The Publicity Hound’s Blog  

Boring bios are more potent than sleeping pills.

Yet you read them all the time in people’s online press rooms, in their books, and even on the mini-profiles they write on their Twitter and Facebook pages.

Sometimes job-hunters include a useless paragraph of incredibly dull information on their resumes.

Publicity expert Nancy Juetten hates boring bios, too. The arrogant ones really get under her skin. They include sentences like this:

“Complimenting her extraordinary capacities as a prodigy composer of collaborative entrepreneurial masterworks is her former multi-disciplinary career as an entrepreneur and corporate executive, encompassing 34 years of exemplary achievement in well over twelve industries, including…”

She wrote about those kinds of bios at her blog, and  just created the Bye-Bye Boring Bio Action Guide ($49), which should be must-reading for every author, speaker, entrepreneur, coach, consultant and expert who needs to rewrite a bio or make over their current one, and for every job-hunter who really wants to stand out from the crowd.

It includes handy templates, examples of great bios, and work sheets that will help you inject life, fun and even humor into even the most boring bio. 

Nancy is running a special promotion that ended on Sunday. But she said that anyone who writes  “Joan Stewart” in the comments section of their online order form throughout the month of March 2010 can get an anniversary bonus gift, her Publicity Express Digital Workshop which is a package of audio files and other goodies. The bonus applies to the Bye-Bye Boring Bio Action Guide and her DIY Publicity Success System.  Order here.

Here’s Nancy’s own bio:

Nancy Juetten (rhymes with “button”) is a passionate and engaging publicity trainer who shows business owners across America how to get seen, heard, and celebrated in their own backyards … and beyond.  She created the NEW Bye-Bye Boring Bio Action Guide to help job and publicity seekers wake up decision makers and open doors fast.  Her essential advice: “It’s your story.  Tell it well.”

Posted In: Authors & Publishers, Business Promotion, Facebook, PR Consultants/Publicists, Twitter, Writing Articles
posted On: 3/8/2010: 2:10 am: By Joan
Comments: 3 Comments

If you’re releasing a report on the state of your industry, what’s the purpose of writing a press release? Why not just post the information to your blog?

In fact, why even bother with press releases? Can’t blog posts serve the same function?

That’s what law firm marketing expert Kevin O’Keefe asked at Real Lawyers Have Blogs.

He will be releasing a report later this week on the use of blogs by large American law firms, and he asked:

“My question is who do I send the press release to? Don’t I accomplish the same thing by posting a blog post with the report as I always have? As a courtesy to reporters and editors, couldn’t I just email them a link to my blog post? How does a press release help them?

“Some law firms and companies use press release services such as PR Newswire or PRWeb for press releases, many in large part for Search Engine Optimization.  Getting links from such sites to your company website or blog using keywords describing your offering causes your website or blog to rank higher on such keyword searches.  But that feels a bit like a sham and I’m not looking for SEO.”
   

Write a release and a blog post

Do both.

Press releases are written much like a newspaper article would be written with “just the facts.” And, of course, you can link directly to the report and anything else you wish.

One of the big advantages of press releases is that journalists, bloggers and others can simply cut and paste from the press release and add what you’ve written to their own copy.  Blogs, on the other hand, are written in a more informal, personal style that make wholesale copying difficult.
  
A blog also serves as a great platform to comment on various aspects of the report, in one or more blog posts. So while that press releases is pulling traffic at PRWeb, your post is pulling traffic at your blog. 
         
  
How to publicize an industry report

I gave Kevin seven ideas for publicizing his report:

1. Write a press release and post it to PRWeb.  Journalists and others can also search the PRWeb site by topic.  I found eight RSS feeds at PRWeb just for legal news. So if the only place that somebody can find info on the report is at Kevin’s blog, they’ll miss it if they’re at the PRWeb site.
       
2. Let your Twitter followers, Facebook friends and LinkedIn connections know about the release. Just give an enticing headline and link to it at PRWeb. (See 11 Ways to Avoid Missed Opportunities on Facebook.)
       
3. Write a blog post that ties into the press release.  Why was the report written? Are the results surprising? Can you offer a behind-the-scenes look at the benefit of blogging for big law firms, something the press release doesn’t explain?
       
4. Post the same press release at your website, in your online press room.  You want to do this so that people who come to your website can find recent information about what you’re doing.
       
5. If you wish, you can now pitch the story to a select group of journalists and bloggers.  These can be people whose names you have collected and put into a database.  I’d create individual pitches for each journalists or blogger, customized for their audience, and then include a link where they can see the press release.
       
6. What about people on Twitter who “tweet” about law-related topics?  Don’t forget about them.  Sometimes you can get far more traction on Twitter than you can in traditional media, simply because of the retweets.
       
