In larger cities with many outlets they are competing for more news that other outlets cannot get as fast. “THE SCOOP” and also the spin, this spin thing is so that articles can cater to the readership or so they say. I have found that many reporters including at the Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Christian Science Monitor, etc completely spin articles. How would I know this? Well I have my sources and I will not tell you!!! Just kidding, thought you might want to hear that excuse one more time.

http://www.carwashguys.com/innews.html

Places where you would think that they are very impartial, will spin a story to fit their topic. For a company PR department they say most all news is good news and not to worry. Yet the other point is that if the story is too slanted it is not real. The reason I mention this is because after giving hundreds and hundreds of interviews in my life, I can say not one grasped the topic of conversation and all took quotes out of context, inadvertently misrepresented an event or spun a story to fit their needs of personal opinion or even worse were on their little time line deadline and left out pertinent information. I realize this has been going on for decades;

http://www.carwashguys.com/history/museum1.shtml

In my personal experience and probably since story telling came to terms with the printing press and newspapers were born. In my company we did not have a PR firm, just worthy news and news worthy events. Yet even as worthy as the WashGuys are it is nuts to think that the reporters are in such a hurry that they cannot do it correctly. It seems to me that the reporters secretly wish to be in power and therefore use their pen to promote their own agenda. The biggest problem with that is that most often the agenda is very skewed towards an academia socialist viewpoint. Which last time I checked we are a Capitalist country and everywhere socialism has been tried it has not succeeded as well as our current structure.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

If you own a franchise and have company vehicles, be sure you have a flag on it. First let’s discuss the American flag. Franchising is the epitome of the free enterprise system. It’s what makes America great. The entire United States government is a franchise system. The federal government grants powers to states to govern exclusive territories. They have the power to tax. They give royalties to the federal government in the form of tax revenue. Each state consists of counties. Again, counties are assigned geographical territories and have certain rights and powers. Each county has cities with charters and taxing authority (limited). Think of it this way: Franchisor = Federal Government; Master Franchisee = States; Regional Directors & Area Reps = Counties; Individual Franchisees = Cities; Customer = The People

So you see, franchising is the American way. It’s what makes up America. Although, over the years, men with egos and power have perverted the system, it is still a good method of controlling vast territories. It was designed to deliver life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to its customer’s, the people. Franchising is a great tool and it opens possibilities to each and every citizen in our country. Realizing this and what we are doing here, we believe every franchise vehicle in the United States should put an American flag on their American Dream. The company vehicle represents the company which is in fact someone’s American Dream; a business of their own. Our Company has car wash trucks and we have flags on all our units nationwide because symbolize more than an industry standard, more than a convenient way to get your car washed, more than just a good deal and a great idea. It represents a chance, a dream for each franchisee. It’s their American dream, whatever they choose to make it.

The flag represents this great country and all it has to offer. Since our franchisees must be clean cut and fit, (the All-American image), it is even more fitting that an American flag is on our trucks. Older citizens who remember are proud to be Americans and they appreciate young people who feel the same. Veterans also like to see the flag on vehicles. It makes them feel proud to have risked their lives fighting for this country. We celebrate holidays that bring back memories of who we are, what we’ve sacrificed and what it means to be an American: Armistice Day, Memorial Day, Veteran’s Day, The Fourth of July, President’s Day, Flag Day.

When there is a crisis, our flag is a bond holding us together. It’s a symbol of strength, power and freedom. It exemplifies exactly what American Small Business all about. Many of our Nations franchisees will come from military experience. A few might be out of work Aerospace workers who worked as team members for military and NASA contracts. Both of these groups will appreciate seeing the flag on your companies work vehicles. It builds camaraderie. It builds hope. It builds confidence. Many people still cry when they see a flag. Our founder is one of them. The flag on a franchised work vehicles puts the prospective customers at ease. There will be a flag on every one of our trucks and I hope this article has persuaded all of you to make sure that an American Flag is on all your company’s vehicles too. Your business in not just a game. This is about a dream, freedom and the American way. Think about it and put on that flag today!

