The Power Publicist

Archive for March, 2009

If you want to get free publicity to promote yourself, your products or your services, you need to get a media professional’s attention.

You certainly need a newsworthy story idea, but more importantly,  you need to be relevant to journalists. That’s according to a new survey I just released where I polled 800 journalists.

Relevancy means your news is:

1. timely;
2. local;   and/or
3. means something to the target market the reporter covers

Above all, number 3 is most important. Otherwise your putting a lot of effort into something that will give you no return.

How do you find out if your news meets this criteria?

1. Check out the media outlet your thinking about sending the release to. Does it seem to cover many of the topics your target market is interested in? If so, move to step 2. If not, look elsewhere.
2. Evaluate some of the reporters. Which ones seem to cover what your news topic is about? Choose the one who seems to cover your topics the most. But make note of other possibilities.

Then – and only then -  send off your press release.

By making your news relevant, you get the opportunity to building real relationships with reporters who are truly interested in you and your expertise. And that often means that they will call you when another news opportunity arises that fits your platform.

Want to know more about what journalists are thinking to get free publicity for you and your business?

I’m hosting a FREE teleseminar called “The Inside Scoop on Getting Free Publicity for Your Business” at two different days and times, so you can pick the one most convenient to you:

* Tuesday, March 24  at 8 PM eastern, 5 PM pacific
* Wednesday, March 25 at Noon eastern, 9 AM pacific

In ‘The Inside Scoop on Getting Free Publicity for Your Business‘, sponsored exclusively by ReadyTalk, you’ll learn the results of a recent survey I conducted to more than 800 journalists across the US.

I surveyed and interviewed reporters and media professionals from small to the big national media outlets including CNN, Prevention Magazine, Everyday with Rachael Ray and Entrepreneur.

And what I found out will help you get the free publicity you want to attract more prospects and establish yourself as the recognized expert.

To register for the March 24th at 8 PM EDT webinar, go to
https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/schedule/display.do?udc=1vzz2k30m73ph

To register for the March 25 at NOON EDT webinar, go to
https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/schedule/display.do?udc=16brnce172g7k

Building a business isn’t easy. We all know that.

But many people give the impression that it is. And that irks me to no end.

A couple of years ago, I felt I hit a brick wall with my business. I wanted to make more money, but felt I was stuck.

I tried everything to get me out of the barriers I was facing: teleclasses, ebooks, rebranding. You name it, I probably did it.

But then a good friend introduced me to Alexi Sebasttien. I have to admit I was dubious. She seemed a bit too woo-woo for me. But I was promised she would give me a fresh outlook on my business – and even break through that brick wall I was running into.

Through Alexi’s very visual techniques, I realized that it was my own thoughts that were blocking the success I wanted to reach. And then she helped me create a plan to grow my business quickly.

The results:

• an major increase in subscribers to my ezine
• created programs that I love to teach – and continually make me money over and over again
• generating enough ideas to keep my business in overdrive for the next 5 years – if that’s what I want to do

In today’s economy where purpose-driven, heart-centered entrepreneurs are looking for a way out – a way out of corporate America, a way out of living a “meaningless existence,” a way out of the confusion as to how to grow their business in a “down” economy…what they’re really looking for is a way to “belong,” a way to “live their life purpose,” a way to “share their gifts and get paid what they’re worth.”

If that sounds anything like you, be sure to take advantage of Alexi’s FREE 4-part teleseminar series called: “5 Secret Strategies To Magnetize More M*oney and Ideal Clients Regardless of the Economy.”
During the course of her series, Alexi will reveal the secret strategies she used to:

• Get really clear on her life purpose and what she had to offer
• Communicate to her “ideal clients” in a way that draws them in
• Have fun making money doing what she loves while providing a valuable service to others;
• Make her products & services stand out in an already crowded marketplace;
• Increase traffic to her website by 351%
• Increase her income by 235%
• Double her coaching practice with ideal clients who love and appreciate her work, pay her rates and refer friends and colleagues to her… all in less than 30 days.

If you’re just starting your business or have been in business for awhile and want to expand on what you’ve already got, you’ll definitely want to take advantage of Alexi’s free calls.

For more info, click here now.

Does your press release work well for you? Or do you think there’s a whole body of journalists conspiring to keep you and your story out of the public eye?

If it’s the latter, I need to tell you that it’s not a conspiracy. You’re not getting free publicity because the information you’re sending to journalists contains some fatal errors that are sending them right to the trash bin.

