May 26 2009 - PR Tips on Working With the Media

For many people, the thought of approaching a journalist or TV or radio producer is a scary proposition: they worry about what they should or shouldn't say, how friendly they should be and a myriad of other things. On Tuesday, May 26 at 8 pm Eastern/5 pm Pacific, public relations expert Lisa Elia will host a free teleseminar in which she will interview media insiders who will explain how they would like to be approached, tips for pitching the media properly and how to shine on camera. Elia will also share PR tips people can use to secure publicity, and she will introduce her upcoming "Secrets of PR Success" program.

In her more than 20 years helping small businesses and entrepreneurs launch and expand their businesses, Elia has found that teaching clients how to deal with the media and training them for interviews is extremely helpful and empowering to her clients. In preparing clients for interviews she has booked for them on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," CNN, E! Entertainment Television, Time Magazine, Redbook and hundreds of other media outlets, Elia sought a simple way to remind clients to be at their best in any public relations situation.

"I created the CLEAR acronym to give people an easy way to remember how to communicate most effectively and positively. 'CLEAR' stands for 'Communicate with Love, Enthusiasm, Appreciation and Respect,'" says Elia.

Elia provides these interview preparation tips:

"Other things people can do to prepare themselves before making a call or doing an interview are:

-- Rehearse: Even if you're a great speaker and you know your topic inside and out, media interviews are different than business presentations and interviews. You must be very succinct and you rarely have time to give illustrative examples like you could in business settings.

-- Breathe: Breathe in for five counts; hold for five counts; breathe out for five counts. Do this a few times to release tension in your body and your diaphragm. Your voice will sound stronger and less shaky after doing this.

-- Change your mental state: If you've been busily rushing through your day or driving to an interview, take a moment to center yourself and focus on the message you're about to share.

-- Keep your facts on hand: Be sure you've done your homework and that you have your key message points, facts and figures you'll need on paper so you can look at them quickly before the interview."

Elia recently created http://www.clearpublicist.com/ to provide small businesses and entrepreneurs with do-it-yourself PR information in the form of free PR reports and a free weekly ezine that's filled with PR tips and information. She is introducing Secrets of PR Success, an in-depth, 16-week teleseminar series for entrepreneurs, small businesses or anyone who wants to learn to use public relations strategies for branding, publicity and financial growth. This course begins June 3. The deadline for registration is May 29.

To hear a recording of Elia's last free teleseminar, which took place earlier this month, click this link: http://www.zshare.net/audio/599840966e78f8c6/

To register for the free call or to learn more, visit http://www.clearpublicist.com/ or call 310-479-0216.