Listen as Evangelist Cheryl Lacey Donovan presents this powerful message
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Available from Black Expressions: The Ministry of Motherhood
Available from Black Expressions The Ministry of Motherhood
Peace in the Storm Publishing Presents) by Cheryl Lacey Donovan.
Exclusive! Pre-Order today! Item will ship 04/18/2010 Mem. Ed. $15.99 You pay $0.50.
Details: The Ministry of Motherhood Cheryl Lacey Donovan is today a sought-after inspirational speaker, talk ...show host and author, but she was also a teen mother, who endured an abusive marriage until she got out and struggled to raise her two young sons on her own. Now Cheryl shares lessons learned from her devastation and her transformation in this intimate, inspiring guide, which will empower you to:
•see opportunities for spiritual nurturing even in life’s most mundane moments
•incorporate character-building into your daily routine
•pass on crucial gifts that can serve your family for a lifetime and more.
A fusion of biblical wisdom and practical teachings, this guide will help you carry out your own immeasurably valuable Ministry of Motherhood in your home
Peace in the Storm Publishing Presents) by Cheryl Lacey Donovan.
Exclusive! Pre-Order today! Item will ship 04/18/2010 Mem. Ed. $15.99 You pay $0.50.
Details: The Ministry of Motherhood Cheryl Lacey Donovan is today a sought-after inspirational speaker, talk ...show host and author, but she was also a teen mother, who endured an abusive marriage until she got out and struggled to raise her two young sons on her own. Now Cheryl shares lessons learned from her devastation and her transformation in this intimate, inspiring guide, which will empower you to:
•see opportunities for spiritual nurturing even in life’s most mundane moments
•incorporate character-building into your daily routine
•pass on crucial gifts that can serve your family for a lifetime and more.
A fusion of biblical wisdom and practical teachings, this guide will help you carry out your own immeasurably valuable Ministry of Motherhood in your home
Monday, March 22, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
An Interview with Ellen Chaksil, author of
With God there is Hope: Hope for Humanity
1. For you and many others, prayer is a real force in the world that can affect the outcome of situations. How does prayer work?
Yes, prayer is a real force. This communication with God has resulted in healings and answers in many diverse situations. Yet, response to prayer remains a mystery, all having to do with God's will. Numerous times, we pray and experience positive responses to that prayer. Then again, we pray and pray, with no positive response, therein lies the mystery, also the necessity to trust in God's love for us, He alone knows what is best for us.
2. You’re a member of the Charismatic Renewal movement. What is it?
The Charismatic Renewal is a movement concerned with the awakening of the
Spirit of God we received at baptism. Participants are led to recognize the Holy Spirit's presence within us and then cooperate and participate with Him as He works in our lives. Via the renewal, the gifts presented by God at Pentecost are recognized, accepted and so used in today's world.
3. Your spiritual journey has taken you to a point where God speaks to you.
Do you think there is a special reason why you were chosen as a messenger of God?
I have no knowledge as to why God has chosen me to be His messenger in today's world. I do know however, that He has no favorites, this grace is for any of His Children, they have only to love Him, open themselves to Him, and so desire to do His will, following in the way He has shown.
4. How have your family and friends reacted to your communications with
God? Has there been anyone close to you who has doubted your special
relationship with God?
It is now 30 years that I have entered into this close personal relationship with the Lord and to my knowledge, my family, especially my husband of 58 years has not doubted my relationship with God. My husband accompanies me in all my involvements with the Church, he, as well as my children and grandchildren have been open to have me pray with them, we have also discussed happenings which have occurred in my journey with the Lord.
5. What message has God entrusted you to share with the rest of the world?
The primary message God has entrusted to me is one of hope for the physical
salvation of the whole of humanity. When, as has happened in the past, an
asteroid or another body in space threatens collision with Planet Earth, the combined prayer of all God's Children will result in the emanation of an energy which will prevent this from happening. Why? We, each of us, is made in the image and likeness of God and so continued existence is necessary to fulfill God's plan.
6. You believe that all religions share a path towards God. At the core of your
message is the belief that we all need to come together in prayer in order to prevent a world catastrophe. Do you think this is a realistic goal in today’s society?
I do believe that the above plan is realistic. Why? As we all know the greatest instinct within the human person is to live and so there can be no doubt that we would participate in prayer and petition our One True God and Creator to attain that end. Taking one look at the world today and even in the past, perhaps the threat of collision will be the only way humanity will unite.
