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 →

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 →

Ever since the days when every TV set was a massive 12 inches, and millions of Americans tuned in to watch I Love Lucy in glorious black and white, television has been in the center of our living rooms.

Today, the screens are larger, the picture is in high-definition color and the programming choices are near infinite. Also, in addition to shows of general interest, there are now literally hundreds of cable network shows that cater to specialized niche markets. Plus, millions are now watching TV shows on their cell phones and computers. All in all, TV viewership continues to soar. Read more →

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 →

Public relations is the hot potato of the marketing budget.

Chief Financial Officers hate it, while salespeople and business development executives love it. Every year, when the budget is drawn, this is typically how the conversation goes:

CFO: What’s the return on the PR budget?

Marketing Director: I don’t know. Read more →

Many new authors think the answer is either “when the book is done” or “doesn’t the publisher take care of that?”

But unless you are a Glenn Beck or Dan Brown, both of those responses are dead wrong. Read more →

Holding a press event is a tricky thing. It can generate great media coverage and public exposure, but you also run the risk of throwing a party where no one shows up.

If the key to your event is getting press to come, then you need to be able to get their interest and participation. That’s why I’ve jotted down the following tips to help you get the word out to the press in a way that will give you a high percentage shot at having them attend. Read more →

I wish hypocrites had seasons, like allergy season. Every spring, we all know that the pollen will be flying and most of us will be loopy on antihistamines to keep us from sneezing our proboscis off. That’s why I wish there was a hypocrites season, so we’d be able to anticipate their yammering, and be able to take an Advil in advance to prevent the headaches these idiots cause.

The hypocrites are in full bloom this week with the advent of sexy Miss USA photos that are being used to introduce the contestants on the Miss USA Web site. (See all 51 contestants at NYDailyNews.com.) Read more →

Achieving success as an author isn’t like instant mashed potatoes – you don’t just add hot water and stir.

I speak with new authors every day, and occasionally I find myself saying this during a phone conversation. More often than not, the author I’m talking to has been telling me how frustrated he is about promoting and marketing his book. He’s come to the painful realization that the lengthy and arduous process of writing his book is just the first step along the road to literary success. He never really understood that the work and effort needed to get his book onto the nightstands of readers could be just as demanding, just as arduous as the writing, editing and publishing. Or, he just didn’t know how to make it happen. Read more →

One of the things I love about my job is solving problems.

Sure, it’s great to have a client walk in the door who has a unique product or service, solid credentials and a compelling angle. It makes the work easier, certainly, but it sometimes is more satisfying to solve what a client thinks is an unsolvable problem in a creative way. Read more →