How To Get Local Publicity

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The goals for any pr client is to get local publicity first, then get as much pr attention as you can later. Why is that important? Because without achieving local recognition, you allow any competitor to take control of your back yard. So what are the secrets to getting local publicity? For example, if you are a pr client in Orange County, you want to begin by getting involved with community programs, or local events.local publication newspaper Orange County

If you are working with a local publicity agency, such as CarsonPR, or one of our divisions (Carson and Company or Carson Marketing, Inc.), make sure you notify the pr agency of any activities, events, community programs that your company becomes involved in. In turn, think about getting more visible by lecturing at different events, or sponsoring small programs, such as the YMCA.

Other ideas to get noticed are: Press releases. These are always a good suggestion. When your company hires an executive person, or contracts with a new client, or moves to different offices, it is always newsworthy. It might not get complete publishing in all the local newspapers, or local magazines, but your name becomes familiar with the media. The next step is to hold a press conference. This isn’t as easy, but when you have something of value to your industry, or the community, get the press to know about it. Another great publicity method to get noticed is to submit articles. These can be company related. In other words, don’t sell yourself or the company, but write an article about the industry you are in and provide information, or suggestions on how to improve that industry. Publishers, editors like these types of articles. It attracts readers to their media, and you might just become an expert in you market that the media will turn to for information.

There are many other easy publicity techniques to get noticed. If you still need more suggestions, give us a call. We’ll be pleased to show you how to get your publicity campaign noticed locally, then nationally.

Marketers Discover Web 2.0

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Wow, stop the presses, finally the marketing B2B people are discovering something new…Web 2.0! Well, not to make these slow learners feel bad, but Web 2.0 has been around awhile. It just seemsWeb 2.0 marketing funny how this is big news in publications like BtoB magazine. I like the publication; they are only telling what is happening to the companies who are finally getting smart.

Ok, so what is Web 2.0? It is the new medium of Blogs, RSS feeds, Podcasts, Videocasts, Social Networks, and more.

These are all the pr strategies and publicity tips I have been preaching for over a year to marketers. I guess I was just too excited at the time to not realize that other PR Clients, and local Orange County Publicity firms were not ready to implement these new pr marketing tools. Why, because they just did not appreciate the value it was offering. Now that the “news” is out, will there be over saturation? No. Just means that you need to be smarter, one step ahead of the competition. You need to have a savvy pr marketing professional, like Carson PR, on your side. I’m not bragging, ok, maybe a little, but it needs to be said that if you can’t see the trends or ignore them, then you as a pr client or publicity agency or even an advertising agency, will fall behind. And in this industry, falling behind isn’t that easy to get caught up.

If you have been reading my blogs for a while, then you know that we mentioned all the social networks long before they became “superbrands”. Places like Facebook, once only a college school network, now is a major competitor to MySpace. There are other social networks that pr clients and pr marketing agencies should consider in their overall marketing strategies. If you have been keeping up with these trends, it is now the podcasts, and videocastings that are becoming the “new” social media. These forms of communication are helping small companies as well as talented artists get recognized and become successful. If your a pr client, or have a publicity agency, give George Carson a call to learn how to be part of this growing media. Then maybe, just maybe, you will be the superbrand that others are trying to imitate.

How to Create a Superbrand

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Unless you have the time and the millions of dollars to spend, it is not overnight success that builds a brand to become a superbrand. When you hear or see the logos for Starbuck’s, and companies like Google, or exotic cars like Lamborghini you immediately have an image in your mind. So how didSuperbrands these names get so big in recognition? Like I said, it wasn’t overnight. These PR Clients built their names over time. Each of them started out with small pr marketing strategy and publicity campaign. As the companies grew, they created identity campaigns, targeting their specific audiences.

Different methods of advertising and marketing are applied to become a superbrand. This can include local publicity, direct mailers, Internet marketing through YouTube, social networks, even word-of-mouth. All of these pr marketing strategies will work, but only few names become “super”. Just like an athlete, or a rock star, you may have heard of them, but only a few standout when you think of a sport, or a rock band.

Brandweek magazine publishes yearly the Superbrands issue. This year one article discusses what makes a brand super. The writer says Brandweek uses a score method to decide which are superbrands. The scoring is based on comparisons. Although a complex method is used, some of the stats used are the amounts of money each spends on advertising and marketing. This in turn creates awareness and builds an identity. The writer also explains that doing this is why you say to yourself, “I really shouldn’t be spending $4 on coffee, but…”or “I know the Dell notebook is $500 cheaper, but…” These examples tell us that when you say this to yourself, you then have identified a superbrand. When a PR Client reaches this status, it then requires a lot to maintain that position.

Branding sells more than the name but a lifestyle. It is how we want to be perceived by our peers. If you drive a BMW or a VW bug, those around you perceive you differently. This applies to how and what you wear. Fashion has been how we brand ourselves. It is through the “branded names” we buy that helps us to become a specific brand in the minds of those who sees us.

