Getting Results: How Timing and Creativity Can Get You Booked

Just last week, I showed you an interview I did with Lisa Hess, our TV campaign manager, about a typical day in her life here at EMSI. In it, we learned a lot of the different things she does in order to get our clients booked. Although I can always count on Lisa to arrange good TV bookings each week, last week she outdid herself with 4 national TV appearances and 5 local TV appearances on network affiliate stations. So I thought it might be helpful as a follow-up to share with you how she got these bookings.

In her world, there are two kinds of pitches that she uses to garner the interest of national TV producers. While national news programs and talk shows tend to follow the news cycle and seasons, they also sometimes respond to a pitch that is more evergreen, a message that’s not tied to the news but is one that’s timeless. However, in order to generate interest on the evergreen pitch, it has to be creative and really offer the viewers some serious added value. Read more on getting results →

A Day in the Life of a PR Pro

Lisa HessEvery week I write about the things I think can help people do a better job of marketing themselves by using PR. From a purely media standpoint, it makes sense for me to do that. After all, I’m the CEO. I wrote the book. I’m the expert.

But, I am profoundly proud to say that I am not the only expert. At EMSI we have a team of experts and quite frankly, this team is one of the best I have had in my 21 years of running this business. The work they do on a daily basis is phenomenal.

I thought I would introduce you to them, one by one, over the summer months, and allow them to tell you about what they do every day to book interviews on radio and TV and obtain print coverage. I believe it can be truly enlightening and helpful for you to learn how they overcome obstacles and meet challenges in order to consistently arrange media day in, day out, week in and week out. Read more on a day in the life of a PR pro →

Why You Need To Use Social Networking?

Did you know that Sarah Palin hasn’t given a media interview in months?

It’s true. She doesn’t talk to reporters at all. Outside of her commentary stints on Fox News, she has no direct contact with any journalists in print, on radio or on TV. So how is it she constantly stays in the headlines? One word: Twitter.

Palin lets the world know what she thinks through Twitter feeds and then comments on them through other social networks, like her Facebook page. She is still mentioned as a potential presidential candidate and her name appears in the news almost every week.

Is there any better evidence that social networking is not a fad? [Read more...]

Who Do They Trust? New Study Reveals Bloggers Drive Consumers More Than Celebrities

One of the key paradigms that is shifting in today’s PR world is the influence of bloggers.

Keeping in mind there are hundreds of thousands of bloggers on the Internet today, there are some who drive opinions far better than even celebrity endorsements. According to the 2011 Social Media Matters study by BlogHer.com, women who read blogs routinely trust implicitly the advice and recommendations they receive, especially if it is from a blogger they follow on a regular basis. [Read more...]

Why Can’t I Just Talk About My Book On The Air? Why Using the Media to Sell Books is a Finesse Play

Unless you’re Oprah, a former president or a major celebrity, there is one question you will likely never be asked by the media when promoting a book.

“So why did you write your book?”

They won’t ask it, not because they don’t know you’re an author nor because they’re being rude. They won’t ask because the media doesn’t exist to help authors sell books. The media exists to create content that informs and entertains its audience, so that their audience stays tuned in. The more audience they have, the more advertising dollars they can charge for their print space and air time. Audiences are what make them money.

This is one of the most common disconnects we usually see with those who are new to the game of PR. Authors expect they can use the media as a venue to talk about their books, while the media is only interested in them for their expertise and the information or entertainment they can offer their audiences. Read more on why you can't just talk about your book on the air →

So, Where Are Your Sales?

One of the most common dilemmas I encounter with many clients is the preconceived notions of what it takes to make sales. The problem with these preconceived notions is that they often misdirect people into thinking there is empirical evidence that lays out the sales cycle in absolutes. But, that just doesn’t exist.

So, what IS real? Exposure is a real tangible element in a marketing and sales cycle, because without it, you can’t sell a thing. Just as a candle under a bucket yields no light, a product or service that no one knows about will yield no sales. People have to know about you to do business with you.

Whether you are selling a book, a product or a service – exposure is the first and primary goal of marketing. While exposure doesn’t guarantee sales, any hope of generating sales can only result from getting in front of your potential consumer. But, when your product receives that coveted exposure to the masses, the X-factors in play become whether or not consumers will like what they see. Your product will either be exactly what the consumer is looking for, or it won’t. Read more on where are your sales →

Get Customers Influencing Stores to Stock Your Product

Usually, I like to dispense advice from the standpoint of having been in the media for 20 years, but this week’s advice is more in the land of common sense.

When you go to the store and you can’t find the exact product you’re looking for, what do you do? Do you just go home empty-handed? Or do you ask a manager? Most of the time, I ask a store or assistant manager if they carry the product, or if they can order it. And, most of the time retailers want to work with customers, so they’ll find a way to get what you want. After all, if they can service your needs, hopefully you’ll keep coming back. Read more on getting customers to influence stores to stock your product →

WGN Coming Up on 90th Anniversary: Flagship Chicago Radio Station’s Longevity Confirms Medium’s Vitality

In a media landscape that is growing and changing nearly every day, most of the players are relatively new. CNN is barely 30 years old and Fox News is a teenager at age 15. Even New York’s WABC-AM radio station is only 60 years old. So when Chicago flagship radio station WGN-AM announces that 2012 will be its 90th birthday, it’s cause for celebration.

But it’s not just about a big birthday or a dazzling history; it’s that WGN is a sterling example of why the medium of radio isn’t going away anytime soon. Over the course of its 90 years, WGN has been with us through some of the key stages of American history and with some of our country’s most beloved broadcasters.

After doing some homework I found that back in 1925, it was the first radio station to broadcast from a courtroom. WGN allowed the nation to listen to the famous Scopes “Monkey” Trial in Dayton, Tennessee, where teacher John Scopes was tried and convicted of teaching the theory of evolution in a public classroom, in violation of a local ordinance. Read more on WGN's 90th anniversary →

How Charlie Sheen’s Use of Talk Radio Demonstrates the Medium’s Influence over Everything Else

Have you noticed how Charlie Sheen has quieted down? It’s not that his public meltdown has slowed or that he’s run out of things to say. It’s just that he isn’t saying it on radio anymore.

I was actually surprised when I realized that Sheen’s daily presence in the news wasn’t just from his tweets or his videos that he posted online, but rather his radio interviews. The meatier comments the media used for their stories about Sheen actually came from his constant calls to national radio shows like The Dan Patrick Show, The Alex Jones Show and a wide variety of morning shows in different cities.

In fact, Philadelphia’s Wired 96.5 FM station – recognizing Sheen’s penchant for phone-in radio rants – flew a banner over Sheen’s house inviting him to call the station. He did and another news cycle ensued. Read more on Charlie Sheen's use of talk radio →

Hollywood Screenwriter, Pen Densham, Shares His Insights on Writing and Winning

How a high-school dropout became a Hollywood success with Back Draft, Moll Flanders and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

One of the things I love about my business is I get to meet the most interesting people who are luminaries in their industries. One person who fits that bill to a “T” is Pen Densham. You may not recognize his name, but I guarantee you’ve seen his work. Read more on Pen Densham, Hollywood screenwriter →

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