Public Relations For Cable Companies Considered

Writen by Lance Winslow

Everyone makes fun of the Cable Man and the lousy service for repairs or installation and yet the Cable Company takes all that negative perception and simply deals with it. Yet it is a wonder more cable companies do not get more involved in community driven public relations campaigns. By what types of things can a cable company do? Give out free signals to churches, Boys and Girls Clubs or day care centers? Heck they are probably stealing the signal already?

May I put a suggesting in for Cable Company participation in a mobile neighborhood business watch program? Why you ask, well consider how many vehicles they already have out on routes all day already and lets take a look at the over all business model for a second shall we?

CABLE COMPANY: Cable companies like other utility companies must remain in a good consumer light and establish a strong public relations program. This neighborhood watch is exactly up that alley. The other great thing about them is they can advertise their participation on the community channel bulletin board and in public service announcements on their local stations. Cable companies may also be willing to ask for volunteers to the program though their mass media advantage point.

Now can you see why it makes perfect sense to use a public relations campaign, which keeps the city free of crime and is free for the company to participate in? Please consider this case study in 2006.

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

Public Relations For The State Governors Offices

Writen by Lance Winslow

State Governors Offices need to work very hard to maintain their public relations because there are always choices that have to be made for the betterment of the common good, which will upset some people. You can't please everyone all the time.

Of course a little PR goes a long way at the Governors Office and as long as you do not spring too many surprises on the public they do indeed at least understand the other points of view even if they disagree or realize it may not be the best for them personally.

What kinds of things can the governors office do? Well they can work hard involve citizens groups and remain in good standing with the media that covers them. Too often there will be media sources, which will end up with animosity of a subject and therefore end up causing huge issues later on and end up severely hurting the credibility of the Governors Office.

Many a Governor has been taken down at re-election time by media out for blood and some might have to ask who is running the state; the media or the Governor. Indeed often the media has too much power and that can cause an issues too.

Public Relations and goodwill at the Governors Level is paramount and those Governors who work hard to maintain it, will in the end stand the test of time. So, please consider this in 2006.

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

Press Kit Elements That Work

Writen by Bill Stoller

Considering how fundamental they are to the publicist's trade,
it's always amazed me how lousy almost all press kits truly are.
Your typical press kit is a bloated folder filled with puffery,
hype, irrelevant information and worse.  The vast majority of
these monstrosities do little besides kill trees and clog
newsroom trash baskets.

The good news is that creating a press kit that actually works
really isn't that hard.  Let's look at the elements of a winning
press kit, and help you avoid some common pitfalls.

The Psychology of a Press Kit

There are two fundamental rules to creating a good press kit:

1. The press kit exists to make the journalist's life easier, not
for you to present sales messages and hype.  Good publicists are
journalist-centric -- that is, they think from the perspective of
the recipient, not the sender.  They take the time to learn what
journalists need and then they give it to them in as simple,
straightforward and user-friendly a manner as possible.
Remember, publicity is not about you -- it's about giving
journalists what they need to create a strong story.

2. Everything in the press kit goes to support your clincher.
Everything else gets yanked out.  (A refresher: a "clincher" is
my term for the one or two line distillation of your publicity
message.  It's the publicist's version of the Universal Selling
Proposition that marketers use to boil a product's marketing
message down to its essence.)  You lay out your clincher in the
pitch letter that gets clipped to the cover of the press kit, and
the press kit serves to flesh out and support your clincher.
That's it.  If your clincher is that you've brought a radical new
way of thinking to your market segment, then a backgrounder about
your "old fashioned commitment to excellence" not only doesn't
support your clincher, it may actually contradict it.

The Elements of a Press Kit

The Cover:  In my twenty years as a publicist, I have never
encountered a single journalist who told me the cover a press kit
had the slightest impact on their decision whether to run a
story.  Yet, businesses still spend thousands on glossy, four
color folder covers.  Don't bother.  A simple colored folder with
your business name imprinted upon it will work just fine.

Some businesses choose to get stickers printed up with their logo
and place them on blank folders, which is fine too, as long as
the stickers are neatly applied.  Either way, don't obsess over
it -- it's what's inside that counts.

Letterhead:  The first page of each press kit element should be
on your letterhead.  Some folks prefer to get special "News from
(name of company)" letterhead printed, although, again, I doubt
it really matters.

The Lead Release:  If your press kit is going out in support of
an announcement, an event, a trend story or for another specific
purpose, the release that lays out the news should be the first
thing a journalist sees upon opening the folder. This "lead
release" should be positioned at the front of the right side of
the folder.

Backgrounder: This is the element of your kit that provides,
well, the background information to support your pitch.  It's
written in the fashion of a standard news feature (i.e. in third
person, objective tone).  This is typically the longest element
in a press kit, often going 2 or 3 pages.  As you're crafting
this, keep something important in mind:  if a journalist is
reading your backgrounder, chances are he's already interested in
your pitch.  If he wasn't, he wouldn't bother with it.  You've
hooked him and the backgrounder can reel him in.  To do so, you
must answer the two questions he has:  "Is the claim made in the
pitch legitimate?" and "Is there enough material here for me to
do a story?"

Your pitch letter (based on your clincher) made a claim of some
sort about you, your company or your product.  You're the
fastest, the most advanced, the hottest-selling, the most civic-
minded, etc.  Now you have to back up your claim.  Your
backgrounder is where this happens.  Provide proof, by giving
concrete examples, third party observations, study results, etc.
to support your pitch.  If you're claiming that there's a trend
taking place, here's where you provide the statistics to back it
up.  If you've claimed that you've won more awards that anyone
else in town, here's where you describe them. Don't stray from
your purpose -- to reel in the journalist by convincing him that
your claim is legit.

The backgrounder also must demonstrate that enough material
exists to support the claim - and that it will be easy for the
journalist to access this information.  Journalists don't have
time to do extended investigation on every piece.  Provides leads
to websites, trade journals, experts and other resources to back
up your claim and help the journalist complete the story, you'll
have a big edge.

To write a backgrounder, do some role playing.  You're a
reporter.  Your editor has handed you a pitch letter and said
"write this up".  In this case, of course, the pitch letter is
your own.  While you're writing it, try to forget that the piece
is, essentially, about you.  Pretend you're an objective
reporter.  Track down  resources, dig up stats, interview
experts.  Try to see if you can create a credible piece that
proves the pitch's claim to be valid and interesting to the
reader.  If you can, you've got a great backgrounder.  If you
can't, it may be time to come up with a new pitch!

Bio:  Only include bios of people who are  relevant to the pitch.
A bio of your sales manager in a press kit designed to support a
claim of technological superiority is pointless.  A bio of your
head of R&D is valid.  Keep bios short (three paragraphs at the
most) and include only information relevant to the pitch.  The
fact your head of R&D spent twenty years at NASA is relevant,
that she loves golf and has two cats isn't.  The point of a bio:
to show the legitimacy of those quoted in your release or being
offered for interview, and to help the reporter craft a short
description of the person when writing the piece.

Fact Sheet:  The fact sheet should distill the entire press kit
into an "at a glance" document.  Keep it short, use bullet points
and bold headings.  For example, I might start with the heading
The Story: and include a bullet point repeating the pitch.  The
next heading might be Why It's Important:  followed by some
bullet points putting the pitch into a broader industry-wide (or
perhaps even worldwide) context.  Finally, I might use the
heading Why (name of my company) is at the Heart of this Vital
Story: and run some bullet points taken from the backgrounder
giving support to my claim.  Put this fact sheet at the front of
the left side of the folder, just across from the lead release.
This sort of fact sheet is amazingly powerful and almost never
crafted in the fashion I just laid out.  I've sold countless
stories because of this style of fact sheet and you can too.

Other Stuff: Filling out the kit with a company brochure and a
photo or two is reasonable, but don't get carried away. Keep your
kit simple, stick to your clincher and think like a journalist,
not a marketer, and you'll have crafted a first class press kit!

