ANN ARBOR, Mich., Jan. 20, 2010 — Borders is celebrating the Feb. 12 release of Fox’s “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” with a host of exciting fan offerings that would impress Zeus himself. From movie cast appearances in select Borders locations, including one today in Novi, Mich., and Percy Jackson fan parties in stores nationwide Feb. 6., to a free gift with purchase and exclusive online content, Borders is the destination for all things Percy Jackson.

New Percy Jackson Book and Gift with Purchase
Fans can now purchase in Borders stores nationwide Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Ultimate Guide, a hardcover, fully illustrated comprehensive guide to gods, monsters and all things Percy Jackson. This novelty companion to the bestselling series comes complete with trading cards, full-color diagrams and maps. With the purchase of this book — and any Percy Jackson product that totals $9.99 — fans will receive free, while supplies last, the Borders exclusive sew-on/iron-on “Camp Half-Blood” patch, which features the bold insignia of the demigod camp.

Movie Cast Tour Events in Select Stores
Borders has teamed with Twentieth Century Fox to host in-store appearances with the four young stars of the upcoming motion picture event “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.” Today’s event, which kicks off at 5 p.m. at the Borders store in Novi (Metro Detroit), will feature cast members Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson), Brandon T. Jackson (Grover), Alexandra Daddario (Annabeth) and Jake Abel (Luke). They will answer fan questions during a dedicated Q&A, after which they will sign “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” movie posters, books from the series, and Percy Jackson memorabilia.

A wristband is required to access the signing line. Fans are permitted to have one item signed and there will be no personalization of items. Borders will host an additional event at the Marietta, Ga., location Feb. 6 at 4 p.m., which will include the aforementioned cast members with the exception of Jake Abel. (An event was previously held at the Borders store in San Francisco Jan. 14.)

Percy Jackson In-Store Parties
Borders stores nationwide will host in-store Percy Jackson fan parties Feb. 6 beginning at 2 p.m. giving attendees the opportunity to come together to celebrate their favorite demigod. During the parties, fans will enjoy a spirited debate on topics surrounding the book, the upcoming film, movie cast and more. Party attendees will also enjoy an adrenaline-pumping trivia challenge, as well as “Olympian” games that could include a toga wrap race, arm wrestling, discus and javelin throwing. Activities will vary by store. Visit the Store Locater tab on Borders.com to find a participating location.

Online Content
Percy Jackson fans can enjoy exclusive online content including interviews with author Rick Riordan and Alexandra Daddario, who plays Annabeth in the film, at http://www.bordersmedia.com/backlot/percyjackson.asp. More content will be added to the page including additional cast interviews Borders secures at today’s cast appearance event.

About “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief”
“Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief,” based on the first book in Rick Riordan’s bestselling Percy Jackson series, finds trouble-prone teen Percy Jackson having problems at high school — but that’s the least of his challenges. It’s the 21st century, but the gods of Mount Olympus seem to have walked out of the pages of Percy’s Greek mythology texts and into his life — and they’re not happy. Zeus’ lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Now, Percy and his friends must embark on a cross-country adventure to catch the true thief, save Percy’s family, and unravel a mystery more powerful than the gods themselves. The film opens in theaters everywhere Feb. 12.

About Fox Film Entertainment
One of the world’s largest producers and distributors of motion pictures, Fox Filmed Entertainment produces, acquires, and distributes motion pictures throughout the world. These motion pictures are produced or acquired by the following units of FFE: Twentieth Century Fox, Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Fox International, and Twentieth Century Fox Animation.

About Borders Group, Inc.
Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., Borders Group, Inc. (NYSE: BGP) is a leading specialty retailer of books as well as other educational and entertainment items. The company employs approximately 25,000 throughout the U.S., primarily in its Borders® and Waldenbooks® stores. Online shopping is offered through borders.com. Find author interviews and vibrant discussions of the products we and our customers are passionate about online at facebook.com/borders, twitter.com/borders and youtube.com/bordersmedia. For more information about the company, visit borders.com/media.

Fiction
“The Calligrapher’s Daughter,” by Eugenia Kim and published by Henry Holt, takes top honors in the Original Voices Fiction Category. Inspired by the life of Kim’s Korean mother, “The Calligrapher’s Daughter” is a sweeping coming-of-age story of Najin Han, born in 1910 at the start of the Japanese occupation of Korea. The story follows her life first as a privileged daughter of a tradition-bound father, then as student, patriot and humanitarian in the midst of a then crumbling Korean culture. “It’s a thought-provoking novel that will stick with you after reading it because of its atmosphere, life lessons and historical perspective,” according to the Original Voices selection committee.

