The Cambridge Dictionary definition of Public Relations defines PR as being “the activity of keeping good relationships between an organisation and the people outside it.”

Public Relations is a concept that has been around for decades. Often associated with politics, PR has been used to convey messages from companies and political parties to the public.

First recorded in the 18th century, Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire sought to raise the profile of her friend Charles James Fox, through media relations, lobbying and celebrity campaigning. The First World War witnessed the first real onslaught of PR with early professionals using the print media to convey messages and propaganda supporting the War and spreading the word.

Nowadays Public Relations can mean many things but the writing of Press Releases and features which convey a story to target audiences is still the foundation of Public Relations. However, PR also includes the following:

- Building relationships with the media, creating a solid foundation with key journalists making them more receptive to potential stories

- Organising and Implementing events to promote new products for the company and successfully publicising these events

- Organising and writing award entries

- Writing industry reports

- Crisis management – preparing a strategy in case of a negative story

- On-line Public Relations involves conveying your messages through blogs and social networking sights and the world wide web

Public Relations covers a variety of aspects which can be implemented together as part of a wider campaign, or can be used individually to promote certain aspects of a company.

The value of Public Relations is in the subliminal way the message is conveyed. When we see an advertising campaign we know the company is behind it and this makes us cynical as to the authenticity of the claims being made. However Public Relations aims to communicate the same information but with words that seem as though they have been created by an impartial advisor.

PR covers many aspects of marketing, which is a broad term in itself. As a guide, if as a company you have something you want to promote, whether this be new products or services, or if you want to raise awareness of your company – a successful Public Relations campaign will push these messages across a variety of media outlets reaching more people. Holding more weight than a direct advertising campaign and arguably more cost effective as it covers so many different areas of the marketing mix, PR is something that every company and organisation should consider!

MessageMerchants.com is a public relations agency based in the Midlands UK. Public Relations Agency

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Tags: public relations, definition, define, media relations

“Failure is not the only punishment for laziness. There is also the success of others.” –Jules Renard

I’ve been working in PR for over 15 years, so you can bet I’ve got some expert thoughts in how to make the absolute worst PR decisions possible. Below are my top 5 ways to ensure the worst PR outcomes.

1. Be inconsistent in your messages. Sure, big successful companies come up with a clear platform of messages around their product that they use over and over again, but that’s so boring. Rework your key messages frequently and make sure they change radically. Use lots of industry lingo too, to make your messages obscure. People should have to work to be able to understand who you are and what you stand for. Don’t make it so easy for them.

2. Hire a professional PR firm but don’t listen to them. It’s true, you weren’t getting great results on your own, which is why you hired the professionals in the first place. But once they start getting results, (or even before), decide that you know better and over-rule their recommendations.

3. Only reach out to the media when you want something. Don’t bother to familiarize yourself with media outlets. They won’t notice. And take your time responding to media requests. They overstate the importance of deadlines anyway. Operate your media relations on a sporadic basis, and only when it suits you. Keep your focus on how important you are. Everyone will realize it soon enough.

4. Don’t work from an annual plan. Shoot from the hip. Planning is too fussy and besides things are always changing anyway. It’s more fun to make decisions about what people think about your company on the fly.

5. Don’t respond to your PR firm in a timely manner but still expect them to produce quality deliverables on time. They can pick up your brainwaves. After all, telepathy is a valid means of communications in many television shows and Hollywood movies.

I suppose that by now you’ve noticed that my tongue is firmly in my cheek for this list, but I truly have seen people implement these tactics and still expect great results. Don’t let that be you.

This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included. ©2009 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.

Barbara Wayman, APR, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, a free monthly ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at this site.

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Tags: pr, media relations, professional, media, plan

The best and most common way of communicating with the media is through preparing and distributing a media release to them. A media release is also known as a press release or a news release.

A media release is a document containing the message you want to tell them. It takes a specific format.

Your media release should include:
· Your business name and logo at the top.
· Your contact details near the top.
· The date.
· A heading that grabs the reader’s attention.
· The news formatted into individual short paragraphs, with the most interesting information summarised in the first paragraph.
· Background information about yourself or your business at the conclusion of the media release with its own heading.
· Check your media release for spelling and grammar. If your media release contains grammatical and spelling errors, it becomes illegible and doesn’t maintain your professional image.

Generally, the media release should not be more than a page, and I cannot stress enough how important it is to summarise the important and interesting information in the first one or two paragraphs. Why? Because journalists receive literally dozens of media releases a day, and do not have the time to read each and every one from top to bottom to work out whether or not it is of interest. They need to know immediately, and if your media release waffles on and on without getting to the point, I can guarantee that it will end up in the bin.

The language you use needs to be simple and to the point. Do not use technical jargon or unnecessary adjectives. Quotes, from yourself or relevant people in your business, are viewed upon favourably by the journalist. The best way to get an idea about how to write it is to read a newspaper – if you can get it to sound like a news article, that is perfect for the journalist. This means they can use much of the media release for the article as it is, without too many alterations.

The media release needs to answer the following questions where possible, and it’s a good idea to always keep the following in mind when writing it:
· What – what is it about, what’s happening?
· When – when is the event taking place or when did it happen?
· Where – is this Australia-wide, or local? What is the location?
· Who – who are the key people, and indeed the business, involved?
· How – what are the details?

Learn how using the media can propel your business to huge success! Diva Promotions can do that for you with our very own PR expert. Come and have a look at this site

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Tags: media relations, write, media, tips, business

A big obstacle that people will face is their lack of awareness about what they need to do to build relationships with media contacts. When you apply a a strategy to approach them correctly, you will set yourself apart from people who are not thinking things through before they contact people in the media.

All too often, well-intended people take the wrong approach. They either want to present something that is a new product, may be something that they believe would be good for the magazine’s subscriber list. Asking yourself and acting on what you can do to help the media contact is really something you want to pay attention to. Ask yourself a few questions:

How can I help this reporter or this magazine with content that I have that’s relevant to their readers? What can I do to make the media contact’s job easier? At what times and with what frequency should I make attempts to reach contact in the media at a specific media outlet?

Also, knowing when to time your conversations and your dialog with people in the media is very important to helping you get engaged with them. It comes as a surprise to me that a lot of times when people are trying to sell themselves or their ideas, they’re not focused on what they need to do to build the relationship with a media contact.

Think about and act on what you need to do to build the relationship and empathize with that person who works for the media. Think about what may go through their mind when someone like you is actually approaching them. Thinking through what you can do on the front end to build relationships with media contacts the smart way can really set you apart from others who may not be doing this effectively. Once it’s done correctly, the benefits are enormous. Once you have a relationship with someone in the media, you’ll find that it’s a lot easier to approach them on projects that come up in the future.

