Posts Tagged ‘PR’

There are a number of well known tactics in public relations and marketing that allow you to gain attention and set your business apart.

You’re the winner!

One of the most beloved of all time is the contest. Some contests are sweepstakes where a winner is selected at random after you “enter” a pool of qualified customers. The most famous of these is Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes. Others are simple fishbowl lotteries of all entrants, such as the drawing of a business card at your local business networking group meeting. Still others are contests where entrants must comply with a set of rules. The most famous one of these that comes to mind is the Pillsbury Bake Off.

Marketing contests for small businesses

While these examples are associated with large corporations, there are many ways small businesses can implement these same concepts.

Charleston Magazine's Get Cooking Charleston contest requires entrants to use ingredients from Charleston

In Charleston for example, our local magazine just announced their Get Cooking Charleston! competition, a recipe contest and cook-off. The qualifications require all entrants to use ingredients that are either historically or geographically tied to Charleston. One of the sponsors is Piggly Wiggly Carolina whose marketing always makes the connection to Charleston’s culture and way of life. It’s smart of them to sponsor this competition. It supports their brand and positioning in the market. Same for Charleston Magazine.

Contest must be aligned with products & positioning

Your small business can do this too. If you are the maker of a product such as hand painted note cards hold an old fashioned letter writing contest. Perhaps you are a bar, you could hold a competition for the next new menu item or specialty cocktail.

Partnerships extend your reach

When you set up your contest, seek partners who may extend your reach into a new demographic, but perhaps have not yet reached. The classic example is a restaurant who wishes to reach wine aficionados and partners with a local or regional winery. You can share expenses, accomplish a common goal and cross market to each others lists.

Your company’s vendors can be your contest co-sponsors and larger vendors often have partnership marketing dollars that they can share with your small business. Homebuilders do this with their vendors quite frequently.

Enter rather than sponsor

However, you don’t have to hold the competition, you can enter a competition! The Get Cooking Charleston competition is a wonderful opportunity for businesses in the food and beverage industry segment.  Want to enter? Begin to look for local, regional and national competitions. You can enter them as an individual or as a representative of your business as Charleston entrepreneur Margaret Bjork of Private Eyes Undies did when she entered the “I am Free Enterprise” contest or just as Charleston singer Amanda L. did when she entered the Folger’s jingle contest.

Enter to win

If you enter a contest, enter to win; advice offered by internationally renowned opera singer Shirley Verrett during an opera master class. She said, “Don’t just try, bring your very best! Believe you’ll win and do everything you can to be the winner.” Do your business and your self proud.

And remember the advice of Thomas Jefferson:  “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.”

Over this last year, we’ve seen the explosion of social media onto the “big screen” of businesses. Many have scrambled to create Facebook pages and put their customer service online while hearing constantly of the death of print media. Lots of businesses have pulled their traditional advertising to the point where many print media have folded, shrunk or downsized. We seen the complete acceptance of wireless / mobile devices and understand that there is no message downtime.

As the dust settles on this year we see the frantic scramble to get into social media normalizing. More businesses understand the new conversation channels or are at least trying to incorporate them in their mix. We understand that television and print media while changing will not go away. We understand that there is a conversation and that the customer truly owns the brand.

What do you see in your crystal ball for 2010?

We recognize that the U.S. is composed of a diverse population, with 38% of us being over 44 years of age; 37.4% of us being 18-44 years of age and the remainder under 17 years of age.

As marketing and business communications professionals, this means we comprehend each audience segment has preferred information channels. As we promote our services and products, we understand that a 21 year old will get their news from Google reader and that at 58 year old from most probably from either TV or print media. That there are some of us who, while in the older segments, use new technology, embracing mobile media as much as the younger generations. We also understand that not only younger generations care about social responsibility; that social responsibility is a required part of being in business. That when it comes to media relations, the media are just as stressed as other business segments and are trying to do as much with fewer resources. That our job is to work in tandem with them by supplying truly interesting information and sources to help them do their jobs.

