2007 July

Spring gift show alerts media to gift-related products

7/31/2007 By Joan Leave a Comment

If you have a product that would make a terrific gift for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or Graduation Day next year, you should know about the Spring Product Media Event, a chance to get your product in front of journalists.

Gift List Media and adVance Public Relations will present the event October 24 at the New York Marriott Marquis on Times Square. It’s a non-competitive event, where you and you alone will be showing the only product in that category.

There was a waiting list for the Holiday Gift Guide event, so reserve your product category early and learn more about how to exhibit.

Filed Under: Business Promotion, Holidays, Media Leads, Pitching the Media, Special Events

Six Apart ‘Site of the Day’ needs publicity ideas

7/31/2007 By Joan 8 Comments

Nancy Mills of Los Angeles, California writes:

“I’m the founder of Spirited Woman, a growing on-line and off-line women’s empowerment community. We’ve just had some dynamite news. The Spirited Woman website is on Typepad, a blog platform owned by Six Apart, an enormously successful blogging company.

“They have over 10 million blogs on Typepad, and they picked Spirited Woman as their featured website of the day for August 11 this year. I would so greatly appreciate your advice, tips, and suggestions on the best ways to promote this outstanding PR opportunity both off-site and on-site, either via the Internet or traditional press.

“What would you do to the site to prepare for the big day? How should I promote the fact that my site is the featured site on August 11? I really want to make the most of it.”

Filed Under: Blogs, Business Promotion, Pitching the Media, Publicity on the Internet

WomenEntrepreneur.com needs website content

7/28/2007 By Joan Leave a Comment

WomenEntrepreneur.com, which launched May 1, is looking for content for its website, which discusses all facets of entrepreneurship, work/life balance and success.

Read more about what they need and how to pitch in this article from “The Navigator” newsletter.

Filed Under: Business Promotion, Media Leads, Publicity on the Internet, Writing Articles

‘The Next Food Network Star’ looking for ’08 candidates

7/26/2007 By Joan Leave a Comment

Chef I’m addicted to “The Next Food Network Star,” and I’m thrilled that it’s returning for another season in ’08. Foodies who want their own TV show should be thrilled, too, because now’s your chance.

But do you have what it takes?

The network is looking for people with cooking know-how, either self-taught or professionally trained or somewhere in between, but you should know the basics. Ideal candidates will also have a personality that pops, and teaching skills. Preliminary applications and completed online submissions—or printed submissions with VHS, DVD or DV—must be postmarked by July 30, 2007. Learn more here.

If you feel like you’re not yet ready for The Food Network, you’d be better off trying to get local publicity first, particularly on local stations, where you can make all your mistakes and learn how to feel comfortable in front of a camera. See “How to Get Onto the Local TV News Tomorrow” and “Publicity Tips for Restaurants, Chefs & Foodies.”

Filed Under: Contests, TV Publicity

Pitching top-tier editors? Let them critique your pitch

7/24/2007 By Joan Leave a Comment

Aching to get into the New York Times, Time magazine, Forbes or People magazine?

The Harvard Business Review? USA Today? Or Inc.?

The Expertizing Forum, hosted by publicity expert Fern Reiss, one of my favorite Publicity Hounds, connects you with journalists writing for the most important publications in America. Each week for five months, you submit a pitch to a different journalist. They’re ready to hear your news, and have agreed to consider you for their pieces, or to tell you why your pitch was inappropriate for their publication—and how to fix it for next time.

If you need help with your pitch, The Expertizing Forum coaches you with pitching tips and techniques to improve your ability to get coverage.

It also provides background information on the journalist and publication, so you can tune your pitch appropriately. Participants have received coverage in publications including The New York Times, Inc. Magazine, Time Magazine, and USA Today—and two participants also found literary agents and major publishers through the forum!

The Expertizing Forum offers you direct access to top-tier journalists and publications for only $1,900 for all 5 months. Learn more here.

Filed Under: Magazine Publicity, Newspaper Publicity, Pitching the Media