Publicity tips/Pre-nups for publicists May 16, 2006

The Publicity Hound's
Tips of the Week
Issue #294 - May 16, 2006
Publisher: Joan Stewart
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.com
http://www.PublicityHound.net (Blog)
The Publicity Hound®

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In This Issue
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1. Pre-nups for Publicists

2. Follow Instructions

3. What's Wrong with 'American Idol'

4. Never Give Up

5. Publishing a Tips Booklet

6. Help This Hound

7. Hound Joke of the Week

8. And at My Blog...


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1. Pre-nups for Publicists
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I wish every publicist or PR person would sign a pre-nuptual agreement with their client before signing the actual contract.

The pre-nup would make it clear that the publicist has ultimate control over things like the exact wording of pitches to the media, or the length and wording of press releases. It would result in a lot fewer broken relationships.

Based on what I've seen when working with publicists the last several years, including a few in The Publicity Hound Mentor Program, too many of them let their clients boss them around. They're afraid to say anything when the client is wrong. Yet they're willing to put their sterling reputation on the line and risk making fools of themselves in front of their media contacts.

Why does this happen? Because too many PR people, I believe, are so thankful to get the work that they feel beholden to their clients. So they jump every time the clients snap their fingers.

Here are some of the mistakes I've seen PR people make:

--They write a short, compelling pitch that, later, the client waters down and orders them not to change. The pitch, instead of catching the media's attention, simply massages the client's ego. The PR person does as told, and looks foolish.

--They write a long, rambling press release that includes the obligatory B.S. quote from a client high in the release. The quote adds nothing, and makes the client sound pompous and self-promotional.

--They let the client badger them into turning down invitations to appear in top-tier media, after the publicist has worked tirelessly to secure the placement. Clients sometimes tell the publicist at the beginning of a publicity campaign that they want national publicity. Then for whatever reason, they suddenly get cold feet when a paper like USA Today or a program like "Dateline" calls. Rather than convince the client to get media-trained, the publicists cave in, then end up with a 100-pound resentment.

--They make pests out of themselves following up with the media after sending a routine press release. When I worked as an editor, I sometimes got calls from PR people who said: "I hate to bother you, but my boss is insisting I make this phone call. Can you tell me if you got our release and do you know when it will be printed?" If you make calls like that, you probably have no idea how ridiculous you sound. To make matters worse, the media person to whom you are speaking is making a mental note that you're a real pain to deal with.

Many of you can probably add to this list. If you have an effective way of telling clients before you sign a contract with them that you won't put your good reputation on the line and that it's your job as a publicist to protect them from doing stupid things that will hurt them, please share your tips with other Hounds.

Do you actually write language like this into the contract? Or is your agreement verbal? Does such language do any good? Post your responses to my blog at http://publicityhound.net/?p=604 I'll share the best tips with you next week.

If you're a PR person looking for new clients, but you're not sure how to find them, Macia Yudkin and I have 24 ideas that will get you more business than you can handle. Our CD or electronic transcript called "24 Ways to Attract Clients to Your PR Practice" includes the two very best ways that Marcia and I have found clients.

Our tips also include what to do if you only want local clients, or Internet strategies you can adopt if you want clients on the other side of the globe. You can download the transcript and be reading it as soon as your order is approved. Read more about what you'll learn at http://www.publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-tapes/24_ways.htm


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2. Follow Instructions
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How would you like to stand in a reporter's shoes for just one day and see the kinds of pitches they get?

That's what publicist Michelle Tennant got to do for one day last week, and the results weren't pretty.

Michelle, a partner with Wasabi Publicity in North Carolina, posted three media leads to this newsletter last week. All were from her close media contacts, including those at the Wall Street Journal and Glamour magazine. She asked Hounds for leads that she could then pass along to her media contacts--leads that could generate publicity for the Hounds and, in the process, make her look good to the journalists.

Michelle received about 75 leads. She called me the next day to tell me she was aghast to see how few people bothered to follow directions. Some of you delivered blatant promotions for your products or services, instead of offering things like your experts, or trends you're noticing.

"So many people were so far off the mark that now I see why the media complain," Michelle said.

Several pitches even included misspelled words.

"It's 'You're welcome' rather than 'your welcome,'" she said. "I can't tell you how many Hounds made that mistake. The media are exceptionally literate, and if you can't spell, you should have someone in your office read over your emails before you hit send. The desk dictionary I own is well-worn, and http://www.dictionary.com/ is in my Internet Explorer favorites."