7. Did you ever feel fear when you realized that God was speaking to you and entrusting you with his mission?
My fear from time to time, even now, was and is that I would die before getting this message out to the whole of humanity. I believe so in the hereafter that I feared facing God with my mission unfinished. Yet I am content in the knowledge that God knows that I have done and am doing everything within my power to accomplish this task assigned to me by God's Holy Spirit.
8. You write that you have been blessed with the ability to speak in tongues? What exactly does that mean and how does it work?
Speaking in tongues is a charism, a gift dispensed by the Holy Spirit. This gift was experienced by the early Christians at Pentecost more than 2000 years ago. When you ask, "how does tongues work?" Here too we are presented with the mystery of God and so I can answer only by offering my experience of tongues: In 1978 when hands had been laid upon me for the awakening of God's Holy Spirit within me, I was totally focusing upon the love I had for Jesus Christ. Then without any expectation or engagement of my own will, I heard myself utter some words I did not understand. Tongues are definitely an asset while praying; one is able to focus upon God without words interfering or being an obstacle, the tongue
is able to move as the Spirit directs while the mind is united with God.
9. You’ve had the good fortune of being received by two popes. How did it feel to meet the popes and share your special gift with them? How did theyrespond?
Yes, I have met both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. I had been
writing to Pope John Paul since 1978. In 1988, God opened a door and I was able to meet him. In 1992 I was able to speak personally with him. Finally in 1996 I received a blessing and was assured he was aware of what I had been writing to him. As for Pope Benedict, my meeting with him was at an audience in the Vatican, during that short time I was able to exchange greetings with him and came away with the impression that he is a shy, caring and gentle human being. Presently, I am awaiting a response to a letter I had written to him a month or so ago. A copy of my book was also placed on a table provided for that purpose at an audience.
10. How has your understanding of being and living as a Catholic changed since the Vatican II reforms?
Since Vatican II, my understanding and being as a Catholic has not changed, for the Church has always called us to holiness, living according to God's Commandments. Reforms in the Liturgy have, however, benefited me greatly. To name a few: Hearing God's Word in my own language. Participating in the Mass. Feeding myself with the Lord's Body and Blood. Exchanging a sign of peace with my Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Understanding other religions, etc.
11. Are you concerned that Pope Benedict’s approval of conservative reforms in the Church will alienate people who want a more personal experience with Jesus and God from the Church? How did you respond to Pope Benedict’s recent visit?
I am not concerned that conservative reforms, such as allowing the celebration of the Latin Mass will alienate people. Those who desire this traditional way of worship have a right to participate in the same. I am pleased however, that we have the choice to attend the Mass we choose.
12. What is the role of women in today’s Church? Do you think women should
play a more prominent role in the Church?
Following Vatican II, the role of women in the Church has been greatly expanded. Their assistance as Extraordinary Ministers of Communion, Lectors, AltarServers, etc., is accepted and deeply appreciated in today's Church. I believe Pope John XXIII was a prophet, he foresaw the shortage of priests and so all these lay people have filled a tremendous need. As for the future, when another need arises, God's response will become evident in the fulfillment of that need and if it should be an even greater role for women, then so be it.
13. Religion is obviously one of the most important aspects of your life. How has it sustained you in both the joyous and most difficult times in your life?
Without God, I know I could not have come through the many situations of pain and sorrow which I have experienced. He has always been there for me, I needed only to focus upon the words of St. Paul in Romans 8:28, which I shall paraphrase: Because I know God loves me and I love Him, this situation will,most assuredly, work together for good.
To schedule an interview with Ellen Chaksil, please contact Anita Halton @
949.376.5780 (ahapub@aol.com) or Javier Perez at 312.228.9200
(pgturnerpub@aol.com).
Monday, March 15, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
I'm Every Woman Online Conference
Read this article about Evangelist Cheryl Lacey Donovan who will be presenting for the Women of Divine Aspirations Online Conference March 15-19, 2010 8:00pm EST Nightly.
7 Lessons for L.I.F.E.; Lesson 7
Lesson 7: Speak to your mountains
Matthew 17:20 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (New International Version)
It’s high time that the people of God took charge of their situations by confessing God’s Word over their lives. The Bible teaches us we have the power of life and death in our own tongues and it further continues to emphasize the importance of the words we speak.
