Canada’s only PR E-Magazine brought to you by... Vol. 1; Issue #7 December, 2004 - Holiday Edition - © Prime Time PR. All rights reserved.
Janette Burke, Principal Publicist and Editor; PR Consultant, Columnist, Speaker and Trainer Tel: (905) 882-6893 Fax: (905) 882-6898 E-mail: primetime@pathcom.com www.primetimepr.ca
	What's New at Prime Time? Goodbye 2004, Hello 2005! … Our PR Course at  The Learning Annex & Pre-Registration Gift … It’s A Wonderful Life! … Referral Program… Details below!
			Welcome to the 7th edition of PRtalk – providing practical PR/media/marketing tips to exemplify the power of PR and get you thinking about your own PR objectives. In this special holiday issue, you will find… Guru Guidance – The continuation of last issue’s article on the ten things you need to do to come off as a PR pro! Success Stories – With the season upon us, we recall another of the greatest PR coups of all time - the tale of how Christmas shopping came to pass! What’s New at Prime Time? – To get a glimpse of what we’ve been up to as well as our very special offer, please scan our side bar. For the whole scoop, scroll below! We wish you and yours the happiest of holidays and kindly thank you for all your positive feedback, loyalty and support! Until Next Year, Janette
			Re-printed with permission… ”10 Ways to Come Off as a PR Pro” – Part Two By: Janette Burke Last issue we discussed the first five things you need to do if you want to come off as a PR pro. Here are the remaining five tips to make you be the best PR person you can be - whether you’re a small business owner, marketing director seeking PR for your company or organization, or even a full-time PR professional. 1. Listen - Listening is one of the hardest skills to master but one of the most important in your PR pursuits. Taught and studied far less than the other three basic communication skills: reading, writing and speaking, listening is crucial to your business activities and overall PR achievement. In fact studies show that people spend 80 percent of their waking hours communicating and about 45 percent of that time listening. 2. Take Advantage of Every Available PR Resource - such as PR books and CD’s; PR workshops and seminars - even this PR E-zine! Individually each can explain what’s going on in the PR industry as well as provide you with cost-effective ways to develop your business. The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) is another source worth pursuing. So is taking advantage of the different marketing and advertising associations throughout the GTA. If you’re really serious you might consider studying the discipline in depth by applying to either Humber’s or Seneca’s Public Relations Certificate Programs! Many business radio, Internet radio and business TV shows such as “The Small Business Big Ideas Business Show” – broadcast every Sunday morning at 9am EDT on AM1350 CKDO (or connect to www.ckdo.ca) also regularly feature and record advice from PR experts – devoting 7-12 minute segments to the subject of PR and depicting its principles in great detail. To find out more conduct online searches using key PR, marketing, small business and business resource names, phrases, and words. 3. Blow Your Own Horn - Don’t be afraid to take every opportunity to publicize and promote yourself, your clients, and your business. There’s no better way to show potential clients, supervisors, and even members of the press that you’re capable of getting good press than by first getting it for yourself! You’ll also have a big advantage when a potential client recognizes you from seeing you interviewed on radio or TV, or reading about you in any form of print! 4. Speak Up for Yourself and Your Business - Becoming a public speaker is another means of gaining fast attention. Start talking and people will listen as they get to know your name! And as I’ve indicated before – speaking bureaus are always looking for expert sources on a number of given topics. Getting you in front of your target groups as well as different industries, speaking engagements also make for fabulous promotional and networking opportunities. If you speak to enough people at enough events, you’re likely to become famous in your field! 5. Maintain a Positive Attitude - Believe in yourself and strut your stuff – for without a doubt you will come across many people – clients, co-workers, and supervisors who will try to tell you what you can and can’t do. If you let self-doubt get in the way of your instincts, you’ll be sure to have a short and unfilled PR career! Remember that success and failure are both temporary, not permanent conditions. When you score your preliminary PR placement or next big hit, stay humble and keep you wits about you. It takes much training to become a master and school is never out for the PR pro!
