Scrappy Marketing Solutions Blog

Peter Shankman's "If I Can Help a Reporter Out"

About a month ago, I subscribed to a relatively new e-newsletter: Peter Shankman's "Help a Reporter Out" (or HARO, for short).  I read about it in a blog post by Denise Wakeman: Help a Reporter Out: A Goldmine for PR Opportunities.

Each day, you'll receive up to three emails, each with anywhere from 2-10 queries per email. They'll all be labeled with [shankman.com] in the subject line, for easy filtering. If you see a query you can answer, go for it! HelpAReporter.com really is that simple.

I built this list because a lot of my friends are reporters, and they call me all the time for sources. Rather than go through my contact lists each time, I figured I could push the requests out to people who actually have something to say.

In the past three weeks, I have forwarded more than 15 queries on to people in my network.  Reporters have submitted queries seeking experts in such areas as Unique Organizing Niches, Craft Store Owners, Las Vegas, Podcasters, Photographers, Teaching Kids Values, and Thanksgiving Traditions.  (Actually, the queries run a MUCH wider gamut than that - those were just some of the queries I forwarded on.)

The venues for which journalists write also run the gamut - there are some smaller community papers, online communities, blogs, as well as The New York Times, HGTV, and full-fledged books.

As Denise said, this really is a PR Goldmine.  If you want to promote your product/business to a wide audience, you can hardly beat the "free press" of being included in an article.  It provides much more credibility than buying ad space, and is definitely cheaper.  Plus, when you are quoted in an article, or your product/business is featured in an article, you 'become' an expert.  People see you as a "go-to resource" in that topic area.

I haven't seen a ton of craft-related queries come in, but that's where your "PR thinking cap" comes in.  Think outside our craft box, and spin something to see how what you do could fit a given request.  DON'T pitch blindly, mind you - someone looking for molecular biology resources will NOT appreciate you sending info about your line of paper-craft storage.  But if someone is looking for resources in organizing a home office, how could paper-craft storage provide a creative and unusual solution?  If a reporter posts a query for decorating trends for the holidays, what ideas could you offer? (And yes, both of those queries have been posted recently.)

Almost every day I read a query that I'd like to post here to go out to the craft marketing masses.  But rather than posting journalists email addresses here (something I'm SURE they would NOT appreciate, either!), I thought I'd just let you know about the HARO newsletter, and let you sign up yourselves.  Yes, it does arrive three times a day, and yes, there are more queries there that won't apply to you, than those that will, but I think subscribing is a valuable marketing tool.  And, as Peter says, "the good Karma is immeasurable".

If you are a reporter/writer/journalist seeking sources, you can also submit requests for resources. I've passed this query link along to several writer friends, and they are really impressed with the resources they've seen.

If you respond to any HARO query, I'd love to hear how it turns out!  Be sure to come back here and leave a comment!

Finding Free Press Release Distribution Sites

A client recently asked me if I had any recommendations for free press release distribution sites, so I thought I'd share my answer here:

You can try http://i-newswire.com or http://www.prlog.org/ - I have seen scrapbooking press releases there, but have not used either of them myself.  I have really only used PRWeb, because I get consistent results from them.

Mashable.com compiled a list of 21 sites with free distribution - worth a look-see!  20+  Free Press Release Distribution Sites.

I also advised her that any release should be submitted to me - Scrapbooking Industry News is probably the easiest free distribution you can get for this market!  :)

How a Gorilla in a Grocery Story Made the News

Great grassroots marketing tip on The Publicity Hound’s Blog: Pitch stand-alone photos ideas to weekly newspapers.

When Tom Holubowicz wanted publicity recently for his custard stand in Grafton, Wisconsin, he donned an ape costume and visited the local Pick ‘n Save supermarket to buy bananas for Monkey Pox, his “flavor of the day.”

The recipe calls for bananas, custard and chocolate-covered peanuts.

Before he left, he called The News Graphic, his local weekly newspaper and told them it would make a great photo op.

(You'll have to read Joan's blog post to hear the great marketing results!)

Gets you thinking, doesn't it?  What kind of photo opp could you stage for instant-gratification PR?  Joan's example makes me think of Scrapbook University's "Chicken Soup" party.  SU co-owner Ami Mizell-Flint contributed a story to Chicken Soup for the Scrapbooker's Soul.  To celebrate the book's release, the store pledged to donate a can of chicken soup to a local soup kitchen for every book sold in the store.  Of course they let local media know about the event, and got great coverage as a result.

So be thinking about something you can do to gain media attention.  The custard stand owner needed bananas - he just took it a step further and bought them in a gorilla costume.  Ami wanted to promote a book her store was selling - she took it a step further by also making it a charity event.  Both business owners also made sure to notify the media.  Is there a media opportunity waiting out there for you?  I'd love to hear about it!

Holiday Marketing: Christmas Gift Ideas

Check out this article in the Gretna Breeze newspaper: Precious ideas for Christmas gifts.  It begins:

With the Christmas holiday season in full swing, a new business in Gretna can help those with a creative boost. Precious Treasures, located at Nebraska Crossing Outlet Center, is filled with scrapbooking tools and items to get artistic results.

This is your cue to send out a press release offering your suggestions for holiday gifts - Top Five Gifts for Scrapbookers this year, Top Five Ways to a Digital Photographer's Heart, 10 Photo Gifts for Grandparents.  Send these ideas off in press release format to your local media - local newspaper, midday TV news, morning and drive-time radio hosts.  These tips make great filler pieces at this time of you, and great coverage for your business.

