The 15 Most Common Publicity Mistakes Businesses Make

By Pam Lontos

As a business owner, you probably know publicity is important to success. But many businesspeople make costly mistakes in publicity campaigns.

For example, saying the wrong thing to a reporter may only cost you a quote in a national magazine. But in advertising dollars, that quote could have been worth thousands. And you never really know who would have read the interview. Maybe a reporter for USA Today or maybe Oprah’s producer -- or even Oprah herself. And what about all the time and effort you spent to get the reporter on the phone?

Everyone makes mistakes. But you can take action to avoid them by considering these mistakes businesspeople commonly make:

1. Thinking hundreds of customers will walk through the door from one hit. Name recognition takes time and repetition to build. A person will need to see your name and logo about six or seven times before they actually remember it.


2. Not being unique in approach. Develop a unique angle that sets your business apart. For example, if you own a restaurant, consider what’s distinctive about your menu or management. The more you make your message different from the “old way,” the more attention you’ll attract.


3. Thinking they can’t get into a large publication. Editors, even at high-profile media outlets, scramble daily to find knowledgeable people to interview. And editors must find new, exciting people either weekly or monthly, so the more experts they can add to their database, the better. Make yourself stand out as a reliable source and you will get the media’s attention.


4. Thinking small publications don’t matter. Even big-name businesses had to start small. Although small publications and trade journals aren’t sold on newsstands, you never know who’s reading them. Don’t overlook these as a foundation for publicity.


5. Thinking their ideas are wonderful. Explaining why your business is wonderful to an editor is not an effective way to pitch your ideas. In fact, it’s a turn-off. Realize that editors and reporters only care about their readers. Instead of telling them about your business, learn about their readers and what they want.


6. Pitching themselves, instead of a story for the audience. Always highlight the benefits you can offer their particular audience. Consider what uniqueness you offer and why their readers or viewers will be interested.


7. Pitching the wrong person. Besides wasting your time, pitching your ideas to the wrong person will likely frustrate them. If you have an article you’d like to publish, talk to an editor. But if you want to score an interview, you need a reporter.


8. Not finding out what reporters really want. As you present your idea to a reporter, ask questions about what their audience needs. Then change your initial idea based on their responses. Don’t try to “sell” your idea if it isn’t a good fit; instead, emphasize your ability to address a variety of issues.


9. Not answering the reporter’s questions. Always let the reporter or interviewer lead the conversation. Don’t attempt to talk about points the reporter doesn’t want to cover. They simply won’t include you in the final story.


10. Not getting to the point. Audiences and readers love to hear firsthand accounts, but don’t overload the reporter with information that isn’t directly related to the story, and don’t ramble. If you can’t convey your message succinctly, it won’t be used.


11. Not respecting the reporter’s time. Reporters work on strict deadlines, and nothing will irritate them more than you being inconsiderate. So before you start pitching, ask if they’re on deadline. If yes, ask for a convenient call-back time.


12. Not gearing the pitch to the publication. If you get a “no” from an editor, reporter, or producer, always ask, “What don’t you like?” Then adapt your presentation on the spot. The more you learn about their needs and customize your message for their audience, the more likely you’ll be featured.


13. Making it an advertisement. Authors spend a lot of time selling their books because the profession demands it. But interviews and articles are not the place to go on and on about your expertise. Let your knowledge speak for itself. By giving solid, useable information, you will automatically show audiences how great your book is.


14. Not providing their publicist with material in a timely manner. Business owners are busy—that’s a given. But so are publicists, editors, and reporters. To get your information into the right hands, your publicist must get requested information from you in a timely manner. Your publicist can’t pitch you and your book without the most recent, relevant information about you. If you make your publicist wait, you may miss your chance to be featured in your desired media outlet.


15. Not understanding the importance of frequency in publicity. While it takes a long time to build name recognition, it takes no time at all for people to forget about you. So you have to maintain the frequency of your publicity, especially when your competition maintains theirs. Otherwise, you become old news.

