Small Talk Expertise Turns into Big Ink - Here’s How

Congratulations to Melissa Wadsworth for earning big ink in the Sunday edition of the Lifestyle section of the Seattle Times for her small talk expertise. The “How to shoot the breeze with ease” interview with columnist Pamela Sit was well timed for all the holiday parties now in progress. Here is the link so you can learn some timely tips right now.

I asked Melissa how this story came about, and here is what she said:

“Actually, this was a gift from the media gods. The reporter just called me out of the blue and said she had been looking at my website and would I do an interview about small talk for holiday gatherings. Of course, my experience with knowing what to do when the media calls you kicked into place. She gave me five days notice. That give me time to organize some thoughts and stories around the topic. When she asked for two high res head shots after the interview, I had those to send her, which I did immediately. I also followed up by passing along the notes I had made for the interview. That way, if she didn’t get what she had out of the actual interview, there was more information she could choose from. She actually used one of the points from these notes. After the article came out, I sent her a another thank you note, expressing what a wonderful writer she was. That’s it.”

To go one step beyond, I suggested she connect with the reporter to share her website after the fact to make it easy to refer readers to it to make their “Small Talk Savvy” books since that site wasn’t mentioned in the article. As luck would have it, the website offer came in perfect timing to respond to a reader request that can in moments before.

If you need help with small talk savvy, Melissa’s book can show you the way. Here is a link to learn more.

What expertise do you offer that is perfectly timed for right now? I’ll be giving a talk to the Seattle Chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers in January. They sure have timely expertise to share to help folks get a jump start on being better organized in the New Year. What a timely idea that has legs to run. And, believe it or not, Valentines Day is just around the corner, and reporters with retail stories to tell in January want to hear the latest timely, newsworthy, and relevant ideas and trends to lend impact to their January reporting, just in time for the season of love. There is no time like the present than now to start pitching — and earning the big ink. Are you game? Have fun, and keep me posted on your success.

Fabulous Resources to Empower Free Publicity Success

It’s that time of year when business owners are looking to the New Year with high hopes about how things will be so much better with much more ease. If you are in that boat, this blog post is for you.

Here is a quick list of some of the fabulous resources I rely upon to earn publicity for my clients. Consider them for your do-it-yourself (DIY) publicity efforts. At the very least, subscribe to their free ezines and/or visit their blogs to sample their offerings to be convinced of their value. You have much to gain and nothing to lose.

PR Leads - Active Media Leads Direct to Your Inbox
Publicity Hound - Fabulous, Useful Publicity Tips and Advice
Get on Oprah with Susan Harrow’s Help
Gift List Media - Holiday Gift Guide Leads
Press Kit 24/7 - Need I Say More?
Plan Your Marketing Road Trip to Success
Create Tips Booklets and Make Money
Get Known Now with Suzanne Falter-Barns

While you are at it, consider launching an ezine of your own. I use www.constantcontact.com to send my ezines, and I have been very satisfied with the ease and reliability of this service.

2008 is going to be great. Just be sure to take advantage of the great and often free resources that are available to bring about more publicity success with greater ease.

Holiday Card Contest Delivers Favorable Publicity for Olympic Hot Tub Co.

Every year, Olympic Hot Tub Company invites the children of its customers to draw original art to serve as the company’s annual holiday card and offers the winner a $100 prize and a box of custom cards to share with family and friends. This year, the company decided to alert the local media about the winner’s clever creation, and big ink resulted.

It was the story behind the winning entry helped the 9-year-old artist earn front page coverage in her hometown newspaper. Here is the text to the November 21 Arlington Times story:

“Why Santa Leaves Hot Tubs on Decks” by Amy Cedarholm has been selected by the Olympic Hot Tub Company for its holiday card this year. A 9-year-old fourth-grader at Cascade Elementary School in Marysville, Cedarholm portrayed Santa scratching his head, trying to figure out how to bring the hot tub — complete with rubber duckie — down the chimney. Each year Olympic Hot Tub invites the children of its customers to create an illustration for the company to use on its holiday card. Amy’s mother, Susan Cedarholm, said that Amy loves art and designs clothing for fun and she really enjoys the hot tub, too. Her teacher is Theresa Randall. Amy told her mother that she was inspired to enter the contest by her older brother who also won the contest, five years ago when he was 10. He is now in the culinary arts tract at Marysville-Pilchuck High School. Along with receiving 50 copies of the holiday card, Amy also won $100. Amy has another older brother at M-PHS named Tim. The family received notice of the award soon after Amy’s father died of complications due to pneumonia, and it cheered them all up a little, said Susan Cedarholm.

This story offered a powerful visual, a local and very heart-warming story, and a timely hook. That’s a powerful recipe for local publicity success.

eWomenNetwork Event Guest Puts PR Tips to Work to Earn the Ink

I got a lovely email from Kathy Hope, president of Hope Fitness Center, today. She attended a meeting of eWomenNetwork during which Executive Managing Director Zita Gustin and I talked about the power of reaching out one-to-one via networking and one-to-many via publicity. Here is what she wrote:

“I just wanted to let you both know much of what you said at that meeting stuck in my head. I had written an article for a local paper in the past, but felt I wasn’t qualified to write too much because I am not a personal fitness trainer and my trainers would not help me. Well, again I was asked by another paper, this time the Mukilteo Journal’s owner Greg Harris, and he really encouraged me to give him 500 words on the topic “Why a Personal Trainer.” I had one hour before I had to be home and leave on a trip…but I did it and it was published in the November 2007 edition of the Mukilteo Journal. This is to thank you again for your words, and let you know how much they were appreciated. Looking for the next opportunity!

