Handle Your Own PR U.S.: The DIY PR Blog

2012 Holiday Gift Guides

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 18:31:23 GMT

It's not even quite summer yet but already I'm thinking the holidays as in my world, it's the time of year when editors start gearing up for their Holiday Gift Guides. The Guides are perfect if you have "giftey" products including jewelry, accessories, fun gear and gadgets...you get the picture.

At HandleYourOwnPR we are getting ready for this heavy pitching time by updating our holiday media lists which will be available for purchase next week. If you are looking to get your product in front of customers during the hottest shopping season then the lists are a MUST for your PR efforts.

Back to you soon. More blog posts to come on how to pitch holiday gift guides!

Six No Fail Steps to PR Success

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 18:30:35 GMT

After 20 years in the PR business you get more than a "feeling" of what works and what doesn't. Below are the six steps that I've determined are essential to a successful PR campaign:

1. Develop a Strategy: The first step to success is knowing what your goals are. You must first set your sights on the kind of exposure you want, which media outlets you want exposure in; and, mostly importantly, what message you want to get out there about your product or service.

a. Positioning: The most important part of this step is figuring out your company's positioning. What differentiates your product from competitors? Do you have a proprietary technology - something that no one else has? Are you a pioneer in this product or service or are you improving upon a product/service that is already out there? These are all questions that need to be answered in your positioning statement.

2. Media Targeting: Once you have your positioning statement you will need to figure out what media you want to target. The most important aspect of this is getting to know each media outlet's focus and that of its individual editors. An obvious example is that you won't be targeting car magazines if you are a beauty company. Less obvious are finding the right editors within publications that feature several industries such as a newspaper. Each journalist will have a beat and you have to find the right reporter with the beat that fits your product.

3. Press Release: Press Releases are great for getting some instant press. Most press release distribution services like PRUnderground.com, BusinessWire and PRNewswire, send your releases to hundreds of media outlets in a particularly market sector, simultaneously. You can instantly score hits on Google News, Yahoo, Forbes.com and other online media outlets. The press release also serves informational purposes for pitches. Make sure you copy the text of the press release into an email instead of including as an attachment as most media outlets will flag emails with attachments as spam. And finally, always link your releases to your social media accounts.

4. Once you have targeted individual editors as above, and have identified their area of interest, you will want to construct a well-written, pithy and interesting pitch to grab their attention. The most important part here is to be short and sweet. You only have the first two to three sentences to grab their attention. And don't forget the subject line. This is actually the most important as they won't open the email if the subject doesn't catch their eye.

5. Follow up, follow up, follow up. Once you send your amazing pitch email, the next step is to follow up in a couple of days with a phone call. Most editors don't like to get calls so make sure you know their particular "pet peeves." Most subscription media databases and the lists on HandleYourOwnPR.com will have a comments section with helpful tips including their contact preferences. And be careful not to be too aggressive and aggravate the editor. There's a fine line between persistence and persistence to the point of annoyance. Be professional always and respect the editor when they say they are not interested; and ALWAYS thank them for their time.

6. Finally, once you have interest from an editor make sure you provide everything they need for the story. Sometimes they need more information than what is provided in a press release or will require an interview. You should also have great lo and hi res images available to send at a moment's notice.

With this strategy, you should have a winning formula for PR success.

Good luck!!

Timing Your Pitch: What time is best?

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 21:19:11 GMT

When calling a reporter, either to follow-up from a pitch, or to run a segment or story idea by them, be sure you call at the right time. While everyone has their opinion on the best day of the week, (I haven't found one day to be that much better than others) the timing of that call is a bit more of a sensitive matter.

TV and print productions are on very different schedules. You can typically call a monthly magazine anytime (except on deadline day when the next issue is going to press), but TV and daily newspapers have daily deadlines to meet. Some general guidelines include:

Television Producers: Check to see which shows the producer works for during the day or night. If they are the producer for both the 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. newscasts, the best time to reach them is going to be between 4-5:30 a.m. and then after 12:45 p.m. Keep in mind the morning producers are typically gone by 2 p.m. as they arrive so early. Most news teams will meet right after their broadcast for 30-60 minutes to talk about the next day's show, so try to decipher what their day looks like and you'll have better luck reaching them; just remember that each station is slightly different. As for leaving a voice mail message, try calling a few times, at different hours, before doing that - leaving a voice mail should be a last resort.

Print Reporters: Daily newspaper deadlines are usually around 3 or 4 p.m. local time, so the best time to reach a reporter is most likely in the morning and late afternoon/early evening - if they are still there.

All of this said, in this day-in-age, many reporters may work exclusively on email, so if you try time-and-time again to reach them via phone to no avail, draft a follow-up email instead. Some reporters work very odd hours, covering stories either early in the morning or later at night.

Practice Makes Perfect: How to make the perfect phone pitch

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 19:29:56 GMT

While most of us in this day-and-age handle our communication via email or other less personal methods, when pitching media, oftentimes it helps to pick up the phone. I have found that you may get the answer you are looking for just by taking the time to call vs. email. Because it's so easy for PR people to shoot off an email, reporters' inboxes are uber full. They cannot keep up. But few PR people pick up the phone anymore and doing so may just help you stand out. If anything, you'll get a response from the reporter more quickly, you don't have to wait for them to respond, and you can ask follow up questions about why or why not they're interested and if there may be a better source to contact.

If you're going to call a reporter, remember, the first few seconds of your phone call is crucial. To make it pitch perfect, practice, practice, practice! Here's how I handle an important phone pitch:

1. I ask permission. The first thing I do when a reporter answers is introduce myself and ask them if they have one minute for me to tell them why I called and decide if we should continue talking. I can usually get a reporter to agree to hear my one minute pitch and then tell me what they'd like to do post-pitch.

2. I write out my pitch. A loose script helps me stay focused and mention all the key points. Keep it concise and to the point.

3. I end my one minute pitch with a question. Shall we continue talking about this? Are you the right contact for this type of thing? Etc. Come up with a clear and distinct future that the two of you can agree to - whether it be to send them more information, contact their editor or colleague, or follow up with them at a better time when they can talk to you more about it. Clear next steps will help you know what you need to do to get the story rolling.

Here's an example:

If you sent a reporter a pitch about covering a local event, you can say, "Hi, This is Anne with the XYZ Company. May I have one minute of your time to tell you why I called?" When they agree, say, "Thank you for that. I work with the Children's Hospital and wanted to let you know about the ABC event benefiting the 10 million children with diabetes. The event is next weekend at XYZ Park in Springfield. Mayor John Smith will be there for the ribbon cutting ceremony - and as you know - his daughter has diabetes too. I wanted to see if your station would make a news crew available for this event? ... And I think my one minute is just about up? What do you think?"

Bottom line - practice makes perfect, ask permission to pitch, and always end with a question. As you do more phone pitches, you'll get better and more comfortable - I promise! Just be confident, do your research, rehearse and remember, these reporters get hundreds of pitches monthly; if you mess up or get a hostile reporter, at least you got in some good practice. Don't sweat it. Good luck!

Sending Samples to Media

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 12:46:44 GMT

Recently we were asked the question, "Is it okay to send samples to reporters?" We thought it was time to answer this question for all curious parties out there.

