By Andrew Wood

One of the real keys to building your reputation is to manage what’s written about you. Since even in today’s skeptical world what people read about you, they will generally believe. Getting your name in print is critical to shortening your route to a legendary reputation. The most cost effective way of accomplishing this is to generate PR. The beauty of PR is that it is free of charge. And it’s free of perceived bias, making it all the more valuable in building your reputation. Learning how to get free publicity is also much easier than understanding the many nuances of creating good advertising, and acquiring a working knowledge of public relations can be accomplished with a minimum amount of study and effort.

So let’s suppose you want to be featured on the cover of Rolling Stone, a golf magazine, dental journal, business magazine or your local newspaper. If you’ve ever read an article in your favorite periodical, especially one that dealt with a less competent professional than yourself, and wondered what it takes to published, here are a few tips on how to get yourself into print. There are two ways you can go about being mentioned, or perhaps even featured, in a magazine or newspaper. You can wait for the magazine to discover you and call you, (which I call the field of dreams method) or you can get yourself noticed by letting the magazine know what you do and why they should write about you.

Wonderful history
A young reporter once asked Winston Churchill, after leaving office, how he expected history to view him. Churchill replied that he expected history to view him very favorably. To which the young reporter asked why? Because that’s the way I intend to write it! Churchill replied. Churchill, of course, went on to write a plethora of books all of which portrayed him in a good light!

Indeed, there are many opportunities for people in all positions to influence the way people think about them. I became the world’s expert on the martial arts business by simply claiming the title. I am now also the world’s leading expert on golf-related marketing. When I claimed the titles it may have been a little too soon to be totally accurate, but over time I have backed up the positioning with real substance. You can do the same. The first step in this regard is to carefully prepare your own press kit.

Design your own press kit
Whether you are running a non profit, a major company or the local blood drive, there are always opportunities for PR. Local papers, regional magazines, newsletters, web sites and local cable stations all offer opportunities for enhancing your position in the community. The more prepared you are to provide detailed information on yourself or your organization, the more publicity you will receive. Often overworked and underpaid reporters will use your pieces verbatim, and as Churchill pointed out, when they do the results are usually favorable. Just remember not to believe your own clippings.

Building your press kit
Few people go to the trouble of preparing a press kit; those that do are the ones that are constantly building their reputation at your expense. So, if you haven’t yet got one yet, let’s get cracking. Whether you’re a doctor, dentist, real estate agent or CEO, your kit will come in handy. As they say, luck is the crossroads where planning meets opportunity.

Your press kit should include the following items in a nice glossy presentation folder with pockets on either side. If budgets allow, you can print a picture or logo on the front of the folder.

1. A cover letter
The cover letter will, of course, vary depending on the specific reason for sending out the media kit but should always champion a consistent theme, so that over time the media becomes familiar with what you stand for. In the case of Martial Arts America our consistent theme was that martial arts were not just about kicking and punching but about physical and mental growth of our students. In the case of my speaking and consulting, my recurring theme is that I maximize potential in sales, marketing and people. Whatever position you have chosen to hang your hat on, make sure it comes through in your cover letter.

Let them know what you or your company stands for!
Explain the need that you are filling; detail why you are unique or different from others. Back up your claims with credible titles, testimonials and proof. Explain why they or their readers will be interested in learning more about you.

2. A biographical article
The biographical article is a feature profile of you, written by you to influence what a media source might write or broadcast about you. This should stand alone as a story and should include the following five elements.

Paragraph 1: This paragraph must capture the reader’s attention. You need to stand from the first minute as refreshing, different, important and likable. Are you a David taking on Goliath? Are you a bold adventurer within your field? Are you a rags-to-riches success story? Are you changing the way things are done in your business? Pick a headline that identifies with what you stand for and captivate a reader’s interest!

Paragraph two should include support data. Let the reader see you as you really are. Include quotations as this helps establish a sense of conversing with the reader and gives him a greater sense of who you are.

Paragraph three brings in facts of weight and substance that establish you as a figure of significance. You are human but a master of your trade, a pace-setter, an expert, a shining star in your particular field of endeavor.

Paragraph four should mix human detail with evidence of further technical competence and professional accomplishments. It’s a mixture of personal information, hard facts, quotations and back up details that help establish a clear picture of who you are, what you’ve done and where you are going.

