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Newstips for product people Because we're journalists reaching journalists, not a PR firm, Newstips has always been a different voice for products. We invite you to learn how and why here. For our sponsoring clients: Items of special interest to our clients are in our Advice Library, our Client FYI and the Fees & Terms page. For those considering becoming one Our responses to the toughest questions we hear from prospective clients are on the FAQ page. See what both PR pros and journalists say about us here. Business details are in Fees & Terms.
UNDERSTAND CLIMATE CHANGE WITHIN THE PRESS Read Press Tectonics. Get us your vendor-side 24-hour contact info. You can optionally add agency contact info, but we must have a contact who can respond as the vendor, not as the vendor's agency. Since these press guys are (always have been) our Newstips Bulletin readers, we often get on-deadline calls for help (which we invite and welcome). Optionally, keep us up on what you're coming out with and when; use sentences, not pages. If it's a secret, tell us it's a secret and we'll keep your secret (unless and until either you say otherwise or we see the same information disclosed elsewhere). Understand that we may use this information (generally without disclosing it) when a story is breaking to which it may prove relevant; you may get a surprise call from the journalist (using the contact info you provided), who may be incompletely aware of why he or she is calling – which is why we suggested getting that contact and new product info to us in the first place. 10 THINGS TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT REACHING JOURNALISTS IN TODAY'S MEDIA
ASK MARTY; AN INVITATION TO VENDORS Newstips Bulletin Editor Marty Winston has been around newspapers, radio & TV since 1961, magazines since 1968 and writing for his audience of journalists weekly for almost 30 years. He's been around tech products since 1974, understands both direct distribution and the retail channels (including a stint as a Radio Shack exec), has the understanding of a "full-metal geek" but also understands human behaviors, especially purchasing behaviors. He does tech segments on both radio and TV in the Cleveland market and it's rare to find a day when he isn't in touch with a lot of press people – as a colleague, not a pitchman. You will also find him on the registered press lists of major trade shows, including CES, PMA, CTIA and NAB. One result of that is that he gets pitched by just about every PR agency there is, and he can separate the wheat from the chaff. So ask him about your circumstances. Tell him whatever he may not already know about your products. Tell him what you've tried, who you're using, how much you've spent and how well they've done for you. Tell him what your current or next channels are, what you want to accomplish, and how much you're willing to spend getting that done. The chances are very good that he can make his recommendations during your first phone call. Some of his connections can help products get into (or increase their presence in) brick & mortar retail chains, or onto QVC. If he thinks you'd be better off with a different agency, or by adding an agency, or by doing some things in-house, he'll say so. Sometimes the difference won't be in the resources you use but in the tasks you have them do. He may or may not suggest that you consider becoming a sponsoring client in the Newstips Bulletin. Whatever the outcome, getting you healthy again is a major part of restoring the economic health of everything we all do, so please don't wait until it's too late to ask. |
