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Should you pay outrageous fees for article reprints?

June 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Some newspapers and magazines charge for reprints. Some don’t. And some charge a small fortune.

Here’s a way to maximize articles without paying ridiculous prices for reprints.

You can put some content on your website for free, including:
- links to the articles. They click on the link and the browser opens a new window that shows the article. People see both sites at the same time.
- headlines of the articles
- short quotes from the article (The L.A. Times called Dan Janal “an internet marketing expert.” True, btw)
- general info about the article (i.e. I was quoted in the Wall Street Journal on June 15, 2010.”)

If you use these tips, you’ll get a lot of leverage from your articles without winding up in the poor house.

Filed Under: book publicity, newpaper articles, public relations, publicity, Uncategorized

Publicity Tactics: Does Old Media Still Matter?

May 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Is Old Media still relevant in today’s social media world in terms of getting publicity that helps you make sales?

You bet.

While it is great to get mentioned on blogs and social media sites, Old Media or Mainstream Media is still the place to be to get results.
Here are 5 reasons to include Old Media in your publicity and marketing campaigns:

1.     Credibility. If the New York Times likes your product or service, you get instant credibility. I could name 100 other mainstream publications that you’d love to get into so your product, book or service gets the ringing endorsement of a trusted source.
2.     Visibility. Newspapers, TV and radio still reach millions of people every day. While we all like to get some of our news online, you can’t ignore the impact of traditional media sites and their incredible reach into mainstream America.
3.     Reprintability. Let’s face it. Nothing stands out in marketing kit or sales kit like a reprint from a newspaper or magazine. It demands to be great and it smacks of credibility. I’m seeing more and more websites feature logos of old media companies that have written about those authors and small businesses. That should tell you something: people are influenced and impressed by Old Media.
4.     Links to your site. Nearly all content from nearly all Old Media is printed on the web. Oftentimes, those articles have links to your websites, or are otherwise indexed by Google and other search engines. So if someone is searching for your type of business, they very well may learn about your from a reference in the Old Media on their web site. That’s a great introduction. In fact, I had one client who was named one of the top 20 entrepreneurs of the year by Entrepreneur magazine. When you search her name, the first listing is the link to Entrepreneur, not her own website. Can you imagine how much confidence and credibility she just received? Anyone searching for her can see that she has the implied endorsement of a top magazine! That’s a great way to start a conversation.
5.     Ego. Would you rather say that someone Tweeted about you or that the Boston Globe printed a review of your book and included a picture of the cover? I rest my case.

None of this discussion even hints that new media is not worthwhile. It truly is. However, the torch has not been passed from one generation of news hounds to the next – at least not yet. Good publicity practices should include Old Media as well as New Media so you and your clients get the most publicity possible.

One tactic that I’ve found to be indispensible in getting my clients links from media sites is to distribute press releases. Many top media sites will print press releases word-for-word so you control the message. The benefits of doing this include getting links to your site, creating screen shots of your press release on famous sites to build your credibility and the visibility of reaching the audiences of those publications.

For a free report on how to get your message printed in top tier media websites, go to
http://www.prleadsplus.com/toptiermedia/
The Los Angeles Times called Dan Janal “an Internet marketing expert” who helps professionals build their businesses with publicity and Internet marketing tactics. To learn more about Dan’s coaching and consulting services, go to www.PRLEADSPLUS.com.

Filed Under: book publicity, free publicity, newpaper articles, press releases, publicity

How to Buy a Media List That Gets You, Your Products, and Your Services in Front of the Right People

May 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Reporters are dying to quote entrepreneurs, small business owners and consultants just like you. The trouble is, they don’t know you exist!

 

If only you can get your hands on a great media contact list, then you can get your name and credentials in front of reporters.  This way they will contact you when they are writing a story that would be perfect for you.

 

So how can you get your hands on a great media list that’s filled with information about reporter’s who want to quote you in their articles?

 

Many companies sell names of reporters. Like everything else on the Internet, they vary by quality, features and services.

 

Before you buy a media list, be sure to ask questions like the ones below.