In the final paragraph you can finish your biographical narrative with any of your hobbies and perhaps a little personal information like your marital status, children and basic location to add human interest and round out the story.

(example)
ANDREW WOOD, A PASSION FOR MAXIMIZING POTENTIAL

Andrew Wood is President of one of America’s fastest growing companies, but it wasn’t always that way. Armed with $300, golf clubs, a suit case and big dreams, Andrew Wood landed in America from England the day before Thanksgiving, 1980. The $300 he brought with him didn’t last long and the job he found at a golf club in West Palm Beach was a straight trade: work for free golf. Wood spent many nights sleeping in his beat- up old Chevy or on the floor of someone’s hallway. Undeterred, Wood continued to practice his golf and eventually ended up with a walk-on golf scholarship at Palm Beach Junior College. After three years of school Wood moved from Florida to California where he was to help a friend run a limousine business. When he got there the business was in total disarray and soon went bankrupt. This left Wood back at square one with no money, no job, and nowhere to live.

Wood decided to resume his study of martial arts and became involved in helping to run a small karate studio. He quickly saw the potential of this business and, after working there for just a few weeks, convinced the owner to sell him the school. This accomplished, he soon turned one small studio into a chain of highly successful karate studios by buying up failing schools and turning them around. Within a few short months Wood left behind his struggles of the past forever.

With the rapid success of his karate schools, Wood turned his attention to helping other studio owners make the most of their opportunities. With the help of his friend David Miller he wrote, typeset, self-published and promoted his first book, How To Make $100,000 a Year Or More Teaching Martial Arts. With sales over $100,000 in the first nine months, it was a big hit. Wood followed up with three more business manuals and also embarked on a series of seminars.

With the success of his books and seminars in the karate world, Wood turned his attention to the main stream with the publication of his book, Making It Big In America. The book outlines the principles that allowed him to come to America with practically nothing and achieve the “American dream” in just five short years. Its inspirational message is a practical and down to earth look at what really makes a difference in people’s lives. Using his background in martial arts, golf, advertising, business, and calling upon lessons from famous people, Wood outlines in a clear and simple way just what people must do to get ahead in life.

Wood has followed the success of his book with a series of audio programs including, Selling with Confidence, Legendary Leadership and The Traits of Champions which he co-authored with Brian Tracy. Each program draws from his real world experience and from hundreds of hours of research into how people and businesses can maximize their potential.

Wood’s company Personal Quest is now a multi-million dollar enterprise that includes a catalog business, a consulting business and Martial Arts America, the largest chain of professional martial arts studios in the world. Wood resides at Black Diamond Ranch, Florida where, in addition to traveling the country speaking to corporations and business groups, he tries to keep his golf scores close to par!

3. A fact sheet
Often called a Backgrounder, a fact sheet should include additional more-detailed factual information on you, your company or your service: statistics, charts, graphs, timelines, tests and milestones can all be included in your fact sheet. I can’t stress enough that the more thorough the information you provide to the media, the easier it is for them to do their job and the more chance you’ll have of getting published.

4. A couple of feature articles that you have written
You should write or have within two to three feature articles about you that either highlight different attributes about you or are targeted to different markets while saying more or less the same thing. I have different articles targeted to golf, martial arts, small business and the speaking industry. All say much the same thing but all give the appearance that they were written only for that particular market. You might have one article based on your position as a dashing entrepreneur, another might show you in a positive light with your charitable efforts, while another might position you as an expert by relaying how to information on your particular field. By taking the trouble to position yourself in different ways you will be ready to take advantage of opportunities as they arise rather than scrambling to meet deadlines.

The slant of your articles should be dictated by the position you want to be associated with in your marketplace. In mine I always wanted to be known as the provider of the highest content information in my field, so most of my articles revolve around my real world experience, my exhaustive research and my passion for helping people maximize their potential on a business or personal basis. Choose three related areas in your chosen field that you can tailor feature articles on. Write the article at 3,000 words then go back and make edited versions with 2,500 words, 1,500 words and 1,000 words. In this way you will be ready no matter what length of article the publication happens to favor.

