TWEET TIPS SINCE 2009

We are starting a series called 806 PR Tips in 140 Characters or Less. The following PR Tips are a collection of Tweets written in 140 characters or less beginning February 2009 by Cyndy Hoenig. She continues to update daily them daily or at least when she comes across them.

Here are the first 20 …

1. #1 pet peeve of journalists: People who call and pitch not knowing what they cover. Do your homework.

2. 100’s of engaged followers will do more for you than 1000’s of token ones.

3. After a pitch, make sure you give several contact #s to a reporter. The press waits for no one.

4. Ally yourself w/local charity, sponsor sports teams. Commitment to social responsibility attracts customers.

5. Acknowledge tweets, emails, comments. It’s not good PR or customer service to ignore anyone.

6. Ask how customers heard about you. PR is an ongoing process & needs constant tweaking.

7. Be helpful. Reciprocity produces incredible returns on a simple tip or referral.

8. Be on time, or early. Punctuality is a sincere form of courtesy.

9. Be sure & have press materials ready to be sent at a moment’s notice.

10. Be real, honest, genuine. Authenticity is catnip. -­‐-­‐ Networking

11. Always pick up the check. People won’t remember what they had for lunch, but they’ll always remember who picked up the check.

12. Transfer the enthusiasm you feel for your brand to everyone you meet. You’ll see results.

13. A good press release -­‐ about 400 words. Shorter the better. Just enough info to secure an interview.

14. A great pitch -­‐ Story angle tie-­‐ins, description of where it could fit in the media outlet & a call to action.

15. A happy customer is your greatest endorsement. Respond promptly and honestly.

16. A media angle must have some distinctive quality. Journalists sniff out what’s different, not what’s the same.

17. A quick call or email to a journalist outlining your pitch tests the water.

18. A strong brand can make any business stand out, particularly in competitive markets.

19. Always say thanks to a journalist for a story, mention, item etc.

20. Networking: Smile, look engaging.

Using The Media Insider database, you can develop a low cost PR campaign and handle in house. PR is a powerful tool and a successful campaign lends credibility. To do PR in house, you need to be able to learn to write a press release, find the right contacts in the media to send it too (using our database). Don’t forget the link to your media or press kit on your website. If you don’t have a media kit, check out the how too on e-releases.com.

By the way, take a tour of The Media Insider anytime!  You will see how you can search and create custom media lists to download.