PR! Publicity! We all crave the notoriety that comes with rising to the height of our profession.
“Work hard, have patience, and prosper,” says the traditional American work ethic…
…yet fast-paced MTV, fast food, and instant millionaires have changed our society. We want celebrity status fast, and we want it now!
Enhance your Image through PR, publicity, and these 3 PR Tips!
1. Radiate the aura of already having achieved fame.
Psychological studies reveal that when individuals carry themselves with the aura of someone who has achieved fame, others perceive them as actually having it. This is what PR and Publicity is all about!
2. Let the world know you’re alive.
Do journalists within your area of expertise know to come to you as the voice of authority when writing on your field?
No?!
Again, this is what PR and publicity is all about! Unless journalists have heard of you and what you can offer them, they are certainly not going to call you out of the blue.
Spend time targeting top reporters at major papers that routinely carry stories to which you can contribute. This is good PR Publicity!
One way to begin is to send journalists a personal letter noting why you liked a specific article they wrote. More crafty celebrity-seekers would also add that though the piece was excellent, if they had included your take on “x” they would have learned “y” and —
—then launch into a paragraph about why you’re an expert in this topic and how you can connect them with other sources.
3. Get your face on TV! The last of the 3 Publicity (PR) Tips to Enhance Your Image
It might seem like a big jump from being a couch potato in your own living room to chatting with Larry King, but even celebrities had to start somewhere.
Every community in America has a local TV channel that is paid for in large part by the primary cable provider. If you don’t have time to host a show of your own, then start making the rounds as a local guest. Begin by calling Alliance for Community Media at 202-393-2650. Then, ask them for the cable stations in your area.
If you live in New England, you’ll receive several numbers for stations in the city of Boston alone, each station with its own stable of producers and hosts anxious to interview a guest of your stature.
Call the station, and sweet talk whoever answers the phone to recommend someone who interviews guests in your area of expertise. Be patient, clear, and very grateful for any suggestion they care to make. Many stations have PR people and if possible, you should talk to this individual.
If you can’t get the name of a producer to contact, then snail mail the station a colorful, attention getting flier (instead of a dull fax) advertising yourself as a guest and giving full contact information. Make sure you tell the receptionist to be expecting it, and to call back once it’s been received and posted.
With perseverance and the right attitude, you can Achieve Celebrity Status before actually having achieved fame!
Marisa D’Vari is the author of “Presentation Magic: Dazzle and Deliver Talks with Confidence. Many free how-to articles on the http://www.deg.com/ web site, or join her free ezine by sending a email to join_BusinessSuccessSolutions@pluto.sparklist.com