As with any other form of business, people need to trust you. People need to know who you are, where you’ve been, why you’re trying to work with them and most important, having that trust can really set you apart from others who are not working on the relationship.

To learn more about how you can save thousands of dollars in advertising costs visit this site
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Built for speed and power, TV is a badge of credibility for anyone seeking to get their message out. It allows you to present the audience with a visual image of your message, e.g., graphs, demonstrations and pictures. These visuals make your message easy to understand and more entertaining for the viewer.

What about the difference between local and national television exposure? Simply put, local television is good for placing a stake in the ground and getting the hometown crowd interested in your message. National television, on the other hand, is good for the same but on a grander scale.

Now what about the impression that you make on television viewers? TV viewers are used to 8 minute segments, and then a commercial. They’ll see your interview, and then forget about you a week later. Because of this fleeting nature, a TV campaign alone is incomplete as a full, lasting, PR strategy.

In the end, TV is most effective when you are able to obtain repeat interviews with multiple story angles to keep yourself on the tube.

Talk Radio – Talk radio is a great way to get your message across to a large group of people at one time. There’s a captive audience during morning and evening drive times, in the middle of the day with stay-at-home moms or people in the workplace, and with those “night owls” who listen late into the night. Also, the demographics of the audience are a marketer’s dream. According to the recent Talkers Magazine research project, talk radio listeners are educated, attentive, affluent, and active consumers.

Talk radio schedules are also packed with a plethora of specialty shows (politics, health, relationships, lifestyles, finance, consumer advocacy, sports, etc) enabling you to reach mass or niche audiences alike. Radio interviews also allow you more time to tell your whole story than a TV appearance. These interviews average 10 to 20 minutes in length (and some can go even longer) whereas, TV interviews only range between 3 to 6 minutes.

Print – A recent study executed by Forrester Research Inc. (an independent technology and market research company) revealed that people trust print news coverage far more than other media outlets. I’ve always felt print is “King” when it comes to media exposure. An article or story about you and your company not only popularizes your message to millions of readers – it also provides legitimacy and credibility in a way that’s unmatched.

Although this industry is being hit pretty hard with layoffs, there are a growing number of opportunities for PR agencies to obtain solid placements. Just think about it: with less staff journalists writing good editorial content, these publications will depend more on PR professionals and syndicated content to fill their pages.

In the long term a print campaign can help boost sales, which is especially true when combined with a radio and TV campaign.

Not to mention that your newspaper and magazine articles can be recycled in numerous ways to strengthen your entire sales and marketing efforts. Why not use your published article as part of your email newsletter, as a feature on your website’s homepage, or part of a sales package to prospects or retail store buyers. Overall, print is an excellent source for establishing credibility and increasing brand awareness.

Internet – Not so much the new kid on the block anymore, an Internet campaign is a proven method to reach both mass and niche media. If you want to market to an enthusiastic audience who enjoy interacting and sharing information, an internet (or online) marketing and PR initiative is perfect for you.

As the internet is a “useful” content driven medium, if you have lots of terrific articles (published or unpublished), company photos, video presentations or even old PowerPoint presentations, these can all be fed into your online marketing machine which can syndicate it widely through the web, thus increasing your brand’s visibility and building credibility simultaneously.

With websites, blogs and other social media outlets you have the added bonus of starting or interacting with a large community of prospective clients in a real way. Imagine the idea of a networking cocktail party without time constraints and costly travel? Sounds great right? The internet offers extensive reach and cost-effectiveness, while supporting the other aspects of your media PR strategy.

Depending on your campaign’s goals, I would advise using a combination of all the above media outlets. Again, the key thing to remember is your messaging. Be sure that whatever media you end up utilizing properly serves your message and is a good fit for your marketing objectives.

For 20 years Marsha Friedman has been a leading authority on public relations as CEO of EMS Incorporated. Go to this site to learn how to explode your business through harnessing the power of public relations today and receive your free ebook from Marsha!

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Tags: media relations, 2009, tips, write, media release, news

The best and most common way of communicating with the media is through preparing and distributing a media release to them. A media release is also known as a press release or a news release.

A media release is a document containing the message you want to tell them. It takes a specific format.

Your media release should include:
· Your business name and logo at the top.
· Your contact details near the top.
· The date.
· A heading that grabs the reader’s attention.
· The news formatted into individual short paragraphs, with the most interesting information summarised in the first paragraph.
· Background information about yourself or your business at the conclusion of the media release with its own heading.
· Check your media release for spelling and grammar. If your media release contains grammatical and spelling errors, it becomes illegible and doesn’t maintain your professional image.

Generally, the media release should not be more than a page, and I cannot stress enough how important it is to summarise the important and interesting information in the first one or two paragraphs. Why? Because journalists receive literally dozens of media releases a day, and do not have the time to read each and every one from top to bottom to work out whether or not it is of interest. They need to know immediately, and if your media release waffles on and on without getting to the point, I can guarantee that it will end up in the bin.

The language you use needs to be simple and to the point. Do not use technical jargon or unnecessary adjectives. Quotes, from yourself or relevant people in your business, are viewed upon favourably by the journalist. The best way to get an idea about how to write it is to read a newspaper – if you can get it to sound like a news article, that is perfect for the journalist. This means they can use much of the media release for the article as it is, without too many alterations.

The media release needs to answer the following questions where possible, and it’s a good idea to always keep the following in mind when writing it:
· What – what is it about, what’s happening?
· When – when is the event taking place or when did it happen?
· Where – is this Australia-wide, or local? What is the location?
· Who – who are the key people, and indeed the business, involved?
· How – what are the details?

Learn how using the media can propel your business to huge success! Diva Promotions can do that for you with our very own PR expert. Come and have a look at this site

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Tags: media relations, write, media, tips, business

One of the most daunting aspects of PR work is appearing on television. And yet for many businessmen and women, there comes a time when making a TV appearance becomes essential, either to counter negative publicity or to take advantage of the massive publicity benefits appearing on TV can bring.

In this article I will therefore reveal some basic principles of dressing for television, to ensure that you create a good first impression with both interviewers and the TV audience.

When undertaking TV interviews the way you are dressed and your composure are extremely important. Radio interviews are obviously a lot less concerned about the way you look, but it is still a good idea to look your best, both for your own self-confidence and to make a good impression on your interviewer.