How to Get Small Biz Media Attention

Via How to Build A Better Blog, an article on How to Get Attention in a New-Media World.  This article by Gwendolyn Bounds discusses using the Web to generate buzz for small businesses, and in particular, using blogs.  Using blogs, websites, podcasts, and video offer options for what Bounds calls, "entrepreneurial storytelling."

A couple of tips from the article:

• WEB BASICS: Building a Web site and getting good rankings on search engines such as Yahoo and Google can help customers find you -- especially new ones. Consider blogging as a way to tell your story and interact with the public. Using sites such as technorati.com can help turn up other like-minded bloggers. Podcasting and online video-sharing sites such as youtube.com can help tell your story -- but do it creatively, avoiding pure commercial pitches.

• BRAND AMBASSADORS: Find customers willing to talk up your product to others and encourage their word-of-mouth marketing with discounts or first looks at new products and sales.

The reporter also mentions blog carnivals -- something I've talked about before but still haven't made time to really research and, more importantly, participate.  I love the idea of it though -- this article reminds me of that, and that I need to get off my butt and participate.

Another interesting idea, this one regarding offline word-of-mouth marketing.  CEO of a NJ market-research firm Ed Keller "suggests creating ambassador programs -- from new-product sampling and discounts to private in-store parties -- among loyal customers to encourage them to talk about a product or business."  Hmmmm.  Many scrapbooking stores already do something like this with Demo Days or make-and-takes, usually open to the public.  But wouldn't it be interesting to target specific people or groups for demos, discounts, or even just consumer research (should we order this or not?)  Interesting.

The WSJ article is good reading -- I liked how it presented a comprehensive overview of different options for promoting a small business, and how those different options play out.

technorati tags: scrapbook+marketing, publicity, PR, blog+marketing

Preparing Press Kits

I was recently discussing trade show press kits with one of my clients.  She was wondering about "extra stuff" to put in the kits -- the press release is covered, but should other documents also be included?

My response:
You can include other documents, but usually the media is so pressed for time they'll only have time to glance at it.  Mostly, they just want to know what's new for this show.  So if you have other documents like a corporate history/backgrounder, executive profiles, service/product listing, previous press clippings, fact sheets, or FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) -- post those on your company website in a "Press Room" section, and direct the media there by including a link in your press release or cover letter.

Of course, it can't *hurt* to put other background information in there - just don't be surprised if it gets thrown away.

My client asked if the press usually takes kits home to digest later.

My response:
Yes, they do take kits home.  I know I do -- I shove as many as I can in my suitcase and bags, then SHIP the rest home.  It usually takes me 1-2 weeks to wade through it all once I get home.

Here's a tip -- I love when companies include CDs in their kits, and I always suggest that to my clients.  The CDs are a lot easier to pack in a suitcase than a full-size folder.  Brochures and product catalogs I throw away -- I assume I can find all that on the website.  I keep business cards, recent press releases or info on stuff that was new for this show, and CDs.

Looking forward...I plan to talk to various editors at the show about what they want to see in press kits -- what's good, what's bad, and what's the most helpful.  That way I'll know for future shows what each editor wants to see.  That helps me, and that helps my clients.

Edited to Add: Trade Show Presenter and Podcast Diva Heidi Miller mentioned this blog post!  Yea!

technorati tags: press+kits, press+releases, PR, publicity, trade+shows, MemoryTrends

PR/Publicity Pitching: Ways to Come Up With Newspaper Story Ideas

This article at Freelancewrite.About.com, 6 Ways to Come Up With Newspaper Story Ideas, is meant to provide inspiration for freelance writers hoping to pitch a newspaper story.  The list provided also provides some inspiration for those PR hopefuls looking to pitch article ideas to reporters.

For instance:

Idea #1: Localize National Stories
Pay attention to national trends. If it’s big in other cities, there’s a good chance it’s influencing your town.

If you are looking to get some local PR for your scrapbooking business, watch the national trends, and pitch the local angle to local media/reporters.  Watch what the top daily newspapers are covering -- like the Chicago Tribune, the LA Times, the NY Times, and the Washington Post.  How can you take their news topics, and twist/tweak it for the local angle?

Read the rest of the newspaper story ideas here.

Using del.icio.us as a PR 'Hub'

FASCINATING "PR 2.0" idea offered in this post: PR Squared: Daily Servings of del.icio.us Delights. 

Whoa.  Takes a bit to wrap your brain around.  It really illustrates how things are changing, both for how marketers get their message across, AND how reporters find their information/story leads.

Taking PR Squared's lead, I have created a del.icio.us page for the Scrapbooking Industry, in hopes that the link could be passed on (and the RSS feed subscribed to) by mainstream media reporters looking to keep tabs on the scrapbooking industry, and/or need background information for a story.

Other links available:

http://del.icio.us/ScrapbookingIndustry/magazines

http://del.icio.us/ScrapbookingIndustry/blogs

http://del.icio.us/ScrapbookingIndustry/"scrapbooking statistics"

NOTE: PR Squared is the blog of SHIFT Communications, creators of the "Social Media Press Release" -- another PR-pioneering concept

What do you think?

Edited to Add: Jeremiah Owyang, Web Strategist Extraordinaire, linked to this post, and said it was "smart thinking."  Sweet.