Non-Fiction
Matthew Crawford’s “Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work,” captures first place in the Original Voices Non-Fiction Category. Published by Penguin Press, the book brings to the forefront the nearly lost art—and profession—of making things with one’s hands. Tradesman and motorcycle shop owner Crawford brings his own experiences and philosophies to bear as he makes a compelling argument for elevating manual crafts as a life and profession worth choosing. Members of the selection committee found that “Crawford’s blending of philosophical analysis and personal narrative makes for a wonderfully thought-provoking — and at times very humorous — read. It’s very timely as well, given the evolution of our economy.”

Children/Young Adult
“After,” by Amy Efaw and published by Penguin (Viking), is the Original Voices winner in the Children/Young Adult Category. Emotionally raw and gut wrenching, Efaw’s “After” is the unforgettable story of straight-A-student Devon Davenport who becomes pregnant, gives birth in her apartment and then does the unthinkable—throws the baby in the dumpster. Through skillful writing, Efaw sets Davenport on a course of clarity, acceptance, and redemption and brings readers along for the journey. The selection committee found that “By all of today’s standards, Davenport should be a despicable character, though through airtight storytelling, Efaw pulls readers into the thought process of the character and allows them to actually sympathize with her.”

Borders Announces 2009 Original Voices Award Winners/2
Original Voice Award nominees in each category were chosen by Borders store employees and corporate office employees. The winners were selected by a cross-functional panel of judges at the corporate office, who volunteered to read each book nominated and serve in several group discussions on the nominated selections.

About Borders Group:
Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., Borders Group, Inc. (NYSE: BGP) is a leading specialty retailer of books as well as other educational and entertainment items. The company employs approximately 25,000 throughout the U.S., primarily in its Borders® and Waldenbooks® stores. Online shopping is offered through borders.com. Find author interviews and vibrant discussions of the products we and our customers are passionate about online at facebook.com/borders, twitter.com/borders and youtube.com/bordersmedia. For more information about the company, visit borders.com/media.

Provo, UT – January 12, 2010 (PressReleasePoint) – The head of NewView Options, Bill Drew, makes a rather disturbing claim. “American students aren’t doing well on national writing tests.” He bases his assertion on recent studies that indicate writing skills are in decline in US schools. Drew goes on to say, “That’s why I created NewView Options, wrote The Secret DNA of Writing Essays-And Everything Else, engineered the NewView Essay Services computer program, and created a website to bring it all together.”

American students are not writing well? “That’s right,” Drew said. “In a 2003 press release ( http://bit.ly/NCWReport ), the National Commission on Writing (NCW) called for the immediate launch of a 5-year Writing Challenge to the Nation. The NCW was greatly concerned because the 2002 national results for high school writing tests were at the same low level as the same tests in 1998. Only 1 out of 5 high school seniors could write well enough to do acceptable writing (Proficient) in college. So the NCW called on all levels of government to provide more money, more computer equipment, more teachers, more training of teachers, and more time spent on writing by students in all classes.”

Did student writing improve after five years? “Not in the Proficient level, which is what the NCW is rightly concerned about,” said Drew. “The headline of an April 2008 press release ( http://bit.ly/2008ReportCard ) said, and I quote, ‘Scores increase in 2007 for both eighth- and twelfth-graders nationally.’ That’s misleading because, when you get down into the facts of the report, it says the increases were at the Basic level, not the Proficient level. The Basic level allows serious flaws in writing, and is just above being illiterate. The Proficient level is what counts, and that was at the center of concern for the NCW in its 2003 press release. The 2008 report said there was ‘no significant change since 2002′ for both eighth- and twelfth-graders in the Proficient level, although there was a barely significant increase over the 1998 scores.”

After 5 years, why aren’t we seeing a significant increase in writing skills across the nation? “Because schools teach only the forms of Rhetoric. Now, don’t get me wrong here,” smiles Drew. “You need form in writing, but if that’s all you’ve got, then you’ve got less than half the pie. You need the content that generates form. Writing forms don’t generate content. But that’s what’s being taught in schools across the nation – form, and rhetorical form at that, from a Greek culture that died around 2,000 years ago. There’s no theory and no process being taught in schools, to generate content across the board – except my NewView theory and methods, that is. Because of that 2008 report, I decided to make NewView – which is the real secret of the DNA of writing – available to the public.”

