PR LEADS Sample Queries

Here is a list of real articles reporters needed sources for! Please read this list to see if there is a topic that you could have been quoted on! Many more topics are available.

If yours isn’t listed, please send a note to prhello@prleads.com to see if PR Leads is the right choice for you.

ALL LEADS CONTAIN REPORTERS’ NAMES AND E-MAILS.

CHECK FRAUD – BUSINESS FINANCE. I’m looking for finance or treasury executives who can discuss check fraud — how it affects their companies financially and what they’re doing to combat it. Business Finance is a trade magazine for CFOs and other senior finance executives at mid-sized and large companies. No phone calls, please. Need leads by Saturday, July 28.

DETERMINANTS OF WILL POWER – HEALTH MAGAZINE. I’m looking for experts and researchers who can talk about the biological, genetic, psychological and cultural determinants of will power, self-discipline and restraint when it comes to such things as exercise, learning, appetite, emotion, etc. No phone calls, please. Need leads by Thursday, August 2.

BEING A PERFECTIONIST AT WORK – INVESTOR’S BUSINESS DAILY. For an article about how being too perfect can affect one’s work negatively, I’m looking for a list of examples of the habits of perfectionists at work as well as sources who can discuss how those traits can sabotage one’s work and how the behavior can be corrected. Need leads by tomorrow, July 13.

CREATING AND MANAGING BRANDS ON SMALL BUDGETS – FLORAL MANAGEMENT. I’m looking for sources who can discuss how small retail shops can create and manage their brands without big marketing budgets. Floral Management is an association magazine for retail florists. No phone calls, please. Need leads by August 20.

KEEPING SMALL BUSINESS EMPLOYEES’ MORALE HIGH – BUSINESSWEEK. For an article in the monthly Small Biz insert about how small business owners — 100 or fewer employees, at least $1 million in revenue — can keep employee morale high during the economic slowdown, I’m looking for small business consultants who can offer suggestions or anecdotes. Need leads by 5 p.m. EDT today, July 24.

CREATING SUCCESSFUL IN-HOUSE RELATIONSHIPS – ENTREPRENEUR. I’m looking for entrepreneurs of young companies and experts who can talk about the challenges of bringing high-level managers and executives into an entrepreneurial environment. How can both sides make it work from the beginning and create a long-lasting professional relationship? Need leads today, July 24.

SPENDING MONEY ON CLIENTS – THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. I’m looking for business etiquette experts who can tell me, in light of company belt-tightening, when it is appropriate to spend money on clients and how employees should deal with those awkward moments when they can’t pick up the checks anymore. No phone calls, please. Need leads by 10 a.m. EDT Friday, August 10.

BUSINESS CASUAL IN THE WORKPLACE – FREELANCER. For a piece about whether or not American professionals will one day have to change back from business casual to the more formal suit and tie, I’m looking for sources — workplace policy experts, CEOs (both conservative and more independent), fashion gurus and others — who can discuss how business casual became the standard and whether or not it is here to stay. I will be pitching this to daily and weekly business publications and monthly lifestyle magazines. Need leads by Tuesday, August 14.

BUSINESS: HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES INCREASE EFFICIENCY – ADVISOR TODAY. For an article tentatively titled, “10 Ways to Manage Your Practice Better,” I’d like input from experts who have experience helping very small businesses become more efficient in communications, marketing, and fiscal and office management. Comments and advice should be geared toward financial advisors and planners specifically. No software or big business management advice, please. Advisor Today is the journal of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. No phone calls, please. Need leads by tomorrow, July 25.

BEHAVIOR: BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUPS – WEBMD. For an article about support groups for people with medical conditions, I’d like to speak with members of a cancer support group, especially one for breast cancer. How does the support group help? What are the benefits? No phone calls, please. Need leads by 5 p.m. EDT tomorrow, July 11.

HELPFUL TIPS FOR JOB SEEKERS – EMPLOYMENT REVIEW. For an article about the do’s and don’ts when interviewing for a job, I’m looking for information and helpful tips for people just entering the work force as well as advice any job seeker can use. Employment Review is a monthly magazine geared toward job seekers, job holders and HR professionals. No phone calls, please. Need leads by Thursday, July 26.