5. Clippings of articles that have been published about you
Hopefully in addition to the articles you write you can also include articles from the past that others have written about you. These should be photocopied with the newspaper or magazine mast head on top so the reporter can identify where the article came from. If the article is somewhat dated, I make a point of cutting off the date, thereby giving it a more timeless appearance. Oversize articles should be shrunk down to fit on an 8-1/2 by 11, or 11 by 17, sheet of paper.

6. A list of previous media contacts
As you add to your list of media credentials, note them down and list them in your press kit. Reporters and program managers love to focus on safe bets. People who have had others write about them and interview them are safe bets, so the more you list the safer you are. List all radio shows, TV shows, article and interviews you have done in chronological order, although you don’t have to actually date them. List the names of the newspapers, magazines, radio or TV stations along with the title of the show or the article,

7. A good head and shoulders photograph
Your press kit should include a picture of you or your product if it’s the hero. Pictures should be 5′ x 7′, horizontal and should be black and white, although color is more and more becoming acceptable. On the back of each photograph you need to identify the subject and include the complete names of those pictured if more than one. DO NOT write or type on the back of the photograph. After listing the above information on a sticker, place the sticker on the back of the photograph.

Other tools of the trade
Before you rush off to mail your beautiful new media kit to everyone in Christendom, let me say this; publicists often submit bulky media kits crammed with press releases in a shotgun approach. Editors bombarded with such bulky and unsolicited material daily will immediately dump these kits into the waste basket. They don’t have the file space or the inclination to become experts on your operation. If it survives at all, your kit will most likely end up in the publication’s advertising department as a sales lead. If the editor needs a media kit, he’ll contact you and request one.

Once your media kit is developed, the next stage of your plan should be develop a host of ongoing items such as calendar announcements, tip sheets, and press releases. These will be used to draw attention to you and your organization and put you in a position where a reporter or interviewer will request more information, triggering the mailing of your press kit to an interested party.

1. Calendar or public service announcement
Announcements are simple and to the point. You will need this if you are sponsoring any type of event (fair, fund-raising, open house, party, etc.). It should not exceed 50 words and be typed, double spaced, on your stationary. The tip sheets should include: A HEADLINE SUITABLE TO BE READ ON THE AIR OR PRINTED IN A CALENDAR ANNOUNCEMENT plus about 50 words covering: who, what, why, where, when, the price for admission, telephone number or pertinent follow-up information. Your announcement should generally be sent to the Public Service Director (for radio and television) or Calendar Editor (for print sources} two weeks in advance of the event

2. Media Tip Sheet
The Tip Sheet is a more thorough version of the calendar announcement and will usually be sent a week in advance of the event. The tip sheet gives an assignment editor advance information about what is taking place, when it is, where it is, why he should make his readers aware of the event, and who to contact for additional information. It should also include brief background information, admission prices, times or other relevant information. The tip sheet should be concise and to the point, never more than a single page. Here is an example;
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sally Wilson
Company: Martial Arts America
Phone: 714-589-1707

GRAND OPENING
Martial Arts America Family Learning Centers opens in new location in Rancho!

EVENT: Grand Opening of Martial Arts America
TIME: Saturday, March 30th, 9 AM - 4:00 PM
WHERE: 1234 ABC St. (across from the YMCA)
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

Sally Wilson, owner of Martial Arts America in Mission Viejo, is opening a second location in Rancho Santa Margarita. Wilson has studied martial arts for over 20 years, 12 of which she’s been teaching. The center offers youth and adult classes in Tae Kwon Do and private instruction on all ability levels. Also available are group or private self defense lessons for all ability levels.

On Saturday, March 30th, exciting events are scheduled throughout the day including door prizes each hour!

9-10 AM - kids demonstration with forms and weapons
10-11 AM - Crime Prevention Information
11-12 AM - “Ident-A-Kit” finger printing
12-1 PM - adult demonstration with forms and weapons
1-2 PM - Police Dog Show and McGruff
2:30-4 PM  Self-Protection/Self Defense Seminar
There is no charge for any of the events and the public and news media are welcome. For more information about the event contact Sally Wilson at (714) 589-9702.

To actually get the media to show up you will almost always have to follow up with a phone call.