Drew reports that one high school teacher has been quite happily using his NewView principles for over twenty-five years (since just after Drew finished the Master’s thesis that is now the basis of his new e-book). A local elementary school teacher is also using it with his third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students, with excellent results. The company provides several testimonials on their website, at http://bit.ly/SecretDNAPraises.

Drew’s e-book, The Secret DNA of Writing Essays – And Everything Else, is available now online at http://bit.ly/BuySecretDNABook for $8.50. It is also available on Amazon.com as a Kindle e-book for $9.50 (read all the positive reviews there). The companion software, NewView Essay Services, which automates part of the process in the e-book, is available at http://bit.ly/SecretDNASoftware on a subscription basis for 3-, 6-, and 12-month terms ($10.50, $15.50, $20.50).

About NewView Options:
Founded in 2008, NewView Options is a Provo, UT, firm specializing in the teaching and training of writing, for both beginners and the more advanced. The company is focused on promoting its propriety NewView approach to writing, communications, and teaching. NewView Options provides Education Discount rates for school districts. Call 1-801-373-0447, visit http://secretdnaofwritingessays.com/, or e-mail billdrew@richcontent.com.

Provo, UT – December 31, 2009 (PressReleasePivot) — The College Board says there’s a crisis in teaching writing to high school students. To help combat this crisis, the NewView Options company announces the release today of its breakthrough book on writing, The Secret DNA of Writing Essays – And Everything Else. The company has also announced the release of computer software to complement the book, NewView Essay Services, designed to automate parts of the NewView e-book. The book and software work together to help students write better than ever before.

Bill Drew, CEO of NewView Options, says, “Yes, I realize that’s a pretty audacious title on the book. But, as the saying goes, ‘It ain’t braggin’ if you can do it.’ And the book does ‘do it’ pretty well, with lots of notes at the back, providing historical and theoretical support for every assertion made in the book. But more importantly, the underlying writing principle of NewView really works with everything, and the book has plenty of examples to support each assertion.”

Drew owns up to the fact that he, himself, wrote the book. He said it’s based on research he did for his Master’s Thesis, NewView: A New Invention Method for the Essay (1982, Brigham Young University). It’s also based on Drew’s thirty years of experience, using its principles and rules to become an award-winning technical writer and editor.

If the NewView Principle of writing is so great, why did it take so long to get it into book form? “Well,” Drew says, “we’ve been raising eight kids, and that takes a lot of time, energy, and finances. I finally found the time and finances in the last year and a half to write Secret DNA. It’s been exhausting, but also rejuvenating, really.”

Drew claims that one high school teacher has been quite happily using his NewView principles to teach writing for over twenty-five years (since just after Drew finished his thesis). A local elementary school teacher is also using it with his students, with good results. The company offers a number of testimonials on their website, at http://bit.ly/SecretDNAPraises.

“There are some student testimonials, there, too,” says Drew, “as well as some from professional writers and college-level teachers. NewView makes writing easier because it actually requires students to cope forthrightly with ‘What’s new to the reader’ with a simple but powerful process that nobody else has access to, but everyone can learn, even just using the book. The software makes it more convenient to use when you’re writing something.”

Drew’s e-book, The Secret DNA of Writing Essays – And Everything Else, is available now online at http://bit.ly/BuySecretDNABook for $8.50. It is also expected to be available for download through Amazon.com starting January 1, 2010. The companion software, NewView Essay Services, which automates part of the book, is available at http://bit.ly/SecretDNASoftware on a subscription basis for 3-, 6-, and 12-month terms ($10.50, $15.50, $20.50).

About NewView Options:
Founded in 2007, NewView Options is a Provo, UT, firm specializing in the teaching and training of writing, for both beginners and the more advanced. The company is focused on promoting its propriety NewView approach to writing, communications, and teaching. NewView Options provides Education Discount rates for school districts. Call 1-801-373-0447, visit http://secretdnaofwritingessays.com/, or e-mail billdrew@richcontent.com.

An exclusive dramatized audio production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol from The Night Kitchen Radio Theater is this year’s highly anticipated Holiday Channel highlight. The fresh and compelling theatrical audio adaptation of the classic Dickens story is brought to life by writer and director Arthur Yorinks and a superb cast from Broadway, film, and television. With music by Edward Barnes and voices from The Frank Sinatra School of the Arts Concert Choir, this rich and stunning production emphasizes the beauty and warmth of the classic tale.

