Book Description
Describes how to write an attention getting news release.
Customer Reviews:
excellent advice.......2005-07-16
I read Catherine McIntyre's book before writing my first and only press release, to publicize my church's program for children with autism.
I did everything Ms. McIntyre told me to do.
That press release won my church a story and photos in the New York Times.
I should add that I'm a professional writer, so I had a leg up on the topic.
But I'd never written a press release in my life. I don't think I'd even read one.
McIntyre told me what I needed to know.
Fantastic Resource!.......2003-07-23
When I started looking for information on news releases I read a lot of books on the topic. This book, without question, was the best of the bunch. The author is a newspaper reporter and advertising copywriter and knows what it takes to grab the attention of news editors. Before I read this book I tried for a year to get my news releases puiblished. After reading this book I learned what mistakes I'd been making. Now almost every release I send gets printed. The author outlines a foolproof formula for creating newsworthy releases regardless of the topic. Contains loads of examples of news releases that have proven to be successful. Other books I've read were kind of boring and hard to read, but this one is written in a down-to-earth style that's sparked with humor throughout. A thoroughly enjoyable and useful book. Highly recommended!
Not too impressed.......2003-05-17
This book is written in a "hunt and peck" style: you have to hunt for useful information and then peck what is feasbile and what is not. I wasn't too impressed, but I guess all publicity books are the same. It's not like there's much new information out there.
I do recommend "Free Publicity" by Jeff Crilley. ...
Very Useful.......2002-08-30
McIntyre hits the nail on the head witn this one. I've found that my organization's releases have received much higher usage now that we follow her format. We also use Michael Levine's Guerrilla PR: Wired because of its strength in updating public rlations techniques to the Internet.
from someone in the biz.......2002-08-22
It's rare that you read something informative and entertaining. This book is written with humour and intelligence. It isn't exactly in the class of Michael Levine's Guerrilla PR Wired, but it is a gool tool to have around. The specific nature of the book is also helpful for those with specific questions.
Book Description
This book is intended as a quick overview for executives, PR professionals, and communications students who want to understand the number one reason most PR programs fail: they forget that the editor or analyst should be the primary audience, not customers. Twenty-five chapters cover everything from the top 10 misconceptions about PR to legal regulations, websites, white papers, taking on the competition, and ethics. There is also a helpful directory of resources to aid PR efforts.
Customer Reviews:
Not intended for the consummate PR expert.......2007-01-18
To the point, informed and rich in examples. Excellent if your are looking for a quick overview of all that is needed to run a PR department in a company. Extremely useful for those who haven't a clue on what's PR and how relations with editors work. Also interesting for those who want to be reassured on their main tasks as a PR exec. But if you have a degree in journalism or already have experience in PR and media relations: leave it.
A real-world perspective on truly effective PR.......2005-03-28
While my specialty is not PR, I am a 20+ year marketing consultant who is still often faced with trying to explain to clients why their efforts to send out product announcements aren't yielding any true results. When I first saw the title of this book, I thought to myself "now someone really gets it!". VandeVrede spells it out clearly and effectively that it's all about establishing and nurturing relationships with key editors to understand their perceived needs, and then providing the content that fills their needs (while promoting your business). Effective PR is a process that takes commitment - and VandeVrede's book is a solid primer for business owners and managers who want to understand the step-by-step strategy for making that commitment towards real, measurable results. There's dozens of PR books that will help learn how to write and issue press releases and product announcements. Finally, there's one that tells how to really make PR work for you.
Terrific tips for small businesses - and book authors.......2005-03-26
VandeVrede outlines a clear and critical strategy for do-it-yourself executives who want to promote their companies and services. She reminds even the seasoned executive that it's not enough to talk about your company from your own perspective. Editors need information that readers want and need. That means taking a close, hard and objective look at what you have to offer - and how your services and products will be perceived in the marketplace. Remember, you never get a second chance to make a first impression; so the first time you contact an editor - make it count! (Reviewer is the author of "The Personal Publicity Planner: A Guide to Marketing YOU" and "Top Cops: Profiles of Women in Command.")
Book Description
All business owners want to garner publicity for themselves, their products, and their organizations. So how do you create distinctive materials and more importantly—the buzz that sets you apart from the competition? Award-winning publicist Sandra Beckwith goes beyond other PR primers to not only show the mechanics of writing pitch letters and publicity kits, but also how to strategically create a PR plan for your business.
