The Dos and Don’ts of Dealing with the Media – Part Two
This Month’s PR/PR Publicity E-Newsletter
1. Pam Lontos Column: The Dos and Don’ts of Dealing with the Media – Part Two
2. Inspirational Quote
3. Calendar of Events/Publicity Opportunities
4. This Month Our Clients Have Appeared In…
5. Guest Column: Brian Jud on Mix and Match Your Promotion – Part Two
6. Guest Column: Dan Poynter on Encourage Reader Feedback
7. Have a Need for Publicity?
1. Pam Lontos Column: The Dos and Don’ts of Dealing with the Media – Part Two
Here is the second half of Pam’s article on the tried-and-true ways to get the most out of your media contacts, and ensure reporters, editors and producers answer your calls and respond to your e-mails:
8. DON’T expect the media to cover your topic when another story is dominating the news. DO be aware of what is happening in the news and tie your topic into those stories. Natural disasters, big trends such as the failing economy, harmful lead in children’s toys – the headlines will shape the media’s agenda. DO wait 24 hours to pitch your topic if you can’t tie it in with the news.
9. DON’T delay when returning calls from reporters or fact-checkers. DO understand journalists are on deadline and need to speak with you now. If you snooze, you may lose the chance for an interview.
10. DON’T call a magazine a week before a big holiday, such as Valentine’s Day or Thanksgiving, with your holiday-themed idea. DO remember that magazines put out holiday issues four or five months in advance. Time your pitches well.
11. DON’T leave your contact information off your press releases or e-mails. DO err on the side of giving too much information. Leave behind or mail in a business card. Send a follow-up email with your phone number. Put all contact information on your news releases.
12. DON’T just talk about what’s important to you during an interview. DO answer the questions asked during the interview. You need to be responsive to the questions asked by the interviewer, or else the interviewer will be frustrated and never want you back. Also – you need to know for a fact that the information you’re giving out is accurate. DON’T give out information unless you’re sure of it.
13. DON’T demand the article mention your company, your products or the book you have written. DO be happy that you are being interviewed! DON’T try to overly control the outcome. You’ll seem pretentious or worse if you try to put conditions on the interview, such as insisting you are the first person quoted in the story or the only expert mentioned. High-and-mighty attitudes will get you dropped from the interview lists immediately.
14. DON’T complain if the reporter gets the slightest thing wrong in the story. DO be happy if the reporter includes you, even if he or she left out a point or quoted someone else more than you. A mistake that seems big to you may be small in perspective. DON’T ask for a correction unless it’s absolutely necessary.
15. DON’T contact the reporter’s boss – editor-in-chief – or the publisher if you’re unhappy with the way the story turned out. DO let an interviewer or reporter know if you’re unhappy, but do it respectfully, remembering to listen during the conversation. He or she may say something that will change your feelings. Always try to work out the difficulty directly with the journalist – it will deepen your relationship in the long run.
Work these do and don’t practices into your behavior when dealing with the news media, and soon have the media relationships you’d always hoped for. Exercise a little courtesy and common sense, and you’ll have the reporters and producers seeking you out time after time.
Pam Lontos is the president of PR/PR, a public relations firm that specializes in professional speakers, authors and experts. An author, speaker and former VP of Disney’s Shamrock Broadcasting, Pam knows the ropes of getting you good publicity and how to use it to boost your bookings or book sales. She is also author of the new book, “I See Your Name Everywhere!” Call for a free consultation: 407-299-6128 or visit: www.prpr.net.
************************************************************************
Special Announcement!
PR/PR Now Offers Social Media Marketing
If you want to see your name everywhere on the Internet, we have what you need!
- Stand out from the competition
- Get your name and products on the best sites
- Book more speeches and sell more products online
- Use social networking sites to drive business to your Web site
Call Pam for a free consultation: (407) 299-6128 or e-mail: Pam@prpr.net
************************************************************************
2. Inspirational Quote for the Month:
“The man who has no imagination has no wings.”
- Muhammad Ali
************************************************************************
3. Calendar of Events/Publicity Opportunities
If your expertise fits any of these topics, take advantage by sending out a press release to newspaper, television and radio stations, or call up the media directly! For example, if you are a productivity consultant, expert, speaker or author, you’ll want to let the media know about your expertise for “National Effectiveness Week,” in May. You can share your advice on how to create a more efficient workplace, the benefits of managing your time better, and provide insights on improving productivity at home and work.
Use these dates to create your own media opportunities by writing press releases on these topics, contacting radio stations in your area, or becoming a featured expert on television or in print:
- National Family Month is May 10- June 21. National Family Month is a celebration of the American family. Annually, from Mother’s Day through Father’s Day this national observance celebrates strong and supportive family ties.
- National Family Week. May 3 – 9. Traditionally the first Sunday and the first full week in May are observed as National Family Week in many Christian Churches. National Family Week is a celebration of the American traditions, the values of family life and the importance of our beloved one’s.
- International New Friends, Old Friends Week. May 17 – 23. A week to celebrate and make time for old friends and new friends and remember how vital friends are for our emotional and physical health and well-being and even professional or career success.
- National Effectiveness Week. May 18 – 22.This week, promote tolerance of different styles of getting things done. We celebrate National Effectiveness Week to get the importance of getting things done with minimum stress.
- May 2 is Kentucky Derby Day. The Kentucky Derby is the America’s premier Thoroughbred horse race, inaugurated in 1875. The race is held annually in Louisville, Kentucky on the first Saturday in May, and is held at Churchill Downs.
- May 10 is Mother’s Day. Call your mother!
