"This kind of thing never happens here."

How many times have you seen and heard that line in the midst of a breaking news story?

Business leaders who think a publicity crisis is "for someone else" are likely to get caught short when something unexpected happens. Hopefully it won't be a massive incident that the networks cover. Still, we must be realistic because a local story can negatively impact your brand reputation, hiring and revenue for years to come.

If a plane or truck crashes into your building, you may find yourself scrambling to craft a statement or press release. A white-collar crime or violent incident can also attract unwanted media attention. 

[GUIDE: HOW TO BUILD LASTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH REPORTERS AND GET YOUR STORY COVERED. CLICK HERE FOR FREE PDF DOWNLOAD] 

The following 10 points will help you be proactive when dealing with reporters and the public.      

1. Have a crisis management plan in place and update it once a quarter. This includes assigning a designa...

The days of B2B and B2C sales models never existed, according to business author Seth Godin.

During a recent interview, Godin told me that behind every business is a human being who makes purchasing decisions.

Transcript: (Seth Godin) “When you’re selling to a business, you’re not really selling to a business. Businesses don’t buy anything; people buy things.

The person at Ford buying brake lines, doesn’t need brake lines. They need a story to tell their boss. Because they’re not actually on the assembly line, they are the purchaser.

We sell stories. The shift now is that there’s way more people to connect with, which is good. But, those connections are way more difficult because there are way more people to connect with. So, we have this challenge. Which is stop being bureaucratic and understand that people are going to buy a story that increases their status based on what’s important to them.”

Godin says the key is to understand your audience and their frustrations so that you c...

Austin, Texas was the backdrop for the Public Relations Society of Americas’ International Conference #PRSAICON2018.

What’s on the mind of PR pros these days?

The theme: Convergence and Communication covered a range of topics including conflicts, creativity and client relationships. Crunching numbers (data and measurement) was a hot topic as well.

[RELATED: “HOW TO GET YOUR PRESS PASS.” SHARE VALUABLE CONTENT AND BOOST YOUR VISIBILITY. CLICK FOR DETAILS]  

The three-day event was packed with dozens of workshops, networking and impressive keynotes. Though I was one of the presenters, my greatest joy was sitting in the audience listening and learning from such knowledgeable and interesting peers.

We’re at a time in history when the media has become the scapegoat for what some claim is “fake news.” Others are attempting to clarify the obscured lines between trained journalists and the media. The conversations remain more important than ever. If we think for a moment that we are in ‘j...

Your email pitch hangs on eight words…or less.

The secret to gauging the interest of reporters and influencers who may want to interview you is complicated. The recipient must know from your subject line exactly what you have and why it’s relevant right now.  Your goal: immediate clarity. In eight words or less.

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A terrific pitch piques the interest of the reader because it’s about their audience. When pitching your story, forget cutesy. It's confusing and irritating to busy reporters. All they want you to do is make your point.

I’ve been on both sides of pitches, as a news reporter and anchor in a chaotic radio newsroom and as a publicity strategist working to get my clients media coverage.

Here are tips from the pros about what gets their attention when sifting through their inbox.

1. “The subject line must be clear so I know what you are pitching and why I should be i
...

In a perfect world, we could put a pushpin on a calendar date and plan out days, weeks and months of special events, announcements, contests and news to share. Wow, an entire road map of content, blog topics and email promos. It would work out just fabulously.

[FREE DOWNLOAD: CREATE 30 TOPICS IN 30 MINUTES--IN ANY NICHE! CLICK HERE TO GET THE #30/30 GUIDE]

Of course, anyone who has walked the planet for a few decades knows that social media—and breaking news—can quickly push our best-laid plans out the window. If the TV interview you’ve been working on for weeks has arrived but there’s a major earthquake in California, your big moment might be rescheduled—or axed. That’s why you—and your editorial calendar—must be flexible.

First Things First

Though content planning can bring challenges, savvy professionals still keep a framework in place.  

Templates that allow you to easily track—and update—content distribution are crucial. There are plenty of freebie online templates available...

Content often confuses non-writers. However, it doesn’t have to be an energy drain.

Content also has the power to grow your community. And regular posts that are valuable and timely keep you in front of your community. Content grows your tribe. It grows your business and moves you closer to achieving your professional and personal goals.

Think of content as your bank account.   

Let’s get past the confusion and angst that countless business owners endure when trying to generate ideas. Let’s make things easy. Remember, even seasoned marketers and bloggers get stuck occasionally.

[DOWNLOAD FREE CHEAT SHEET: 99 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNICATION]

No one expects you to be a professional writer so take the pressure off of yourself! You have plenty of knowledge hat potential customers need and want from you. All we have to do is get it out of your head…I promise it won’t hurt!

Here are five ways to overcome writer’s block:

1. Write a “Top 10” post. Listen in on a webinar that features...