When pitching your story to the press, there is something important to keep in mind: if you want to get the attention of the press, you have to think like the press. In the 20+ years I’ve been in public relations, one of the most difficult elements of the game to teach clients is that the press is not a service organization whose sole purpose is to cover what PR people pitch them. Their business model is simple; they exist to inform and entertain their readers, so they can grow their subscriber base and sell advertising against those numbers. So, if you want to participate in the “press game” it is vital to recognize what wins the press loyal readers and increases their circulation…and then help them to do it! Step one is to get together a power-packed pitch. According to the Associated Press Stylebook the preferred term for a press release is not press release; it’s NEWS release. After all, it’s not called a press-paper – it’s cal

In my 20 years in the public relations business, if I had a nickel for every time a client asked me to get them on Oprah it is safe to say that I would be a very wealthy woman at this point in my career! Oprah is indeed the gold standard, and her show carries weight not only because of Oprah’s massive viewership, but also because they’re loyal. She brings with her tens of millions of loyal viewers who trust her so implicitly, that they buy practically any book she recommends, any product she endorses and follow her advice on just about every topic from politics and parenting to bowling and basket-weaving. And when most PR Agencies are faced with that request, they smile and nod and tell their clients they’ll do their best, but we all know what it really takes to get on Oprah. First, you have to understand a few basic premises: • Oprah is NOT a Product Peddler – The Oprah Winfrey Show does not exist to “provide coverage” for your product, c

If you are struggling to decide what media to choose for your company’s marketing campaign - you are not alone. In fact, most people have similar issues navigating the myriad of media opportunities available. Further complicating matters are the dire consequences your budget and campaign momentum will face if you choose the wrong media for your message. Before examining the different kinds of media available and their corresponding attributes, I need to stress a very important point – messaging. No matter the media or the campaign, having strong messages that clearly outline your objective is crucial. Good messages, writing and communication are the engines that drive all media strategies. But, as the media isn’t “one size fits all”, it depends on the type of company you have, the kind of book or service you are promoting, and which media is consumed by your typical customer. The following are the four main media outlets to consider when developing

Tampa, FL- Companies wanting to make the most of their PR budgets these days are discovering one of the industry’s best kept secrets that is effective, mitigates risk and beats the traditional retainer-based agency in every way. It’s called Pay-For-Performance PR. There are only a handful of agencies that operate on this fee basis amongst the tens of thousands of PR firms throughout the entire U.S. Most of them offer the same service, if not better, than the big retainer-based agencies, but at a fraction of the cost. They’re driven to perform because they only get paid for what they deliver while retainer-based agencies charge for their time and their overhead, but are not accountable for results. If they get media placements, that’s great, but if they don’t, you’re still left holding the tab. Here’s how it works. When a company engages a retainer-based agency, they are charged a flat monthly fee based on the number of hours they estimate they need to work in order

“If I was down to my last dollar, I’d spend it on public relations.” -- Bill Gates Tampa, FL- As unlikely as it is that Bill Gates would ever be down to his last million dollars, let alone a single George Washington, the fact remains that it’s a powerful endorsement of the power of PR. Still, when the economy is tight and corporations yank hard to get their belts down to that last notch, PR is usually one of the first few items on the budget that’s frozen or cut completely. To bean counters, it’s an easy choice. Because it’s impossible to track the impact of PR in strict accounting terms they consider it difficult to quantify PR expenditures. To the numbers guys, if something fails to leave a footprint on the spreadsheet, it is expendable. However, the usual result of a cut in PR is an “inexplicable” drop in sales and sales leads which can make a company practically invisible to consumers and business-to-business customers alike. Add to that the fact that the pri

The Cambridge Dictionary definition of Public Relations defines PR as being "the activity of keeping good relationships between an organisation and the people outside it."

Springville, Utah � 1 October 2008 � Namifiers, LLC, a United States manufacturer of identification and promotional products , recently donated over $1,000 to the Atlanta 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer in Atlanta, Georgia, set to start Saturday, September 20th. The Atlanta 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer is a 10 to 30-mile walk across Atlanta. Over 1,200 members of the community and individuals from out-of-state will come to participate in the 6th annual walk. To date, the Atlanta 2-Day Walk has raised $4 million and awarded 85 grants for programs that range from breast cancer awareness and education to early detection and support activities. Sponsorship for the 2-Day Walk is one of the many diverse events that Namifiers has chosen to support each year. They also make annual contributions to several charities including the Susan G. Komen Foundation. This year, Namifiers is starting a Pink Campaign, where they are offering discounts on all pink merchandise ordered during the month of Oct