- May 25 is Memorial Day
************************************************************************
4. This Month Our Clients Have Been Featured In…
Star Magazine Dr. Donna LaMar and Betsy Laney on “Cycle of Violence”
Communication Bulletin Jay Forte on “MaxPerformers”
Go, Air Tran Magazine Nathan Jamail on “Sales and Promotion”
MyBusiness Magazine Nathan Jamail on the “Art of the Upsell”
Go, Air Tran Magazine Nathan Jamail on “Sales and Giving Away Your Product”
Best Health Theresa Rose on “Body Image”
Sacramento Bee Theresa Rose on “Is the Recession a Good Thing”
My Family Doctor Dr. Donna LaMar and Betsy Laney on “Health Tips for Women”
LavaLife.com Theresa Rose on “New-Age Tips for Getting Love”
Go, AirTran Airlines Linda Bishop on “Sales & Promotions”
ECT News Network Heather Lutze on “Google’s New Features”
Working Mother Lauren Rikleen on “Using Flex Time to Reduce Expenses
Future Intelligence Dan Burrus on “Real Estate and Technology”
PayScale Ron Price on “When to Ask for a Raise”
************************************************************************
5. Guest Column: Brian Jud on Mix and Match Your Promotion (Part Two)
Here are the rest of Brian Jud’s tips on creating the right promotional mix.
6) You create a promotional frame of mind. As you begin to see results from your efforts, you will feel a sense of momentum, a belief that your big break will occur soon. You never know where or when it will appear, but you know that if you persist, something will happen to jump-start your sales.
7) You receive an implied endorsement. Media appearances create an implied endorsement by the medium itself and by the show’s host. The loyal viewer may decide to buy your book simply because you were on his or her favorite show.
8) You create additional opportunities. You never know who will be in the audience. There could be a publisher looking for the rights to a book just like yours, a meeting planner seeking a keynote speaker, the regional buyer for a national book chain or the person who arranges guests for a national talk show.
9) You grow professionally. Most media appearances begin with a question by the host to establish your credentials. As your qualifications are repeated over and over again, you will rapidly become the expert to whom people will come for advice.
10) You study and practice. Do not seek an appearance on a national show immediately. Instead, take the time to learn how to be a good guest. Study and practice the skills that will enable you to make a superior performance.
11) You reap personal benefits. Evaluate your performances by objectively critiquing yourself and practicing what you can do to improve the next time. Subsequently, you will grow personally and professionally.
Brian Jud hosts Book Central Station where you can find rated lists of suppliers to help you write, publish and market your books. Post your own reviews and add your favorite suppliers. For a free trial, go to http://www.bookmarketingworks.com/judslist/trial.asp Contact Brian at P. O. Box 715, Avon, CT 06001; (800) 562-4357; brianjud@bookmarketing.com or go to http://www.bookmarketing.com.
Need Help Marketing Your Book? Get free book-marketing tips every other week in Brian Jud’s Book Marketing Matters e-newsletter. Go to: www.bookmarketing.com to sign up!
***********************************************************************
6. Guest Column: Dan Poynter on Encourage Reader Feedback
Writing and publishing your book is not the end of your literary involvement. When readers have questions, authors have a responsibility to respond by email, mail, telephone and in person at book signings and other events.
Use these opportunities to gather material for the book’s revision or your next book. Maybe you were not clear enough in your writing or perhaps the customer is interested in an important area you did not cover.
Bernard (Bear) Kamoroff, CPA, of Bell Springs Publishing, displays at book fairs and other industry events for the express purpose of gathering user feedback for Small Time Operator (23 revised editions and 53 printings in 21 years). At one fair, a woman said the business book was not for her because she was self-employed. So, Kamoroff added to the
cover: “For All Small Businesses, Self-Employed Individuals, Employers, Professionals, Independent Contractors, and Home-Based Businesses.” Also, due to customer feedback, he has increased the index from three pages to seven.
“Oh—I listen more and talk less. You can’t learn anything when you’re talking”
—Bing Crosby (1904-1977), American singer and film actor.
If people are asking questions, they like your work. Note their questions and your responses in a “correction copy” of your most recent edition and keep it on your shelf so you will be able to easily find the updates when the inventory runs low. Put the new information in your next revised edition—and sell the book to them again.
Listen to your readers. Your best customer is one you have sold to previously.
Unleash Your Inner Author…
RESOURCE FOR BOOK WRITING, PUBLISHING AND PROMOTING
Dan Poynter’s F-R-E-E e-zine: http://parapublishing.com/sites/para/resources/newsletter.cfm
************************************************************************
Use the Media to Get Your Career to the Next Level in 2009
Order “I See Your Name Everywhere” NOW!
Go to Amazon.com or e-mail: Pam@prpr.net for your copy!
“If you only choose one PR manual, make it I See Your Name Everywhere.”
-Bob Danzig, Former CEO Hearst Newspapers, Author and Speaker
Check out the in-depth publicity advice in Pam Lontos’ new book, “I See Your Name Everywhere” published by Morgan James. Order now for $12.95 plus shipping! Pam’s first book, “Don’t Tell Me It’s Impossible Until After I’ve Already Done it!” is available at $12.95 or you can order both for the combination price of $19.95 plus shipping.
Order yours today at: pam@prpr.net or call: 407-299-6128.
************************************************************************
7. Have a Need for Publicity?
PR/PR can help you with all of your publicity needs, from magazines and newspapers to television, radio and online media. If you want to sell more books, get more speaking engagements and be hired for more consulting jobs, you need publicity.
To receive a FREE consultation, contact Pam Lontos, President of PR/PR:
407-299-6128 or email: pam@prpr.net.