Kathy Hope, President, HOPE Fitness Center, Inc.

I say, “Great job Kathy!”

As you have found, no doubt, in your work as a personal trainer, action speaks louder than words. You got into action. You earned the ink. Now, let the rewards flow to you by way of new client engagements and new opportunities to be of service. By the way, now is a perfect time to be pitching stories about fitness and health as people anticipate a healthy New Year. What are your plans in the regard, and how quickly can you get into action?

Keep me posted on your success!

Is Thanksgiving the New Christmas for Gift Giving? Sounds Like a PR Opportunity to Me.

The fleece is flying at Affirmagy, a Seattle-area company that makes affirmation blankets that celebrate big ideas like courage, love, gratitude, and joy. While talking with Company Founder Kristen Marie Schuerlein earlier this week, we pondered the idea of “Thanksgiving as the New Christmas for Gift Giving.” I did a quick “Google” search to see what I could find on the topic. Bingo! Articles popped up with quotes from experts saying this is a trend gathering speed and why that is the case. Read the rest…

Powerful DIY Publicity Success Story

Check out this powerful DIY publicity success story shared by one of the guests who attended my presentation last week at the Columbia Tower Club:

“On October 10th I listened to Nancy Juetten’s talk on do-it-yourself publicity. She related the story of how she started writing a column for the Snohomish County Business Journal on publicity and marketing. Getting to show her expertise, build her credentials, and practice her PR skills.With that foundation, she went on to write for the Puget Sound Business Journal, a larger business journal based in Seattle.

As the bizdev guy for my company, I want more exposure as an internet marketing expert, and for our team of internet marketing experts. So I contacted the editor of the Snohomish County Business Journal this morning, he called back, and my first column will likely be in December.

I waited nine days before acting on Nancy’s advice, but then it took about three hours between first contact and the editor agreeing that a column would be a good idea.

I didn’t read Nancy’s “Media-Savvy-to-Go Publicity Toolkit” but I guess now maybe I should… I’ll be holding out for a signed copy. You can buy the online version or read her sales letter. Thanks Nancy, look forward to talking with you more!

PS Nancy’s # is 425-641-5214.

http://allforyou.wordpress.com/2007/10/19/nancy-juettens-advice-works/

If you are enjoying do-it-yourself publicity success based on the tips and suggestions I offer at my public events or via my Media-Savvy-to-Go information products, share your story here. It will be my pleasure to help spread the word about your DIY publicity success!

My Day Office Earned Cable TV Coverage, Thanks to Media-Savvy-to-Go Tips

I received a fabulous telephone message last Friday night.  Shauna Brennan, founder of My Day Office, called to report that she earned TV news coverage for her new venture based on the tips within the Media-Savvy-to-Go booklets.

She said, “I made the TV news. Thank you again for all of your media savvy tips. This was the second press release I issued, following your advice, and it again delivered immediate results.”

Results are way these tools are all about.  Congratulations Shauna.

My Day Office Earns Cable TV Coverage, Thanks to Media-Savvy-to-Go Tips

I received a fabulous telephone message last Friday night. Shauna Brennan, the founder of My Day Office, called to thank me again for providing media savvy tips that are supporting the launch of her new business. As a result of following those tips, Shauna created a press release and issued it to the local media. The result? Northwest Cable News did a 7:48 p.m. TV feature about her new business, bringing her offering to the awareness of news viewers on a Friday night multiple times across several TV news broadcasts that evening.

The first press release she wrote resulted in a front story business feature in the Seattle Post Intelligencer. Here is the link:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/323777_officespace16.html

The second press release she wrote delivered TV coverage. Now, her grand opening party is scheduled for October 17, and hopes are high for a great showing of support and many more opportunities to be of service. Great “ink and air” are waiting for those who get into action.

If you are curious about those sassy tips that have helped Shauna Brennan earn both “ink and air,” I invite you to visit this link to learn more: http://www.mainstreetmediasavvy.com/tips-booklets.

Shauna earned TV coverage and a front page business feature in exchange for her $10 investment. Seems like a pretty good deal to me, and I know Shauna couldn’t agree more.

Local Speaking Gig Leads to Big Ink and More

Public speaking can be a powerful way to build buzz about your expertise and be of service to others. Article writing for the local media packs a punch, as well. Stacy Karacostas, founder of SuccessStream and the author of a fabulous workbook that helps small business owners craft a winning marketing plan to get on the road to success, is getting a taste of the benefits first hand.

A few months ago, I alerted her and my ezine subscribers to a media opportunity in the Snohomish County Business Journal that would offer women business owners the chance to share expertise and add value to the Business Women 2007 special supplement within this local business journal. Stacy jumped on that opportunity and pitched an article about common copywriting mistakes. She earned an assignment, and the article debuted in this month’s issue of the newspaper. Read the rest…

My Day Office Earns Huge Ink by Following Media-Savvy-to-Go Tips

I love it when people share their media relations triumphs, and this example packs a punch.

I first met Shauna Brennan, founder of My Day Office, at a media relations presentation I gave at the invitation of Eastside Commercial Bank. She was inspired to spend $10 to purchase the Media-Savvy-to-Go Publicity Tips Booklets as a means of earning her own publicity for her new venture. She signed up to receive the Media-Savvy-to-Go ezine and started paying attention for media contacts and resources that could serve her do-it-yourself publicity goals. Read the rest…