The answer is "it depends." It's okay to send a sample of your product to a reporter if you follow these conditions first:

You have pitched the reporter and communicated with them via phone or email first.
They have shown interest in your product and requested a sample.
You have confirmed their exact mailing address and the exact sample you're sending.
When sending the sample, you include your contact information, a nice note and your press materials (or background materials).

It is not okay to send unsolicited samples to reporters. You may be sending it to a reporter who is no longer at the publication, who may not work in the main offices or who, frankly, doesn't want your product. You'll just be wasting time and money (on postage, packaging and products) if you don't get a firm commitment or request from the reporter first.

Follow these rules and you'll be good to send your samples to press without worry!

How to write a GOOD media pitch ? one that will get read

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 12:46:20 GMT

How to write a GOOD media pitch - one that will get read

Getting your pitch noticed, opened and read by a reporter or producer takes some time, energy and thoughtfulness. What are you pitching? Is it timely or on trend? Are you featuring a new company or a well-known name in the industry?

Here are six tips to follow to ensure your pitch (hopefully) gets read.

*Note: A fantastic pitch doesn't always equate to a reporter being able to write about your story, but at least you can start a relationship with this person. The goal is to spark interest and plant a seed for ideally this time and if not, next.

Know Thy Reporter. Do you know whom you are pitching? What they write about and/or the industries they follow? Did one of their past stories catch your eye? I can't stress the importance of this tip! Reporters/editors will be more receptive to your pitch if you actually seem to know something about their work. Sending irrelevant information is a waste of everyone's time, and reporters tend to recall who's emails to read and who's to delete.*
Target Audience. Every story has a target audience unless it's breaking news that goes directly to the newsroom, so it's important to know whom your story is intended for. Tell the reporter you are pitching why you think their readers would be interested. Is there a local angle, does it involve a concern in the community, or is it about a new business opening up in the area?
Timing. An instant news hook to plan your story angle/pitch around is a timely holiday or event when the reporter is going to be looking for ideas anyway. For instance, perhaps it's a story on "10 Ways to Live More Green" around Earth Day, or "Inventive Summertime Recipes and Party D?cor Ideas" around the Fourth of July.
Trends. They say that trends come in threes and it's true! If you are a cloth diaper designer and you notice your sales are up 200 percent from last year, and then you read in tabloid magazine that X celebrity is now using cloth diapers for their baby, it's time to pitch your story - it's a trend! Also, as a general rule-of-thumb, if you notice that several companies are doing XYZ this year, therefore it's finally a trend, pitch a story about how you've been leading the charge for two years, but XYZ is finally emerging. Use those trend examples when crafting your pitch.
Generally speaking. It's a good idea to talk to a reporter about more than just your company and/or product. Speak to them about the world in where your company or product lives (the industry), and how your brand fits into that realm. For instance if it's a story on hybrid cars - don't go on-and-on about your hybrid car brand, but instead about the hybrid car industry - where it's at, where it's going, where you fit in, etc. Be a solid, valuable industry source for them. How can you be part of a larger story?
Backup materials. A great way to solidify your pitch is to provide secondary research in your note if relevant. Providing industry statistics or research to go along with your pitch not only saves them time, but makes their story, and your angle, more credible.

* Side note: If you have done extensive research, and you still aren't sure which of the business reporters covers small business at a certain newspaper for example, first try calling there. If you have no luck reaching anyone, try pitching the one you think is the best, but preface that you are looking for the reporter that covers small businesses, so if they are not the ideal contact, you'd appreciate any and all insight. Acknowledging that you aren't 100% sure instead of just assuming they are the right person can often help get you an in. It shows you care.

Not sure about the difference between a press release and a pitch? Click here to read our blog post on that topic.

Stories from DIY PR'ers: Professional blogger uses DIY PR to help her promote her blog, business and book!

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 12:45:44 GMT

Thousands of small business owners are doing their own PR until they "graduate" and become larger businesses with more PR needs. We thought we'd share with you some of their stories.

First up, Sommer Poquette of Green and Clean Mom, LLC. We'll have her tell you more...

HYOPR: Tell us about your business.
Sommer: Green and Clean Mom, LLC started as a personal blog and over the last three years has turned into a professional blog and business that offers social media consulting, support and works with brands to review products, offer suggestions on the product or on using social media to market the product to the mom market. A very diverse business!

HYOPR: Why did you decide to promote your business? What prompted your PR initiative?
Sommer: To make money online you need to have web traffic and presence. There needs to be a sphere of influence and this led me to PR. I knew I need to make connection for my business so I could best help my clients.

HYOPR: Tell us about your DIY approach to promoting your business.
Sommer: A small business like mine does not have a large budget and often what I make goes back into my business. I needed to be frugal and hiring someone was not an option - which led me to the DIY approach. I also wanted to learn how it was done for myself so I could best help clients, learn from my mistakes in PR and see the other side. It is easy for bloggers to want PR to work one way but when I went to the "other side" I learned crafting a dozen pitches and making them all unique is not very easy! My steps involved finding the contacts that worked for my niche, making friends with them and developing a relationship personally so that professionally I could count on them and they could count on me. Easier said than done!

HYOPR: What success did you have promoting it yourself - the good, bad, ugly?
Sommer: My biggest success in self-promotion is not being too self-promotional! In social media and blogging you cannot always talk about yourself or people stop listening-just like in real life! I've made mistakes and sent out "bad" pitches and threw mud at the wall and nothing stuck. I have learned from this and realized that relationships go the longest distance and the time is worth it.

HYOPR: What one key piece of advice would you give an aspiring entrepreneur who is looking to get the word out about their business?
Sommer: Network online and offline and don't just talk about yourself; WORK to forge the relationships; PR people move often but [their] relationships stay constant.

HYOPR: What are your future PR plans?
Sommer: I have a children's book coming out in a few weeks, My Mommy is a Blogger. I'll be working hard to promote this with new and old PR relationships. (Ed. Note: You can pre-order her book here).

HYOPR: Do you feel Handle Your Own PR helped you in any way?
Sommer: Handle Your Own PR has given me the option of not hiring a PR firm and learning to do it on my own through PR contacts, support through the website and email newsletter tips. This in turn has helped me help my clients with smaller budgets. I've made some good contacts, learned more about the industry and find that the email newsletters are very helpful.

Have a DIY PR story to share? We'll give you free P R on the DIY PR blog. Simply send us a notewith your story and you may be featured on our blog!

In PR, One Thing Can Lead to Another!

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 12:45:19 GMT

When people talk about PR success, you often hear the words buzz, word-of-mouth, and influence. When done right, PR can truly be a remarkable tactic to see unfold.

We recently had a client that was featured in her local business journal in a major U.S. city. The story featured her and her business as a local business making national impact. A week after the article was published, we got a call from a reporter at her local newspaper wanting to feature her too. Two weeks later the same story was picked up and ran in another major newspaper. Wow! Following those articles, our client got a call from the local womens business magazine (one of those nice glossy ones) wanting to feature her... again! The power of one PR initiative spiraled into four articles - score!

