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The Tip Sheet
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issue of : February 2004
- PTA Entertainment - Matching spokespeople with PR
- Surfin' - A great source for websites, "Chocoholics Rejoice" and "Global Tie-Ins"
- Tips From the Top - Our monthly advice column - Fifteen things the media loves
- Mark Victor Hansen's Mega Book Marketing University
- Look What's Coming Up - A calendar of upcoming events
- What Have You Done For Me Lately? - Our latest media bookings
PTA Entertainment
Our Mission:
To build and establish long-term relationships with our clients by providing expert consultation in the development and usage of quality, and appropriate Celebrity Spokespersons -- and to provide complete integrated marketing and publicity services to deliver key client messages.
Our Services:
Specialty Service: Pharmaceuticals/Healthcare
- Consultation on projects to develop appropriate spokespeople
- Positioning and messaging
- Celebrity search and outreach -- Sports, Film, TV, Music, Theater
- Non-"celebrity" outreach -- Authors, business, academic
- Special events -- Conventions, launch parties, product launch, charity fundraisers and events
- Literary projects -- Securing agents and book deals
Specialty Service: Pharmaceuticals/Healthcare
We have developed an (ever growing) list of celebrities and sports figures that have ties to a variety of healthcare issues (either personally or by relation). This list has over 3000 names and is constantly being edited, offering up-to-the-minute access to an appropriate spokesperson.
Search Fees: We do not charge a fee for searches.
For more information, contact David Thalberg at 212.593.5875 or thalbergd@plannedtvarts.com.
Surfin'
Searching for a global tie-in for your latest media push? Or perhaps just wondering what the news is in your hometown of Rome, Italy? ipl.org/reading/news allows you to access books, magazines, and news articles from all over the world within minutes. This user-friendly site can be browsed by region, country, subject or title. For greater ease the language of the article and the available translations are listed in the initial search and an additional translation dictionary feature is offered. They even have a Q&A section answered by trained volunteer librarians. IPL is an excellent resource for adults. Children and parents can also benefit from the site. In addition to being an excellent research center for children and parents, the "KidSpace" and "TeenSpace" sections also serve as an insightful source into the hot topics of the adolescent world.
Chocoholics rejoice! Finally there is a website that debunks the myths that chocolate causes acne, tooth decay and a whole host of other ailments. http://www.exploratorium.edu/exploring/exploring_chocolate/index.html defends the chocoholic and explains the health benefits of chocolate as well as its rich history. So if you've ever wondered why chocolate makes you energized or how it's manufactured check out the sites' movie and audio clips along with their easily understandable scientific explanations.
Looking for a listing of this year's book events? The Library of Congress's Center for the Book lists the year's selection of book fairs and story-telling festivals being held in both the U.S and around the world. The events can be browsed by month and each is listed with the location, sponsorship, and available contact information. In addition the website lists a number of other related websites which will aid you in your search. http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/bkevents.html
Tips From the Top
Fifteen Things the Media Loves
| 1. | News - News is not just about information, it's about communicating value and benefit for their audience. |
| 2. | Brevity - State what you're pitching and how it will help their audience in a short, concise message. |
| 3. | Knowing Targets - Research the audience you want to reach and the media that reaches that audience. Then customize your pitch to the outlet you are pitching. |
| 4. | Relationships - Build a relationship rather than try to sell a particular story. |
| 5. | Preparation - Do your homework and be ready to deliver what the media needs. Have materials to send. |
| 6. | Broad Appeal - Create stories that reach a wide variety of individuals with broad themes. |
| 7. | Ties - Try to tie your story into a larger news event - if it makes sense to do so. |
| 8. | Experience - The media likes to know that other media is paying attention to you so send articles and tape (if appropriate). |
| 9. | Visualization - Use visual terms to create graphic images and colorful anecdotes to illustrate your point. |
| 10. | Celebrity Tie-Ins - Products linked to celebrities usually get more ink and air time. Is what you're speaking about something you can link to a celebrity? If so, bring it up to the media. |
| 11. | Prompt Response - Time is of the essence, especially to reporters on deadline. Send what the reporter needs as quickly as possible. |
| 12. | Courtesy - Be polite and respectful to everyone, receptionists included. Learn how to pronounce a reporters name before you speak with them. |
| 13. | Visual Aids - Send charts, graphs, and photographs that a reporter can use to quickly illustrate your merit to an editor. |
| 14. | No Road Blocks - Smooth the way and remove all obstacles that could derail or weaken your story. |
| 15. | A Pleasant Attitude - Be pleasant, enthusiastic and professional. See yourself as a valuable resource and become someone the media enjoys associating with. |
An excerpt from the National Best-Seller GUERRILLA PUBLICITY: Hundreds of Sure-fire Tactics to Get Maximum Sales for Minimum Dollars by Rick Frishman, Jill Lublin and Jay Conrad Levinson.
