The Publicity Hound’s Blog  

One of the most difficult jobs for PR people is promoting a nursing home, extended care facility, retirement community or even a senior citizens center.

That’s because some of these places don’t have that much going on. But I got an idea for a terrific angle just now, thanks to Janet Podolak, a good friend and former co-worker who’s travel editor at The Lake County News-Herald, near Cleveland, Ohio. 

Ask this question: “What technology has made the biggest change in your life?” And then report on the results of your survey.

That’s what Janet asked while touring various Cleveland attractions with a group of seniors from the nearby Breckenridge Retirement Community. Here are some of the answers she received:

“The garage door opener”

“Super highways”

“Refrigeration.”

You can read the rest of the answers in her blog post here.

Technology-related angles usually increase your chances of getting coverage, and there are so many opportunities to use this idea:

—To coincide with the opening of a nursing home, extended care facility or senior center.

—To coincide with an annniversary being celebrated by those facilities.

—To promote an upcoming event like an open house.

—To promote an upcoming program or class for the eldery, particularly if it’s tech-related, like a class on how to use the Internet.

When pitching an idea like this one, be sure you’ve lined up a few elderly people who would agree to be interviewed and photographed. It’s a good idea to also get permission forms signed by their family members. (See “How to Use Photos & Graphics in Your Publicity Campaign.”)

I’ve blogged about other ways to promote these facilities here and here. Now let’s hear your best ideas.

Posted In: Business Promotion, Photos & Graphics, Pitching the Media, Press Releases/News Releases, Publicity for Niche Markets, The Local Angle
posted On: 8/17/2008: 7:38 am: By Joan
Comments: No Comments

If you’re pitching food editors and reporters at daily or weekly newspapers, your job is more difficult than ever.

As newspapers continue to cut staff, lifestyle-related sections are among the first on the chopping block.

Also, at many papers, sections such as food, travel and entertainment are no longer stand-alone sections. They’re combined under one section simply called “Lifestyle.”

The Aug. 4 issue of PRWeek offers these pitching tips:

—If you’re pitching a specific type of food product, be sure it’s available in that newspaper’s market.

–Pitch seasonal angles, and cooking meals that are convenient.

–Make sure your pitch has a local angle. One way to do that is to get local farmers involved in fresh- and health-eating stories. For example, organic produce is available in many supermarkets, and much of it is grown locally. But organic fruits and vegetables often look bruised and unattractive. Try contacting local organic farmers who can offer tips on how to buy organic produce. How do you know if an organic apple is bruised, or if it’s supposed to look ugly?

During the teleseminar I conducted with Jamie Oikle from RestaurantReport.com on “Publicity Tips for Restaurants, Chefs & Foodies,” I suggested pitching trends—whether you’re a restaurant that’s seeing more requests for vegetarian dishes or a store that’s slowly eliminating low-carb food items because the low-carb trend is dying.

Here’s my own tip: Check to see if the food editor or one of the food reporters or columnists blogs. If they do, read the blog. You’ll quickly learn about what food topics they think are important. Post a comment to their blog, then pitch them a week or two later. See my article “Let Bloggers Create Publicity for You.”

Posted In: Blogs, Newspaper Publicity, Pitching the Media, Publicity for Niche Markets
posted On: 8/7/2008: 9:43 am: By Joan
Comments: No Comments

Twenty years ago, when I worked in the newspaper business, if a local company had delivered to my newsroom a free gourmet burger that I could enjoy at lunch, I probably would have turned red from embarrassment, then eaten it, with my fellow newsroom buddies watching.

Gourmet burgers, after all, didn’t fall into the “anything of value” category that the newspaper’s ethics policy prohibited. Gifts we couldn’t accept included things like concert tickets or anything worth more than about $20. But still, we always felt a little sleazy if we accepted anything from sources, particularly from companies that hadn’t met us, but wanted publicity.

Today, however, I’m guessing that things may have changed. Now that publishers are cutting newsroom staffs to the absolute minimum, journalists are busier than ever. And inbetween writing and editing stories, they’re spiffing up their resumes, hoping to jump ship before it sinks. That gourmet burger might not make a reporter feel as guilty as he might feel if he had job security.

These days, there’s also the world of social media and using it to keep up with what journalists are doing. The July 14 issue of PR Week discusses the “pitch potential” of social media sites and points out the do’s and don’ts of pitching journalists at sites like Twitter and Facebook.

