Magazine Publicity

How would you rewrite this pitch for women’s magazines?

8/2/2011 By Joan 26 Comments

Juliet Hartley of St. Petersburg, Fla., writes:

“I’ve been sending a lot of pitches to different magazines about my chic handmade hair accessories at BowAllure.com, but I just don’t hear anything back from them. It’s very frustrating.

“I’m attaching a copy of a pitch I sent to a few magazines and would love to hear your input. I’ve contacted a couple of reputable publicists but I just cannot afford to pay for their services at this moment. The magazines I’m trying to send pitches to are very hard to reach, like Parents magazine or Pregnancy and Newborn magazine. They don’t give you the email address of the editor. Here is a copy of the pitch.

Subject: Back to School Must Haves

Dear Editor:

Bow Allure is an online boutique that provides Moms with fashionable, chic, handmade hair accessories. With more than 200 boutique style hair accessory options to choose from, Bow Allure’s beautiful headbands are made for newborns, toddlers and girl sizes, and their selection of clips and bows are suitable for all ages in MANY different sizes and varieties. Exceptional, personal customer service is the forefront of our company’s values and commitment to clients.

I’m attaching a picture of a must have back to school hair bow for girls and teens. I would be happy to send you a sample so you can prove to your readers that these are in fact great products.

I appreciate your time and consideration for what Bow Allure (http://www.bowallure.com/) has to offer.

I can be reached at juliet@bowallure.com or by phone at (727) 403-6806.

Sincerely yours

Juliet Hartley

The Publicity Hound says:

OK, Hounds, have at it. I see several problems with this pitch. Can you find them all? If you were Juliet, how would you pitch this? Or would you?

Filed Under: Magazine Publicity, Pitching the Media Tagged With: hair acccessories, hair bows, Newborn magazine, Parents magazine, pitching magazines, Pregnancy magazine

7 phrases journalists hate hearing when you pitch

7/18/2011 By Joan 9 Comments

The next time you pitch a journalist, remember that what you don’t say is just as important that what you say.

Mickie Kennedy of eReleases.com explains why journalists hate hearing these three phrases:

1. “Never seen anything like this.”

2. “When can we expect this to go up?”

3. ”I know this isn’t your area, but…”

They’re good ones, Mickie, but that’s just a start. I’m a former journalist, and I also hated hearing these five other phrases when people pitched me or after I interviewed them:

4. “Can you send me 10 copies of the article as soon as it’s printed?”

No, I can’t. I’m not a clerk. I’m a reporter. And I’m too busy. If you want copies, buy them yourself by calling our circulation department. (See “What to Do When You Can’t Get Reprint Rights.”)

5. “Can you let me know as soon as the article is printed?

Nope, can’t do that either, for the reasons mentioned above. Either hire someone to pay attention to the paper, or do it yourself.

6. ”If I give you a good tip and you write the story, can you promise me you’ll give it good play?”

No. Reporters don’t decide where stories appear in newspapers or magazines. That’s an editor’s job.

7. ”Can you please not use my name?”

Why didn’t you tell me that 20 minutes ago when we started the interview? Technically, since you were talking to me on the record, I have every right to use your name.

But you’re such a pain in the neck, and you’ll probably raise such a stink after the story is printed along with your name, that I’d rather just not use your comments. Instead, I’ll simply make a mental note never to talk to you again. In other words, I’m blacklisting you.

Now that you know what not to say, here are magic phrases the media LOVE hearing.

What phrases can you add to this? Do you keep any magic phrases in your pocket and use them with success?

Are you a journalist or blogger who hates other phrases that Mickie and I haven’t mentioned?

Filed Under: How to Interview, Magazine Publicity, Newspaper Publicity Tagged With: newspaper publicity, pitching journalists, reprint rights, working with reporters

Do you buy ads? Offer a testimonial for free publicity

6/16/2011 By Joan 1 Comment

I’m all about generating free publicity, so you don’t have to pay for ads.

But if you buy ads, here’s a little trick that may very well give you more space—this time for free—in newspapers and magazines, and even online.

Offer a testimonial on the power of the ad—how it generated more customers, phone calls, orders or whatever. Several people I know have been featured in full-page testimonials in daily newspapers, magazines and business journals.

Here’s one I saw this week.

On Page C6 of Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal, Christa Carone, corporate vice president and chief marketing officer for the Xerox Corp., was featured in a full-page ad touting how a partnership with The Wall Street Journal helps Xerox attract corporate customers who are “Ready for Real Business.”

“Ready for Real Business” was the name of the expensive ad campaign Xerox launched in September last year. It focused on the company’s relationships with clients like Procter & Gamble Co., Target Corp., Ducati, the New York Mets, the University of Notre Dame and Marriott International Inc. All allowed their brand names to be used in the campaign.

Results of WSJ Ad

Here’s part of Carone’s testimonial:

“When we launched our ‘Ready for Real Business’ campaign, we did it in a big way in The Wall Street Journal, and with high-impact front-page units in The Wall Street Journal Digital Network.