While your self-employed daily life may be the perfect forum in which to exhibit your flair for the latest in fashion style, a TV interview is not the place to do this. With very few unusual exceptions, sandals and sweatshirts are out. Oxfords and business suits are still in.

Unfortunately, most interviewees are woefully under-prepared with proper interview dress. They feel they can ‘get by’ with what is already in their wardrobe. Usually not. Dress for the world of broadcasting is quite different from the daily business scene. Remember that stylish is not conservative. You should be doing the talking, not your clothes.

This is not to say that you need to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe. Go for quality over quantity. One or two well-chosen business suits will serve you all the way to the first interview and beyond. Then, when you are appearing regularly (and have a chance to see what the standard ‘uniform’ is for the modern TV interviewee), you can begin to round out your wardrobe. For now, no one will fault you for wearing the same sharp outfit each time you interview. If you desire some variety within a limited budget, you might consider varying your shirt/blouse/tie/accessories as a simple way to change your look without breaking your wallet.

One final note on interview dress: while it goes without saying that your interview clothes should be neat and clean, very few interviewees give the same time and attention to their shoes. Shoes? Yes, shoes. There is at least one famous TV interviewer who forms first impressions based solely (pardon the pun) on shoes. This person does not have a shoe fetish – he subjectively judges that those who pay attention to details like their shoes are also likely to be diligent in other areas of life. And it is not just that person’s opinion. Many have said that you can judge a person by their shoes. You will find that many ex-military officers are especially aware of a person’s footwear. It is not enough to be clean, pressed, and ironed. Make sure that your shoes are conservative, clean, and polished.

Follow the above guidelines and you may be sure that interviewers and (more importantly) the TV viewers will take you seriously and listen carefully to what you say, even if they disagree with you.

You can make very good money as a self-employed public relations consultant. Maple Academy (UK) runs a highly successful public relations training course for anyone hoping to set up in this field. For full details, see this Site

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1. Set the Time and Place

There will be many factors to be taken into account when choosing the location and date for your news conference but remember that you are in charge. You can usually choose when and where to have it. If the event is being held to make an important policy announcement you need to be fully prepared (see below). If you are holding the news conference to respond to some criticism or some emergency, it is even more essential that you are not panicked into making hasty decisions.

2. Prepare a ‘Press Pack’

The pack of information given to those attending should include a printed copy of any statement by your client or his employees. Include a copy of any press release prepared for the event, any background information, statistics and relevant photographs. But do not include any junk.

3. Choose a Firm Chairperson

The chairperson of the news conference is one of the most important people. He or she will have to be fully briefed on the subject of the conference, needs to be ready to answer questions (which may sometimes be hostile), needs to be prepared to say ‘No’ when necessary, and must bring the event to a tidy conclusion.

4. Anticipate Problems

Do not assume you can always control the questions reporters will ask. Prepare a list of the possible questions and write down the answers as part of the chairperson’s briefing. You must be honest with yourself and anticipate all the controversial issues. Be ready with positive answers but also be ready to give a strong defence in cases of controversy.

5. Invite the News Media

This piece of advice is not as silly as it seems. Make sure journalists can find you and give them detailed information on date, time, location and include a map. Give them plenty of time to enter your invitation in their busy diaries. You will probably be competing with other organizations who are holding press events on the same day. Be careful also to check the credentials of those who attend, and admit only those who can prove they were invited.

6. Make an Opening Statement

The chairperson of the news conference is in the best position to set the agenda, and the opening statement should be short, clear and to the point. Explain why you have invited reporters and describe the supporting documents you have produced for the press pack. When the statement is completed, invite questions.

7. Be Assertive with Journalists

Ask each person to identify themselves before they ask their question. If you do not understand the question ask them to repeat it. Always offer an answer to the question, even if you have to say, ‘I don’t know.’ Be positive, and if some details are not readily available make sure they are passed on later to the journalist who asked for them. Make sure reporters address all questions to the chairperson. It is the chairperson’s job to re-direct questions to the appropriate person if he/she can answer them better.

8. Be Prepared for Interviews

Radio and television reporters always prefer one-to-one interviews. It is often a good idea to have one well-briefed spokesperson for interviews. It is best to delay these arrangements until after the news conference. By that time the spokesperson will be familiar with the questions (and answers). Use a small tape recorder to keep your own record of the news conference and interviews. It is also a good idea for the spokesperson to be trained in radio and television interview techniques.

9. Close the Conference when Appropriate

Never allow a news conference to drift. If you feel that the reporters have got answers to all the most important questions, the chairperson should politely close the conference and thank everyone for attending.

If you follow these nine principles, your news conference should be a resounding success and garner lots of valuable publicity for you or your client.

You can make very good money as a self-employed PR consultant. Maple Academy (UK) runs a highly successful PR training course for anyone hoping to set up in this field. For full details, see here

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Tags: media relations, organize, news, conference, publicity

Creating an effective press release represents one of the most fundamental elements of any public relations program, and there are several basic rules to help you write one.

1) Choose a newsworthy topic.

The emphasis for newsworthy is on the word “new.” The release must discuss a recent development or frame the topic as a new one.

2) Use the local angle as a news hook.

You can increase the coverage of your release by focusing, in the headline and the body of the release, on your organization’s physical location. For example, “Church Sends Group to Rebuild House in New Orleans” may not garner as much regional publicity as “Greenwich Church Sends Group to Rebuild House in New Orleans.”

3) Keep the writing factual and concise.

A press release should state the facts in a direct, succinct manner.

4) Use the inverted pyramid style.

The most important, newsworthy facts belong at the beginning of the release with supporting information below. The “inverted pyramid” also refers to the decreasing newsworthy value in each subsequent paragraph.

5) Re-state the headline in the first paragraph.

The first paragraph of the press release should re-state the headline almost word for word. It should only be two-to-three sentences long.

6) Describe and quantify the newsworthy element in the second paragraph.

The second paragraph should describe why the first paragraph is newsworthy and provide any supporting numerical data.

7) Provide a quotation with a favorable opinion in the third paragraph.

The third paragraph should contain a quote from your CEO, and this is the only place in the entire release to include an opinion about the topic. Also, you should not introduce new facts in the quotation. These facts belong in the body of the release.

8) At the end of the release include a “boilerplate” describing your company.

The boilerplate should be the same in every release you distribute and should be given a subhead, “About [My Company].” It should be about two paragraphs long and include your company’s main activities and prominent clients as well as its qualifications. For smaller companies, the boilerplate should also provide a short bio of the CEO.

9) Keep the length short.