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

The least expensive, most effective way for you to promote your product is through media coverage. Reporters are excellent communicators. They can often tell your story better than you can. They also have the attention of the public.

No promotional tool is more underused than product news coverage. I know because my company, Media Relations, Inc. has been arranging product news stories for 18 years. We are forced to be an aggressive sales organization because of the limited demand for what we sell.

But, the more we educate people about the power of publicity, the more companies see the light and understand its value. Product news coverage is sales-rich content that meets people where they live. It’s inexpensive compared to other promotions, and your competition is most likely missing it. Imagine the impact on sales if reporters were telling the masses about your product in their stories.

Most PR firms follow the textbook business model. They are all over the board, offering any service that falls between a business and its "public". These include everything from investor relations and crisis management to community affairs and press conferences. My company’s philosophy is different in two very distinct ways. First, we specialize in product news coverage, and second we sell coverage by the story, not by the hour. That means you always get media coverage for your money.

I call this "Pay-Per-Interview Publicity" and it is our biggest selling feature. Many clients have gotten burned by big retainers and little coverage. They love our accountability. Although there isn’t much of a market demand for our service, once a company tries us, they often become a customer for life.

Reaching people at home in such a natural way can’t remain below the radar forever. With people aggressively blocking sales messages with things like National Do Not Call lists and TiVo, marketers are going to have to abandon traditional promotional methods and find more meaningful ways to connect with people. Funny thing is, newspapers, TVs, and radios are literally right under their noses. They’ve been buying the ads but missing the real power: the stories.

Our clients don’t send a few press releases and hope reporters call them. They harness and control media content by hiring us. We help them mobilize reporters to reach and teach people about their products and we’re the best in the business.

P.S.

I’m always surprised to find that even after we explain to people what we do, some of them think we sell ads or infomercials. I want to make it clear that I’m talking about putting you in touch with reporters and producers who need content for their publication or program. There is no money that changes hands between the media and us. Over the years, we have developed connections with reporters and producers who are on the look out for story ideas. We simply try to persuade them to do a story about your product and charge you a fee if they do.

We’ve gotten pretty good at this. Our staff of 40 makes as many as 30,000 calls to the media each month, and they have booked tens of thousands of product news stories for our customers. We would love to have the opportunity to promote your product.

Lonny Kocina is founder and president of Media Relations, Inc. He has led the company to become the top performance-based public relations firm in the country by creating a unique pay-per-interview publicity structure.

When properly applied by business, non-profit and association managers, public relations “medicine” does something positive about the behaviors of those important external audiences of theirs that MOST affect their operations.

It’s easy-to-swallow “medicine” when it leads managers to persuade those key outside folks to their way of thinking, then move them to take actions that allow the manager’s department, division or subsidiary to succeed.

In other words, effective public relations “medicine” is applied when PR alters individual perception leading to changed behaviors among a manager’s target “publics,” thus helping achieve his or her managerial objectives.

Here’s the underlying essence: people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

But managers should always remember that their PR effort must demand more than special events, brochures and press releases if they are to come up with the public relations results they paid for.

Here’s a sampling of what this “medicine” can deliver: fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; capital givers or specifying sources beginning to look your way; customers starting to make repeat purchases; membership applications on the rise; community leaders beginning to seek you out; welcome bounces in show room visits; prospects starting to do business with you; higher employee retention rates, and even politicians and legislators starting to view you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities.

Luckily, your PR people are already in the perception and behavior business, so they should be of real use for this initial opinion monitoring project. But you must be certain of several things. First, who among your PR team really understands the blueprint outlined above and shows commitment to its implementation, starting with key audience perception monitoring? Second, be certain that your public relations people really accept why it’s SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. And third, make sure they believe that perceptions almost always result in behaviors that can help or hurt your operation.

