The good news.... Public Relations efforts are great for business.
The bad news.... Public Relations efforts will not put Benjamin's in your pocket.
If you're looking for your Publicist or PR company to give you some tangible means of measuring their success.... or failures, you'll be waiting a long time. If they tell you they can do this for you.... run, run as fast as you can in the opposite direction. My job does not exist to make you money! I exist to build you a reason why people should spend money with you.
I'm here to build, maintain and manage your reputation. If you think you can do this alone, by all means.... that is your decision. It can be done but it isn't going to be easy. Public relations efforts are time consuming. Strategy isn't as easy as writing a check to pay your employees or signing for a package. Writing press releases that are compelling and announce more than "I exist, I exist... come talk to me!!!" is not a ten minute project. Building a press contact list and keeping up with those who come and go in newsrooms is not a lunch hour task.... These things take time... and for you, time is money.
There is no "Return On Investment" in public relations. The return you get needs to be measured with a whole different yard stick. It can't be measured in the number of articles written about you... or who you landed a radio interview with. It can't even be measured with a LIVE TV truck outside your business. If any of those things happen.... that is the sweet spot., the icing! If you want to measure how well or, maybe not so well, your publicist or PR firm is managing you and your business.... Ask yourself these questions.
A. Exposure - Has your publicist created exposure of any kind for you? This can be in the form of a simple press release to a media outlet, regardless if they do anything on you. You will never know when an editor or assignment editor will call you, maybe months later because they need you as an expert.
B. Opinion Shift - Has your publicist changed the perspective of how people see you? A good publicity professional will create a great message about you... one that will shift your audience's idea about what you do and how you do it. For example, I'm working with a health care company right now. They are holding town hall events all over the country and need media attention. Well, as I told their Senior Marketing Director, if you tell the media that they should come to the event because they are a great company and there will be food and a great mariachi band, you can guarantee you'll be thrown in the trash before even making it to a newsroom meeting. News people despise being "sold." I have decided to alert the media about the events... but coupling that with experts and real people who can speak about issues that seniors, in that area, are concerned about. The "shift" is taking a dominate Health Care company... and positioning them as experts that truly CARE about their members and the population they serve.
C. Call to action - Has your publicist created a message that has a call to action? Does the message motivate people to do something? I'm working with a client that is raffling off a custom home (500k) to benefit charity. The idea is to get people to buy $100-dollar raffle tickets. My first order of business is to get the raffle itself "exposure".... from there.... I am creating story angles with the charities to get people motivated to purchase tickets.
Use some of these tools to measure your publicist or PR firm and how well they are doing the job for you. Don't be angry if you're not seeing your business in lights every month.... that's not how media attention works. Unless you pay out the nose for it. Don't be discouraged if you're not getting a TV appearance every 6-weeks! Creating awareness with meaningful messages... and creating a call to action is far more valuable to you. If you want a more direct return.... dig deep in your pocket... and call your closest TV station or advertsing firm. They will be Happy to take your money.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Risk and Reward
It recently came to my attention that the information I pass along here is actually being of use to some of my loyal readers. Trouble is…. I have very few.
So… I’m asking all of you who do find these blogs helpful, inspiring or just plain useless…. please take a risk… and pimp my blog out!
Blogging is a fantastic way to reach out across multiple industries, on multiple platforms and build bridges. I consider myself a major bridge builder…. Sometimes I do this for people…. sometimes I do this for my clients…. it’s really what I thrive on. The connection.
If you really want to build your brand… blogging is a great way to do it! This allows your potential clients a chance to establsih a “relationship” with you. A blog should be very professional, but by no means stiff…. ridged…. or come off to uptight. Blogging is a chance to speak plainly to your readers…. show them that not only are you bsuiness savvy, you’re human, reachable and touchable!
Blogging for business is a great tool…. it’s a trust building marketing tool that can give your business some unique publicity. Customers, clients and potential B2B entities can use this tool to find out what your brand is…. how you opperate… those potentials can connect with your current blog readers and clients…. who can be your “testamonial” of good business folk!