Bill Stoller, the "Publicity Insider", has spent two decades as
one of America's top publicists.  Now, through his website, eZine
and subscription newsletter, Free Publicity: The Newsletter for
PR-Hungry Businesses http://www.PublicityInsider.com/freepub.asp
he's sharing -- for the very first time -- his secrets of scoring
big publicity.  For free articles, killer publicity tips and
much, much more, visit Bill's exclusive new site:
http://www.PublicityInsider.com

Business Gifts For Your Clients And Employees

Writen by Keith Thompson

Tis' the season for business and corporate gift-giving! If you believe in the law of reciprocity, and if your business is the least bit successful you must; you know that giving back is not only the right thing to do, but it's very smart business as well. Let's look at some of the benefits and mechanics of Christmas and holiday gift-giving.

* WHY DO IT AT ALL?

Gift giving is an excellent way to not only say thank you for all the business and continued loyalty your clients and customers have shown over the past year, it help to solidify relationships and in some cases, actually tilt the playing field in your favor. A well-conceived business gift will speak volumes on your integrity, thoughtfulness and sincerity and may make the difference between you and a competitor. As for employees, the days of 50 years and a gold watch are long gone, so a token of appreciation during the holidays or other special occasions can turn a mediocre relationship into one of fierce loyalty.

* WHEN TO DO IT?

Obviously Christmas and the season surrounding it are the major themes here. Other times of the year, such as Thanksgiving, Easter, Labor Day etc., may also present golden opportunities as it is not expected then. Other times to consider might include occasions such as a business anniversary, marriage, births, promotions, new offices or branches, and possibly retirement (ESPECIALLY of a competitor!)

* WHAT TO GIVE?

This can be the most difficult part of the process. All of us have been the recipient of the cookie cutter approach, as the countless fruitcakes of Christmases past haunt our freezers. In a large company, it's difficult to avoid this, but by bearing this in mind, you'll be able to come up something unique and stand out above the rest. Also think of the nature of the business relationship. Anything inappropriate would not only be unappreciated, but could have the opposite effect of that you're trying to achieve. If you can, try to make it as personal as possible, reflecting the interests and likes of the person receiving the gift. Be mindful of religious differences, as you don't want to offend in that area either. While striving to give the nicest gift possible within your budget, take care not to appear as though you are bribing anyone for business or loyalty.

* HOW TO ACCOMPLISH THIS?

Start as soon as possible, and dedicate at least one person to work on this solely, as depending on the size of your list, it can become onerous. Given enough time and resource, however, it can be done quickly and efficiently. Shopping online has made things so much simpler. You can find so many more choices with the click of a mouse than you could with weeks of prospecting on foot. Many of your favorite brick and mortar merchants now have an online presence as well, as they too recognize the immense possibilities of the medium. Take advantage of web vendors, many of whom offer free shipping, corporate and bulk discounts, and many other perks to get your business. It really is a time-saver!

Christmas and Holiday gift-giving isn't the gargantuan task it used to be. The internet and a smart strategy make it profitable and enjoyable!

Keith Thompson is webmaster of GiftsForBiz.com, and the recipient of many BAD business gifts.

Public Relations For Taxation Agencies

Writen by Lance Winslow

No citizen likes to pay lots of taxes and if you'll recall some of the citizens in the United States before it was formed were quite upset with the king and his taxation. In fact if you'll recall in Boston Harbor some dressed as Indians threw some tea in the water because they were slightly upset. Ever since this time American citizens through the generations have not trusted tax agencies.

There are many groups out in our society who try to get people to stop paying taxes in order to make a statement about government and taxation. Public relations for taxation agencies is therefore very important to help educate the consumer, customer and citizen of what their money is going for and why they are collecting it. Most people do not trust the Internal Revenue Service and get rather irate by audits.

A good public relations program and community goodwill effort from a taxation agency can alleviate much of the stress and anger from taxpayers. Taxation agencies should be careful to have open communication lines with all major media outlets and promote how they are doing, what they're doing and why it is so vitally important to our society and civilization.

This of course is not an easy proposition since no one likes to pay taxes and because our taxes keep going up and nothing seems to work right. The taxation agencies need to make sure that the people understand that they are the collection arm and if there is a problem that should be taken up with the fine folks in government and the elected representatives. Please consider all this in 2006.

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

Public Relations For The Ice Cream Man

Writen by Lance Winslow

Recently during the Israeli-Hezbollah war we saw a nice Jewish Guy who was an ice cream man selling ice cream to the Israeli Troops on the Lebanon Border, now that man has a knack for business indeed. In fact he was later told to leave after he had sold out because the TV crews were showing him on the news in the middle of the war zone.

Now that my friends is Public Relations and Publicity 101, but what can an ice cream man do for public relations in the United States? Well I suggest that join a neighborhood mobile watch program in their community. Why you ask? Well consider this;

ICE CREAM MAN: You know the guy who cruises down the street with the music going. This is a company who can really benefit from the signs on the truck. Parents are always apprehensive when the ice cream man and any other stranger talks to their kids. The Ice Cream Man will now be a neighborhood friend, the parents will ask about the sign and the ice cream.

Can you see why it makes so much sense for an ice cream company to participate in cleaning up crime in the community to foster goodwill and sell more ice cream? Perhaps as you study public relations you will consider this story and think on this in 2006.

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

Sound Like Your Situation

Writen by Robert A. Kelly

What a shame! Potentially productive public relations people resting on their oars in a large organization. Just kind of tinkering with tactics and leaving target audience perceptions (and behaviors) to pretty much do their own thing.

Big pain on the way!

Unattended, key public perceptions can morph into painful behaviors that hurt the organization.

Just plain shouldn't happen.

In military-speak, all it takes is some ongoing "intel."

First, insist that that potentially productive public relations team get busy by prioritizing your most important audiences. They can't work on everything at once. So for starters, they can identify that really key target audience.

Then monitor perceptions by interacting with some folks who make up that audience, and do it on a regular basis. Same with other important external publics, when time allows.

What's on their minds? Any negative feelings? See or hear anything that needs correcting? Is there a problem on the horizon that may come your way?

The answers to those questions help your crew form the public relations goal – altered perceptions leading to altered behaviors. For example, correct the impression that you sell shoddy merchandise; or a perception that you favor one particular ethnic group; or a belief that your services aren't worth the price you charge.

Setting the public relations goal let's your public relations team focus on which strategy they want to employ to reach that goal.

There's not a big choice. In fact, just three are available. They can choose between creating perceptions (opinions) when none exist, or changing existing opinion, or reinforcing it.

But their ammo will be the persuasive messages they prepare for communication to that key target audience. Messages designed to affect perceptions in a way that leads to the behaviors you desire.

The message must outline what the problem is and what some members of that target audience believe. Then it must clearly set down the truth of the matter omitting any exaggeration or hype. In other words, it must be believable, credible and especially persuasive and compelling.

Enter "beasts of burden," the communications tactics your people will use to move your message to the attention of members of your key, target audience.

There is a vast array of communications tactics from which your public relations people can choose. They include everything from face-to-face meetings, emailings, op-eds and news releases to special events, speeches, trade show appearances and town hall meetings.

Wait a minute, not so fast! How will your public relations team measure progress? Best way is to put on the monitor hats again and fan out among members of the target audience.

Using the persuasive message as a guide, are respondents aware of the message? If so, what is their reaction to it? Does your crew find evidence that prior opinion (perception) has moved in your direction? If so, to what extent? Was the create/change/reinforce strategy choice correct, or must it be adjusted? Are refinements in the message in order, meaning there is still considerable work to be done?

Obviously, the problem solving sequence must be carefully retuned as progress is made in order to keep it on target – alter perception, change behavior, and achieve not only a successful, but the desired public relations result.

About The Author

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks about the fundamental premise of public relations. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com

Finding The Right Pr Just Got Easier

Writen by Robert A. Kelly

Try this on for size!

As a business, non-profit, government agency or association manager, you need the kind of public relations effort that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives. And you need it because you no longer wish to be denied the best public relations has to offer, and because you want to pursue the quality public relations results you believe you deserve.

