Want to Get on TV? Follow a Daily News Routine to Increase Your Chances
Over the years, I’ve always advised my clients that if you want to get in the news, you have to watch and read the news. I know it sounds a little like “bumper sticker” advice, but it’s really not meant as a sound bite. In fact, we use a practical application of that advice every single morning at our agency.
It’s actually a very simple list of easy steps that anyone can do, and it can get blockbuster results. Read more on a strategy to get on TV →
How Steve Jobs Can Fix Apple’s iPhone PR Snafu
Let’s see how many cardinal rules of tech product launches Apple can violate in a 30-day period.
1. They released a new, bleeding-edge device behind enough hype to make the next Harry Potter movie look like a Mary Kate and Ashley video – only the darn thing wasn’t completely cooked, yet. Consumers generally understand that new releases may have their share of minor glitches here and there, but with the iPhone 4G release, it was suffering from reception problems. Now, I’m not a tech geek, but when you release a phone that doesn’t get good reception, I’d call that a primary issue. It’s like when you go to a KFC a half hour before closing, and they tell you they’ve run out of chicken. Come on! The “C” on your sign stands for chicken! How do you run out of it? (I wouldn’t be so upset about it if they didn’t put that “secret ingredient” in it that makes you crave it!) So, cardinal rule #1 – when you release a high priced, high hyped new tech device, you have to make sure it, you know, works. Read more on How Steve Jobs Can Fix Apple's iPhone PR Snafu →
Stay Focused on Your Passion: Emmy-Winning Client Proves Passion and Drive Can Overcome ANY Obstacle
I spend much of my time doling out practical marketing and PR advice based on the harsh realities of today’s new economy. People ask me constantly for ways they can market themselves affordably and more reliably, so I try to make sure most of my tips are grounded and instantly useful.
But there is one particular element I discuss quite a bit in my book, Celebritize Yourself – I also refer to it so often when speaking to clients and potential clients that I sometimes feel I run the risk of it losing its meaning. The element I talk about copiously is following your passion, and because I hate the thought of sounding like a broken record, it’s refreshing when something happens that re-emphasizes the meaning of my words. Read more on passion being the driving force behind your success →
Michael Uslan – Executive Producer of Batman Films
In the mid 1970s, Michael Uslan bought the film rights to a comic book character no movie studio cared about – Batman. For more than a decade he labored with writers and producers, pitching his darkly elegant vision of this movie. Finally, in the late 1980s, Michael was able to assemble a team that included director Tim Burton and stars Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson to create the landmark movie Batman. After its premiere in 1989, it became the highest grossing movie of all time at that point in movie history.
Since then, Michael has been the co-executive producer (along with partner Benjamin Melnicker) of the Batman franchise of films, including the recent blockbusters Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. He has also been involved in other films, such as Constantine, National Treasure and upcoming film versions of The Shadow and Shazam. Read more on Michael Uslan, producer of Batman franchise →
How to Promote Your Product or Book During Your Radio Interview
Making the Host Happy Could Get You Invited Back
Recently, I put together a list of ideas to help people make the most of their TV interviews, so I thought this time we’d talk about radio. While they are both broadcast interviews, the experiences are vastly different, and really should be discussed separately. Read more on How to Promote Your Product or Book During Your Radio Interview →
Marketers Should Not Ignore the She-Conomy
Women Make Key Buying Decisions at Home and at Work
I have never really been a card-carrying feminist, nor has my gender been a barrier to my success in the public relations industry. But I’ve not been blind to the fact that a lot has changed in the last few decades, and I think Gloria Steinem was spot-on when she wrote years ago that we’d never solve the feminization of power until we solve the masculinity of wealth.
Well, I’d say we’re just about there, because women are controlling the use of more money than at any point in U.S. history. Read more on why marketers should not ignore the she-conomy →
How to Get the Media Interested in You: You May Be Newsworthy Without Even Knowing It
Do you know what the media would consider newsworthy about you or your company?
Many new clients come to us with a strong opinion about what their “pitch” should be, but often miss the mark, in terms of knowing what will get the media to sit up and pay attention to their message. But it’s very understandable that this could occur, if you’re not working with the media the way we do, day in and day out, developing story angles intended to grab their interest. Read more on getting the media interested in you →
Apple’s iPhone Debacle Shows How NOT to Do PR
(Note from Marsha: My senior campaign strategist, Tony Panaccio, was about to bust this morning if he couldn’t blog about Apple’s iPhone prototype debacle, so in the interest of getting actual work done for clients, here’s what he has to say. Enjoy! – MF)
Okay, I was going to leave this one alone, but I find myself compelled to say something.
One of my many character flaws is that I’m an intellectual snob. I love smart people. Dumb people, not so much. And that is why I want to get on a plane, head out west, take a cab to Steve Jobs’ door and ask him why he is being such a mouth-breathing, Cro-Magnon, drooling MORON. This whole thing with the iPhone 4G prototype is getting out of hand, and Steve, you’re the guy at the top. If you’re not calling the shots on this one, you should be, because whoever is calling them is making Paris Hilton look like Stephen Hawking. Read more on Apple's iPhone debacle →
Why So Serious? Corporations Could Take a Lesson From Conan
You have to change your perspective a little to understand the significance of what Conan O’Brien has done in positioning himself and his career.
