GET FREE PUBLICITY

Vol. 1 Number 1 - August 30, 2001
Publisher:
http://www.get-free-publicity.com
Editor: George McKenzie
mailto:george@get-free-publicity.com
Copyright 2001 by George McKenzie


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"(WE JUST WANT TO SET THE WORLD ON)" FIRE SALE

In order to welcome (and reward) our charter subscribers, we're
offering

A 50% DISCOUNT ON ALL ACADEMY AUDIO COURSES BOUGHT BY SEPTEMBER
30TH, 2001.

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===========================================================

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"Marketing is the vehicle you drive to pick up your buyers.
Publicity is the bus that drives your buying audience to
you, in droves. It is a completely different activity than
marketing or advertising."

Anne Marie Baugh in "Power Publicity"
http://www.power-publicity.com/?10203 


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IN THIS ISSUE
============================================================

1. Quick Media Marketing Tip

2. Advanced Media Marketing Article
(Beginners should read this too)

3. Media Presentation Skills Series

4. Promotion Ideas & Success Stories

5. Quotes & Humor (or an attempt at humor)

6. Resource Reviews

7. Tech Talk


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1. Quick Media Marketing Tip
============================================================

If possible, attach a handwritten note to each news release
you distribute. Put the name of the person who will get the
release at the top, and follow with something brief and
simple like this:

"Hi ______________,

Here's something that will probably be of interest to a lot
of your readers/listeners/viewers.

Best wishes,

Your name

Personalizing a news release isn't always possible, of
course, but whenever you can do it, it really improves your
chances of getting favorable attention.



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2. Advanced Media Marketing Article
============================================================

Guest Article By Joan Stewart

Joan specializes in Media Relations Consulting, Publicity
and Promotion, Public Relations and Crisis Communications.
Sign up for her free ezine at
http://www.publicityhound.com.  Also get a free report,
"89 Reasons To Send A News Release."


News Releases: Keep ‘em Simple

I’ll never forget the balloon bouquet that Fed-Ex delivered
to the newspaper where I worked. It came with a note telling
me to pop the yellow balloon. I hate popping balloons. But
it was the only way to get to the piece of paper inside,
which went flying across the room when the balloon exploded.

It was a PR agency’s way of trying to get my attention for a
news release--a single sheet of paper which could have been
put inside an envelope and mailed for at that time far less
than 33 cents. Worse yet, it was a complete waste of the
client’s money.

Media people are reporting an epidemic in the number of news
releases and media kits that arrive at their offices in
gimmicky, ostentatious or downright bizarre and unnecessary
packages. In a column in the Wall Street Journal,
reporter June Kronholz lamented being deluged by all kinds
of junk that accompanies news releases. The list included
posters, coffee cups, mouse pads, magnets, T-shirts, a
backpack, an embroidered work shirt, and a green lamé
astronaut from Intel. Someone even sent her a tree in the
mail along with a news release on environmental education.

Companies send their news releases on videos and CD-roms.
They mail media kits in gold-embossed folders bulging with
fact sheets, expensive color photos, bios, Q&As, color
transparencies, and more CD ROMs. I remember opening news
releases that resembled invitations, usually sent by charity
fund-raisers. They included loose confetti or glitter which
fell into my lap and eventually got tracked through the
newsroom.

If you don’t have a lot of money to spend on news releases
or media kits, how can you possibly compete? You’ll be happy
to know that the media are seldom impressed by fancy
packaging and overnight deliveries. Write a simple, accurate
news release and send it by snail-mail, fax or e-mail,
depending on how the media outlet prefers to receive it.

***

For an in-depth, five page report on this topic, go to
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/specialreports.htm and
check out "Special Report #8 - Media Kits on a Shoestring:
How to Create Them Without Spending a Bundle" explains how
to create an inexpensive but effective media kit.




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============================================================
3. Media Presentation Skills Series
============================================================


"Sometimes they write what I say and not what I mean."
-- Pedro Guerrero, baseball player, on reporters

***

Have you ever noticed that most live radio interviews are
done over the phone?

Do you know why?

It's because a boring guest will get cut off very quickly so
they can move on to someone who's more interesting. It's
easier to "blow a guest off" over the phone than it is in a
studio.

Here's how to make sure you're not "blown off" when you
get the opportunity to get on radio, TV, or do a
print interview.

Topics should be controversial and timely. Remember that
"heat" sells better than "light." In other words,
controversy attracts more interest than even the most
illuminating information.

Joel Roberts, former KABC Los Angeles talk show host says
he was once asked to interview a Harvard professor who
wrote a book on how to raise a moral child. The professor
could cite years of studies, statistics and research.
"Forget it," Joel said. "But tell me why two kids in
trenchcoats killed a dozen of their classmates at Columbine;
or why a teenage girl leaves the senior prom, goes out in
the schoolyard, has a baby and drops it in a dumpster before
walking back to the dance. Tell me why those things are
happening, and you’re on."

Raise some eyebrows. When you can get talk show hosts
and reporters to say, "Wow. I had no idea..." they’ll be
standing in line to interview you. You don’t necessarily
have to set a myth on its ear, or disprove conventional
wisdom, but just show them how times have changed or
generally accepted ideas no longer hold true. For instance,
if you wanted position yourself as an expert on the changing
labor market, you might circulate a news release saying
"Studies Show That Employees Are Now In The Driver’s
Seat And They Don’t Even Know It!"

Talk about topics that affect large numbers of people.
Have you heard anyone complain lately that customer
service isn’t what it used to be? Find some data that
explains how low unemployment has reduced many employees’
worries about being disciplined or fired. Put a headline
at the top like "Good Help Is Hard To Find--
And Now, So Is Bad Help." Have some stories ready
that prove your point, back them up with a FEW
relevant statistics, and you’ll get attention.