Review the bidding with your PR staff. Especially your game plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions along these lines: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? Are you familiar with our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

You may wish to use those PR folks of yours in that monitoring capacity since, as noted, they’re already in the perception and persuasion business. And further, because it can run into real money using professional survey firms to do the opinion gathering work. But, whether it’s your people or a survey firm asking the questions, the objective remains the same: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

Here, you are aiming at creating a PR goal that does something about the most serious problem areas you uncovered during your key audience perception monitoring. Will it be to straighten out that dangerous misconception? Correct that gross inaccuracy? Or, stop that potentially painful rumor cold?

Where you establish a goal, you must establish a strategy that tells you how to get there. So keep in mind that there are just three strategic options available when it comes to doing something about perception and opinion. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. The wrong strategy pick will taste like blue cheese on your corn flakes, so be sure your new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. You wouldn’t want to select “change” when the facts dictate a strategy of reinforcement.

It’s always a challenge to create an actionable message that will help persuade any audience to your way of thinking. Here, you must do so, and it must be a well-written message target directly at your key external audience. Identify your strongest writer because s/he must build some very special, corrective language. Words that are not merely compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are to shift perception/opinion towards your point of view and lead to the behaviors you have in mind.

Now it’s selection time once again, namely, the communications tactics most likely to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. There are scores available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But you must be certain that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

By the way, you may wish to keep this kind of message low profile and unveil it before smaller meetings and presentations rather than using higher-profile news releases. Reason is, the credibility of any message is fragile and always at stake, so how you communicate it is a concern.

You’ll need preliminary progress reports, which will alert you and your PR team to begin a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. You’ll want to use many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session. But now, you will be on red alert for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

If things are not moving fast enough for you, you always have the option of accelerating the effort by adding more communications tactics as well as increasing their frequencies.

The value of public relations as effective medicine for managers becomes clearer when you realize that the people you deal with behave like everyone else – they act upon their perceptions of the facts they hear about you and your operation. Which means you really have little choice but to deal promptly and effectively with those perceptions by doing what is necessary to reach and move those key external audiences of yours to actions you desire.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net.

Robert A. Kelly © 2005.

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communi- cations, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University, major in public relations.

Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com
Mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net

As a business, non-profit or association manager, let the tacticians handle the special events, brochures and press releases from now on.

You have better things to do.

Like demanding the real results you’re entitled to, and for which you’ve paid good money! Results, that is, that will come about when you do something positive about the behaviors of those important external audiences of yours that most affect your operation. In particular, when you persuade those key outside folks to your way of thinking, then help move them to take actions that allow your department, division or subsidiary to succeed.

In other words, good public relations can alter individual perception and lead to changed behaviors among key outside audiences. And that can help business, non-profit and association managers like you, achieve their managerial objectives.

How do I know? Because people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving- to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

Luckily, here’s what can materialize from this approach: prospects starting to work with you; capital givers or specifying sources beginning to look your way; welcome bounces in show room visits; membership applications on the rise; customers starting to make repeat purchases; fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; community leaders beginning to seek you out, and even politicians and legislators starting to view you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities.

Clearly, your first priority will be involving your public relations people by getting them on board this particular approach to PR. They must buy into why it’s so important to know how your outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Be especially certain they accept the reality that negative perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can damage your organization.

Take the time necessary to lay out how you will monitor and gather perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

Take comfort from the fact that your PR people are already in the perception and behavior business and can be of real use for the initial opinion monitoring project. Professional survey firms are always available, of course, but that can be a budget buster. But, whether it’s your people or a survey firm who handles the questioning, the objective is to identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, and misconceptions.

Now, you identify which of the problems outlined above becomes your corrective public relations goal – clarify the misconception, spike that rumor, correct the false assumption or fix a variety of other possible inaccuracies?

The truth of the matter is, you can meet that goal only when you select the right strategy from the three choices available to you. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. Picking the wrong strategy is about as cool as using cajun spices in your Tiramasu! So please be certain the new strategy fits comfortably with your new public relations goal. You wouldn’t want to select “change” when the facts dictate a “reinforce” strategy.