The Holiday Channel will give visitors a sneak peek at the best new books for the holiday season – perfect presents to stack below the tree. Watch videos for books including The 12 Dogs of Christmas, The Dinosaurs’ Night before Christmas, The Spy Who Came for Christmas and Cole Family Christmas. If pop-up books are on your list, tune into video demos for the Christmas in New York pop-up and Christmas Around the World pop-up books, which feature dazzling, carefully crafted scenes of holiday magic.

If you’re in charge of baking, not buying, the Holiday Channel features video demos from the Joy of Cooking. Learn secret techniques for cutting the perfect holiday cookies and carving a turkey. And for more on holiday prep, Martha Stewart visits the Studio’s premiere web series Tagged! to offer her coveted advice on holiday prep.

Throughout November and December, the Barnes & Noble Studio will be chock-full of holiday treats. Be sure not to miss the December 8th episode of Barnes & Noble Tagged! for the top holiday reads and an insider’s look at Mary Higgins Clark & Carol Higgins Clark discussing their latest book, Dashing Through the Snow, (www.BN.com/Tagged).

Throughout the holiday season, customers can shop the Barnes & Noble.com Holiday Gift Guide. Orders can be placed as late as December 18th, and receive deliveries by December 24th, and still take advantage of free shipping, when purchasing orders over $25 via Fast & Free Delivery. Orders placed by December 22, 11:59 pm ET using Expedited Air Service will arrive by December 24th. In Manhattan, the popular Same Day Delivery service is also available through December 24th; orders placed by 11:00 am ET will be delivered by 7:00 pm on the same day. Barnes & Noble’s online Holiday Delivery Calendar helps customers select the shipping method that will ensure delivery in time for the holidays. See site for details. (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/holiday-gifts/deadlines.asp?)

About Barnes & Noble, Inc.
Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world’s largest bookseller and a Fortune 500 company, operates 796 bookstores in 50 states. The company is the nation’s top bookseller in quality, and for the fifth year in a row, the top bookseller brand, as determined by a combination of the brand’s performance on familiarity, quality, and purchase intent, according to the EquiTrend® Brand Study by Harris Interactive®. Barnes & Noble conducts its online business through Barnes & Noble.com (www.bn.com), one of the Web’s largest e-commerce sites.

General information on Barnes & Noble, Inc. can be obtained via the Internet by visiting the company’s corporate website: www.barnesandnobleinc.com.

Now that you know how to create a press release with teeth, you may be wondering, How do I go about unleashing it?

You may have heard of free online press release distribution sites like PR.com, i-Newswire, Free Press Release, and PRBuzz, just to name a few. Their free services are good for simply making your release available to the popular online news sites and for helping you improve your search engine optimization (SEO) by creating a lasting footprint. Therefore, I recommend using one of these services for each of your releases. However, the chance of your release catching the eye of an editor or producer using this method is slim.

The most effective way to get yourself and your book noticed is by pitching targeted media outlets directly. This is where publicists earn their money, as it takes a lot of time, a lot of follow-up, and a solid media list. To get started, check out this article by Rick Frishman on how to create your own media list. Once you have your list created, send each contact a copy of your press release. You may even choose to tailor the release to the outlet you are sending it to. Be persistent—mail it, fax it, and email it. And most important: pick up the phone and follow up, follow up, follow up! Give your release some teeth!

The objective of press releases is to be informative, to provide information that stirs up interest and generates responses. Hopefully, someone will contact you and say, “The item you sent sounds interesting. Tell me more about it.” Even though it may not read press releases, the media wants to receive them because they’re a good source of information.

The media gets lots of good leads from press releases.

Since the media receives so many press releases, it tends to be picky, and it looks for information in a particular format. Sending press releases in the right format tells it that you know the rules and that your release is more likely to convey information of interest.

Releases that are not in the proper format usually won’t get much of a look.

To increase your chances of getting your press release noticed, consider the following guidelines:

Keep it to one page. Publicists refer to press releases as “one sheets,” so don’t make them longer. Remember that the media has little time to read and wants to get information succinctly.

Print it on white 8½” by 11″ paper with no letterhead or designs. Releases on colored paper with borders and designs may get attention but probably won’t be read.

In the upper left-hand corner write, “For Immediate Release,” which makes it clear that the information sent may be used. However, if you don’t want the information used until a certain date, write, “For Release on May 15, 2006.”

