The Publicity Hound’s Blog  

Awards usually don’t mean squat because the true test of a P.R. campaign is how the project has changed people’s behavior or perceptions. If you care about these things, however, two contests are seeking entries.

PR News is sponsoring its first-ever Nonprofit PR Awards program for nonprofit communications.

It’s open to all communications and marketing teams at nonprofit organizations, associations, government agencies, NGOs and educational institutions. Where applicable, categories are also open to corporate PR professionals and PR firms.

Check the list of categories and program information. Or email Amy Jefferies.

The Public Relations Society of America is taking entries for the 2005 D. Parke Gibson Pioneer Award, which recognizes the year’s best practitioner in multicultural public relations, and for the 2005 Health Academy Awards program.

Posted In: General, Nonprofits
posted On: 6/29/2005: 11:53 pm: By Joan
Comments: No Comments

Do you write news releases that require six levels of approval before they can go out the door?

Do you labor over every word in your releases, and worry what reporters will think about the lame B.S. quote in the third paragraph—the one the boss insists be kept in?

If so, you might welcome the claim from Sally Saville Hodge that the typical news release, as we know it, is dead. Sally, president of Hodge Communications, Inc. in Chicago, presents a compelling argument in an article she wrote called “The News Release is Dead (Will Somebody Please Tell the Clients?)” for the Marketing Profs website.

“A short, personalized email—three paragraphs at most—to the targeted journalists with a to-the-point lead-in should not only outline the storyline but also emphasize its relevance to the outlet’s audiences,” she writes. “This personal approach is going to have a far greater chance of grabbing the reporter’s attention than a news release that’s written for the masses.”

Posted In: Pitching the Media, Press Releases/News Releases
posted On: : 9:04 am: By Joan
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EzineArticles.com, the giant repository for thousands of articles that can be picked up by editors and publishers all over the world, is one of my favorite places for submitting how-to articles.

Now, they’ve added eight new categories for articles:

Data Recovery—Lost data? Got data? This computer related category covers all of the issues relating to data protection and data recovery.

Aviation—About jets, airplanes, NASA, airports, and anything having to do with flying. This category isn’t about traveling to destinations, but rather about the “aviation industry” more so.

Personal Finance—About budgeting, budgets, managing or organizing home finances, and improving your personal financial position.

Depression—Feeling down? This new sub-category covers the range of low-level depression or feelings of sadness to clinical depression, treatments, cures, and the discussion about how to feel better about yourself and your outlook.

Pregnancy-Everything about the pregnancy process, pregnancy and weight loss, health & fitness issues during pregnancy, early detection, and post-pregnancy issues.

GPS-If you’ve got a personal Global Positioning Device or want to know more about them, this is the best place for your GPS articles.

Ethics-Some businesses have them, some don’t. Discussion about business, workplace, government and ethics in management.

Fashion & Style-If it’s hip, GQ, exotic, or high style, then this is the category for your fashion-related articles.

If your niche did not get its own sub-category yet, jump on over to the forums and see the August 2005 new sub-categories on deck for consideration.

If you currently write articles for one of the niches listed above, now is the time to send more articles. I post them all the time. In exchange, I get requests for speaking engagements, more traffic back to my website, more ezine subscribers, and more people who buy my products and consulting services.

If you think you can’t write, or you don’t have time to write, I’ve done some of the work for you. A template on how to write a simple how-to article is yours when you order the CD or electronic transcript titled “How to Write How-to Articles for Newspapers, Magazines & Trade Journals.” It’s actually a how-to article on how to write how-to articles. Just follow the format I’ve used, substitute your own words, and –voila!– an article ready to distribute all over the Internet.

Posted In: Publicity on the Internet, Writing Articles
posted On: : 8:51 am: By Joan
Comments: No Comments

Right now, in newsrooms and at TV and radio stations all over the U.S., assignment editors are groaning about having to come up with local stories for the Fourth of July.

Even worse, July 4 falls on Monday. That means that in addition to a big Sunday paper, editors have the holiday edition to worry about. And they must have most of their feature stories written and edited by Friday, when they’re hoping to cut out early for a long holiday weekend.

When I worked as an editor, I hated weeks like these. The same old holidays. The same scurrying around at the last minute to find assignments that are different. How to keep from blowing your fingers off on the Fourth? Done that. How about advice from vets on how to keep dogs from freaking out during the big bang? Done that one, too.

So how about making the media’s job easy? Tie your story idea to an independence theme, even though the idea doesn’t directly tie into the Fourth. My friend Shawne Duperon, a TV reporter in Michigan, says this strategy works particularly well with TV. Shawne was my guest on three teleseminars titled “How to Get on the Local TV News Tomorrow“, “116 WOW! Sizzling Story Ideas from January through June” and “103 Sizzling Story Ideas from July Through December.”

Here are some examples of how to play off the independence theme:

—Credit counselors can pitch stories on how to give consumers independence from credit cards.

—Products and services that help people stop smoking can tie into independence from cigarettes.

—Bike clubs and walking clubs can promote their groups by pitching stories that tie in to independence from high gasoline prices.

—Computer consultants can offer the latest tips on how people can find independence from spam and computer viruses.

—Podiatrists can even pitch stories on how women can claim independence from sprained ankles and fallen arches by ditching the high heels and wearing comfortable yet fashionable shoes.

Why are these kinds of stories appealing? Because, with the holiday tie-in, they appear to be timely.

Get the idea? Pinpoint whatever it is that your product, service, cause or issue helps people claim independence from. Then start pitching. And don’t forget about the bloggers.

Posted In: Pitching the Media, TV Publicity
posted On: : 8:38 am: By Joan
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Aleksandra Sell of Calgary, Alberta, Canada writes:

“I have a school of salsa dance and I’m looking for ways to generate appreciation for salsa dance and music in a large oil and gas town. In every large city in North America, salsa has taken over by storm, but not here. So far, it’s been like pulling teeth. Any ideas on growing the salsa scene would be greatly appreciated.”

Posted In: Business Promotion
posted On: 6/28/2005: 10:31 am: By Joan
Comments: 10 Comments