Streetwise® Complete Publicity Plans is filled with sample forms, resources, and great ideas that you can use right away:
·Press releases
·Pitch letters
·Press kits
·Op-eds and public service announcements
·Sample editorial calendars and media checklists
Target Your Approach, Get Results
·Different types of media exposure—and which is best for your business
·How to tailor PR plans for trade vs. consumer media
·Dealing with print vs. electronic media
·What is—and isn't—newsworthy
Reaching the Right People
·Determine your audience
·Reach diverse communities
·Building relationships with the press
·Media directories
Executing Your Plan
·Staying within budget
·Managing schedules and timelines
·Hiring outside help
Quantify Your Results
·Track new clients or product sales
·Jumpstart a stalled publicity campaign
·Refine your media base
·Justify your effort
Streetwise® Complete Publicity Plans doesn't just show you how to put a plan together, it enables you to maximize results!
Customer Reviews:
highly recommended .......2007-06-27
as a public relations director, i was really missing this book. It refreshed my knowlege and added new inputs to me. this book is good for beginners as well as PR professionals. I highly recommend it for those who want to grasp pulbic relations and corportat communications subjects.
Do-it-yourself PR.......2006-08-24
This excellent book goes into great detail about publicity and how to get it. Beckwith covers everything you need to know in order to put together a working PR plan and how to implement it. If you have the drive, you can turn her advice into business-generating PR that will put you ahead of the competition.
New to Public Relations? Just buy this book first........2006-02-15
I'm starting a new company and publicity is going to be a big part of our marketing and marketing communications activities. I'm kind of process and checklist driven -- and wanted a book that would refresh me on the basics so I could put together an effective publicity plan.
Well, I just finished reading three books on the subject -- and must say Sandra's book is the best by far.
What is so impressive is how complete it is. Seriously? I've been in the advertising business for 20 years. During this time, I worked with a number of VP level clients who oversaw all of their company's communications -- so I've been around some big PR firms and seen them in action. Believe me, there are public relations firms out there charging $20,000 a month retainers that don't provide the smart and insightful counsel Sandra does. She's that good -- and she can make YOU that good.
So if you think PR is simply cranking out press release after press release after press release -- and either mailing or e-mailing it to editors everywhere with hopes that something will stick -- you will learn that is a sure-fire recipe for failure. Sandra explains the difference between working hard and working SMART -- and why the smart part of the equation separates the 1% of people who do publicity right from the 99% of people who crank out junk mail and spam.
Bottom line? If you want to learn the difference between success and failure -- such as setting goals, determining strategies, tactics to employ, and create information that will gain attention from the press instead of being deleted or thrown in the garbage -- buy this book first. It's the only one you'll need.
A *real* step-by-step guide.......2006-01-25
In contrast to most books on getting media coverage, this one is a genuine step-by-step, how-to guide. It bypasses the chatty anecdotal style of many PR-professionals-turned-authors, and goes for the "dummies guide" approach.
Personal taste of course, but I much prefer this approach. A flaw of the books by "experts" is that they focus on just one or two of their pet strategies (despite what the blurb claims), while leaving holes in vital areas you need. This book truly takes you from step 1 and covers everything you need thereafter.
A particular strength is that it compares and contrasts your different choices available - a pitch letter vs. a press release; a staff-written story vs. by-lined. It really gets down to what's the right approach for a given situation.
If you want a comprehensive (but plain) how-to guide, go for this. If you want the chatty advice of an expert (with some holes in it), go for Laermer.
Steve's Review of Complete Publicity Plans.......2005-11-22
This is an excellent book that can teach you a lot about the oft-misunderstood world of publicity. The author Sandra L. Beckwith holds nothing back as she clearly and logically lays out the plans for mounting a successful attack on the publicity campaign trail.
As anyone who has tried knows getting real publicity by simply sending out a PR (press release) is NOT ever going to guarantee an avalanche of interested traffic. Knowing exactly what to say, how to say it, and still more importantly what not to say is crucial and vital to having any real measure of success with PR people and the media at large.
This is where this book is so valuable. Sandra can help you save thousands of dollars and even potentially months and years of wasted effort by giving you a concise road map to achieving noteworthy or newsworhty publicity. I wish I had had this book when I did my first press release. The book is not quite a 5 star book but few are. I would have liked the book to have been just a bit longer with more examples but 4 stars is huge, a really great resource. Buy it at all cost. Using some of Sandras tips I am now getting better results promoting my book Car Wealth - How To Become Wealthy In The Automoblie Resale Business available for instant download at [...]