Whether it be an online community of news websites/blogs with similar interests or a group of local publications covering news and businesses in their community/area, watching things like this happen is what makes you believe in the power of PR. Buzz can be created, people do start talking (word-of-mouth is so powerful), and all of a sudden you are the featured business du jour!

So what does all this mean for you? It means you can't sit around and wait for a reporter to call you. Start with something to get noticed and see if can spiral into other opportunities. A networking event may not bring immediate success, but you may meet someone who knows someone who can help you. One article can be written about you and before you know it, everyone wants to write about you. But you gotta start somewhere if you want the "domino affect" to take hold. Start pounding the pavement with your PR efforts and make things happen! You never know how one thing can lead to another!

Good luck and be patient - your payday will come!

How to Track Your PR Efforts on a Dime

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:37:06 GMT

When you are doing your own PR it's very important to have a system in place to track all of your pitching outreach efforts. This way you can record who you are pitching now, who you are going to be pitching next, who is on your follow-up list and when you will be making additional outreach.

Here are four ways to track your PR efforts on a budget. They are all tactics we use to manage our media relations efforts for our clients, so they are tried and true. As simple as many may sound - they really do work!

1.Google Alerts - Set up Google Alerts for your business. Include several different alerts such as your company name, your top executives/leaders names, your competitors (where are they being featured?), as well as several relevant industry terms. For instance, if you are a fine lingerie company, set up Google Alerts for words such as bras, intimate apparel, corset, panties, sleepwear, shapewear, etc. This way you can keep on top of any news in your industry and about you and your brand. Also, set up Alerts for common misspellings of your business's name or your name too so you don't miss anything important.

2.Excel spreadsheet - Start an Excel spreadsheet media list to track all of your outreach efforts. You can have different tabs for each type of outlet - one for magazines, one for websites, one of local/regional media, etc. You could even set one up for editorial calendar postings that you find. Be sure to include the outlet, name, email, phone and any other relevant notes. Every time you communicate with someone make note of it in the "notes" column. Then, once a week or once a month (depending on timing of the outlet and your follow-up needs), go through each tab to be sure you are staying on top of it all.

3.Calendar reminders - This is one of my favorites to use in whatever calendar system you prefer - your phone, computer, another digital device or even an old school hand-written planner. If a reporter asked you to follow-up with them in a month or so after you sent a press release or pitch, set up a reminder or an alarm so when that day rolls around you are ready to go. The reporter will appreciate your organization and follow-through! You can also use your calendar reminders to remind you of pending coverage. So if the article isn't coming out until May 5 and today is March 1, then you can set a reminder to monitor for the coverage on May 5.

4.Drafts folder - One last way to remind yourself to follow-up with a reporter is draft the email and save it in your drafts folder of your inbox. Before you actually go to send be sure you proof in case there are changes in your follow-up, but I find this is a great "place" to store emails I need to remember to send.

These are just a few ways we like to stay organized and on top of our media outreach efforts. How do you track your PR efforts? Leave a comment and share your "tips" with other entrepreneurs!

Pitching TV: How to plan your segment

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:30:22 GMT

Getting on the small screen takes some time and energy! Before even thinking about pitching a reporter or producer, it's key to have the complete segment idea lined up and ready for bat. The story should be timely, on trend, or featuring someone noteworthy such as a celebrity or a well-known local personality. Note:Unless you have Gwyneth Paltrow to back your product, it's going to take some creativity and thought on the backend to book a TV spot!

Here are some important tips to keep in mind when planning your TV segment:

Target Audience . Every story has a target audience unless it's breaking news that goes directly to the newsroom, so it's important to know whom your story is intended for. If it's a stay-at-home mom for instance, you'll likely have the best success with a local morning or afternoon news show. If it's breaking news - either more serious company news or an event/press conference that occurred that day - the story will likely find success during the evening newscast(s).

Visualize.Television is all about visuals. Picture your ideal segment?what does it look like? Is it a seated interview or a standing demonstration segment? What props will be used? These are key factors to keep in mind when planning your story idea. Remember it's your job to show the producer how the segment will come to life. If you do this successfully, you'll also have helped the producer with their job of finding and creating interesting, appealing news stories for their viewers, thus forming a trusting relationship with the producer for next time!

Where does it fit?Watch the show you are pitching. I can't stress the importance of this tip! Producers will be more receptive to your pitch if you actually seem to know something about what they produce. For instance, do they have guests on their show? If not, don't pitch an in-studio interview, but instead see if they'd be interested in having one of their anchors or reporters cover the story. If you think a particular anchor would be interested in your story as you know they have young kids or have had a personal experience with breast cancer, for instance, mention that connection. Know the programs and know where your story fits in.

Timing.An instant news hook is to plan your segment around a timely holiday or event when the news station is going to be looking for ideas anyway. For instance, perhaps it's a segment on "New Green Spring Cleaning Tips" for the first day of spring or Earth Day. Or if it's a story on "New tailgating foods for 2010," pitch it at the beginning of football season or before Superbowl weekend.

Round-ups.One tactic that can work really well to get your product or service featured it a round-up segment. Simply asking a TV producer to talk about your product on camera isn't going to do it, but a segment on "Hot new baby products for the fit mom" or "Buy local: top local holiday gift ideas" may be the trick. So for example, say you represent a clothing line. Perhaps work with a local fashion consultant or boutique owner on a segment on "5 fab new spring trends" where they talk about your product (and a few other people's as well) for a segment that is sure to appeal to the station's audience.

An example of this is a TV segment I did yesterday morning in fact. It was a round-up on "Celebrity Baby Products" (just in time for the Oscars!), and featured five top products that celebrity kids are wearing or using. A segment on just one of these isn't a story, but put them all together and bam - now that's interesting news!

Good luck with your TV planning! Just remember to ask yourself or a friend who fits the target, "Does this sound like an interesting segment people would want to hear about?" to determine if you are on the right track!

The Key Ingredients of a Press Kit

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 20:46:47 GMT

To put together a nice press kit, you'll need to account for a few key ingredients. Let's go through the basics of a press kit:

Company Backgrounder: A company backgrounder includes the details of how your company started and what your company is all about. It should be about 2-4 paragraphs long depending on how long you've been in business.

Product Fact Sheet: A product fact sheet includes all the pertinent details about your product(s), including a description of the product, key benefits, price, where to buy, sizes, colors, etc. Also include a picture of your product on the fact sheet so it's clear what product you're referencing.

Founder Bio: Include a short 2-4 paragraph bio on the company's founder or owner. The bio should describe the founder's background, and how she started the company or invented the product. It should also include any relevant personal information like where the founder lives, awards won, community involvement, etc.

Picture Sheet: Each press kit should include a sheet that shows off the various press-ready photos you have available of your product (both stills and lifestyle photos) as well as a headshot of the company owner. If you have a CD or website link you can direct press to for downloading such pictures, even better!

Press Release: If you're launching a new product, don't forget to include your latest press release in your press kit.

You can give your press kit out at tradeshows and include them when sending product samples to press.