No press release should EVER be more than two pages.

10) Check carefully for spelling, grammatical or punctuation errors.

Editors may receive up to 300 press releases per day. Errors in spelling, grammar or punctuation make your release look unprofessional and may result in its immediate rejection.

In 2003, Willy Gissen founded Cut-It-Out Communications, a full-service Westchester public relations firm. With over 10 years of related experience, he trained with a former SVP of a top New York City PR firm, Hill & Knowlton, and served on the communications staff of the McCall/Mehiel gubernatorial campaign. He holds a BA in Government from Harvard College.

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Getting Started with Your Press Release through Online Templates

Because of the increased accessibility of the Internet, press releases have now taken on a new purpose beyond being informational materials for the media. News release sites and submission portals have made press releases directly available to millions of Internet users and potential consumers. This additional purpose has also created a tougher challenge of crafting the each piece in such a way that it is suitable for both the media and the company’s targeted market.

So how do you go about writing a press release?

You have a wealth of information available for you on the Internet. You only need to search for it properly. Sample press releases along with tips on how to write your own material are available on many websites. Just try searching using the strings, ‘sample press release’ and your search engine will come up with thousands, even millions, of possibilities where you can get ideas.

A typical news release site will provide you with a template from which you can pattern your material. All you have to do is fill in the blanks with your content and you’re good to go. To supplement this information, the site will also provide you with guidelines on how to craft effective releases.

It’s also a good idea to go through submission sites. The press release follows a certain format and a specific pattern of presenting information. You will want to read through published releases and get a few tips from them. You will also want to tag and categorize your release so that it can be easily found by those searching on those terms.

Alternatively, you can also find books that offer the same information. If you intend to pursue such marketing as a major component in your promotional strategy, it pays to read up more about the subject so you know how you’re supposed to go about doing this.

Don’t forget in writing your press release that it should be both interesting and impartial. This is not just an ad for your organization. It needs to contain useful content as well.

Press Release Pad and Press Release Studio offer helpful tips and information on how to create your releases so that they attract the interest of your targeted audience. These sites do not accept duplicate content.

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Tags: media relations, press, release, publicity, interveiws

Press releases are great tools for getting free publicity for your — or your client’s — business. In this article I will explain how exactly a press release should be structured to maximize its chances of success.

1. On the top of your headed notepaper, write the date and the heading PRESS RELEASE in block capitals.

2. Below this, write an attention-grabbing headline for the release. This should explain in a nutshell what the release is about — for example, MIDDLETON TOY-MAKER GETS CONTRACT WITH TOYS’R'US! or LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER WINS KODAK NATIONAL AWARD.

3. Below this, write the text of your press release. This should be in a plain, factual style, avoiding any hint of advertising ‘hype’. Aim to answer as concisely as possible the five W’s: WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE and WHY (that is, WHO you are, WHAT you have done, WHEN you did it, WHERE you did it, and WHY you did it). Try to cover all the main points in the first paragraph or two, as the lower half of the release may be cut if the editor is short of space. Use double-spacing, i.e. alternating ‘empty’ lines.

4. If possible, include a quote from yourself or someone else in your business. This can lighten the tone of the release and make it look more like a ‘proper’ news story (which nearly always include quotes). It will also help greatly if you can include a photograph to accompany the release, or let the editor know that photographs are available on request.

5. At the end of the release, include contact details where a reporter can contact you or your client to get more information. At the very least put a phone number. Ideally, include an email address, fax number and postal address as well.

Try to keep your press release to a single page, or two pages at most. If you want to provide additional details — facts and figures, background information, extra quotes, and so on — you can enclose a supplementary info sheet. Don’t expect most recipients to read this, however. The actual press release MUST stand on its own.

You can send your press release to the editor, or to the reporter who covers business matters for the paper or magazine concerned. Don’t expect to get your story published every time — your release may be competing with hundreds of others — but when you do manage to get media coverage, the amount of interest it generates can more than justify the effort you put in.

You can make very good money as a self-employed public relations consultant. The Successful Public Relations Course is a leading correspondence course in this field run by Maple Academy (UK). For full details see this site.

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Tags: media, write, press release, press, media relations

To get the buzz going, you should focus on the “opinion leaders” or “hubs” in the world of your market. There are four kinds of hubs and the common denominator among them is that people listen to them.

Regular Hubs
Regular hubs are easiest to reach and to develop relationships with. Here are a few traits to look for when trying to identify regular hubs in your area:

* People who are connected: Their job or position requires that they come into contact with a lot of people. They’re good networkers and they create links between their local network and the outside world.

* People who are ahead in adoption: Though not necessarily the first to adopt a new technology or idea, they’re open to them.

* People who are information-hungry: They read everything, especially material that will help them do their jobs better.

* People who are vocal: They write, they speak, they’re out there. They need content. They have a blog or a newsletter (or both) in which your product or service could be featured.

Expert hubs
Expert hubs are folks who go beyond making recommendations. They’re experts and specialists on a particular topic, and people listen to them because of their expertise and credentials. For example, Michael McLaughlin is an author and expert on the consulting industry. His regular e-mail newsletter, Management Consulting News, is read by thousands, which makes him an expert hub on management consulting. Identify the person in your industry who functions as a respected expert. (You don’t need to know these people personally.)

Social hubs
Social hubs are people who are charismatic, socially active, and trusted by their peers. In a small town or neighborhood, a social hub-type person is often symbolically referred to as “the mayor” of his or her social group, community, or area of interest.

Mega hubs
The media, celebrities, politicians, and other really big names make up the mega hubs. Of course, the attention of mega hubs is the hardest to get, but if you succeed, the buzz will keep on coming. But keep in mind that “mega” is relative. Think about people you know of who would be considered “mega” in the market of your customers. For example, Michael Masterson is the publisher of Early To Rise, a daily e-mail newsletter that goes to more than 400,000 people. His readers respond almost religiously to his recommendations. Identify whose blessing would translate into gold for you.

After you’ve identified the hubs or media outlets in the best position to reach your customers, you must make sure that they have what they need to spread the word. Educate using a press-release, but because buzz is less formal, don’t hesitate to provide samples, put on seminars, or even take reporters to lunch.

Some buzz-worthy examples that I like:

A family-owned florist based in Chicago put on a stunt that was picked up by local media. On a busy street, they gave out bouquets containing five roses to curious onlookers. Each bouquet came with a printed coupon that read: “Share the love!” and asked that each rose be shared with five other people to “make new friends and share goodwill to neighbors.

