Expert’s Three Keys To Promoting Your Story
Our supporter, Mike Schwager, is a PR pro who specializes in helping people and organizations, especially those doing good in the world, to share their stories for maximum media exposure. He’s sharing his three key for promoting your story with Your Mark on the World readers today.
1. Be Persuasive: Pitching a story to an editor or reporter has some basic tenets for a persuasive publicist. First, always tell the truth. Second, know your outlet before you call or email. Third, have the right attitude: See the journalist as a peer in communications. Believe in your story. Believe in yourself.
2. Be Creative: Creative formatting tips: First, use news to make news. Remember “relevance,” “impact,” “timeliness” and “novelty.” Second, seasonal tie-ins. Once, eight weeks before Christmas, we convinced the manufacturer to designate a Holiday Consumer Affairs Specialist who could talk about “everything you wanted to know about mailing gifts for the holidays.” We booked this specialist on literally dozens of top all-news stations in major markets around the country. Third, products are newsworthy when they Are evolutionary or revolutionary. I’ve booked many products that were a next step up in technology on shows like Today or Good Morning America.
3. Humanize Your On-Air Appearance: First, humanize yourself and your organization. People don’t want to hear cold statistics or facts; make more use of anecdotes. Second, a smile is worth a thousand words, and remember to smile when appropriate. Also, use the first name of your interviewer, or opponent. When you transmit a smile, or use someone’s first name, you’re energizing the empathetic cord between you and your audience. You become more likable. As you’re talking to an interviewer, think of someone you’ve been close to who you love and care about. The interviewer will feel that positive emotion. (I learned that from Walter Cronkite in the men’s bathroom at CBS).
On Tuesday, September 15, 2015 at 1:00 Eastern, Mike will join me for a live discussion about pitching your story to the media. Tune in here then to watch the interview live. Post questions in the comments below or tweet questions before the interview to @devindthorpe.
You can download an audio podcast here or subscribe via iTunes.
More about Worldlink Media Consultants:
Media Relations and Communications Services: Speech Writing (for CEOs, government officials [US and overseas], and celebrities); Op-Ed page writing; TV interview training (by phone and in-person); Publicity [primarily for non-profit and humanitarian organizations, authors, and leading-edge thinkers]; Video Production; Reputation Repair; Creative Consulting.
Mike Schwager
Mike’s bio:
Twitter: @MikeSchwager
Mike Schwager’s communications career began at CBS, for Network Radio News, and as a writer for CBS Audience Services. For the latter, Mike explained CBS policy to viewers and shareholders. From CBS he moved to the large public relations agency, Burson-Marsteller, where he served as a broadcast media specialist, promoting the Fortune 500. From Burson, Mike became partner at Michael Klepper Associates, where he promoted China as PR Director of The Exhibition of the People’s Republic of China; and managed accounts for The Louisiana World’s Fair; Father Flanagan’s Boystown; Kelloggs; The government of Canada; Data General; Polaroid; and Automatic Data Processing (ADP).
At his own agencies, The Media Relations Group, and later, Worldlink Media Consultants, Mike’s client roster included: The United States-Mexican Development Corporation; IBM; Harvey Mackay’s “Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive” (which he turned into a mega best-seller); Inc. Magazine Publisher Wilson Harrell’s “For Entrepreneurs Only” (Wilson dedicated his chapter on public relations to Mike); John Robbins’ “Diet For A New America;” Cleve Stevens’ “The Best In Us;” Opportunity International; CURE International; World Vision; Darcy O’Brien’s “The Hidden Pope;” The Mentors Channel and The WellBe (digital bracelet that measures stress); Jack Nadel’s “The Evolution of an Entrepreneur”); and Bob Lenz’s “Dignity Revolution: Standing Up For The Value Of Every Person.”
Mike is presently about to launch a publicity campaign with breakthrough information on mental disease for renowned psychiatrist, Dr. Clancy McKenzie, M.D., Founder/Director of The Alternative American Psychiatric Association and author of “Delayed Posttraumatic Stress Disorders From Infancy” and “Babies Need Mothers: How Mothers Can Prevent Mental Illness In Their Children.”
Mike’s public relations websites are at: www.mediamavens.com, and www.TVtraining.tv. He maintains two spiritual/humanitarian sites at: www.Enrichment.com, and www.EnrichOurWorld.net. Mike is also host of a spiritual/humanitarian Internet radio show, The Enrichment Hour, on WSRadio.com.
He can be reached via e-mail at: moschwager@aol.com. He is based in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. His phone is: 954-423-4414.
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