PR Ethics Concerns: Pay for Play Journalism

Everybody wants to get on the good side of the media, but what lengths will some people go to be on the right side of the fence? One insidious trend has been causing major waves in the journalism world for quite a while now. It’s called “pay for play,” and it has many people crying foul. (Read more…)

Is it Time to Fire Your PR Agency?

When’s the last time you graded your PR firm? If it’s been a while, the time to reassess their performance is now. See, too many companies blindly trust their PR agency to always do the right thing for their business. They assume the PR people are the pros, so they give them all the room they need to do their jobs. (Read more…)

7 Habits of Highly Effective PR Magnets

PR Magnets. They’re the people who always seem to be successful in getting major media coverage for their clients. While some bitter PR pros like to call PR magnets “lucky”, the truth is it’s no coincidence that these guys (and gals) are able to get good coverage time and time again. (Read more…)

PR Measurement Tips to Grade Your Campaign’s Performance

Is your PR campaign actually working? Do you even know the answer? Have you or your PR agency been tracking the results? (Read more…)

Oprah-Worthy? How to Get on the Oprah Winfrey Show

The Oprah Winfrey Show
(noun)
1. (also known as Oprah) the highest-rated and longest-running daytime U.S. syndicated talk show. It is hosted and produced by Oprah Winfrey through her company Harpo Productions, Inc.
2. maker of dreams; the holy grail of public relations professionals, authors, entrepreneurs, and individuals seeking exposure for their products, books or services.

One of the most frequent questions we get at eReleases is, “Can you get us on Oprah?” (Read more…)

Six Consecutive Press Release Failures. Why Bother?

I have seen press releases generate tens of millions of dollars in publicity $449 at a time. If you don’t believe me, just visit: http://www.ereleases.com/testimonials/

Why didn’t your press release do the same? The likely answer is that you gave up, perhaps even after a single press release. (Read more…)

PR Training Continues

A close friend has been developing a training program for interns and new hires in his company’s corporate communications, public relations, and marketing divisions. With three summer interns and three new hires, the company’s public relations department now has fourteen people; it also utilizes two outside firms to help with branding, events, tradeshows, and specialty PR. (Read more…)

How to Avoid the TV Talk Show Bait

In the world of modern TV talk shows, civility is a forgotten art. The term “talk show” is probably not even apt; these shows are basically televised confrontations. It’s odd how many talk show guests still expect to be treated with a certain sense of decorum. That’s why PR firms should be wary about booking clients for talk show appearances; seated in front of a combative host, what you thought would be an opportunity for easy publicity can quickly turn into a public relations nightmare. (Read more…)

A PR Fuel Thanksgiving

This year, I am thankful for… (Read more…)

Catching Up with Jeremy Pepper and Blogs

Back in May 2003, I sat down – ok, instant-messaged – with Jeremy Pepper to talk about what it’s like to start your own PR firm. Pepper had just launched his own firm, POP! Public Relations, and was beginning to get settled.

Since our first interview, Pepper has been busy not just practicing PR, but writing about it. His Musings from POP! Public Relations weblog has become a leading online destination for people looking for insight into the PR industry, and Pepper has become an outspoken advocate for and critic of the industry. I caught up with Pepper this week and we spoke – ok, instant-messaged – about the challenges an independent PR practitioner faces, the role of weblogs in PR, good and bad PR campaigns, and a number of other issues. (Read more…)