Over Easter weekend, we explored Days 4-6 in the 21 Day PR Action Guide by Drew Gerber and yours truly, Michelle Tennant. During the pandemic, you can download our PR workbook for no charge, no opt-in at ? PitchRate.com
First impressions are very important with press contacts. They immediately seek information on credibility and what types of news and story ideas you can provide their readers, listeners, and viewers. Through this section of the workbook, you’ll find questions and fill-in-the-blanks about who you are and what you can say to generate press coverage. Most of the tasks are geared toward elements that make up a great online press kit.
The workbook takes you through some of these actions steps:
? How to create a headline.
? What information to list in press materials.
? How to communicate with press contacts who are on deadline.
? When to entertain, enlighten and educate press contacts.
? Why speaking in third person is best.
? How to create main points in media materials.
This section of the workbook focuses on finding solutions to everyday problems as the basis of all media communications.
In 2018, I interviewed Deepak Chopra’s former publicist, Arielle Ford, who detailed how she used “myths” as a way to create media materials.
Listen to her as she describes how she solved the problem of discussing alternative health before the mainstream public was discussing it. She describes how she pitched Phil Donahue, the biggest talk show host pre-Oprah days:
Arielle Ford talks about how Deepak Chopra, M.D. checked Phil Donahue’s pulse to introduce Ayurvedic medicine to the world.
Are you a Cher, Hillary Clinton or an Oprah?
Arielle Ford describes how she created unique media materials for Deepak Chopra:
?️ Watch the YouTube video here
Arielle Ford used the most famous women at the time to explain Ayurvedic types: Vata, Pitta and Kapha when she pitched Deepak Chopra, M.D. to press contacts. The visual element of the segment was irresistible. Today, Deepak Chopra is a household name.
You can do this, too!
- Write down a problem you solve for others.
- What do people need to do to solve this problem themselves?
- What do you say about this problem no one else on the planet says?
- How can you make these solutions visual? (Think of a 5th grader. How would you explain this to a 5th grade classroom of students?)
- Add a call-to-action (website, homework to do tonight, book to buy, cause to support) and you’ve got the basics for a great media kit. From this, you can write a pitch for a specific press person or develop a press release to mail to hundreds of press venues. You might even issue this press release via a wire service who distributes press releases.
- Finally, if you have video and photos to support your idea, that makes for an excellent online press kit. See samples of great online press kits at
?SearchPressKits.com
If you need support in creating great media materials, contact me at [email protected] or during the pandemic, catch me live on YouTube.com/MichelleTennant where I’m #WalkingLive every morning at 7:30am EDT.
Tomorrow, the workbook leads you through writing compelling bios. And by the way, if you don’t have any hobbies, now’s a perfect time to take one on! Everyone loves to talk about hobbies, especially press people.
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