That's fair, but chances are good that you still have most of your PR eggs in the tactical basket. You know, with the big PR emphasis on press releases, special events, brochures and broadcast plugs. And your public relations people pretty much preoccupied with moving messages from one point to another.

But here's how easy it is to make the changeover from PR tactics like that to PR strategy where the payoff is much richer, namely, nothing less than those managerial objectives of yours.

This is an action plan that calls on you to do some meaningful things about the behaviors of those important outside audiences that most affect your operation; to create the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives; and to do so by persuading those key outside folks to your way of thinking by helping move them to take actions that allow your department, group, division or subsidiary to succeed.

What's really going on here? Well, you're preparing to do something positive about the behaviors of the very outside audiences of yours that MOST affect your operation. And that's when PR actually creates the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving those key managerial objectives of yours.

The underlying premise of public relations brings the plan into focus: 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.

And it is results such as these that a manager might expect when he or she approaches PR this way: improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies; a rebound in showroom visits; membership applications on the rise; new thoughtleader and special event contacts; capital givers or specifying sources looking your way; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; fresh community service and sponsorship opportunities; prospects starting to work with you; customers making repeat purchases; and even stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities.

Take advantage of your PR staff experience to critique your plans for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Suggest queries along these lines: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the exchange? Are you familiar with our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

Do satisfy yourself that they really accept why it's SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. And be sure they believe that perceptions almost always result in behaviors that can help or hurt your operation.

There is always a temptation to use a professional survey firm to handle the opinion monitoring phase. But compare the cost of such service to the administrative cost of using your staff PR people because they also are experienced in perception and behavior matters. 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.

A realistic PR goal is an absolute requirement, and it must call for action on the most serious problem areas you uncovered during your key audience perception monitoring. You may, for example, decide to straighten out that dangerous misconception, bring to an end that potentially painful rumor, or correct that awful inaccuracy.

To show you how to get to where you're going, you must have the right action-oriented strategy. But, you have just three strategic options available to you when it comes to doing something about perception and opinion: change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. Needless to say, the wrong strategy pick will taste like fried onions on your pumpkin couscous. So be sure your new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. You certainly don't want to pursue "change" when the facts dictate a strategy of reinforcement.

Here you're going to have to write a persuasive message in order to move your key audience to your way of thinking. Which suggests that you ask the best writer on your team to prepare a carefully-written message targeted directly at your key external audience. S/he must produce some really corrective language that is 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.

You will need carefully selected communications tactics to carry your message to the attention of your target audience, and there are many such available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be certain that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

By the way, you may wish initially to unveil your corrective message before smaller meetings rather than using higher profile news releases or broadcast announcements. This is because a message's credibility is always fragile and often suspect, depending on the method by which it was delivered,

Progress reports will help you illustrate how the monies spent on public relations can pay off. But they'll also be your alert to start a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. Here, you'll use many of the same questions used in the benchmark interviews. Only difference now is, you will be on strict alert for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

Since there can always be a slowdown in momentum, be advised that you can always add more communications tactics, and/or increase their frequencies to address that problem.

Selecting the right public relations approach for your unit can be much easier when certain basics are observed. For example, resolve to do something about the behaviors of those outside audiences that most affect your operation; create the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives; and do so by persuading those key outside folks to your way of thinking by helping move them to take actions that allow your department, group, division or subsidiary unit succeed.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. Only requirements: you must use the Robert A. Kelly byline, and resource box. Word count is 1285 including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2006.

Bob Kelly counsels and writes for business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has published over 230 articles on the subject which are listed at EzineArticles.com, click Expert Author, click Robert A. Kelly. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, 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

No Budget For Pr Do It Yourself With The Help Of Technology

Writen by Drew Gerber

Not so long ago, small businesses and non-profit organizations across the board were faced with a tough question: do we need a Web site? We know the answer to that as the majority of small businesses and non-profits offer effective sites that not only provide information but can sell products, accept online donations, and raise awareness.

The new question facing them now is: Do we need to hire a PR agency?

Unfortunately, though many small businesses and organizations would like to retain a PR firm, the cost just doesn't fit into the budget. Well, that doesn't have to be the case. Small businesses and non-profits can manage their own media relations with the help of a few tools of the trade.

Online Press Kits: Everything a business or organization's press kit contains can be published and distributed on the Internet with online press kits. Now, an online press kit is not a Web site. Don't be confused by the term "online." Though an online press kit can be displayed online and present information like a Web site, it is really a virtual folder or briefcase that allows an organization to upload and store press materials on the Internet.

Once in an online press kit folder, these documents and images can be distributed as links – not attachments to e-mails. Most e-mails with attachments never reach their designated recipient in the media due to firewalls and anti-virus protection services. With an online press kit, documents are added as links within the message.

An online press kit can be linked directly to a Web site so that when the media visits in search of news and background information, they'll know exactly where to go. Changes and edits can be made instantly, preventing outdated or incorrect information from being distributed. Plus, some online press kit services are so simple to use and manage; an organization won't need to hire an "IT guy," another budget-friendly feature.

Online press kit services vary greatly in terms of price and features. Take some time to research your options and identify your needs before committing to one service over another. Some services include features you probably will never use (but pay for), while others may not provide enough services, such as training or support.

Web-based Media Lead Services – One of the greatest benefits of the Internet is the ability to rapidly obtain information. What used to require a hard copy media guide or CD is now available from a number of providers online. An organization can reach virtually hundreds of thousands of media contacts with one click by listing spokespeople as experts, offering timely quotes on current events, or responding to the hundreds of media leads that come in daily from journalists on deadline. There are many providers out there that vary in cost and quality. It is worth the time and effort to do some research on which service is best for your budget and your needs. Some services are even free. Services that are used by the most media professionals will likely cost more than ones with lower membership.

Web-based Media Databases – Your business or organization has hot news and you want to let every daily newspaper in the country know about it. First, you must visit each paper's Web site individually, record their contact information, compile a list and then blast that news out there. However, by the time you did that, your news would be at least a month old. Ouch.

Media databases to the rescue. There are many services available online that provide up-to-date media lists from every medium and market you can imagine. Most require a membership or subscription fee, but it is well worth the money if the alternative is to compile a list manually. Services of this type include BurrellesLuce Media Contacts program (www.BurrellesLuce.com), Bacon's (www.Bacons.com), and Contacts on Tap (www.ContactsOnTap.Com).

Press Release Distribution Services – Got a press release that the world needs to see? You could compile the list as we mentioned above (the hard way), or use a media database – but you could also leave it to the experts and submit your release to a distribution service, or "wire." There are many services available at various costs. One service is PR Web (www.PRWeb.com) which not only can run your release for free (limited distribution), but allows you to specify Internet search terms, making the release easily accessible to Web users.

The media savvy and expertise of media relations professionals is worth the money, but when the money just isn't there, small businesses and non-profit organizations can tap the talent they have within and combine it with technology designed to make communication easier.

If you need some help developing your press documents, take a look at the press kits of other businesses or organizations in your area. There are also many Internet resources available that can provide tips to writing your own press releases and news announcements.

Managing media relations in-house is not impossible and can be a fantastic way to reach the media as a small business or organization grows.

Drew Gerber is Co-creator of Press Kit 24/7 (http://www.PressKit247.com), an online press kit technology. In addition to helping non-profits and small businesses manage their own media relations through technology, Gerber is Co-Owner of Wasabi Publicity, Inc., a PR firm representing causes, nonprofits, and businesses that make a difference. An expert in the art of listening and in building relationships, Gerber can be reached at Drew@publicityresults.com.

Public Relations For Privatization Of Space

Writen by Lance Winslow

The privatization and commercialization of space is occurring before our eyes and soon we will see new developments, innovations and exploits as entrepreneurial capitalists bold the unknown. Some are concerned about this and yet if mankind is ever to venture off into space then surely free enterprise will be the way to do it.

