When it Comes to Successful Marketing…Coverage in Newspapers and Magazines is Crucial!

Successful companies will tell you that editorial coverage in newspapers and magazines should be a vital part of your marketing strategy. With the majority of Americans using print media as a key source of information and entertainment, they would emphasize the power of print coverage for generating leads and/or acquiring new customers.

Every drop of ink is truly invaluable.  Whether your products are editorialized about or mentioned in national magazines or weekly newspapers, print exposure provides a legitimacy and credibility that can’t be matched.

The challenge, though, is gaining the attention of inundated journalists.  But, if you know how to reach journalists with a strong pitch AND your products solve a problem for their readers - you can wind up with a potential grand slam on your hands.

Here at EMSI, we are “news junkies” and are perpetually devouring the news in search of current events that we can tie to our clients’ messages.  It all comes down to writing in the style that attracts the attention of journalists and reaching the right ones to gain the broadest response.

Since we’ve been pitching media for nearly 20 years, we are seasoned pros at this.  In fact, here is what two journalists from major publications have told us:

“Working with EMSI makes my job at The National Examiner a pleasure.  They have great clients, terrific follow-up and a team that gives their all to make things happen!”

“I believe I have published every press release you have sent. Your releases are so well written (which I love) that I have found little or no need to edit. I run them as you send them.”

In the past few weeks, our keen ability to capture the attention of journalists has resulted in interviews for our clients.  Here’s a snapshot of some of the major news outlets we’re working with:

Associated Press

Readers Digest: 37,291,332

Parenting: 8,661,756

MSN Money: 6,063240

Ebony: 5,835,928

The Street: 2,455,186

(figures represent the readership of the publications)

The best part is that our one-time flat fee for our print campaign is unbeatable when you compare it to the monthly retainer that other firms charge.  

If you would like to learn more about how we can get your company and products in front of thousands of targeted newspaper and magazine journalists, contact my partner Steve at 727-443-7115, Extension 202 or email him at steve@emsincorporated.com.  Talk to him today to see if your company qualifies!

August 20th, 2008 | Posted in Free Tips, Marsha Friedman's Public Relations Tips, Newspapers and Magazines, PR, Press Release, Print, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Advice | No Comments

Promote Your Products to Millions of Consumers

Like many companies, the current economic slump may be forcing you to slash your marketing budget drastically. With a high demand for income, companies are employing new methods to generate quality leads and drive traffic to their websites.

One successful method is online marketing which has become a hotbed of activity in the promotion and sales of products.  To survive in this “technology obsessed” marketplace, companies are not only fine tuning their existing websites but are also developing ecommerce sites and blogging to gain online visibility - in addition to using the “old” stand-by of online advertising.

But, with millions of websites in existence and staggering numbers of products being sold over the internet (rather than the brick and mortar stores) promoting your company and products online has become yet another marketing obstacle to overcome.

While search engine optimization (SEO), podcasting, vid-casting, blogging and social media marketing are all great online promotional tools, there is still the challenge of how to drive people directly to your website or to an online retail outlet to purchase your products.

And this is where publicity becomes more valuable than ever before.  Publicity is a classic promotional tool that is (and always will be) your direct path to potential consumers.  Imagine having live conversations with tens of thousands, and in some cases millions, of people telling them to check out your website and order your products online!  What could be better?

For nearly 20 years my firm EMSI has seen first-hand how the power of publicity can result in more website hits, increased online sales and overall heightened awareness for companies and products.  But don’t take my word for it…here are some unsolicited testimonials from clients who have harnessed this power:

“After my national TV appearance we had a record number of visitors to my website. Of course this means great sales online and a huge number of people added to my data base for future sales!” Dr. A.W. Martin

“After last night’s interview I received over 400 hits to my website so far!” Howard Ruff

“Shortly after a radio interview my ranking at Amazon greatly improved.  Seeing the needle move so quickly is direct evidence that talk radio is the most affordable and effective way to promote.” Joe Graedon

“My website and blog are blowing up!” John Lenhart

Even better?  We don’t charge costly monthly retainers.  Instead, we work on a pay-for-performance basis with our talk radio and television campaigns.

