When you land a big story in a magazine, it’s all too easy to become giddy with excitement, and miss doing the hard work necessary to “publicize the publicity” and turn one media hit into what can become multiple hits.
Larry Jacobs reminded me of that a few days ago when he participated in the teleseminar call I hosted with John Eggen on how to “Write a Client-attracting Book Fast That Makes $150,000 Before It’s Published.” (If you missed that call, you can access the replay here. It includes a killer Q&A session.)
Before the call began, Larry asked me how he can capitalize on a full-page article written about him in the June 2010 issue of Golf Digest. Larry is an expert on how golfers can lose weight, and the article discussed how he approached veteran NBC sports on-course reporter Roger Maltbie and, through coaching, helped him lose 35 pounds. It also appeared in the June 2010 print magazine.
“Since it appeared, I use the link in most of my communications with people,” Larry said. “I’d like to know how to parlay this article into PR, more articles, interviews, sales and anything else you can think of.”
Here are my ideas on how to do that:
Use the Word Expert
First, start referring to yourself everywhere as an “expert on weight loss for golfers,” or however you want to describe yourself. The media, as well as consumers, flock to experts. Use this word in your email signature, bios and at the end of articles you write. Optimize your website for the keyword phrase.
Email Signature
Link to the online article in your email signature. You can also use something like this just under your name: ”See how I helped NBC sports on-course reporter Roger Maltbie shed 35 pounds, in the June 20120 issue of Golf Digest.”
Golf Newsletters
I don’t golf, but I’m betting there are dozens of print and electronic newsletters devoted to golf. Contact the editors and offer to write an article about how you coach the PGA golfers. Be sure to tell them about the Golf Digest article, and link to it when you pitch them. You told me your target audience is mostly Baby Boomers and seniors, so look for newsletters directed at that niche, too.
Press Releases
Write a press release about the article, even two months after it appeared. Remember that the article and press release will probably stay online forever.
Press Releases
Write a press release about the article, even two months after it appeared. Remember that the article and press release will probably stay online forever.
Distribute the press release through a service like PR Newswire. Dan Janal has a great offer that guarantees that the article will show up on more than 50 influential, high-traffic websites including Forbes.com, Hoover.com, Reuters.com, and dozens of sites for local business journals. Those business people are a perfect match with the topic of golf.
In addition to pulling traffic, Larry, your website will get inbound links from those influential business websites, which means that Google will view your site as more authoritative. The more inbound links to your site from other high-traffic sites, the higher the page rank Google grants to your own website.
The press release should also be sent to your professional associations, trade groups, even the magazine or newsletter published by your alumni association. Learn how to write an online press release with my free press release tutorial.
Articles
The press release should also be sent to your professional associations, trade groups, even the magazine or newsletter published by your alumni association. Learn how to write an online press release with my free press release tutorial.
Articles
Write articles about your topic for article directory sites like EzineArticles.com, plus all the high-traffic websites that appeal to golfers. Be sure to mention the Golf Digest publicity in the blurb at the end of your own articles.
Video
Video
Are you creating video about how golfers can lose weight? If not, create one that mentions the Golf Digest article, offers a few tips and leads people to your opt-in page.
Video is one of the most powerful ways to pull traffic and promote your business. Try to get video testimonials from all the PGA golfers and other celebrities who you’ve helped, and use those at your website and at the video-sharing sites.
Video is one of the most powerful ways to pull traffic and promote your business. Try to get video testimonials from all the PGA golfers and other celebrities who you’ve helped, and use those at your website and at the video-sharing sites.
Facebook Fan Page & Groups
Create a Facebook Fan Page for golfers who want to lose weight, and link to the article from the page. You should also search Facebook’s groups and see which ones include golfers in your target market. While participating in the groups, mention the article in Golf Digest.
Create a Facebook Fan Page for golfers who want to lose weight, and link to the article from the page. You should also search Facebook’s groups and see which ones include golfers in your target market. While participating in the groups, mention the article in Golf Digest.
Online Media Room
Create an online media room where you can link to the Golf Digest article and mention other publicity you’ve gotten.
Twitter
Create an online media room where you can link to the Golf Digest article and mention other publicity you’ve gotten.
Larry, are you tweeting? If not, start. Your tweets should mostly be about how golfers can lose weight. Include a short blurb about the Golf Digest article in your Twitter profile. Great for your credibility!