Some folks are worried that we are not spending enough money at home on social programs, like free health care and that we should not spend another dime of taxpayers money in space. This of course is linear thought because much of what NASA has discovered has helped us here at home.

Things such as satellites have helped communication and medical researchers around the world to communicate in real time and therefore move faster on medical break throughs and discoveries in medicine or procedures.

Additionally the privatization of space means non-governmental dollars will be funneled into programs and not taxpayers money and therefore who can debate that? We still get all the great new discoveries and transfer technologies along with people behind them who know how to bring them to market much faster.

These truths must be promoted for the betterment of the common good for all mankind thru better public relations programs. And luckily we are seeing a little bit of that in private space flight and there is more to come. Consider this in 2006.

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

Mistakes You Cant Afford To Make When You Write A Press Release

Writen by Paul Hartunian

It's a real shame. If you open most any newspaper in the country you'll find at least one story you know really didn't need to be there. It just isn't that relevant or interesting. But somehow it made it in.

You can't help but wonder if it just happened to be one of those days when absolutely nothing worth mentioning happened to any one of the 6 billion inhabitants of this planet. And you know that isn't true either.

Nothing made it to the news because tons of people around the world made the first, worst mistake in announcing a news story.

They didn't.

They had information that people around their community, across their country or around the world would love to know. They came up with an idea that could revolutionize an industry, but gave up because the mainstream assured them the only way the press would listen would be through the very expensive advertising department. But that's far from true.

Where advertising might cost you money, news typically costs the newspaper, radio or television station plenty of money to gather. They pay reporters, correspondents, wire services and anybody else they can find for good news stories. If you have a great story to tell, they're more than willing to accept a freebee.

But it needs to be in the right format, while following certain industry standards. You can find plenty of free advice on how to format a press release at my web site, located at: www.PressReleasesMadeEasy.com.

If you're looking for a complete, extensive course on the subject, you can find it at my site on line at www.Hartunian.com/prkit. Among the advice you'll find there, here are some of the other reasons why great news stories never get noticed:

1. Many great press releases get tossed, unread, because they're too long. A program director or editor going through a stack of press releases won't typically stop to read that 5-page essay on why some business thinks they have a great product.

Most press releases are double-spaced and fit on a single page. If you can't get your entire message in that space, then you might want to consider hiring a professional writer.

Getting past the fluff and color and getting down to the story is an art. It's worth developing, or at worst, paying someone else who already has, for their help.

2. Another reason a lot of the press releases are never read is because they're obviously self-serving. You may feel your new product is the hottest thing going, but will someone else buy a newspaper to listen to you brag? Remember, editors and program managers are in the news business.

If you can't spin what you have to say in such a way as to make it sound just as fascinating or useful as that juicy stuff about the upcoming election or that tragedy in the Middle East then chances are it won't make the cut.

3. Many great stories are missed because they come too well packaged. A dozen roses or even fancy letterhead are surefire ways to slap a big sign across the front of a press release that reads "AMATEUR". Forget about the bribes. Editors know to watch out for fancy packaging. It typically reflects a story that needs a lot of fact verification and may or may not accurately reflect something it promises.

Simple white paper with the correct traditional headline and format is usually a simple way to make it to the "A" list on the editors desk.

4. Timing can make or break a good story. Obviously, announcing your new "Santa's Village" that includes $2 million dollars worth of animation and the ultimate Disney- style drive through cars would be a waste of time if it arrived on an editors desk in the middle of January.

If at all possible, timing your releases correctly can ad up to a good solid foot inside the proverbial newsroom door. Many people are in a rush to get their press release out. I understand. It's exciting. You just wrote your masterpiece. Now you want the media people to acknowledge it by calling you for interviews.

But hold on as best you can and consider whether or not you are sending it out at the best possible time. That could be the difference between getting the interview or not.

Obviously this list isn't extensive. There's probably as many "insider tips" as there are insiders, but following these 4 suggestions will definitely put your press release up there in the top 10% or so of "good guys" that get a decent chance turning into an interview.

# # #

Paul Hartunian is widely considered the world's leading authority on writing press releases and getting publicity for any product, service, cause or issue. Subscribe to Paul's free publicity ezine "Million Dollar Publicity Tactics". By going to http://www.Hartunian.com/ezine. Also be sure to check out all the great free publicity resources at his website http://www.Hartunian.com. Also be sure to read the story of how Paul used press releases and publicity to become the first person in history to really sell the world famous Brooklyn Bridge. You can read the story at http://www.Hartunian.com/bridge.html. You can reach Paul at (973) 857-4142 or by email at Paul@Hartunian.com.

The Truth About Public Relations

Writen by Robert A. Kelly

The truth is, you CAN attract the support of those external audiences whose behaviors have the most effect on your enterprise. But you must do it by first achieving the positive changes you need in their perceptions and, thus, behaviors.

You'll get both using this strategic approach to public relations which means your chances of achieving your organizational objectives are enhanced.

It all starts with the fundamental premise of public relations shown just below.

"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 those people whose behaviors affect the organization, the public relations mission is accomplished."

The core strength of those comments lies in the behavior changes that can take place among your key, outside audiences. When those changes occur – and the combined perceptions of members of that important external "public" begin to move in your direction – it can spell public relations success.

For instance, with a strong factual basis, you convince area activists gathering at your plant gate that (1) you don't dump chemicals into the river, and (2) both State and Federal investigations found that to be true. When they finally clear out, you've limited the damage an expensive and long-lasting disruption could have caused. That saved the organization cold, hard cash!

What happened? You managed to change the perception of those activists which, predictably, led to the change in their behavior that you desired. In other words, a successful use of public relations' fundamental premise.

While public relations can bring real power to bear, and while there's a well-worn path leading to each success, truth is, you can't change perceptions, and thus behaviors of your important outside audiences if you are not in touch with them on a regular and meaningful basis.

That's why it's so important to interact with members of each target audience, and ask questions. What do you think of our services, our programs, or our products? Are you satisfied? Listen carefully for signs of a misconception or a factual inaccuracy. Is there a belief alive out there that simply isn't true? Do you detect a hurtful rumor that must be squashed?

The answers you receive let you establish your public relations goal. For example, correct that inaccuracy, clear up that misconception, or get out the facts in order to neutralize that rumor.

But how will you actually reach that goal? With a clear and urgent strategy.

Fortunately, in dealing with perception/opinion, we have just three options available to us. Create perception/opinion where there is none, change existing perception, or reinforce it.

The goal you established will quickly tell you which strategy choice you must make.

But, of course, what you say to that target audience, in pursuit of your public relations goal, is crucial. Your message must be persuasive, compelling and clear as a mountain stream. It also must be credible and believable, which means truthful in all detail. It should also address the particular inaccuracy, misconception or rumor head on and not allow room for any further misunderstandings.

Now, how do you get that carefully chiseled message to the attention of members of that key, target audience? I still call them "beasts of burden" because they carry messages from Point A to Point B. Communications tactics is the answer, and you have a huge selection from which to choose. Everything from open houses, contests, news releases and speeches to brochures, community briefings, letters-to-the- editor, emails, radio/TV and newspaper interviews, and lots more.

Sooner rather than later, you will wonder whether you're making any progress. And the only realistic way to nail that down is to go back to members of that target audience again and ask them the same questions all over again.

The big difference this time around is, you're looking for signs that opinion/perceptions have begun to change in your direction. By that I mean clear indications that the miscon- ception is clearing up, or the inaccuracy has been corrected, or that a negative impression is slowly turning around.

Truth is, that's when this strategic, and powerful approach to public relations – supported by appropriate tactical firepower – delivers the altered perceptions and modified behaviors promised in the fundamental premise of public relations.

About The Author

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks about the fundamental premise of public relations. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net.

Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com

Public Relations For A High Rise Apartment Complex Going In

Writen by Lance Winslow

Public relations is very important to renting out all the units in a new high-rise apartment complex. Many of the neighbors may not like super tall buildings in the area blocking the view or casting shadows on their property at odd times during the day. It is for this reason that you must consider public relations and a community relations program.

