Free Publicity Tip: How to Hitch Your Star to Today's Headlines

If you haven't subscribed to Amy Mac (or followed on Google) - do that now so you can be included in the drawing Thursday! If you are reading this in a feed, click through to the website so you can access the subscriber link.)

Enter your email address:


Delivered by

Now, an explanation for why Prince William is on the Amy Mac blog ...

Whether you’re a small business owner, a blogger, a photographer or a corporate professional with a dream of opening a lovely antique boutique, it is imperative to develop a publicity plan to keep your name top-of-mind with your target audience.

And while occasionally posting a snappy promo on your Facebook status is a great supplemental publicity tactic, you must take the time to develop other avenues of getting the word out about your business.

An easy way to do this is what I like to call Bandwagon Publicity. That’s right, go ahead and hitch your star to somebody else’s news wagon. Why? Because this makes an editor’s job really easy – you’ve created a new angle to a story that’s proven itself newsworthy.

Here’s a perfect example: I follow the website Flashlight Worthy Books, which publishes lists of books readers compile and vouch that the book is good enough to keep you up at night. When Prince William and Kate announced their engagement, I knew the media would be saturated with news about their impending nuptials. So I created the list “Enlightening Reads for Today's British Invasion" and submitted it to FLW for publication.

Not only is the list currently on their website (and driving traffic back to my blog), but this list has legs – FLW plans to pitch it to a media outlet where they have a contact, and I can pitch it to a few where I have contacts. 

Everybody wins.

So take a look at what your favorite news outlets (mine are listed under Daily News Reel on the blog panel) are reporting. How can you tie your product or service into today’s headlines? Think about it, and we’ll talk more about creating an effective pitch soon.

'Til Thursday --Amy Mac

The Grape Debate (and your Free Publicity Tip of the Week)

If I forget to bring a snack into my home office while I’m working, I’m hopping up approximately every 47 seconds to find something to eat. Not a very effective way to get work done. Some might suggest medication to stave off this habit of jumping up and running around. “Pshaw!” I say (I have always wanted to work Pa Ingalls favorite saying into my writing. Mission accomplished.) I just bring snacks, and line them up on my desk like my own personal little convenience store.

Today, I decided to be virtuous and bring these grapes instead of the chocolate chip cookies nestled in the treats basket in my pantry. Those cookies, I swear they are screaming my name. They are loud. And aggressive. Quite pushy, and rude. The grapes are much more subtle, but it seemed like the right thing to do … so here they are.

Anywho, as I’m gobbling my grapes, I’m simultaneously preparing a client for an upcoming radio interview. Radio interviews are more relaxed than television interviews, if for no other reason than you don’t have to worry if your hair is doing something weird. But there are a few things you must do in a radio interview so you’ll sound like the intelligent professional I know you are. So here’s your free Publicity Tip of the Week:

In a radio interview (or television, telephone, or job interview for that matter) - slow down. Take a deep breath. When we’re a little anxious, we tend to talk faster. Eliminate the “ums” and “you knows” from your lexicon, if just for the few minutes you’re on air. And type up the main points you want to drive home, in a decent-size font, so it’s easy to get back on track if you lose your train of thought.

Now, to find a way to silence those cookies. I don't have a good feeling about this .... Happy Weekend!– Amy Mac