TV Reporter Shares the Secrets to Getting Covered on the News

Do you have a great idea for a story, but no clue how to get it in the news? Are you tired of pitching press releases the news media simply ignores?

After twenty years of beating the street as a TV reporter, I have a scoop for you: the media needs good stories. But most stories are pitched so poorly, they are lost in the blizzard of faxes that blanket every newsroom.

So, here are five steps to increase your chances of getting covered that even some PR pros don’t know:

1) BE UNUSUAL

The old adage about “Man bites dog” still holds true. The news doesn’t cover what’s normal. We cover the abnormal.

PR whiz Carolyn Alvey knew this when she was trying to raise money for a charity several years ago. Instead of holding a garage sale, she sent out a press release announcing a “Celebrity Garage Sale.” Everything from Bob Hope’s old golf clubs to Roger Staubach’s long-neglected neckties were for sale. By making an ordinary garage sale extraordinary, the media was instantly sold on the story.

2) BE VISUAL

Reporters tell stories with pictures. If the pictures aren’t there, chances are the reporters won’t be either.

Even the most non-visual story can be made visual if you’re creative. A dog biscuit business? Boring. A dog birthday party complete with doggie guests and party hats? Now you’re barking up the right tree.

That’s what Michelle Lamont did to boost her dog biscuit bakery. She began baking huge dog biscuit birthday cakes and inviting the media to cover the parties. She’s had reporters hounding her for stories ever since.

3) CHOOSE THE RIGHT REPORTER

Perhaps the most common mistake even some PR pros make is trying to sell a good story to the wrong person. Most reporters have a specialty, like “crime” or “business.”

So, seek out the reporter who will have the most to benefit from your story. Start studying the news. Before you call a TV station or try and pitch the paper, become familiar with a reporter’s work. Don’t try and sell an investigative story to a reporter who covers entertainment.

4) WRITE LIKE A REPORTER

If I were going to send a press release to a reporter, I’d write the kind of headline that a newspaper would run. And I’d make the rest of the release so conversational that a TV anchor could read it right on the air.

Why is this so important? A major market newsroom gets hundreds of press releases every day. Often the decision on whether to cover your story is made in a matter of seconds. Many times that well-crafted sentence in the third paragraph of your press release is never read.

5) WAIT FOR A SLOW NEWS DAY

The holidays are the slowest “news times” of the year. When government offices are closed, so are most of our sources. Take advantage of it.

In fact, take out your calendar and begin circling government holidays. If the government isn’t making news, we reporters are scrambling to find something to cover. Pitch even an average story on a day when the media is starving for news, and you’re much more likely to get coverage.

There you go. Now you’re armed with knowledge that even some well-paid public relations professionals don’t practice. If your idea is unique, visual, and pitched to the right person when the supply of news is running thin, you’re in!

Choosing the Best Accounting Software

Purchasing accounting software is a crucial decision as it involves considerable investment. The software should be able to handle all financial transactions of your company and also incorporate upgrades in the system.

Accounting Software: Define

Application software that is used to keep a record of the various financial tasks of your business is accounting software. This software comprises several modules that record diverse financial transactions and other related information. Some modules include payroll, accounts receivable, accounts payable and trial balance. The cost and level of complexity of software may vary considerably.

Tips on Choosing Accounting Software

With the vast number of application software developers in the market, it is almost difficult to find software that suits one’s business requirements. There are a number of factors to consider before buying software for maintaining accounts. The factors include:

Graphics: The software should have the ability to incorporate graphical figures. Accountants must be able to make bar graphs and pie charts for data evaluation. Such diagrams convey trends more effectively than numbers.

Automation: Now-a-days, companies are required to manage enormous complex financial activities regarding payrolls, employee expenses, departmental budgets and purchase requisition. This calls for software that provides full automation, apart from standard financial management tasks.

Internet connectivity: The software must be able to send and receive documents online. Also, you should be able to transfer funds electronically.

Customization: It is rare for software to fulfill all your business requirements. However, ensure that the software is able to incorporate your needs in terms of forms, screens, statements and reports.

Interoperability: The ability of the software to interoperate with other company software must be an important factor to consider. The software should be able to draw information as and when required from other software. For instance, the finance department must be able to retrieve and use the information entered by the sales or HR department.

Security: A company’s financial data
is handled by it’s accounting software. So, if it is not secure, companies not only lose money and time, but also their sales and profit data.

Multilingual and Multicurrency: Companies today operate on an international level with customers spread across the world. Multilingual and multicurrency features add to a company’s goodwill and keep the customers happy. The multicultural corporate environments of today can also benefit from this software.