2010 promises to be rich with opportunity for small businesses to act like big corporations when it comes to reaching customers through all the channels with a straight to consumer approach that is more about what the customer wants in their lives.

In summary:

• Marketing Communications
  • More segmentation of message—We’ll use Twitter, Facebook, the local newspaper as well as television, and increasingly, mobile technology.
  • Social media acceptance as one of the major message delivery vehicles
  • Social responsibility as a requirement of doing business
  • Blurring of the difference between advertising and public relations
• For PR
  • Video pitching
  • Social media acceptance as one of the major message delivery vehicles to media contacts and the consumer
  • Increasing message delivery direct to the consumer
  • We’ll turn more to multi media releases, using the power of video sharing, and pod casts to enrich press releases
  • Public relations professionals as major advisors for not only publicity but for advertising and marketing messages.

Share your prognostications with us. We look forward to learning from everyone how they see the new year shaping up for them.

As a public relations consultant, clients have asked us to make sure that a reporter gives us in advance all the questions they’ll ask during an interview, or to preview the reporter’s story in advance, or to edit the journalist’s  story.

Listen to your PR pro.

We often find ourselves having to help clients comprehend that just because you are in business, doing what you are supposed to do in your specialty, and are successful at it; there is no reason to write about your company. Except, if you are using ground-breaking new technology that advances the industry, or is dramatically more profitable, or has landed Oprah as a client…and then you probably should not be talking about your clients.

This article from Susan Young makes the point that unrealisstic expectations from public relations firms’ clients often cause issues.

When you hire a PR pro, you have done so because you recognize that you either can’t or don’t wish to manage your company’s public relations program. If your PR counsel tells you that you need to be doing something newsworthy, listen to them. That’s why you are paying the PR firm.

Planning–or at least they should. Because my son is getting married in a week, my mind’s been on all the aspects of planning the rehearsal dinner, what I’ll wear, what my husband will wear, how and when we’ll travel to the wedding, and where we’ll stay. I’ve been working on this for a long time as have the bride and her family, as well as the groom. We’re so excited about this event and what it means for all of us.

I’ve heard of an old saying that is abbreviated PPPPPPP. Boy is it true.

Your company’s public relations/special events should be planned just as a bride plans her wedding. You should think carefully before making the commitment to undertake a PR program and then you should plan diligently. And, just like a bride, you should use lots of check lists.

Everyone looks forward to the Big Day. If you are opening a new branch, store, adding a new product line, promoting or laying off staff, you need to be prepared.

Think of what message you want to communicate and why, who cares and why, what will they want to know, will they need to be invited to an event and if they are invited, do you include them on every party of only the main event.

Don’t leave anything to chance. Think each and every item through and prepare ahead so that you won’t have to react, but instead can act. And on the day your big news breaks, you will be prepared.

**Photo credit: William P. Smithem; Bride on her wedding day at the Francis Beidler Swamp in Dorchester County. Thanks, Bill. For more of Bill’s website designs.

It happens all the time. A client seeks and retains a marketing and PR firm for their counsel and implementation of plans.

The professional researches the market, analyzes the situation and drafts a plan with a unique selling proposition and positioning. The client reviews the plan and determines that only one of fifteen items is important to them; however, the fifteen items are all interdependent and support the client’s stated goal. The PR / marketing professional reformats the plan, frequently offering guidance that as reformulated the results may not meet the client’s goals. The professional ultimately implements the items that the client authorizes and then results aren’t what the client seeks.

Whose fault is this? The client’s or the professional’s?

When a client pays their hard earned dollars for PR and marketing advice, and then ignores what they’ve paid for and won’t undertake the campaign the way it is presented we should reformulate. The client must understand that reformulating the plan costs time and money…and many clients don’t feel they have additional amounts of either to sustain a second round of planning.