In the late 90′s, Ken Hakuta (of Wacky Wall Walker fame), started an Internet site called AllHerb.com, which was basically another me-too vitamin site. AllHerb.com sought to differentiate itself by positioning itself as “the most authentic resource for herbal medicine available today.” So they hired an unusual and captivating spokesman — a shaman, tribal healer and herbalist from the Amazon rain forest of Peru — to share his ancient wisdom and interact with visitors at the site. They gave him a computer and he answered email from people all over. As you can imagine, this created an enormous amount of buzz about the ecommerce site, not to mention the traffic it drove to the site.

LaserMonks is an office-supply company run by monks. There’s nothing unique about the product – printer cartridges, for now – but they have capitalized on their unique and charming story to create strong word of mouth and get a lot of PR, too. (You can read their story on their Web site.) In addition, the experience they provide to the customer is worth talking about: The monks pray for all their customers, handwritten thank-you notes are sometimes slipped into shipments, and when callers are put on hold, they hear a Gregorian chant. So far the strategy has paid off – satisfied customers have been telling friends and colleagues, and the media has picked up the story and spread it even further.

You can also enlist the help of your most loyal customers in the following ways:

Provide recognition-awards, certificates, and gift cards to say thank you. Offer visibility or “15 minutes of fame” by featuring your advocates in your marketing.

Provide tools. Your business cards, brochures, and other information will make it easier for them to spread the word.

Recruit new advocates, teach them about the benefits of your products, and encourage them to spread the buzz.

Ilise Benun
Marketing Mentor

Founded by self promotion guru, Ilise Benun, Marketing Mentor is a growing team of experts with extensive experience in marketing and self-promotion. We have done it all – for ourselves and on behalf of our clients – and we practice what we preach.

The mission of Marketing Mentor is to help you get your marketing and self promotion on track so that your business can grow and you can succeed.

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An interview with the media is an opportunity to present yourself and your ideas to the public. Preparing in advance for an interview is crucial to ensure a positive press review and cordial media relations. Review these tips before meeting with a journalist.

• Be on the Ball: Return calls promptly and show up for appointments with the press on time, every time.

• Cover Your Bases: Be prepared to protect yourself and your company from an interview gone sour. Research related topics beforehand to avoid a reporter’s question catching you off guard. Find a way to put a positive spin on just about any issue to help you paint your business in a positive light and avoid bad press.

• Know the Readers: Research the publication’s target audience in advance. If soccer moms or Wall Street professionals read the magazine, the reporter’s approach will differ, and so will the answers you provide.

• Be Prepared: Keep your press folder handy with your picture, website information, company history and positive highlights. Write out a few quotable sentences and keep them with you for reference. This allows you to prepare for an interview ahead of time and keeps ambiguous words out of your key points.

• Draw Clear Boundaries: Know beforehand what topics you want to avoid during the interview.

• Get It Straight: Double- check all of your facts and fingers before the interview.

During the Interview

• Be Friendly: You do not have to suck up to reporters, but being a nice person helps leave a good impression. Keep their deadline-driven schedule in mind. Arrange your information in a way that makes it easy for reporters to draw out the facts. Keep small talk to a minimum and get to the point when answering questions. Call the reporter by name and always be sincere.

• Get to the Point: Do not draw out your answers. Eliminate unnecessary tangents. Journalists love it when you tell them, “The most important point is…” This helps them order your statements and dig out the most important facts more easily.

• Keep Control: Counteract any aggressive or unfriendly behavior with calm, neutral statements. Never allow an interview to escalate into an argument.

• Be Honest: Never lie during an interview; a good reporter will call you out. Expect to have your facts researched for validity.

• Be Patient: Never ask to read the article or question the reporter’s angle. You must wait to read about yourself just like the rest of the public does.

• Sell Your Ideas: Always tell a reporter why your press release or cause is important to readers.

• Keep It Simple: Avoid using industry jargon. The journalists will not publish a user’s dictionary along with the article for the readers to interpret your statements; instead, they will alter your wording.

• Use It If You Got It: If you can effectively utilize humour and anecdotes during the interview, do so. If your company speeches and office jokes always bomb, avoid humor and storytelling all together until you learn how to use them effectively.

These tips for dealing with the media will help you and the journalist reach your respective professional goals. The reporter wants to present the facts to the people, and you want to provide a favourable review of your company and its efforts.

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You can easily speed up the process of writing your press releases if you know ahead of time the things that you need to include in your content and the elements that you need to use to make your news releases more compelling.

Here’s how you can accelerate your press release writing:

1. Release information. At the upper left-hand of your page, you should indicate when your press releases should be published. If it carries time-sensitive information putting “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” will make sense. Otherwise, you can indicate the actual date when the publishers should post your press release on their newspaper or website. It is very important not to forget this element to make the job of reporters and publishers a lot easier.

2. Contact information. After your release statement, you need to put the contact information where reporters or publishers can get in touch with you. Leave your name, your job title, website address, email address, the person to contact in regards of the news, the company spokesperson, etc. You may also provide a personal number or mobile number so people can contact you even after office hours.

3. Headline. This is the part when you tell your readers what your content is all about. In here, you must be able to answer the who, what, when, why, where and questions of your readers. You must be able to tell these people the benefits they can get from your content and the reasons why they should read on. Don’t forget to make your headlines short, concise, and direct to the point.

4. Dateline. This is the part where you put your location (usually city and state) and the date you are mailing or sending your press release for publisher’s reference.

5. First paragraph/lead paragraph. Your first paragraph should be able to tell your readers the summary of your content. It must also contain the most important information about your news item so you can keep your readers interested. A well-written lead paragraph can help you promote further reading among your target audience.

6. Content. This is the part where you should deliver all the information that your readers want to know. In here, you are expected to insert supporting data that will further explain the information that you have shared on your lead paragraph. Ensure that your content is well-written, precise, and direct to the point.

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just completed my brand new guide to article writing success, ‘Your Article Writing and Promotion Guide’

Download it free here: Secrets of Article Writing

Do you want to learn how to build a big online subscriber list fast? Click here: Secrets of List Building

Sean Mize is a full time internet marketer who has written over 9034 articles in print and 14 published ebooks.

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Tags: media relations, press release, win, publicity, communication

1. The first thing that you need to do is to ensure that the message you are trying to relay to your readers is timely and newsworthy. That means, you cannot write about “10 best article marketing tips” or “how to lose your unwanted pounds in 30 days”. You can write about significant activities or changes within your organization or company that can directly impact your potential clients. You may write about company merger, product launching, a milestone that has been reached, recognition given to your company by the industry leaders, etc.

