As a writer who’s active in social networking and the mom blogging community, I hear a lot about PR companies contacting bloggers. And unfortunately, most of it isn’t good. Companies aren’t doing their homework. They are casting a wide net without getting to know who they are pitching. And it’s blowing up in their faces.
Bloggers are not like newspaper reporters (although there are some who have a journalism background) and sending them press releases generally doesn’t work. Why would they write about your company or product? They aren’t getting paid like reporters, so writing something for free rarely appeals unless …read more

The difference between a good pitch and a bad pitch is all in the execution.
The pitches that are used are the ones that are newsworthy, media-friendly and arrive at opportune times. All three working together gives a PR person the best chance of media coverage and publicity.
Other tips for creating a good pitch and avoiding bad pitches include:
* Forming lasting relationships with the media can be more effective than sending a non-targeted email pitch to an editor or reporter who has never heard of you. These emails are often treated as spam and discarded by the media. It’s not enough …read more

If you can piggyback on one of the hot news stories in the next few days, you can get some great publicity for your business.
Here are some of this week’s hot stories:

The election: what it means to your target market
What breed is the ‘First Puppy’ going to be? Are you involved with pets? This is a no-brainer.
The unemployment figures. Great story if you’re hiring! Also a great story for job coaches, resume writers, etc.
The McCain/Palin relationship. Attention relationship experts: this one’s for you.
Transitions: How to make them work.  If you are an expert in change, you may want to pitch …read more