GETTING REHIRED BY THE SAME COMPANY – NEWSDAY (NY). I’m looking for sources who can comment on the following: Say you’re part of a mass layoff. How hard is it to get rehired by the same company in a different department? How do you go about doing it? Anyone who’s pulled this off recently is also welcome to respond. Need leads by 5 p.m. EDT today, July 13.

BEHAVIOR: REDNECK JOKES AND USE OF THE TERM – TRIBUNE-HERALD (TX). For a feature about how rednecks, as they’re called, are the butt of jokes across the country, I’m looking for sources who can discuss whether these jokes are offensive to anyone. Why is it okay to poke fun at rednecks, whoever they are, while jokes about other groups aren’t tolerated? Is using the term “redneck” bad? Does it lead to hurtful stereotypes? The Tribune-Herald is a daily in Waco, Texas. No phone calls, please. Need leads by 2 p.m. CDT Wednesday, August 1.

IMPORTANCE OF EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION TODAY – RAGAN REPORT. I’m looking for business professionals’ opinions on how important employee communication is in today’s uncertain business economy. The Ragan Report is a weekly newsletter serving corporate communications executives at Fortune 500 companies. Please send source’s short opinions and examples in response. Need North American and European leads by 5 p.m. EDT today, July 23.

PRESENTING INFORMATION AT CORPORATE RETREATS – CALIFORNIA CEO. For an article about corporate retreats in California, I’m looking for presenters and retreat owners who can discuss what information should be presented off site and for what to look in sites within the state. California CEO is a statewide monthly business magazine. No phone calls, please. Need leads by August 15.

BUSINESS: HANDLING BADMOUTHING – SALES & MARKETING MANAGEMENT. For a piece in the Best Practices section, I’d like to speak with representatives of businesses that have, at some point in the past, had their sales and marketing teams badmouthed by a competitor. What was done to handle it? Did you badmouth back? Defend yourself? Launch a counterattack? No phone calls, please. Need leads by Monday, July 23.

EXPRESSING EMOTIONS IN WRITING – PRENTICE HALL PUBLISHING. For a chapter in a book entitled, “Letter Perfect: How to Use the Power of Words, Phrases and Personal Style to Say it Best in Any Situation,” I’m looking for experts in emotional expression who can discuss how to express the following in writing: advice (business and personal); anger; an apology; condolences; disappointment; forgiveness; love; and sympathy. No phone calls, please. Need leads by Friday, July 27.

ENTERTAINING IMPATIENT CUSTOMERS – CHICAGO TRIBUNE. For an article in the Tempo section, I’m looking for sources who can discuss how companies entertain or divert the impatience of people who are either waiting on hold or standing in line, i.e., the ways they amuse customers to reduce their frustrations when dealing with large call centers and customer service. Other examples, particularly those being implemented in the Chicago area, would also be appreciated. Need leads by noon CDT Friday, August 10.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS DELEGATING WORK – ESSENTIAL ASSISTANT. For an article geared toward helping administrative assistants delegate work to others, I’m looking for an expert who can discuss approaching the manager with a request to hire additional help, deciding which work to do yourself and which to have someone else do, overseeing the work of others, and ensuring confidentiality of work done by others. Essential Assistant is a biweekly publication for administrative assistants and other administrative workers in large companies. No phone calls, please. Need leads by Wednesday, August 1.

KEEPING PROJECT WORK ON TRACK – ESSENTIAL ASSISTANT. I’m looking for a project management expert who can discuss the necessary skills, planning strategies, etc., for making sure work stays on track. I’m also looking for tips on asking for help from others within the organization, etc. Essential Assistant is a biweekly publication for administrative assistants and other administrative workers in large companies. No phone calls, please. Need leads by Wednesday, August 1.

UPDATING ORGANIZING AND FILING SKILLS – GREAT RESULTS. I’m looking for professional organizers who can suggest how administrative assistants, office managers and executive secretaries can update their organizing and filing skills when it comes to paper, electronic and media files. Successful small businesspeople who have tips to share on their organizing techniques are also welcome to respond. Great Results is a quarterly newsletter published by Avery Dennison, the label and office products company. Need leads by Friday, August 3.

