In The News

By Diane Pucin Feb. 19, 2010, 8:39PM MARANA, Ariz. — Speaking with emotions both sad and angry, Tiger Woods said Friday that he is sorry for his actions that betrayed his marriage, that he is in continuing rehabilitative treatment and that members of the media have no right to continue pursuing his wife and his two young children in their quest ... View

By Michael McCarthy, USA Today 12/23/2009 Tiger Woods has not only damaged his own career as an advertising pitchman, he also fouled the waters for other athletes/celebrities seeking scarce endorsement gigs in a recessionary economy, marketing experts say. Just a month ago, Woods was Madison Avenue's biggest star, earning an estimated $100 million a year for pitching everything from Nike golf clubs to Gatorade sports drinks. But reports of his alleged extrama... View

For many new business owners, press releases are viewed as sales pieces to be distributed to members of the media. Most think a well-written press release will generate an influx of phone calls from reporters and producers desperate to cover company news. Unfortunately, since few announcements address issues of important national interest such as a cure to cancer or a new energy source, this rarely occurs. For most organizations, a proactive appro... View

By Randy Myers March 25, 2009 DeAnne Merey's media relations practice has a simple objective: get her clients mentioned in the press. Musing on this about a year and a half ago, Merey came up with an idea for making sure her employees never lose sight of that goal. She decided to supplement their salaries with bonuses, paid weekly, for every media placement they are able to make. "It rewards activities that are desired by our clients," says Merey, a PR veteran who in 2004 launc... View

by DeAnne Merey May 21, 2009 First things first: we’re not talking about pitching like Roger Clemens or anyone in major league baseball. We’re talking about pitching stories to reporters. Most reporters are inundated with thousands of pitch phone calls and emails from business owners and publicists every day. At some point, reporters stop reading pitches, or at best, give them very slight attention. Against these odds, getting your message to stand out from the crowd can seem... View

LeadingAndLeanringInc.com DeAnne Merey August 2009 The strongest response to a crisis begins with prevention. This occurs when we think proactively and are in tune with the perceptions of employees, the media, and the public-at-large. Usually a company crisis can be predicted long before it occurs. In fact, most can be prevented. When a crisis is unavoidable and does erupt, an organization needs to gain control quickly. The most effective crisis communications and emergency response plan... View

August 11, 2009 FuelNet.com By Ken Beaulieu Marketing to consumers with one broad brushstroke may still make sense for major brands, but for a niche business , the best way to a customer's heart is through a more targeted approach. "The key to marketing to niche audiences is getting to know them and building relationships with them," says Bill Corbett Jr., president of Corbett Public Relations in Floral Park, N.Y. Here are five niche marketing tips for reaching a select marke... View

October 2, 2008, 8:23 AM by Heather Huhman, Entry Level Careers Examiner If you aren't following up every interview – and by that I mean each individual person with whom you meet or speak – with a thank you note, you are likely costing yourself the position. "I'm a little saddened by how few notes I get after interviews in the late 2000s compared to the 1990s when everyone was eager to prove how wonderful they were, even if they didn't particularly want the job. Sure, G... View

By DeAnne Merey Awareness of your goods and services and your professional credibility are essential to the success of your business. Most businesses fail when their marketing, sales, and public relations efforts don't achieve these results. Public relations is the small business owner's most effective tool in creating a memorable brand and driving sales. A well-executed public relations program results in increased consumer recall, expanded referrals, and more profits. This is accomplish... View

Larry Stevens, AMNews correspondent March 10, 2008 In a presidential election year, your office could be the site of political discussion and display. Here's how to avoid letting politics get in the way of patient care. Politics not only may make strange bedfellows, but also could make enemies of normally cordial people. In this sometimes contentious political season, it is natural that doctors and staff might bring their political views into the workplace. Some even may wish to run fo... View

Richard Slawsky, Editor April 8, 2008 Punxsutawney, Pa., population 10,500, is home to a world-famous groundhog, three major pizza franchises and at least nine independent pizzerias. There are at least four times as many pizzerias per capita in Punxsutawney as there are nationwide. Despite the odds stacked against an individual operator in Punxsutawney, Fox's Pizza Den owner Scott Anthony has managed to build his business into one of that city's top pizzerias. Anthony practices the art ... View

by DeAnne Merey Feb 17, 2009 Most reporters are inundated with thousands of pitch phone calls and emails from business owners and publicists every day. At same point, reporters stop reading pitches, or at best, give them very slight attention. Against these odds, getting your message to stand out from the crowd can seem like a near impossible feat. The secret is to think carefully and creatively about what you are going to pitch a reporter. Don't waste the reporter's time, and most impor... View