The very first thing that the public relations company higher to promote a high rise apartment complex should do is to remind the local business community and the local chamber of commerce the amount of money which will be spent in the community thanks to the new luxury class clientele will soon be moving into the high rise apartment complex.

The second paying the public relations director should do when working on a high-rise apartment complex is to get with the Mayor's Business Roundtable, Chamber of Commerce and The City's Accounting Department and explain the increased sales tax revenue in real dollars to the city. So the city can upgrade the police department, fire department, parks and Recreations department and all the other little city projects.

Once this synergy is going and tours of the apartment complex are given to community leaders along with these other public relations tactics the high-rise apartment complex is well on its way to public and community acceptance. Change for a community is often met by resistance; nevertheless he could public relations campaign will make the difference. Please consider this in 2006.

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

Financial Planners Why Advertise When Free Publicity And Marketing Is Better

Writen by Ned Steele

Commit this to memory, please: To get in the media, being good is good enough.

You don't need to be perfect, or even the best in your profession. There's no elaborate entrance exam or competition to determine who gets media coverage.

The prize goes to those professionals who are competent or better, and who understand how to play the publicity game.

I have absolutely nothing against advertising as a means of getting exposure and a wider audience. In many cases, it's just what you need, and deserves a spot in your marketing mix.

But (have you noticed?) it is expensive, isn't it? And, in the end, it's still you saying you're great, which isn't as good as them saying it. I just think of it this way:

Advertising – buys you visibility
Publicity – earns you credibility

Sure, you're good. But, let's face it. So are many of your financial planning peers and competitors. But you can be the one who gets into the media. Because you knew how to get a reporter's attention.

You understand that getting in the media doesn't require you to be the best financial planner on Earth.

I am also a big believer in direct mail marketing. It's a superb tactic to build ongoing relationships with clients, customers, and prospects.

But, unless you're ready to cough up big bucks to buy mailing lists, it limits you. You can only reach the people you already know – the ones in your database. All those people will get to know you better, and that's good – but you won't be meeting any new prospects. To do that, it's either spend on lists or advertising, or learn how to get yourself some free publicity.

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.

Public Relations Why It Works

Writen by Robert A. Kelly

The short answer is, it works best when its fundamental premise is the guide, which insures that the primary focus of your public relations program is the behaviors of your most important outside audiences. Not less urgent matters like personalities, communi- cations tactics or administrative concerns.

PR strives to effectively manage the perceptions and behaviors of your outside audiences with the goal of helping you achieve your organizational objectives.

Pretty important stuff.

But not difficult or complex.

Particularly when you get started on the right foot.

Namely, do an inventory and identify those groups of people whose behaviors have a clear impact on your organization.

Because how those folks think about you and your organization usually leads to those helpful/hurtful behaviors, job #1 is, find out how they perceive you right now.

You and your colleagues must monitor those perceptions, interact with those target audience individuals and pose lots of questions. What do you think of us? Have you ever had a problem with our service? But remain alert to signs of negativity like hesitant or evasive responses, misconceptions, rumors or inaccuracies.

With those responses in hand, you establish your public relations goal. For example, correct a specific inaccuracy, clear up that misconception, or neutralize a damaging rumor.

Next question: how do I get from here to there? You need a strategy. But in dealing with opinion change, you have just three possibilities. Create opinion/perception where there may be none, change existing opinion, or reinforce it.

What you say to members of your target audience is really important. After all, you're trying to change perceptions, and that requires a message that is not only crystal-clear, but persuasive and believable. So, when you say the misconception, inaccuracy or rumor should be corrected, be sure your facts are rock-solid, credible and, hopefully, compelling.

Run the message by your colleagues to test its chances of altering perception, then fine tune it.

Your delivery system for moving your message to members of your target audience is the communications tactic. And there are scores of them available to you. From newspaper interviews, radio talk shows, emails, speeches and brochures to op-eds, community briefings, newsletters, personal contacts and many others.

How will you know if you are making progress?

Once your communications tactics have had six or seven weeks to make an impact on your target audience, go back out among audience members and ask the same questions all over again. The big difference the second time around is, you are now looking for signs that opinion has been altered with regard to the problem perception. And watch especially for altered perceptions that include the corrective elements of your message.

As you continue monitoring key audience opinion/perceptions, positive changes should begin appearing and, inevitably, lead to the behavior changes you want.

In public relations, it doesn't get much better than that.

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 © 2003.

About The Author

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks about the fundamental premise of public relations. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net. Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com.

Public Relations Success Starts Here

Writen by Robert A. Kelly

For discerning business, non-profit and association managers, PR success is pretty much a matter of achieving their managerial objectives by altering perceptions leading to changed behaviors among those important external audiences that MOST affect their department, group, division or subsidiary.

Period.

If, however, as a manager you choose to view public relations as simply a collection of tactics, you might see PR success through the lens of press release pickups, successful special events, or newspaper columns mentioning your chief executive.

I don't believe the underlying premise of public relations allows such a limited interpretation. See for yourself: 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.

I believe that premise implies that the work that precedes such tactics will determine the success of your public relations effort.

It also implies that you might want to broaden your view of public relations requiring that you do something meaningful about your key external audiences instead of concentrating on a brochure versus a DVD versus a broadcast interview.

There's really no end to the benefits that may come your way. Prospects starting to do business with you; community leaders beginning to seek you out; welcome bounces in show room visits; rising membership applications; customers making repeat purchases; fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; and new approaches by capital givers and specifying sources not to mention politicians and legislators viewing you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities.

Will an outside PR agency team do all this work for you? Or folks assigned to your operation? Or, ideally, your own public relations people? No matter where they come from, they need to thoroughly understand this approach to public relations, AND, be really committed to the program beginning with key audience perception monitoring.

Nothing beats sitting down and having (as the Brits say) a good chin wag with your people in order to be sure that those assigned to you are clear on why it's vital to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. They must accept the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your operation.

Go over the details as to how you plan to proceed, especially when and where you will monitor and gather perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. For instance, how much do you know about our chief executive? 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?

Don't hesitate to use professional survey firms in the perception monitoring phases of your program if your budget can stand it. If the money isn't there, remember that your PR people are also in the perception and behavior business and can pursue the same objective: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

You can be pretty sure that you will prevail over the worst distortions you discovered during your key audience perception monitoring. Actually, your new PR goal will probably require straightening out that dangerous misconception, or correcting that gross inaccuracy, or stopping that potentially fatal rumor cold.

You also really need the right strategy. One that lays out how to proceed. Do not forget that there are just three strategic options available to you when it comes to handling a perception and opinion challenge. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. The wrong strategy pick will taste like rice vinegar on your scones, so be certain the new strategy fits comfortably with your new public relations goal. You don't want to select "change" when the facts dictate a "reinforce" strategy.

What's needed now is a strong message aimed squarely at members of your target audience. Admittedly, crafting action-forcing language to persuade an audience to your way of thinking is not an easy job. That's why you will need a heavy-hitter writer because s/he must create some very special, corrective language. Words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are to correct something and shift perception/ opinion towards your point of view leading to the behaviors you are targeting.

At last, one of the more entertaining chores -- selecting the communications tactics most likely to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. You might do this after you run a final draft by your PR people for impact and persuasiveness. There are dozens of tactics available to you. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. Only caveat: be certain that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

As a message's believability has been known to rely on the credibility of the means used to deliver it, you may think about unveiling it before smaller meetings and presentations rather than using higher-profile news releases.

Someone, somewhere will ask when a progress report will be available. Your smartest reaction is to take yourself and your PR team back to the field and begin a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. Many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session will fit perfectly the second time around. But now, you will be on keen alert for signs that the problem perception is being altered in your direction.

As we know, any program can slow down for one reason or another. Tuck this away for future use: if program momentum peters out, you can always speed things up by adding more communications tactics, and increasing their frequencies.

The reason we say up front that public relations success CAN start right here with this article, is that, in our view, managers must pursue their managerial objectives by concentrating on the work outlined here that precedes their use of tactics.

That will determine the success of their public relations effort.

