TOP SECRETS FOR DOING YOUR OWN PR
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TOP SECRETS FOR DOING YOUR OWN PR is based on a series of workshops I have given on how to promote any kind of product or service yourself. This is a way to keep your costs down, rather than hiring a PR firm, which typically charges a $2000-5000 monthly retainer for a campaign which commonly lasts about 3-4 months. If you can afford it, an established PR firm can draw on its connections to get you publicity. But if you don’t have such funds, you can use these techniques to do your own publicity. Today you can do your own PR more easily and inexpensively than ever. You can do everything from sending out press releases and query letters to the traditional media to creating a social media campaign to using online organizations like Meetup to build a quick following. Publicity is less expensive and more powerful than just placing an ad, because people know you have paid for an ad. So you have more credibility when your publicity campaign generates a news story. Thus, the more you can spread the word through publicity rather than advertising, the more that will help you promote your product or service, though sometimes advertising can open the door to your getting publicity, such as when somebody buys a big ad and that becomes a compelling story, because people respond to that ad in a powerful way. The Apple “1984” ad is a powerful example of this phenomena. The commercial only aired once, but it was picked up by the media and created so much buzz for Apple that there was no need to pay to run it again. DO YOUR OWN PR covers the major types of PR you can do on your own. It draws on my experience in doing promotional campaigns for several dozen books, as well as dozens of workshops, seminars, and classes I have attended on public relations and publicity. I also gathered material for this program through teaching a grad school class on PR and marketing at the University of Notre Dame de Namur. And I have had numerous discussions with writers and company owners about what they did that was successful in their own PR campaigns. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION HOW YOU CAN DO YOUR OWN PR MY OWN BACKGROUND AND HOW I HAVE GOTTEN PUBLICITY CHAPTER 1: LAUNCHING YOUR PR CAMPAIGN CREATING YOUR CAMPAIGN THEME DETERMINING YOUR TARGET MARKET LINKING YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE TO THE DAILY NEWS PROMOTING A NICHE PRODUCT OR SERVICE USING PROMOTIONAL EVENTS Using Celebrities Finding Low Cost Venues for Your Events USING THE SOCIAL MEDIA CHAPTER 2: WAYS TO APPROACH THE PRESS USING A PERSONAL AND LOCAL APPROACH Deciding on Who Will Contact the Media Building from Local to National PR Contacting the Local Media TIPS FOR GETTING THROUGH TO THE MEDIA Using Your Initial Call as a Door Opener Getting Past the Receptionist Sending an Initial Query by EMail Using Your Media Contact’s Preferences Tying Your Story to the Latest News The Power of Buzz and Referrals Gaining Interest from Radio and TV Stations CHAPTER 3: CREATING YOUR PRESS MATERIALS CREATING A PRESS KIT AND PRESS RELEASE Sending Out a Press Release or Query Letter WHAT TO INCLUDE IN A PRESS RELEASE Headline or Subject Line Using a Subhead “For Immediate Release” Introduction Writing Your Release Like a News Story Contact Information The Difference Between a Press Release, Query Letter, and Social Media Posting Finding Contacts to Send Your Release or Query Letter CREATING A PRESS KIT Selecting Items to Use in Your Press Kit Types of Presentation Folders to Use Sending Your Press Kit by EMail When to Send Out Your Material CHAPTER 4: USING A WEBSITE OR BLOG IN YOUR PR CAMPAIGN USING A WEBSITE FOR PROMOTION Using Search Engine Optimization and Keywords to Increase Website Traffic Using Your City to Target Your Market Using Flash on Your Website WRITING A BLOG Turning Your Blog Into an Article Pitching Your Article to the Print Media Turning Blogs from Articles to EBooks and POD Books Frequency, Length, and Format for a Blog CHAPTER 5: SENDING YOUR PRESS MATERIALS TO THE MEDIA PR RELEASE AND POSTING SERVICES PR DATABASE SERVICES DOING YOUR OWN EMAIL BLAST CHAPTER 6: THE IMPORTANCE OF FOLLOWUP MAKING FAVORABLE CONTACTS PR RELEASE FOLLOW UPS CHAPTER 7: TIMING YOUR PRESS CAMPAIGN CHAPTER 8: KEEPING TRACK OF YOUR PR WHEN TO EXPECT YOUR STORY TO APPEAR TRACKING THE PR YOU SEND AND THE PUBLICITY YOU GET CHAPTER 9: GETTING YOUR WORK PUBLISHED WRITING ARTICLES FOR PUBLICATION Deciding Whether to Offer Articles for Free or Pay Using an Article for Promotional Purposes Typical Payment for Articles Using a PR Release to Offer Your Articles for Publication PUBLISHING YOUR ARTICLES ON EZINES CHAPTER 10: USING EBOOKS TO PROMOTE YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE THE IMPORTANCE OF EBOOKS COPYRIGHT PROTECTION MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTING YOUR EBOOK Selling an EBook in a PDF Format Selling Your EBook through an Online Reader PUBLISHING YOUR EBOOK AS A PRINTON DEMAND BOOK THE FORMAT FOR AN EBOOK CHARGING FOR EBOOKS WAYS TO PUT YOUR EBOOK TOGETHER PUBLISHING AND DISTRIBUTING YOUR EBOOK FINDING A MAINSTREAM PUBLISHER CHAPTER 11: CREATING A PACKAGE OF MATERIALS USING AUDIOBOOKS AND VIDEOS CREATING A COMBINATION PACKAGE CHAPTER 12: NETWORKING EVENTS CREATING YOUR OWN NETWORKING EVENTS Some Examples of Successful Events Organizing Your Own Social Event Setting Up a Promotional Workshop or Seminar Attending Networking Events Being Prepared Anytime A Caution on Promoting MLM Products and Services Participating in Referral Clubs Participating in Entrepreneurial Organizations, Conferences, and Meetings Getting Tables at Networking Events and Conferences CHAPTER 13: USING THE SOCIAL MEDIA The Major Social Media Sites The Importance of Building a Relationship Posting Your Information on Multiple Sites Joining Groups in Your Field Combining the Social Media with Other Networking CHAPTER 14: WORKING WITH OTHERS IN YOUR PR CAMPAIGN DOING JOINT PR WITH OTHERS USING AND CHOOSING A PR PROFESSIONAL Making Your Decision Cutting Down Your PR Costs in Working with a Pro Getting Quotes and Weighing Alternatives Working with PR People Locally or at a Distance CHAPTER 15: ASSESSING YOUR PR CAMPAIGN THE IMPORTANCE OF TIMING BEING READY TO RESPOND AND MAKE NEEDED CHANGES KEEPING TRACK OF YOUR PR RESULTS Deciding If Your Campaign Is Working or Not Ways to Track Your Results CHECKING THE TRAFFIC TO YOUR WEBSITE THE COSTS OF A PR CAMPAIGN Different Types of Arrangements The Duration and Costs of a PR Campaign DOING A COST BENEFIT ANALYIS Factors to Consider The Length of Time for the Assessment Making Your Decision CHAPTER 16: EXPANDING YOUR PR CAMPAIGN USING THE PR YOU GET TO GET ADDITIONAL MEDIA EXPOSURE CREATING A UNIQUE IDENTITY FOR YOUR COMPANY CHAPTER 17: WHEN TO CUT BACK YOUR PR PROMOTING THE UNDIFFERENTIATED PRODUCT OR SERVICE PROMOTING THE SPECIALIZED PRODUCT OR SERVICE
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About the Book
TOP SECRETS FOR DOING YOUR OWN PR provides a comprehensive overview of how to do your own PR. Chapters include these topics:
- • Launching Your PR Campaign
- • Ways to Approach the Press
- • Creating Your Press Materials
- • Using a Website or Blog in Your PR Campaign
- • Sending Your Press Materials to the Media
- • Doing Follow-Up
- • Keeping Track of Your PR
- • Getting Your Work Published
- • Using E-Books to Promote Your Product or Service
- • Creating a Package with Audiobooks And Videos
- • Creating and Attending Networking Events
- • Using the Social Media
- • Assessing Your PR Campaign
- • and More…
About the Author
GINI GRAHAM SCOTT, Ph.D., J.D., is a nationally known writer, consultant, speaker, and seminar/workshop leader, specializing in business and work relationships and in professional and personal development. She is founder and director of Changemakers and of E-Book Publishing, and has extensive experience doing PR for her own books and for clients – from writing press kits to sending out press releases to organizing promotional events. She has been interviewed as a featured expert guest on hundreds of TV and radio programs, including Oprah and Good Morning America. She also has her own PR service -- PR and Networking Conecction (www.prandnetworkingconnection), which sends out PR releases for clients to thousands of contacts in the TV, radio, print, and Internet media. She has published over 50 books on diverse subjects. Her latest books on business relationships, professional development, and marketing include: - TOP SECRETS FOR DOING YOUR OWN PR - WANT IT, SEE IT, GET IT!; - DISAGREEMENTS, DISPUTES AND ALL-OUT WAR; - 30 DAYS TO A MORE POWERFUL MEMORY; - A SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR WORKING WITH HUMANS…MANAGING EMPLOYEES FROM HELL…and WORKING WITH BAD BOSSES; - LET’S HAVE A SALES PARTY (ASJA Press 2008), - SUCCESS IN MLM, NETWORK MARKETING, and PERSONAL SELLING - BUILDING A WINNING SALES TEAM Scott has received national media exposure for her books (including appearances on Good Morning America, Oprah, Montel Williams, CNN, and the O'Reilly Factor). She hosts a weekly radio talk show series, CHANGEMAKERS, featuring interviews on various topics, which is syndicated through the HealthyLife.Net Radio Network to over 400,000 listeners. More details about the show are at at www.changemakersradio.com. She received a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of California in Berkeley, a J.D. from the University of San Francisco Law School, and M.A.s in Anthropology; Mass Communications and Organizational/Consumer/Audience Behavior, and Popular Culture and Lifestyles from California State, East Bay.