To Start a Small Business Online – 4 Things That One Needs To Know

If you are keen on starting a small business online then it is really very important that you go about in a systematic manner. There are many people online who invest in to any business without doing any research or having any plan of action. Then they land up getting heart attacks, headaches and lost of investment. To avoid these make sure to follow 4 very important steps before starting an online business.

Step 1 – You should have a good knowledge of business before investing into it.

While there are many attractive and exciting offers which come in your way on the internet but before you plan to invest into them make sure that you have done a good amount of research and study. If the system is proven your chance to earn profits out of it is really more.

Step 2 – You should now what you will be receiving after you invest in to a business.

One has to be very clear about what he is going to receive after investing into a small online business. For this you should have a plan of action in place and also implement on it for maximum returns. Only foolish people get into business without any concrete plan of action so do not be amongst them.

Step 3 – You should always get into a business which has given proven results.

As a matter of fact there can be no business which gives you a guarantee to be successful but if you have a choice in investing into a business always invest into something which has given proven results to most of the people. You should not have any kind of doubts in the system. If you have any mental blocks then it is better not to go ahead with it.

Step 4 – Finally the system in which you are planning to invest should offer you a guarantee.

There are many systems on the internet that provide a money back guarantee if you do not find their system helpful. This simply shows their confidence about the productivity and credibility of their system. You may think that they might face losses but what actually happens is their sales goes to a great height because of the money back guarantee offer as they win over the confidence of their customers.

Make sure to follow these steps to take your online business to the next level.

How to Make Money Online: An Honest, Straightforward Answer From a Successful Online Entrepreneur

I’ve made my living completely online since 2007. Hence, I receive a lot of questions from others who want to know how they can do the same. Following is one, which inquired me to write this article on “how to make money online” along with my answer. Query any successful online entrepreneur, and I’m willing to bet dollars to doughnuts they’ll tell you much of the same thing.

Question from an Unhappy Full-Timer Who Wants to Quit Her Job and Make a Living Online

I can’t tell you how happy I am I found your site. You are doing exactly what I want to do and you make it simple to understand. Because of circumstances I work 60-70 hours a week at a job I hate. What would be the best something small I can start with so I can cut back on my overtime and work my way out of my job. You offer so much wonderful information I don’t know where to start. Thank You, L-

One Way to Make Money Online — Free

In answer to her specific question about what small thing she should start with, my answer would be affiliate marketing simply because you can, in essence, make money online for free — as in, you don’t need to spend anything to start making money.

With that being said, following are some concrete steps you should take if you want to learn how to make money online. This advice applies to any type of online business you want to start because the foundational steps for success as an online entrepreneur are the same.

5 Easy Steps to Get You On Your Way to Making Money Online – No Matter What Type of Business You Want to Start

I. DECIDE

Many who want to strike out on their own fail to get started because they talk themselves out of it by putting roadblocks in the way. For example, they may say, I need to get a website before I start, learn how to update a blog before I start, get my logo designed before I start, do (you fill in the blank).

All this is is fear – and many fail to get real with themselves and recognize it because they think they’re doing something, i.e. waiting to get a website done, etc.

The bottom line is, if you want to start making money online, don’t wait for the timing to be perfect or to get “x” done, etc. The reason is the timing will never be perfect and you’ll never finish all you want to do before you start.

You just need to start. Once you do, the excitement and momentum will usually keep you going – getting all those things done that you thought you needed BEFORE you started.

II. STOP “OPPORTUNITY SHOPPING”

A pro — and con — of making money online is that there are one thousand and one ways to do it. I know this from personal experience, as I earn money online in several ways, i.e. as an affiliate marketer; writing and self-publishing my own line of eBooks; and as a freelance (SEO) writer for online businesses.

But you have to settle on a business idea – and stick with it. If you keep flitting from opportunity to opportunity, you’ll ever make any real money online because you’ll always be starting over.

III. LEARN SEO

In case you don’t know, SEO stands for search engine optimization. And if you do business online, you need to know it because SEO is all about getting eyeballs to your site/blog/online presence. Without website traffic, you can’t make sales.

And FYI, you don’t have to become an “SEO expert;” knowing the fundamentals – and staying on top of them – is all you need to be successful. Once you start working your online business, you’ll naturally learn more because you’ll be reading what others are doing and trying out different things..

IV. PUT TOGETHER A MARKETING PLAN

Once you get the fundamentals of search engine optimization under your belt, then you need to create a marketing plan. With so many ways to market online, it’s critical that you have a defined plan that you can afford to stick to – and work consistently (this is key to marketing – online and off).

V. MAKE TIME TO KEEP LEARNING

Making money online is a process of trial and error. You’re going to try some things that work brilliantly, and others will be a complete flop. But you have to keep at it. If you stay focused in your efforts (e.g. not flitting from one business to the next); track your efforts; and make time to continuously learn what the “big boys” do to make so much money, eventually you will hit upon something that works.

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