Take a risk and start a business blog…. and while you’re at it, talk about and post about my blogs! The REWARD will be well worth it….. afterall…. it’s all in who you know and what I can help you accomplish in this crazy world!
So… I’m asking all of you who do find these blogs helpful, inspiring or just plain useless…. please take a risk… and pimp my blog out!
Blogging is a fantastic way to reach out across multiple industries, on multiple platforms and build bridges. I consider myself a major bridge builder…. Sometimes I do this for people…. sometimes I do this for my clients…. it’s really what I thrive on. The connection.
If you really want to build your brand… blogging is a great way to do it! This allows your potential clients a chance to establsih a “relationship” with you. A blog should be very professional, but by no means stiff…. ridged…. or come off to uptight. Blogging is a chance to speak plainly to your readers…. show them that not only are you bsuiness savvy, you’re human, reachable and touchable!
Blogging for business is a great tool…. it’s a trust building marketing tool that can give your business some unique publicity. Customers, clients and potential B2B entities can use this tool to find out what your brand is…. how you opperate… those potentials can connect with your current blog readers and clients…. who can be your “testamonial” of good business folk!
Take a risk and start a business blog…. and while you’re at it, talk about and post about my blogs! The REWARD will be well worth it….. afterall…. it’s all in who you know and what I can help you accomplish in this crazy world!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
WildFire
As a publicist…. one of the toughest parts of my job is creating wildfire for my clients. I’m challenged each day to find information that is compelling so there is no way the heat can fizzle out.
And, it’s never ending…… becuase just as you tell your first story to a member of the media… they are moving right along to the next best thing.
So…. a lesson in publicity pyro-101…
1. Do you have a publicity calendar? This calendar should reflect potential press release dates…. personal media outreach to solidify media relationships…. events your business or organization might be doing that might be interesting to media professionals…. etc.
2. Are you doing your homework? What is making news in your industry? Some of my best advice for gaining local media attention is finding the “national” angle…. if you can take a national story that pertains to your business or organization and make it local…. you will be 5 steps ahead of your competitor or competing stories!
3. Get human! If you’re the owner of a small business, then chances are you are an expert in your field, right? Media pros love experts, but they love “real” people more! So…. when pitching your story to a journalist…. be sure to include the “human factor.” A real life person that has had success because of your business…. or can speak to why the public should pay attention to what you’re doing!
4. You might know your audience, and that is very important…. but it’s even more important to know your media outlet’s audience. Why?…. Well, if you pitch a story to, let’s say a TV station… whose demographic is mothers who live on the northside of town between the ages of 35 and 45…. and you pitch them a story about anti-auto theft devices…. yeah, they aren’t going tol take your story! Now…. If you can think outside the box and and turn that story into a something like why mothers of small children should be concerned about leaving their children in cars with anti auto theft devices…. you might get some media attention!
Combine these tactics to bring out your firestorm of a story…. Plan your pitches and allow the media enough time to react to them. Make sure you think national so you can get super local…. Bring out what is human about your business or organization… and make sure you “get” who is watching, listening and reading your media outlets messages! Know thier target audience… and carve your stories out for that audience….
That is how you create publicity wildfire!
Go be brilliant!
Or…. I can help you get to brilliant! Contact me at pur.publicity@gmail.com
And, it’s never ending…… becuase just as you tell your first story to a member of the media… they are moving right along to the next best thing.
So…. a lesson in publicity pyro-101…
1. Do you have a publicity calendar? This calendar should reflect potential press release dates…. personal media outreach to solidify media relationships…. events your business or organization might be doing that might be interesting to media professionals…. etc.
2. Are you doing your homework? What is making news in your industry? Some of my best advice for gaining local media attention is finding the “national” angle…. if you can take a national story that pertains to your business or organization and make it local…. you will be 5 steps ahead of your competitor or competing stories!