2. Make it benefit-driven. You can easily capture the attention of online users if you emphasize the benefits that they can get in reading your press releases. If your company is merging with another company to offer your clients with inexpensive services, make sure that you stress that out. By doing so, you can easily grab the interest of these people and make them want to read your news releases in their entirety.

3. Use the inverted pyramid technique. You need to remember that you only have few second to grab the attention of your readers so you better make your first paragraph compelling. In this section, you must effectively answer all the who, what, why, when, and where questions of your readers. Your succeeding paragraphs should offer supporting details that can help your readers better understand the message that you are trying to get across.

4. Get straight to the point. You need to keep your press releases short and concise. Avoid beating around the bush and just say what you mean. Don’t use fillers, lengthy introductions, embellishments, and anything that can make your press release lengthy and dragging.

5. Ensure that your press releases are well-written. Aside from making sure that your information flows smoothly, you also need to make sure that your content is easy to understand and it must read well. Ensure that you proofread your copies before you distribute them to ensure that they are free from grammar, spelling, punctuation, and most of all factual errors that can greatly damage your online reputation.

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just completed my brand new guide to article writing success, ‘Your Article Writing and Promotion Guide’

Download it free here: Secrets of Article Writing

Do you want to learn how to build a big online subscriber list fast? Click here: Secrets of List Building

Sean Mize is a full time internet marketer who has written over 9034 articles in print and 14 published ebooks.

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Tags: traffic, online, press release, media, media relations

Storytelling. That’s right, because ultimately, business stories are human interest stories and every reporter is looking for a good story. In fact the press refers to the articles they write as stories. Here are 4 things you need to give the press to help them tell your story:

1. Personality. “A company is faceless without the people who run it,” says Joanne Cleaver, a business writer whose work has appeared in Home Office Computing and Dividends Magazine. “In any story, you want the personality of the people to come through. You want to get a sense of who they are.”

2. Facts & Figures. Reporters love facts and figures; they anchor a story in reality. However, if you prefer not to divulge sales figures, talk instead about your rate of growth. Say, “Our sales have doubled in the last year,” or “We’ve already met our sales objectives for this year, and it’s only July.”

3. Anecdotes. As impressive as numbers can be, they are not the whole story. Real-life examples of how you solved a client’s problems bring your story to life. According to Cleaver, “Readers want to hear about real people, they respond to that. Your story says I’ve been there.” Tell the stories behind the facts and embellish them with details that would make someone want to listen (This is where drama comes in handy).

4. Details that Reveal. Reporters have their antennae up for interesting details about the people behind the companies. More and more, that’s the approach that reporters are taking, so you need to be open and to share details. Maybe the contents of your refrigerator reveals something insightful about your marketing strategy, or the fact that you work best in the nude. “No business experience is a straight line. Your motivation and vision for the business is affected by who you are. Think about the attitudes that have played into your success or your experience, ” says Cleaver.

Ilise Benun

Marketing Mentor:
Click Here

Founded by self promotion guru, Ilise Benun, Marketing Mentor is a growing team of experts with extensive experience in marketing and self-promotion. We have done it all – for ourselves and on behalf of our clients – and we practice what we preach.

The mission of Marketing Mentor is to help you get your marketing and self promotion on track so that your business can grow and you can succeed.

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Dawn, a former Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year, takes to the stage at the event, organised by Junior Chamber International UK (JCI UK), being held at Nottingham University between 5 and 7 September. Boots are the main sponsor.

JCI UK – an organisation for anyone in their 20s and 30s who wants to bring about positive change in their lives – is now in its 80th year, a celebration marked with the theme of ‘Exploring Inspiration.’

Dawn kicks off the conference by exploring the concept of ‘A Walk on the Wild Side’.

She will provide real-life examples from her own successful career as an entrepreneur – including her experiences in founding the multinational Flowcrete Group – which she sold for millions of pounds earlier this year.

Dawn, who starts off the event on Friday afternoon, will also explain how she is injecting inspiration and innovation into her luxury lifestyle brand, Barefoot Flooring, currently being launched.

The Cheshire-based businesswoman said: “JCI UK is a fantastic national organisation, which is making a real difference in the UK by developing young leaders.

“Exploring Inspiration is a wonderful, motivating theme for their annual conference and I’m looking forward to taking part in the event.”

Other speakers at the conference include Steve Parks, author and entrepreneur, as well as Sean Chapple, known as the ‘Ice Man,’ – a polar expedition leader, who explores the business of winning.

The conference culminates in a black tie dinner, and, in-keeping with JCI’s 80th anniversary celebration – the theme will be the 1920′s.

For more information on the conference, visit here.

Ends

NOTES TO EDITORS

Barefoot Flooring, based on the edge of the Peak District, near to Macclesfield, provides luxury seamless flooring for the consumer sector. Founded by Dawn Gibbins MBE, ‘the barefoot entrepreneur’ the company’s floors are designed to encourage people to lose their shoes and enjoy the feeling of freedom underfoot.

More about Barefoot Floors Here

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Tags: media relations, media, conference, publicity, news

Technology offers an abundance of connection paths for current day business. You’d be shocked and surprised to know the whole spectrum of media enhanced exposure opportunities currently available. The effects of using all of these options would overwhelm your business and your market. Media exposure can enhance your branding efforts, offering incredible resources for your company. Use them carefully to protect your customers.

There is always lots of talk in small business and entrepreneur groups about getting Free press. Most want to know how to get plugged into this opportunity, some never jump in and risk rejection and others are rejected again and again and keep on trying without success. A few of the intrepid have earned their success by learning how to whip up media frenzy and reap the rewards.

Let’s be clear on this. There is no magic way to get press.

Even PR professionals cannot guarantee that their client’s stories will be picked up by the media.

If you hit the right topic with the right perspective on the right day with the right person you will be bowled over by the prompt response and the peppering of questions that will ensue in the phone calls you receive.

It’s quite a rush to realize that someone is so interested in what you sent them that they want to make sure they are the first person to do an interview/story on the topic of your Press Release.

Doing business is about making things happen. These are some of the “happening” ways have the media dancing at your door.

1. Don’t wear yourself out sending releases to every publication & media outlet you can think of again and again with no result.

2. Choose a targeted list of media and research the stories they run on subjects such as yours. Identify which writers pen stories on topics and in a style you think appeals to your niche market.

3. Don’t see a story on a business like yours, write a release on the same topic and send it in thinking they will run yours because they ran the earlier story. It’s already been done. Provide a new perspective and it just might work.