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

Public Relations For Musicians

Writen by Lance Winslow

Musicians and Artists need to maintain a strong public relations program to insure that their voice is heard in their music and they do not allow their words in interviews to be misconstrued. Of course all musicians know that controversy does sell publicity and the more publicity the more people may try their music. Selling CDs and exciting crowds is part of a musicians entertainment job description, but often it requires some extra consideration as well.

Some of the more popular musicians and bands often get them selves caught in political and media firestorms over their perceptions and comments about events, people and concepts in our society and that is when a good public relations specialist can separate their brilliance from the baggage of their often high-strung words and fierce perspective based comments.

There are many things that Musicians can do to maintain their public relations and most of the top musicians know that while they are on the road they need a top notched public relations specialist promoting them with full access to the media and constant communication lines open as well. Surely you can think of some examples of really good PR for musicians and PR disasters as well even within this current year. So, consider all this in 2006.

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

How To Be The Most Memorable Person At Networking Events

Writen by Charles Burke

Most of the people I hear from hate networking. They go only because they know they "should," but it's like pulling teeth for them.

If you've experienced the usual clammy grip of fear when it's your time to introduce yourself, the following may help you feel more at home, make deeper, more lasting impressions, and attract voluntary referrals from many of the other attendees.

First, if you want to take some of the pressure off, it can help to consider your first half-dozen events to be nothing but practice.

It helps even more if you go specifically to listen and get to know who's there, rather than to "sell" your own story. So take along your business cards, but dump your nice four-color 12-page brochures. There's a better way to make powerful impressions.

Here's an example that happened to me on Monday.

My wife does a lot of work for an NGO here in Japan that helps North Korean refugees, but I have little direct participation, other than running their English language website ( http://www.northkoreanrefugees.com ).

This past Sunday, we flew over to Seoul for the three-day North Korean Holocaust Exhibition to be held at the Parliamentary building.

The event started with the usual speeches and ribbon-cutting. Then the main organizers all split off, doing individual interviews with journalists. The regular attendees wandered around viewing the exhibits. And those who were there to gather information or disseminate it began mingling, meeting and introducing themselves. In other words, this turned into a networking event.

I wasn't there to sell anything or to persuade anybody, so I wandered around looking for the people who appeared too intimidated or too shy to mingle. These are the folks who hang back by the wall, or who stand alone looking wistful.

I found two ladies who told me they were doing a paper on refugees, so I led them over to the two main activists (I had exchanged emails with the activists for a couple of years, but had only met them in person minutes earlier).

I walked up, tapped both of the leaders on the arm and said, "Excuse me, but you two need to talk with these ladies. They're doing research on your topic. I think they may be able to help you tell your story." Then I backed away and let them have at it.

Later, I met a German journalist who had just arrived in Seoul as the new correspondent for his publisher. I found out what kind of information he was looking for, then led him over to a lady -- one of the refugees who had managed to escape through China -- and introduced him.

Now, bear in mind, I didn't even know the lady, and neither he nor I spoke any Korean, but I took him over and we tried talking with her anyway. Sure enough, some people nearby stepped right up and offered to interpret. Again, I just backed away and let them work.

Later, these people came back to me, appreciative and wanting more information about our NGO and website.

When you concentrate on giving and on priming the pump, good stuff can flow. People WILL remember you if you go out of your way to spread THEIR name around. Boy will they remember you.

Charles Burke is the author of Command More Luck, the book that shows you why all those things keep happening to you. Learn why "luck" doesn't work the way you've always been told. Not even close. The bad news -- There's no such thing as luck. The good news -- There's something even better. Learn how it works at http://www.moreluck.com

Public Relations For Vacation Resorts

Writen by Lance Winslow

Often vacation resorts are put on islands where the people living there are relatively poor and it is kind of an invasion of the modern world onto their world. Nevertheless a vacation resort can bring lots of money to the island and increase the wealth of those that live there. In doing so this means a greater quality of life and a higher standard of living.

However, it must also be considered that once a big vacation resort goes into such a location it changes the dynamics of the community and the local microeconomics forever. For those who work at the vacation resorts they are paid a lot more money than they could receive elsewhere and this means there is a separation of classes nearly immediately.

Vacation resorts need to do things for the local Islanders such as help them with schools and education and mitigate any concerns of the local tribal leadership or local government. The efforts of a vacation resort on an island are also often respected by the visitors.

If the island resort gives money to the locals and helps out with local charities then the tourists are more likely to also chip in and help with their dollars. This can be a win-win for the island and the resort and make the customers feel like they are giving to important cause. Please consider all this in 2006.

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

Public Relations For Bond Measures

Writen by Lance Winslow

Major infrastructure projects in our civilization often require bond measures. Sometimes these bond measures are voted on by the general public and often taxpayer groups will yell and scream that the bond issues are costing too much money. That the government does not need to make these infrastructure changes and is only making them to provide more work for large construction companies who are in bed with large government bodies and in the pants of politicians or pockets rather.

Without major infrastructure projects, our civilization could not do all that it does. We need our roads, dams, pipelines and we need schools, government buildings and so many other things. Without all these infrastructure items our civilization cannot function properly. This is why public relations for Bond measures is so vitally important so that people understand what is really needed and what is extra.

When a bond measure is floated it makes sense for the government agencies involved to promote them through positive public relations and in a way, which is honest and has integrity in the process. Promoting a bad bond measure only causes more distrust in government and does not serve the public good.

For those government agencies who are often involved in bond measures they need to make sure they have open communication lines with all media outlets so that when the detractors start making noise the government agency can address all the issues in real-time and explain and educate what is really going on to the general public. Please consider all this in 2006.

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

Making Your Own News

Writen by Amber McNaught

Getting a press release published in a newspaper or magazines can be one of the best ways to publicize your business. First, though, you need a good story – and that can be the hard part.

Here's a basic rule of public relations for you, though: if you don't have a good news story to tell, you create one. Here's how to do it:

1. Throw a Launch Party

It doesn't matter if your business is a few months old, or just newly opened: if you haven't thrown a launch party, it's time to do it. Invite everyone you can think of to your party: invite the local councilors and MPs, members of your local business community, your friends, family and prospective customers - and, of course, the media.

2. Run a Competition

Just as everyone loves a story, you'll find that there are very few people who can resist a freebie. By running a competition, you'll be able to tap into that opportunistic streak all of us have – and promote your business at the same time.

3. Give something away for free

I know, I know – when your business is new, you want to hold onto every last penny. The very idea of giving something away for free is anathema to you! But trust me – freebies not only help you get into the local media, they also help bring in more business.

By offering freebies, you do two things:

* Generate goodwill towards your business
* Gain media exposure

The media couldn't care less if you're selling something (even at a substantial discount) – that's why they have an advertising section. Once you start giving it away though – that's when they'll sit up and take notice.

Again, giving away freebies will cost you money: but the interest generated by the offer will last long after it ends, and there's a good chance that the people who missed out on the freebie will decide to try out the product anyway.

4. Get sponsored in an unusual way

As any PR-person will tell you, sponsorship doesn't just benefit the charity you're raising money for: if you're a small business owner, it can be of great benefit to you as well. Cynical? Well, probably. There's no getting away from the fact, though, that being sponsored to do something, whether it's a charity hike, sponsored silence or a walk halfway round the world will give you a better chance of seeing your business name in the paper.

5. Sponsor someone else

If you don't fancy being sponsored yourself, then try sponsoring someone else. Local clubs, sports teams and organizations are always on the lookout for extra cash, and while you may not be able to spring for a sponsorship deal with your local premiership club, sponsoring your local kids' football team will earn you goodwill – and your business name on eleven shirts for a year!

6. Piggy-back on someone else's press release

We've already discussed politicians and how media savvy they are. The same goes for many other organizations and businesses, who are just as desperate for publicity as you are. It makes sense to get to know the PR people working for these organizations. Say your business is in a health-related industry, and you find out that your local hospital is about to put out a press release about an issue affecting them. Why not contact the hospital press officer and ask if you can help? You may be surprised at how willing they are to have your voice of support quoted on their press release – and that means getting your business in the media.