			Portions of this tale have been re-printed and are being re-counted for educational as well as festive purposes… Dashing to the mall, On a late December day… Through the shops we go, Charging all the way! Bells on cash registers ring, Making cheque books light… Oh what fun it is to buy, Everything in sight! “ The Tale of How Christmas Shopping Came to Pass" Three Wise Men, One PR Genius! - A ritualistic and routine aspect of many societies and cultures, since the dawn of time, family friends, clients, associates, colleagues and employees have been giving gifts to each other for various reasons and occasions. However, it wasn’t until the 1700’s that an Austrian merchant – in emulating the three wise men who bearing gifts all came to pay homage to their new born King – actually popularized the idea of exchanging presents with loved ones at Christmas time. Implementing this PR measure in what was typically a cold and sluggish season was as much a means of reciprocation as it was a surefire method of stimulating sales. The Results - Spawning the tradition of Christmas shopping as we’ve come to know it, the effects of this clever promotion can still be seen today. Take a look at the cosmetic industry for example. Reaping billions of dollars in revenue each year and luring new and repeat business with their “gifts of make-up and fragrance purchases”, they effectively make women aware of the many “good things that come in small packages” – repeatedly proving there is intrinsic value to both  giving and receiving gifts!
			Goodbye 2004, Hello 2005! - Between performing PR/media/marketing jobs for clients; doing over-the-phone consulting; producing 7 issues of PRtalk along with 20 articles (including those interviews and features we were commissioned to write, those we put in PRtalk, those published as part of our PR columns in The York Region Business Times and Women with Vision Magazine, those placed in other business journals, newsletters, on homepages and websites); being named Canada’s only PR E-Magazine and listed in Bowden’s (North America’s prime media directory); launching our website; scoring top media coverage for our “Publicist of the Year” contest-winner; accepting the position of PR Advisor at The Canadian Leadership Initiative; appearing on CustomerCatcher radio as well as other shows, and delivering workshops & seminars on variety of PR topics – 2004 turned out to be a pivotal year for us! We look forward to continuing to serve you in the year ahead, and also hope to fulfill our dream of being a well-known PR voice. Next issue we’ll tell you more about our plans and proposed changes!
			PR Course at The Learning Annex - Ever wonder why some people’s stories make it to print, radio & TV, while others don’t? Join us as we present… “How to Write Press Releases & Media Kits That Get You Noticed”!    Course Overview: Highly interactive, informative and complete with      indispensable take-home materials, in this two and a half hour     power-packed session you will: · Explore the differences between PR and advertising · Discover what today’s busy editors, broadcasters and producers really want · Come-up with newsworthy “hooks” & “angles” · Customize your package and convey your essential marketing message · Learn how to create a stand out press release & media kit and dramatically increase your chances for exposure … and much more!  To register, call The Learning Annex at: (416) 964-0011,  or online at: www.learningannex.ca Course Dates & Times: Course xxx Sec. A Wed. Feb. 9 6:45 – 9:30pm  Sec. B Tues. March 8 6:45 – 9:30pm  Sec. C Thurs. April 7 6:45 – 9:30pm  Course fee $44.95 / Members fee $34.95 Location: downtown Early-Bird Registration Coupon: As a special gift from us to you, now until January 19^th, 2005, save $9 off your registration fee. Valid for any of the three sessions outlined above. Simply Quote: Coupon Code TR563 * Please note this offer is non-transferable and cannot be used in conjunction with any other Learning Annex or Prime Time PR discount or promotion.
			It’s A Wonderful Life! – on December 6^th at The Business Innovation Group (BIG’s) Christmas party, in a speech befitting the It’s A Wonderful Life theme, we addressed a very serious issue we rarely discuss and in the process, revealed a hidden side of ourselves. The written version of our talk is set to appear in the upcoming edition of BIG Times. We hope you’ll keep an eye out for it, as well as for our recent placement in the winter issue of Women with Vision Magazine – currently available.
			Referral Program - we appreciate your business and love referrals. To show you how much, we offer “cash back” and “banked point” rewards for every qualified lead we receive!
		Have a PR topic you want discussed? Please send your requests to: primetime@pathcom.com – subject heading Dear PR Guru.
PRtalk is a FREE publication produced by Prime Time PR and distributed online directly to your inbox. Prime Time PR respects your online time and privacy. We do not share e-mail addresses. If you prefer not to receive further broadcasts, click “reply” and specify in the subject heading “Unsubscribe”. If you know anyone who would benefit from this publication, feel free to pass it on, have them register on our website, or contact us directly. To sign-up for your free copy of PRtalk; read back issues; see examples of our work with testimonials; peruse our list of programs, workshops & seminars; and find out where we’re next speaking or appearing, please visit us at: www.primetimepr.ca © 2004. All Rights Reserved. We welcome your contributions & feedback.