Todd Defren of Shift Communications, creator of the social media press release, read a tweet from a digital editor who was complaining that he was missing lunch because of deadlines. Defren sent the editor a gourmet burger on behalf of his client.

“That wouldn’t have been possible without something like Twitter,” he said.

Are you using Twitter to keep tabs on journalists you’re targeting? If not, you should. In my “Special Report #52: How to Use Twitter for Business to Network, Promote, Sell, Recruit & Profit,” I discuss the Twittering Journalists wiki created by Harry Hoover. It’s must reading for anybody who needs to start forming strong relationships with journalists. See if your favorite reporter is on the list.

***Important note: The PR Week article cautions that PR pros should determine how journalists are using social networking sites and be wary of inviting reporters to join their networks if they have never met. You can still follow your favorite journalists on Twitter, however, and be privy to personal and business information about them–juicy little tidbits that some of your competitors will never know because they’re too busy to bother with social networking.

Posted In: PR Consultants/Publicists, Pitching the Media, Press Releases/News Releases, Social networking, Twitter
posted On: 7/29/2008: 12:32 pm: By Joan
Comments: 1 Comment

Leigh Ann Hubbard, managing editor of MyFamilyDoctorMag.com, writes:

Periodically, in response to a request, I’ll get a quote from a doctor (via a publicist) that mentions a specific product. Inevitably, I Google the doctor and he or she has been or is on the payroll for the folks who make the product.

There’s no mention of conflict of interest in these emails, so it makes me mad, and I assume the publicists are trying to pull the wool over my eyes.

Recently, that happened again. In email correspondence about it, in which I expressed my anger, the publicist actually defended the practice: “Dr. [____] consults from time to time with the company as do many medical professionals for the pharma and OTC markets. … As you know, Leigh Ann, many reputable practicing physicians consult with manufacturers from time to time to help them develop better products so people can be well.”

I responded, “Yes, I know that. And as you may know, it is then inappropriate for them to promote the companies they ‘consult.’”

Much to my amazement, she responded, “I was not aware of that, to be honest with you, and not sure whose policy you are referring to–or perhaps some code of ethics I am not aware of. However, you see it all the time in the medical journals where researchers are in the pockets of pharmaceutical companies (disclosed of course) and surprise! The research makes the pharma drugs look good.”

Have I really been getting these conflict-of-interest pitches simply because publicists don’t know any better?

Anyway, whatever the reason, this practice makes me never want to use the publicist–or any of his or her clients–again because I can’t trust the person.

It would be wonderful if you could address this. I know you have a large audience, and maybe there are publicists who truly don’t know that this is absolutely unacceptable and insulting.

What do you say, publicists?

Do these doctors need to hire new PR people? Or is what Leigh Ann wrote common practice in the medical community? Do journalists actually fall for this?

Posted In: PR Consultants/Publicists, Pitching the Media
posted On: 7/25/2008: 3:21 am: By Joan
Comments: 11 Comments

Here’s a quick trick for creating news when there’s absolutely nothing new to pitch.

Be willing to talk about your business problems and how you solved them.

Pick up any business journal and you’ll see company after company mentioned, usually because they’ve figured out ways to solve a problem, whether it’s delivering the product faster to customers, or finding and keeping great employees, or how to enter a new market that’s already crowded with competitors.

But these stories don’t only play well in business journals.  They’re great for general interest magazines, daily and weekly newspapers, and television, particularly if you have enticing visuals.

This tip is one of more than a dozen I’ll be sharing tomorrow during Bulldog Reporter’s teleseminar on “Evergreen Magic for PR: Media Masters Show How to Make News When There’s No News.”

We’ll talk, for example, about editorial hot buttons: pegging your story to rumors, future trends, features, divisive issues, dramatic hooks and other sure-fire ways to supercharge your hit ratio, even when you’re not breaking news.

Four other panelists will join me, and moderator Brian Pittman will make sure we move things along quickly so we can squeeze in everybody’s tips.  Don’t miss this one!  It promises to be fast-paced, and you’ll come away with enough ideas to keep yo upromoting through the end of this year and beyond. 

Posted In: Business Promotion, Magazine Publicity, Newspaper Publicity, PR Consultants/Publicists, Pitching the Media, Publicity Resources, Publicity on the Internet, TV Publicity
posted On: 7/23/2008: 3:48 pm: By Joan
Comments: No Comments