Marsha Friedman | Public Relations Expert | Speaker | CEO of EMSI Public Relations

How Do I Gauge My PR Campaign? Why The Internet Hasn’t Changed The Rules

March 23, 2011 By Marsha Friedman Leave a Comment

Recently, I received a question from one of my clients regarding how we track the success of our print and online PR campaigns. In the process of thinking through the question, I realized that the changing landscape of the media (due to the fast face of technology) really hasn’t changed the way we look at these kinds of campaigns.

Since time immemorial, the only way to actually gauge the success of a print PR campaign was to indicate where placements were made and then list the circulation of that print outlet. For instance, if the Tampa Tribune ran your story on a weekday, the print circulation would be in the 150,000 range. On a Sunday, it would jump to 225,000. Now, that’s not to say, nor has it ever been intended to say, that 225,000 people read your article. It simply rated the size of the news outlet that carried the piece. Read more on how to gauge your PR campaign →

Not Making Your Sales? Maybe What’s Lacking Is Trust

March 16, 2011 By Marsha Friedman Leave a Comment

In the world of sales, trust is king.

You can advertise, promote, tweet, post, blog and sell like Dale Carnegie on steroids, but if you haven’t built trust with your potential customer, it’s truly a waste of good resources.

Regardless of what “behavioral research” professionals tell us is the reason why a consumer takes the leap of faith to make a purchase, I know from my 20-plus years in PR, that trust is one of the most essential ingredients. And, in today’s marketplace, I believe the issue of trust is even more significant than ever. Read more on not making your sales →

Filed Under: book publicity, Marketing, PR, public relations Tagged With: book promotion, book publicity, emsi, Marsha Friedman, media coverage, Online Marketing and PR, public relations

When Doing PR, How Do You Get Past the Gatekeepers to Reach Your Consumers?

March 9, 2011 By Marsha Friedman Leave a Comment

I can’t tell you the number of clients who ask me, “How many press releases will you send out for me?” Some want us to put out numerous releases a month, using the tiniest of reasons as an excuse to reach out to the media in the hope that their messages will drive sales when read by consumers.

The problem with this strategy is that in order to reach the consumer, you must first interest the editor who holds the key to running your story. They are the gatekeepers. The disconnect for most people is they think writing and distributing numerous press releases chocked full of sales messages will get them the coverage they’re hoping for. And, it’s this primary misunderstanding that leads to the failure of more PR campaigns than I care to think about. Read more on how to get past the gatekeepers to reach your consumers →

Filed Under: book publicity, Marketing, PR, print PR, public relations, TV Appearances Tagged With: book publicist, building your public profile, emsi, Event Management Services, Marsha Friedman, media coverage, public relations

Is Your Book PR Not Doing The Job?

March 2, 2011 By Marsha Friedman Leave a Comment

Maybe It’s Not Your Message, But How You Position the Messenger

Having written a book myself, I know how hard people work to achieve that coveted designation of “author.”

And, I know how it goes, you don’t want to make it a big deal with your friends and family, but deep down where you don’t talk about it openly, you really wish there was a button you could buy that reads “AUTHOR!” You also wish that it was socially acceptable to wear it on your lapel, because, darn it, writing a book is NOT easy. You worked hard to write a book and when it’s done and published, you do enjoy being able to claim membership in a relatively exclusive fraternity. Read more on is your book PR not doing the job →

Filed Under: book publicity, Marketing, PR, print PR, public relations Tagged With: book promotion, book publicist, book publicity, creating buzz, emsi, Marsha Friedman, media coverage, public relations, publicity

Marketing Expert and Author, Al Ries, Shares His Insights on Positioning, PR & More–Part 3

February 28, 2011 By Marsha Friedman Leave a Comment

Here’s the third installment of my interview with marketing expert and best-selling author, Al Ries. While I originally intended to have a fourth part, I realized that it would be best to give you his insights in one final document.

If you’ve missed parts 1 and 2, click on the following links to get the complete interview:

Al Ries Interview, Part 1
Al Ries Interview, Part 2

So, get a good cup of coffee or tea, pull up your chair and enjoy the rest of the interview!

Marsha Friedman: We’ve covered so much information, Al, and it’s all been so good. I don’t want to take up too much more of your time, but I have two questions I want to make sure I ask. First, what are your thoughts about marketing today, as compared to the seventies and eighties when we didn’t have things like the Internet, social networking, social media marketing, blogging, etc.? How has it changed marketing and do you think it’s better? Read more on marketing expert and author, Al Ries →

Filed Under: book publicity, Marketing, PR, public relations Tagged With: book publicist, branding, building your public profile, creating buzz, emsi, Marsha Friedman, media coverage, public relations, publicity

More Americans Listen to Talk Radio Today Than Ever Before

February 23, 2011 By Marsha Friedman Leave a Comment

Are You Taking Advantage of This Platform For Your Book Promotion?