By Heather Chapman (New York City) February 6, 2009 | 1:00 pm An introduction to a previously unknown person, whether in a business or social setting, generally starts the same way: names are exchanged, eyes meet, and a handshake seals the deal. Pretty standard, right? But, every now and again, especially in a business setting, you could find yourself in an awkward moment of silence, not wanting to offend and in a quandary as to the proper order in which to proceed with introductions. ... View

It does not matter how good your products and services are if nobody wants it or knows about them. The first part of the equation, needs or wants, is discovered through market research. The second part, letting people know about business offerings, is tied solely to marketing. When surveyed about 2010 New Year’s resolutions by Max Impact, the most common response was, "Effective Marketing". Many businesses depend solely on word-of-mouth advertising. This free form of advertisi... View

'A Brooklyn Wow Experience' for Golfers, Wedding Parties, Diners By Harold Egeln December 18, 2008 DYKER HEIGHTS — Dyker Beach Golf Course's new clubhouse banquet and catering hall with more room and venues and its Grill Room dining space are places for all seasons and all reasons, from weddings and parties to social, corporate and public events, and golf tournaments. "It's an amazing facility for the community, making for a Brooklyn 'wow' experience for many public events,&... View

Richard Slawsky Editor 04 Nov 2008 While the Thanksgiving holiday may be a good time for pizzeria operators, it may not be a good time to offer discounts. Thanksgiving Eve ranks among the top five busiest holidays for pizzerias according to the 2007 Pizza Marketplace Pizza Industry Study. Because most operators can count on built-in business, they're striving to make it as profitable as possible. "I do not run any big promotions that Wednesday since it is already such a big day,&... View

by Caroline Shannon (Pittsburg) September 2, 2008 Joyce DeLucca is a mom of two living in the Big Apple, where she works as the managing principal of Kingsland Capital Management LLC . When she first started out, she struggled on a daily basis with balancing the competing demands of her family life and work life until finding a creative way to avoid missing out on the once-in-a-lifetime moments with her children. DeAnne Merey is a single mom and founder of a public relations firm, DM Pub... View

Joyce Rosenberg October 7, 2009 As Bart Cleveland talks to employees of his ad agency, he sees the strain. "We're really keenly aware of what the economy is doing to people's morale," said Cleveland, a partner at McKee Wallwork Cleveland in Albuquerque, NM. "They're stressed in a way that I've never seen people stressed." Economic reports of the last week point to plenty of reasons for low morale at small companies. A survey by the National Federation of Independent... View

July 14, 2009 Ok, I admit it – I am not a Harry Potter fan. I respect the Potter craze, I have read several of the books and I have seen the movies, but it feels like the whole Twilight "trauma drama". Adaptations originally written for young adults that are cashing in on the rest of us with cool special effects and a few "adult" over-tones. So G-d is punishing me for admitting this as the Botox hurt like hell today, but as the "potion" filled my veins I h... View

February 5, 2009 In a tough job market it's more important than ever to stand out from the crowd by being bold and creative throughout your search. BE CREATIVE: Andrea Kobylnik, a Bilingual PR pro has this advice for someone new to the Public Relations field. She holds that participation in social media is key for new PR pros. She recommends: "Think out of the box and show how creative you are! For instance, you can start writing a blog about your area of expertise. It's a great o... View

Dawn Klingensmith CTW Features | March 10, 2009 Just as surely as they had business cards at the ready, entrepreneurs looking for financial backing in the 1980s and '90s had pithy, persuasive "elevator pitches" prepared in order to woo prospective investors. Taking its name from the idea that it should last no longer than an elevator ride, the elevator pitch caught on. Conventional wisdom had it that anyone with something to sell or promote ought to create one - including jobseeker... View

April 15, 2008—Scott Leffler interviews psychic and Publisher of Precognito Magazine, Kim Stempien. 0:09:10 Scott Leffler: That's a perfect segue because I want to talk about some current things. I actually got an email from one of your publicists [D M Public Relations provides] about a month ago. Kim Stempien: Yeah? Scott Leffler: Because, about a month ago, our governor, who's no longer our governor, Eliot Spitzer, was…well, apparently it was found out that he was hir... View