Matthew 12:33-37 Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."
What kind of words have you been confessing? Have you spoken doubt and unbelief? If you continue to say you’re broke, lonely, or depressed, then you will be. It’s a self fulfilling prophecy.
The angels of God have been dispatched on your behalf to help you work out any situation you may find yourself in, but it’s only the Word of God they will hearken to. His word will cause them to move into action on your behalf.
Begin to speak the words God says about you over your life. Affirmations of praise and thanksgiving and words of faith and will obligate our Father to fulfill His promises to us. Start calling those things that are not as though they were. Declare that you are more than a conqueror. Confess that you can do all things through Christ and that He who has begun a good work in you can complete it and watch you life begin to change.
Living a life of favor and expectancy sounds impossible but it’s not. God tells us in Ephesians 3:20 that He is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more than you could ever ask or think according to the power that lies within you.
By utilizing these lessons, you will activate the power of the Holy Spirit inside you. This will cause you to have favor before God and man. In this manner you can expect God to honor His Word and fulfill His promises for your life.
Matthew 17:20 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (New International Version)
It’s high time that the people of God took charge of their situations by confessing God’s Word over their lives. The Bible teaches us we have the power of life and death in our own tongues and it further continues to emphasize the importance of the words we speak.
Matthew 12:33-37 Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."
What kind of words have you been confessing? Have you spoken doubt and unbelief? If you continue to say you’re broke, lonely, or depressed, then you will be. It’s a self fulfilling prophecy.
The angels of God have been dispatched on your behalf to help you work out any situation you may find yourself in, but it’s only the Word of God they will hearken to. His word will cause them to move into action on your behalf.
Begin to speak the words God says about you over your life. Affirmations of praise and thanksgiving and words of faith and will obligate our Father to fulfill His promises to us. Start calling those things that are not as though they were. Declare that you are more than a conqueror. Confess that you can do all things through Christ and that He who has begun a good work in you can complete it and watch you life begin to change.
Living a life of favor and expectancy sounds impossible but it’s not. God tells us in Ephesians 3:20 that He is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more than you could ever ask or think according to the power that lies within you.
By utilizing these lessons, you will activate the power of the Holy Spirit inside you. This will cause you to have favor before God and man. In this manner you can expect God to honor His Word and fulfill His promises for your life.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Using Pitchrate.com to Maximize your Publicity
By L. Drew Gerber
PitchRate.com, which connects journalists with expert sources, is getting more traffic than ever these days as more reporters discover the free service.
Less than 10 months after we launched it in February, PitchRate.com passed a major milestone with more than 100 active requests from journalists on the site.
"There is now a request at PitchRate for almost anyone to pitch," says Shannon Nicholson, vice-president of sales for Blue Kangaroo, Inc., our web products company.
At the same time, our new Publicity Results Web site has been drawing massive traffic since we launched it Oct. 20 as the products site for our PR firm, Wasabi Publicity, Inc. We have been getting great feedback from people on sharing the pitch that landed one of our clients an appearance on Dr. Phil just eight hours after she signed up. (You can find out about it at: http://www.PublicityResults.com/PerfectPitch.)
In addition to publicizing or products, the new site will be a place where you can find the goods on getting free publicity. And when it comes to getting great free publicity and being a media expert, all cursors point to PitchRate.com (http://www.PitchRate.com).
Not only is it free for both journalists and sources, but PitchRate is the only service that rates the expertise of sources based on reporters' reviews from previous interviews and other criteria. Here's how it works:
When preparing for a story, print journalists and broadcast producers use PitchRate to make a request for experts or firsthand sources they can interview. PitchRate.com sends these queries out each day in emails to our experts who can then pitch the journalists on their area of interest. It costs nothing to sign up as an expert.
As PitchRate.com becomes more and more active, this is a good time to discuss how to use the site to maximize opportunities for free PR. This was the topic of an email I recently received from Shel Horowitz, author and entrepreneur (you can find him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/l/;frugalmarketing.com and http://www.facebook.com/l/;shelhorowitz.com).
"I've been on PitchRate every now and then, but have never figured out how best to use it," Shel wrote. "If you were me, what would be the first two or three things you'd do on PitchRate?"