If you are interested in getting your company and products exposure that could generate results like these, then call my partner Steve at 727-443-7115, Extension 202 or email him; steve@emsincorporated.com.  Ask him how we can help promote your online presence today!

August 8th, 2008 | Posted in Free Tips, Marsha Friedman's Public Relations Tips, Newspapers and Magazines, PR, Print, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Advice, Radio, Television, talk radio | No Comments

Four Tips To Get Talk Radio Hosts Interested in Your Book

Talk radio interviews are one of the bases of a writing homerun.  In fact, they’re custom-made for non-fiction authors who want quick, affordable national exposure for their titles.

Let’s face it, where else can you:

* Kick-off a coast-to-coast publicity campaign in less than three weeks?

* Create promotional “buzz” for your book at the grass-roots level?

* Reach America’s greatest urban markets - Boston to LA - from the comfort and convenience of your own home?

* And, talk directly to fans and fans-to-be?

Publishers and best-selling authors understand all this. They know the marketing and promotional value of appearing as a guest on talk radio.  And, of course, so do we, as we’ve been arranging interviews for almost 20 years now.

And, during that time we’ve certainly learned a thing or two about the preparation that goes into booking guests on talk radio.

Let me share some tips with you:

TIP #1/ Stay Current

First off, you need to follow the news. What are people talking about? What is the media saying? What’s the buzz? Why is this important? Because, in case you haven’t noticed, talk radio is all about current events. Current events in politics, in sports, weather, health, culture. So when you know what’s current, you can package your message to fit the news…making you an attractive guest for a talk show.  Your job is to scan the network and cable news channels, the newspapers, look at news Websites, and, most importantly, monitor the talk radio landscape. Take time to listen to some local and/or national talk shows, hear what they’re talking about - get a feel for the rhythm of it.  Most of all - get a pulse of the public listening in.

TIP #2/ Tie-Ins To The News

I mentioned “packaging” your message? That’s a key. As you follow the hottest stories in the news, think of ways you can tie the message of your book into them.  Look for controversy or big names, big money or even relationship issues… These are always tantalizing topics for many talk show hosts (and their listeners). Developing a good angle for your book that’s newsworthy means you might even be able to get on the air with your novel - we’ve had success doing that a number of times.

TIP #3/ Pitch Your Topic, Not Your Book or Yourself

As you develop your message, keep in mind that radio hosts are interested in what you can do for their listeners, not what they can do for you.  They want an interview, not an infomercial for your book. So, when pitching to hosts and producers, put emphasis on the issue you want to talk about on the air, rather than on your book. The fact that you’ve authored a book gives you credibility “currency,” so spend it wisely when pitching your cause. There’s no need to worry…once on the air, you’ll be given plenty of opportunity to plug your book during the interview.

TIP #4/ The Right Press Release Formula 

Nothing is more important than the press release itself - it’s your key to the media’s door.  The quality of our press releases have everything to do with our  success in booking guests.  You want to make sure your headline is enticing - it’s got to grab the media’s attention. The text of your release should elaborate on the subject matter and what the “on-air” conversation will be about.  It’s always good to include a couple of juicy or provocative quotes.  Also include a short, but impressive bio, and 5 to 10 questions you’d like the host to ask you.

There’s plenty more to learn about, but these few tips can help jump-start you into the world of talk radio.

If you need help - give us a call.  Scheduling talk radio interviews is second-nature to us. For nearly 20 years now, we’ve been booking 50 to 100 radio interviews virtually every week for clients. Talk radio producers and hosts from the nation’s 100 biggest markets have come to rely on us for the steady stream of top guests they need.

If you want professional representation to the media, call my partner Steve Friedman at 727-443-7115, ext. 202 or email him at steve@emsincorporated.com.  We’d love to help you!

July 16th, 2008 | Posted in Advertising, Free Tips, Marsha Friedman's Public Relations Tips, Newspapers and Magazines, PR, Positioning, Press Release, Print, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Advice, Radio, Related PR, Television, talk radio | No Comments

Have You Started Work on Your Fall Book Promotion Yet?

