An author I was coaching by phone this week mentioned that she was frustrated. She responds to queries from journalists looking for her particular expertise, but never hears back from the reporters — not even a “Thanks, but no thanks,” e-mail. “Is it always like this?” she asked.

I noted that responding to these queries is an art form. It’s not enough to be an appropriate resource for a story or segment — you have to demonstrate your expertise in a pithy response that makes the journalist think, “She’s exactly the person I’m looking for.” Your answer has to show you understand what the reporter needs but you have to do it in a way that makes a tired, dull-witted, or overworked reporter see this quickly and easily, without doing any more work than is absolutely necessary.

The reality is that the typical query posted on a service like ProfNet generates more than enough responses from qualified sources.

So how can you make certain you respond in a way that gives you a fair shot at being quoted? I’m going to use the responses to my recent ProfNet query to help me illustrate what works and what doesn’t. Out of respect for the publication I’m writing for, I’m not going to share my query, but I will say that in my request, I stated what the article is about, the industry I’m writing for, and that I was looking for experts to comment on that topic in that industry.

Here’s how people actually responded, and how I reacted to each response. I hope this helps you understand the level of detail many of us do — and don’t — need to help us select the best sources for our articles.

SOURCE 1: “I know some people that will be able to help you with this story. You can give me a ring to discuss this further.”

ME: Tell me more. Who are these people? What are their credentials? I don’t have time to fish for information on the telephone when I’ve got several more responses from people who look like good sources.

SOURCE 2: Writes a hasty response full of typos, missing words and marketing jargon on behalf of her client, someone who doesn’t appear to have specific industry experience. Doesn’t tell me who her client is, but says, “Let me know if I can connect you.” Signs only her first name. No last name. No company name. No phone number.

ME: Eye roll.

SOURCE 3: “I have a great client that I am not certain is a perfect fit. We represent XXXX — they provide XXX customer service. (XXX’s URL) (Descriptive info here that would reveal too much about the company and I don’t want to embarrass anybody…) They have a great story that I would love to share with you if it is a fit.

ME: I like her honest approach, but if you’re not certain it’s a perfect fit, then it most likely isn’t. Try to respond only to those where you are positive you can make a valuable contribution. This is the kind of response I’ll send a “thanks, but no thanks” e-mail to because while she was off-target, she was at least articulate and honest.

SOURCE 4: “I must speak with you about your article. I have a lot to say on this. (Includes URL)”

ME: I’m not comfortable with the intensity of this response.

SOURCE 5: “We represent a company that’s does XXX that has been interviewed before and would be happy to work with you for the article. The company is called XXX (URL here). If you are interested please let me know.”

ME: At least we’ve got the right industry. That’s a good start. But why is this company qualified to address the problem posed in my query? Show me that they can give me good information in an interview. I don’t have time to interview somebody who knows the industry, but has nothing to say about my topic.

SOURCE 6: “Check out this article I authored for http://www.biznik.com, which offers (title somewhat related to my query topic). You can find it at this link: [URL] If this serves the article you are writing for your magazine, please feel free to use it for that purpose.

ME: I’m not sure what to do with this. Do you want me to read an article you wrote that might contain information that might be appropriate for the article I’m writing, and quote you from your article in my article? Or are you using this to show me you’d be a good resource? If you really wanted to be quoted in my article, you’d summarize your thinking in your response.

SOURCE 7: “I received your query request. Attached is an article I wrote about XXX and it applies to all industries. I thought it might help you with your needs — even though it isn’t specific to XXX.”

ME: She attached a Word file. See response to Source 6.

SOURCE 8: “We have an expert here, XXX, who blogs and speaks about how to XX, XXX and XXXX effectively in the XXX industry, starting with market research and insight. (More text here that shows she understands what I’m looking for, followed by her client’s advice:)
(1) Find out where the opportunities are that align with your products/services
(2) Focus attention on winning the right ones.
(3) Do your homework to position yourself correctly

Here’s XX helping a small XX company via Fortune Small Business (link to an article showing her client in action). Let me know if you want to set something up. We can also look for client who’s in your industry to speak to this.”