She also said several Hounds included links with typos, or those that led to error messages.

Puzzled about how to turn a pitch about a product or service into a short pitch that grabs the media's attention? Raleigh Pinskey, a PR pro who pitches better than anyone I know, teaches you how to do it in less than 15 seconds, and sometimes even 8 seconds. The teleseminar I conducted with her called "How to Create the 30-second Pitch" features Raleigh listening to pitches from several people on the line, then tearing apart their pitches and reconstructing them. The CD or electronic transcript will help you cut through the clutter and get to the meat of the pitch--the part that will really make the media pay attention. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/knx96


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3. What's Wrong with 'American Idol'
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Thanks to "The Marketing Minute," Marcia Yudkin's excellent tip of the week, for mentioning how my friend Bob Baker got fabulous publicity for stirring up controversy that ties in to "American Idol," the most popular prime-time show on TV.

Marcia says:

"Bob Baker and three colleagues in the music business collaborated on a release titled 'What's Wrong with American Idol?' criticizing the popular U.S. talent show for misleading aspiring musicians and the public about what it takes to succeed in music. Baker's reward for stirring up controversy: five radio interviews that highlighted his status as an expert on careers in music."

You can read Bob's manifesto at http://www.bob-baker.com/buzz/american-idol-wrong.html

Bob, by the way, is one of the foremost experts on publicity for musicians. As the former editor of a music magazine, he knows how to break out of the garage band rut by using some clever publicity strategies. He detailed them all during an interview I conducted with him recently called "Do-it-Yourself PR Tips for Songwriters, Musicians & Bands on a Budget." Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/mqsug

You can subscribe to Marcia's newsletter at http://yudkin.com/marketing.htm


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4. Never Give Up
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You're always hearing me harp about how you have to remember which journalists you pitched months after you pitched them.

John Jordan of Principor Communications says it's sometimes even years. In March 2004, his firm pitched Marianne Szymanski of the popular ToyTips.com website and asked if she'd be interested in interviewing Donna Boone, an expert on swim safety, for any upcoming stories on the same topic.

John heard nothing. Then out of the blue, on May 3 this month--more than two years later--Marianne sends this email:

"I'm working on a story relating to swimming. Is Donna Boone still available to interview?"

So stop complaining that reporters are ignoring you. When I worked as a reporter, I often tucked pitch letters, notes about interesting people to interview and other items into my "slow news day" file, then retrieved the information months later.

Stay alert and expect the unexpected.

You can, of course, follow up with the reporter if you don't hear a response to your initial pitch. But make sure you're following up correctly or you'll blow it. "Failproof Ways to Follow Up After Sending a News Release or a Story Pitch" tells you how to follow up, when to follow up, and how many times to follow up. The advice comes directly from the journalists who Jill Lublin interviewed. The recording of this teleseminar is available as a CD or electronic transcript that you can download and be reading in a few minutes. Read more about what you'll learn at http://tinyurl.com/bmyn7


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5. Publishing a Tips Booklet
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This week, four Publicity Hounds have tips for Joyce Restaino of Newfoundland, New Jersey.

She wants to publish a spiral-bound informational tips booklet for the corporate world with the tentative title "Get Going Now: 50 Tips to Show You How." She wants to know how to generate buzz for the booklet.

From Molly Cook:

"If people are paying, they’ll want substance. Re the title, this is not particularly interesting, but could work for a give-away. If you’re selling it, it’s got to have pizzazz and distinguish it from all that other material you mention. And then be sure that what’s on the inside is also some new and not just a rehash of motivational posters featuring eagles and mountains and quotes by Thoreau or Emerson or sports figures."


From Paulette Ensign:

"Your concern about getting publicity in the crowded field of motivation can be remedied by selling your booklets in bulk rather than one at a time. That means contacting corporations, associations, and publications for them to buy large quantities to use as a promotional tool for their own product, service, or cause. Once you are selling those very large quantities, your concern about getting publicity will become very ‘back seat.’ You’ll be reaching the end-users you want to reach through the distribution of the large-volume buyers."