Other tips:

Go Green! Make your press kit electronic and put all the materials in a nicely put together PDF.
Ease Up! Put all your press materials in your website's Press Page and direct reporters to it for easy downloading and self-service.
Get a Folder. When going to tradeshows, put your materials together in folder so they are organized and easy to carry.
Branding is Key! Your press materials are a representation of your company. Make sure you brand them with your logo and company colors.

Blogger Outreach: What are the Best Ways to Pitch a Blogger?

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 17:19:24 GMT

Today's blog post is courtesy of Holly Reisem Hanna, a very talented blogger who founded The Work at Home Woman blog.

Blogger Outreach: What are the Best Ways Pitch a Blogger?

As a small business blogger I have enjoyed working with many PR agencies over the years, I have even developed close relationships with some of these people. But with this being said, there is another side to the coin?

My blog is focused on a very specific niche, working at home and self-employment, yet I've been pitched on everything from jelly and fog-less mirrors to toys and tools. While I always appreciate people's interest in the site and respond to them with respect and dignity, sometimes I just want to yell, "Are you kidding me"?!?

To make sure that your pitch does not get this kind of reaction here are some general guidelines on how to best pitch a blogger:

Greeting: Nothing is worse than receiving an email that says, Dear Sir or Madam, and if you want to ensure that your pitch immediately ends up in the trash, using this salutation will do it. Make sure to take some time and personalize your pitch by finding out whose blog it is. The majority of bloggers out there will have a contact page and/or an about page where you can find this information. If you have searched high and low and still cannot find a name, start your pitch off with a little note saying that you were unable to locate their name.

Take Interest: Have you ever heard the saying, "you can attract more flies with honey than vinegar" - well, it's true. People are more likely to respond to kindness, so take some time to cultivate a relationship with the blogger that you're pitching. Let them know what you like about their blog, or compliment them on the design, or on some of the accomplishments that they have made, you'll be surprised how many more bloggers respond to your pitch.

Niche Related: When you are pitching a blogger, make sure that the pitch makes sense. If you're working with a baby company, you'll want to pitch mommy bloggers. If you're working with a food company you'll want to pitch food and wine bloggers. Pitching a totally irrelevant product to specific niched blogger is a waste of both party's time and energy. Before sending your pitch, check to see if the blogger has specific products and services that they will review. Many popular bloggers have it posted if they are PR Friendly and what sorts of products they are happy to test out.

Press Releases: Don't copy and paste your press release into the body of an email, it's impersonal and leaves the blogger asking, "What exactly do you want from me"? Make sure that your pitch is short, personalized and direct, so that the blogger knows exactly what you're wanting from them. If you feel it's absolutely necessary, you can attach the press release to the email for additional reference information.

Common Courtesy: Lately there has been a lot of controversy over PR and blogger relations, with each side pointing the finger at the other. No matter which side you're on it is never appropriate to treat people with disrespect and intolerance. If you get a nasty response from a blogger (Which I do not condone this sort of behavior), do not retaliate with an ugly response or worse yet, your own negative PR campaign on that blogger. Take the highroad and always act with integrity. Getting involved in a war of words is not good PR for you or the company that you're representing.

By using these guidelines you can be well on your way to getting some great PR and maybe even a new friend or two.

Holly Reisem Hanna is the Founder and Publisher of The Work at Home Woman, an award winning blog dedicated to helping women and moms fulfill their dreams of working from home and/or becoming self-employed, while providing inspiration, motivation and support.

Learn more about Holly at www.TheWorkAtHomeWoman.com.

New Year's Special: Get 40% off media lists

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:37:26 GMT

New Year's Special: Get 40% off media lists

To help entrepreneurs and small business owners get a handle on their PR in the New Year, Handle Your Own PR, a do-it-yourself PR website that offers media lists for sale, is offering 40% off any media list purchase through the end of January with the code NEWYEAR2011.

To get the discounted media lists, simply add the list to your cart and enter the coupon code and 40% will be immediately taken off your order - easy breezy!

What media lists do we have? If you haven't stopped by in awhile, you might be surprised to find we have more than 25 targeted media lists for sale!

Celebrity Magazines
Bridal Magazines and Blogs
Women's Fashion Magazines
Home & Interior Design Magazines
Pet Magazines and Blogs
Parenting Magazines and Blogs
Regional Parenting Magazines
Men's Fashion Magazines
Men's Health Magazines
Natural/Green Living Magazines
Book Reviewers at Top Newspapers
...and more!

And of course we still offer our free media list eBook that helps you understand how to maximize your media lists for the year - make it a 2011 resolution to clean up your media lists!

I'm Giving Away Free Media Lists

Tue, 21 Dec 2010 19:45:44 GMT

Here's how you can get a free media list of your choice from Handle Your Own PR:

Tell 4 friends to sign up for our eNewsletter. If your 4 friends sign up, then I'll personally send you a coupon for a free media list!

Here's how it works!

Tell 4 friends who you think could benefit from doing a little PR on their own to sign up for Handle Your Own PR's eNewsletter. Nothing to buy - just sign up.
Send us the names of your 4 friends who you referred to us.
We'll quickly confirm their registrations and then send you a free media list of your choice!
Each of your four friends will get 50% off coupons to HYOPR good for one month!
Remember, when your friends sign up, they also will automatically receive our complementary eBook, "How to Make the Most of Your Media Lists."

It's easy breezy - thanks for helping us spreading the word!

What is the Difference between a Press Release and a Pitch?

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 16:52:58 GMT

What is the Difference between a Press Release and a Pitch?

This week I was asked to bid on a project that involved me "sending press releases to women's magazines" so her product could get some media coverage. It struck me that non-PR professionals use the world press release incorrectly - and what they really mean is that they need someone to pitch the magazines to get them coverage.

Why do so many people still consider the press release a pitch letter? They are two totally different things, in my opinion. Let's discuss:

What is a Press Release?

A press release is a formally written 1-2 page document announcing some sort of news. It may feature a new version of your product or a major company promotion or event you're hosting.

Press releases used to be required to get press since newswires, like PR Newswire and PR Web, were conduits to getting your story in front of the media. There was no email in the "olden days" to help you quickly shoot off your press announcements to a reporter by yourself. You depended on those newswires!

Today, however, there is no need for a press release and a press release wire service if your goal is to simply get your story pitch or press release in front of a reporter. In fact, many reporters instantly delete press releases when they get them because they see them as spam. Rather, these reporters are looking for story ideas and unique pitches tailored to a reporter's specific beat and interest.

What is a Pitch?

A pitch is when you share your story with a reporter in hopes for getting coverage. You can either pitch over email of via phone. I prefer to send my pitches to the reporters listed on my media list. Pitches should be very personalized to a reporter's interest and provide for a story idea such as offering a review of your product or sharing the challenges you had to overcome to be a business owner. There is no press release necessary when you send a pitch note.

So which is better? I think there are pros and cons for both. A pitch, of course, shares a great, well-rounded story idea with a reporter. They are more likely to get read. But a press release, when posted on a legitimate newswire service, is great for SEO and demonstrating publicly you're making news.

Which do you prefer to send? Pitches or press releases? Leave me a comment to share your opinions!

Do Relationships Matter When It Comes to Doing Your Own PR?

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 03:08:21 GMT

Do Relationships Matter When It Comes to Doing Your Own PR?