DIETING AND TELEVISION VIEWING – WEIGHTWATCHERS.COM. I’m looking for sources who can discuss the impact TV has on dieting difficulties, both in regards to TV watching as a sedentary activity and the possibilities of influential messages in commercials and programs. Has any research been conducted in this area? I’m also looking for a weight loss psychologist’s tips on controlling snacking while watching TV. Need leads by noon EDT Wednesday, August 1.

USING WEIGHT LOSS AS A SHIELD – WEIGHTWATCHERS.COM. For a quiz, I’m looking for a weight loss psychologist who can talk about using weight loss as a shield. Need leads by noon EDT Wednesday, August 1.

TREATMENT OF KIDS OF GAY PARENTS AT SCHOOL – BOISE WEEKLY (ID). For an article about children of gay and/or lesbian parents, I’m looking for sources who can discuss what’s going on with these kids in the classroom. How are they treated? What do the curricula do or not do to make these children feel like their families are included, e.g., when kids are asked to draw pictures of their parents? Is there a national movement to confront such an issue? Also, do these kids have to face a sort of coming out, since their families aren’t accepted widely? Boise Weekly is an alternative paper. Need leads by August 10.

GAY CULTURE ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES – ROLLING STONE. I’m looking for sources who can talk about the so-called mainstreaming of gay culture on college campuses and the so-called backgrounding of gay identities among students. In the 1970s and ’80s, gay culture encouraged gay college students to flaunt the way they were different from straight students. Has this changed? Are gay college students today encouraged by the prevailing ethic to background their identities as gay people, forging their identities out of other traits instead? Has the drive toward career success among college students forced being gay into the background, subordinating it to talent and ambition? Is the unwritten message that you can be gay and out, and assume a position of leadership on campus, or get a coveted job, as long as you don’t act angry or bitter and avoid political activism? Need leads by Monday, July 23.

BEHAVIOR: EFFECTS OF STICKING TO AN EXERCISE PLAN – SELF MAGAZINE. For a fitness feature, I’m looking for an academic expert who can discuss why sticking to an exercise plan might enable someone to stick to other goals — e.g., quitting smoking, cutting out caffeine, being more proactive at work, etc. No phone calls, please. Need leads by noon PDT Friday, October 5.

NEW AND EFFECTIVE DIET AND EXERCISE TIPS – WOMAN’S DAY. I’m looking for experts and real people who can suggest some diet and exercise tips that really helped you or your client lose weight. I’m really looking for some newsy, up-to-the-minute tips, study results and hopefully some suggestions that haven’t been offered over and over again. No phone calls, please. Need leads by 5 p.m. EDT tomorrow, October 5.

WOMEN TREATED WITH ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE – FITNESS MAGAZINE. I’m looking for women between the ages of 21 and 39 who’ve been treated successfully for conditions other than cancer with alternative medicine — acupuncture, massage therapy, hypnotherapy, etc. — who’d be willing to talk about their experiences. Source’s health professionals will also be asked to talk about the treatments. No phone calls, please. Need leads by tomorrow, July 25.

PREVENTING COMPUTER-RELATED INJURIES – WOMAN’S WORLD. For an article about computer-related injuries, I’m looking for experts who can offer tips on preventing eye strain, repetitive stress injuries, etc. No phone calls, please. Need leads by August 7.

COLDS, THE FLU AND THE GYM – MEN’S FITNESS. For an article about colds and flu at the gym, I’m looking for experts who can answer the following: Can stress and overzealous training compromise your immune system? Does your blood volume drop over time, leaving you vulnerable? Do healthy athletes suffer more or less during flu season? Should you work out when you’re sick? Is the gym an easy place to get sick? What precautions should you take at the gym? How long can germs live on equipment? No phone calls, please. Need leads by July 30.

BENEFITS OF WALKING – HERALD-MAIL (MD). I’m looking for sources who can talk about the health benefits of walking, even for those who are out of shape and wary of starting an intensive workout regimen. Does walking, even if at nothing more than standard pace, make that much of a difference? The Herald-Mail is a Hagerstown-based daily serving Washington County, Md., as well as parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. No phone calls, please. Need leads by Thursday, August 2.

