Why Did My Newspaper Article Miss My Contact Info?

[gilliandanielle]

I originally dropped off some info at my local paper about HWC hoping to get a press release in the paper. The woman called me back and interviewed me for an article about HWC instead. I was floored! Do you know what this could do for my business?? I was picturing myself on the beach in the Bahamas telling my husband "I told you so" and figuring out what 15% of $20000 was. HA HA!! The newspaper article ran today and I got my kids up and dressed before it should be legal to go buy it. I ripped open the paper to find the most informative, well-written artilcle I could have hoped for..........so why am I so pissed off??? Because she seems to have left out my CONTACT INFORMATION!!!! It had my name in it and said that I was a consultant, but no website, e-mail, or even phone number. I also set out a display at a friend's business that was to be mentioned in the press release saying that order packets were available there. None of this is covered. So now if someone wants to order they need to look me up in the phone book to get my website. How many people are going to do that?????

I am very grateful for her writing the article to begin with, so I am having a hard time being angry with her. I called to say thank you and I casually said, "so are people just going to call you to get my info? Or how does that work?" She said "oh, I thought I listed your website, I guess not" and took my contact info to give to anyone that calls her (HER number and e-mail are listed at the bottom of the article)

I was so frustrated I called my Mom and she is going to call the editor (she is the one who wrote it) not as my mom and pretend she needs the contact info and is going to pitch a fit to why it wasn't in there to begin with. Shady, I know, but I don't have the heart to ask her to re-run the article with my info when she didn't have to put the article in to begin with.

Sorry this is so long, but I had to let it all out!

Gillian

 

[soonerchef]

What a bummer, I am so sorry that this happen. Well, at least you got one step further than I did. My paper said that they would run a story and haven't even done that.

I hope that you end up getting some sales from the article anyway and as a side note you can also get some satisfaction from the fact that the editor will be getting harrassed with all of those calls!!

 

[Cricket713]

When you contact the paper they should run a "correction" on it and give everyone the contact info in next days paper. That is what my local flop I mean newspaper does on a daily basis.

 

[pamperedangel06]

Im confused I thought we couldn't personally advertise in newspaper articles anyways. I mean with our personal info and all.

 

[AJPratt]

I'm glad you got an article at least, hopefully that nut will get a TON of calls! And you can tell your husband "I told you so." I want to quit my job and do PC full time once we have kids, but he's afraid we won't be able to afford it.

And, You can advertise as long as you properly identify yourself as "independent" and as long as it isn't in the top 100 papers. Check the download section, they make it a little more clear than I just did.

 

[kitchenshowchef]

Im confused I thought we couldn't personally advertise in newspaper articles anyways. I mean with our personal info and all.

When you go on the PC website they have a Press Release where you put your info in it and you are allowed to use that.

April

 

[gilliandanielle]

OK ladies, here's the update... not only did my mom call, but she had everyone in her office call and leave messages asking why the info wasn't in there to begin with. By the time she got down her list to call my mom back she said "let me guess, you want more info about the breast cancer story" Ha ha!! At least she got what was coming to her. She sounded really ditzy on the phone, but in the end she is going to print another little thing not as big as today's with my info. I have no choice but to accept these challenges and move on!

 

[lacychef]

I hope your phone starts ringing once they put the new info in! My newspaper put the press release in last year, but said they wouldn't put much personal info about me since press releases are free. They said much more info would be advertising & I'd have to pay more. This year I went ahead & bought an ad for my fundraiser, we'll see how it turns out...

 

[PampMomof3]

Gillian,
I am glad for you that she's going to reprint a little section of the article. I am getting in with my local paper and I'm hoping she's going to put it in the May 11th issue. I had to make the press release A LOT smaller and I called Home Office Corporate Communications (speak to Debbie) and she said its okay for the paper to run my website in the paper! I am floored! I can't wait to see the kind of response I get from this! The newspaper editor also thanked me for taking on the huge community undertaking! Yeah!

 

[gilliandanielle]

I am thinking that now that people have seen the main article I could buy advertising space with my info. I am going to wait to see what is reprinted, but I think it really hurts me to have the emotional article in one day's paper and then the info on how to help in another's. Our newspaper is only published on Friday and Tuesday, and there is a bigger daily paper published from Anchorage that more people read. I sent that paper info as well, but have yet to hear back. Even if one person orders it is worth it, but I am having a hard time picturing this fundraiser as successful as I once thought.