Just as everyone makes mistakes, everyone can avoid them by being aware of the common ones. With such awareness, you can make the most of every publicity opportunity.

Guest blogger Pam Lontos is president of the PR/PR public relations firm in Orlando and will be the featured speaker at the chamber’s October luncheon.

Turn your opinion into new business

By Pam Lontos

Writing an op-ed piece is one excellent way to make yourself known and establish yourself as an authority. The op-ed page (“opposite editorial”) faces the page on which the newspaper publishes its own statements of opinion.

When you’re choosing an op-ed topic, the more controversial, the better. A good op-ed piece promotes a strong point of view in 500 to 700 words.

The reason your topic is important right now should be crystal clear. Academicians tend to save their juiciest conclusions for the end – that’s expected in peer-reviewed journals. An op-ed piece is the opposite. The most compelling fact must come first. Well-crafted arguments should follow, making a clear case and concluding with a call to action. Read several opinion pieces in local and national newspapers to gain a feel for how they are done.

At large organizations, it’s not unusual for the op-ed piece to be ghostwritten by a staff member or freelancer, then submitted to the newspaper under the byline of the CEO or other relevant expert. If you don’t have the time to pen your own op-ed piece, you should be able to easily find someone to draft it for you.

Your piece will hit home if you combine a passionate approach with logical analysis. As with any writing submitted to the news media, language must be clear, punchy and direct. Editors are looking for plain English with concrete imagery.

Put a brief note outlining your credentials at the end of the piece to save the editor from the work of tracking that information down. Editors are likely to be receptive to pieces written by someone within the local community, so be sure to submit to your hometown newspaper as well as to all the newspapers in your state.

Some large newspapers will demand exclusivity. Ask the editor’s preference when you submit your piece. But many opinion-page editors understand that op-ed pieces are distributed to newspapers nationwide.

If you have expertise on a topic or have written a book on the subject, mention that. Experts have an edge on the op-ed page. For instance, the opinion editor of the Charleston Gazette in West Virginia was happy to receive a piece on the dangers of secondhand smoke written by the dean of the nursing school and the director of the cancer center at West Virginia University. Not only because they knew about the latest research, but because the had seen patients who suffered from cancer and other lung diseases as a result of secondhand smoke exposure. This gave them credibility.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when crafting an op-ed piece:

• Be provocative, original, timely. Tie your subject into a natural disaster, social trend, or other current news.


• Give examples. Use facts and statistics. Explain why you have come to the conclusions you are drawing.


• Write about ideas you feel passionately about. Tie your argument into your own experiences. Effective op-ed pieces are based on values and emotions, not simply dry reasoning. The ordinary reader must be able to relate to it.

Guest blogger Pam Lontos is president of the PR/PR public relations firm in Orlando and will be the featured speaker at the chamber’s October luncheon.

A powerful way to develop business

In the midst of a recession, with revenues down and prospects for improvement far off, many companies see marketing as an unnecessary expense.

This is dangerous thinking.

It’s precisely when business is slow that increased efforts are needed. Even the most dedicated sales staff needs support in generating new business. Marketing and publicity are important parts of that effort.

Pam Lontos, founder and president of the PR/PR public relations firm in Orlando, will address this important issue at the Christian Chamber of Commerce luncheon Oct. 13. Her program, “I See Your Name Everywhere,” will explain how your organization can generate more business through the power of publicity.
Pam will explain how easy—and economical—it is to:

• Use social media to promote your business


• Write press releases to get media attention


• Generate business from publicity in magazines and newspapers


• Stay positive and motivated through tough times

By using publicity wisely, your business can not only survive a recession—it can thrive.

A doubly good deal

The Plaza Theatre has provided a fabulous package for its fellow chamber members for two evenings of fellowship, entertainment, and inspiration.