4. If you are going to write your own releases get a friend to read/edit it before you send it. Make sure it’s someone who cares enough to tell you if they think you need to start over again, take a different tact or even suggest that you get someone else who has a different perspective to write the release.

5. Yes a press release should tell a story but if it’s too much story and not enough fact it’s not a release. Every release needs to have a news core that the story is fleshed out around. If you are telling a customer’s story get their permission and include a relevant short information piece about them to give credence to the story. Even the reputable no-charge web press release distribution companies won’t distribute it if the content doesn’t meet certain criteria.

6. Skew the odds in your favour by calling up your favourite reporter and asking if you can have a few moments of their time or take them for coffee. Interview them about their work instead of talking about what you want. Find out which topics and issues get them excited. Ask them for help on focusing your information. Be respectful of their time and show your appreciation for any time they can give you.

7. If the first person doesn’t respond, send it to someone else. Not all news people are created equal some are friendlier & more helpful than others. Some, quite rightly, stick to writing on their specialty or special areas of interest only.

Whatever you do, don’t take any rejection of your release personally.

Nancy Fraser, of Nota Bene Consulting provides marketing know-how to entrepreneurs, small businesses & independent professionals. Nancy works with clients Internationally to ramp up the results they get with their advertising and marketing. Get the FREE report 10 Biggest Marketing Mistakes Business People Make when you sign up to receive Free MarketingTips in her ezine Notable News

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In business everyone, and when I say everyone, I mean owners and managers, are looking for great ways to get the word across about their products and services. Not only get the word out, but do it for as little cost as possible.

These days a first class stamp costs less than a half dollar. Imagine reaching thousands of potential customers for as little as a couple of quarters. Throw in the fact that now email is free and it won’t even cost you that much, just some of your time.

That is the power, that is a press release. A press release is an informational story that you write on your company, your products, services etc., that your local newspaper, or even major media outlets give to their readers and viewers as a reputable source of information.

They work in this fashion. You write a press release about your company’s new offering of widgets. In there you talk about how great they are, how much they can help the general public and so on. You then mail or email it to the editor of your local newspaper and behold it gets published right? Wrong!

First things first. Lets talk about the proper design of a press release, then we’ll talk about how to get it published.

A good press release, and one that is most likely to get published is about 500 words, 1.5 to double spaced to make reading easier, and of course in a news format. What is news format? Read any article in today’s paper, that is news format. Editors, especially newspaper editors are craving news on a daily basis. If your press release is written in a news format, where it sounds like news and your are educating their readers, then chances are they will use it. They, the editors, are looking for news, and here you are, being a nice person, and giving it to them for free, well basically free.

Once you have your press release written, the next step is to find out where to send it. It makes no sense to even write the release if you send it to the wrong people. For instance, if you sell steak or some type of meat product, would it make any sense to send it to the editor of a vegetarian magazine? Of course not.

If you are writing a press release that is geared towards sports, then send the press release to the sports editor. Also don’t try and fool any editors with a slick way of saying, “well if you run my release, maybe I will buy ad space later.” Editors are very intelligent people, and by doing that, you are insulting them. They will read right through it and toss your press release in the trash.

Just send them the press release, and if it is well written and something that would be informational to their readers, they will print it.

A friend of mine was the president of a local youth baseball league. While other local leagues were spending lots of money on ad space, he was sending them press releases about the league, accomplishments of the kids and so on. I don’t think a week went by where they weren’t in the local newspaper at least once. The league he ran grew from 4 teams to 8 teams in just a couple of seasons, and was able to do it with a lot of free press.

Once you find out who it should go to, then send it to them in the format they desire. Not all editors enjoy getting press releases via email. Many like getting it in a written format. You will need to contact where it is you are sending it and find out what they prefer.

I suggest you start locally with your hometown newspapers. See what kind of response you get. You may have to tweak it a bit to make it exactly what they are looking for. Do not get discouraged if you send it out on Monday and it is not in Tuesday’s papers. Sometimes it takes a few days for the editor to print it.

Also do not call the editor everyday to find out what happened. If you want to do a follow up call to make sure they received it, that is fine, but remember the editors are busy trying to print news and really do not have the time to talk to you on the phone 8 times a week.

That is the power of good press releases. Written in the correct format, sent to the right person, you can reach thousands of people on a weekly and monthly basis for virtually nothing.

By: Bruce A. Tucker

About the Author:
Bruce A. Tucker is the Associate Director of http://www.Indocquent.com, an online resource that allows web surfers and internet businesses to post their products and services for sale and hire in 20,000 cities throughout 200 countries around the world free of charge.

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Reporters are always looking for compelling stories. You can help them and, at the same time, win press coverage for your products, services, organization or cause. Every organization, including yours, has newsworthy information. Sometimes you just have to dig a bit to get to it. Here are seven suggestions that will help you find the stories within your organization that you can pitch to get positive press attention and boost your public relations:

1) Identify trends in your industry – use your organization/product/issue as an example of a trend — and pitch them as story ideas to the magazines, newsletters and Web sites your customers and prospects read.

2) A milestone: does your organization have an accomplishment or anniversary to brag about that is of public interest – a new product, service, partnership, event, contract win or hire? Find a news hook for it. Here, for example, are some commemorations that might be good news hooks for your products or services: National School Success Month, National Preparedness Month, Self Improvement Month, and Hispanic Heritage Month.

3) Take note of a “First in a Series” article. If you and your company would fit into the series as good sources, contact the reporter with reasons you might be included in the next article in the series.

4) Commission a study or survey, the results of which need to appeal to news outlets you most want to reach. Co-sponsor the survey with a well-known industry organization to boost visibility. Online companies let you create, send, and analyze surveys via the Web at very small cost. For inexpensive online polling, try www.surveymonkey.com, www.questionpro.com or www.constantcontact.com.

5) Spotlight newsworthy people in your organization. For example, if a staffer is a gifted writer, musician or athlete, pitch the story to the appropriate editors of the newspaper. That way you’ll also have a chance of getting your organization mentioned in the Arts, Sports and Local sections as well as Business.

6) Write a column yourself. Somewhere in your organization is a white paper or speech that you can cut to 800 words and submit as an Op-Ed or “expert” column to a trade publication or local business journal. Buy reprints and add them to your sales and marketing materials.

7) Send news releases. They do work if concise, newsworthy, and timely. Keep out the fluff and spin. Put the real news in the headline and first paragraph. Before you send a release, put yourself in a reporter’s place. “Could I write a story using this information?” A regular “drumbeat” of releases (one or two a month) keeps your visibility high and helps keep you current when reporters do Internet searches to look for information. About 400-500 words is
the optimum length.

