How to Shine with a Press Release

Posted on February 23, 2012 by

Today I taught the second in a series of media workshops.  This one was on press releases.  As I explained to the class, if you’re looking for greater exposure for you and your business, it’s important that you become familiar with how to write a press release.  Of course, you could pay someone anywhere from $50 to a few hundred dollars to write one for you but think how much money you could save over the course of several releases—especially if you’re business is still starving for some visibility.

Here are some of the tips I shared:

  • It begins with the HEADLINE (should be attention grabbing but not cutesy)
  • Who, what, where, when, why and how summed up in three to four paragraphs
  • Write in active—not passive voice and in third person.
  • Use “quotable quotes” from yourself.  If you are a guest on someone’s radio show, get them to tell you why they’d like you to be on their show and then quote them in your release.
  • Tie your release into something newsworthy (news of the day) if you are writing to offer yourself as an expert on a subject
  • Stay away from using your name in the headline if it’s a national release.  If it’s local, you have the option to use it if you like.
  • Post your release on more than one site for greater visibility

To learn more about press releases and other ways to create a buzz about you and your business, pik up a copy of my new book, How to Get on the News Without Committing Murder 

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Join the SistaSense Power Circle Telesummit to Grow Your Business

Posted on February 21, 2012 by

You can’t GROW if you don’t KNOW!

As a media consultant, I am a firm believer that the reason most people fail to make a splash in the world of publicity and exposure is because they don’t have a clue on how to really be effective. They are travelling in the WRONG circles and relied on the advice of some good friends who would rather be nice than brutally honest.

The upcoming SistaSense Power Circle Telesummit brings some of the most successful entrepreneurs together to discuss how to establish your web presence in order to grow your business both on and offline. According to LaShandra Henry, the mastermind behind this awesome event, “The Success of Your Business Depends on the Company You Keep.”

Here’s your invtitation to keep some good company on March 1 and make it YOUR TIME TO SHINE!

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Media Interviews Promote YOU Not Your Business

Posted on February 8, 2012 by

If you are looking at the media to promote your business, you are looking at it all wrong. Interviews tell stories about people. WHO are you? WHAT did you used to do? WHAT are you doing now? WHERE did it all begin for you? WHEN did you decide it was time to make a change? WHY share your story? HOW much has your life changed in the last 10-20 years?

These are the questions I ask as an interviewer so my listeners and viewers get to know YOU. It is through telling your story that they not only learn more about you—but they also come to learn about your business.

The next time you think “I’m not newsworthy”, remember this: everyone has a story to tell and YOUR STORY can be a testimony for someone else in helping them in their own personal and professional lives.

Posted in BAMedia, Media Topics | Tagged | 1 Comment

Is it News 50 Years Later

Posted on February 6, 2012 by

A new book, due to be released this week, will reveal an extramarital affair involving President John F. Kennedy.  The author, Mimi Alford, now in her late 60s, has reportedly written a tell-all book about her sexual escapades with the former Commander-in-Chief while she was a White House intern.

The question is, is this really news?  It’s been 50 years since this affair allegedly occurred.  Why come forward now?  Is she prepared for the media publicity that’s bound to come her way?

Over the years there were plenty of reports about the former President messing around with other women so what makes Mimi’s story unique and relevant?

The public will get a first hand look at this woman on Wednesday when she does an interview with Meredith Vieira on NBC’s Rock Center with Brian Williams. She’s been quoted as saying she just wants to unburden herself.  What a burden to carry for 50 years and then all of a sudden decide its time to confess and cleanse your soul.  I guess that’s what aging will do to you.

 

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The Power of a Sound Bite

Posted on February 1, 2012 by

When I worked as a television reporter one of the comments I received most often from people I interviewed was, “Why did you edit what I said?” My response, “Because you said a WHOLE LOT MORE than I had time for!”

The truth is, many people love being interviewed, however, they don’t know exactly how to do it. In order to master a media interview, you must understand the power of the sound bite.

What is a sound bite? It is a short sentence that sums up a longer message. It tends to be an attention grabber—a statement that, once heard, will be remembered. I recall the first time I heard someone declare “50 is the new 30” and “60 is the new 40.” As crazy as it sounded, it became a battle cry for boomer women and anti-aging. More and more women are now using the phrase during interviews as they describe their reinvention journeys.

Sound bites not only apply to media but also to websites, as Derek Halpern explains in his article, “How Sound Bites Score You Web Traffic,”. You want, whatever you say on or off the mic, to be clear and concise.

To learn more about sound bites, you’re welcome to pick up a copy of my free ebook here: The Power of the Sound Bite

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