MEMORY – WASHINGTON POST. I’m looking for experts who can talk about memory — whether and how it can be improved, the kinds of information that are most easily lost over the summer by students, and what a photographic memory really is. No phone calls, please. Need leads by Monday, July 30.

ORDINARY PEOPLE PERFORMING HEROIC ACTS – GOOD HOUSEKEEPING. I’m looking for ordinary people who’ve performed truly heroic acts — those people who’ve literally saved the lives of strangers or who’ve somehow changed strangers’ lives in positive ways. No phone calls, please. Need leads by August 7.

FINDING LOVE AFTER A HORRIBLE EVENT – WOMAN’S WORLD. I’m looking for a romantic, real-life story about a woman who found love after a horrible life event (which must have happened within the past five years) — e.g., a woman who had breast cancer and a mastectomy, feared not only recurrence but that no one would love her in the future, who’s now cancer free and with the love of her life; or, a woman who was in a car crash, recovered but is disfigured, worried she would lead a lonely life, and today has friends and a man who loves her. I’m also looking for a simple story about a woman who came out of a divorce, saw her future alone, but met the man of her dreams. No phone calls, please. Need leads by Wednesday, July 18.

WOMEN WHO’VE GIVEN UP PARTS OF THEIR LIVES – [CLOAKED]. For a piece in a national women’s magazine, a journalist is looking for women, ages 18 to 45, who, because of time or other commitments, gave up parts of their lives — e.g., cutting back on a career to raise a family, consciously deciding not to have children in order to lead a full social life, letting friends fall to the wayside once in a serious relationship, quitting working out at the gym to spend more time writing a screenplay, etc. Sources in or near New York who wouldn’t mind be photographed are preferred. No phone calls, please. Needs leads by July 23.

AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN’S BUSINESSES – FREELANCER. For a series of profiles, I’m looking for female African-American business owners who have unusual or nontraditional businesses. I’m also looking for African-American women who have glamorous careers or businesses. I will be pitching this to women’s magazines. Need leads by August 31.

TRAINING MANAGERS TO BECOME LEADERS – WORKFORCE MAGAZINE. For an article about whether you can train managers to become leaders, I’m looking for examples of how this happens, if it can, as well as experts who can address what leadership means to companies, how effective companies approach training managers to be leaders, what companies expect the outcome of such training to be and ideas of tools others can use. Workforce is a monthly magazine for HR executives and managers. Need leads by 5 p.m. EDT Tuesday, September 4.

COMPANIES USING AWARDS TO MARKET THEMSELVES – ENTREPRENEUR. I’m looking for a privately-owned small business that has won an industry award and used that successfully in marketing itself — preferably not an advertising, PR or marketing agency. No phone calls, please. Need leads by tomorrow, July 12.

CRAZY MARKETING STUNTS AND GUERRILLA TACTICS – ENTREPRENEUR. I’m looking for an entrepreneur who can talk about the crazy marketing stunts or guerrilla tactics he or she has used to get publicity and sell products or services. The more colorful the example, the better. Need leads as soon as possible, for an interview to be conducted by 3 p.m. EDT today, July 12.

IMPACT OF A COMPANY’S OFFICE DESIGN – NEWSDAY (NY). I’m looking for experts who can tell me whether a company’s image, as represented by its office design, can have an impact on its success. Does the way an office looks matter? Does it have a psychological effect on clients? Does it have any effect at all? Examples of businesses with unusual offices in the New York metropolitan area, particularly Queens, would also be appreciated. No phone calls, please. Need leads by August 1.

DORM ROOM MAKEOVERS – ORLANDO SENTINEL (FL). For an article in the At Home section about dorm room makeovers, I’m looking for great storage and space-saving ideas, hot products, design and space-planning advice for small spaces, etc. Photos would be a plus. Please send press kits and images via snail mail. No phone calls, please. Need leads by August 1.

ESTATE PLANNING – PHYSICIAN’S MONEY DIGEST. I’m looking for individuals who can talk about estate planning — impact of the new tax act of 2001, how to tell a good estate planning strategy from a poor one, how to find professionals who can help develop a good strategy, how to get a good second opinion, trusts, and insurance policies. No phone calls, please. Need leads by noon EDT Friday, August 3.