Some regard this as the toughest part of the job — create a persuasive message aimed at members of your target audience. Yes, it’s always a challenge to put together action-forcing language that will help persuade any audience to your way of thinking.

And so, since s/he must create that very special, corrective language, be certain you have your best writer on the assignment. You need words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are to shift perception/opinion towards your point of view and lead to the behaviors you desire.

From here on in, things get easier. For example, identify the communications tactics you need to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. Insuring that the tactics you select have a record of reaching folks like your audience members, you can pick from dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others.

Stay alert to the fact that the credibility of the message can be dependent on the credibility of its delivery method. Which means you may wish to deliver it in small getogether-like meetings and presentations rather than through a higher- profile media announcement.

When you receive requests for progress reports, consider yourself alerted to the need for you and your PR team to undertake a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. You’ll want to use many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session. But now, you will be watching very carefully for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

Don’t fret if things seem to be slowing down. Your PR program usually can be accelerated by adding more communications tactics as well as increasing their frequencies.

When all is said and done, the bottom line is, this workable public relations blueprint will help you persuade your most important outside stakeholders to your way of thinking, then move them to behave in a way that leads to the success of your department, division or subsidiary.

So, stop doing public relations the hard way.

The public relations rules that will best serve any business, non-profit or association manager, read this way: the people you deal with do, in fact, behave like everyone else – they act upon their perceptions of the facts they hear about you and your operation. Strongly suggesting that you deal promptly and effectively with those perceptions by doing what is necessary to reach and move your key external audiences to actions you desire.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net.

Robert A. Kelly © 2005.

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communi- cations, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University, major in public relations.

Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com
Mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net

They know they had better do something positive about those outside audiences that MOST affect their organizations. Especially business, non-profit or association managers, who also know they must persuade those key external “publics” to the manager’s way of thinking, then move those people to actions that allow that manager’s department, division or subsidiary to succeed.

It all works because public relations applies its underlying premise to deliver external stakeholder behavior change, the kind that leads directly to achieving those managerial objectives.

That’s why the pros let the tacticians handle the special events, brochures and press releases. The pros have better things to do.

Like implementing the underlying premise of public relations that makes it all possible. People act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving- to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is usually accomplished.

Pros usually know that a variety of operating results can flow from such an approach to public relations: customers starting to make repeat purchases; prospects starting to work with you; capital givers or specifying sources beginning to look your way; welcome bounces in show room visits; membership applications on the rise; fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; community leaders beginning to seek you out, and even politicians and legislators starting to view you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities.

Your PR staff will be key whether they are your employees, agency specialists or from a parent organization. You must get them on board this particular approach to PR as soon as possible. Ideally, they will already support why it’s so important to know how your outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Specifically, be sure they accept the reality that negative perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can damage your organization.

During your strategy meetings with PR staff, explain how you plan to monitor and gather perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions such as: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

You should be comforted by the fact that your PR people are already in the perception and behavior business and can be of real use for the initial opinion monitoring project. Professional survey firms are always available, of course, but that can be very expensive. However, whether it’s your people or a survey firm who handles the questioning, the objective is the same. Identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negatives.

Establishing your corrective public relations goal – that is, correcting or clarifying those negatives – is next. Here you identify which negative is most serious, for example, spike that rumor, clarify the false assumption or correct the untruths.

Never forget that you can meet that PR goal only when you select the right strategy from the three choices available to you. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. Picking the wrong strategy will taste like meat sauce on your oatmeal. So be sure your new strategy fits comfortably with your new public relations goal. You wouldn’t want to select “change” when the facts dictate a “reinforce” strategy.

While it’s always a challenge to put together action-forcing language that will help persuade any audience to your way of thinking, you must, nevertheless, create a persuasive, corrective message aimed at members of your target audience.

Which is why you must have your best writer on this job. You must have language that is not merely compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if it is to shift perception/opinion towards your point of view and lead to the behaviors you desire.