The scramble for this fall’s book promotion is about to get underway.

Whether you’re a new author, new publisher, or just someone who’s been in this business a long time, you probably understand the reality here.

With nearly 300,000 books published every year, it takes real know-how and promotional intensity to make sure your book stands out from all the other new books being released.

You need that promotional intensity because, with deep pockets, your competition is very serious about how they play the book promotion game.

So, in order to win, you need to know two basic rules.

Rule 1: The Media is Your Best Path to Consumers

The big publishers know the value of great media exposure and what it can mean to the success of a new book.  The game to win is getting on the air and in the news, as soon and as often as possible….and ahead of everyone else!

Considering that fall is a prime publishing season, you need to get a jump-start on your competition - preparing your materials and creating your media strategy NOW.  Why?

First: RIGHT NOW, every book publicist and publicity department at publishing houses have their strategies defined and press materials in progress, or in many cases, in place.

Second: What many book marketers don’t realize is that there are a finite number of media opportunities available for guest interviews.  It’s not like buying advertising time to promote your book where your money is all that matters.

Third: There are a finite number of media opportunities for specific topics! Let’s say your book is about real estate investing, and there’s a similar new book just released from the big boys. Since the morning news shows are slated to only do a couple of stories, at most, about your topic, the race is on to secure those slots. Whether it’s just you (the author) or a big publishing house, it will still come down to who got to the producer first with the best pitch.

Rule 2: Know the Media Timelines

Timelines are how long it usually takes for each of the different media to “bring you to the public.” For example:

1.  Magazines. They have the longest lead time-monthly publications often schedule 3 to 9 months “out.”

2. Book Signings. If book-signings are part of your strategy-and they should be-even if only on a local level — you need to work these well in advance of radio and TV.  Particularly if your book is a fall release. Competition for book-signings is fierce this time of year. If possible, we’ll start as early as 3 months in advance.

3. Local TV. We find it best to pitch producers 4 to 6 weeks in advance. Yes, some producers ask us to call back closer to the date our author will be in town… but even in this case, we’re still there first with our pitch and have hopefully left a positive enough impression to land the segment.

4.  Radio Interviews. Two weeks in advance is a good rule of thumb. Sometimes producers will want you sooner, but this depends on the timeliness of your topic.

5.  Newspapers. We pitch local newspaper journalists one to two weeks in advance, not earlier.  Daily papers are looking for “news” and unlike magazines they’re not planning as far into the future.

As you can plainly see, you need to start your campaign plans right now, right in the middle of summer. That’s the case whether you’re handling your own book promotion or hiring professionals like us to do the job.

And, if you are looking for professionals to help you-keep us in mind. For nearly twenty years now, we’ve been getting media exposure each and every week for non-fiction authors, publishers and a host of other clients.

The difference between us and many other PR firms is our slogan: Guaranteed Media Attention. We guarantee what we’ll do for you. If you pay for talk radio interviews, you’ll get the number of talk radio interviews you paid for.  If you want TV coverage, you’ll only pay for the TV appearances we arrange. Period.

Want to ensure your book isn’t shut out of this busy Fall season?  Call my partner Steve today on 727-443-7115 x 202 or email him at steve@emsincorporated.com.  But, don’t hesitate as the media opportunities will soon be filling up!

July 16th, 2008 | Posted in Free Tips, Marsha Friedman's Public Relations Tips, Newspapers and Magazines, PR, Positioning, Press Release, Print, Public Relations, Publicity, Radio, Related PR, Television, talk radio | No Comments

Economic Downturn Slices Corporate Marketing Budgets

American companies are tightening their advertising budgets and finding new ways to entice customers amid nationwide economic woes.  MarketingSherpa’s 2008 “Marketing During an Economic Downturn” survey reports 60-percent of large companies are significantly shrinking traditional type marketing budgets this year.

“What happens is that the current economic crisis puts pressure on advertisers to save money and find more effective marketing channels,” said Karsten Weide, program director of Digital Marketplace and New Media at IDC.

While much of what is left of the marketing budget is being filtered into online media, traditional advertising like newspapers are facing the biggest dip in revenue in 50 years according to The Newspaper Association of America (NAA).