ME: Bingo! Great response — especially when compared to the others.

Here’s my formula for responding to queries that works for me as a journalist looking for sources, but also generates interviews for me as a responder to queries when I’m publicizing my books.

The following format certainly isn’t the only way to respond to queries, but it’s one that helps me decide if a responder is an appropriate source for my needs. It’s also one that I use when responding to queries as an author — one that often generates interviews about my book topics, so I know it has value. It’s not the only way to respond, of course, but it can be a good starting point for you.

· Copy and paste the query title into your e-mail subject line. That’s especially helpful for the journalist with more than one query.
· Start with your credentials. What makes you qualified to contribute to this article or segment?
· Take one or two sentences to offer your perspective. Maybe it’s your opinion, something counter-intuitive or information that validates the article premise.
· If I’m looking for an expert, offer advice in three or four bullet points. This will help me see your perspective and determine if you’ll be telling me something I haven’t gotten from anyone else yet. Note that while I don’t quote from these bullet points, many other writers do, so be aware that what you write might appear later in print. I personally prefer to do telephone interviews, but I realize that many just pull comments from the responses of experts without a direct conversation or even acknowledgement that the information will be used.
· If I’m looking for an anecdote to illustrate a point rather than an expert, and you represent that anecdote, offer it in just a few sentences.
· If you’re an expert, provide a link to an online bio or copy and paste it into the response. If you have a Web site, include the URL.
· Include contact information I can use to schedule an interview.

Try not to ramble and avoid attachments. If you think in terms of what you’d want to know about an expert source for that article, I’m sure you’ll respond appropriately.

Former award-winning publicist Sandra Beckwith (www.sandrabeckwith.com) is a writer and speaker who uses workshops (www.buildbookbuzz.com) and other tools to teach authors, nonprofit organizations and small businesses how to generate publicity. She has written two publicity books (”Publicity for Nonprofits: Generating Media Exposure that Leads to Awareness, Growth, and Contributions” and “Streetwise Complete Publicity Plans: How to Create Publicity that Will Spark Media Exposure and Excitement”), and a workbook for authors, “Build Book Buzz Publicity Forms & Templates.”

This year’s event includes celebrity makeup artist Billy B, celebrity hair stylist Syd Curry and “Sex and the City” couture designer Gilles Montezin.

If you would like exposure for your product to a crowd geared toward beauty and fashion, please contact us with your product details. Requesting 250-400 pieces of full-size product per show (samples and other offers may be considered). All products must be received by Sept. 10. You will receive inclusion in press releases on giveaways and on the Milwaukee Fashion Week forum for your contributions.

For more information on this event, please visit www.fashionbythelake.com.

Contact Laurie Chaffey at info@fashionbythelake.com by Aug. 25.

News releases aren’t just for journalists anymore — they’re read by bloggers, customers, shareholders and consumers alike. Join us for a free webinar and learn how to craft news releases that appeal to multiple audiences across multiple channels — bringing your story to the top of the pile, the top of search engine results and the top of people’s minds.

Sandra Fathi, president, Affect Strategies, will be the guest presenter. She will cover:

· Determining what is newsworthy
· Understanding the key elements of a news release
· Crafting headlines that editors love
· Infusing your news release with multimedia
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· Maximizing the distribution and proliferation of your news

For more information, or to register, visit http://www.iian.ibeam.com/events/prmv001/26719/

Nothing guarantees becoming a household name overnight quite like a hit in any of the newsweeklies who together reach close to 10 million Americans each week. Put simply: A mere mention in the front-of-the-book pages at BusinessWeek, Newsweek, US News & World Report or any other news magazine can launch your product, brand or service into nationwide (even global) consciousness overnight — something not even a front-page profile in your closest metro daily can do. So why don’t more PR pros successfully pitch newsweeklies? Answer: The barrier to entry is atmospherically high — after all, affluent readers trust what they read in these mainstays. They’re that credible. That influential. That essential.