Now you get to supervise a much easier task – assembling the communications tactics you need to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. Double check that the tactics you and your PR staff select have a record of reaching folks like your audience members. You can pick from dozens that are available, from speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others.

Remember that the believability of the message can depend to some extent on the credibility of its delivery method. Which means you may wish to deliver it in smaller meetings and presentations rather than through a higher profile media announcement.

Calls for progress reports are really calls for you and your PR team to undertake a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. You’ll want to use many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session. But now, you will be watching very carefully for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

Should you decide to pick up the pace a bit, your PR program usually can be accelerated by adding more communications tactics as well as increasing their frequencies.

The really key point about this public relations approach is that this particular blueprint will help you persuade your most important outside stakeholders to your way of thinking, then move them to behave in a way that leads to the success of your department, division or subsidiary.

Which means you can say goodbye to doing public relations the hard way.

Here’s a public relations rule suitable for a place of honor on your computers or your refrigerators. The people you deal with do, in fact, behave like everyone else – they act upon their perceptions of the facts they hear about you and your operation. A strong suggesting that you should deal promptly and effectively with those perceptions by doing what is necessary to reach and move your key external audiences to actions you desire.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net.

Robert A. Kelly © 2005.

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communi- cations, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University, major in public relations. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net

Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com

If you’re an online business using public relations (PR) to help increase traffic at your site, you’ve found a great way to gain exposure at little cost. And before you know it, the day will come when you are invited to do an interview with a reporter. It’s exciting, but scary. What do you do? How do you prepare?

First, be prepared when the telephone rings. If you sent out a release recently, have it at your fingertips.

Get some information yourself before you answer any questions: Ask the reporter:

* his or her name?
* the name of the news outlet?
* his or her phone number?
* what exactly is the story they are working on?
* are they coming on-site to do the interview or will this be a phone interview?

Then buy yourself some time. If this is an onsite interview, it you’ll already have time to prepare. If it’s a phone interview, you need to ask for the extra time you need to get ready.

Most reporters deadlines aren’t immediate but within a couple of hours. Ask the reporter what his or her deadline is. If you have some time tell them you’ll call them back in 15 minutes or half-hour, so you can gather what you need.

Here’s some tips to get you ready for your 15 minutes (or more) of fame.

Before the interview:

1. Practice your answers to the questions that will most likely be asked - both the easy and the difficult ones. Prepare and practice so your statements will flow smoothly.

2.Consider the main messages that you want the audience to receive. Make a list of three major points, and practice saying these three points to yourself until you can speak them smoothly and confidently, without stumbling.

3. Be prepared to tell brief anecdotes and short stories. Find a way to mix one or more of your three main marketing messages into each anecdote.

4. Avoid trying to be humorous or telling negative stories. Both will most likely backfire, making you look like the fool.

During the interview:

5. Try to include your three main points as much as possible. Your interview is likely to be edited prior to publishing or broadcasting. By repeating your main points, you reduce the possibility that your preferred message will be edited out.

6. Speak in plain English. Remember the average newspaper’s reading level is at grade six. Using jargon or trying to sound more important or educated by using big words will only make it hard to use your sound bites or quotes.

7. Don’t lie. Ever. If you don’t know the answer to a question, say so, but offer to find out the answer and get back to the reporter.

8. Remember, there really is no such thing as ‘off the record.’ Everything you say to a reporter is fair game to use. Don’t say anything to a reporter you wouldn’t want everyone in the world to know about!

9. When you’ve made your point, stop talking. Silence by a reporter could mean two things: either they are taking notes and haven’t caught up with what you’re saying, or it’s a tactic to get you to say more than you want to reveal.

10. Don’t ask if you can see the story before it goes to print. It’s the most insulting thing you can do to a reporter. After all, they are the experts in their jobs, you are not. How would you feel if someone challenged your expertise?