This advertising cutback is prompting many businesses to seek out cost-effective alternatives, such as PR, to build their small and mid-sized businesses into larger ones.

Although corporations may understand the power of public relations, many assume that a media-focused PR campaign is beyond their fiscal reach.  This comes down to the fact that most traditional public relations firms charge hefty monthly retainers without offering any guaranteed results.

Yet, when it comes to PR the results are all that matter.  Executives are demanding more bang out of every buck, with none of them wanting to pay for pitches that don’t pan out.  At the end of the day, executives and decision makers need to know that their financial investment will be rewarded with a measurable return.

None of this is news to Marsha Friedman, CEO of EMSI (Event Management Services Inc.).  A pioneer in pay-for-performance PR, her firm has been delivering guaranteed results for their television and talk radio campaigns for nearly twenty years. To her, there’s nothing “trendy” about it.

Friedman says, “While most PR firms want to be paid for the entire campaign procedure, the philosophy of our firm is to only get paid for the media exposure we obtain.  We developed a fee structure based on the delivery of radio and TV appearances, which forces daily focus on the end result instead of the process.  Let’s face it.  In this economy, when it comes to PR, clients are hungry for tangible results.”

A growing number of marketing departments and CEOs across the nation are sitting up and taking notice. In these critical economic times, marketing dollars are a precious commodity and must be invested wisely.

July 16th, 2008 | Posted in Advertising, Free Tips, Marsha Friedman's Public Relations Tips, PR, Press Release, Print, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Advice, Radio, Television, talk radio | No Comments

The Power of Buzz Marketing

You hear from me all the time about the power of publicity and how it is a great, cost-effective method of creating “buzz” for your books, products or services.  But I want to share another tip: the importance of staying in the public eye.

Why?  Every year the American public is hit with nearly 300,000 newly published books and an endless number of products and services.  The point is that no matter what you sell or promote, you have fierce competition to contend with.  Your challenge then is to stay ahead of your competitors and continuously be in the face of your prospective customers.

How do I know this?  As a business owner for nearly 20 years, I know the effect that “buzz” marketing has had on my own businesses.  And, like many companies, without a large marketing budget my challenge has always been to think out of the box and find cost effective marketing solutions that keep my company and name in front of my audience.

Any “buzz” marketing starts with a little “Marketing 101.”  Simply put, identify your audience and then make yourself known to them - over and over again. But stay in front of them with quality information that will benefit them.

How do you do that?  I think you know my answer: THE MEDIA!  You’ve probably heard me say a million times that the media is the pathway to consumers… and it’s true!  How else can you gather a captive audience of thousands or millions at one time, who listen to you talk about your book or product for 10 to 20 minutes?  That’s some powerful buzz marketing.

But, it’s media exposure on a continuous basis that creates this “buzz”.  It provides credibility you can’t put a price on and at the same time, generates a valuable level of brand awareness.  And, unlike consistent advertising, on-going media exposure won’t kill your marketing budget.

Now don’t get me wrong.  I’m not suggesting that “buzz” campaigns will supply instant sales results.  I’m saying, if you are consistently in front of your customers with valuable information, eventually the “buzz” will bring them in.

Let’s stay in touch and of course call or email me if you need help with creating more “buzz” in the media!

June 19th, 2008 | Posted in Free Tips, Marsha Friedman's Public Relations Tips, Newspapers and Magazines, PR, Positioning, Print, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Advice, Radio, Related PR, Television, talk radio | No Comments

Exciting News…EMSI’S PRINT CAMPAIGN DELIVERS…LOS ANGELES TIMES, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, COSTCO “Household Almanac”, QUICK & SIMPLE and More!

Every week we get more and more exciting reactions from the media about our clients.  In fact, just this morning we received the latest issue of COSTCO’s “Household Almanac” with a two page feature article about our client and their service!  This magazine has a readership in excess of TWENTY FOUR million people!  To our delight they even used the headline we crafted and the article as we originally wrote it!With that said - if you think that securing this feature article for our client was a “quick and simple” task then you are mistaken.  Being featured in a popular national magazine of this quality takes more than just a few hours, or days of work!  Every article we secure is the direct result of a focused and professional approach…with relentless pursuit thrown in for good measure.

