EMSI

Five Tips You Don’t Want to Miss

Sometimes I cringe when I hear people talk about “the media.” It sounds as if everyone in TV, radio, print and online press is a member of one fraternity that thinks and acts the same. There is a vast gulf between the daily life of a print journalist and the daily life of a radio show host. And there are many differences between radio hosts and TV producers.

They really shouldn’t be treated the same. That’s why I’ve written a booklet called 50 Tips to Make You A Great Radio Guest and a similar piece for TV. Now I am compiling interview tips for working with print and online journalists (which in many cases can be the same thing). This will be the first of three articles, so stay tuned for the others over the next two weeks. Read more on how to give a great print media interview →

The Questions You Ask Yourself are as Important as the Answers

After more than 20 years in the public relations business, I’ve discovered one universal truth: There’s really nothing quite as important as preparing for an interview.

After all, if you’ve gone through all the trouble of studying the news, reading about the issues and creating a set of resonant messages and have used them to score an interview with a journalist, why would you want to wing it? The problem is most people prepare for an interview by asking themselves the questions THEY would ask THEMSELVES, instead of asking the questions a professional journalist would likely ask them. That’s where I have seen many campaigns run off the rails before they begin. Read more on how to prepare for the big interview →

How Going Back to Basics Can Help Open All Sales Channels

Most writers can relate to a statement made by the brilliant statesman and author, Winston Churchill, concerning the life cycle of writing a book. He once said, “Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with, it is a toy and an amusement; then it becomes a mistress, and then it becomes a master, and then a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster, and fling him out to the public.”

Okay, Churchill can be a little dramatic, although I can absolutely identify with some parts of his description! But in my day-to-day world of speaking with authors, the real issue that concerns me is their despair once they’ve published their book and the public’s response is less than enthusiastic. Read more on why your book isn't selling →

Ever since the days when every TV set was a massive 12 inches, and millions of Americans tuned in to watch I Love Lucy in glorious black and white, television has been in the center of our living rooms.

Today, the screens are larger, the picture is in high-definition color and the programming choices are near infinite. Also, in addition to shows of general interest, there are now literally hundreds of cable network shows that cater to specialized niche markets. Plus, millions are now watching TV shows on their cell phones and computers. All in all, TV viewership continues to soar. Read more on how to make the most of your on-air time →

In today’s economy, when businesses are struggling to stay afloat, corporate execs need to think out of the box more than ever before. They need to find a way to set themselves apart from others in their industry. Thus my mantra: a book is America’s new business card. Read more on how a book can brand you as an expert →

…And Turn Your Host’s Listeners into Your Followers

The most difficult thing about being a public relations professional is correcting a client’s perceptions about the field of PR itself.

PR people are depicted in the movies as “spin doctors,” stretching the truth or lying outright to present their clients in the best possible light. Read more on being a dream guest on talk radio →

If you’ve decided to become an expert in your field, in any field, allow me to show you how much faster that process can be – and how much further you can reach – through the publication of a well-written, carefully-planned, readable and entertaining book. Read more on books as portable expertise →