According to the 800 media professionals I recently surveyed, here are the key mistakes you really want to avoid:

1. Your Release isn’t Newsworthy
The journalist who receives your release doesn’t care that you want to sell more widgets or get more customers. He just wants a good story to keep his readers happy and interested. Is your release full of real news or is it just a sales pitch in disguise?

2. Your Headline is Boring
You’ve got just one chance to grab the attention of your target reporter. Keep it interesting, short, simple and punchy.

3. Your Work is Full of Grammar and Spelling Mistakes
Why would a media professional want to tell a story about someone who can’t even be bothered to check their work for errors? Check, check again and triple check.

4. You’ve sent it to the wrong person.
If you’re making the effort to send out your release it’s worth making sure you have sent it to the right place. Do your homework and find out who would be most interested in your news.

5. You call the journalist “just to check it’s been received”
Ringing a journalist to check that they have received your press release amongst the hundreds that they receive everyday is a sure fire way to irritate them. There is only ONE reason you should call a journalist: to offer them more interesting information to make their editor and readers even happier.

Want to know more about what journalists are thinking to get free publicity for you and your business?

I’m hosting a FREE teleseminar called “The Inside Scoop on Getting Free Publicity for Your Business” at two different days and times, so you can pick the one most convenient to you:

* Tuesday, March 24  at 8 PM eastern, 5 PM pacific
* Wednesday, March 25 at Noon eastern, 9 AM pacific

In ‘The Inside Scoop on Getting Free Publicity for Your Business‘, sponsored exclusively by ReadyTalk, you’ll learn the results of a recent survey I conducted to more than 800 journalists across the US.

I surveyed and interviewed reporters and media professionals from small to the big national media outlets including CNN, Prevention Magazine, Everyday with Rachael Ray and Entrepreneur.

And what I found out will help you get the free publicity you want to attract more prospects and establish yourself as the recognized expert.

To register for the March 24th at 8 PM EDT webinar, go to
https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/schedule/display.do?udc=1vzz2k30m73ph

To register for the March 25 at NOON EDT webinar, go to
https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/schedule/display.do?udc=16brnce172g7k

So far more than 1300 people have gotten their free business building gifts as part of the Be Heard Day celebration.

Have you?

If not, you have less than 24 hours to access the site at http://www.BeHeardDay.com

Besides recieving my my Be Heard gifts which include the Be Heard! Publicity Power Pack, the recorded webinar on how to promote your events, and a membership to PR Newswire, you will also get great gifts from:

• Leesa Barnes
• Suzanne Falter-Barnes
• Sharon Capehart
• Kim Dushinski
• Alicia Forest
• Shel Horowitz
• Nancy Marmolejo
• Kirsty Meynel
• Rebecca Murtagh
• Tracey Needham
• Michele Price
• Michele PW
• Gina Ratliffe
• Felicia Slattery
• Melanie Benson Strick
• Denise Wakeman
• Troy White

All in all, that’s more than $5500 in free business buildng gifts – for free.

Go to: http://www.BeHeardDay.com

When my girls were born 3 years ago, I made a decision that I wouldn’t travel to speak too much until they were in school. It was important for me to be there for my girls.

Now, they’re in a special pre-school – and really excelling. And it was time for me to hit the road and begin speaking about publicity and public relations.

But I was a bit lost… After all, three years is a long time to be away on the speaking circuit.

I didn’t know where to start looking. Sure, I knew I had the goods: I know I deliver great presentations, with quality content, but I was unproven.

That’s when I asked one of my Twitter friends for help. Felicia Slattery (@FeliciaSlattery for those of you on Twitter) has gotten several requests to speak, and has traveled all over the country recently doing so. Frankly, I was jealous. I needed to know her secret.

And she was kind enough to tell me: it was the same tool I used to ask her for help – Twitter.

Twitter? Really? I was a bit unsure. I had been using Twitter for a way to reach out to journalists and a way to promote my business, but to find speaking gigs?

The next thing I knew, Felicia had introduced me to Ken McArthur (@KenMcArthur) on Twitter, and within a week, I had my first speaking gig. Now, I’m putting myself out on Twitter as a speaker, and am already seeing some results. (By the way, if you need a speaker…just let me know, ok?)

Are you looking for results like this on Twitter?

You can do this – and more. Felicia has not only got a ton of great speaking gigs, but also has:

• increased her subscribers daily
• made money as a direct result of promoting on Twitter
• and so much more

Join Felicia and me as we talk about how to Cash in on Twitter TOMORROW night.

Go to: http://www.CashInOnTwitter.com