My answers are to follow these tips:
■Step 1: Your PitchRate profile is attached to every pitch you make. Therefore, in order to make the best use of the resource, you need to make sure your profile will grab the media's attention. The cornerstone of your profile is your bio, so make sure it's interesting and creative. Writing your own bio can be a daunting task, and Joan Stewart offers some great advice about how to do it right on her blog, The Publicity Hound (http://publicityhound.net/ ). In your profile, you should also include links to your Web site and any other relevant documents for journalists, such as photos or press releases.
■Step 2. Search PitchRate.com for journalist requests that match your area of expertise and make a great pitch. You can do this by either scanning the daily emails sent to your in-box or logging in to your account and searching the Web site. Both are updated daily with the most recent journalist requests.
■Step 3. Prepare to meet the media. We offer an array of resources including PR Happy Hours, teleseminars and videos to help you prepare to put your best foot forward when the media calls. You can find these at http://www.PublicityResults.com.
PitchRate.com is great resource, but using it to generate PR isn't a passive process. You get out of it what you put in. By taking these three steps when starting out, you're setting yourself up for success.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
About the Author:
L. Drew Gerber is CEO of Blue Kangaroo, Inc. and the creator of PitchRate.com (http://www.PitchRate.com), a no-charge media tool that moves the best interviews to the front of the line for journalists and producers. Gerber's business practices and staffing innovations have been revered by PR Week, Good Morning America and the Christian Science Monitor. His companies handle international PR campaigns and his staff develops online press kits for authors, speakers and companies with PressKit 24/7 (http://www.PressKit247.com), a technology he developed. Contact Gerber at: drew@publicityresults.com or 828-749-3182. For more great free publicity advice, visit: http://www.PublicityResults.com.
PitchRate.com, which connects journalists with expert sources, is getting more traffic than ever these days as more reporters discover the free service.
Less than 10 months after we launched it in February, PitchRate.com passed a major milestone with more than 100 active requests from journalists on the site.
"There is now a request at PitchRate for almost anyone to pitch," says Shannon Nicholson, vice-president of sales for Blue Kangaroo, Inc., our web products company.
At the same time, our new Publicity Results Web site has been drawing massive traffic since we launched it Oct. 20 as the products site for our PR firm, Wasabi Publicity, Inc. We have been getting great feedback from people on sharing the pitch that landed one of our clients an appearance on Dr. Phil just eight hours after she signed up. (You can find out about it at: http://www.PublicityResults.com/PerfectPitch.)
In addition to publicizing or products, the new site will be a place where you can find the goods on getting free publicity. And when it comes to getting great free publicity and being a media expert, all cursors point to PitchRate.com (http://www.PitchRate.com).
Not only is it free for both journalists and sources, but PitchRate is the only service that rates the expertise of sources based on reporters' reviews from previous interviews and other criteria. Here's how it works:
When preparing for a story, print journalists and broadcast producers use PitchRate to make a request for experts or firsthand sources they can interview. PitchRate.com sends these queries out each day in emails to our experts who can then pitch the journalists on their area of interest. It costs nothing to sign up as an expert.
As PitchRate.com becomes more and more active, this is a good time to discuss how to use the site to maximize opportunities for free PR. This was the topic of an email I recently received from Shel Horowitz, author and entrepreneur (you can find him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/l/;frugalmarketing.com and http://www.facebook.com/l/;shelhorowitz.com).
"I've been on PitchRate every now and then, but have never figured out how best to use it," Shel wrote. "If you were me, what would be the first two or three things you'd do on PitchRate?"
My answers are to follow these tips:
■Step 1: Your PitchRate profile is attached to every pitch you make. Therefore, in order to make the best use of the resource, you need to make sure your profile will grab the media's attention. The cornerstone of your profile is your bio, so make sure it's interesting and creative. Writing your own bio can be a daunting task, and Joan Stewart offers some great advice about how to do it right on her blog, The Publicity Hound (http://publicityhound.net/ ). In your profile, you should also include links to your Web site and any other relevant documents for journalists, such as photos or press releases.
■Step 2. Search PitchRate.com for journalist requests that match your area of expertise and make a great pitch. You can do this by either scanning the daily emails sent to your in-box or logging in to your account and searching the Web site. Both are updated daily with the most recent journalist requests.
■Step 3. Prepare to meet the media. We offer an array of resources including PR Happy Hours, teleseminars and videos to help you prepare to put your best foot forward when the media calls. You can find these at http://www.PublicityResults.com.