This article is an excerpt from "PR Power: How to Write a Killer Press Release – and make sure it gets published!", Amber McNaught's popular new ebook. Buy it at http://www.hotigloo.co.uk/prpower.htm

Amber also offers an affordable press release writing and distribution service.

Public Relations For Ongoing Education Courses

Writen by Lance Winslow

Ongoing education courses are required in most industries, which have licenses or in those industries where the government supervises the industry somehow. Some of these rules, laws and regulations are put into effect to help the consumer, investor, patient or the homeowner. Each person who is in the industry must go to ongoing education classes to show that they are competent and follow the rules of the industry.

Sometimes this works and sometimes it just slows down the industry and naturally ends up hurting the investor, consumer, homeowner or patient. It often adds costs to those who buy the services or products of that industry and that is truly unfortunate. Worse off for ongoing education courses and companies that offer that service most of the people in the industry hate them.

They know that they are necessary but they hate the ongoing education courses, mostly because they are mandatory and have nothing to do with the actual ongoing nature of the business or industry they are in. With all this said how can an ongoing education course or company that offers such services participate in positive public relations and industry goodwill programs in order to attract those participants in the industry to buy their ongoing education services to get the required credit to continue their profession?

It is not easy but one way is to hold free seminars or Tele seminars and give some of the education away for free in advance in hopes of signing up students. Please consider all this in 2006.

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

Media Relations Ending The Press Release Crutch

Writen by Brad Phillips

When most people think of media relations, they think of press releases. To be sure, writing and distributing them is one of the most important parts of the job. But press releases may be the most overused tool in the media professional's arsenal to the detriment of other tools that might have greater results.

When I worked in broadcast news for ABC News and CNN, the fax machines virtually never stopped. We got press releases by the dozen, and by the end of each day, we had a ream of press releases. They each had something in common. They each went unread.

To break through the clutter, you'd be wise to occasionally skip the press release and send a personalized note to a reporter instead. This works particularly well when offering a reporter an "exclusive," a story that you will only pitch to a single news organization.

Here are three tips to help make sure your letter gets read:

1) Offer an Exclusive -- News is a competitive business. If a reporter likes your story – and is convinced that his or her cross-town rival won't have it – they are much more likely to carry your news. The offer of an exclusive is an effective tool, but should be thought out carefully, since the news organization that doesn't get the story may hold it against you.

2) Conduct Reporter Research -- You may have a brilliant pitch – but if you send it to the wrong reporter, it's useless. Make sure you properly identify the correct reporter for your type of story.

Once you've done that, indicate to the reporter that you've been following his or her work, and that your story is similar or related to another story he or she has recently written. Mention his or her previous articles by name. A shockingly small number of media relations professionals take the time to do this, so the reporter will instantly deem you more credible than the average "PR flack."

3) Subject Line -- Reporters from National Geographic Traveler and People magazines recently told me how critical they consider an e-mail's subject line. A boring subject line means that the e-mail will probably never even get opened!

There are certain things you can do to break through the clutter. I've found it effective to write "Offer of Exclusive" in the subject line, or to include the reporter's name in the subject line, as in "To David – New Research Shows Children Increasingly Illiterate."

But virtually nothing beats a genuinely creative and attention-grabbing headline. I recently saw an e-mail sent by a company that uses clamshells to make jewelry. Their subject line? "Clams aren't just for chowder anymore." You better believe that most reporters were curious enough to open that e-mail!

Brad Phillips is the founder and president of Phillips Media Relations (http://www.PhillipsMediaRelations.com). He was formerly a journalist for ABC News and CNN, and also headed the media relations department for the second largest environmental group in the world.

Vip Database Does Your Company Have One

Writen by Lance Winslow

The VIP databases are fun to create and can be an excellent source for your small business. You say; VIP database, "what is that; who would I put in it?" It will contain things like mayor, city council persons, city managers, service club board members, campaign contributors in previous elections, human resource directors, P.R. directors and presidents of large companies, etc. And anyone who's anyone in your market or trading area should be put into your VIP database for easy reference. We recommend using a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet as a format.

To insure accurate information you will need to call the presidents of all clubs and introduce ourselves. By clubs we mean the Rotary, Kawanis, Lions, Elks, Optimists, Soroptimists, Genealogical Society, New Comers, etc. Then jot down all of their annual and or big upcoming events they have planned, their basic mission, big projects, weekly meetings and club contact names. Presidents of clubs love to talk about all the great things they are doing. They'll talk your ear off. So listen. When they are done talking, you start talking, volunteering and telling them about your services or products and thus you become a resource for them to do good in the city. They will pretend to care for ten to fifteen minutes and then give you the names and phone numbers of their club officers and various committee heads. These go in the VIP database. It doesn't take much to get yourself invited to a meeting or two.

Most local politicians are listed in the white pages. They usually have an answering machine and don't pick up the telephone. They want to look accessible, but it's all a facade. Half of the local politicians return phone calls and the others don't care unless you are a contributor to their re-election or you are a VIP. You need to make contact with them and tell them of your pro-active approach in your business to be a community based business and you want to help.

As your database gets bigger you will see the value and the simple meeting of all these folks will start an insider buzz and it will bring business your way as you tap into the community that supports you. Think about it.

Lance Winslow

Public Relations Air Conditioning Companies

Writen by Lance Winslow

Have you ever considered how to launch a public relations campaign in a community when your company profession or industry is not so glamorous? Consider if you will a Air Conditioning and Heating Company. What sorts of community spirited public relations campaigns can you do with such things?

Well how about setting up or participating in a Neighborhood Mobile Business Watch Program, sponsored in part by the Chamber of Commerce and the local police department? Consider if you will the following observations;

AIR CONDITIONING COMPANIES: Heating and Air Conditioning Companies often work for commercial properties on roofs, a great vantage point and totally unexpected. They usually have many vehicles. They have constant communication. Their owners are usually very involved in city and civic affairs.

They also work in apartment complexes and low income housing areas where a higher percentage of crimes are committed due to density. They work in commercial malls and centers. More cars are stolen at regional malls than any other location and there is lots of shoplifting. They are also in residential neighborhoods of middle and upper middle class where people are at work and not around to protect their properties.

You see for all these reasons it makes sense to enjoy the benefits of helping the community, which supports your business by keeping an eye out for their well being. Such a public relations program costs next to nothing and the community goodwill generated is truly fruitful. So consider all this in 2006.

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

55 Reasons To Send Out A Press Release

Writen by Scott Lorenz

When should you send out a press release? You want to know my acid test? If it's newsworthy and if it's useful to the reader. It's that simple.

There are many factors to weigh when considering the need to send out a press release. As a publicist I have sent thousands of releases over the years and while there are no hard and fast rules, the most important factor is that you've got to make sure it's newsworthy and useful to the reader. Any thing else and it's just a waste of time for the members of the media.

A good press release can accomplish a lot of things too. It can be used to announce information to the public, your investors, the media, your customers and even your competitors about you and your activities. To help my clients determine whether something is newsworthy I compiled a list of fifty-five press release ideas I give to them to get their ideas flowing about their own businesses. Some are for general consumer media and some may not apply to all business types.