When you want to build a brand, then you need a plan. PR Clients who become successful start with a pr marketing strategy. This marketing plan is the roadmap that will get your name to become super. Oh, one more thing, you need a budget to get there. So be prepared before planning your company’s future.

PR Marketing Strategy– New or Old Idea?

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I saw an article in Brandweek, as well as in other major newspapers that pitched the greatness of Chrysler offering “Lifetime” warranty for their power train to their vehicles. This sounds great, doesn’t it? Or is this a PR Marketing Strategy or a PR Promotion so that the lagging manufacturer can show consumers they are building better cars than their competitors. Well, one thing for sure, why now after all these years and overnight, can a manufacturer offer such great products?

Actually it has been going on for years. This marketing campaign and ad campaign for this PR Client isn’t new in the auto industry. Several years ago, about 17, Ford Motor Company had a similar campaign. They would give a lifetime warranty to any part that was installed in your car. This was not with the new cars, it was for any used Ford vehicle you had a part repaired. For example, if you owned a 1968 Mustang, and the alternator had to be replaced, the dealer/manufacturer would install another one with a lifetime warranty for as long as YOU owned the car. If you had the car for 20 years and it went bad again, it would be replaced for free. The problem was that FordPR Marketing Strategy never did any serious marketing with this great concept. Then one day we were called. Our agency was chosen at that time to develop the creative and publicity for this division. We won the campaign against many of the nationally known agencies. After finalizing the TV and print campaign, we received the bad news.

After a few years of the division being quiet about this concept, Ford canceled the entire PR Marketing Strategyprogram. I wonder if those people who had bought parts during that time are still covered?

So did Chrysler come up with a brilliant idea? Maybe not, but at least they are trying to get the word out. It might not bring thousands of people to the showrooms, but it will build a better brand loyalty and brand awareness to the name. Creating a brand is one thing, keeping that brand awareness is an on-going task. You should never feel that your marketing campaign is safe without any branding included. Keep your company’s brand awareness high with a smart PR Marketing Campaign.

Internet Marketing Tips

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If you already have a well designed web site and structure but the site still doesn’t get a lot of traffic, you probably have not optimized the site and ignored doing any web marketing. The word “optimize” is so overused that most companies ignore it when heard. Why? Probably due to the fact it has become a catch-all term for SEO’s and web marketers. Let’s clear this up. Optimization is when a site has keyword density and the words and key phrases are optimized by the placement in your text. Using the correct Meta Tags is another part to successful optimizing.

Now let’s discuss a few tips on Internet marketing. This should be included in your pr marketing strategy campaign. First you should establish links to your web site. One term that is used to describe this process is link popularity. This means the number of web sites that currently link to your site. The key secret here is to have as many inbound links asInternet Marketing possible. But there is a risk. Do not have links from web sites not related to your industry. Some companies will sell you a web marketing campaign that gets you 1,000 or 5,000 inbound links. If these links are from bogus sites, mirror sites, or unrelated industry sites, then the search engines will just drop you to the bottom of the list.

Quality inbound links is needed, not just quantity. Several methods can be used to create inbound links. If you have a web master or an in-house web marketer, have them contact companies in your industry or related industries and ask to have a link placed on their site. You would also offer a reciprocal link to theirs. Create a site map, or a “links page” to place the other web sites.

Another tip is to have your publicity agency, or in-house pr director write articles and press releases that are distributed to the on-line media. Be sure that you “optimize” your press release and articles. This will add to the higher rankings.

One more tip, get a blog site. This is another excellent way to create links and build traffic to the main site. The blog needs to have all the RSS feeds in order to get noticed and create traffic.

Ok, I’ve given you a few tips on how to build quality traffic using Internet Marketing tips. This pr marketing strategy should help get your web site to the level you want. If you need further assistance, then give us a call. We have the expertise to “make things happen”.

Email. How to make your message user-friendly.

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We all get dozens, if not hundreds of email each week. How do you sort through all that”Stuff”? Which ones are important? How do you know if the new email you received is what you want to open?email make them user-friendly

By using some pr marketing strategies in your email campaign will help answer some of these questions. Think for a minute. If these types of questions are asked by you about emails you receive, then consider the person(s), or companies that you send emails to. They are also concerned about which email is the one to open, and which one is a spammer or junk mail.

I saw an article that I would like to share with you. Jonathan Henke, Lyris’ new Usability Engineer, had these tips to help pr marketing companies and pr clients get more user-friendly with email. Some of his twelve tips included:

  • OPT-IN email lists are best when you use a “hello” message to confirm people’s membership.
  • Send your regular emails from the same address every-time. Remember, when people signed up to receive your newsletter, or other messages, they can then add your address to their “Safe” list, assuring it is received.
  • Use an Informative FROM name and SUBJECT Line.Users will decide which email to open based on these two important areas.
  • Limit SUBJECT lines to 50-60 characters. Make sure your important information is in the first six to eight words.

Check out his other informative tips. When you better understand email and its powerful ability to communicate, then your pr marketing campaign will be much more successful. If you have a publicity project, or marketing campaign you would like to be reviewed before implementing, give us a call. We’ll make sure your on the right track.