Book Description
Publicity lets the world know who you are, what your company offers, or the urgency of your cause. Whether you want to draw in new business, establish yourself as an expert, or introduce a new concept to the community, free publicity is the cheapest, most credible way to do it. This newly updated edition of a classic guide to obtaining media coverage includes tips for using email and the Web to reach publicity gatekeepers, along with the basics of earning ink or airtime. It also covers: o Getting started-how to overcome fears, feel comfortable, and think like a publicity hound. o How to write tip sheets, pitch letters, and press releases that roll out your message and keep you in people's minds and files. o Performing on radio, TV, or the Web like a pro. o How to be easily found through the search engines.
Customer Reviews:
6 Steps to Greater Visibility!.......2007-03-09
This book was suggested to me by a friend who read it years ago and employs one of the steps in the book. His business is highly successful and he doesn't spend a fortune in marketing. I read this book recently and have started to use the suggestions by author Marcia Yudkin. The book is an easy read and full of examples. The steps are not difficult to perform and, in some cases, don't cost a thing. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to increase visibility of their product, services, or themselves.
Make it Happen Through the Media.......2007-01-06
It occurred to me as I read this book that the people we regularly see on television, hear on the radio, or are featured in newspapers and magazines aren't any smarter or more talented than most of us. So why are they getting publicity for their supposed unique talents and we aren't? They understand how to utilize the media properly to gain an advantage. The media doesn't play favorites contrary to popular belief--they greatly desire to provide fresh perspectives and intriguing content to their audience. If we know how to help them, they will gladly help us. This book outlines ways we can rise above the crowd and get discovered with the help of the media.
To put it succinctly: if you want to learn how to utilize the media to your advantage, get this book.
Excellent resource for obtaining free publicity.......2007-01-03
I bought this because I needed to obtain some publicity about an invent in which I was involved. Using the precepts in the book, we wrote a press release that worked wonders. Much of the information is logical, but it's a good reminder and there are excellent examples in the book to get one started.
Very good introductory book to publicity w lots of helpful tips.......2006-12-12
This is an excellent introduction to publicity for anyone, but especially for small business owners and others who are publicity or marketing challenged.
The book describes the differences between advertising and publicity and even goes into the psychological and emotional resistance to putting yourself in the public eye. For people just starting out, this could help them deal with their fears.
Section II of the book is on writing for publicity. This section talks about news releases, putting together a media kit, writing effective pitch letters and publishing articles. It describes how to use writing to get free exposure and does a good job of covering this territory.
Section III addresses speaking, getting on the radio or TV and networking to get exposure. This is a nice introduction and is upbeat and optimistic.
Section IV talks about polishing your publicity skills. This section has a lot of good practical advice and tips. In fact, the handful of tips you might pick up from anywhere in the book will pay for it many times over.
Overall, this is a great upbeat book that gives people the essentials they need to get started. I am an experienced business person, do a fair amount of public speaking and I found many useful ideas here. I also coach small business owners and have worked with larger companies in marketing and strategic planning.
What I most like about this book is the wide scope that it covers and how it addresses the most common roadblocks and problems with practical advice. This isn't a theory book, it will tell you how to get your business moving.
Don't reinvent the wheel regarding how to get publicity - just read this book and you will understand how to do it........2006-10-20
This book will definitely help you attract media attention for your business or consulting practice. I highly recommend it to small business owners who need to develop a public relations or publicity plan as part of their marketing mix. The material included in this book will show you how to connect with newspapers, magazines, radio and television, as well as other media outlets. You will also find information about the Internet, Web sites, and search engines.
As long as you understand that the public has an appetite for interesting stories that can be called "news," then you will find this book to be helpful to you in supplying the public what it craves. And you will get known in the process.
At page 19 the author lists the "6 Steps" referred to in the book's title. They are as follows:
1. Determine the purpose of your publicity message
2. Determine what your publicity message should be (write it)
3. Determine where that target of your message is
4. Determine who that target is
5. Always include your contact info in your message
6. Pick a medium (newspaper, magazine, ezine, radio, tv, etc.) to hit your target
The book is broken into 5 parts. The author suggests that you can get publicity by writing and speaking. Don't forget that some great publicity comes from doing public speaking! The best part of the book is the forth part which concerns: Polishing Your Publicity Skills. This is the meat of the book. It is the Publicity Guide that makes this book so good. It is here that the author provides tips and examples of pitch letters, press releases, and radio and TV blurbs.
The book is well organized and easy to read. So if you need to put together a publicity campaign, then you will do yourself a favor by getting hold of this book to use as one of your resources. 5 stars!
Book Description
Sociology: A Canadian Perspective provides all the essentials of an introductory sociology text with a visually stimulating design and effective pedagogy. The result is a text that is sure to captivate students' attention and teach them that sociology has coherence, substantive content, and
precision.
