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GET FREE PUBLICITY EZINE
Special Anniversary Super-Sized Edition
Published by The
George McKenzie, Editor
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This week's headlines (also known in the news biz as
"teases")
***Success Story:
"We have the perfect body for to you rent,.."
***Talk the talk. If you want to get free publicity from
the news media, learn the lingo of the newsroom. Here's a
primer that will help you get the news media's attention--
and respect.
***You can't judge a book by it's cover, huh? Guess what.
Lots of people do. That's why this new piece of software is
fast becoming a bestseller.
***D'ya think? No humor in this issue...but you might get a
giggle out of this item about singer Clint Black
nonetheless.
Plus...
***"Big Deal" for this issue: Your editor and his bride
celebrate 25 years together. How about an anniversary
gift--from us to you.
***Links to three more great articles that will help you get
media attention, generate more traffic, and make money...
***Our list of favorites resources...
and more...
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Quick Media Marketing Tip--Success Story
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Contributed by Judi Henderson
http://www.mannequinmadness.com
My company, Mannequin Madness,
www.mannequinmadness.com is a
mannequin rental service in the San Francisco Bay Area.
While I had already received print coverage for my business,
I wanted to reach the tv viewing audience. There is a local
live morning news show that airs the same time as Good
Morning America, Today Show etc. but is popular because the
focus it has on local and national news. I injected the
following component in my press release which resulted in a
5 minute live interview at my place of business.
Catchy headline - We have the perfect body for to you rent,
for you window, trade show or special event.
Strong visual appeal- I have over 75 mannequins in my
"mannequin showroom" which is in the basement of my home.
The mannequins are in various shapes, sizes, poses, colors
and I included digital photos in my press release
Human interest: I gave them examples of the varied reasons
why both individuals and businesses would rent a mannequin.
I also told them that the Bay Area has no shortage of
creative people who constantly amazed me with the unique
ideas they come up with to use a mannequin
Newsworthiness- I told them my story as a former dot-commer
how I got into this business. At the time there was lots of
interest in what dot-commers were doing in the wake of the
dot com bust. Also I have the most extensive variety of
mannequins for rent in the entire bay area, so that also
made my service unique
Within one hour of my 5 minute interview I had over 1,000
hits to my website and tons of phone calls. Given the fact
that mannequins are a very niche business, I was quite
surprised at the calls and even now, months after the
initial airing of the show people call and say they heard
about me from the program.
***
To see how you can get one free audio seminar from the
in return for telling
us your success story, see the information that appears
later
in this ezine.
***
I go into considerably more depth on this topic in Chapter
One of my ebook, "Going Public: 10 Ways To Use The Mass
Media For Free Advertising, Internet Marketing And Website
Promotion," an ebook by George McKenzie. For more
information, see:
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/goingpublic.html
***
Other resources on similar topics:
Joan Stewart has authored a series of 37 "Special Reports"
that are a "must have" for anyone seeking free publicity
from the media. These reports are single-spaced, at least
five pages long, and go into incredible depth on each topic.
Learn more by going to
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/specialreports.htm
You can also sign up for Joan's information-packed
newsletter by going to her website at
http://www.publicityhound.com
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She's Put Up With Me For 25 Years
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It's a big week in the McKenzie home.
Earlier this week, Dianne and I celebrated our Silver
Anniversary. Today is also our older son's 22nd birthday.
Dianne doesn't look old enough for either...
I, on the other hand...never mind...
Son David is two months away from graduation at the
University of Pittsburgh (which is also my Alma Mater)
In any case, in honor of the events of this week--and
because I'd like to raise some quick cash to take Dianne out
to a boffo anniversary dinner--I'm going to put my two
"Going Public" products on sale.
Half price for the ebook ($23.50) and 75% off the six-hour
audio series ($37 + shipping).
Info page for the ebook=
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/goingpublic.html
Info page for the audio series=
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/gfp.htm
Hint to you bargain hunters: the audio series includes the
ebook as a bonus.
Sale lasts through this weekend, and ends at 8:00 AM Central
Monday morning February 25.
PS Anyone who has bought either of these products at the
retail price in the last 7 days is eligible for a rebate.
