Top Five Publicity Myths

Most people consider getting publicity the most important part of public relations. It's also very mysterious to many people. Here are my top five publicity myths, to help make publicity better understood.

1. Who you (or your publicist) knows at the media is more important than the story idea. Sure, it's easier to get a reporter or writer that knows you to listen to your pitch. But unless the pitch is good, it doesn't matter if your contacts are your best friends -- they won't risk their jobs on your bad idea.

2. The amount of time spent on an interview determines how much publicity you will receive. I know people who have been interviewed for an hour and a half, and have only received a line in a publication (or none at all). I also know people who were interviewed for 20 minutes who received a half-page profile. It all depends on the story the writer is putting together, who else they are interviewing, and editorial decisions.

3. You have control over the information presented. One of the differences between advertising and publicity is that you pay for advertising and publicity is "free." Another difference is that by paying for advertising, you control the message. The publicity you receive may contain an inaccurate quote, or may present your information in a different way than you had intended. These are possibilities, and should be taken in stride.

4. A publicist can guarantee media coverage. Unless it is paid for, there is no guarantee of coverage. Even something that has a target broadcast or publication date can be moved if a hot story overshadows yours.

5. The media will jump on a great idea and work on the story immediately. What may seem like the greatest news in the world to you (and might actually be) is just one of many "hot" pitches that the media receive. Unless it is a major event (usually a grim one), the media takes their time determining their interest in a story. That's why constant follow-up is so necessary for all pitches.

Copyright 2005 Margie Fisher All Rights Reserved

Margie Fisher is President of Margie Fisher Public Relations. She is also the author of the Do-It-Yourself Public Relations Kit?. To sign up for her free biweekly PRactical P.R. newsletter, and to see more free articles, visit http://www.margiefisher.com

---

Public Relations: The Fundamental Premise

It seems difficult to believe at the dawn of the... Read More

Advertising and Community Relations -- Get the Best of Both Worlds

Have you ever noticed that in communities without big universities,... Read More

Which PR? Judge for Yourself

You are a senior business, non-profit or association manager. So,... Read More

Internet Etiquette for Business Success

You're trying to recruit a downline into your program, you've... Read More

Celebrities Cant Have It Both Ways

Corporations are willing to pay substantial amounts of money to... Read More

For Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Small Publications Can Have Great Publicity Impact

Just because a publication is small doesn't mean that getting... Read More

Sure-Fire Recipe for a Successful Public Relations Career

Without a solid, well-designed foundation, few buildings successfully withstand the... Read More

The Increasing Power Of Publicity - And How It Can Benefit Your Business

The call came into my office and the voice on... Read More

Foolproof Publicity for Marketing-Minded Financial Planners

They'd hate to admit it, but the media is pretty... Read More

How to Get Some of Paris Hilton?s TV Time

When your book is mentioned on television, sales go up.... Read More

Media Savvy - How To Lead, Persuade, And Influence

Media management has become one of the strategic tools for... Read More

Sound Like Your Situation?

What a shame! Potentially productive public relations people resting on... Read More

Attention Owners of Food Related Businesses: How to Get Publicity Any Time You Want

Attention: Who Else Wants To Get Publicity Whenever You Want... Read More

Why PR is an Engine for Economic Growth

Business, non-profit and association managers committing their public relations resources... Read More

Want To Join the Bandwagon? Be Sure It Has Wheels!

Here are two to-the-point questions recently posed by several association... Read More

How About MANAGING Your Own PR?

It's one thing for a senior manager to approve story... Read More

Can Your PR Do This?

Can your PR do something positive about the behaviors of... Read More

PR tips for business

Question: Why should your business issue a press release? Answer:... Read More

Using Publicity As A Creative Marketing Tool

Publicity is an important and often overlooked tool of creative... Read More

Do You Have an Exclusive Market Segment?

You do if you're a business, non-profit or association manager... Read More

How to Make Publicity Work for Your Business: Six P.R. Strategies to Use Right Now

Public Relations (or P.R.) is a wonderful, yet often overlooked... Read More

Franchise Work Vehicles Should Have a Flag on Them

If you own a franchise and have company vehicles, be... Read More

Anxious About Your Public Relations?

Shooting from the hip always creates anxiety.Especially when managers order... Read More

Culture As A Barrier To Communication

Each of us is exposed to people from other cultures... Read More

PR Secrets for Small Business

Most small businesses do little to no public relations (PR)... Read More

Its CNN! They Want To Talk To You!

Being invited to appear on radio and television used to... Read More

Publicity: When Calling a Reporter, Keep it Short

When you are planning to call a reporter for the... Read More

Interviews - Five Tips To Handle Tough Questions From Reporters

Journalists are trained and often experienced at getting information out... Read More

How To Get An Avalanche Of Free Publicity For Your Home Business!

There are many ways you can get tons of free... Read More

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners: Get Free Publicity by Choosing the Right Outlets

Sure, any publicity is good. But don't invest time and... Read More

A New Idea For Venture Capitalists

Obviously, it hurts when a promising business project you backed... Read More

The Four Seasons of Publicity - Building an All-Year Publicity

If you're like most publicity seekers, you probably think oneproject... Read More

Its the Little Details that Can Make or Break a News Story

Have you ever heard of the saying, "One person's trash... Read More