Top editorial gatekeepers will discuss how to pitch, how they compete and what they want from PR — as well as how to nail that elusive editorial hook that grabs their attention every time.

Presenters:

· Tim Smart, managing editor, US News & World Report (circ. 2,034,848)
· David A. Kaplan, senior editor, Newsweek (circ. 3,109,228)
· Catherine Arnst, senior writer, BusinessWeek (circ. 933,566)

The cost is $299 per dial-in site (unlimited attendance per dial-in site). To register, call (800) 959-1059 or click here.

Product of the Year (POY) is announcing a call for entries on consumer packaged goods launched between January 2007 and June 2008 that demonstrate innovation in the areas of function, packaging and design.

POY is also looking for consumer packaged goods experts and retail experts/execs to serve on a special expert panel that will review each of the submitted products.

After initial review by this expert panel, 100,000 consumers will select which products are named “Product of the Year” (TNS Market Research will conduct the consumer survey).

In the past, brands such as Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola, Nestle, Unilever, L’Oreal Group and others have entered the POY program. Products featuring the POY logo regularly see sales increases of 10-15 percent. Companies regularly feature the POY logo on their packaging and national advertising to distinguish themselves from competitors.

The deadline for entries is July 31. For more information about entering a product, or for more information about POY, please contact Nina Adams at ninaadams@productoftheyearusa.com or (212) 813-6444, or go to www.productoftheyearusa.com.

PR departments have never had more challenges — or opportunities. Online media is creating whole new territories for PR to cover, while at the same time ultra-demanding bosses are insisting that PR prove the case for increased resources to meet this challenge. Add to this scenario the ongoing challenges of finding, motivating and keeping top-flight staff, setting and achieving high-performance goals and battling through internal turf wars, and most PR managers have a very full plate. What can you do to thrive and advance in this environment?

Attend this exclusive PR Management Roundtable and learn from some of the best in the business, who will share their secrets to corporate success.

In this 60-minute interactive roundtable, two of the most respected leaders in the field will share their best practices for creating and leading PR departments:

· Matthew J. Broder, vice president, external communications, media relations, Pitney Bowes
· Mark Wilson, vice president, corporate marketing, public relations, Sybase

The cost is $299 per registrant. For more information, or to register, visit http://tinyurl.com/6y2yvj or call (800) 959-1059

The seminar will take place July 14-16 in Boston.

To register, visit http://www.the-dma.org/seminars/basic/registration.shtml or call (212) 790-1500

Have you heard about the new PURL and GURL? What was once known as a classy piece of jewelry and your sister who would wear it are now direct marketing tools known for generating exceptionable responses. Log in and get the inside scoop about PURLs and GURLs and how to use their direct marketing magic to your advantage.

This virtual seminar will delve into best practices for using these mediums within various media, such as direct mail, insert media, DRTV, drive-time radio, outdoor advertising, online banner advertising, paid search-engine listings and display advertising.

For more information, call (212) 790-1500 or visit www.the-dma.org

Successful targeting and segmentation really is the heart of captivating direct marketing. Understanding who and how we should be targeting, what we should be offering and emphasizing, and how we can build a system that not only measures results but builds intelligence as it evolves is key.

During the presentation, we will review the sophisticated socio-economic, cultural and lifestyle variables of the Hispanic population. With specific case study examples, we will analyze the results of these factors when put to work in real life programs and campaigns.

For more information, call (212) 790-1500 or visit www.the-dma.org

We are seeking other celebrities to attend the event. Due to the presence of Russell Simmons and Sting, there will be a huge media turnout and will present great photo opps for any of your clients. We are also looking for liquor sponsors for champagne, wine, beer and liquor. The event will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 6, from 7-9 p.m. at the ultra-elegant Bruno Jamais Restaurant Club (www.brunojamais.com) on the Upper East Side. For interested parties, we need leads by July 15.

Please contact CEO Katherine Rothman at info@kmrpr.com or (212) 213-6444 by July 15.