Mark Victor Hansen's Mega Book Marketing University
Shouldn't the world's next best-selling author be you?
Creating a best-selling book and becoming a well-publicized authority is just the beginning of what you can accomplish as an author. In fact, creating a business well beyond your book is the most exciting, and profitable, part of your life as a published author. Just imagine turning your book into an "empire" of weekend workshops, year-long mentorship programs, or training programs you teach others to deliver for you among other things.
Over 15 of the industry's best and brightest advisors, such as Robert Allen, John Childers, Rick Frishman, and Jillian Manus will share their specialized wisdom, insights and strategies with you at Mark Victor Hansen's 2004 Mega Book Marketing University March 26th - 28th in Atlanta.
If you seriously want to build a career as an author, media star or publishing entrepreneur - and you want to meet the powerbrokers who can take you there - you can visit and register on Mark's secure website http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/aftrack.asp?AFID-115423. Or call Mark's Registration Specialist Jody Emme at 1-(800) 433-2314 x100 (internationally, call +1-949-764-2640 x100). 9-5pm PST. If you call Jody, please mention that you heard about the seminar through PTA.
It's not just a book...it's a business.
Look What's Coming Up
Some annual dates that just might relate to a Morning Drive or Satellite TV Tour topic:
August 2004
| May Your Reading be a Haven Month | |
| 1st | MTV Premiere: Anniversary |
| 1st | World Wide Web Anniversary |
| 2nd | Declaration of Independence: Official Signing Anniversary |
| 5th | "American Bandstand" TV Premiere |
| 6th | National Fresh Breath Day |
| 9th -11th | Blue Grass Festival |
| 9th | Birthday of Whitney Houston (1963) |
| 15th | National Relaxation Day |
| 26th | Women's Equality Day |
| 27th | Birthday of Mother Teresa (1910) |
| 31st | National Story Teller of the Year Contest |
September 2004
| Be Kind to Editors and Writers Month | |
| 5th | Anniversary of Babe Ruth's First Pro Home Run |
| 6th | Labor Day |
| 8th | "The Oprah Winfrey Show" TV Premier |
| 9th | 9/11 Day of Remembrance |
| 13th | International Skeptics Day |
| 15th-21st | Build a Better Image Week |
| 16th | Rosh Hashanah/Jewish New Year |
| 17th | National Football League Formed |
| 20th | Office Olympics |
| 24th | Yom Kippur |
| 25th | First American Newspaper Published |
| 26th | First Televised Presidential Debate |
October 2004
| Gay and Lesbian History Month | |
| 6th | American Library Association Founding (1876) |
| 7th | Women's News Day |
| 9th | Birthday of John Lennon (1940) |
| 9th | National Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work Day |
| 11th | Columbus Day |
| 12th | International Moment of Frustration Scream Day |
| 14th-20th | National Health Education Week |
| 16th | Anniversary of the Million Man March |
| 16th | National Boss Day |
| 22nd | Holy See: National Holiday |
| 23rd | TV Talk-Show Host Day |
| 31st | Halloween |
| 31st | First African American Plays in NBA Game (1950) |
What Have You Done For Me Lately?
Here's a sampling of our latest bookings:
The Five Rules for Successful Stock Investing by Pat Dorsey (Wiley)
CNNfn, "Your Money"
TheStreet.com
CBSMarketwatch.com
NY1 News, "Fortune Business Report"
Money Magazine
Kiplinger's Personal Finance
Southwest Airlines Spirit
Jack LaLanne for the Jack LaLanne Power Juicer (Tristar Products)
The Today Show
Livin' It Up wth Ali and Jack
The Wayne Brady Show
Google For Dummies (Wiley)
Dow Jones News Service
Las Vegas Review Journal
Edmonton Sun
I.T. Week