Not every client has all the resources to undertake everything we plan. We create plans that meet a client’s stated goals and resources. However, it is exasperating when we spend our time, wisdom, experience, energy and knowledge writing a plan that is ignored.

So, going into the planning process the client must be absolutely frank about what they can afford, sustain, and ultimately what budget resources they have to focus on their goal.

If you are a business who would like to retain a marketing and PR firm, analyze what and why you want to work with a firm. Understand what resources (money, personnel) you have and then be forthright with your prospective firm. Understand that when you tell your prospective counsel what you need, want and can pay for and then reject sound advice you have just wasted your money.

As professionals we must make sure we comprehend what a client is asking of us. Often we’d love to give them an “all in” project where every initiative we can think of is included, but if the client didn’t ask us for that we’re wasting our time and their money.

A successful marketing and PR initiative is one that is carefully crafted to be of use, return results and fit the budget. If the budget isn’t adequate to gain the desired results, let the client know that you can’t assist them. It’s hard to say, “No, thank you.” but sometimes it is worth it.

Many people fall into the trap of believing that PR is only about gaining earned media placement for a company’s products or news events.

There is another side of publicity and that is using the information about your leaders and staff to humanize and set your company apart.

As an example, a local video production company has a photographer who is interested in documenting a small social business which is taking medical supplies to Ghana. Sharing information about the photographer’s search for funding and the skills that he will use to document the project can support the cause and expand the image of the company in the minds of consumers.

I’m not suggesting that you exploit your staff, but that you seek opportunities to offer information that really opens up what people think of your business. If your CEO is a singer who performs at the local coffee house on open mic nights, use the angle of how a CEO with a variety of interests makes a better leader.

Gaining earned media is more than just telling us that you’ve just hired a new Director of Marketing. Seek out the interesting information about your staff and share it with the media. We are all more than just our titles and functions. We are the people who make up the company, not the human resources. So, share the interesting information about those who are the life of the company.

photo courtesy of lorri37 on flickr creative commons

What does spring have to teach us about public relations and earned media?

It’s simple. Spring is new, green and fresh. The same should be true of the information you share with media outlets.

Journalists want fresh information. They want news (you know, it’s called that for a reason.) And given the challenges to our environment and planet, today on Earth Day, we know that journalists now and in the coming months, want news of what your company is doing that is green.

Gather and share with the media the things your company is doing which preserve resources. Share information about new products or awards.

You can make news by emulating spring, new, green and fresh.

Happy Earth Day!

photo courtesy of somegeekintn‘s photo stream on flickr creative commons

While putting on make-up, I reflected on the Maybelline mascara tube in my hand, “this is a really good mascara. It has a smooth consistency and goes on in nice even coats.” Two years ago I purchased my first tube after reading about it in a woman’s publication while cycling at the gym. I, like most consumers, trust more what third parties say about products and services. People weight what we call earned media more highly than advertising.

In a report out studying how brand value is supported by earned media, we learn that certain product segments gain substantially from earned media. Particularly striking is the finding that product purchases that depend on research before purchase receive higher value from earned media.

“Findings from the study reveal that that industries that sell high involvement products – where a buyer invests time and effort in deciding what to buy – have much higher correlations between media prominence and brand value than industries selling low involvement products, which are more likely to be bought on impulse.”

As a small business owner, if you sell products that require consumer evaluation prior to purchase (appliances, HVAC systems, automobiles, wedding planning to name a few) you can advance your business over your competitors’ business by embracing a public relations plan that puts emphasis on gaining earned media. And by the way, that no longer is limited solely only print media, but also includes electronic media, the Internet and social media.

Electronic media have a half life that is probably equivalent to that of radioactive elements. Just ask those whose businesses have been dissed or dumped in cyberspace. OR ask their competitors whose products have been featured in editorial space. What shows up when you Google your company? Stories from bloggers in your area? Newspaper articles helping readers learn how to plan their wedding? Who is being quoted or cited as an expert? It it’s not your company, it’s probably your competitor. You can impact what consumers learn about your company and its products.