Contact me at
mailto:george@get-free-publicity.com for
details
PPS Anyone who can tell me the names of the two pro
football players who owned the Left Guard Restaurant in
Minneapolis, where Dianne and I met in 1975, will get an
additional freebie.
Email your answers to
mailto:george@get-free-publicity.com
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Advanced Media Marketing Article
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Get Free Media Publicity by "Talking the Talk"
by George McKenzie
To get a plain text copy of this article, send a blank
email to
mailto:george2-14761@sendtheinfo.com
When you're trying to persuade a reporter to do a
story about you or your business, you're much more likely to
succeed if you know how to "talk the talk"
No reporter will expect you to act like an insider, but
you'll get a lot more respect -and attention - if you can
speak the language of the newsroom.
It’s not like learning Mandarin. In fact, all you need to
do is sprinkle your pitch with a couple of catchwords
and phrases. For instance:
News hook - Connecting a story to something that’s already
in the news makes it more interesting. For instance: a hot
topic right now is airline security. A story about a
company that’s developing a retinal scan or a hand print
identification device would automatically appeal to news
decision-makers.
Local Angle - Events happening on a national or even
international stage still can have local impact. Most
obvious example: when the U.S. recently began bombing
Afghanistan, many local reserve units were called up. That
offered a variety of possibilities, including:
Human Interest Stories - We all saw video of the
destruction at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and
Somerset, Pennsylvania. Stories that followed about the
impact on families who lost loved ones in the attacks were
human interest stories.
Such stories appeal to everyone because - among other
reasons - we all ask ourselves, "What if it were me?"
Follow-ups - If you’re disappointed because a reporter
talked to your competitor about something, but not to you,
you can probably get your turn by offering a follow up.
Future File - Generic name for any system that collects
news releases, notes, or any information related to future
events.
Evergreen - A story that isn’t necessarily tied to a
news hook. Evergreens are stories the media pull "out of the
can" to use on slow news days when there’s not much going on
and they have a lot of time to fill.
Kicker - This one relates TV only. The "kicker" is a short,
generally amusing story just before the end of a newscast.
It’s supposed to leave you smiling even if you’ve just
watched nearly thirty minutes of mayhem.
If you want to portray yourself as knowledgeable and savvy,
just tell an assignment editor you’ve got something you
think will make a good kicker. They’ll pay attention, since
good local kickers aren’t always easy to find. Plus, if
you’ve got interesting video, they’ll "tease" the kicker all
the way through the newscast - which means you get even
more exposure.
Sprinkling your pitch to the media with these words and
phrases will greatly improve your chances of getting free
publicity.
And that reminds me of two final things.
When talking to a TV reporter, avoid saying something like,
"Are you coming out to 'film' us?" Film hasn't been used in
TV news for almost 25 years, and the word "film," used as a
verb, is extinct in newsrooms almost everywhere.
Saying "film" won't kill your chances of getting coverage,
but it will reduce your credibility as a knowledgeable
news source.
Saying "tape" instead is still okay, though it may fade too
as more and more news operations go digital.
And--as John Wayne would say--LISTEN HERE AND LISTEN GOOD..
Never, never, never use the word "publicity" when pitching a
reporter. Always call it "coverage." Journalists are always
interested in covering good stories. They hate being thought
of as "publicists."
And that, to borrow another industry term, is a "wrap."
***
Other Suggested Resources on this topic:
Also see Jeffrey Mayer's "Elevator Speech," which will help
you prepare a quick, clear, concise and COMPELLING
description of your product or service.
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/mayer.html
Tom Antion's Teleseminar with Former L. A. Radio Talk Show
Host Joel Roberts: "Kick The Ears Off Your Audience: How To
Be Great On Radio." Available through Tom's "Speaker Shop"
at
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/speakershop.html
Joan Stewart's Special Reports
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/specialreports.htm
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SOUND ADVICE - Publish or...you know...
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Editor's note: When I was in the restaurant business
(Dianne and I once owned 5 SUBWAY Sandwich Shops), we often
heard it said that it's easier (and cheaper) to KEEP a
customer you already have than to go out and FIND a new one.