3. Get human! If you’re the owner of a small business, then chances are you are an expert in your field, right? Media pros love experts, but they love “real” people more! So…. when pitching your story to a journalist…. be sure to include the “human factor.” A real life person that has had success because of your business…. or can speak to why the public should pay attention to what you’re doing!
4. You might know your audience, and that is very important…. but it’s even more important to know your media outlet’s audience. Why?…. Well, if you pitch a story to, let’s say a TV station… whose demographic is mothers who live on the northside of town between the ages of 35 and 45…. and you pitch them a story about anti-auto theft devices…. yeah, they aren’t going tol take your story! Now…. If you can think outside the box and and turn that story into a something like why mothers of small children should be concerned about leaving their children in cars with anti auto theft devices…. you might get some media attention!
Combine these tactics to bring out your firestorm of a story…. Plan your pitches and allow the media enough time to react to them. Make sure you think national so you can get super local…. Bring out what is human about your business or organization… and make sure you “get” who is watching, listening and reading your media outlets messages! Know thier target audience… and carve your stories out for that audience….
That is how you create publicity wildfire!
Go be brilliant!
Or…. I can help you get to brilliant! Contact me at pur.publicity@gmail.com
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Social Worth
What is your social worth?
"Jenee', what are you talking about.... you're speaking publicity jargon!" Yes, and I am not a big fan of jargon in any business environment.... but we may as well get familiar with it because it's not going anywhere.
Social worth... is "my" term. If it already exists.... I doubt it has the same definition as I have given it. In oreder to gain exposure / publicity you need to determine your social worth.
Social worth is finding the most "generic " part of you or your business that appeals to the masses. This will give you a platform of why the public should care about your product or service. In turn, this is where you start in getting media attention.
For instance, Pur Publicity's social worth is my ability to work in multiple industries with diverase industries. I'm not industry specific.... I don't have to discriminate agaisnt any one business industry. Pur appeals to the masses of businesses out there, because I can find what makes you media interesting.
Determining your social worth will allow you to build a publicity platform for yourself. If you are an author.... perhapes it the story in how you came to be a writer. If you own a construction company, maybe it's your inovative building techniques that brings customers back over and over. If you are a charitable organization..... maybe it's your "clients" that are able to tell your story better than you can.
Identifying your social worth will also allow you to network better as a business. When you have social worth, you have more knowledge in what you need to build your business. You can better determine your "audience"... which is very important when try to figure out where your "puiblicity" should live.
We will tackle "determining your audience" in a future post. In the meantime.... calculate your social worth so you have "something " to tell the media about. You can't just tell the media you exsist.... they need more to feature you.
If you need help determining your social worth.... I can help you! Contact Pur Publicity: pur.publicity@gmail.com
"Jenee', what are you talking about.... you're speaking publicity jargon!" Yes, and I am not a big fan of jargon in any business environment.... but we may as well get familiar with it because it's not going anywhere.
Social worth... is "my" term. If it already exists.... I doubt it has the same definition as I have given it. In oreder to gain exposure / publicity you need to determine your social worth.
Social worth is finding the most "generic " part of you or your business that appeals to the masses. This will give you a platform of why the public should care about your product or service. In turn, this is where you start in getting media attention.
For instance, Pur Publicity's social worth is my ability to work in multiple industries with diverase industries. I'm not industry specific.... I don't have to discriminate agaisnt any one business industry. Pur appeals to the masses of businesses out there, because I can find what makes you media interesting.
Determining your social worth will allow you to build a publicity platform for yourself. If you are an author.... perhapes it the story in how you came to be a writer. If you own a construction company, maybe it's your inovative building techniques that brings customers back over and over. If you are a charitable organization..... maybe it's your "clients" that are able to tell your story better than you can.
Identifying your social worth will also allow you to network better as a business. When you have social worth, you have more knowledge in what you need to build your business. You can better determine your "audience"... which is very important when try to figure out where your "puiblicity" should live.
We will tackle "determining your audience" in a future post. In the meantime.... calculate your social worth so you have "something " to tell the media about. You can't just tell the media you exsist.... they need more to feature you.