In October, The Witnesses, part two of The Rock & The Rabbi trilogy, returns to The Plaza. If you enjoyed R&R, you will love part two, in which Peter, Paul, and James debate what the church will be. If you missed part one, that's OK. The Witnesses stands on its own. Besides, if you're a member of this chamber, you presumably know the story that precedes the Book of Acts. Visit www.thewitnessesmusical.com to learn more about the musical and sample some songs.

Prior to the Oct. 17 performance, The Plaza Theatre will host a reception for chamber members. Hors d'oeuvres will be served.

Then, in December, we'll be back at The Plaza for a The Child, a musical account of the birth of Jesus Christ as told by Joseph.

Our chamber Christmas party will take place at the theatre before the Dec. 17 performance.

The Child is performed by the same crew that brought us The Rock & The Rabbi. Their unique format is different from the usual musical theater. It's more like storytelling with musical accompaniment. Or a concert with storytelling. Either way, it's phenommenal.

Chamber members receive $10 off tickets for The Witnesses, and $9 off tickets for The Child. If you purchase tickets for both events as a package, you'll get an additional $2 off.

But act fast! Since these performances are also open to the public, there are a limited number of seats available.

So here's the breakdown:

Show	Regular Price	Chamber Price
Witnesses	$33	$23
Child	$38	$29
Package	$71	$50

You can purchase tickets by calling the box office at (407) 228-1220 or go to the theater at 425 N. Bumby Avenue in Orlando. Since this is special price is for chamber members only, it's not available through The Plaza Theatre Web site.

So save these dates:
The Witnesses, Oct. 17, reception at 6 p.m., showtime at 7:30 p.m.
The Child, Dec. 17, Christmas party at 5 p.m., showtime at 7 p.m.

Both events are at The Plaza Theatre, 425 N. Bumby Ave., Orlando

Hope to see you there!

Flu needn't leave us wallowing in misery

News that a colleague contracted the flu -- yes, that flu -- led me to write. As increasing numbers of the clunkily named H1N1 flu are reported, it’s easy -- dare I say tempting -- to give in to fear and dismay.

Let’s not. That will not help our employees, our clients, or our community.

There are several important things to remember about H1N1:

It’s no worse than the normal seasonal flu. In fact, some cases are milder. So far this year, 593 deaths nationwide have been attributed to H1N1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that seasonal flu and its complications kill an average of 36,000 people a year.

“Pandemic” isn’t as scary as it sounds. It just means the disease has been found on more than one continent. While this was unusual 100 years ago, air travel has made intercontinental transmission much easier.

Young people are more at risk. Usually, the elderly are at an increased risk for flu, but with H1N1, people over 64 are more likely to have resistance due to exposure to a related strain earlier in their lives. Younger people lack this immunity.

It's not swine flu. The virus was misidentified early on because of its similarity to swine flu. An inappropriate amount of media coverage followed, spurred by memories of the swine flu epidemic of the 1970s.

The CDC advises these precautions for all cold and flu viruses:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then throw away the tissue.


• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread this way.


• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough, sneeze or touch your eyes, nose, or mouth (because we all will, especially when we're trying not to). Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also effective.


• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.


• If you have a flu-like illness, stay home until your fever has been gone (without the aid of fever-reducing medicines) at least 24 hours.

What employers can do:

• Offer your employees paid sick leave. One of the primary reasons people work while sick is that they cannot afford to lose pay.


• Make sure no one in your company is “indispensable.” Cross-training will ensure that staff members do not work while sick just because no one else is able to do what they do. Every person in your company -- including the owner -- should have a backup.


• Sponsor flu shots for your staff. Reimburse employees for all or part of the cost of a flu shot. in addition to the seasonal flu vaccine, an H1N1 vaccine will be available this fall.


• Keep a clean workplace. Flu viruses can survive on surfaces like door knobs for up to 8 hours. Clean regularly with disinfectant.


• Educate yourself. General information about influenza is available at the easy-to-remember flu.gov, while information specific to business owners is available here.