Order Reprints
You never know when you might need reprints of the article. So it would be worth your while to order as many copies of the June issue of Golf Digest as you can afford, or see if the magazine sells reprints. Many larger magazines have reprint services.
Pitch the Inflight Magazines
The target audience for these publications—business people and frequent travelers—is perfect for you! How about offering the magazines a list of tips on how golfers can lose weight? In your pitch, mention the June article.
Here’s a powerful tip for really catching the editor’s attention. If you helped a golfer from an area that’s served by the magazine, mention it in your pitch. For example, if you worked with an Australian golfer who’s fairly well-known, mention that when you pitch Qantas magazine, which serves Australia.
You never know when you might need reprints of the article. So it would be worth your while to order as many copies of the June issue of Golf Digest as you can afford, or see if the magazine sells reprints. Many larger magazines have reprint services.
Pitch the Inflight Magazines
The target audience for these publications—business people and frequent travelers—is perfect for you! How about offering the magazines a list of tips on how golfers can lose weight? In your pitch, mention the June article.Here’s a powerful tip for really catching the editor’s attention. If you helped a golfer from an area that’s served by the magazine, mention it in your pitch. For example, if you worked with an Australian golfer who’s fairly well-known, mention that when you pitch Qantas magazine, which serves Australia.
A Podcast
You said you have an audio product that consists of a series of recorded teleseminars you hosted. You can excerpt short five-minute segments from the product and turn them into separate podcasts, each mentioning the article in Golf Digest.
Ask for Referrals to Other Golf Media
Contact Golf Digest Contributing Editor Mark Soltau who interviewed you and ask him to suggest names of journalists who work for other golf media, or golf bloggers, and might be interested in your story. He might be happy to help. By the way, did you ever thank him for the article? If not, it isn’t too late to send a handwritten thank-you note.
Pitch Bloggers
Pitch Bloggers
Bloggers who write about golf or weight loss might love your tips, or a guest blog post. When you pitch them, be sure to mention the Golf Digest article. See How to Pitch the Best Bloggers and Create a Media Explosion.
Those are my tips, Larry.
Those are my tips, Larry.
OK, Publicity Hounds, what about yours? Let’s hear your ideas on how Larry can recycle that great publicity.
The Publicity Hound
Everything you do online—good and bad—is publicity
By Phyllis Zimbler Miller
Guest Blogger
The basics: Correct spelling and good grammar
Yes, on Twitter I’ve been known to use 4 to mean “for” when I don’t have enough characters for what I want to say. But I always strive to spell correctly every real word I use.
And while some people might say “What’s the big deal?” about incorrectly spelled words, some people who read your tweets might think you’re careless with other things too, such as their business needs if they were your clients.
Off-limits: Swear words, off-color comments and slang
I personally was taken aback when a person for whom I was about to write a guest post called me “mate” in an email. In my perception, “mate” has a very particular meaning, and it’s not that positive. I nicely pointed out to him that I was rather surprised by the use of the term.
It’s not only what you write online – it’s also what you say online
Let’s say you’re on a teleseminar and you ask a question in which you unnecessarily disparage someone or something. Then that teleseminar recording is made available to the people on the teleseminar as well as others. It’s possible that what you said could get you in deep water for a very long time. And how do you apologize to a recording?
What if you disagree with something that someone has said?
Again, it’s important to consider how to disagree before you blast your opinion throughout the Internet. I faced this issue when someone responded to a LinkedIn question with what I believed was totally inaccurate information. I didn’t want to say the answer was wrong but I didn’t want to leave the person asking the question with the opinion that the given answer was correct.
I posed my dilemma as a blog post on my site, and I received a very wise response. I was advised to say: “There are differing opinions on this subject.” And then I was to give my opinion without referring to the other person’s answer.
I thought this an extremely reasonable strategy. I did not “put down” the other person’s answer, but I did share my own opinion with the person who asked the question.
And this advice definitely includes the photos you post. For example, whether you believe in Facebook’s privacy settings (which are changed, it seems, almost on a daily basis), do NOT post a picture of yourself holding a bottle of beer in each hand and looking the worse for wear. Of course, this advice is even more so for videos on YouTube.
Regardless of whether you think such photos or videos are in “good fun,” your brand or business does not need to take hits from such missteps on your part.
The Internet world is global by definition, and because we can’t know the sensibilities of everyone who might read our tweets, blog comments, etc., we need to be sensitive to the words we use.