Archive for public relations
What’s all the chatter?
Posted by: | CommentsOne of my favorite things about Twitter are the chat groups. On any given night, you can join dozens, or even hundreds, of other Twitterers in a lively discussion about a specific topic. Not only can you learn from others in the field, but you can establish yourself as a leader and expert while gaining new followers.
How does a Twitter chat work? The moderator of the group will post questions for everyone to tweet about during specific time. Everyone who participates in the chat tags their posts with the hashtag name of the group (i.e. #socialmedia). You can search for the group name and read all of the posts associated with the chat. You can even go back and read the transcripts of the chats if you miss it.
Here is a list of some of my favorite chat groups, along with the time they “meet.”
#4change: monthly discussion of using social media for social change (second Thursday of each month from 5-7 p.m. EST)
#blogchat: bettering your blog (every Sunday from 9-10 p.m. EST)
#brandchat: discussion between experts, strategists and those interested in learning more about personal branding and managing their personal brand (every Wednesday from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. EST)
Who is telling your story?
Posted by: | CommentsWhether you realize it or not, you are telling a story about your business in every thing you do. Question is, does that story accurately reflect who you are, what you do and the clients you serve?
Every page on your website, every sales letter, every elevator speech, even every tweet you send – all of these communications tell the world about your values, attitudes and personality. It is up to you to put forth consistent, accurate and positive messages that reinforce your business story.
So, how do you take control of your story and make it one that you can consistently utilize to brand your business and galvanize your message?
First, pull out all of your marketing tools- anything that a client or potential client sees. Print off your website and any other online tools you use to reach your audience. Take a look at what you are saying and answer the following questions.
What are you worth? The cost of branding you.
Posted by: | Comments“The cost of doing business” speaks for itself. You have to put money out to make money; feed the investment so that it grows becoming lucrative and prosperous. A fundamental basic that business leaders process regularly, right? Absolutely!
Why then do many business professionals treat themselves and their own career marketing tools with substandard expectations? As a career strategist and resume writer, pricing of services is one of the top #3 questions asked of clients. Certainly understandable and always welcome!
If you are willing to spend money on high end clothing, hair salon upkeep or high end handbags, perhaps you may want to redistribute where you are investing your hard earned dollars. Are you buying into someone else’s brand or are you taking care of your own?
While most professionals realize the time, complexity and strategic writing that goes into developing a solid and effective marketing tool, there are always a few folks who see their resumes as a typeset piece of paper tracking the basics of their work history asking, “Why does it cost so much”?
Top 5 Reasons Professionally Written Resumes Cost Money
Get over it! (…the fear of being your own boss, that is)
Posted by: | CommentsLately I’ve been experiencing higher than normal anxiety, the fear that maybe it won’t all work out and heavy reliance on emotional support from friends and family. The reason for acting this way, and being totally uncool, is that I have finally decided to follow my dream of being my own boss.
That’s right, after several years of working for others while wishing I was working for myself, I have taken the plunge into the entrepreneurial pool. At times a bit overwhelming (i.e. when creating my logo, designing my website, starting the business plan, etc. ) but at other times it is highly rewarding (i.e. when you sit down with a client and get some highly creative work done).
My business is fairly new but I remain optimistic. The key to staying positive when working for yourself is to plan, plan, plan! So I have some tips for how to stay organized and motivated, and therefore, not to be fearful of having your own business.
1) Plan your day from the night before. Write down all the important things that need to be done and do them one by one. Master the art of “mono-tasking”.
Leadership and a Cup of Tea
Posted by: | Comments
The next six weeks of winter are the challenging ones with the flu, colds, and general challenges for all of us until those first green shoots of spring brighten the day.
A vital question for all of us, and especially women in business who tend to be caretakers and pleasers is “What do you do to renew your spirit?” I’d love to hear responses that can give all of us some new ideas or even underline what we already know. Some I’ve asked say a long soak in a tub at night helps, others are runners and bikers, still others put on hot music, close the door and dance till they fall in a heap on the floor.
The New England Journal of Medicine found that those who engaged in social dancing at least several times a week had a 76 percent lower risk of dementia than those who did not. So, find a partner and get to it!
For me a cup of tea is a powerful stress reliever. A recent study in Britain had groups either drink water or tea and then were measured on stress related tests. Those who had a warm cup of tea were less prone to give in to anxiety than those who merely drank a glass of water.
