|
|
| www.1001TopWords.com |
|
|
Nows The Time To Get Christmas Media Coverage
Publicity seekers know that Christmas can provide a bonanza of media coverage. Every media outlet, it seems is cranking out a special edition on gifts for the winter holidays. So, Christmas is the time to get ink for your product. For many of these opportunities you need to be thinking at least six months out so that your product or service finds its way into the special sections. Magazines like Better Homes have long lead times, while newspapers have deadlines a few weeks from the holiday. Don't forget trade magazines that reach your customers. Electronic media typically will work closer to the actual holiday date. Another avenue to consider is syndicated columnists, who also have shorter lead times. A great way to get coverage is to suggest an overarching story idea into which your product or service fits. Think about the users as well as the use for your offering, and think about the publication. Let's take some of my clients for example. Charleston Cookies might be positioned as part of a story in Southern Living about Gifts of the South, or Gifts For Southerners Who Moved North. Bank of Commerce stock, which is now on sale, could be part of a story on Kids' Gifts That Keep On Giving. Ty Boyd's Executive Speaking Institute might be part of a story on the Gift Of Learning. A pet store might publicize Warm and Fuzzy Gifts. Your product might fit into Gifts for Teens, Gifts for Executives, Gifts For Chilling Out, Gifts For Those Who Have Everything: you get the idea. Now, here is what you should send to the media. Send a pitch letter, or email, that explains how the gift fits into their editorial needs and with their readers or viewers. A one-page release and product photos also should be sent. If you send via email, do not attach a bunch of photos. Find out how the editor prefers to receive them and follow her instructions. Our next task is to decide where to send the information. Yahoo! has a directory of media that you can use for free. There are all sorts of paid services ? like Bacon's - that provide media lists. Better still is the excellent Christmas Gift Guide produced by the League of American Communications Professionals. Get to work now, and get the gift of coverage this Christmas. Harry Hoover is managing principal of Hoover ink PR. He has 26 years of experience in crafting and delivering bottom line messages that ensure success for serious businesses like Brent Dees Financial Planning, Levolor, New World Mortgage, North Carolina Tourism, TeamHeidi, Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, VELUX, Verbatim and Youth Link USA.
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Media Savvy - How To Lead, Persuade, And Influence Media management has become one of the strategic tools for managers and leaders to drive marketing opportunities, communicate key messages, achieve social change or influence Government. Media and Communications Consultant, Thomas Murrell* shares 10 success tips for getting the best from the media. The Power of Radio - Tips for Great Radio Interviews Many people are intimidated by radio interviews, whether live or pre-recorded and often spoil great promotion and branding opportunity in less then effective interviews. Underestimating the Power of In-House PR Do small-business owners always have to rely on large PR agencies to get attention from the press? An entrepreneur recently asked me this question during a networking event for women business owners. Of course my answer was, "No," but not for the reasons one might expect. Managers: Heres a PR Template for You Let's start out with a caution for business, non-profit and association managers: the premise of public relations implies that the work you do BEFORE you use PR tactics, such as press releases, brochures and broadcast interviews, will determine the success of your public relations effort. Hispanic Media Training: How It Can Benefit You How can media training help you create a successful Hispanic market campaign? There are plenty of examples of Hispanic market campaigns with a broad range of results. Many of you have heard of the infamous airline that invited travelers to fly 'naked'. In the same way, the slogan for pork as "the other white meat" which was successful in the general market was meaningless to U.S. Hispanics. Managers: Super-Charge Your PR Ain't a gonna happen unless business, non-profit and association managers, possibly like you, do something positive about those important external audiences of yours that most affect your operation. And then, as you persuade those key outside folks to your way of thinking, help move them to take actions that allow your department, group, division or subsidiary to succeed. Dealing With Reporters in Your Small Business It behooves you to know and remember the names of reporters. Reporters know everybody. They talk to and interview people constantly. Because of their job, they usually size people up in a matter of minutes, sometimes without even meeting them face-to-face. If first impressions ever count, this is one first impression you don't want to mess up. Be sincere, polite and try not to use slang. Using Media and PR to Your Advantage. Lights...camera...ACTION. How to Keep PR Working for You Managers in the non-profit, association and business worlds need to persuade outside audiences with the greatest impact on their operations to their way of thinking. And then move those external stakeholders to take actions that help their departments, divisions or subsidiaries succeed. Preparing For Your Media Interview Media interviews are an important part of an overall public relations campaign. Any size company from entrepreneur to Fortune 500 can benefit from media interviews. Always arrive for a media interview prepared and early. We've seen competent CEOs drown in uncharted media waters. Being unprepared guarantees you won't get asked back. When you are contacted for any kind of media interview ask the following questions: Media Relations: How to Get Your Letter to the Editor Published You may remember Forrest Gump's Vietnam pal ? the one who grew up shrimp farming and was fond of listing the dishes he used to make. "Pepper shrimp," he started, gearing up for his lengthy monotone monologue. "Shrimp soup. Shrimp stew. Shrimp salad. Shrimp and potatoes. Shrimp burger." Time to Spruce Up Your Public Relations? Better check out the public relations fundamental premise, then take action in your own best interest. Cutting Down Your Trade Show Budget Whenever a recession or volatility threatens the economy, companies immediately look at where they can cut budgets. Without much forethought, the first to hit the block is inevitably training, followed closely behind by marketing. Why? Both are viewed on the balance sheet as expenditures rather than income generators, so obviously they're hot contenders for elimination. Not Getting the PR Results You Want? The reason might be this simple: as a business, non-profit or association manager, you're too focused on communi- cations tactics and not on a workable blueprint for dealing with those important outside audiences whose behaviors most affect your department, division or subsidiary. PR: Heres All You Need to Know Above all, you need to know that the right PR can alter individual perception and lead to changed behaviors. PR: A Potent Force for Success What's REALLY potent for a business, non-profit or association manager is public relations' ability to alter individual perception leading to changed behaviors. And then, to persuade those key outside folks to the manager's way of thinking, and help move them to take actions that allow their department, division or subsidiary to succeed. Writing a Press Release: How to Write Quotes Ideally, you will have two types of quotes in your press release. A quote from yourself is mandatory. To give your release extra impact, get a quote from a third-party. PR: Focus on What Matters! Sure, as a manager, you have a talented member of the PR team assigned to your department, division or subsidiary, or housed at your agency, and s/he is darn good at placing product and service plugs on radio and in the newspaper. Which may be all you want. And that's fine. Make the Media Your Friend The media (newspaper, radio, television) can be of enormous help to the small and home based business. So, it is very important that you develop a relationship with them. Tactics Vs. Endgame - Endgame Wins It took me a while to see just HOW crucial the behaviorsof an organization's key audiences really are to its success, be it big or small, non-profit, business, association or even a public sector enterprise.
|
| © Athifea Distribution LLC - 2013 |