Shannon Cherry, APR, MA helps businesses, entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations to be heard. She’s a marketing communications and public relations expert with more than 15 years experience and the owner of Cherry Communications. Subscribe today for Be Heard! a FREE biweekly ezine and get the FREE special report: "Be the Big Fish: Three No-Cost Publicity Tactics to Help You Be Heard." Go to: http://www.cherrycommunications.com/FreeReport.htm

If you’re seeking to promote yourself or your new business on a limited budget, you probably cannot afford the benefit of hiring a public relations agency to work on your behalf - at least not in the beginning.

You’ve probably spent considerable money to get to the point of your grand opening or new product release, which could easily fail if nobody cares that you exist.

The cost of hiring a marketing professional is usually worth your money as what you’re ultimately purchasing is results. In theory if they don’t deliver, you don’t pay.

However, there are no guarantees. It is probably easier, less time consuming and less stressful, to pay a professional to perform this work for you. But if you don’t have a lot of cash as you start out in business, you can still get people and publications to notice you without spending a fortune to hire a public relations agency.

If you’ve been down the solo road of self-promotion in the past and were not satisified with the final results of your "PR" efforts, you are not alone.

Does the following scenario sound familiar to you?

You developed an innovative service or produced an incredible product. You did your homework on how to write an effective press release. (And it sounded so easy…)

You followed the standard directions to compile your targetted media list and distribute your announcement according to their preferred guidelines. (And it seemed simple enough…)

You invested in some stamps, paid to use a public fax machine or formatted your release for email submission. You finally got to the point of sending it off to dozens of online and offline publications.

You relaxed for a few days, figuring you’d better store up some energy, to field your anticipated flood of calls from editors anxious to interview you to get more details about the exciting offer outlined in your press release.

A week, maybe two weeks, passed and you were still staring at your phone waiting for it to ring…

You could wait another month or two for the sweet sound of some unknown editor’s voice to surprise you on the other end of the phone.

Chances are you’ll continue to hear your mother or ex-husband talking when you pick up the phone and won’t that just do wonders for your hope and self-esteem?

If there is a positive aspect of this experience, it may be the knowledge that you are not alone.

Regardless of how remarkable your new offer is or how perfect your press release is, the results of your efforts to promote it to publications may not please you to say the least.

Why didn’t your press release produce the outcome you expected?

There’s a few possible reasons and facts about publications, editors and press releases.

Most editors get hundreds of press releases every week. Seldom do they have the time to read every single announcement.

Some press releases don’t stand a chance of being read depending on the editor. If they do not immediately recognize the contact name or the headline does not scream success at them or if they’re just having a bad day, your hard work hits the trash without a second thought.

Sometimes your press release never even makes it to the correct editor. It may get stuck in the fax machine or the mail room may accidentally deliver it to the circulation department. It may be at the bottom of a stack of unrelated faxes or letters and not see the editors desk for weeks, if at all.

What can you do to prevent this disappointing scenario from dampening your spirits and detracting from your potential success?

1 - Follow up every press release submission with a phone call. Do not settle for speaking to the receptionist or leaving a message on voice mail. Do not talk to the sports reporter, who happens to answer the phone, if your press release was intended for the features department. Keep calling until you reach the right person.

2 - Contrary to popular belief, the editor may not be the best person for you to promote your press release to. If you do not receive satisfaction by speaking to the editor, consider other contact options, like reporters, interns, or an assistant editor.

3 - If you’re sending your press release to publications that you read frequently, you should be able to identify a few reporters, who write articles about the service or product you’re promoting. Ask to speak to one of those writers by name. Request to be connected directly to a reporter’s personal voice mail instead of the editors’ general mailbox.

4 - If you don’t know the names of any reporters, ask to speak to the "business" writer or the "features" copy-editor, based upon the type of product, service or event you’re promoting.

5 - Think of any contacts or friends of friends whose name you could repeat to an editor or reporter as a familiar reference that may help to establish your credibility. It can make a difference in some cases.

6 - Try to remember any previous events you attended where a reporter was present. Even if you had a very brief encounter with him or her, it’s worth mentioning. Generally speaking, reporters see so many faces and meet so many people every week that they probably will not be able to recall whether they were ever introduced to you or not.