3. Press Releases, The best advertising money can’t buy
The third and most powerful weapon in your PR arsenal is a press release. Press releases are a simple, effective and professional way to let the editors of magazines and newspapers know what’s happening with you or your business. The problem is that magazine editors plow through 50 to 100 press releases per week (maybe even per day) touting great new products, special opportunities, promotional events and dozens of other things. You can be certain there is no time or desire on their part to rewrite bad copy. Yet, because of the volume of poorly conceived or ill-written press releases, most are scanned and deposited in the infamous round file. Less than 3% of press releases submitted ever see print.

What type of occasion calls for a press release? Almost any newsworthy event can be featured in a press release: seminars, special events, unusual feats, new products or services, celebrity clients, promotions or new ideas. Just about any new, novel or unusual occurrence qualifies, if it is connected with your business or a current trend, event or existing news story. There are many factors to consider when writing a press release foremost of which is to consider who will be reading your story if it is published.

The purpose of press releases is to create a public awareness of your service. They must not sound like blatant sales pitches or attempts to gain free ad space. They should be universal in tone and designed for use in a broad spectrum of publications. It isn’t possible or even desirable to tailor a press release for each and every available publication you must reach to make a public-relations blitz successful.
my book Making it Big in America.

Here are ten elements of a professional release.

1. Address your release to a person, preferably by name, in the exact department that your release will be of interest to, e.g., sports, business, medical or life.

2. Date the release by day, month, or season, and name the authority or spokesperson making the announcement as well as a contact number for follow-up information.

3. Compose a positive headline of twelve words or less. For longer releases use sub-headings to break up the text and give the editor an overall idea of your story that keeps his attention.

4. Editors tend to favor press releases that are typed and double-spaced on stationery with your business logo. Leave plenty of white space margins for editors who edit!

5. Professionally written releases save the editors both time and expense. That means they have a greater chance of getting printed. Define the subject of the release and mention no less than three specific elements that make your service or method a trend-setter. Why should his readers be interested in you, your company or it’s products? That is the question he will ask and your release must answer!

Keep your copy tight and to the point. Slant press releases to suit the needs of your target audience. If your audience is the general public, focus on the benefits of your service, your location, and special features unique to you. Keep in mind that publications intended for the general public will want features having high consumer appeal. If your audience consists of fellow peers, then you should slant your release towards providing more information such as technical information about your particular methods of teaching, consulting or operating. Send the reader a message that makes him want to find out what special advantages for him, personally, you have to offer. You are just one of many businesses seeking media attention. You can readily understand that preference will be given to those with the most newsworthy information.

6. Focus on the facts. Publicity editors are generalists. Don’t expect them to rewrite weak copy, fill in between the lines for you, or know the details that make your business a winner. Most readers skim the first four to six lines of text before they either lose or gain interest. It’s important to put your stronger points first. Editors tend to edit text from the bottom on the assumption that you opened with your main points of interest.

7. Touch on your marketing strategy and expansion plans, and describe tactfully how you plan to deal with the competition, new trends or market challenges.

8. Include the date and location where a specific activity will occur.

9. When using a photograph to promote a specific event, also give details of the event with follow-up information (name and phone of contact person). Often stories and picture get separated never to be re-united. While a press kit might feature your best portrait-type picture your event releases should be much more daring, unusual and creative. The more unique the photograph, the more chance it will run.

10. Don’t fold your release to fit into a common #10 envelope. Send it in a flat 9 by 12 manila envelope. Attach a short note to the release stating your reasons for submitting the release and include an offer to send a more detailed media kit on request.

Let me share with you an example of a press release that I used to generate a host of articles and radio spots

For Immediate Release

Debbie Greenleaf 714-589-8830

Author Andrew Wood, releases new book, Making it Big in America. The book details in a simple and entertaining way exactly, How to get ahead in business and in life.

With the poor state of the economy, millions of unemployed workers are looking for jobs and millions more are wondering how they can keep theirs. People are now, more than ever, interested in what they can do to get ahead. A new book by Andrew Wood entitled, Making it big in America, details exactly what an individual can do to dramatically improve their situation in business or in life, regardless of where they are now.