1. Announce a new service.
2. Announce a new product.
3. Tie in with a national holiday, a birthday or anniversary.
4. Report a new study of your own and your analysis or forecast.
5. Tie in with a controversy by commenting on it.
6. Co-op an event with the media.
7. Utilize a national survey or study to your benefit.
8. Announce your exhibit at a trade show or convention.
9. Commission a survey and report the results.
10. Write a white paper and announce its availability at your web site.
11. Create and promote a special event.
12. Use a current news event to frame your release.
13. Host a seminar and announce the information discussed.
14. Announce an upcoming speaking engagement.
15. Schedule a speaking engagement at the local library… for free.
16. Make reprints of speeches available at your website.
17. Create a contest and offer a prize that's newsworthy.
18. Pricing and policy changes.
19. Patents and trademarks.
20. Litigation won.
21. Announce the results of a new study.
22. The number of hours your employees donate volunteering in your community.
23. Involvement in various community events and activities.
24. Innovative use for your products.
25. First person stories about people using your product or services.
26. New clients you've obtained.
27. New testimonials.
28. Celebrities that use your product or service.
29. Financial projections and forecasts.
30. Announce a public appearance.
31. Appointments by government officials to offices.
32. Retirement of well respected and revered employees.
33. Recognition of long-time employees with 25 years of service or more.
34. Internal promotion of key staff members.
35. Send a letter to the editor and CC the media and your audience, "in case they miss it."
36. New members of important committees.
37. Results of an election.
38. The passage of an important resolution.
39. Anniversary of the founding date of the organization or company.
40. Charitable donations by your organization.
41. ISO 9001certification of your company.
42. New awards won.
43. Association membership.
44. Publicly release a letter from a soldier or someone with poignant thoughts.
45. Report on a public project and offer insight to the problem.
46. Protest an activity or issue.
47. The sponsorship of a community event.
48. How to apply for internships in your company.
49. How to apply for scholarships offered by your company.
50. Open house where people can tour your plant, office etc.
51. Create an award to honor individuals in the community.
52. The appearance in front of a public entity, i.e. testimony before the US Senate.
53. Host a public debate.
54. Announce a fact finding trip and then report your findings.
55. Host a celebrity event and tie in your company.

Once you get the release written now what? How do you put it in the hands of the media? How can a company or individual know if it can handle media relations themselves or if it needs to hire a public relations firm, an independent publicist or a full fledged marketing firm? If you aren't completely certain after debating the pros and cons, ask these questions:

* Are we getting all the PR we deserve?
* Is our competition getting more than their fair share of media coverage?
* Would media coverage bring more business to the firm?
* Do we have a PR strategy for continuous year round media coverage?
* Is our in-house "PR person or department" overburdened with "in-house" work like the company newsletter?

First of all, let's define a PR firm. Some people interchange a PR firm with a marketing firm, or marketing agency, or even an ad agency. Basically a public relations firm handles media relations and is the interface between a company and the news media.

A public relations firm or publicist will "pitch" the media on a story idea involving a company, invention or author. A good pitch about a story that would interest the people who read, watch or listen to a particular media outlet gets coverage.

Many larger companies rely on in-house staff trained in public relations or marketing while others hire PR consultants or publicists to handle their PR campaigns.

Joe Nicassio, author of Guerrilla PR Brand Manager, says whether a company should conduct its public relations, marketing or advertising campaigns internally or externally should be determined by these factors"

Do you NEED solid, consistent media exposure week after week, or are you satisfied with "occasional" exposure?

Do you have the internal staff and expertise to commit the internal resources to your public relations, marketing, advertising efforts?

If you have the internal staff, and they understand Guerrilla PR principles, then there may be no reason to hire an outside agency. Paradoxically, the busier you get, the easier it is to parlay, or "set aside" consistent, important PR activities. Don't get caught in that trap!

"Public Relations is a craft that requires PASSION," says Nicassio. "You may need PR, and you may even have the people to conduct your public relations, marketing, advertising campaigns but that's not enough. To be truly effective, your PR campaigns must be conducted with PASSIONATE CONSISTENCY."

-END-

Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with doctors, lawyers, inventors and authors. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC Nightly News, The New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, NPR, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Family Circle, Woman's World, & Howard Stern to name a few. To discuss how Westwind Communications helps its clients get all the publicity they deserve and more, call 734-667-2090 or email: scottlorenz@westwindcos.com . Visit: http://www.westwindcos.com

How To Write Your News Release

Writen by George Torok

Follow this step-by-step process to write and expose your news.

Format

Call it a 'News Release', 'News Bulletin' or 'Announcement'. 'Press Release' sounds like propaganda.

Add, 'For immediate use'. This implies urgency. It also allows them some choice on when to run it. If the news is date sensitive state 'for use before' or 'for use after'.

Fax or mail? If urgent - fax. But to get noticed mail it. They get a lot of junk mail and junk fax. The fax junk looks too much alike. If you mail it you have a chance to get attention with the colour and feel of the paper. Send it on good quality paper with your logo. That could be your letterhead.

Don't address it to 'newsroom' or 'editor'. That's the same as 'occupant'. Instead address it to a person. Get their name.

Make it easy to read. Maximum one page. Use easy to read font. Twelve point size Times Roman works well. Add a little spice by bolding key names - but sprinkle lightly. Italics draws attention but is hard to read. Use capitals and small letters - don't print the whole thing in capital letters. That is extremely difficult to read. Keep paragraphs and sentences short. Double spacing is best.

Make it clear whom the release is from. Lead with city and date of the release. This gives perspective. At the bottom of the page state, 'The end' or '- 30-' Show contact name(s) and phone number(s) clearly at the bottom or top of the page.

Make sure those contacts receive a copy of the release and that they will be available and prepared to talk to the press when called. Impress on those contacts that the press need speedy responses to make their deadlines.

Content

Start with a strong title. A subtitle is not necessary if the title is strong. Study newspaper headings for ideas. Examine the style of the target media you are trying to reach to get ideas.

You have only one chance to hook them with the title. If you do not, they will not read any further. One glance at the headline is how they preview the release. There must be words, themes, companies, personalities or issues in the title that slows their glance enough to invite them to read the first paragraph.

The first sentence must grab them. Rework that first sentence until the first few words or even the first word pulls the reader in.

The first paragraph is important. It should contain your most important message. If they read that far - it is what draws them into the story. Write that first paragraph as if that might be the only paragraph they print.

Follow with the next points in order of decreasing importance. Assume that they might chop it after any paragraph. Write each paragraph applying the same approach to your sentences. If they only print one sentence make that the first sentence.

Good news releases are not written , they are re-written and re-written.

Make it easy to read. Maximum one page. Use easy to read font. Twelve point works well. Add a little spice by bolding key names - but sprinkle lightly. Italics draws attention but is hard to read. Use capitals and small letters - don't print the whole thing in capital letters. That is extremely hard to read. Use many short paragraphs and short sentences. Double spacing is a very good idea.

Proof read before you send it. Journalists are especially sensitive to poor grammar and typos. It hurts to read garbage - so they won't.

The media will read your release thinking, 'Will this interest my readers, listeners or viewers and is it unique?' It doesn't have to be 'very' unique - just a little. Every January we get news about the first News Year's baby. Because the first one is unique at that time, the second is not news.

Relate the news to the reader. Why is it important to the readers, listeners, or viewers of the media? Test for significance by asking, 'So what?'

Answer a reporter's key questions: who, what, why, where, when and how. You could even use these questions as sub headings - or as a summary. Use these questions as a quality test before you send it.

Quotes are good and more interesting. You might use quotes from company officials, community leaders or customers. When you use a name always state who they are, e.g. National Sales Manager, President and Founder, author of… Use quotes that evoke emotion, create controversy or present a position.

Don't introduce too many new names. This confuses readers. Talk about one or two.

Write the name in full the first time you use it. After that you can use only the last name. If you want a name to be remembered use it several times in the release.

After the Release

The reporter(s) may call for more information or to arrange a photograph. Be available. If you are out of the office check your voice messages often. The press has tight deadlines.

Don't expect to review the reporter's article before publication. Occasionally they will run the article exactly the way you wrote it - but not often. Once you give them the information they have control. It helps if you have read other articles from the reporter and know their slant and hot buttons.

If they use your news release, send them a thank you note.

Keep and file all your news releases in sequence - even the ones that did not get action. Clip and save the articles that ran with the release. Study them to find what works with whom and when.

See you in the news!

© George Torok is co-author of the national best-seller, 'Secrets of Power Marketing', Canada's first guide to personal marketing for 'non-marketers'. He delivers seminars & keynotes to corporations and associations across North America. You can reach him at 905-335-1997. For more information about seminars and more marketing tips visit http://www.Torok.com