In the age of the Internet, 24/7 cable TV news channels, news on your laptop, desktop, PDA and smartphone, I think it’s important to remind folks about the significance of talk radio as it relates to getting publicity for your book. But don’t just take my word for it.

The Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism recently reported that 48 million people get their news from talk radio. Surprised? Don’t be. While other traditional media outlets in print and TV were shrinking, the genre of talk radio was growing. Inside Radio Magazine further reported that the number of radio stations that carry talk shows grew in 2010 to 2,056 from 1,370 in 2009. Read more on why more americans listen to talk radio today than ever before →

Filed Under: book publicity, Marketing, public relations, Talk Radio Tagged With: book promotion, book publicist, book publicity, creating buzz, emsi, Event Management Services, Marsha Friedman, media coverage, publicity, radio interviews, Talk Radio

Are You Losing Faith in Your Book? Maybe the Problem Is Your PR

February 16, 2011 By Marsha Friedman Leave a Comment

You’ve done all that you know how to do, but it still seems like the only one interested in your book is you.

Okay, maybe some friends and family have offered their support, but they’re supposed to do that. Your real problem is that you’ve done all you know how to do, but you still can’t seem to generate any buzz. You’ve sent out press releases, you’ve blogged, you’ve tweeted, you’ve called the media and you’ve sent out books to reviewers, but the response has been underwhelming.

I’ve seen this happen to authors trying to publicize their books and I can see why some people would begin to lose faith in their books and their messages. But, my point to you is you shouldn’t lose faith in the things that drive your passion. Maybe the problem isn’t your book; maybe it’s your approach to PR. Here are just a few of the common pitfalls I’ve seen: Read more on losing faith in your book →

Filed Under: book publicity, Marketing, PR, public relations Tagged With: book promotion, book publicist, book publicity, creating buzz, emsi, Marsha Friedman, media coverage, public relations, publicity

Marketing Expert and Author, Al Ries, Shares His Insights on Positioning, PR & More–Part 2

February 11, 2011 By Marsha Friedman Leave a Comment

Last week, the first part of a four-part interview series with Al Ries was released. This week we continue with part two.

For those of you who might not have read part one and may not be totally familiar with Al Ries, Al is an international marketing expert and author of 12 books on marketing, advertising and PR (The 22-Immutable Laws of Marketing, Positioning, The 22-Immutable Laws of Branding, Marketing Warfare, The Fall of Advertising & The Rise of PR, War in the Boardroom, among others). He’s also a renowned public speaker and consultant to many of the mega brands and corporations.

So get ready for more of Al’s nuggets of marketing wisdom and insight. If you wish to read parts one or three, click on the following links:

Al Ries Part 1
Al Ries Part 3
Read more on marketing expert and author, Al Ries →

Filed Under: book publicity, Marketing, PR, print PR, public relations Tagged With: book promotion, book publicity, creating buzz, emsi, Marsha Friedman, media coverage, public relations, publicity

How NOT to Sell a Book: Learn the Seven Deadly Sins of Book Marketing

February 8, 2011 By Marsha Friedman Leave a Comment

Not a day goes by that I don’t hear this same question from people who contact me to help them market their books: If I do PR, how many books will I sell?

This seems like a straightforward question at first, until I start asking some questions myself: Do you have a Web site? What’s your marketing plan? Is your book available online? What’s your message?

At the risk of demystifying what I do for my clients, let me make it abundantly clear, there is NO magic wand that will help you sell your book. PR, advertising, promotions, Web sites, social networking, none of it will guarantee you a bestseller. However, I think it’s imperative that I point out a few things which, if absent, will practically guarantee barely any sales beyond family and friends. Read more on how NOT to sell a book →

Filed Under: book publicity, Marketing, public relations Tagged With: book promotion, book publicist, book publicity, creating buzz, emsi, Event Management Services, Marsha Friedman, media appearance, Online Marketing and PR, PR, public relations, publicity

Are You The Invisible Author?

February 1, 2011 By Marsha Friedman Leave a Comment

Just about everyone is familiar with the classic image of The Invisible Man, whether it’s Claude Rains in bandages and a trench coat or the revisionist take with Kevin Bacon in foundation makeup and a hoodie. While both were great films, they both underscored the inherent detriments to being invisible.

In my world, I see authors who feel like the Invisible Man all the time. They’ve toiled tirelessly to write their books and get them published, and then languish as they wait to get noticed by an audience they know would appreciate their messages, if only they knew the book existed.

Well, to reference another great film, promoting a book is not like the magic of Field of Dreams, in which the only thing Kevin Costner needed to do in order to get people to flock to his baseball field in the middle of his corn crops was simply to build it. In the book world, if you write it, they will NOT come; you need to make them aware that you and your book exist. Read more on being the invisible author →

Filed Under: book publicity, PR, public relations Tagged With: book promotion, book publicist, book publicity, emsi, Event Management Services, Marsha Friedman, media coverage, PR, publicity