7. How do you find people who would be interested in the report and are most likely to retweet?  Go to Search.Twitter.com and search for #law, #lawyers, #legal and other related words, using hash tags.  Twitter will return a list of tweets written by people who have used those keywords in their posts.  You can then go to each person’s Twitter page and decide if they’re worth following.  If so, follow them.  They might follow you back.  You can then send them a direct message and let them know about your report, and link to the press release on PRWeb.
       
8. Finally, how about creating a short video, about two and a half minutes, discussing the report?  You can do this with an inexpensive Flip video camera and upload the video to YouTube, which can pull more traffic to your blog or website.

Kevin might also consider a subscription to Expertclick, the Online Yearbook of Experts. A subscription puts you in their experts directory and lets you post up to 52 press releases per year.  You can then link to these releases from your blog or the online press room at your website. That’s what I do.  Learn more at Expertclick.com.

How do you use press releases in conjunction with your blog?

Posted In: Blogs, LinkedIn, Pitching the Media, Publicity for Niche Markets, Social media marketing, Twitter, Video, YouTube
posted On: : 12:32 am: By Joan
Comments: 1 Comment

If you’re a blogger and you’re covering news events in New York City, you’re now able to obtain a press pass.

FishbowlNY reports that City Hall will now issue press passes to online journalists to cover events where the public is denied access.

Under the proposed new rules, an applicant must show that he or she has covered, in person, six news events where the city has restricted access, within the last two years. The new rules cover employees of traditional news organizations as well as self-employed journalists and others who report the news.  The new press card will be issued every two years.

I’ve written before about phony press passes, used mostly by freeloaders trying to get into events for free food and entertainment.

New York City’s decision is a huge victory for bloggers, even though it resulted after a lawsuit. Let’s hope other cities extend the same courtesy.

Not everyone agrees. Twitterer @Bert_deVolontat calls it “a lack of respect for professionals.”

What do you think? Should bloggers and other online journalists receive press passes?

How does your organization deal with this issue? Do you let bloggers attend for free? How do you ferret out the phony journalists from the legitimate ones?

Posted In: Blogs, Citizen journalism
posted On: 3/4/2010: 8:57 am: By Joan
Comments: 5 Comments

If you or your PR client have a great story to tell that can motivate entrepreneurs and upper management, you might be a good candidate for Motivated magazine.

Editor Shevaun Voisin said she welcomes pitches. But before pitching, please check out the magazine’s website to get a good feel for its mission.

“MOTIVATED Magazine encourages readers to rise to their fullest potential. Pairing passion with purpose, the magazine features insightful articles submitted directly from today’s world leaders, entrepreneurs and everyday people with extraordinary stories to share.

“Each issue focuses on a theme in an effort to inspire and motivate readers on their journey toward business and personal success.  Topics range from the importance of leading, communicating, and investing, to strategizing, producing, and growing, all in an effort to achieve balance and overall happiness.”

“Be sure to read my editorials so you understand the reason why I publish my magazine…it is very important to me that contributors understand my intention behind the magazine so that they are on board with my mission to empower and educate others by pairing passion with purpose.”

The target market includes entrepreneurs and upper management executives who have an interest in growing personally and professionally.  The magazine is shelved in the business section of Chapters, Indigo, and Barnes & Noble bookstores. 

It’s distributed through Gateway and Hudson news, in airports and Loblaws grocery stores, and through subscriptions. 

Email her at Shevaun at DeclanMcAndrewPublishing.com.

Posted In: Magazine Publicity, Pitching the Media
posted On: 3/2/2010: 11:46 am: By Joan
Comments: No Comments

Patti Chavet of Frisco, Texas writes:

“I’m a sales consultant and I want to brand myself as an expert in active adult lifestyle living in Texas.

“My target market is Baby Boomers, age 55 and older, who want to downsize to a maintenance-free home so they’re free explore personal hobbies, interests, public service, education, travel, etc., all in the company of others who share the same lifestyle.

“I work for Del Webb, whose communities traditionally have targeted retirees looking to downsize. I’m new to marketing, and I’d like ideas and advice on how to use traditional and social media to become the go-to person in Texas who can help Baby Boomers move from big houses to easy-to-manage single-family homes in Del Webb communities.

“Where should I begin? I’ve been in this niche market for more than 20 years, so I’m already an expert. My challenge is to now spread the word throughout Texas. I’d love to hear suggestions from your Publicity Hounds.” 

Posted In: Advertising, Business Promotion, Publicity for Niche Markets, Social media marketing
posted On: : 11:12 am: By Joan
Comments: 4 Comments