To get a one-hour tape of Tom Antion's teleseminar featuring
Joel Roberts (it's REALLY good), visit Tom's website at
http://www.antion.com/t.cgi/157396/speakershop.htm 



============================================================
4. Promotion Ideas & Success Stories
============================================================


Do you have a promotion success story like the one below?
Please share it with us. Anyone who contributes a story that
we use in this ezine will receive their choice of an audio
cassette nor CD from among our audio courses (this does not
include the multiple tape/cd packages...singles only)

Email us at mailto:story@get-free-publicity.com  with your
entry.

***

The "Lipton Dip."

Several years ago, Church’s franchisee Scott Gross did this
one in the parking lot of his chicken restaurant.

He got a local above ground pool company to put up a small
pool, which they filled with water. Scott’s iced tea vendor
helped turn the water into a huge vat of tea. A local bank
joined in by providing several hundred dollars worth of
nickels to dump into the pool.

Scott enlisted the help of local sororities and
fraternities, whose members, on a signal, dove into the pool
and started grabbing all the nickels they could. The
winning fraternity/sorority got a prize, the charity got a
contribution, and Scott--with practically no cash outlay--
got thousands of dollars worth of publicity when several TV
stations showed to cover the contest.

Oh-by-the-way, lots of people who attended the event also
bought lunch at Scott’s restaurant before they went home.


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=====================================================
5. Quotes and Attempts at Humor
=====================================================

In situations where you're about to "Meet The Press," you
naturally want to put your best foot forward...not into your
mouth. Here are some great examples of folks (most of whom
should have known better) that failed in that department.

***

I'm not going to have some reporters pawing through our
papers. We are the president.
-- Hillary Clinton, US First Lady, commenting on the release
of subpoenaed documents in the book by James B. Stewart -
Blood Sport


When more and more people are thrown out of work,
unemployment results.
-- Former U.S. President Calvin Coolidge


We all get heavier as we get older because there's a lot
more information in our heads.
-- Vlade Divac, NBA basketball player


If somebody has a bad heart, they can plug this jack in at
night as they go to bed and it will monitor their heart
throughout the night. And the next morning, when they wake
up dead, there'll be a record.
-- Mark S. Fowler, FCC Chairman


And now, will y'all stand and be recognized?
-- Gib Lewis, Texas Speaker of the House, to a group of
people in wheelchairs on Disability Day


And these three gems, gleaned from several of church
bulletins (which will remain anonymous)

Ice Cream Social will take place this Sunday. All ladies
giving milk please come early.

Weight Watchers will meet at 6:30 p.m. in the church
basement. Please enter through the double doors.

Annual Bean Dinner is this Friday night in the church
basement. Music to follow.

***

Got a funny quote you'd like to share? Email it to 
mailto:quotes@get-free-publicity.com.  You'll receive
attribution (a little free publicity) if we use it.


============================================================
6. Resource Review
============================================================


How To Get Free Publicity On TV

Frank Guerra Interviewed By George McKenzie
Audio Tape or CD

Frank Guerra has worked both sides of the TV News business.
First as a reporter, assignment editor, and then the
Executive Producer at KENS TV in San Antonio. But about ten
years ago he founded his own Advertising/Media Relations
firm, Guerra, DeBerry, Coody And Company.

In this 90 minute interview, Frank covers such topics as:

*How you can supply stories to local TV stations that
they'll be grateful to have.

*How to get reporters, assignment editors, and producers to
start calling you for ideas.

*Three elements that are essential to almost any good TV
news story. If you have these three elements, you’ll not
only get airtime--you’ll get more airtime.

*A technique that almost guarantees TV coverage and not only
that it will help assure that your story will be the last
one cut from a newscast when breaking news pre-empts almost
everything else.

*Which TV newscasts have the most people watching--and when
those people are more likely to pay attention to what's
happening on the screen so that you get the most potential
customers tuning in.

*Why the best time to get coverage on TV is the worst time
to get coverage on radio, and vice-versa.

*Why it’s often actually easier to get publicity--and more
of it--at the best times.

***

To get an audio cassette or CD of this interview, go to
http://www.get-free-publicity.com/resources.htm 
Cost is $49.95.


============================================================
7. Tech Talk
============================================================

Form Fillers: If you use the internet a lot and you're not
taking advantage of these, you're wasting a lot of time.
Form filler utilities automatically fill out forms for you--
you put in your basic information one time, and then every
time an internet form pops up asking for name, address,
etc., the utility asks you if you want it plugged in. It's a
wonderful time saver.

Best known form filler (and the one I use) is Gator. To
download it, go to http://www.gator.com 

****

"Sircam" virus...is on the loose. It attacks your email
address book and sends out miscellaneous files under your
name. It then replicates itself to everyone on your address
list. GOOD NEWS...it's easy to spot. It always comes with
an attachment, and a message which says

"Hi. How are you? I send you this file to get your
advice."

When you see that message--even if it's from someone you
know--DELETE IT IMMEDIATELY

I've gotten FIVE emails in the last few weeks that contained
this virus.

============================================================
DON'T FORGET...THE

"(WE JUST WANT TO SET THE WORLD ON)" FIRE SALE

In order to welcome (and reward) our charter subscribers, we're
offering

A 50% DISCOUNT ON ALL ACADEMY AUDIO COURSES BOUGHT BY SEPTEMBER
30TH, 2001.

You can secure this discount by clicking on the link below.
http://www.automateyourwebsite.com/app/adtrack.asp?AdID=6106 


============================================================
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