“In print and online, the Journal allows us to engage decision-makers in relevant Xerox case studies. When these readers click through to our RealBuisness.com website, they are already attuned to our content and ready to take action.

“It’s the right audience. The most relevant content. And it gets results.”

Display and Classfieid Ads

I’m guessing that the WSJ ad rep for the Xerox account asked to feature Carone in the display ad testimonial . But newspapers don’t always follow up like that.

Remember this the next time you buy an ad and it generates great results. That includes classifieds, which have been desimated by Craigslist. Newspapers will be more than eager to let you tell the world that it was money well-spent.

Also see:

Offering testimonials can pay publicity dividends for years

Special Report #48: Smart Tips for Free, Cheap and More Effective Ads

Filed Under: Advertising, Magazine Publicity, Newspaper Publicity Tagged With: christa carone, Craigslist, Ducati, Procter & Gamble Co., Target Corp., testimonials, the New York Mets, university of notre dame, wall street journal, xerox

Inventory clearance on CDs, transcripts, booklets

6/15/2011 By Joan 4 Comments

Recruitment & Retention Tips Booklets

Information products can become out of date so quickly, particularly those dealing with social media sites or any type of technology.

For that reason, I’m cleaning out my massive inventory and practically giving away more than 20 titles.

CD and transcripts, regularly $39.95, are only $5 each, plus shipping. Tips booklets on employee recruitment and retention, regularly $5 each, are $1.35, and include shipping.

Even though many of the products are out of date, all of them include valuable tips that are still as good today as they were when I created the them. Topics include Facebook, how to get PR clients, press releases, nonprofit publicity, how to get your own TV show, special event planning and promotion, employee recruitment and retention, and more. Here’s the complete list of titles.

Some of the CD titles are gone already, and we aren’t reordering, but you can still order the transcripts. Grab them while you have the chance.

Questions? Contact my assistant, Christine Buffaloe, at 619-955-5772 or Chris (at) SerenityVA.com.

Filed Under: Information Products, Magazine Publicity, Newspaper Publicity, Nonprofits, Press Releases/News Releases, Publicity for Niche Markets, Publicity on the Internet, TV Publicity, Twitter, Writing Articles Tagged With: how to use Facebook, inventory clearance, nonprofit promotion, press releases, publicity hound products, special event planning, special event promotion

Publicists: Trade PR skills for Internet marketing training

6/10/2011 By Joan 2 Comments

Tom Antion, My Internet Marketing Mentor

Publicists, how many more clients do you think you can attract if your name comes up on the first page of Google every time someone searches for a PR person with your expertise?

Tom Antion, my Internet marketing mentor, can help.

Tom is looking for four select people who have expert skills in certain areas of PR and who are willing to work 10 to 15 hours a week in exchange for a scholarship to his new, licensed Internet Marketing certificate school.

Tom is the real deal, and you’d be crazy to pass up this offer. When he called me this week and asked me if I’d extend it to you, I said I would, but only if he promised to give my Publicity Hounds first crack at applying and being considered.

Hundreds of publicists and PR people follow me, so he could find exactly who he needs within a few days. Snooze, and you’ll lose.

What Tom Has Taught Me

The training I’ve received from Tom has allowed me to enjoy a great income for many years from my home office. Much of it comes from my more than 150 products which I sell online, even on days when I don’t feel like working, or when I have a doctor’s appointment or other family obligations.

Tom taught me the secret of how to capture the Number 1 and Number 2 spots on Google for the phrase “publicity expert”:

He also taught me how to earn affiliate commission promoting other people’s top-quality products and services that I can stand behind. I’ve done it so well, that I couldn’t stop the commission checks from arriving in my mailbox even if I tried.

Tom showed me, step by step, how to publish a profitable electronic newsletter. As a result, The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week has been going strong, for more than 10 years. You can learn what I learned and lots more. And if you’re chosen, you can spend a day with him at the Great Internet Marketing Retreat Center at his home in Virginia Beach. I’ve been there four or five times.

How to Apply for a Scholarship

Tom is looking for the following publicity experts:

A print specialist
A radio specialist
A TV specialist
An online specialist

As you can imagine, there will be fierce competition for these spots because people pay Tom $58,000.00 to work with him personally for a year and $9,100.00 for tuition to his school. He’s a cut-to-the-chase guy who doesn’t have time for busywork. And he knows you don’t either.

You don’t need a portfolio or even a resume. Just email him with a quick synopsis of your experience and publicity successes and explain what you want to accomplish on the Internet. He’ll follow up with you by phone.

Check out all the details.

But Is He a Good Media Interview?

Tom is an excellent media guest and has done more than 1,000 radio interviews and many for TV, newspapers and magazines. So if you know what you’re doing, generating publicity for him will be a piece of cake.

He’s also got the credentials. The Internet Marketing Training Center is currently the only licensed Internet marketing school in the United States.

If you aren’t interested, but you know a crackerjack publicist who is, let them know about this. And spread the word on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.