On the first line in the upper right-hand corner, state, “For further information contact:”

Then under it, on the second line in the upper right-hand corner, give your name, phone number, and e-mail address. If you want them to contact someone else, give that person’s name and contact information.

Robyn Says

I encourage authors to think of press releases as “impressed releases”! Impress the press! Wow me, please! If I read a press release and am bored after the first few sentences or it sounds like the same old same old, I don’t read on.

When you write a press release, focus on what distinguishes your book, what separates it from the pack, and what would make the media want to read it. Then say it concisely. Lots of paper and loads of words bog me down. Cut to the chase and get to the point succinctly. State the book’s mission in a lively, entertaining, or informative way.

Headlines

Start your press release with a great headline that will convince the media to read further. “The headline of a press release has one job and one job only,” according to press release guru Paul Hartunian. “The only job of a press release headline is to force the reporter to keep reading. The headline has no other job. Don’t force your press release headline to do anything more than force the reporter to keep reading. That’s a big enough job!”

In press releases, headlines are critical. They’re the first, and often the only, thing the media reads. If your headline doesn’t immediately grab the reader’s attention, your release usually won’t be read.

To seize the media’s attention, link your headlines to:

1. Money

2. Sex

3. Health

4. Controversy

Compose lively, one-line headlines that will make the media read further. Be bold, daring, and risqué. Take chances; be provocative, naughty, and controversial. Lure readers into reading more:

“Never Pay Taxes and Stay out of Jail”

“Three Can’t-Miss Secrets to Looking Younger”

“Scandalous, Forbidden Secrets on Every Page”

“Make Rich Men Fall in Love with You”

“Nothing to Lose, So Desperate Killers Run Wild”

“Five Ways to a Free College Education”

Headlines should (1) be no more than one line and (2) take only seconds to read. When a headline grabs the media’s attention, you get additional time to explain further.

Editing Headlines

Writers frequently can’t edit their own writing because they overlook their own mistakes. Whenever possible, have someone else edit your writing.

Read newspapers and magazines and list or keep copies of headlines you like. Try to determine why you liked them and what interested you in them. Identify words, phrases, or usages that were strong. Then, try to write your own headlines for those same stories.

Visit Web sites. Web sites are headline intensive, so study them closely. Print the screens you like and circle the best headlines and underline the best, most descriptive and colorful words. Then, write your headlines and bullets using the same techniques.

Often, it’s more productive to write your headline after you’ve drafted the body of the press release. Your headline should tie the content of your release together with a catchy or descriptive phrase that will grab readers and make them want additional information. Headlines must be short, one-line summaries that briefly introduce your book in the most colorful words. Study newspapers, magazines, and Web sites for examples of great headlines. Save them for future reference. Also compile a list of hard-hitting words that create strong impact.

The Body

The text of press releases should give information quickly, in a short, fast, easy-to-read page written in the “who, what, where, why, and how” format. It should let the media quickly determine:

1. Why it should carry your story

2. Why it will interest its audience

3. What benefit it will get from it

Write releases in the journalistic style used by the print media because outlets may publish them, or parts of them, with little or no changes, especially when they’re faced with tight deadlines. The format of a press release isn’t as important for the electronic media because it treats them as leads that it must investigate further. The electronic media is used to getting information in the journalistic format and then shaping it according to its own needs.

Write your press release in three parts:

1. introduce your book and the problems it will solve
2. give your credentials
3. explain what action you would like the media to take

For the print media, the first paragraph of your press release is vital. It should run no more than two or three sentences and set forth all the main points covered in the release. Don’t clutter up your opening paragraph with details. The press isn’t interested in every trivial point and will fly right past them. Unnecessary information can turn off readers, which could kill your more important points. If you must include details, stick them at the end of your release or, better yet, put them in a separate, more comprehensive article that you include with your media kit.

After the first paragraph, amplify your lead, but hold your release to one page. The lead paragraph should inform the media about your book, so treat it as an announcement. Then, explain your lead in the subsequent paragraphs by providing background, more specific or additional information such as points you didn’t cover in the lead, and some statistics. A great way to do so is with bullets. You can also place bulleted items in a box or shade them. Prioritize your bulleted items and list them in order of their importance because readers may not get through the entire list. Write five to seven bullets, with five being preferable. Each bulleted item should not exceed two concise sentences, and one sentence is preferable. Write bullets crisply so they are short, clear, and hard hitting.