Many people hire my Denver-based PR firm to do their PR because they know I have relationships to get them press coverage. Truth is, I do have some relationships. But these so-called relationships aren't so easy to manage. My "friends" change jobs often and it's not exactly like calling upon my mom to help me pick up some dinner for the night - it's more like a "friend" that a PR person calls on time and time again to do them a favor.

So while relationships are important to getting PR, I would argue that know-how and commitment are more important.

Let's talk about PR know-how. This means you know how to do PR. You know how to navigate the system. You know how to reach the right reporters with the right stories at the right time. You'd be surprised at how few people really understand how reporter's find stories and what goes into getting a story placed. You'd be surprised at how few people read books, blogs and articles about how to do PR before they approach the process - they jump in head first and usually drown.

Now let's address commitment. So many people have the interest in promoting their businesses, but few have the commitment to do so. They may send a press release or pitch to a few reporters, never hear back and shortly thereafter give up. The commitment to follow up and come up with ongoing story ideas to pitch a variety of reporters is what separates who gets PR from who doesn't. I know many blogs that have started... and a few weeks or months later stopped when the person who started the blog got bored. There's not firm commitment to the process.

So the next time you consider doing your own PR, consider if you have the know-how (or are willing to read and learn - my site can help you!) and commitment to do it. If you answered "yes", you will get PR (I can pretty much guarantee it); but if you answered "no", then maybe you should hire a PR pro to handle the hard work for you.

Do Free Press Release Posting Services Work?

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 15:27:11 GMT

Do Free Press Release Posting Services Work?

A few weeks ago I put out a query to learn more about what press release wire services PR professionals are using. I found that many are using free press release posting sites, while others are very much committed to using pay-for-play newswire sites.

The results and feedback on the topic were a mixed bag - making it difficult to declare a clear-cut winner.

However, I did find some useful information tips that I will share with you today.

First, I was able to gather a solid list of good press release posting sites - both free and pay sites.

Free Press Release Posting Sites

Pay-for-Play Press Release Posting Sites

Second, while I heard an earful about what PR pros and small business owners think about the pay vs. free newswire sites, I am not able to come up with a conclusive answer of which newswire type, free or pay, is better.

Third, I learned from this little experiment that many professionals opt to distribute the press release themselves using their own media lists (of course), and then also post it on newswire service of some kind. I'd like to share with you a sampling of some of the interesting feedback I got, from the mouth of the pros who have been there, done that!

Feedback from the press release posting trenches:

"I would suggest using free sites only to complement a paid service like PRWeb. The benefit is only marginal. And you can get a lot more attention and link backs from paid sites." ~Pankaj Taneja, Hyper Office

"I have been fighting the free/fee press release service for a few months now. I have chosen to pay for my press releases because of the added value. I currently use PR Newswire and I love having an account manager that makes sure everything is going smoothly, editors that double check the grammar and reports that show the results for my release. I do cringe at the price though." ~Whitney Guarisco, Publicist

"We send out a lot of press releases. I personally am a huge advocate of doing both. They each have their own benefit. The free ones tend to get my keywords in better and show up on Google's front pages, but the paid ones tend to get the attention of major media better. I absolutely love the results I get with eReleases. That is perhaps my best paid service. Oftentimes I can have as many as 200 major media places pick it up including Forbes, BusinessWeek, tons of Business Journals, TV stations, newspapers, etc. Not only do we get the pick-ups, but we get the results. It's well worth it. It's more expensive, but pays for itself." ~Diana Ennen, Virtual Word Publishing

"After asking around for a good free press release site, I found www.prlog.org. It doesn't get the same exposure as when I pay, but at least it gets my message out into the search world of Google! Last Monday, I issued a release. Then Tuesday, a reporter called me from the NY Daily News, saying that she did a Google search for pop-up stores, and found my press release. Then Thursday, I was featured in her newspaper article! I never got a story from an eReleases press release, but it was shown on many major sites such as Yahoo! Finance. I felt like it [my release] was out there because I received my Google web alerts for days, but I never had a reporter actually pick it up and do a story with it, like it happened with my free release." ~Andrew Jacobs, JAM Paper & Envelope

"My experience is that the free services do no good and may harm your efforts. The media don't visit them as they are mostly filled with spam releases that are really sales brochures with the word "press release" written at the top. Very few of the free sites are offering real news. The paid sites do a weeding out service. There are still some spam releases, but far fewer?. They [free posting sites] have become almost like link farms. If you don't have news worth the modest price of the paid services, you don't have news." ~Lisa Merriam, Merriam Associations

"From my perspective, the free services are only good for search engine optimization?. Our clients have never received any media inquiries from these free services; however, we have raised many clients online visibility, which has helped position them higher in the search engines and resulted in a greater number of website visits. Today, we use the free services to drive Internet traffic to specific web pages, such as a product promotional offer or to a promotional video. Fee-based services such as Business Wire and PRNewswire are still considered the major resources for journalists even though several of the "free" services also offer various services for a fee." ~Kristine Tanzillo, Dux Public Relations

"I use prlog.org for free press release distribution and PR Web for paid press releases. There is no comparison as far as performance - PR Web kills prlog. But because prlog is free, I can use it more often and direct my clients and prospective clients to the news links." ~Steven Randall, Vonya Global

Overall, it's important to note that no one way works for all. You may distribute your press releases via newswire (free or paid) or on your own - every individual gets different results depending on the topic, distribution timing, etc. Further, you must consider your distribution purposes. Is it to get links and build your SEO or is it to drum up a reporter's interest. You need to consider your goals when determining your press distribution strategy - and then distribute accordingly. Good luck!

Read this publicist?s ?test? of the pay vs. free press release posting sites

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 00:31:59 GMT

Most PR professionals know that press releases aren't just for getting exposure anymore, they're used as an SEO tool to build back links.

Scott Allen, the VP of Marketing for OneCoach, decided to do a little test of this so-called "exposure" he would get from what he thought were the "best" free press release posting services. What he found was a little disconcerting.

First of all, he found that many of the free newswire sites were out-of-date, out of business, only serving a limited niche or no longer offering "free" services.

Second, after sifting through approximately 100 free posting sites, he found only four free press release posting sites that posted a press release within a reasonable amount of time. This list includes:

http://www.prlog.org
http://www.pr.com
http://www.24-7pressrelease. com
http://www.i-newswire.com

Of these, Allen adds that the only service that actually got the press release into any kind of syndication was i-newswire. It got the release onto Google News, a couple of niche blogs and a few news aggregators.

Lastly, of all the free sites, Allen says that only PRLog turned the URLs in the press releases into live links and i-Newswire made the URL in the company contact information a link. He learned that both the PRLog and i-Newswire links were "do follow" links, which means they are links that are followed by search engines.

What do you think of Allen's experiment? What have your experiences been like?Please let us know by leaving us a comment below.

10 Ways to Promote Your Business Over the Holidays

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 17:20:20 GMT

With all the noise this holiday season, you may wonder how can you can grab the attention of your customers and potential customers without spending loads of cash on advertising.

We have some ideas!