If you need help determining your social worth.... I can help you! Contact Pur Publicity: pur.publicity@gmail.com
Monday, July 13, 2009
Get Strategy!
Are you changing up your publicity strategy?
Publicity is no different than technology in many ways… it’s ever changing as quickly as the newest gadget does! Fail to change up your publicity platform… and you will surely miss out on endless opportunities.
What ever your business…. construction, the arts, an author or a health care company… it’s time to get creative and come up with your own publicity “gadget.” This is not to be confused with a “stunt”…. stunts are short lived and have little lasting impact. My best suggestion is to take a look at what makes you or your business interesting. Not interesting to you, your mother or your employees. What makes you interesting to the woman standing in front of you in line at the grocery store! Why should she care about you or your business? If you can answer that question…. free publicity will forever follow you.
I met with a great Indianapolis based author today and we talked about how political the book business has become. It’s not enough these days to be a fantastic writer…. it’s not enough to have an awesome story to tell. When John Grisham’s name takes precedent over the title of the book…. you know you’re buying the author, not the story! Don’t get me wrong…. it “should” be about the literature! But… if you can get the public to fall in love with “you” at some point, it will be about the literature…. and you will have loyal readers for a lifetime!
If you want to be noticed…. and aren’t getting the attention you think you should be…. change your strategy. Stop announcing the obvious. ” I’m a watermelon farmer…. and I sell watermelons… don’t you want to buy my watermelons?” If you change the way you “see” your business…. I promise… the public will also see you differently. ” I’m a watermelon farmer…. I farm my melons in the off season…. in a greenhouse, with a hydroponic dehydration system. Don’t you want to taste the difference?” Now, that is a watermelon I believe I should buy!
Tips to help you identify what makes you “interesting.”
1. Your history…. ie…. How did you become a watermelon farmer?
2. Your method… ie…. hydroponic farming, enough said!
3. Your accolades…. ie…. Lance Armstrong loves our melons!
4. Your truth….. ie….. I didn’t know what else to do with my life, so I chose watermelons! Ridiculous, sometimes the truth will get you what you want!
5. Your mission…. ie…. I have a bet going with our staff…. I think we can sell 18 tons of watermelon this season….. they think I’m nuts!
I know…. some of the examples are comedic in nature, but keep in mind what is in the newspaper everyday…. what are you seeing on the news every night. The world could use a little humor… and who knows, you may have just the business or commodity that supports that concept. If not…. take on a “sentimental” strategy…. or, a “useful” strategy.
A strategy exists for you…. go out a get one!
Publicity is no different than technology in many ways… it’s ever changing as quickly as the newest gadget does! Fail to change up your publicity platform… and you will surely miss out on endless opportunities.
What ever your business…. construction, the arts, an author or a health care company… it’s time to get creative and come up with your own publicity “gadget.” This is not to be confused with a “stunt”…. stunts are short lived and have little lasting impact. My best suggestion is to take a look at what makes you or your business interesting. Not interesting to you, your mother or your employees. What makes you interesting to the woman standing in front of you in line at the grocery store! Why should she care about you or your business? If you can answer that question…. free publicity will forever follow you.
I met with a great Indianapolis based author today and we talked about how political the book business has become. It’s not enough these days to be a fantastic writer…. it’s not enough to have an awesome story to tell. When John Grisham’s name takes precedent over the title of the book…. you know you’re buying the author, not the story! Don’t get me wrong…. it “should” be about the literature! But… if you can get the public to fall in love with “you” at some point, it will be about the literature…. and you will have loyal readers for a lifetime!
If you want to be noticed…. and aren’t getting the attention you think you should be…. change your strategy. Stop announcing the obvious. ” I’m a watermelon farmer…. and I sell watermelons… don’t you want to buy my watermelons?” If you change the way you “see” your business…. I promise… the public will also see you differently. ” I’m a watermelon farmer…. I farm my melons in the off season…. in a greenhouse, with a hydroponic dehydration system. Don’t you want to taste the difference?” Now, that is a watermelon I believe I should buy!
