Marketing

	Niche Criteria for a Successful Coaching Practice/Ben Dean
	Violence, Public Education, and Public Policy: Opportunities for Community Involvement and Interdisciplinary Networking/Elizabeth K. Carll
	Practitioner’s ImPRessions: Media Marketing for Quitting Smoking/Kelly Cunningham
	Honor Roll and Ads

		By Kelly Cunningham Principal, ImPRessions public relations					Practitioner’s ImPRessions Media Marketing for Quitting Smoking Division 42 is conducting a proactive media relations effort to encourage people to see a psychologist in times of need and, ultimately, to see an independent psychologist. My name is Kelly Cunningham, public relations consultant with ImPRessions of Alexandria, Virginia, and I work for you. I have been talking with select members of the media around the country. My goal is to supply reporters and editors with news story ideas, provide a link to a local psychologist who can speak to the topic, and establish Division 42 members as a resource for the media. Reporters want to speak with local experts. You can help by making yourself available to a local reporter for an interview. It’s quite simple really. Here’s what you can do. The following letter proposes a news story about how difficult it is to break the smoking habit. It was originally use in the Great American Smoke Out on Nov. 18, 1999. I’ve deleted those references so that the piece could run any time of the year. This piece has generated five interviews in the week since it was sent out. Division 42 would like to thank the following members for taking time to conduct these interviews: Dr. Pat Pitta – WVOX Radio, Westchester, NY Dr. Leslie Freedman – The Greenwich Times Dr. Suzanne Saul - The Advocate, Newark, OH (Columbus) Dr. Michael Galvin - The Gazette in Colorado Springs Dr. Ken Langlieb - WGHT Radio, Northern New Jersey You too can get media exposure. Fax or mail this letter on your letterhead to a local reporter. Make one follow-up call to the reporter. Ask if he or she received your letter and would consider the subject for a news story. Offer your assistance on this and future stories. If the reporter is interested, try to work some of these talking points into the conversation or interview: Why it is difficult to quit smoking A psychologist can explain why it is so difficult to quit smoking. Many people aren’t aware that in addition to the physical addiction to nicotine, a strong psychological habit is formed over time. A psychologist can discuss how to attack both the nicotine addiction and the conditioned habit. A psychologist can incorporate life management skills to help patients deal with stress, decision-making and peer and family relationships that often trigger smoking. Why an independent psychologist It may be more difficult to work in “why see an independent psychologist” or “why spend more money by going outside of the managed care system.” Independent psychologists offer more value for two reasons: Confidentiality is protected because your independent psychologist will not have to report about your treatment in order for it to continue. Decisions about you will be made by you and your independent psychologist, rather than by an outsider in the managed care system who doesn’t even know you. If you have any questions, call me at (703) 548-1291 or E-mail me at klcpr@bellatlantic.net.
			[Date] [Your hometown paper] Dear Medical/Health Reporter: More than 400,000 deaths in the U.S. each year are from smoking-related illnesses. Secondhand smoke is associated with 300,000 cases of bronchitis and pneumonia each year among infants to children 18 months of age. If both parents smoke, a teenager is more than twice as likely to smoke than a young person whose parents are both nonsmokers. We’ve all seen these statistics, or dozens of others like them, that tell us definitively that smoking is bad for us. Yet why is it that many people quit during the Great American Smoke Out or as a New Year’s resolution and then two weeks later relapse and smoke a cigarette? There are two components of the smoking habit: one physical and one psychological. The physical aspect of addiction is a result of continued exposure to nicotine, a powerful and addictive drug. The second factor is what psychologists call “conditioned association.” A one-pack-a-day smoker smokes over 7,000 cigarettes per year. Over time, consistent patterns of smoking develop. For example, a smoker may find that he or she typically smokes when driving, when talking on the phone, when having a cup of coffee or a drink of alcohol, when feeling angry, or sad, etc. These patterns become strongly ingrained and the activities, thoughts, feelings, etc. that often accompany smoking become automatic “triggers” that elicit a craving for a cigarette. A smoker may reach “automatically” for a cigarette, without thinking, or suddenly have a strong urge for a cigarette when in a setting where they normally smoke, that is a “conditioned craving.” This is a very powerful effect that can make it difficult to quit and can cause a relapse to smoking even years after quitting. The Psychologists in Independent Practice want you to know that they can help. I am a licensed psychologist and would be happy to speak with you about this subject. You can reach me at my office at (—)————. We can discuss how to attack both the nicotine addiction and the conditioned habit. I can describe life management skills to help patients deal with stress, decision-making and peer and family relationships that often trigger smoking. And I can offer tips to help someone quit smoking and stay off smoking. Your readers can request a free guide, “Straight Talk – Choosing a Psychologist.” This brochure is available by phoning toll-free 1-877-603-4000. I look forward to speaking with you. Sincerely, [Your name]
					Tips to Help You Quit Smoking Set a date for quitting. If possible, have a friend quit smoking with you. Notice when and why you smoke. Try to find the things in your daily life that you often do while smoking (such as drinking your morning cup of coffee or driving a car). Change your smoking routines: Keep your cigarettes in a different place. Smoke with your other hand. Don’t do anything else when smoking. Think about how you feel when you smoke. Smoke only in certain places, such as outdoors. When you want a cigarette, wait a few minutes. Try to think of something to do instead of smoking; you might chew gum or drink a glass of water. Buy one pack of cigarettes at a time. Switch to a brand of cigarettes you don’t like. On the Day You Quit Get rid of all your cigarettes. Put away your ashtrays. Change your morning routine. When you eat breakfast, don’t sit in the same place at the kitchen table. Stay busy. When you get the urge to smoke, do something else instead. Carry other things to put in your mouth, such as gum, hard candy, or a toothpick. Reward yourself at the end of the day for not smoking. See a movie or go out and enjoy your favorite meal. Staying Power Don’t worry if you are sleepier or more short-tempered than usual; these feelings will pass. Eat regular meals. Feeling hungry is sometimes mistaken for the desire to smoke. Start a money jar with the money you save by not buying cigarettes. Let others know that you have quit smoking-most people will support you. Many of your smoking friends may want to know how you quit. It’s good to talk to others about your quitting. If you slip and smoke, don’t be discouraged. Many former smokers tried to stop several times before they finally succeeded. Quit again. Provided by the National Cancer Institute
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