First, some fun facts about holiday shopping:

The average American family spends $750 on gifts over the holidays
More than 135 people shop on Black Friday
Cyber Monday, the Monday following Thanksgiving, officially kicks off the online holiday shopping season
The busiest shopping day of the year is the Saturday before Christmas
Remember, it's an early Chanukah this year - Dec 1 - so expect early shoppers!

Consider these 10 ideas simply that, ideas. They are not quick fixes and no substitution for prolonged PR and marketing efforts.

1. Offer Holiday Specials. Give special Black Friday discounts or secret shopping times for certain customers only. Promote those offers through your enewsletter, social media sites, email signature, etc. Also, consider doing a Groupon (although they may be booked up - depends on your city!).

2. Host Giveaways. Everyone loves a freebie... why not do 8 Chanukah giveaways and 12 Christmas giveaways? Also, consider giving away something with every purchase, like a Fabulous Holiday Cookie Recipe, Free Holiday Check List, or a free subscription to a partner company's magazine or website.

3. Educate Consumers. Create top 10 lists on your site (ie, Top 10 Gifts for Grandmas), or survey your customers on their favorite or most creative holiday gift ideas for the different people in their lives. Post these lists on your website and through articles you write for article directory sites!

4. Hold a Contest. Contests create excitement. Host a "recipe" contest for the best Holiday Ham recipe, or Cutest Kid Christmas story or picture, Ugliest Holiday Sweater or design an ornament contest.

5. Create Videos. YouTube is the #1 site next to Google, so get some holiday gift guide videos up there now! Perhaps you can discuss holiday shopping tips, gift wrapping tips, gifting tips, etc. Tag videos and promote them to your customers.

6. Go on TV. Develop a pitch featuring several products your store carries or if you're a manufacturer, partner with other products in your area. Pitch the idea to your local morning news producer. I do this all the time to promote products I love - check it out at Red Jeweled Baby! Move quickly. TV spots are filling up for December!

7. Pitch Bloggers. Many bloggers do holiday gift guides of their own and it's likely it's not too late to get into them. We have a blogger media list too! Also, offer to write your own holiday-themed blog post for a blogger and see if they'll publish it on their site!

8. Cross Promote. Look for companies that target a similar audience as you and offer to cross promote one another to your social networks, enewsletters, etc. Offer your product as a prize giveaway to them and vice versa.

9. Host an Event. Host a "Girls-Only Shopping Night" with wine and fun girly products. Come up with the idea that fits your business. Bring in experts - like a stress relief expert or holiday makeup artist. Don't forget to tell the press about your event too!

10. Philanthropy. Give something to charity this holiday season. Maybe it's a portion of your proceeds, or 1,000 books from your bookstore to a children's hospital library.

The holidays are a great time to remind us to nurture our customers and never stop engaging them! Good luck with your holiday promotional efforts!!

DIY PR Stories: Children?s Accessory Designer Says PR Helped Her Grow, But Finding the Time To Do It Is ?Greatest Challenge?

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 21:24:15 GMT

Children's Accessory Designer Says PR Helped Her Grow, But Finding the Time To Do It Is "Greatest Challenge"

In 2005, Laura Gendron, mom of three, founded Petite Fleur Designs, a company that makes unique handmade children's accessories such as bows, hats and headbands.

We asked Laura to share some of her DIY PR and marketing experiences with us. Here's what she had to say:

How did you start promoting your business?

When I first went online, I used Costco's website services. It was a mistake because it didn't effectively get my business noticed by search engines. About a year later, I hired a website design firm to build my site. Then I bought several ebooks so I could learn about HTML, SEO and PR. These guides were very helpful when I first started out.

Why did you decide to do your own marketing and PR?

Everything costs so much money, especially advertising. I can't afford $2,000 for a ? page. I also have to temper growth. I'm a one woman shop so I don't want to grow too quickly because then I couldn't fill orders.

What was the first PR you did on your own?

I wrote a few press releases and posted them on free press release newswires, such as 1888pressrelease.com. My husband is in the PR industry and helped me write it. A short while after doing the press releases, two publication editors contacted me: Hudson's and Earnshaw's. Both cover children's fashion and accessory industries. I got coverage in both.

How has PR impacted your business?

Doing my own PR and getting featured in Hudson's, Earshaw's and receiving various reviews on blogs (especially popular ones) has helped a lot. Consumers and boutique store owners read those sources then come directly to my site. When people find me, they typically buy. I definitely see a huge increase in sales after getting coverage.

What are the challenges you face in doing your own PR?

A big challenge is getting good ideas for a pitch. Thinking of those creative ideas to get media's attention is hard to do when you work on your own. Also, my greatest challenge is finding the time to do PR, especially when I'm busy. You get busy because you do PR, but if you stop doing it, the busy period quickly dies down. I stopped doing PR and marketing for awhile because I got so busy. I'd say it probably cost my company hundreds of new customers and in upwards of $30,000 in lost sales.

How to Get Free PR

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 19:23:51 GMT

Business News Daily today reported in an article on five ways you can get (almost) free PR.

One PR professional said following up with reporters is key, and Jenny Finke, the founder of Handle Your Own PR, a DIY PR company in the U.S., says in the article that knowing your story is tops in reporter's books.

Handle Your Own PR is also listed as one of the top 5 DIY public relations tools, as it offers low cost media lists!

Boost Your PR: The Reason for Great Customer Testimonials

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 20:10:40 GMT

Every company website needs strong customer testimonials. Why? Because testimonials show potential customers the success of previous customers - it allows them to visual and understand if they, too, can experience the same results.

Most of us don't use testimonials very strategically. We may just include a laundry list of them on our site and leave it at that.

However, maybe you'd like to do something a little different?

If so, here are some ideas on how you can make your customer testimonials sparkle!!

Pepper them throughout your site. Don't just put them on one page, but have testimonials inside call-out boxes all over your site. See this testimonial in a call-out box on the bottom right corner.

Add pictures to your testimonials. Ask someone to give you a picture of them using your product or simply a nice headshot. If you're a B2B company, ask to use their company logo as a visual. It adds a lot to the credibility of what your customers are saying. See an example.

Create video testimonials. Film some customers saying nice things about your company and put those videos on your website! See an example.

Create a testimonial highlight reel. Set your testimonials to music and create an emotional experience for viewers. See a video example.

Calling All DIY PR Entrepreneurs - share your story with me!

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 22:43:14 GMT

I'm looking for any business owner who is doing their own public relations (PR) and finding great success. I'd like to share your stories with my DIY PR community to help inspire others (and to give you a little PR on my site too!).

Please tell me:

What techniques do you use?
How did you get started?
What are some of the DIY resources you can't live without?
What success have you had?
How did you make your media list?
What kind of feedback have reporters giving you?
What was the biggest mistake you made?
Any DIY public relations lessons learned?

I will post your story (and picture too!) on my blog and in my eNewsletter - and I may also use your story to help get us press together (wouldn't that be awesome!).

Thanks for your help and good luck on your do-it-yourself PR journeys! I can't wait to hear more about them. Please send your story to me any time - I will post them on my blog as I receive them!

How Much Does a PR Firm Cost?