Product Description
Overview on public relations strategy for executives, PR professionals and communications students. The chapters are organized to take readers from a basic understanding of public relations and how it differs from other marketing communications tactics, to several sections on specific PR tactics and how and where they should be used. There is a new chapter on social media, including blogs, podcasts, wikis and RSS feeds. The expanded appendix includes the PRSA code of ethics, a resource directory, and samples.
Customer Reviews:
On The Money!.......2007-09-12
Linda lays out the details on building a strategic public relations plan. She candidly tells you what will work and what won't, popping the balloons of those PR practitioners who bilk naive businesses with unfulfillable promises.
Her take on PR dismisses the Press Release Mills and Spin Doctors who damage our discipline and those foolish enough to engage them. She fleshes out some of the concerns I expressed in a Barks & Bites OPED in the Public Relations Journal Bulldog Reporter, entitled "I Want A Divorce." Her take on public relations is right in line with the role I advocate in my book, Play Nice, Make Money.
Linda has obviously been there and done it all. While students and PR professionals can gain much from this book, every business executive can gain a much better understanding of the role PR should play in their organization as well. This book should be required reading in every MBA program and business course as well as every communications course offered.
W.T. "Bill" McKibben
Great!.......2007-06-19
Perfect Condition - came right on time - no worries at all!
If you do PR and you haven't read this book...........2007-06-09
Shame on you. Do what Linda says. In order to do that you have to buy Linda's book. This is the cheapest graduate level course in modern public relations for the technical enterprise you will ever take. If you don't read and apply the lessons in this book, you will be walking on crutches in your job.
Linda VandeVrede is one of the best solo practitioners of PR for technical companies. I recommend her services regularly and I highly recommend her book.
Walt Boyes
Editor in Chief
Control magazine
www.controlglobal.com
Kasia, Web 2.0 entrepreneur and enthusiast.......2007-03-20
What is PR? How does one develop a successful PR campaign? Linda VandeVrede's book answers all these questions and more. Her book is concise, interesting, and very easy to read and understand. "Press Releases are not a PR Strategy" walks the reader through the concepts of PR in a very straightforward way. From the entrepreneurial point of view, this book is invaluable! I highly recommend it for early stage startups.
Book Description
At a time when business has slowed due to world events, this book on how to bolster yourself, your product or your service through press releases is right on target. A career journalist and media writer, author Judith Welsh has gleaned knowledge from her years of both receiving and writing press releases. She shares valuable tips and insights in the book, How to Write Powerful Press Releases.
Divided into sections, the book covers the art and craft of writing press releases from beginning to end. It covers every aspect of constructing the press release and leads the reader through the process, emphasizing the many angles and subtleties inherent in a successful press release. One of the unique and valuable sections of the book includes examples of actual press releases she has written for different clients and businesses. Ms. Welsh uses these to illustrate techniques and objectives that are necessary to achieve powerful press releases. So the reader learns by not only reading how to do it but by seeing it implemented.
Sections of the book are divided into such subjects as technique, sales tools, rules of grammar and style, how often to send a press release and what to avoid, how to incorporate expert interviews and how to make them newsworthy. The book adds new meaning to the word press release as it plumbs and combs its depth and breadth.
How to Write Powerful Press Releases belongs in every company's library and in any individual's store of knowledge as a valuable resource for selling yourself, your product or your service.
Product Description
Do your press releases grab an editors attention? Written by a reporter to help you attract reporters, this survival guide is your key to attracting media attention and keeping it. Complete with sample releases, how-to-write-templates, format suggestions and tips to make your releases stand out, this recipe for a powerful press release will help you get your product, news or announcement into the spotlight.
Customer Reviews:
THE how-to book on advertising for small business........1996-05-16
This book provides detailed how-to information on advertising using the following media: print (newspapers, magazines, brochures, outdoor), radio, television, direct mail, as well as gaining free publicity and creating your own look for your letterhead, business cards, etc. Every chapter includes all you need to know, with precise instructions, examples, and templates for planning (scheduling, budgeting, determining the best medium to achieve your goals). It also includes chapters on planning your advertising program. If you want to take advantage of advertising to increase the sales of your business, this is the book you need
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Books Index
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General
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Complete Publicity Plans: How to Create Publicity That Will Spark Media Exposure and Excitement (Adams Streetwise Series)
The Publicity Handbook, New Edition : The Inside Scoop from More than 100 Journalists and PR Pros on How to Get Great Publicity Coverage
An Editor's Guide to Perfect Press Releases. The Key To Free Publicity For Your Organization or Business
The Public Relations Writer's Handbook: The Digital Age
Public Relations Kit for Dummies
