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By Joan Stewart
The Publicity Hound
Can you remember a
story idea you pitched a year ago that resulted in no news coverage of
any kind?
If so, how quickly
could you respond if a reporter called you today wanting to cover the
story? Would you start groping for words, or asking stupid questions
like "Who did you say you wanted to interview?" Or would you be ready,
on a second's notice?
Sound ludicrous?
Well, it happened to publicist Jill Lublin, who knew how to handle it,
and it can happen to you, too.
Several years ago, Jill
pitched an idea about one of her clients, a professional speaker, to
Meeting Planner magazine. Despite several follow-ups, she never got a
response.
"Then one year
later--count 'em--365 days later, I got a call and this reporter said,
'Yes, we want to do the story, and by the way, tomorrow. Are you ready?'
And of course the answer is yes, you're always ready when the media
calls."
That's valuable
advice regarding follow-ups. Never assume a story pitch is dead.
Jill, co-author of
the book Guerrilla Publicity, also says:
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When following up,
remember The Rule of 7. That means you should follow up seven times,
using a combination of phone calls and emails, before you stop
contacting journalists. But always be ready in case they call you.
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Never follow up on
routine press releases announcing things like promotions or awards
you've won, or they'll view you as a pest. Your efforts are better
spent following up on larger stories you have pitched.
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When following up,
concentrate on benefits. Explain how the idea you are pitching is the
solution to a problem--and do it quickly, in fewer than 30 seconds.
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When you call or
email, don't say, "Did you get my press release?" or "I'm following up
on a call I made two weeks ago." Jill says: "I typically will say, 'I
sent you some information.' That’s my code word for press release.
What I have found when talking to the media is they hate when you call
them up and say, 'Did you get the press release?' What they love is
for you to talk about the information in terms of how it can be
readily used by them, and why they would care. Really. That’s the
bottom line. Why would they care?"
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When following up,
never, ever ask a reporter to alert you when the story is printed, or
to send you a certain number of reprints of the article. It’s your job to
monitor the publications, then call the circulation department and
order however many copies you want. Expect to pay for them.
Jill shared dozens
more tips for follow-ups during a live teleseminar on
"Failproof Ways to Follow Up After Sending a News Release or Pitch
Letter." Read more about what we discussed or order the CD or
immediately downloadable transcript.
Joan Stewart
publishes the free ezine “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week,” which
gives you valuable tips on how to generate thousands of dollars in free
publicity. Subscribe at
http://www.PublicityHound.com and receive free the handy cheat
sheet "89 Reasons to Send a Press Release." Follow The Publicity Hound
on
Twitter, and ask a question about publicity or social media on
her Facebook page.
Direct comments or questions about this article,
including requests for reprint rights, to:
Joan Stewart
The Publicity Hound
P.O. Box 437
Port Washington, WI 53074-0437
Phone: 262-284-7451
JStewart@PublicityHound.com
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