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 16:52:21 GMT

We talk a lot about DIY PR tools at Handle Your Own PR. After all, we provide you with downloadable media lists and press release writing services - all available at the click of a button. But if you're going to hire a PR firm, and you've read my previous blog post about how to choose a PR firm, then you're ready to discuss money. As the owner of Denver-based PR agency, Red Jeweled Media, I am usually asked within the first two minutes of a conversation, "How much is this going to cost me?"

There is no standard answer. A lot of it depends on what you want to do and what your needs are.

However, above all else, I hate that people consider PR as a "cost" rather than a strategic "investment." A cost connotes a "have to have" sort of thing; whereas an investment is something you "want to have" to grow your business and get ahead. An investment offers ROI.

That said, I'd like to share some general guidelines on what you can expect to invest in a reputable PR firm:

For a small-sized, reputable PR firm, which is one with a handful of employees/contractors and clients, you can expect to invest between $3,000-$5,000 per month.

For a mid-sized, reputable PR firm, which has 10-20 employees and a handful of clients, you can expect to invest between $6,000-$15,000 per month.

For a large, reputable PR firm (the likes of Burson Marsteller or Ketchum), you can expect to invest much more. Many clients dedicate hundreds of thousands of dollars to PR annually - but they typically work with clients who have grander needs and who require larger-scale PR help.

Some PR firm bill by the hour. I see anything from $75/hour to $250/hour. Many PR firms will require a certain amount of guaranteed hours per month. This makes sense because they need to properly staff your account. Respect that policy when it is presented to you - they are in business to make money and help people, just as you are.

Remember, think of PR as an investment in YOU and your business. It's not a cost, like rent or a new computer is a cost. It is an investment that will give you ROI if you approach it correctly and work with the right people. And doing your own PR can bring even more ROI, that is, if you have the time to learn how to do and then spend time doing it everyday. Good luck!

Yes, Loyalty Counts in Choosing a PR Firm. Tips to Choosing the Right PR Firm for You!

Sun, 24 Oct 2010 19:18:00 GMT

Choosing a PR firm to work with can be a trying experience. I actually run my own boutique PR firm, Red Jeweled Media, in addition to running Handle Your Own PR in the U.S. Red Jeweled Media specializes in PR for baby products, women's products, as well as PR for personal finance companies and real estate and lodging companies. Anyway, I digress :-)

Before settling in on a PR firm, let's talk about qualities you MUST look for in a PR firm - or anyone you associate yourself with, for that matter:

Years in Business: Work with someone who has a few years under their belt. You don't want them to learn PR on your dime, do you?

Limited Interns: Do you really want interns being your brand ambassadors? Or do you want experienced PR pros running the show? I know one low-cost PR firm who uses only interns to pitch clients to the press. As a member of the press, I would probably get really tired of getting random pitches from random interns all the time. I might even stop taking those pitches. I trust pitches that come from reputable PR people if I'm a journalist - just saying.

Do a Background Check: I admit, I am too trusting of people and have learned my lesson the hard way. I entered a relationship once with someone who told me they were successful and had millions of dollars from a previous business. When things unraveled and the owner of the company couldn't pay me what was owed, the owner admitted that she hadn't been truthful with me.... that she had filed bankruptcy before we did business together. A simple background check on my part would have revealed this and saved me a lot of headaches and money! Make sure the people who represent you and who you trust with your brand are reputable, upstanding people! Which leads me to....

Check References: References can give you a full picture of a company and help you decide whether or not to work with them. Ask prior clients what kind of reporting and accountability system was in place when they did business with the PR firm in question. And don't just rely on the clients they give you as the only references. Do some digging to identify previous clients. Learn why they are no longer working with that firm - you may uncover some interesting information indeed!

Loyalty: Loyalty to clients is a big sign of a good PR firm. Consider these red flags: revolving door clients that come and go after a few months, short-term clients looking for quick fixes, a company that has represented several competitors in the same industry, etc. Remember, loyalty is important because someone who is loyal won't use the connections they made on your behalf to benefit your competitors later.

My Denver-based PR firm practices what I preach. No interns running the show, six years in business (but 11+ years of PR experience), sound financial status, and a major sense of commitment and loyalty to my clients (many have been with me 3, 4, and even 5 years!).

Good luck with your PR efforts! I hope I could help!

The DIY PR Trend is Here to Stay Thanks to New Out of the Box PR Toolkits and Media Lists

Sat, 23 Oct 2010 08:10:44 GMT

There are several companies offering DIY PR tools. Obviously, Handle Your Own PR, is one of them because it provides low-cost, downloadable media lists that you can use on a whim to pitch your new product or your story to. You can find a media list of editors to major baby magazines, as well as a media list of editors at the leading bridal magazines or pet magazines in the U.S.

My friend, Jennifer Wezensky of JW PR Tooklkits, has also made doing your own PR easy. Her toolskits are pretty awesome - full of templates you can use (press release templates, for example) as well as a crash course in doing PR.

What I love is that a smart and savvy entrepreneurs can benefit from doing their own PR if they want to take the time to learn how to do - and if they want to invest in the DIY PR tools on the market.

Anita Campbell, the host of Small Business Trends Radio, states in a very re-posted and re-tweeted article and interview that do-it-yourself marketing is a top trend driving small businesses.

"'DIY' tools can be accessed over the Web," she states. "DIY tools give you a lot of leverage and save you a lot of money. You get a lot of capabilities from these tools that would be very expensive and would cost a lot of money to duplicate if you did this on your own."

10 PR Tools to Simplify Your Life

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:09:43 GMT

Check out our latest article in The Work at Home Woman - we talk about some awesome PR tools, from HelpAReporterOut.com to HandleYourOwnPR.com.

If you're a bootstrapping entrepreneur, you'll want to read this article!

What Makes News

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 17:17:29 GMT

Newspapers, magazines and newscasts have limited space. The producers and editors have to make tough calls as to what to include (and what not to include). If you want to make the cut you need to think like an editor or producer. The first step is to understand what makes news. Here are some questions to ask yourself - you need to answer "yes" to at least 2 or 3 of these qualities to be a contender:

Timing: Is it new? Is it the latest and greatest?
Significance: Does it impact a lot of people? The more the merrier when it comes to newspaper and TV coverage. For niche magazines, it should impact much of the readership.
Proximity: Does it have local appeal? Editors love to tell about local people who have done big things. What makes news in Denver may not be news in Charleston without local a new angle.
Prominence: Is a famous person involved? The more prominent the people involved, the more likely it will be deemed newsworthy.
Human Interest: Will people find it heartwarming, interesting, unique? Run of the mill stories get trashed - unique stories get told.
Unusual: Did man bite dog? Did something that has never happened before suddenly happen?
Controversy: Does it spark conversation or debate? People love to stir the pot - so use your controversial-ness to your advantage!

Are you a Mommy Marketer? Please check out my friend, The Market Mommy

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 22:15:08 GMT

Market Mommy is an online marketing resource for mom business owners that shows moms how and where to market their businesses. Market Mommy offers a variety of low-cost {and free!} services to help moms on a budget.

Market Mommy provides links to great advertising opportunities, offers free marketing advice and tips via the blog and e-newsletter, advertises mom-owned businesses for free on the blog and in their directory and much more.