For example, this placement in COSTCO’s “Household Almanac” took close to 5 months of dedicated effort to secure!  That may seem like a long time, but in the world of print publicity this is not uncommon.  To obtain such valuable coverage in a major magazine, you must have a professional, active and organized approach.  Through years of experience we have developed a hard hitting print campaign that focuses on the following 3 key elements:

• We write an attention grabbing, “print-ready” article. Our creative team first does a thorough review of your company to develop an angle about your products, books or services that’s newsworthy. Then, they write an article in the same journalistic style of newspapers and magazines. The headline is created to grab the journalist’s attention while the balance of the article provides the quality content a journalist needs, in order to keep his or her own readers interested!
• We put it in the right hands. Who your article is distributed to is vital. As industry experts with nearly 20 years of experience, we know the importance of sending articles to a targeted list of journalists and publications that would be interested in your topic.
• We love the thrill of the chase! Next, we do relentless follow up: pushing for interviews and stories to secure that valuable coverage. In many cases, such as the campaign for our client featured in Quick & Simple, it can take months…but we don’t give up easily.

Of course successful campaigns are not built on these elements alone.  There is a lot of “behind-the scenes” work and professional know-how involved in securing good results.

In just the last two weeks we secured articles in the following publications:

COSTCO’s “Household Almanac” (Readership: over 24 million!)

Chicago Tribune (Readership: nearly 4 million!)

Los Angeles Times (Readership: over 3 million!)

Quick & Simple (Readership: over 1 million)

In addition to these placements, we’ve also received interest in our clients from the following journalists and publications:

Readers Digest (Readership of nearly 40 million!)

American Baby Magazine (Readership of over 8 million!)

Woman’s World (Readership of over 6 million)

Chicago Tribune (Readership of nearly 4 million)

Los Angeles Times (Readership of over 3 million)

Scientific American (Readership of over 2 million)

Family Magazine (Readership of over 2 million)

The Boston Globe (Readership of over 1 million)

Although it’s important to have a professional team in your corner that knows how to pitch the media on your behalf, a more important factor is having a good product, book or service geared to consumers.

If your company fits this criterion then we would welcome the opportunity to get the print coverage you deserve.  Call my partner Steve at 727-443-7115, Extension 202 or email him at steve@emsincorporated.com.  You’ll find our rate is unbeatable!

June 18th, 2008 | Posted in Clients, Newspapers and Magazines, PR, Positioning, Press Release, Print, Public Relations, Publicity | No Comments

How to Get Hometown Media for Your Book

As an author, you may have recently published a book.  In writing this title, you dedicated much of your time and passion in order to create a final piece of work that can be enjoyed by people everywhere!  But getting your book noticed is no easy feat.  In this crowded marketplace (there were nearly 300,000 books published in 2007 alone) you MUST take an active approach to let book buyers know that your book exists, on both a national and a local level!

While national media exposure for you and your book is ideal, there is great power in local media exposure as well.  By focusing on your hometown media outlets you will be able to build a solid base of fame and recognition from which to grow on.  Creating as much “buzz” as you can locally will compliment your national campaign to no end and it also gives you invaluable media experience when the national media starts to knock on your door.

Fortunately many local journalists and on-air personalities enjoy interviewing local authors and experts like yourself.  This gives you an upper hand in grabbing their attention, and you will also gain their support in spreading the word about your book!

If you want to create solid book “buzz” in your hometown, I would recommend the following actions:

*Book Signings:  When it comes to the secret weapon of gaining local exposure for your book, they don’t make ‘em any stronger than this!   At every book signing:

• Books will be stocked on their shelves after you leave, unless of course you have a sell-out
• You’ll receive free advertising and promotion in the book store’s customer mailings
• You’ll have prominent placement for as much as a week prior to your signing
• You’ll earn powerful third-party endorsements by store employees whom have met you during the signing

 (If you would like more information about the Hidden Values of Book signings, please click here to request your copy of my article “The Truth About Book Signings”)

Book signings are a goldmine for local publicity.  I strongly suggest doing as many as you possibly can, including all stores that are located within a 100 mile radius.   Even ask friends and relatives to see about setting up book signings for you in their hometowns.  The name of this game is not only to create the local “buzz”, but it is also “let’s sell some books!”