PitchRate.com is great resource, but using it to generate PR isn't a passive process. You get out of it what you put in. By taking these three steps when starting out, you're setting yourself up for success.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
About the Author:
L. Drew Gerber is CEO of Blue Kangaroo, Inc. and the creator of PitchRate.com (http://www.PitchRate.com), a no-charge media tool that moves the best interviews to the front of the line for journalists and producers. Gerber's business practices and staffing innovations have been revered by PR Week, Good Morning America and the Christian Science Monitor. His companies handle international PR campaigns and his staff develops online press kits for authors, speakers and companies with PressKit 24/7 (http://www.PressKit247.com), a technology he developed. Contact Gerber at: drew@publicityresults.com or 828-749-3182. For more great free publicity advice, visit: http://www.PublicityResults.com.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
7 Steps for Building God Confidence in Children: Step 7
Step 7: Give Unconditional Love
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails.
Love is described as being patient, kind, truthful, unselfish, trusting, believing, hopeful, and enduring. It is not jealous, boastful, arrogant, rude, selfish, or angry. True love never fails. The description perfectly fits God's love toward us, and should be the way we love each other and God. This is true also of our children.
The Bible says this unconditional love is more important than everything else. Only love is eternal, since love will be the basis of eternal life. In fact, when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, He said, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND." (Matthew 22:37) He then added that the second most important law was "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." Jesus said that the entire law was dependent upon these two commandments.
Even with all of the steps presented in this lesson, it is still possible that your children will make choices contrary to what they have been taught. The bottom line is they are humans replete with the free will given to them by God. But, as parents, we must provide unconditional love even in the midst of their rebellion, miss-steps, and poor choices.
Much like the love God has for His children, we must step back and allow our children to make their choices, but we must never withdraw the love that we have for them . It is this love along with the love of God that can ultimately save them from themselves.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails.
Love is described as being patient, kind, truthful, unselfish, trusting, believing, hopeful, and enduring. It is not jealous, boastful, arrogant, rude, selfish, or angry. True love never fails. The description perfectly fits God's love toward us, and should be the way we love each other and God. This is true also of our children.
The Bible says this unconditional love is more important than everything else. Only love is eternal, since love will be the basis of eternal life. In fact, when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, He said, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND." (Matthew 22:37) He then added that the second most important law was "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." Jesus said that the entire law was dependent upon these two commandments.
Even with all of the steps presented in this lesson, it is still possible that your children will make choices contrary to what they have been taught. The bottom line is they are humans replete with the free will given to them by God. But, as parents, we must provide unconditional love even in the midst of their rebellion, miss-steps, and poor choices.
Much like the love God has for His children, we must step back and allow our children to make their choices, but we must never withdraw the love that we have for them . It is this love along with the love of God that can ultimately save them from themselves.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
7 Lessons for L.I.F.E.: Lesson 6
Lesson 6: Seek God’s Wisdom
Proverbs 8:11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies and nothing you desire can compare with her.
Seeking God for wisdom in our day to day activities is not always our first choice. Rather, we generally choose to follow the desires of our flesh.
God has perfect knowledge and insight into our lives. We should not lean on our own understanding but trust Him in everything we do. Focusing on God and seeking His Kingdom first takes the emphasis off of us and our earthly desires and frees us up to receive what God desires for us.
God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. Ask God for wisdom.
Proverbs 8:11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies and nothing you desire can compare with her.
Seeking God for wisdom in our day to day activities is not always our first choice. Rather, we generally choose to follow the desires of our flesh.
God has perfect knowledge and insight into our lives. We should not lean on our own understanding but trust Him in everything we do. Focusing on God and seeking His Kingdom first takes the emphasis off of us and our earthly desires and frees us up to receive what God desires for us.
God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. Ask God for wisdom.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Six Steps for Getting National Media Coverage
By L. Drew Gerber
Getting national media coverage in top print, broadcast or online media can boost your business in ways it is hard to imagine.
A single placement in a glossy national magazine is worth tens of thousands of dollars, sometimes a lot more, and not just in the value of ad space in the publication. Getting covered by national media lends a level of credibility, prestige and buzz that money cannot buy.