PR Marketing Strategies. Learn How To Use MySpace Correctly.

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Today’s topic follows yesterdays with a little more input on reaching this social network.

Listen up pr clients and all of those public relations agencies who think it is still a fad that is going to disappear, social media is stronger than ever, and it’s growing. Until another type of media in cyberspace is developed, social media should be part of your public relations services. If your pr agency cannot provide this service, then go outside and hire a company that can. All pr strategies must now include some type of social media in their overall publicity campaigns.We all know and have heard good and bad things about MySpace. But what a publicity agency needs to do for their pr clients, is to better understand this type of media in order to gain favorable publicity for clients.

Let’s look at how to use social media correctly. For example, a BusinessWeek article by Kerry Miller asked several experts what they think are tips for social media, specifically MySpace. I like to refer to these as rules. The author lists them as 8 tips. Here are a few:

  • Forget the Hard Sell. This means it is time to give than receive. Offer the visitors, and viewers of MySpace something. Whether it is a receipe, a newsletter but give them something, don’t do the hard sell.
  • Focus on Quality Over Quantity. One of the experts, named Key, says to provide useful information to the community, that will develop into friends, which will give you better publicity.
  • Think Long Term. Just like any other pr marketing plan, or publicity event, you need to think in long terms, not immediate.Too many pr clients want “instant” ROI’s, and forget this is a network of people. You need to “give them something” in order to build a relationship. That takes time.

As I have said before, you need to plan this type of publicity activity. It should be part of your overall pr marketing strategy, not a one-shot approach.

Social Media. Do You Know How To Do It Right?

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There is a lot of buzz around on how a company should embark on a social media campaign. Some pr marketing strategies have already proven poorly, while other pr marketing strategies are successful.

So what makes one pr client succeed and another falter? Do they need to spend more money? Do they need a blog site? Are they aware of their audience and what they want? It is knowing how to do it right! In a recent article by blogger BL Ochman, she gets right to the core of many issues that are causing serious problems for pr clients not knowing how to so social media.

Does anyone have the answers? Yes, everyone seems to, but who is right? As much as BL Ochman illustrates the right from wrongs in campaigns, you cannot completely know if it is going to work until you implement the marketing campaign. I do agree with her that if you haven’t been doing social media, and are using old pr marketing strategies, then you better hire a blogger or media specialist who understands the workings of social media. That sounds easy enough. But large companies like FORD proved that you could spend $60 million and still not get it right. They need to go outside of the ad agency. Go to the consumers who are blogging about them. Basically, they need a street-smart marketing program. Only through this type of research can any company survive the constant changes consumers experience everyday.

So are you doing it right? If not, look to someone who can direct you to a social media program that can make your company reach its goals.

Carson Chosen To Do Direct Mail Camapign For Senior Outreach

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Direct marketing should be more than mailing a letter, or postcard to perspective customers. We were recently chosen by the Senior Outreach Network (SON) to help them communicate their services to those reaching Medicare age. In this confusing society of medical terms and how to get the benefits, it is good to see that someone like the Senior Outreach Network is there to explain the process. Although the client is local, our publicity and marketing is not limited to Orange County.
senior outreach for medicare
Our PR Marketing Strategy is to create a mailer that is geared to the 65+ audiences. The creative marketing is not overdone, meaning that it does not loose the purpose of the mailer. It is creative in layout and uses images that quickly identify the message, and the words are chosen to be creative yet direct. That’s what direct mailers should be. Best of all, the mailers are personalized. These speak directly to the recipient, not “occupant”. We strategically include the name of the person throughout the mailer to make the reader feel and know we are interested in them. This form of using a personalized approach in direct mail marketing is becoming popular, but it is still not used correctly. We believe our smart creative and publicity will make things happen for our new client.

If you would like to discuss how to get creative and still hit your target with a pr marketing strategy that will generate results, call us today. It can be the most rewarding phone call you make this year.

Blogging and Marketing

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Many of you still do not see the power in blogging. It can be one of the best pr marketing strategies you can use. For businesses, it is the best source to get the word out as well as get your company’s web site rank higher. If you feel that there are too many blog sites, then yes, there are. But the fact still remains, blogging can enhance your image, and can get you listed higher with the search engines such as Google and Yahoo.

blog marketingMarketing is a very broad term. In some industries, it relates to tele-marketers, those who call us at the most annoying hours. But the true meaning of marketing is getting a product or service to customers. This can be Business to Business (B2B), or Business to Consumer (B2C).

If you are looking for information on marketing, then visit the different blogs that speak about all types of marketing, from pr marketing, to sales marketing to industrial marketing and so on. A good place to start when you want to learn more about marketing blogs is at Online Marketing Blog. You will find a list of over 350 on-line marketing blogs that cover most topics like search marketing, social media, and new media public relations. The list is updated weekly, so visit the site often.

When you want to do some search engine marketing, then you need to check out the Google Directory. A list of weblogs and Directories will pop up. Almost too many for the average person to view. These are just a few things I wanted to share with you to show that blogging is not going away, instead it is becoming a serious part of the business method of communicating today.