the front-page to a small mention in the business section. Coverage of the technology sector has stabilized, but it has also shrunk. Some newspapers eliminated entire sections or supplements. The media is still a bottom-line business; fewer ads mean less editorial space. Which makes public relations for tech companies that much more difficult. (Read more…)
May 22, 2009
Is a Press Release Your Best Public Relations Bet?

A press release is undoubtedly important when it comes to drumming up publicity for your business. But should it be the *most* important part of your public relations strategy? A press release may not even be the best way for your company or clients to get publicity for a new product or an important announcement. The following four ideas may actually be more effective than a traditional press release. (Read more…)
May 18, 2009
Developing a Comprehensive Public Relations Strategy

Public relations is not just blindly writing press releases or pitching journalists, but a comprehensive strategy designed to promote your business. The following steps should help you determine whether or not your company has developed a comprehensive public relations strategy. (Read more…)
May 15, 2009
The Dangers of “Third-Party” Public Relations

Whether you’re a pundit, an expert, an analyst, or a third party, it’s important to remember that you rarely know all the facts. The media does not care about this; they just want a quote and a public relations contact to attribute it to. The juicier the sound bites you offer, the better for journalists, but not necessarily for you. (Read more…)
May 13, 2009
Public Relations and Journalism: More Similar Than You Might Think

There’s an old joke among journalists: “It’s okay. If I lose my job, I’ll just become a public relations flak.” Believe me, every journalist has thought about it more than once, especially when freelance writing wasn’t paying the bills. After all, what company or public relations firm wouldn’t want a former journalist on the payroll communicating to the media? This point was driven home when I recently attempted to email a journalist friend. To my surprise, I couldn’t track him down. And guess where he turned up. (Read more…)