At Wasabi Publicity Inc., we sent out a pitch that landed author Dr. Jill Murray on Dr. Phil's TV show less than eight hours after she had signed up as a client. Within one week, that same pitch also got her coverage with CNN Weekend News, Issues with Jane Velez Mitchell, 20/20, syndicated radio shows, and several magazine articles. Sales rankings of Dr. Jill's newest book But He Never Hit Me shot up to number 16 on Amazon.com and number 23 on Barnes & Noble within hours of her Dr. Phil appearance (see the exact pitch at http://www.publicityresults.com).
Despite the enormous value of national publicity, many business owners and entrepreneurs don't understand how to go about attracting the media's attention. It's not complicated if you follow six basic steps:
Brand your message. Be crystal clear about who you are, what makes you unique and why the media should care. Assure you have a consistent message by having all your press materials ready before the press calls. A great way to do this is to get an online press kit. We created a technology called PressKit 24/7 (http://www.presskit247.com) which allows people to create press kits simply and easily without any special technical knowledge. More than 90 percent of journalists prefer to get their information from the Web. Having an online press kit is crucial to giving them the facts they need to cover you, your product, service or business.
Develop your pitch. Pretend you are in an elevator with Oprah and have 30 seconds to tell her why she should have you on her show. Your pitch should be concise, reflect your passion and stress what makes you unique. As PR professionals we have found that short pitches are often more effective for getting the media's attention than long press releases.
Find the media: The Internet provides countless ways to research media that may be interested in you. Pitchrate.com (http://www.pitchrate.com) is a free service we created to connect media and sources. You can also research media list sites such as http://www.usnpl.com. Watch your favorite show and find out the producer's name from the credits, or read your favorite newspapers and magazines to find out who covers your topic area. When you contact reporters, compliment their work to let them know you have taken the time to research.
Respond immediately. When the media calls or emails expressing interest in covering you, respond immediately. Reporters usually work on very tight deadlines, so the sources that respond fastest with the most concise and useful information are most likely to get covered.
Be prepared. Thoroughly prepare for your interview. Decide what you want to say and practice saying it in short, concise sound bites. This is where professional media coaching can be valuable, since many people have had little experience in front of cameras and microphones.
Keep it simple. Try practicing what you plan to say in front of an 8-year-old. Really! If you do this and the child can repeat back to you what you have said, you know that you're communicating in a way that's easy to understand.
So remember: brand your message, hone your pitch, find your media and give them what they need to make interviewing you interesting and rewarding. That brings us to a final piece of most important advice: Focus on what the reporter needs and how you can provide content that is useful to the audience, rather than hard-selling yourself or your product. Remember, you are getting great publicity for free, and pay it forward!
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
About the Author:
L. Drew Gerber is CEO of Blue Kangaroo, Inc. and the creator of PitchRate.com (http://www.PitchRate.com), a no-charge media tool that moves the best interviews to the front of the line for journalists and producers. Gerber's business practices and staffing innovations have been revered by PR Week, Good Morning America and the Christian Science Monitor. His companies handle international PR campaigns and his staff develops online press kits for authors, speakers and companies with PressKit 24/7 (http://www.PressKit247.com), a technology he developed. Contact Gerber at: drew@publicityresults.com or 828-749-3182. For more great free publicity advice, visit: http://www.PublicityResults.com.
Getting national media coverage in top print, broadcast or online media can boost your business in ways it is hard to imagine.
A single placement in a glossy national magazine is worth tens of thousands of dollars, sometimes a lot more, and not just in the value of ad space in the publication. Getting covered by national media lends a level of credibility, prestige and buzz that money cannot buy.
At Wasabi Publicity Inc., we sent out a pitch that landed author Dr. Jill Murray on Dr. Phil's TV show less than eight hours after she had signed up as a client. Within one week, that same pitch also got her coverage with CNN Weekend News, Issues with Jane Velez Mitchell, 20/20, syndicated radio shows, and several magazine articles. Sales rankings of Dr. Jill's newest book But He Never Hit Me shot up to number 16 on Amazon.com and number 23 on Barnes & Noble within hours of her Dr. Phil appearance (see the exact pitch at http://www.publicityresults.com).
Despite the enormous value of national publicity, many business owners and entrepreneurs don't understand how to go about attracting the media's attention. It's not complicated if you follow six basic steps:
Brand your message. Be crystal clear about who you are, what makes you unique and why the media should care. Assure you have a consistent message by having all your press materials ready before the press calls. A great way to do this is to get an online press kit. We created a technology called PressKit 24/7 (http://www.presskit247.com) which allows people to create press kits simply and easily without any special technical knowledge. More than 90 percent of journalists prefer to get their information from the Web. Having an online press kit is crucial to giving them the facts they need to cover you, your product, service or business.