*Talk Radio Interviews and Television Appearances:  Generally speaking, every city has radio and television programs that have a format for guests.   Do your research on the web to find the main stations that broadcast in your hometown.  Then go to their website where you will find information about the shows they broadcast.  Look for those with a format for guests and find the contact information for the producer.  Then call and pitch yourself as a guest.  How many should you aim for?  AS MANY AS POSSIBLE!

*Local Newspapers and Magazines:  When it comes to the print media, at EMSI we find that “Tips” type articles have an extremely high pick up rate with newspapers and magazines.  If your topic offers any sort of solution to a problem, then a “Tips” article is what I would suggest.  Write an article that gives 5-7 helpful, quality solutions (or “Tips”) to a problem that many people face.  Next, identify the newspapers and magazines in your local market, go to their website and find the right “beat” your topic falls in - for example - religious, business, health, lifestyle, etc - and send your article to the journalist that covers that “beat.”  If there isn’t one person in particular that you can identify, “as you’ll find in smaller weekly papers” send your article to the editor - in - charge.  Make sure that the article is professional and print worthy,  if so some publications will print it “as is.”  But since you’re a writer, this should not be a problem.  And once again, get as many print placements AS POSSIBLE!

When it Comes to Your Hometown Media: Get As Much As Possible!

Let US Worry About Getting You National Media Attention

You have a lot of work to get done to successfully execute your local publicity campaign, so let EMSI focus on the national attention that you and your book deserve.  We are publicity experts with nearly 20 years of experience and know how to gain the media’s attention outside of your local market.  Plus, our fees are unbeatable.  With no monthly retainers, pay-for-performance fees (radio and television) and project based fees (print), we can get you the national media attention that fits to your budget.

So get the national “buzz” for your book started today.  Call Damon on 727-443-7115, Extension 208 or email him at steve@emsincorporated.com.  There is no time to waste to actively promote your book so it stands out from the pack both nationally and locally!

May 23rd, 2008 | Posted in Free Tips, Marsha Friedman's Public Relations Tips, Newspapers and Magazines, PR, Print, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Advice, Radio, Related PR, Television, talk radio | No Comments

Two Terrific Publicity Tricks That Will Help You Promote Your Product More Effectively

You know how hard it is to develop a product.
It may be a labor of love, but it’s still a labor.  And while you’re not out there cracking rocks with a sledgehammer, some might even call it hard labor.  That’s okay.  Nothing good comes easy.  And there’s no question that you’re wonderfully suited for this kind of labor, right? But the challenge comes shortly after you finish laboring on your masterpiece.

What do I mean?  You’ve got to jump into the promotional trenches and fight, tooth and nail.  Consumers need to know that your product is out there and national media exposure is the best way for you tell them.

Call it the double whammy of product development - as hard as it is to develop a terrific product, it can be even harder to promote it.  Which has, sadly enough, turned out to be the death sentence for far too many “could-have-been” best-selling products.  After all, how many companies have been great at the first “whammy” only to throw their hands up at the second (and then, tragically, and out of sheer frustration, given up altogether)?

Fortunately, good product promotion doesn’t have to be as mysterious as the pyramids - you can put some little-known (but wonderfully effective) publicity “tricks” to work for you starting this very day.  For example…

Is This YOUR Month?
Ever notice how every month comes with “awareness themes?”

Take April, for example.  Among its other awareness themes, April is Cancer Control Month, National Decorating Month, Physical Wellness Month, National Humor Month, National Autism Awareness Month, Lawn and Garden Month, National Car Care Month and Alcohol Awareness Month.

And that’s just April.  Every month has its own theme list.  And you can bet many of those months have themes aimed at your product.

So what’s the strategy here?  Pretty simple, really: Tie the message of your product to a month’s theme.  Do a good job of that, put your press release right in front of the media’s “nose,” and you could just land several high-profile interviews.