 

10 Questions You Must Ask When Buying a Media List So You Get the Most Bang (Publicity) for Your Buck

 

 

  1. When was the list updated? Reporters change jobs quite frequently. And many newspapers and magazines are laying off people. So you want to make sure the list is updated on a daily or weekly basis. Otherwise, you’ll waste time, money and energy sending messages to people who don’t work there!

 

  1. What contact information is included in the list? You’ll want a list that has name, title, email, phone and snail mail address. Yes, snail mail. This way  you can send books or product samples. You’ll want email for sending pitches, press releases and press kits. You’ll want the phone number to pitch by phone. Of course, you will have much of this information on your website, but you’ll want to have every means available to contact reporters in the format they most desire. Reporters can be very, very picky!

 

  1. What information is included about the reporter? Most basic lists you’ll find on the Internet will have contact info, but not much else. That’s not enough to do target marketing. You want to know what topic (referred to as a “beat”) the reporter is covering as well. Some of the best companies offer additional insights into the beat. For example, some lists will tell you if reporter A  only covers politics with a conservative slant. That will help you when you fine-tune your pitch to her.

 

  1. Do you get a list that is sorted by the topic the reporter covers? Some list companies will sell you the entire database of each publication. That’s way too broad for most people and will lead to a lot of waste. In other words, it’s not enough to know that Jill writes for Business Week. You want to find the person who covers your topic. Because if Jill doesn’t, she’ll just throw away your message.

 

  1. Does the list contain a reporter’s personal information? Most lists don’t have information such as “like to bowl,” or “wrote a screenplay” or “recovered from cancer.” But if the list has this information, you might gain extra insights into the reporter and you might be able to build rapport faster.

 

  1. Does the list have the publication’s URL? Let’s face it, not everyone knows everything about every publication. Nor is every publication available at your local newsstand or library. However, if you have their URL, you can easily read about the publication, get its view on the world and read articles by that reporter. It’s a great time saver.

 

  1. Does the list have web-only publications, like websites and blogs? These outlets are beginning to play a much bigger role in telling stories to you audience. Don’t overlook the online-only opportunities.

 

  1. Does the list show circulation figures? Since you don’t have all the money in the world to send out books or product samples, or even to call everyone on a good list, you must decide who is important. That’s where the circulation figures come in to play. Start with the biggest and work your way down. If you don’t have the circulation figures, you don’t know who the big boys and girls are.

 

  1. Is the list searchable and sortable? Look for a list that is delivered in a digital form, like a spreadsheet or a word document. That way you can use sorting and searching tools to find the best reporters.

 

  1. What rights do you have to the list? Some companies give you one-time use of the list. They even “seed” the list with fake names so they can tell if you use the list more than once! Look for a company that gives you unlimited use of the list so you can get the most value for your investment.

 

If you follow these tips, you’ll find a list of media contacts than can serve you well at a price you can afford.

 

 

Dan Janal is media relations expert, author and speaker who coaches entrepreneurs, doctors and wellness professionals just like you on how to get publicity and turn it into REAL profits. Now, Dan invites you to go to http://www.bullseyepublicity.com to get a free e-course on how to successfully pitch reporters with media lists. Go to http://www.bullseyepublicity.com

 

Filed Under: free publicity, General Advice, Marketing, Marketing Misc., newpaper articles, press releases, public relations, publicity, radio publicity Tagged With: , ,

How to Get Your Own Column in Your Daily Newspaper

February 8, 2008 By 1 Comment

Getting your own column in your local newspaper might not be as hard as you think!

Here’s how one real estate expert got his own column in the largest newspaper in his state. He told me this story when I was a guest on Doug Huggins’ teleseminar yesterday.

Harold is a former economics professor. He simply contacted his local newspaper editor and told the editor why he (Harold) was better qualified to write about real estate and economics than the staff reporter, and how he (Harold) could offer a different perspective than the reporter.

The editor agreed and gave Harold his own column, and his own blog on the newspaper’s web site! Each column has Harold’s phone number and email address so prospects can contact him!

Way to go Harold! You are an inspiration to us all!

My advice: Be like Harold. Get off your butt, pick up the phone and pitch your local business, lifestyle or education editor!

Filed Under: book publicity, free publicity, newpaper articles