From Shel Horowitz:

"Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the title is deadly, sorry, Show me how to what? To get going? Get going to do what? You didn’t ask enough 'so what' questions and so ended up with something bland whose only virtue is a not-very-memorable rhyme. You have only a few seconds to get someone’s attention, and this title will not do the job."
Read all the responses at my blog at http://publicityhound.net/?p=600


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6. Help This Hound
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Leanne Fielder of Melbourne, Australia writes:

"I work for the Melbourne Wildlife Sanctuary at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. For over 35 years, volunteers and a skeleton staff have transformed 71 acres of degraded land into a rich and diverse area full of rare and unique flora and fauna that have not been seen in the greater Melbourne area since Europeans arrived over 200 years ago. "Many 'standards' now used across the world, such as the 'natural treatment' of urban stormwater runoff, was pioneered at the Sanctuary. Many of the undergrad students who were volunteers are now leaders in the environmental field. We have infrared cameras in nesting boxes streaming live to the web 24/7. Most Australian birds and mammals are nocturnal and the webcam allows us to 'spy' on birds and animals keeping warm in winter, raising their young in spring and just hanging around.

"I have become stuck for ideas and need to get paying customers in the gate and also we need sponsors. We have many dedicated volunteers and a 'Friends' group that works hard to raise money. I have worked my previous customers database, sent press releases and use the local press but I can't get it into the big time. Can your Hounds help with ideas?"

Their website is at http://www.melbournewildlife.com.au/


The Publicity Hound says: You bet! I love the part about the webcam. Hounds with ideas on how Leanne can spread the word about her critters can post ideas to my blog at http://publicityhound.net/?p=609


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7. Hound Joke of the Week
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"I like driving around with my two dogs, especially on the freeways. I make them wear little hats so I can use the car-pool lanes."

--Monica Piper, author


DOG JOKES & QUOTES EBOOK: 170+ G-rated dog jokes and quotes, perfect for a dog-lover, your favorite vet, or just for a few good laughs.


BONUS: Buy the ebook and you also get a compilation of the 50 best websites for dog humor.
http://www.publicityhound.com/dogjokebook/


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8. And at My Blog...
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Ladies Home Journal editor offers pitching tips
http://publicityhound.net/?p=605

Wall Street Journal changes health reporters
http://publicityhound.net/?p=606

Radio talk show guests have two more items
to add to their pre-show checklist
http://publicityhound.net/?p=607

Horticulture magazine wants
product info for holiday gift guide
http://publicityhound.net/?p=611

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Where to Meet or Hear The Publicity Hound®

May 17: Washington, D.C.

PMA University, Washington D.C. Convention Center. Robin Bartlett and I will present "Advanced Website Tricks to Pull More Traffic and Sell, Sell, Sell," 8:30-10:00 a.m. Sponsored by Publishers Marketing Association. Register at http://www.pma-online.org/pmau2005/1.cfm

May 18: Washington, D.C.

PMA University, Washington, D.C. Convention Center. Penny Sansevieri and I will present "How to Turn Your Ezine into a Cash Machine." Sponsored by Publishers Marketing Association. 8:30-10:15 a.m. Register at http://www.pma-online.org/pmau2005/1.cfm

June 24: Naples, Florida

Public Relations Society of America, Sunshine Chapter District Conference, "Savvy Media Relations: How to Get FREE Print, Broadcast and Online Publicity," from 9-11:30 a.m., Ritz-Carlton. Register at http://www.prsagulfcoast.org

July 7: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

"How to Use the Media to Promote Your Expertise and Get Thousands of Dollars in Free Publicity," Network SOHO, Radisson Hotel, 2303 N. Mayfair Road. Registration at 7:15, breakfast at 7:30, program from 8 to 9. $20. To register, mailto:nicole@corebusinessstaffing.com

***If you're in the National Speakers Association or the Public Relations Society of America--or another business, marketing or PR group--and you want details on how to bring in The Publicity Hound to do a fund-raiser for your chapter, or you want me to host a teleseminar customized just for your group, contact me at mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=speaker_inquiry or call 262-284-7451.

***Attention Meeting Planners: If you're booking speakers for winter, spring or summer conferences or events, keep me in mind--even if you have a last-minute cancellation. I deliver high-content, interactive programs that are lots of fun. Call 262-284-7451 or mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=speaker_inquiry for details.

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Reprinted from "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," a free ezine featuring tips, tricks and tools for generating free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.publicityhound.com/ and receive free by email the handy list "89 Reasons to Send a News Release."

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Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound®
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