Archive for May, 2010

What an exciting week this week!  The article in Inc. Magazine came out:

http://www.inc.com/magazine/20100501/how-to-manage-your-own-pr.html

Mommy Millionaire interview part II and III http://www.mommymillionaire.com/radio/tag/leslie-haywood went out, the interview with Hybrid Mom http://www.hybridmom.com/articles/work-business/entrepreneur/grill-charms-essential-grilling-accessory-mom-behind-invention is up and I finally made it to Rachael Ray!!!  Okay, so I didn’t get asked to be on the show like I had dreamed of, but Grill Charm™ are in the June/July issue of Everyday With Rachael Ray!  I’m just so excited I can’t stand it!!  It’s very fitting that all this is coming out now, as I’m right in the middle of telling you how I do this stuff.  I’ll continue with more on “how to”.  (The Inc. article goes into some detail as well, but most of it you know, if you’ve been following me) 

 On with more “social media” and the new PR:

 Another trick of the trade in the 2.0 world of PR and marketing is “friend”, “fan”, “tweet” or reply to the blog of the contributors to your favorite shows and magazines.  They are much easier to access then going straight to Matt Lauer or the editor of Bon Appetite Magazine.  

Another true story:  through an urgent HARO tweet I was hooked up with a freelance writer who was working on a story for Health Magazine.  Her story (and subsequently mine) was published in the April issue.  Now she and I have become “friends”.  It’s not necessarily the editors that you want to get buddy buddy with because they work for 1 magazine.  Writers contribute to MANY media outlets (and they are a lot more accessible).  As a matter of fact THIS MORNING, I had an interview with the co reporter who worked on the Inc Magazine story because she was working on another story about podcasts and how to prepare for various media.  She saw that I had so much to say for the Inc. Magazine article, that she kept me in her rolodex and called me last week wanting to set up another interview for another story she was working on (which we did this morning while I was sitting in my minivan, as usual!)  Also, with a polite RT and @ mention on twitter to Food Network Canada, Grill Charms ™ were featured up there as well:

http://community.foodnetwork.ca/blogs/foodnews/archive/2010/04/17/pic-of-the-week-charming-steaks-on-the-grill.aspx

 BEWARE though!  DO NOT STALK!! (or even appear to be stalking!)  I always conduct myself with “charm”, grace (well….my “grace” is variable…., I’ll admit I can be rough around the edges, but that’s only AFTER you get to know me !), and the utmost respect of ones privacy.  I throw out a line or two to a person and if they don’t bite, I can take a hint and move on.  Some people use the “tenacious” approach, but I don’t really agree with that for me personally.  It’s not my style and I think it smells of desperation.  If you have a good story to tell and give them something they can use, if they can use it, they will. 

 Keep track of all your press mentions with Google alerts and post those mentions on your blog or news page with a link to the hit and by all means, Tweet and FB the link.  Press begets press.  It’s truly a snowball effect.  In your pitches to new media (as well as new and potential customers), make sure you mention your successes.  “Grill Charms™ (recently featured in EveryDay with Rachael Ray)……” is a GREAT opener!!  Have a great week folks, and we’ll talk more soon.  

Leslie Haywood, Founder and President of Charmed Life Products, Inventor of Grill Charms™www.grillcharms.com