How did they get there? They budgeted, developed and implemented a strategically designed publicity/media relations plan. Many have the time to do it themselves, others use PR pros. Either way requires time and money. It should be part of your regular marketing expense plan.

Don’t wait until you have a negative situation to implement a media relations plan that involves developing relationships with key media voices for your audience.

Research which sources carry the most weight and develop relationships with the right people behind the blog or by-line. Share news and information that would be of interest to the audience for each media source. Learn what stories are in the works or forthcoming. Set your company apart or your CEO apart as the expert in their field.

Provide the information in the most usable way. Stay on top of consumer trends and social change. Think of what is important to the consumer and provide information from your company to key media contacts that helps solve a consumer’s problem or issue. That will gain earned media and increase the value of your brand.

Also, don’t overlook the power of positive WOM (word of mouth.) It’s always been one of the primary deciding factors in all product purchases. In a small market like ours, WOM is more critical than earned media for services (doctor, lawyer, Realtor, financial advisor.) We trust who our friends say we can trust.

WOM has gone cyber too with the prevalence of sites like Angie’s List and The Little Black Book. Wal-Mart and Target provide online product critiques from consumers. You can buy a bed and rate it. Buy a sofa and rate it.

Provide a vehicle for and include consumer comments in your website so your customers can share their candid reviews of products and services.

The most up to date sites are built using content management systems. Small businesses can use the power of WordPress to build sites. WordPress comes with all the tools to allow comments, ratings, subscriptions to comments that a small business needs.

Worried about negative reviews and comments? Show them and turn them around with proactive monitoring and interaction in the comments. Post what you did to turn the negative into a positive. Transparency wins.

And so does your business with the power of earned media and WOM. Budget for it. Plan for it. Do it.

Within the last several days I’ve noted a number of new followers on Twitter (@cheryl_smithem) as well as many more #CHS (that’s twitter for Charleston, SC) followers.

I think we’re on a roll in Charleston with WCBD TV2 getting all their on camera and production/executive staff on Twitter. Jared Smith wrote a warm welcome tutorial for them and for all of us who’d like to learn more about the major tools on Twitter.

And with the Charleston Metro Chamber hosting a Web 2.0 seminar for their members, sleepy Charleston is cresting into the new age.

Many here are already tweeting away and you can find out what’s the latest to cheep about by searching Twitter using #CHS.

Even though my 22 year old son does not get Twitter, many journalists do. You can find who at Business Week is using Twitter and many other major publications such as the New York Times.

In order to share your news with these publications, follow first, learn their personalities and then when appropriate you can possibly even tweet a story idea. However, make sure to develop a relationship with all you follow and add to the conversation. On Twitter it gets pretty boring when all you do is promote your company and products. Try to befriend and assist. Share resources. Be transparent about who you are. But remember the twitterverse is live and what you tweet lives on.

Be sure to follow me @cheryl_smithem

Photo courtesy of flickr’s Creative Commons and nagillum

A solid post today from Mark Hannah about transparency finds me thinking about the pubic persona of the PR profession.

Many believe we are like PC’s PR flack

…flailing away and spinning things. However, most of us have moved on. Starting with the Tylenol poisonings of years ago, through to recent corporate scandals, we know that right is on the side of the clear.

Hannah is correct. His conclusion is on target; a new standard will emerge.

Before long, it won’t simply be the case that you shouldn’t simply write or say anything you wouldn’t want discovered in the New York Times or online. Instead, in an effort to attain the kind of transparency that is obligatory in a new era of citizen journalism, a new standard will emerge whereby organizations will be compelled not to do anything they wouldn’t want discovered. The organizations that will be truly successful in this environment are those that have integrated transparency as part of their organizational culture and not just their communications strategy.

The power is in owning the story, the facts and stating them truthfully, quickly, clearly and with consideration of all parties.