 

[gilliandanielle]

Today's the big day that the info is supposed to re-run in the paper. I don't have a car today as DH had to take it to get the studs out of the tires. (God bless alaska! LOL) I asked my MIL to grab me a copy from town and I am dying with anticipation! I'll update everyone when I find something out.

 

[gilliandanielle]

NOTHING in today's paper. AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGG! I am about ready to scrap the whole thing. I was totally motivated thinking that all these people were going to see the article and want to help. Either no one wants to help, or just not bad enough to look me up in the phone book. I am so tired of dreaming these big dreams and always being dissapointed.

 

[caryd]

You must be really frustrated, but keep your head up! We lived in Anchorage for a couple of years ( we are a military family). I wasnt in PC at the time, but sure wish that I had been. As I recall, there arent too many consultants up there. I think that you might be surprised at how many people will try to track you down because its so hard to find PC and consultants up there. I know if I had seen the article and found out that there had been an active consultant I would have tracked you down. BTW do you know of anyone up there in the military, getting onto the base and finding recruits would be a great way to build your business.

 

[redd3708]

Man, that sucks! I would be sooo angry! I hope in the end it works to your advantage. Chin up!

 

[sailortena]

Did they run a small correction or anything like that? Usually papers will not re-run an entire story. Sometimes they have a specific page for corrections or "clarifications," depending on your local newspaper's policies. (I know, I work at one.)

 

[gilliandanielle]

caryd, I live in Wasilla, and there are about 25 consultants here. My cluster is in Anchorage and there are almost 125 people in my cluster. I did attend a HO training in Anchorage and a lot of the consultants were military, so I think it is being saturated pretty fast. Thanks for the tip though!

sailortena, I checked the corrections box and the info wasn't in there. What the editor said was that she was going to run my info with my HWC information (what percentage is donated, etc.) along with another breast cancer story (not sure what kind of story!)

Thanks for the good wishes and I am hoping for Friday!

 

[h_simcox]

Hey, at least you got a story! My paper said that unless TPC was donating 100% of all sales then it was not a noteworthy story. Our paper is for the neighboring 4 towns, only comes out once a week, and can be read in 5 minutes. It is not like there is much noteworthy stuff going on in this area! I hope you get lots of calls on your story anyway! The best of luck!!

 

[gilliandanielle]

Thanks Hilary, and I guess our town is the opposite where there's nothing going on but we have a pretty big paper 3 times a week. With no one having anything else to do I thought they would read the paper at least, LOL!

 

[caryd]

wow! things have changed since we lived there! Hope all works out with the article.

 

[PampMomof3]

I got in the paper today! I'm stoked! I really didn't get a good response back but this one editor contacted me (I must have e-mailed it to 30 people and only 1 person responded back.)and told me if I could shorten the essay, she would print it in todays paper. Yeah!! She did add a line though," an organization that does in-home kitchen product parties", I wouldn't have written it like that but who cares! I'm IN!!


http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060511/LIFE03/605110308/1052/life03

 

[soonerchef]

For the article being short it is very good. I hope that you get a good fundraiser going from it!!

 

[gilliandanielle]

That is perfect Kristi! I don't think it is too short! My article goes on and one, but still doesn't get the point across to book a show, and there is no phone number, e-mail or website. Good luck Kristi and I hope you have an awesome fundraiser!!

 

[[email protected]]

I wonder, too, if you could wirte a letter to the editor...thank her for the wonderful aricle and oh, BTW here's my contact info. It's a thought, good luck

 

[PampMomof3]

Thanks everyone! I already received an $18.75 (utility knife) from a lady 45 minutes away and also got a call from a woman who used to be a director in California who is now doing Taste Of Home Entertaining and wanted to know if I wanted to trade shows. I told her I would have to wait a little while because I really am just trying to book shows in June to make money! No time for anything else especially since I can't do any shows the whole last week of June. So far I have 9 cooking shows and 1 catalog! Not too bad!

 

[gilliandanielle]

That's great Kristi! I hope you have great successes from your article!