Wood, the author of several best-selling business manuals including How to Make $100,000 a Year Teaching Golf and Getting the Edge in the Martial Arts Business, came to this country from England with just $300 to his name. In Making it Big in America, he delivers in a simple step-by-step manner the process he followed to quickly realize the American dream of success and happiness. Vividly described using a host of his personal stories and drawing upon others from history, Wood paints a clear picture of what it takes to get ahead and achieve Success.

With many women choosing to stay home to raise their families, at- home opportunities are ideal. Whether it is a part-time or full-time endeavor, Making it Big in America illustrates how to set your goals and make them become reality.

The book is arranged in twelve lessons and encourages the listener to participate by writing down goals, problems, and solutions so that a clear path to success evolves at the end. This is not a get rich quick or a positive thinking cures all program, but rather is a detailed and proven strategy for getting the most out of life. Its content ranges from breaking through mental barriers that inhibit success to creative ways of getting noticed on your next job application. Unlike many other programs that are esoteric in nature, Wood’s book actually provides the practical tools the reader needs to get ahead.

The book has already been endorsed by such notables as Ken Blanchard, co-author of the One Minute Manager, ” Making it big is a down to earth and practical program for anyone looking to get ahead in business and in life.” Joe Girard, who is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the worlds #1 salesman writes, Outstanding, first-class, Two thumbs up, I love it!”

The book, published by Prima publishing, is available at most book stores nationwide or by calling
714-589-1709. The retail price is $15.95. For more information please call.

The other side of the fence
Having published my own magazine, I have been on the other side of the fence so I know just what garbage an editor gets on a daily basis. I had one guy who, despite the fact that all I published were stories that related to the business of running a martial arts school, continually sent me intricate articles on how to break coconuts with your head, smash blocks of ice with your hand and use the power of inner chi to see the future! He called frequently, sent materials weekly and just didn’t understand why I could not run his pieces.

So that you also get a clear picture of the other side of the story, I asked three editors who are friends of mine to tell me what turns them off right away when they get a press release. Here are their top ten ways to guarantee your release finds the round file.

How Not To Get Your Press Release Read
1. Send a press release about your golf business to a magazine dealing in restaurant supplies.
2. Bog down your tight, incisive copy with a detailed and verbose history, or long-winded quotes from a spokesperson with nothing valuable to say.
3. Submit a coffee-stained press release typed in red ink, over two pages long, single-spaced and typed on onion skin paper.
4. Send press releases on a dozen different activities with an abrasive cover letter demanding an immediate release.
5. Tell a Publicity Editor that if he doesn’t use the release, he’s either stupid or crazy!
6. Fail to provide your phone number, or the number of the ad agency copywriter who wrote the release.
7. Demand that a magazine hold your release for publication at a later date.
8. Use flowery language and technical jargon.
9. Miss the submission deadline by a week…then ask them to fit me in.
10. Congratulate yourself on the ‘Super!’ new method of instruction you have personally created. The intent is to promote your service. You should promote yourself only if name recognition is certain to help your business.

As they say, one of the most powerful tools in any business situation is to walk a mile in the other man’s moccasins. With that in mind let’s look at where to send your releases and how to customize them for the greatest possible response.

Where to send your press releases
Start with your local media, branch out into your industry’s trade journals, hit related fields and then go national. Several companies publish directories of media contacts, the best of which is Bacon’s. For more local information your local chamber of commerce and your state chamber will almost always have a good list of all print and electronic media in your region. Failing that, there is always the library. Keep your media lists as targeted as possible and always look for synergy.

Customizing and targeting your release
Armed with a good basic press release in hand the next step is to decide who should see it! Understanding what each specific publication is about is a must. One press release simply does not fit all. For example in sending out a press release for my life enhancing program The Traits of Champions that I co-authored with Brian Tracy, I targeted over seventy golf publications. You might think that since each was a golf publication that one release would fit all but that’s not so. The program, an eight tape audio set, details how to get ahead in business and life using the stories of golfing champions as a metaphor. Let me give you an example of how we used the same general body of information about the program but customized the headline, and perhaps the first paragraph, to better suit the individual needs of each publication.