Develop your pitch. Pretend you are in an elevator with Oprah and have 30 seconds to tell her why she should have you on her show. Your pitch should be concise, reflect your passion and stress what makes you unique. As PR professionals we have found that short pitches are often more effective for getting the media's attention than long press releases.
Find the media: The Internet provides countless ways to research media that may be interested in you. Pitchrate.com (http://www.pitchrate.com) is a free service we created to connect media and sources. You can also research media list sites such as http://www.usnpl.com. Watch your favorite show and find out the producer's name from the credits, or read your favorite newspapers and magazines to find out who covers your topic area. When you contact reporters, compliment their work to let them know you have taken the time to research.
Respond immediately. When the media calls or emails expressing interest in covering you, respond immediately. Reporters usually work on very tight deadlines, so the sources that respond fastest with the most concise and useful information are most likely to get covered.
Be prepared. Thoroughly prepare for your interview. Decide what you want to say and practice saying it in short, concise sound bites. This is where professional media coaching can be valuable, since many people have had little experience in front of cameras and microphones.
Keep it simple. Try practicing what you plan to say in front of an 8-year-old. Really! If you do this and the child can repeat back to you what you have said, you know that you're communicating in a way that's easy to understand.
So remember: brand your message, hone your pitch, find your media and give them what they need to make interviewing you interesting and rewarding. That brings us to a final piece of most important advice: Focus on what the reporter needs and how you can provide content that is useful to the audience, rather than hard-selling yourself or your product. Remember, you are getting great publicity for free, and pay it forward!
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About the Author:
L. Drew Gerber is CEO of Blue Kangaroo, Inc. and the creator of PitchRate.com (http://www.PitchRate.com), a no-charge media tool that moves the best interviews to the front of the line for journalists and producers. Gerber's business practices and staffing innovations have been revered by PR Week, Good Morning America and the Christian Science Monitor. His companies handle international PR campaigns and his staff develops online press kits for authors, speakers and companies with PressKit 24/7 (http://www.PressKit247.com), a technology he developed. Contact Gerber at: drew@publicityresults.com or 828-749-3182. For more great free publicity advice, visit: http://www.PublicityResults.com.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
7 Steps to Building God Confidence in Children: Step 6
Step 6: Foster Responsibility and Independence
Learning to be responsible includes learning to:
• respect and show compassion for others;
• practice honesty as a matter of course;
• show courage in standing up for our principles;
• develop self-control in acting on our principles;
• maintain self-respect.
As parents we are always teaching our children with our words and our actions. Talk with your children about moral and ethical dilemmas to help them learn to stand up for their principles. Your child’s ability to reason through certain issues even reckless and selfish ones will improve as they mature. If you have taken the time to have meaningful discussions, it will help them in the deliberation process. Allow your children to work through problems on their own. Remind them that you are there to help if necessary, but give them the room to fail and help them to understand why. Help your children to learn that they should not allow others to bully them, but teach them that they should not handle conflicts or solve problems with violence. Teach your children to respect others and be tolerant of other peoples differences.
As parents, we can give our children the best in us by helping them acquire habits and character traits that they can rely on in their own lives. If we help them learn to take pleasure in thinking and behaving well, they will have the best chance to lead good lives as individuals and as citizens in the community
Learning to be responsible includes learning to:
• respect and show compassion for others;
• practice honesty as a matter of course;
• show courage in standing up for our principles;
• develop self-control in acting on our principles;
• maintain self-respect.
As parents we are always teaching our children with our words and our actions. Talk with your children about moral and ethical dilemmas to help them learn to stand up for their principles. Your child’s ability to reason through certain issues even reckless and selfish ones will improve as they mature. If you have taken the time to have meaningful discussions, it will help them in the deliberation process. Allow your children to work through problems on their own. Remind them that you are there to help if necessary, but give them the room to fail and help them to understand why. Help your children to learn that they should not allow others to bully them, but teach them that they should not handle conflicts or solve problems with violence. Teach your children to respect others and be tolerant of other peoples differences.
As parents, we can give our children the best in us by helping them acquire habits and character traits that they can rely on in their own lives. If we help them learn to take pleasure in thinking and behaving well, they will have the best chance to lead good lives as individuals and as citizens in the community
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