I suspect the same is true in any business.
One of the best ways to keep current customers is to stay in
touch through an ezine or newsletter--however, a lot of
people hate to write. Or think they can't.
Despair not...our SOUND ADVICE and ALL-STAR ARTICLES
sections of this issue are devoted to the subject of getting
free publicity by writing and publishing articles.
First, PR Specialist Kelle Campbell has these tips on how to
find good material to put in front of your clients and
prospects.
This is excerpted from one of her newsletters.
Looking for Content?
by Kelle Campbell
Keeping communication vehicles like publications and Web
sites content-rich can be difficult. I learned that
last year when I realized that I had been so caught up
writing for clients and publications that I had neglected
my own Web site for months.
So what to do when you're trying to keep your communications
content fresh, but workload or time constraints are holding
you back? Here are a few options for getting content.
1. Recruit Writers
Whether staff or freelance, writers not only lessen your
workload by providing articles, but can also propose ideas.
You can also ask associates to showcase their expertise by
writing guest pieces for you as well.
2. Republish Others' Pieces
Approach publications and ask if you can republish any
pieces that interest you. You might be surprised at who
might be open to your requests. For example, the Forbes.com
site has a form that allows you to ask permission to
republish material in newsletters, annual reports,
textbooks, magazines or newspapers.
In addition, many writers augment their income by reselling
their articles. So if you come across an article that you'd
like to use, contact the publication/writer to see if who
can give you reprint rights.
3. Content Providers
There are also organizations that can provide you with
articles and fillers. Some charge you for their products and
others offer free content. You can have news automatically
added to your Web site or order articles and fillers.
Here are three sources to get you started.
ScreamingMedia
http://www01.screamingmedia.com/en
Provides business and financial content for various
platforms.
FreeSticky.com
http://www.freesticky.com/stickyweb
Offers free or low-cost content for Web sites.
ARA Content
http://www.aracopy.com
ARA supplies free content to the print and online media.
Registration is required.
***
Kelle Campbell is a freelance public relations and marketing
writer. Visit her Web site at
http://www.kcwriter.com to
learn about her and to see more articles.
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. ALL STAR ARTICLES-Links To Some Of The Best
Marketing Articles On The Net
============================================================
Here are some of the top marketing articles that have
appeared recently in other ezines. These three relate to
writing and publishing for the Net.
To obtain a plain text copy of one of the following
articles, send a blank email to the address listed.
Write Your Own Success Story: Using Articles to Promote Your
Business by Meredith Pond
mailto:george2-15068@sendtheinfo.com
Using and Writing Press Releases In Your Internet Marketing
Strategy by Craig Lock
mailto:george2-15069@sendtheinfo.com
12 Tips for Writing Articles on the Internet
by David McKenzie (no relation to the editor)
mailto:george2-15070@sendtheinfo.com
You can find many other articles are posted on our website
at
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/articlelist.htm
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Do Yourself A Favor...
Opinion from George McKenzie, Editor/Publisher...
There's plenty of content for you to grab if you're
publishing a newsletter. But suppose you're working on an
ebook or an audio series and you need a book-or-box cover
for it.
"Ecover Generator" just hit the market last week at $97. I
bought it and within 30 minutes, using artwork I already
had, generated a book cover for my "Going Public" ebook AND
my six hour "Going Public" audio seminar.
You definitely don't need pre-existing artwork though.
Developer Armand Morin also provides a load of attractive
templates to choose from.
They say you can't judge a book by its cover but anyone in
publishing will tell you that a book with an attractive
cover sells better than one with plain vanilla print--or no
cover at all.
If you have information products of any kind to market, and
you're not a graphic designer yourself...do yourself a favor
and check out this software at
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/o/ecovergenerator.html
===================SPONSOR MESSAGE==========================
Get a free weekly marketing tip directly from Marlon
Sanders. Sign up at
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/weeklytip.html
============================================================
6. Recommended Resources
============================================================
These are some of the resources that have been most helpful
to us in building on online presence:
Terry Dean's NetBreakthroughs...