The release I sent to Golf Shop Operations and Golf Retailer, both publications aimed at those involved in the golf business, stressed the importance of motivating salesmen and employees within their business as well as being an excellent product to sell to their customers. To Golf Travel I indicated what a great way to pass the time listening to my audio program would be for golfers on their way to far off destinations. To Golf Tips magazine I stressed the mental aspect of my program in helping golfers improve their game as well as their business. To the British golf magazines I stressed how an expatriate had gone to American with nothing and became a millionaire inspired by golf’s great champions. To Florida-based publications I stressed the fact that I was a local author, while to the PGA’s magazine I stressed the fact that I had done numerous sales and marketing seminars for their members. And that was not all. As you can see, despite the fact that all of these publications have golf in common, many of them are going at golf from a different angle. The better you can understand that angle in advance and customize your piece to their needs, the greater your response will be.

Timing your release
Playing off an existing piece by positioning your story as a follow-on piece can always give you an edge in attracting media attention. Let’s say that the local paper just did a piece on how insurance companies are ripping off their clients with high rates. You could counter with a story, perhaps humorous in nature, about how clients have tried to pull bogus claims. If a golf publication ran a piece on how to stop a hook you could offer to do a follow-up on how to stop a slice. If you see a story on a new wonder pill to lose weight you could counter with how to lose weight by exercise, if a physical trainer, or how to lose weight through a proper diet, if a nutritionist. Keep your eyes open for any piece you can use to create a topical angle for your story. The more newsworthy your story, the more likely the media are to pick up on it!

Stories of a charitable nature are always more likely to be picked up (Surprise! Surprise!) during the holiday season. My golf releases will not be picked up the week before or after a major championship like the Masters, neither will they work during the two weeks the PGA puts on a giant trade show. Knowing your industry and what dates to cover and avoid when sending out your material will only increase your chances of a positive result. Many magazines paginate or organize the proposed contents of future issues two or three months in advance. Remember to take this time gap into consideration when you submit your press release.

The power of persistence
Persistence and determination, as with so much in life, are the keys to building your reputation in the media. One time a perfectly wonderful story will be missed while the next time a perfectly average story will be picked up. The key is to follow the steps I have described and continue to target and send out your releases until the right one hits. If you target wisely your investment will be only a few dollars and the payoff when it comes can be massive. When all else fails there are two more strategies that I guarantee will work. The first I will detail here; the second I have saved for the next tape.

Inside track
Getting media attention is a matter of a little creative positioning and a great deal of persistence. It helps, of course, if you develop relationships in advance. One of the best ways to play this game is to call your local paper and ask one of the writers if he does freelance; they all do. After he has written the article and you have paid him for it, ask him if he has any ideas on how to get it published. Hardly subtle I know, but it’s worked for me time and time again in many different publications. The writer also usually has contacts with a couple of other publications and that can also come in handy. In getting PR for my company in the martial arts business, I hired all three of the editors of the major publications to do freelance work for me in advance of asking them to run feature articles which of course they all did.

When a local magazine in which I wanted to appear was involved in sponsoring a charity I helped in a big way, thereby earning the favor of the editor whose pet project the charity happened to be. A couple of months later he ran a feature article on my company. Later he ran articles for several of my clients. Over the course of a few months prior to coming on the market with my program Traits of Champions, I invited several sports writers to play golf with me at the famed Black Diamond golf course where I live, building good relationships and making it easy for me to go back and ask for a favor later. Newsworthy is in the eye of the beholder on any given day, but relationships are timeless.

Legendary Press
To create legendary press you must start by compiling a press kit, for you never know when the opportunity for a great article will come around. The press kit should consist of a biographical feature, a fact sheet, and clippings from previous articles about you. Include a couple of articles you have written and a good picture. Next you will develop the advance tools that create demand for your press kit. These include tip sheets, calendar announcement and press releases. Choose where you send your releases wisely, target only those you know whose readers will have an interest in what you say. Don’t give up if results don’t happen at once; the best story in the world will be dropped for a day full of natural disasters and political scandal. You must bide your time. Often sending out the same release will work if the news day is slower. Last and by no means least, develop your media contacts over time. Wine them, dine them, send them cards and small gifts; human nature being what it is, they will always turn in the direction of those they like.

Until next time this is Andrew Wood encouraging you to get yourself in the media and build your reputation to the legendary status you know it should be!