7 - Compliment the reporter on his outstanding coverage of the latest celebration or in-depth series of articles about the best businesses of the year. Or schmooze the editor with similar praise of his writers, front page design or choice of featured content.

The bottom line is simple. If you write a killer press release, slip it in the mail to a slew of publications and wait for your phone to ring, you may wait forever.

An Inside Line To Editors?

Regardless of how well your press release is written (although spelling and grammatical errors certainly detract from its effectiveness), there’s a few facts about editors and press releases…

Most editors get hundreds of press releases every week.

Seldom do they have the time to read every single announcement.

Some press releases don’t stand a chance of being read depending on the editor.

If they do not immediately recognize the contact name or if they’re just having a bad day, your announcement may be tossed before they get to the second graph.

Sometimes your press release never even makes it to the correct editor.

It may get stuck in the fax machine or the mail room may accidentally deliver it to the circulation department.

It may be at the bottom of a stack of unrelated faxes or letters and not see the editor’s desk for weeks, if at all. The following ideas are designed to ensure that your press release gets read by the right editor!

(They come from a freelance newspaper reporter and former Public Relations writer - talking from experience on both sides of the fence…)

Follow up every press release submission with a phone call. Do not settle for speaking to the receptionist or leaving a message on voice mail. Do not be satisfied with talking to whichever reporter happens to answer the phone. Keep calling until you reach the right person.

Contrary to popular belief, the editor may not be the best person for you to talk to about your press release. If you do not achieve the response you’re seeking by speaking to the editor, consider other contact options, like reporters, interns, or an assistant editor.

If you’re sending your press release to publications that you read frequently, you should be able to identify a few reporters, who write articles about the service or product you’re promoting. Ask to speak to one of those writers by name. Request to be connected directly to a reporter’s personal voice mail instead of the editors’ general mailbox.

If you don’t know the names of any reporters, ask to speak to the “business” writer or the “features” copy-editor, based upon the type of product, service or event you’re promoting.

Think of any contacts or friends of friends whose name you could repeat to an editor or reporter as a familiar reference that may help to establish your credibility. It can make a difference in some cases.

Try to remember any previous events you attended where a reporter was present. Even if you had a very brief encounter with him or her, it’s worth mentioning. Generally speaking, reporters see so many faces and meet so many people every week that they probably will not be able to recall whether they were ever introduced to you or not.

Compliment the reporter on his outstanding coverage of the latest celebration or in-depth series of articles about the best businesses of the year. Or schmooze the editor with similar praise of his writers, front page design or choice of featured content.

Remember the goal of your press release. Be able to tell the editor and/or reporter in 20 words or less why your press release is important.

© Danielle Hollister (2004) Danielle Hollister is the Writing Editor at BellaOnline and Publisher of the Free Ezine for Writers http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art157.asp

For financial planners, getting publicity, in the end, isn’t about having contacts in the media.

Or about writing a great press release.

In the end, it’s about one thing: it’s about you.

You, and the knowledge and expertise you share every day with your clients.

The same knowledge that helps you recommend the right stocks, mutual funds, or municipal bonds.

The same expertise that your clients seek out when they want to plan a savings account for their child’s education, formulate a retirement plan, or protect the value of their estate.

If you have any of that knowledge stuff (and you wouldn’t still be in business if you didn’t), you can get publicity. And you can use that publicity to build your business. I promise.

By the way, I’ve encountered many financial planners along the way who thought that getting impactful publicity was an impossible dream for them.

“I’m too small,” they’d say.

“No one in the media cares about me."

I can’t compete with the big guys.”

To which I say, baloney! After which I say, yes, you can.

And after which I cite an old African proverb:

“Anyone who thinks you can be too small to make a difference has never spent a night alone in a closed room with a mosquito.”

Ned Steele works with people in professional services who want to build their practice and accelerate their growth. The president of Ned Steele’s MediaImpact, he is the author of 102 Publicity Tips To Grow a Business or Practice. To learn more visit http://www.MediaImpact.biz or call 212-243-8383.