Tips to help you identify what makes you “interesting.”
1. Your history…. ie…. How did you become a watermelon farmer?
2. Your method… ie…. hydroponic farming, enough said!
3. Your accolades…. ie…. Lance Armstrong loves our melons!
4. Your truth….. ie….. I didn’t know what else to do with my life, so I chose watermelons! Ridiculous, sometimes the truth will get you what you want!
5. Your mission…. ie…. I have a bet going with our staff…. I think we can sell 18 tons of watermelon this season….. they think I’m nuts!
I know…. some of the examples are comedic in nature, but keep in mind what is in the newspaper everyday…. what are you seeing on the news every night. The world could use a little humor… and who knows, you may have just the business or commodity that supports that concept. If not…. take on a “sentimental” strategy…. or, a “useful” strategy.
A strategy exists for you…. go out a get one!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
The Message Question?
As a professional media consultant, publicist and former journalist... I have seen my share of good and not so good messages. Do you have a message? I have found that many businesses and organizations have mistaken their slogans and mission statements for messages.
Slogans are for advertisements.... and mission statements are reminders to your personnel about what they should be doing to ensure they have returning patrons or clients. A business and or organization puts their mission statement out in the public eye to ensure their patrons and clients are getting the service they are promised. It's important not to confuse either for "your message."
So.... what's considered a "message" if yours seems to be taking on the disguise mentioned above? Your message should have value.... it should be genuine and needs to offer clarity.
It's not enough to say you "care" about your customers and that you "put them first" these days. EVERYONE and ANYONE can say this. Why are your clients and patrons unique to you? Why are they different then your closest competitiors clients? You need to put a "value" on your customers.
What makes your business or organization "genuine?" It can't be becuase your honest and fair. Again, Any company can make this claim. For instance, Pur Publicity is "genuine" because I feel an obligation to reveal a compelling story about the people I represent. I stand behind the person(s) I represent not just their business or organization.
Is your message clear?.... And by "clear" I don't mean "obvious." If you own a paper shreding business... I don't need your message to tell me you shred paper. Perhapes instead your paper shreding business is in business to keep its customers most valued information out of the identiy theft trap.
Tweak your message.... Find value, be genuine and offer clarity.
pur.publicity@gmail.com
Find me on Twitter under Pur Publicity!
http://twitter.com/purpublicity
Slogans are for advertisements.... and mission statements are reminders to your personnel about what they should be doing to ensure they have returning patrons or clients. A business and or organization puts their mission statement out in the public eye to ensure their patrons and clients are getting the service they are promised. It's important not to confuse either for "your message."
So.... what's considered a "message" if yours seems to be taking on the disguise mentioned above? Your message should have value.... it should be genuine and needs to offer clarity.
It's not enough to say you "care" about your customers and that you "put them first" these days. EVERYONE and ANYONE can say this. Why are your clients and patrons unique to you? Why are they different then your closest competitiors clients? You need to put a "value" on your customers.
What makes your business or organization "genuine?" It can't be becuase your honest and fair. Again, Any company can make this claim. For instance, Pur Publicity is "genuine" because I feel an obligation to reveal a compelling story about the people I represent. I stand behind the person(s) I represent not just their business or organization.
Is your message clear?.... And by "clear" I don't mean "obvious." If you own a paper shreding business... I don't need your message to tell me you shred paper. Perhapes instead your paper shreding business is in business to keep its customers most valued information out of the identiy theft trap.
Tweak your message.... Find value, be genuine and offer clarity.
pur.publicity@gmail.com
Find me on Twitter under Pur Publicity!
http://twitter.com/purpublicity
Monday, June 22, 2009
The Power of Social Media
I just completed a project with a great guy out of Minneapolis, MN. Terry Daniel, a voice over pro who has had a long career using his voice to engage people.
Terry recently contacted me to work with him, via Facebook.... We were collaborating on a project involving social media and how creative services pros use this medium to grow their businesses. The irony of course is, he and I would have never met if it weren't for Facebook and a mutual friend based in Indianapolis, IN.