WHEN FINANCIAL PROFESSIONALS COME TO YOUR DOOR – THE REGISTER (IA). For an article about fiduciary responsibilities, I’m looking for experts who can tell me what consumers need to know when people, e.g., realtors, mutual fund managers, insurance salesmen, representatives of banks, etc., come to their doors. The Register is a daily in Des Moines, Iowa. Need leads by 5 p.m. CDT Wednesday, August 1.

BUYING INSURANCE OVER THE INTERNET – BARRON’S. For a feature about the pros and cons of buying insurance over the Internet, I’m trying to figure out whether people actually save money buying insurance on the Web. I’m looking for personal anecdotes — good and bad. Barron’s is a financial weekly. Need leads by Friday, July 27.

COUPLES WHO DISLIKED EACH OTHER AT FIRST – MARIE CLAIRE. For a piece entitled “Hate at First Sight,” I’m looking for couples in their mid-20s to early 40s — married, engaged or long-time boyfriend and girlfriend — who did not like each other when they first met. No phone calls, please. Need leads by August 13.

SPIRITUALITY IN DAILY LIFE AND DEEPAK CHOPRA – PBS. For “Great Leaders,” a forthcoming series that is being produced by MyPrimeTime, Inc., I’m looking for experts who can talk about the integration of spirituality into daily life — particularly those who can offer pertinent comments on Deepak Chopra and his philosophies. San Francisco Bay-area sources are preferred. No phone calls, please. Need leads by Tuesday, July 17.

TEACHING KIDS TO PERSEVERE – CHRISTIAN HOME & SCHOOL. I’m looking for a Christian parenting author or expert who can discuss how parents can teach their children to persevere through adversity. Christian Home & School Magazine is a bimonthly parenting publication. No phone calls, please. Need leads by 5 p.m. EDT tomorrow, July 31.

FOOD PURCHASERS’ SUPPLIER WISH LISTS – NATION’S RESTAURANT NEWS. For an article intended to give manufacturers ideas regarding what they could do to make their clients happier, I’m looking for people involved with purchasing food for restaurants, restaurant chains and other food service companies who can tell me what they wish their food suppliers would do for them that they don’t do now. Specific suppliers’ names will not be mentioned. Nation’s Restaurant News is a weekly trade paper serving the entire food service industry. No phone calls, please. Need leads by 9 a.m. EDT Wednesday, July 11.

GETTING SERVERS TO SELL DESSERTS – PASTRY ARTS & DESIGN. For an article about training restaurant servers to promote dessert sales, I’d like to speak with owners or managers who make a point of training and encouraging their servers to sell desserts — as part of initial training, ongoing programs, incentives or contests. Pastry Arts & Design is a 10-times-a-year publication for baking professionals and consumers. No phone calls, please. Need leads by July 20.

PREPARING SALES TEAMS FOR AN ECONOMIC REBOUND – S&MM MAGAZINE. For an article in Sales & Marketing Management, I’m looking for sales managers who can discuss how to prepare sales teams should there be an increase in either sales or customer interest in products or services if the economy rebounds by the end of this year or early next. Need leads by 5 p.m. EDT tomorrow, July 25.

SUCCESSFUL SALES PROFESSIONALS – SELLING. For the monthly Selling All-Star column, I’m looking for profile candidates — successful sales reps or sales managers — who can discuss how they got into selling, what their favorite parts of their jobs are, what their least favorite parts are, etc. Selling is a monthly newsletter for sales professionals. No phone calls, please. Need leads by August 8.

ANCIENT HEROES OF DIFFERENT CULTURES – U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT. For an article about heroes throughout the ages, I’m looking for historians who can identify and talk about ancient Chinese heroes in myths and literature, Native American heroes and ancient Egyptian heroes. What do their adventures reveal about their societies? No phone calls, please. Need leads by tomorrow, July 25.