That’s one nice way of cracking into the formerly impenetrable “media fortress.” Here’s another:

Tie into Today’s News

You’ve got to be a bit more agile for this.

Whenever there’s a news story that relates to the message of your product, cook up a strong press release and shoot it right over to talk radio producers, TV news producers and newspaper editors.  These people are ALWAYS looking for credible guests with great slants on today’s news.

How long do these kinds of news windows stay open?  Not long at all.  That’s why, as I said, you’ve got to be quick and agile.

Either that…or you’ve got to enlist the help of a PR professional who is quicker and more agile than you’d ever care to be.

Where Great Product Gets Great PR

Of course, we’d love the opportunity to promote your product.  We’re not rookies at this.  For nearly twenty years now, we’ve been getting our clients the national media exposure they so desperately need.  For example, we schedule 50 to 100 radio interviews virtually every week!  Talk radio producers and hosts from the nation’s 100 biggest markets rely on us for the steady stream of top guests they need.

One big advantage of ours?  We get paid on a performance and project basis rather than a monthly retainer operating on a “best-efforts” basis (which is the way most PR firms bill their clients).

As one of the country’s leading pr firms, we can quickly get you on-the-air and in the news, talking up your product and stirring public interest in your company.

The best part of what we do? Our extremely affordable rates.  If you’re ready to find out how we can create a national “buzz” for your product, call  Steve Friedman at 727-443-7115, ext. 202 or email him at steve@emsincorporated.com.  Nothing beats a real-life conversation!

May 23rd, 2008 | Posted in Free Tips, Marsha Friedman's Public Relations Tips, PR, Positioning, Press Release, Print, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Advice, Radio | No Comments

How to Fix a Broken Public Relations Campaign

The 6 Little Known Facts About Profitable Positioning

What’s positioning?   It’s the art of presenting your message in such a way as to convey an immediate understanding of your subject.  It “positions” your topic with other like topics in the news so that those reading your materials can easily understand the subject and how it compares to others like it.

Although positioning has been used by Madison Avenue, there is still little understanding of this concept beyond that world.  If used correctly it can put a derailed campaign back on track and create huge media success.

If you’re not a nationally recognized brand name then you will need a lot more strategic creativity in your presentation to the media.  Let’s face it, with the massive number of products released each year, there’s a demand on companies to get aggressive about promotion.

This battle for attention makes the job of product promotion increasingly more difficult.  Positioning may be the missing link that will pull you through.  Here are some tips that we use at EMSI to position our clients to the media:

1)      The writer creating the press materials must have a solid understanding of not only the product, but also its relevance to today’s society.

2)      Look at the product for those pieces of information, or “pearls”, which set it apart from others in the market.  Also keep an eye out for those statements or assertions made by the business that are alarming or ground-breaking.

3)      Find out how similar topics are being portrayed in the media.  How does yours compare?  Is it different?  Is there a new slant to it?

4)      Distill this information into a two page release positioned with current news or events and an exciting headline.  Remember that you’ve got to grab and keep the attention of a very busy producer or journalist.

5)      Don’t require the media to use their imagination to see how the topic would be of interest to their listeners, viewers or readers.  Give them an instant concept of what you are suggesting in the headline.  That’s positioning at its best.

6)      Remember to include those special features about the spokesperson that positions him or her as an authority on the topic and a qualified guest!

Here at EMSI we know the power of media strategizing and positioning.  For over 20 years we have been arranging interviews for our clients on TV and radio as well as getting their products in front of top national journalists.  And with our specialist media division News & Experts, who represents our clients to the media, we know the angles and the pitches that make them pay attention to our clients.

If you want help in getting your product the attention that deserves, call my office today at 727-443-7115 and speak with Steve at Extension 202.  Or email him directly at steve@emsincorporated.com  - he’d love to hear from you!

May 23rd, 2008 | Posted in Advertising, Free Tips, Marsha Friedman's Public Relations Tips, Newspapers and Magazines, PR, Positioning, Press Release, Print, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Advice, Related PR, talk radio | No Comments