In my travels around the country while building my business I have had the pleasure of meeting some of the greatest community volunteers in our nation. I never missed an opportunity to meet community leaders and learn all I could about every market my company franchised in. One event in particular was a standout; the Austin’s Annual Charity Event with KVET.

Part of my mission statement in my company was always to give back to the communities we serve and to be a community based company. I urge all business entrepreneurs to think like this. We are always interested in ways we can help the communities that our team serves. It is for that reason I joined 10’s of thousands of others in the Austin Charity Event. When President Bush suggested that all American’s put in their 2000 hours, that was not lip service, he meant it. So when we found out that KVET of Austin, Texas and the Highland Mall were putting on this event, we decided to find out which charities were their to receive the many Texans who came to volunteer their time and what our local franchisee could do to help, how we might offer our services or time to help the community.

I wanted to personally thank the Program Director at KVET, a Channel Communications Station and M. Darlene Corum the Retail Marketing Coordinator for Highland Mall in Austin for organizing an event, which every single community in the nation should put on at least twice per year. Who was there; all the local charities, which serve the community day in and day out. As many know funds are in short supply now as the economy has not fully arrived at its natural strength, there is less money to go around.

We talked with some of the most potentially devastating issues of the near future with the spread of AIDS and other serious illnesses. There on hand was a very knowledgeable group of people with Interfaith Care Alliance. We talked with Violet Leos, the Community Resource Director for the Austin Girl Scouts and volunteered our car wash fundraiser services. We made sure to point out that we did not want to replace their number one fundraiser The Delicious Girl Scouts Cookies (especially Chocolate Mints), but if they needed help in a car wash fundraiser to give us a call since I run a carwash business.

Other National Organizations with big local Austin representation were the Salvation Army, always out in force during the holidays, The United Way promoting their seasonal Angel Tree, United States Marine Corp’s "Toys for Tots" program and Safe Place for domestic violence and sexual abuse victims. Our company has been active with the Safe Place groups in AZ and NV.

We were very happy to see the Austin State School, which helps mentally retarded adults in training, social services and medical care, this is so important that we do not forget them in our society. Also next to them was the Austin Children’s Shelter, which provides emergency shelter and high quality care and a hope for the future for our abandoned kids in the Austin Community. Speaking of Kids, a great program called Insure-a-Kid was present helping kids who need health care insurance, and we would personally like to thank Michael Dell, Founder of Dell Computers for his extremely active role in getting this one off the ground. This is an incredible program and it is our belief this should be duplicated whoever possible, great program, good people and inspirational story of leadership and creativity in the midst of adversity, WOW.

Children’s Advocacy Center was there talking about what is being done about something no one wants to talk about, child abuse cases and it’s effect on kids. Very heavy subject and extremely dedicated people, a real tear jerker and they are there for the kids and were actively recruiting volunteers and promoting awareness.

Real everyday family issues were there in force also, including; Literacy Austin, teaching people to read, write and speak English; Live in the Game, providing fifth grade girls with adult female mentors; RIF-Reading Is Fundamental, motivating kids to read books; and Capitol Area Homeless Alliance, a day shelter for the homeless and yes the Bush’s have volunteered to work in the food lines before and the people there made it clear Austin is serious about find the necessary means to help those people on the street transition into both employment and housing. Also on scene was Lone Star Equine Rescue, which helps improve the lives of equines throughout Texas and neighboring states.

We would like to tell every one how great it was to see Americans sign up to volunteer and do their part, to put in their 2000 hours. And we too felt proud volunteering our team to car wash fundraisers to help the kids groups. We are all in this together; we should never forget that. I urge every American and every small business model to seek out ways you can give back to your city or town and promote an ownership type community. You will be leading by example and doing what’s right for the betterment of mankind and the future of your community. Volunteer and even if your town does not have such an awesome event, seek out ways to help. Maybe you can organize all the non-profit service clubs in your town and get others to volunteer too. Think on it.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/