The Right Hook

Have you fantasized about spreading word of your business on a top-rated TV show like The Today Show or Oprah?

Eileen Roth, a professional organizer just a year into her business, was able to get on both shows using the time-honored technique of the news hook.

Understanding the News Nook

Do-it-yourself PR people often tell prospects that the print and broadcast media will interview you simply because you are an expert in your field. Actually, the cold truth is that you have to earn the media's interest by providing them with the kind of news hook that shows:

* You understand what their audience values.

* You have tied what you want to promote into what's going on in the world today.

* You have read, watched, or listened to that specific media outlet and know how you would fit in.

Before you approach a media outlet you must brainstorm why your news will be of high interest to their audience. This is your pitch, be it a verbal pitch or in the form of a news release.

Putting a Story Together for the Media

Your news must whet the appetite and imagination of the editor, reporter, or producer so he can visualize the compelling story at the nucleus of your pitch. He needs to see at a glance how your news will play out on paper, radio, or TV, and how your news will appeal to the needs and interests of his readers.

This means you must first find relevant, newsworthy story ideas and condense them into information packed, "user friendly" pitches and releases that will shout "great story" to the media professionals reading them.

Piggybacking on a Holiday

Most people only consider 'traditional' holidays like Christmas as a news peg, but you will find thousands of other holidays in Chase's Directory of Events (McGraw-Hill). This is where professional organizer Eileen Roth found National Clean Off Your Desk Day and used it as a news peg to contact TV producers. Along with her news release, she included an information sheet listing her seven principles for a clean desk.

For the price of just a couple of first class stamps, Eileen Roth got invited to appear on the Today show (twice) and Oprah.

You can too!

If you want to promote your business on national television, take a "can do" hint from Roth. Check out Chase's Directory of Events at your local library today.

Profit from free articles and how-to information at http://www.buildingbuzz.com. Marisa D'Vari is author of the new Building Buzz: How to Reach and Impress Your Target Audience, is available on Amazon at bookstores everywhere.

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The Right Hook

Public Relations