Finally Get on TV with the Right Pitch
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s 2010 – Stop Procrastinating and Kick Your PR Plans into High Gear this Year
Getting in TV is one of the best ways of generating publicity that increases your brand awareness, your creditability as an expert, get more clients, and increases sales.
Yet, it is not easy if you don’t know how to craft a pitch that is tailored perfectly to meet the needs of the show.
Many business owners make the mistake of drafting the same pitch to various TV shows; however, that’s a no-no because no two TV shows are the same. Each pitch has to be tailored to match what the TV producers are looking for.
Furthermore, a TV pitch letter is very different from a press release. A press release generally announces news or a story that is newsworthy and it is specific toward a field. Press releases are generally sent to print publications such as magazines, newspapers, and online publications.
To draft a pitch that brings results, follow these steps:
Leadership Partnership and Business Possibilities
Posted by: | CommentsClearing out the old to make way for the new is a wonderful practice as we enter a new year. This time, as we graduate into a new decade, the teen years of the century, we have an amazing opportunity to find a better balance and create a different kind of partnership between men and women.
I believe that female leaders in the work world can lead the way in positive and exciting ways. It struck me, and with pride, I acknowledged our successes to date. While we have a rocky road ahead, any transformation worth its weight means twists and turns and boulders to be confronted. Yet, if we stay centered with our eyes on the goal of male/female partnership, we can and will change the world for the better.
Here is what happened as I dove into some dusty, old boxes. I found a journal, like really old. One my daughter wrote as a teenager. I did call and ask permission to read before I sent it to her in San Francisco. I remember learning my lesson about snooping a long time ago!
4 Tips to Becoming a Superstar Self-Promoter
Posted by: | CommentsGuest post by Lisa Moren Bromma (learn more about Lisa at the end of this post)
Most people assume that professionals and business owners are all extroverts. That is simply not true. In my own mastermind group many of the business owners that I share ideas with are actually shy people by nature. Being naturally introverted can be a challenge in any profession, but a business owner or professional must face the public in order to promote themselves and their business, brand or company.
In order to grow a business, they must learn to overcome their natural shyness. Here are 4 tips that can help anyone become a master self-promoter!
- When speaking in public here are the two words you should live by. Be prepared. Off the cuff, on the fly, winging it or going with the flow are not strategies you should use!
- Position yourself as an expert with the written word versus the verbal communication. Whether it is by creating a blog, posting on social networking sites or submitting articles to web sites or publications, showcase your expertise through your writing!
The Four Essential Elements to Your PR Toolbox
Posted by: | CommentsPart 5 of 7
Ever since the revolution of the Internet, more and more brands are becoming digital. To start playing with the big brands, smaller guys have to learn Internet based PR. They have to learn the right tools and tactics to stay ahead of the curve with the rest of the digital world. To be properly equipped, you are going to need the four following tools in your PR toolkit.
Search Engine Optimization – Optimizing keywords and phrases is the top key to positioning your business as one of the top rankings on Google, Yahoo, and MSN. News content, press releases and images and videos are the primary ways to move up the ranks. Plus, the better your SEO results, the more visibility and credibility your business will get. Moreover, journalists and bloggers will see you and will want to cover feature stories on you and your business.
Social Media is vital to developing a robust PR strategy. Many audiences spend time reading and are influenced by social media. Even though updating twitter, facebook and sending out press releases takes a lot of time, it is worth its weight in gold. You have the ability to connect with potential clients, while positioning yourself as an expert in your industry. Just remember, don’t try try to sell your prospects, just educate them on how you can help better their lives.
Learn How to Pitch the Media Correctly, without Upsetting Prospective Contacts
Posted by: | CommentsPublicity is more credible than advertising because it isn’t paid for directly by the company or person, while advertising space is. Public Relations specialists can’t control the size of a write up as much as advertisers can.
When your product, service, name, or company is in ink, it can generate great media attention, which is why billions of dollars are spent on PR every year.
When targeting specific publications, you should not send out mass emails with pitches and press releases because it is considered spamming. Each pitch needs to be tailored to meet the audience of the publication.
In email pitches and press releases, make sure the subject line is relevant because you want to make sure the email gets opened. The press release is one of the most cost efficient ways to generating publicity when you have a targeted media list. Keep the press release short and concise. Don’t use flowery and ornate language. Media professionals want news; not to read the greatest piece of literature since Tolstoy. Remember, editors/journalists have no obligation to run your story.
Make sure you press release follows the correct format. Stay tuned for next week’s lesson in formatting a press release.