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/terrydean.html
"Click" by Tom Antion. EBook. A "gotta-have-it" guide for
internet marketers.
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/speakershop.html
Internet Marketing Course-Cory Rudl
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/imc.html
"The Amazing Formula"
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/amazing.html
Postmaster General-the listserver we use:
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/postmaster.html
But THE ONE RESOURCE that has made the biggest impact on our
e-business:
A shopping cart and automation system so simple even I
figured out how to do it. Autoresponders, client database,
coupon and ad tracking, this system has everything. If
you're serious about doing business on the net, DEFINITELY
check this program out.
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/tip.html
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Share Your Success Story--And Get A Reward!
============================================================
If you--or someone you know--has succeeded in getting TV,
radio, or print exposure, I'd like to share that story with
our readers.
In return, you'll get to download one of our audio seminars
as a reward.
Everyone who contributes a bona fide story will have access
to their choice of one the following audio seminars--whether
we publish the story in this ezine or not.
***How To Get Free Publicity On TV
with former TV assignment editor and news executive Frank
Guerra
90 minute interview.
***How To Promote Yourself To Huge Audiences On Radio During
Drive Time, with veteran drive time radio host Sonny
Melendrez
45 Minute Interview
***How To Promote Yourself On News/Talk Radio
with Pat Rodgers (Pat has more than 35 years experience as a
radio host)
45 minute interview
***How To Promote Yourself In Newspapers And Magazines
with former newspaper editor Joan "The Publicity Hound"
Stewart.
60 minute interview.
Email your stories directly to me at
mailto:successstories@get-free-publicity.com .
In your email, be sure to tell me which interview you'd like
to download (using Windows Media Player)
In doing so you grant permission for your story to be used
in an upcoming edition of this ezine or in a free ebook to
be offered to readers upon compilation.
You'll receive an email telling you how to download your
choice within 24 hours after you send in your story.
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D'ya think?
============================================================
Reported last week in various media:
Country music star Clint Black responding to "reports" that
RCA execs were concerned he was "showing too much skin" in a
video for his new song "For Money Or Love."
I may be just one of those jaded media skeptics, but I
wonder who originally started circulating those reports.
Those same "concerned" RCA execs, maybe?
If so, it worked. A number of reporters asked Clint about
the story, resulting in:
Free publicity when the reports surfaced...
More free publicity when Clint responded to them.
And do you suspect the buzz about it hurt or helped sales?
Like I said, maybe I'm just one of those jaded media cynics.
=====================Affiliate Program======================
Add another stream of income to your website by offering
Academy resources to your customers, clients or readers.
Join our affiliate program. Generous revenue sharing.
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/affiliatesignup.html
============================================================
FREE ARTICLES FOR YOUR PUBLICATIONS
============================================================
We have many articles available for reprint in your
publication, company newsletter, etc. You may use
articles that you see in this ezine. Back issues
can be viewed at
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/backissues.htm
or
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/articlelist.htm
===============SPONSOR MESSAGE==============================
Master interviewer Ken McCarthy managed to track down
Jonathan Mizel, publisher of the Online Marketing Letter,
for a no- holds barred interview on his most powerful new
breakthrough strategies.
Jonathan is the marketing genius responsible for
generating millions of dollars in online sales for
companies like Microsoft, Intel, American Express,
and MyPoints.com
This one hour conversation was professionally recorded
and is titled Anatomy of An Internet Marketing Roll Out.
It reveals Jonathan's propriety 10-step formula for taking
virtually any online marketing promotion, and turning it
into a blockbuster with absolutely no risk.
For complete details, please take a moment to visit:
http://www.automateyourwebsite.com/app/adtrack.asp?AdID=9685
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GET FREE PUBLICITY
EZINE
Vol. 2 Number 4 - February 21, 2002
Publisher:
http://www.get-free-publicity.com
Editor: George McKenzie
mailto:george@get-free-publicity.com
Copyright 2002 by George McKenzie
This publication is never sent unsolicited. If you are
receiving it in error, please accept our apologies. You
may remove yourself from our list through the "unsubscribe"
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PRIVACY STATEMENT: We will not distribute your address
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