Why Infomercials Work (And What PR Pros Can Learn From Them)
It happens when we stay up past our bedtimes. The Late Late Show credits start to roll, and then, without warning, we’re suddenly in the clutches of one of those infamous infomercials. No matter how silly and cheesy these long commercials are, when you watch more than one infomercial, you’ll … Read more
5 Tips for Serving as a Company Spokesperson
PR pros often find themselves thrust into the spotlight as company spokesperson. For the pro who is accustomed to more behind the scenes work, this new role can be challenging and rife with booby traps. … Read more
What to Do When Your Online Reputation Has Been Compromised
As the old saying goes, “You can’t please all of the people all of the time.” But in the age of the Internet, almost all of the people have a forum where, when they’re not pleased, they can complain loudly and proudly. Whether it’s one cranky blogger denouncing your company … Read more
Using Contests to Promote Your Business
According to some estimates, the average person is flooded with up to 10,000 promotional messages each day. From advertisements to product placement and more, we live in an increasingly noisy marketing environment. For your business, this means finding new, engaging ways to cut through the clutter, s… Read more
The Dangers of Sending Too Many Press Releases
Sending Multiple Press Releases
In the past, I’ve often talked about using the leaky faucet approach to PR. This tactic demands that you drop a series of newsworthy press releases consistently over time so that the media will eventually pick up one of your stories. The leaky faucet approach requir… Read more
Blog Commenting for PR: Dos and Don’ts
Blog commenting can be an effective PR and marketing technique that offers a wide range of benefits when done properly. Effective blog commenting can help you:… Read more
Break Free from the Basic Press Release Template
Have you noticed how at least 90% of press releases are pretty much the exact same? Sure, the company name is different and the buzzwords might vary, but overall, nearly every press release reads the exact same. They’re written in the same style, and there’s really nothing that makes one stan… Read more
From “Advertorial” to “Wire Service”: PR Terminology Explained
If you didn’t cut your teeth in the world of public relations, talking to another PR professional can be like trying to decipher an ancient language. Study up on this glossary of some of the more obscure PR terms and you’ll be speaking in code with your PR colleagues in no time.… Read more
How to Prepare for Your Television Appearance
A strange thing happened during the 1960 presidential debates between candidates John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. People who saw the debates on TV thought that the young and handsome Kennedy won, while people who heard the same debates on the radio thought that Nixon had won. Why? … Read more
Is PPC a Good Option for Crisis Management?
Over the past 6 months or so, we’ve been privy to 2 of the biggest PR nightmares you can imagine. At the beginning of the year, Toyota was sweating under the spotlight as malfunctioning gas pedals in their vehicles led to several serious auto crashes. The story just kept getting worse and worse, and To… Read more