Publicity: Polls and Surveys Are a Great Path Free Publicity

When I search Google News for "surveys," I get nearly 50,000 results. When I search for "stocks," I get about 54,000. The media love polls and surveys.

Here are just a few headlines in the news as I write this, generated directly from surveys:

Survey: CEOs cut expectations of economy
Survey: Israelis more depressed, anxious than Western Europeans
Survey shows farmers aware of soybean rust

As you can see, surveys are used for just about any industry. Why not yours?

If you're the expert on bankers, or single parents, there's hardly a better way to tell the media than by releasing surveys of your market group. It's easy to do ? almost all media outlets accept informal or online polling.

You don't have to hire a research company, you can just have clients or colleagues check a few boxes on a photocopied form.

You don't have to release a massive book of results, you can just send media people a press release highlighting the most newsworthy responses.

The general media aren't professional journals: they don't insist on strict statistical methodology. They just want a good story.

That said, you should never make up a result or falsely represent your data. Media folks aren't likely to double check the information you give them, but you want to be able to present accurate, truthful results if they do.

Ned Steele works with people in professional services who want to build their practice and accelerate their growth. The president of Ned Steele's MediaImpact, he is the author of 102 Publicity Tips To Grow a Business or Practice. To learn more visit http://www.MediaImpact.biz or call 212-243-8383.

---

Want This Kind of PR?

PR that really does something positive about the behaviors of... Read More

Are You Newsworthy?

Non-news professionals often have a hard time understanding why their... Read More

Right PR Focus A Powerful Advantage

Powerful is a strong word. But it fits here. As... Read More

Top 10 Tips for Successful TV Interviews

1. Appearing in other types of media is the best... Read More

Meet The Media

Although media relations is not all there is to PR,... Read More

Public Relations 8 Fix Factors

I say to business, non-profit and association managers, a key... Read More

How to Get More Mileage Out of Your Media Coverage

Maybe it played for Kevin Costner in "Field of Dreams,"... Read More

Etymology- How Words Change Over Time

Etymology is the study of the origins of words.As languages... Read More

Public Relations Success Starts Here

For discerning business, non-profit and association managers, PR success is... Read More

Television Reporters - Questions to Ask Before Agreeing to an Interview

Prior to a TV interview it is guaranteed the journalist... Read More

Publicity Performance Not Enough?

Even after a nice piece in a national publication, or... Read More

Say What?

As the comedian Steve Martin once said, "some people have... Read More

Media Relations: When Numbers Lie

NUMBERS, NUMBERS EVERYWHEREYou just placed a terrific story on the... Read More

Public Relations Strategies: Announcing News on a Press Tour

Gaining news coverage on a successful press tour requires planning,... Read More

Public Relations

The wind of changes...The digital world has changed the form... Read More

Public Relations: Understanding Educated Gambling

As an entry level position to PR, I found myself... Read More

How to Master Communication Even if you failed High School Grammar

Does the thought of knowing your verbs from your adjective... Read More

How to Work with Newspaper Photographers

The next time a newspaper photographer takes your photo, remember... Read More

A Winning Game Plan

You want to sell your products or services, and that... Read More

Publicity: Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Never Say These Words to a Reporter

Everyone has something that drives them up a wall. You... Read More

Networking: 17 Essential Strategies In The 21st Century

It is virtually impossible to succeed professionally and personally without... Read More

Why Restaurants Go Out of Business

Recently someone asked me why so many restaurants go out... Read More

Get PR Off the Bench

Something that results in your most important outside audiences doing... Read More

All Youve Got To Lose Is Everything

Everything, that is, if you ignore those folks whose behaviors... Read More

Creating Your Online News Room: How To Build a Site The Media Will Love

From time to time, people ask me how public relations... Read More

Managers, Which PR Is Right For You?

An effort built around a string of print and broadcast... Read More

Financial Planners Publicity and Marketing - Live By The Calendar

The media live by the calendar. Your story pitch might... Read More

Why Managers Need the PR Advantage

Where is there a business, non-profit or association manager who... Read More

The Ten Ps of PR

Everyone is talking about the Ps of successful marketing, so... Read More

How To Get Radio-Active PR For Your Non-Profit Cause-Part One

"We are in the communications business, the business of conveying... Read More

Media Relations: What To Do When Youre Misquoted

When ABC News anchor Peter Jennings announced he had lung... Read More

How to Write News Releases that Get Noticed

What do you do with junk mail? Are you like... Read More

Ten Media Crisis Tips

No comment. These are probably the two most damaging words... Read More