Public Relations Articles

Marketing » Public Relations | By Susan Harrow @ Saturday, 22nd April 2006 @ 2:29 AM

It finally happened: my first radio interview. What a doozy! Everything I've always done has been baptism by fire, so why should this be any different? I called the station's studio line at 5 minutes before my 1pm scheduled interview time so I could chat briefly with the hosts to find out if they wanted me to focus on anything in particular and establish who would mention my web site. It rang and rang. No answer. I continued to call. At 1:02 the nervous nelly gene kicked in and I calle... more...

Marketing » Public Relations | By Susan Harrow @ Friday, 21st April 2006 @ 4:54 PM

Not many people are qualified to have their own infomercial. You have to be a great mediagenic salesperson, have a product with large profit margins that appeals to millions, and fits into a category that is already a known, successful seller. But you can star in an infomercial of someone already established. Being a part of a profitable infomercial can bring you opportunities you never even imagined. Here are some requirements. 1. You have a dramatic story about how a product changed you... more...

Marketing » Public Relations | By Susan Harrow @ Friday, 21st April 2006 @ 4:07 PM

The first question is: Is this appropriate? It all depends on your intention and how you go about it. Some questions to ask: Are you being self-serving or are you genuinely offering help to people? What can you offer for free that helps people in dire need? Can you comment, give advice, or put unusual circumstances in perspective? Have you helped people in similar situations before? Do you have unusual ideas that some other expert hasn't thought of? Barry Pascal owner of Gifts & Deco... more...

Marketing » Public Relations | By Susan Harrow @ Wednesday, 19th April 2006 @ 1:07 AM

1. Personalize your presentation. Listen to the host for cues as to how he addresses his audience. He may tell you about the weather, mention what has happened in their town, allude to a recent guest or refer to a past show. When you link your information to what is personal and relevant to your audience they will connect with you as one of them. While this is a more subtle way to relate to your host and audience, it often makes the difference between having people feel like you un... more...

Marketing » Public Relations | By Susan Harrow @ Friday, 14th April 2006 @ 7:56 AM

1. Make excuses. When you apologize, make excuses, mumble, or indicate hesitation before introducing an idea you immediately put yourself at a disadvantage. This isn't the time to say you're sorry. Save that for when you've really pulled a boner. Start your sentence with a strong, clear thought. Think of these first words as the headline that prepares your audience for the fascinating information to come. 2. Let yourself be interrupted. Let yourself be interr... more...

Marketing » Public Relations | By Susan Harrow @ Friday, 14th April 2006 @ 7:08 AM

Words are the ambassadors of our intentions. Whenever anyone calls to hire me as a media coach I listen closely to the way they express themselves with words. More importantly, I listen to perceive who they are as a person. Once you open your mouth to speak to anyone anywhere, you are auditioning. You are vying for their attention, for their time, for their commitment to you and whatever you have to promote. 1. Choose the right words. Soundbites are the lightening flashes of who yo... more...

Marketing » Public Relations | By Susan Harrow @ Friday, 14th April 2006 @ 7:05 AM

I'd like to share with you an excellent example of how timing and persistence can influence your career. This is a story of how my client, an ex-Jesuit priest, John Bollard, landed a story on the CBS program 60 Minutes. It was called *Above the Law?* For seven years Bollard studied in the seminary to fulfill his dream of becoming a man of the cloth. During this time he was often sexually harassed by a number of his superiors within the hallowed halls of priesthood. After his s... more...

Marketing » Public Relations | By Susan Harrow @ Friday, 14th April 2006 @ 7:02 AM

Lots of people call me who want to get on Oprah, Good Morning America, Fox and Friends, and The View. Most don't know that if they can envision the show, map out the theme, plan the guests, create the props, and then bring their knowledge and expertise to the table, speaking in 10-20 second soundbites, then they'll have a winner show. I know it sounds obvious, but many people aren't familiar with the show format or the hosts' style because they haven't bothered to... more...

Marketing » Public Relations | By Susan Harrow @ Friday, 14th April 2006 @ 6:09 AM

There's a publicity myth that is bigger than any best seller, any box office blockbuster, and any classic that has stood the test of time. The biggest publicity myth is this: *Instant* success happens overnight. A passage in The Course in Miracles says, *Only infinite patience produces immediate results.* 1. Never turn down an opportunity. Actor James Woods had a mission. He wanted to work with director Martin Scorsese. At the time Scorsese was directing the movie *Casino.* Th... more...

Marketing » Public Relations | By Susan Harrow @ Thursday, 13th April 2006 @ 6:34 PM

Hurricanes happen. While you can't predict them, you can prepare in advance for the inevitable. While you can't always plan your press release when news breaks, most of the time forethought could be the thing that saves face in the whirlwind that's the media. 1. Prepare for disaster. The best way to get ready for the unexpected is to expect it. When ordained Voodoo & Yoruba priestess Ava Kay Jones heard that Katrina was coming through New Orleans, She packed a few th... more...

Marketing » Public Relations | By Maria Marsala @ Wednesday, 25th January 2006 @ 8:55 AM

Do you know who your ideal client is? Most business owners don't really know. They guess! And because they guess, they're working way to hard, marketing too much, spending too much money. I know I've been there, done that. Now, my bottom line definition of an ideal client would include a client who: --Easily pays you top dollar, and on time, for your services. --Comes to you already understanding what you services can help them accomplish. --R... more...

Marketing » Public Relations | By Henk Devos @ Tuesday, 24th January 2006 @ 10:26 PM

Those of you who know me will also know that I’m addicted to conferences. For me, the eye-opener was the second edition of the European Shareware Conference. I went there just to see what it was like, not knowing anyone. I am very shy in nature, and it’s not always easy to get to know new people. But when I was there, I went to the informal drinks the evening before the conference, and knew everyone who was there in no time. I actually think that going there without knowing anyone was an ... more...

Marketing » Public Relations | By Steve McCardell @

There are several ways to get yourself or your business featured in the media, each requiring different skills, efforts, and/or costs. If you'd like to experience the benefits of publicity, here are your ways in. 1) Do Nothing. That is, do nothing specifically for publicity. If you're running a professional business that's got some visibility already, the media may stumble across you while writing a feature story, and they may want your input for the story. I ... more...

Marketing » Public Relations | By Shannon Cherry @

So you’ve decided that getting your name out there is going to be one of your major goals for the New Year. But how do you do that on a limited budget? That’s where publicity comes in. And you can do it. It just takes time – and a plan. Here are the seven basic steps to creating a plan: 1) Decide who your target market(s) is. There may be more than one, but your target market is not everyone. A good way to find out is look at who currently buys your product or service and create ... more...

Marketing » Public Relations | By Shannon Cherry @

The winter season is upon on. Instead of dreaming of a thaw, you should be already working on warmer publicity. Most magazines are already thinking of stories with a spring/summer angle. So you should be thinking that way, too – if you want to beat the competition and get some coveted coverage. That means start focusing on Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and graduations. Why so early? Because of many media outlets’ production schedules – most notably magazines – reporters often start w... more...

Marketing » Public Relations | By Andrew Denyer @

Autoresponders are a perfect way to increase traffic to your site. They can save many valuable hours by automatically answering emails concerning frequently asked questions about a service or product or by sending a welcome letter to new members of your program. There are many ways that autoresponders can help your business. One of the most important is their ability to track the effectiveness of your promotions. Since autoresponders are one of the most popular marketing tools available today, t... more...