First, you have to understand that Conan is not an individual. He is a corporation, and in fact, one that employs close to a hundred people. His team from NBC will largely be rehired to work on his show on TBS, which was announced last week. Read more on why corporations could take a lesson from Conan O'Brien →
5 Tips for Using Social Media to Build Your Opt-In List
The immense popularity of social networks, and the meteoric rise in the last few years of social media marketing, have been some of the most exciting new directions for PR and marketing that I have experienced.
That is why I jumped on board the social media marketing train over a year ago…it has been a huge boon to my performance-based PR business.
But in spite of the many extraordinary opportunities in social media marketing, one drawback I’ve found is the speed with which one can be forgotten. Even the social-media savvy may struggle to stay in front of and remain memorable in the minds of their friends, followers, connections and fellow group members. Read more on using social media to buildyour opt-in list →
Do-It-Yourself Public Relations: Secrets to Getting PR with a Little Know-How and Elbow Grease
The cycle of marketing was once summarized in the story of the circus coming to town.
If the circus is coming to town and you buy a billboard saying “Circus Coming to the Fairground Saturday,” that’s advertising. If you put the sign on the back of an elephant and walk it into town, that’s promotion. If the elephant walks through the mayor’s flower bed and the local paper picks it up, that’s publicity. And if you get the mayor to laugh about it, that’s public relations. If the town’s citizens go to the circus, you show them the many entertainment booths, explain how much fun they’ll have spending money at the booths, answer their questions and ultimately, they spend a lot at the circus, that’s sales. Read more on secrets to getting PR →
Ronald McDonald retire? Not on my Big Mac!
Setting aside for the moment the fact that clowns just CREEP ME OUT, I feel the need to stand up for Ronald McDonald.
This week, a Boston activist group called Corporate Accountability International is calling for McDonalds to retire the longtime fast food icon because it claims that Ronald is “the product of a well-orchestrated and shrewd marketing strategy by America’s king of fast food” and that “McDonalds’ food is responsible for such social ills as heart disease, diabetes, animal welfare abuses, labor exploitation, unceasing environmental destruction and the breakdown of our food system.” As if Ronald is the reason why kids do pirouettes when Mom pulls the family van into MickeyD’s. Read more on McDonalds PR →
How to Effectively Manage Your PR Agency
Companies Need to Be Responsive to Maximize Returns on Their Marketing Investment
You’ve looked at your sales, your marketing, your budget and your revenues, and you decided it’s time to make an investment in public relations. You interview several PR firms, take bids and make your choice. Now, you have an “agency of record” and you’re ready to reap the benefits of placements in print, online media, radio and TV. Read more on how to effectively manage your PR agency →
How Not to Do a TV Interview
4 “Don’ts” to Keep In Mind to Ensure You Don’t Blow It
Sometimes I feel bad for on-air TV personalities, because if you’re on television regularly for any length of time, you’re going to screw up. It’s inevitable. It’s the law of averages, and when you do, YouTube will be sure to archive it for future generations. Read more on how NOT to do a TV Intervew →
How to Use PR to Overcome the 3 Biggest Challenges of the Natural Products Industry
It seems so simple and obvious.
Create healthy products that are really good for people, using natural ingredients or materials. Who wouldn’t prefer to buy foods and other products that are natural and healthy, over those that are…not? Read more on using PR to overcome the challenges of the natural products industry →
Have Consumers Even Heard About Your Book or Business?
Ever feel like you are yelling at the top of your lungs, and no one is listening?
If your book, product or service is not getting the attention that it deserves, you may want to consider some other options. Here at EMSI, we know how to get quality media coverage for your products – we’ve been doing it for twenty years! Read more on getting your books or products the attention they deserve →
Why Do We Listen to Movie Critics and How Can You Use That Paradigm in Your Business?
Movies are getting more expensive and before we plunk down $9 for a ticket, and perhaps spend an additional $15 – $20 on popcorn and sodas, most of us first look to see what the critics have to say about the movie we’re planning to see. Read more on using the movie review paradigm in your business →
Do You Skip the TV Commercials? You’re Not Alone
Why Getting On the Show Is More Important Than Ever
Commercials used to be the time to get up and stretch the ol’ legs, get a snack or let the dog out. Today, they are the signal to hit the fast forward button on the remote.
The advent of Digital Video Recorders (DVRs), often referred to by one of the leading brand names, TIVO, has finally given the viewer a break from the background noise of television advertising. Instead of being screamed at by local car dealers, pitched on the ShamWow or told repeatedly to not squeeze the Charmin, many consumers who subscribe to cable TV these days just zoom past the commercials without ever giving them a second look. Read more on being IN the show, not in the commercial →
How Effective Are Your Press Releases in Getting You Press?
Learn Which PR Tools Work Best
I had an interesting phone call yesterday that got me thinking about people’s understanding on the subject of PR—or should I say their misunderstanding. The caller was a prospective client—a very savvy businesswoman—who asked if my firm can send out a press release for a new product they’re getting ready to launch. Read more on the effectiveness of your press releases →
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You Can Enjoy Expert Celebrity Status
Are you ready for your own brand of celebrity? Public relations expert Marsha Friedman teaches you how to Celebritize Yourself! Learn the secret to becoming an expert celebrity. Her book is the manual for becoming well known as an expert in your field!