RELIGION: ORAL TRADITIONS AND STORYTELLING – SCIENCE & SPIRIT. For an article about a technologically-advanced rocking chair developed at MIT to encourage storytelling, I’m looking for religious scholars, anthropologists and other qualified experts who can talk about the importance of oral tradition and storytelling, including how passing down stories generationally is present in all major religious traditions. I’m also looking for ideas on other ways rocking chair technology has been developed to help the human spirit. Science & Spirit is a bimonthly consumer magazine that explores how science and religion work together. No phone calls, please. Need North American and European leads by July 30.

EXECUTIVE SAFETY – LOUISVILLE COURIER-JOURNAL (KY). I’m looking for experts who can talk about trends in the growing field of executive safety — from hostile employees to international terrorism. What do executive safety firms offer? Why is this becoming such a hot field? Is it all just a bit alarmist? No phone calls, please. Need leads by 3 p.m. CDT Wednesday, July 25.

SEXUAL ISSUES OF AGING AMERICANS – PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER. I’m looking for gerontologists who can talk about the sexual issues of our aging population. No phone calls, please. Need leads today, July 13.

MARKETING TO DIFFERENT AFFLUENT AGE GROUPS – AMERICAN DEMOGRAPHICS. I’m looking for sources who can discuss how to market to the affluent of different age groups. For example, is it different marketing to people of means who are in their 20s versus those in their 50s? American Demographics is a monthly marketing magazine that covers consumer trends. No phone calls, please. Need leads by Monday, July 16.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GEN Y AND OTHER GENERATIONS – NEWS & OBSERVER (NC). For an article about the Generation Y culture and how marketing is suited to their demands, I’m looking for someone who gauges the social differences between Gen Y, Gen X and other generations. How has getting what they want shaped their expectations of life? The News & Observer is a daily in Raleigh, N.C. Need leads by noon EDT tomorrow, August 1.

VALUE OF ADOLESCENTS IN TODAY’S SOCIETY – SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. For a series about adolescence, I’m looking for experts who can tell me how much adolescents are valued by society today. Are they valued less than in the past, or is there just a long-held distrust of youth? Are adults escaping their own pressures by forcing kids to grow up faster than they should? No phone calls, please. Need leads by August 15.

CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING TODAY – TRAINING MAGAZINE. I’m looking for sources who can discuss how training professionals and their companies are trying to keep up with ever-rising consumer demands and expectations regarding service. The reality is that many companies talk a good game but don’t deliver. At companies where it’s working, how and why are training professionals helping keep up with this inexorable spiraling of consumer demands and expectations in regard to service? What types of programs are most or least effective, and why? Can any sort of preparation adequately prepare reps for the myriad of situations they face on the phone, in person and otherwise? Specifically, I’m looking for examples of successful companies and insights into making customer service in this day and age truly work. Training is a monthly magazine for HR and training executives and managers. Need leads by 6 p.m. EDT tomorrow, July 18.

CREATIVITY IN CORPORATE WORKPLACES – TRAINING MAGAZINE. I’m looking for VP- and senior executive-level training managers who can provide insight into how corporate culture influences creativity, including concrete examples as to what training professionals can do to bring about more creatively-oriented cultures within their organizations. In particular, how can you design a workplace for consistency of product and service as well as maximum creativity? Training is a monthly magazine geared toward specialists in the management of training programs for business, industry, government and education. No phone calls, please. Need leads by July 24.

KEEPING WORK FROM CONSUMING YOU – DES MOINES BUSINESS RECORD (IA). For an article pegged to the incidence of a CEO who was so frazzled by her hectic work schedule that she forgot her 7-month-old baby in the back of her van, I’m looking for sources who can discuss how to keep work from occupying too much of our time and minds. Need leads by tomorrow, July 25.

BEHAVIOR: EFFECTS OF JOB STRESSES ON EXECUTIVES – LA OPINION. I’m looking for experts who can discuss how working long hours, poor earnings reports, bankruptcies, etc., are putting many executives at the breaking point. La Opinion is a national Hispanic daily. Need leads by Friday, July 27.

CREATING AND MANAGING BRANDS ON SMALL BUDGETS – FLORAL MANAGEMENT. I’m looking for sources who can discuss how small retail shops can create and manage their brands without big marketing budgets. Floral Management is an association magazine for retail florists. No phone calls, please. Need leads by August 20.