Robert Deigh is principal of RDC Communication/PR and author of “How Come No One Knows About Us?” (W Business Books), the PR guide for organizations large and small that want to win big visibility. Deigh helps organizations increase their visibility and build their brands by creating strong and positive relationships with the press and other audiences. He is also a frequent speaker and trainer on media and PR topics. He can be reached at his website

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Comedian Bob Newhart — in his TV sitcom ages ago — did what I consider to be the best routine ever about a hapless guy being interviewed on TV for the first time.

Before the interview, the female host assures him that he’ll get softball questions about how he helps people as a psychiatrist. They joke around and make small talk before the show. But once the cameras are on, the interviewer fires off one blistering question after another, leaving Newhart confused, defensive, blushing and, finally, speechless.

It’s hilarious when Newhart does it. Not so funny if it happens to you. Executives who want exposure on television — but who have not had much experience in front of the camera — should first consider landing a radio interview or two as a way to hone their voices and practice answering questions effectively live on the air. Radio should be part of your public relations activities.

There are two reasons. First, of course, radio is great exposure. Nothing has diminished the impact of radio as a means of delivering message. Particularly in drive time (radiospeak for “traffic jams), you have a captive audience.

Give them a reason to listen and they’ll stick with you. Also, radio is an intimate medium that allows you to speak directly to the listener — and paint a picture in their imagination about your issue, product or service — with little distraction from visual images.

Second, it is a great way to build your media chops doing live, on-air interviews without the distractions of the television studio. They include lights, makeup, the stare of the camera, your posture and clothing, floor-manager signals and the need to appear rested and physically engaged — even if it is 8 p.m. after a 12-hour workday.

Appearance counts for too much on television if you’re not prepared. The way your clothing “reads” on camera, the size of the bags under your eyes, razor stubble, body language and the distractions of jewelry are a few pitfalls. And if you’re like me, with a great face for radio, you’ll especially welcome the opportunity to do an interview in shirtsleeves, late in the afternoon, and not worry that you look like Richard Nixon at the first televised presidential debate.

You should consider a few basic things before and during the interview:

Listen to the interviewer’s program a few times before it’s your day in the studio. Know the host’s style — and whether it is confrontational or supportive.

Call the interviewer to find out generally what kinds of questions you’ll get.

Nail down your messages. Be prepared with three “must-say” messages, the things you will convey during the interview under any circumstances. Practice “bridging” to those messages.

Arrive a few minutes early so you are not running into the studio huffing and puffing. Get comfortable in the green room, practice your messages.

Relax. It will show in your voice at the interview.

Keep these guidelines in mind during the interview:

Radio provides a number of natural advantages for the interviewee. One of the most important is the freedom to look at detailed notes while on the air, something that would be a no-no on TV. Nothing takes the place of preparation — knowing exactly what you want to say and having your key messages nailed down. But having notes in front of you — as long as you don’t read them verbatim — ensures that you will not forget any of your key points.

Be interesting. Explain why what you have to say is of consequence to the listener. Use figures sparingly. Save the jargon and the reams of data for your next staff meeting.

Remember that the silence belongs to the interviewer, who will do whatever it takes to avoid “dead air.” Listen carefully to the question, answer it succinctly and then shut up. Don’t get trapped embellishing your answer unnecessarily — or worse, boring the listeners by being windy — just because the interviewer is silent for a few beats. This is much harder to do on television. When the interviewer is not talking, the camera is on you and, unless you’re good at this stuff, you end up shifting around. Very awkward. Watch what anchors do before they go to commercial — they just look straight into the camera and wait! Do the same.

If your schedule is tight, suggest a telephone interview. You can do a phoner from just about any quiet spot — your home, office or hotel room on the road. Forget using the cell phone. Most radio programs will not let you use them because of the invariable poor reception.

Robert Deigh is principal of RDC Communication/PR and author of “How Come No One Knows About Us?” (W Business Books), the PR guide for organizations large and small that want to win big visibility. Deigh helps organizations increase their visibility and build their brands by creating strong and positive relationships with the press and other audiences. He is also a frequent speaker and trainer on media and PR topics. Feel free to visit his website.

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Tags: media relations, radio, medium, pr, public relations

Is your audience a mass market or a special niche audience? If it’s a special niche audience, how is it defined: by age, by gender, by geographical demographics? Are your customers primarily men or women, urban or rural?

These are all extremely important questions. Do your homework. Take a look at your competitors and see how they market and who they market to. I’m not recommending that you do expensive demographic testing or studies, just use some common sense and get rid of any preconceived ideas you have. Try to step outside and look at your business as a disinterested onlooker would.

Although I believe that it is important to listen to your gut feeling, you have to walk a fine line here, be realistic, be cautions, get feedback from others, weigh all of the possibilities, and then make your decisions.

For example, let’s say you’ve developed a new line of baby wear. Okay, who is your target market? Parents, and primarily mothers. Right off the bat, I’d say you could write off auto racing and golf-oriented publications as your primary media targets.

Where do you reach mothers? The most obvious would be parent and child-oriented publications (of which there are many), talk shows, local magazines, newspapers, TV and radio programs, and women’s magazines. But study the various women’s magazines; are all of them targeted towards parents of infants and toddlers? No. You want magazines that new mothers read. Seventeen or Teen should probably not be on the top of your list.

Okay, you have defined your message, and your market, and narrowed your target. You have done all of your preliminary work, work that most people tend to ignore. You have defined what you do, what your message is, and who your target market is. Now you are ready to launch an effective public relations campaign You’re ready to learn to communicate your message not only to the person next door, but to hundreds, thousands, even millions of people across your city, throughout the country, and around the world.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2007

Anthony Mora
President & CEO

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Anthony Mora began his media career as a freelance journalist for such publications as Us, Rolling Stone and other local and national publications. He also served as editor-in-chief of two Los Angeles-based entertainment and lifestyle-oriented publications. In 1990, Anthony formed Anthony Mora Communications, Inc. a Los Angeles-based media relations company that specializes in media placement, image development, and media training. AMC Inc. has placed clients in: Time, Newsweek, 60 Minutes, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and other local, national, and international media outlets. ! Anthony has been featured in: USA Today, Newsweek, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, The BBC, CNN, Entrepreneur, Fox News, MSNBC, and other media. He has written three books. The most recent, “Spin to Win,” is a step-by-step guide on how to define goals and utilize the power of the media to achieve success in any field.

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