Some of the site's services include marketing consultation, copy writing, graphic design, printing of marketing materials and much more. They also offer affordable advertising opportunities, including their annual Holiday Gift Guide where listings are just $25.

As part of the recent site expansion and redesign, Market Mommy incorporated a new free business directory and interactive forum.

Contact Market Mommy with code REDJEWELED5 to save $5 off any service or advertisement {including Holiday Gift Guide listings} until October 20.

Market Mommy can be found online (www.marketmommy.com) as well as on Facebook (www.facebook.com/MarketMommy) and on Twitter (http://twitter.com/MarketMommy)

How to Find Your Press-Worthy Story

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 17:14:46 GMT

So you have your PR toolkit in order. Your website is on fire, your media lists are rearing to go, and your press kit is in order.... but one piece is missing: What's your story?

Too often individuals pitch press using a press release vs. a pitch letter. This is a big no-no. Make sure any time you send a pitch to a reporter, there is a personalized pitch and interesting story attached to it.

Wondering how to find your story? Here are some tips to brainstorming one:

How have you changed the lives of your customers or retailers or anyone else who does business with you?
How did your start your business and why?
How does your company fit into a timely event - such as a holiday (Halloween, Christmas) or even "holidays" like National Nutrition Month, football season or back to school.
What current trends are you helping overcome? Is there a recession angle, or an angle that fits into a timely news story (oil spill, being green, etc.)

When brainstorming:

Employ others to help you brainstorm. Sometimes others see you in a different light and can help you find a good story.
Don't eliminate ideas until you've fully thought them through and discussed with others.
Revisit your ideas on occasion to see if it sparks other ideas.
Write any and all ideas down right away.Keep a notebook on hand that is just filled with story ideas.

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Get a free Marketing Kit: My friend, Jessica Swanson, "The Shoestring Marketer" has an amazing free offer for small business owners! It's her Shoestring Marketing Kit and you can download it for no-cost just by visiting www.ShoestringMarketingKit.com

Need a PR toolkit? HYOPR has arranged to get you $10 off the DIY JWPR Toolkits with code "JWPR". The toolkits offer ideas, templates and guidance as you do your own PR.

Free Media List eBook: Download our complimentary eBook, " Making Your Media List Work for You: 10 Ways to Extract the Most Value from Your Media Lists." It's our thank-you to you just for being you!

Who's Who in the Newsroom

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 03:37:27 GMT

You may be pitching journalists, but have you ever wondered who's who in the newsroom and what exactly do their titles mean?

I am often asked by my clients who they should contact within a media organization. So let's take some time to give you a quick run down on who's who in a newsroom so you can better target your pitches!

Newspapers

If you are contacting a newspaper with a news story, you should go to the news desk or News Editor, whose role it is to allocate stories to the journalists for following up. However, if you have a product or service, you may want to contact the specific editor or writer covering that beat - like the real estate writer or the book editor. If it's a business story, go to the Business Editor, etc.

Magazines

Most magazines have an Editor-in-Chief and/or Managing Editor who overseas all the stories or editorial sections. Then there are typically specific editors for the different sections such as the Fashion Editor, New Products Editor, Technology Editor, and the Articles Editor (who overseas more in-depth or 'feature' stories). Typically there are Reporters, Writers, Contributing Writers and Freelancers who get assigned the stories by these Editors. A good first contact would be either the Editor-in-Chief or a section editor.

Radio

When pitching a story to radio you need to contact the Producer of a specific show. S/he will normally collate all the requests and discuss them with the hosts before getting back to you. Another approach for some radio stations is to offer them something to give away to their listeners. This would normally be something you would discuss with the Marketing or Promotions department on the bigger stations and the Station Manager for smaller and regional stations.

The Holy Grail! There are a number of people you can pitch a TV story to, depending on the show. If it is a news story or a photo opportunity then approach the Newsroom or Assignment Desk Editor. The Newsroom and Assignment Editors manage breaking news and incoming stories for the day. If you have an event you're planning for the future, contact the Planning Editor. For morning shows or light entertainment/talk shows, you would typically approach the Producer.

There you go... a brief overview of who's who in the newsroom!

How to Pitch Holiday Gift Guides

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:30:58 GMT

Here are seven tips for pitching holiday gift guide editors:

Pitch Now: Editors of magazines work off a 4-6 month lead time, so start pitching editors for the Holiday Gift Guides during the months of June, July and August. The early bird gets the worm!

Give 'Em News: Editors are looking for the latest products that have a unique or interesting edge. Space in holiday issues is limited, so pitch your best stuff.

Personalize: Do a quick Google search on the reporter and learn more about them before sending a pitch. Personalize your pitch to their interests and their readers' interests to get noticed. Do not send canned pitches!

Include Photos and Pricing Information: Your pitch should include a photo of your product (low-res) along with pricing information and where customers can buy your products. Give the reporters the information they need from the start.

Ask, Confirm, Send: Many reporters work from home or off-site, so always ask and confirm their addresses and get their permissions before sending samples.

Kindly Follow-Up: Remember, reporters are busy and they can't always respond to every pitch they receive. A kind follow up email or phone call can make all the difference in the world. The squeaky wheel gets the grease!

There are No Guarantees: Just because you pitch or send a product to a holiday gift guide editor doesn't guarantee inclusion. You'll win some and lose some. Regardless of what happens, it's better to throw your ring in the hat than sit on the sidelines!

The Holiday Gift Guide media lists are available for immediate download at HandleYourOwnPR.com. Use coupon code HOLIDAY at checkout and receive 15% off your entire media list order through August 31, 2010.

Promoting a Company is HARD WORK!

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 03:02:29 GMT

As I launch HandleYourOwnPR.com in the U.S. I go through some of the same fears, emotions and struggles that my clients do when getting a new business off the ground. When I started my PR agency, it was seamless. I had a few clients, everything just fell into place. Now I have this website and partners in Australia and I have to figure out how to make this business work.

I've done a few things to promote myself. First of all I put together my own media list. I pitched a few PR blogs and entrepreneur sites (thanks to my colleague Betsy for her help too!). I did a radio interview with That Marketing Show (it'll air in October and I'll blog about it again!). I've never done a radio show before - that was scary, but fun. I want to do it again!

I also put out a press release on PR Web for $200. I did this so I could get an "official" start in Google cyberworld. I actually tried to post a press release on another low-end newswire service that told me they didn't want to promote other media list type companies. Whoa, cut throat! My first rejection. I'm sure there will be a lot of "nos" along the way. The best entrepreneurs power through.

I also have done my due diligence in telling everyone I know about HYOPR - from touting it in my newsletter to starting a Facebook and Twitter page (find me @DIYPR101).

It's actually an eye opening experience for me to go through the process of promoting myself and my company - to be on the receiving end of my own hard work.

If this blog posts serves a purpose, it is to tell you all that I understand what it's like to put yourself out there. I have a much greater appreciation for business owners who put themselves on the line and start businesses every day. I am confident my business will succeed, so will yours. Just start planting those seeds and the press will follow. Good luck to you ... and me!

Cheers!

Jenny