Truth be told.... I am using the same methods as he to grow my publicity firm. If you caught a recent TIME magazine cover story, you would have read about Twitter and how it's changing the way we communicate and even do business these days. I plan to use this as my main source of growing Pur Publicity. It's an experiment.... but one I know will pay off, rather than being some kind of "shot in the dark."
Terry says he has picked up over a dozen "clients" .... yes clients.... those who actually write him checks.... just this year alone. That is proof enough for me! Sign me up, slap a big fat publicity label on me.... put me on a plane anywhere... and I'll be your PR gal!
Social media makes the world so very small. Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, You Tube and others like LinkedIn.... are almost a prerequisite to do business in this day and age. You might be surprised to know how many of your co-workers or friends are using these sites to promote themselves, or maybe the small business or band they're starting. I find the whole idea of this sort of networking intriguing.... fascinating.... and flat out addicting!
I have this innate sense of wanting to "connect".... be it with businesses or non-profits... or even a friend of a friend who had a great tip on how to grill fish on the BBQ. I have been using Facebook solely for the past couple months. Now, after doing more research for this latest project.... you are going to see a lot more of me and Pur Publicity on Twitter. I took a huge step today by adding 50 people who I now follow. Funny enough... it spreads like wild-fire.... I now have over a dozen new people following me on Twitter. (yep, just from today)
My best tip in making the leap into the social networking game.... be open. Keep every door open, within reason, because you just don't know who is watching your tweets. You never know if that friend request will turn into dollars in your business account!
Thanks to Terry... I am now exploring a segment of business I never even knew existed!... podcast writing! I've been writing for years and years.... but I never thought of exploring becoming a podcast writer! Social Networking will not only bring business to your inbox.... it will also help you grow your hidden talents! So, be open..... the cyber skies are filled with endless opportunities!
Contact me if you need publicity help! I'm here.... and I care about your message!
Terry recently contacted me to work with him, via Facebook.... We were collaborating on a project involving social media and how creative services pros use this medium to grow their businesses. The irony of course is, he and I would have never met if it weren't for Facebook and a mutual friend based in Indianapolis, IN.
Truth be told.... I am using the same methods as he to grow my publicity firm. If you caught a recent TIME magazine cover story, you would have read about Twitter and how it's changing the way we communicate and even do business these days. I plan to use this as my main source of growing Pur Publicity. It's an experiment.... but one I know will pay off, rather than being some kind of "shot in the dark."
Terry says he has picked up over a dozen "clients" .... yes clients.... those who actually write him checks.... just this year alone. That is proof enough for me! Sign me up, slap a big fat publicity label on me.... put me on a plane anywhere... and I'll be your PR gal!
Social media makes the world so very small. Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, You Tube and others like LinkedIn.... are almost a prerequisite to do business in this day and age. You might be surprised to know how many of your co-workers or friends are using these sites to promote themselves, or maybe the small business or band they're starting. I find the whole idea of this sort of networking intriguing.... fascinating.... and flat out addicting!
I have this innate sense of wanting to "connect".... be it with businesses or non-profits... or even a friend of a friend who had a great tip on how to grill fish on the BBQ. I have been using Facebook solely for the past couple months. Now, after doing more research for this latest project.... you are going to see a lot more of me and Pur Publicity on Twitter. I took a huge step today by adding 50 people who I now follow. Funny enough... it spreads like wild-fire.... I now have over a dozen new people following me on Twitter. (yep, just from today)
My best tip in making the leap into the social networking game.... be open. Keep every door open, within reason, because you just don't know who is watching your tweets. You never know if that friend request will turn into dollars in your business account!
Thanks to Terry... I am now exploring a segment of business I never even knew existed!... podcast writing! I've been writing for years and years.... but I never thought of exploring becoming a podcast writer! Social Networking will not only bring business to your inbox.... it will also help you grow your hidden talents! So, be open..... the cyber skies are filled with endless opportunities!
Contact me if you need publicity help! I'm here.... and I care about your message!
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