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!