2010 March

75 sample press releases available in free ebook

3/30/2010 By Joan 2 Comments

If it’s time to write a press release, and you don’t know where to start, it’s sometimes easier if you have a few good sample press releases to eyeball before you start typing.

You’ll find 35 industry-specific releases and 40 occasion-specific releases in the ebook The Big Press Release Book. Mickie Kennedy of eReleases.com, a press release writing and distribution service, is giving it away if you sign up for his free Insider’s Club.

As a member of the club, you’ll receive an “insider’s only” offer each week for an eReleases.com service at an “insider’s only” price.

Mickie’s senior editor selected each press release in the book.

If you’re looking for more direction on how to write your own releases, sign up for my free tutorial, 89 Ways to Write Powerful Press Releases. The 12-course is delivered via email and by the time you’re done, it will be the equivalent of having earned a master’s degree in press release writing.

How Einstein Bros. Bagels exploded its Facebook fan base

3/30/2010 By Joan Leave a Comment

If you couldn’t access the article I mentioned in Tuesday’s newsletter about how Einstein Bros. Bagels is using its Facebook Fan page, it’s because Ragan Communications moved the article to its paid membership site after 48 hours.

I begged them to keep it in the public area of their site, and they agreed. The article explains how a coupon campaign on Einstein’s Fan page in January exploded its Fan base from 7,000 to more than 405,000. Read how they did it.

Then develop a strategy for your own Facebook Fan Page. If you’re like most people who are new to Facebook, you find the site confusing. So did I until I invited Christine Buffaloe, my virtual assistant, to present a teleseminar on 11 Ways to Avoid Missed Opportunities on Facebook.

Filed Under: Business Promotion, Facebook Tagged With: bagel coupon, einstein bros. bagels, how to use a Facebook Fan page

Employees, trying something new at work? Let columnist know

3/29/2010 By Joan Leave a Comment

Are you trying something new at work?

Mildred L. Culp, who writes the syndicated column WorkWise, needs employees who are trying something that doesn’t involve software or social media.

If you’re a business owner, pitch your employee. If you’re a publicist, pitch a client.

WorkWise is syndicated from The Miami Herald to Modesto (CA) Bee. It uncovers emerging trends in the workplace.

Email Mildred at Workwise at comcast.net.

Filed Under: General, Newspaper Publicity, Pitching the Media, PR Consultants/Publicists

Spirit in-flight magazine wants photos of your dog

3/29/2010 By Joan Leave a Comment

If you live in or near a city served by Southwest Airlines, your dog’s photo could be included in the June issue of Spirit, the airlines’ in-flight magazine.

Send snapshots taken of your dog, near Southwest destinations, and upload or snail-mail them to the magazine. The best ones will be printed in the June issue, which will be dedicated to dogs.

Uploaded photos must be in jpeg format.

Read more about the feature. You can see the airlines’ route map here.

I stumbled across this publicity tips while doing research for my special report on how to get publicity in the in-flight magazines.

This year’s update includes contact information and pitching tips for 52 56 magazines (we found four more). It also includes lots of links to profiles on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook where you can find editors, reporters, freelancers and correspondents who write for these magazines, and join the airline’s or the magazine’s Facebook Fan Page.

Update: The report even includes links to a video where you can listen as the editor for one of the biggest in-flight magazines talks about the state of the travel publishing industry. We also included one of the

Filed Under: Magazine Publicity, Photos & Graphics Tagged With: dog photo contest, spirit in-flight magazine

Help Texas border town promote itself despite violence nearby

3/29/2010 By Joan 5 Comments

Nancy S. Millar, director of the convention and visitors bureau in McAllen, Texas, writes:

“I have a doozy. Our great little city in the southernmost part of Texas is on the border with Mexico, which is having terrible problems now with violence, though we’re fine on this side of the border. But that’s not what people are hearing.

“McAllen has a lot going for it. It was just ranked one of the top economies in the U.S. by the Brookings Institution. It’s right in the middle of the country’s Number One birding destination (the Rio Grande Valley). It’s a well-known winter destination because we’re so far south, and we have an active arts and entertainment culture with lots of Mexican influence.

“How can I turn this situation into something more positive—and do it with no budget? Thanks for any ideas your Hounds can share.”

Filed Under: Business Promotion, General Tagged With: border towns, McAllen, Mexican violence, Texas