Solve, Don’t Sell

In your press release, show that you are an expert who can solve real problems. State the name of your book only in passing and just to show your credentials. Don’t give its price or ordering information because it will make you look like you’re trying to sell your book when your job is to give problem-solving information.

If your release makes it appear that you’re just trying to sell your book, you probably won’t get an interview or feature article. The best you might get is a new product review, which is a small 1″ or 2″ item announcing the publication of your book and saying little else about it. Instead, focus on problem solving. Think in terms of “Homeowners’ Biggest Mistakes in Hiring Contractors,” “Sick of Always Being Cheated by Repair Shops?” or “How to Keep All the Money You Earn.”

After you’ve described your book, give your credentials. Concisely show why you’re so eminently qualified to write this book. Stress your experience, but don’t list all your degrees, awards, or accomplishments. Limit yourself to those that best relate to your qualifications to write your book.

If you want to add quotes, press release expert Paul Hartunian recommends, “Always quote yourself. Never quote anyone else. Why give someone else any attention in your release? It’s your release. If they want some attention, let them get their own release!”

In the final paragraph, state what you want the media to do: contact you for more information, read your book, or come to your event. Always include your contact information at both the top and bottom of each page.

Don’t send a contact the same press release more than once unless it’s specifically requested. Forwarding the same press again usually wastes your resources and could alienate recipients. Don’t send the same press release to more than one online distribution service because they all send releases to the same recipients.

Radio and TV

As we mentioned, people in the electronic media react differently to press releases than those in the print media do. Radio and TV people seldom read press releases, but when they do, they usually scan the headlines and bullets. Unlike print journalists, radio and TV producers can’t simply run your press release in the exact form that it was sent. If they’re interested in your story, their work is just beginning. They need to come up with an angle and then line up guests, prepare questions, and produce the segment.

Radio and TV producers are interested in story ideas, so frame your press release to list the precise feature stories they would get by covering you. The best approach is usually to point out specific problems and show how you would solve them. Get producers’ attention fast because they have loads to do in little time. Sell them within ten seconds or they won’t read further.

Since radio and TV love controversy, radio expert Alex Carroll suggests including a controversy sheet that lists the arguments your appearance can generate. For example, on one side of the sheet, make your point: “Artificial Sweeteners Help You Lose Weight.” Directly next to it, on the other side of the sheet, give the opposing argument: “Artificial Sweeteners Create Health Hazards.” Also add a sentence describing each opposing point.

Dean Rotbart (ROTE-bart,) the nation’s leading expert on public relations, says exactly the same thing about PR. “Bad PR is sending out a generic press release to hundreds of publications and hoping that a journalist notices your story. Good PR is sending a custom-tailored press release to a specific journalist that you know in advance is going to be interested. You’ve got to talk to each journalist – in the language of a journalist – about what matters to that journalist.” Interestingly, Dean was making this statement to his public relations clients for more than a decade before he heard my similar statement in a seminar about advertising.

If the subtle difference between public relations and advertising isn’t exactly clear to you, don’t feel bad. It was only recently that I figured it out myself: Advertising is what you buy from the media’s sales department. Public relations is what you get for free from the news department. Which do you think has the greater credibility?

Dean Rotbart didn’t call the media for me and he won’t call them for you, either, but he did coach me for two days. Within a few months I was interviewed on the CNN Financial Network and was a guest on CNBC’s ever-popular PowerLunch. Paul Harvey was quoting me by name on his radio show and my smiling face was peering off the pages of USA TODAY. Rick Dees had me as a guest on his morning show in L.A. and after the Financial Times called to interview me, the BBC broadcast a lengthy follow-up interview all across Europe. Since then, I’ve lost count of all the magazine and newspaper stories. Conversations with journalists have become an almost routine thing.

The plain and simple truth is that I’m not a bit more interesting than you are. I just happened to become friends with the world’s top Public Relations consultant. Now are you ready for the good news? I recently convinced Dean Rotbart to become an adjunct faculty member at Wizard Academy so that you’d have a chance to learn the same things that I learned. Prepare to be amazed. More importantly, prepare your friends to see you on TV and in newspapers and magazines.

As you know, I don’t ever use my articles in my newsletter as a platform to sell anything and I hope you don’t feel like I’m doing that today. If I could share all that Dean has taught me in a series of memos, I’d definitely do it and he wouldn’t mind a bit. Unfortunately, what Dean teaches isn’t something that can be reduced to a series of short articles. I’m just elated that he finally agreed to share with Wizard Academy students all the things that he previously taught only to Fortune 500 companies.