You Need A Blog Site

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Blogging is the new business model

It’s the fastest growing medium in the tech industry–BLOGGING.

Why? A lot of reasons. Most important is the fact that you can tell you’re story instantly, and target it to the audience you want to reach.

Too many PR firms are still not getting the concept. They think this is too much work for nothing. They’re dead wrong!

Ok, it is a lot of work to maintain a weblog…blogsite. But the rewards are overwhelming. Most publicity firms prefer to do the traditional "calls and letters/emails" to reporters, editors, publishers than seek new methods of telling their clients stories.

Those firms will soon fade away or will need to work extra hard to just compete in the near future…actually that future is already here!

So what do others think in our business.
I saw a great article by Lloyd Trufelman and Laura Goldberg on "Pitching Blogs". They already realize this technology is not going away and have outlined a few tips on how to pitch your blogs to the media.

Another blog called the PRMachine takes a humorous look in comparing "Squeeze the Charmin" to today’s search engine. Basically, we are "squeezing the (information) Charmin (toilet paper) by relying much more on search engines as customers did when comparing a hands-on test in stores. He also explains that blogs are helping to let customers know about products, the good and the bad. Although you need to make your own judgment, people are reading blogs to get an idea if a product is worth checking out.

If you are reading this and have a business, then you need a blog site. I’ll show you how to make it work and how to get "noticed". It isn’t all smoke and mirrors anymore, it’s blogging!

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Are You Ready for Show Season?

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Prepare your materials now

Every industry is preparing for the new selling season and trade shows are the way most companies present their new products and services.

No matter the industry you serve, your trade shows season is coming soon. Whether you can afford to travel to the different shows this year, you need to evaluate the sales materials and publicity kits that can be used to distribute to potential customers and the media.

Having outdated, or last years materials handed out at shows is a sign of a non-productive company. Don’t let your competition steal your market share or customers by them having better sales materials. That is also true for the press kit and any publicity materials.

It can cost you more in potential sales to not invest in developing new materials.

If you are introducing a new product, make sure the package design fits your target audience. And make sure that you have a press release in the Press Room. Better yet a complete Press Kit about the new item(s) and the information about your company, etc. in the kit.

Be prepared to "meet with the press". Make sure you have selected a spokesperson and they are educated on your products and the company’s philosophy, mission statement, etc. You would be surprised how many companies think they know a lot about their company and the products until a reporter asks questions. Remember, you DON"T sell to reporters at trade shows (or anytime for that matter), they want facts. Don’t make the mistake of explaining the product/service as if the reporter was a buyer. That will turn them off.

We have prepared materials for all different clients trade shows, and have prepared them to meet the media for press conferences to announcements of a new product introduction.

Make your time at the show be productive in all areas of marketing and publicity.

And if you cannot attend, we have a program to reach your potential customers and the media so that you don’t miss out on the selling season for your industry.

Call us; we are ready to make good things happen for your company!

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Each Word Counts in PR

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Be proefficient when speaking

Publicity is more than a form of media. It is an art.

Knowing your target media and the industry is essential in developing a good and successful publicity program. Just as important is knowing how to speak to reporters, journalists and editors.

Choosing the right words when talking to these people can help you gain favorable publicity. But before you can speak to these media reporters, you need to send pr releases, articles or stories to them to get their attention.

That means the written word is powerful. It can make a reporter  contact you to further learn about your product or service, or it can be tossed out like most releases.

Learn what to say by choosing the right words is something that everyone needs to know. One person in particular, Ann Wylie has several tips on how to prepare and write a release. Some of the issues she explains are: Write a Feature lead; Lead with Benefits; Try a Tipsheet; Give a Bio and use Human Interest to name a few of her suggestions. I tend to agree with much of that information.

Another great source in learning better public speaking is Arie Galper. Although he teaches you how to "Unlock The game" for sales calls, he has a vast of experience in teaching people how to present themselves, which can easily be applied when meeting with the media.

After learing these powerful lessons, you need to make sure that you have a PR Plan in place. I strongly believe a solid publicity program coupled with your on-going marketing program will create a successful image. And that’s what you should be developing. The results of a positive image will then build the business.

To implement a PR program, seek the help of a professional company. There are a lot of good pr firms who can help you achieve your goals. If you need help in finding one, contact us. We will direct you in the right direction, whether we can do it for you or find a company that best meets your requirements.

 

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Solving a Packaging Problem

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Throw away or fix it?

One of our clients, La Reina Inc , had a problem with the new labeling laws that went into effect at the start of this year. Due to the new laws, all packaging of food items must include the Trans Fat content in the Nutritional Fact.

Our client was in the process of updating the old packaging with a new design and the updated labeling information, when a buyer from a major store placed an order that needed delivery of the products in about 10 days.

Although NO trans Fat existed in the products, we couldn’t just apply a sticker saying "No trans Fat". It had to be in the Nutritional Facts chart.

Faced with the delivery schedule, they could only provide the old packages, because the new packages will take 6 to 8 weeks to print.

Our solution was to print the labels. That would then require the clients production department to apply the labels to the existing packages.

Sounds simple, but we had to find the right vendor who could turnaround the print order quickly and have an adhesive back that can withstand frozen items.
Plus, there were nine different products.

We were able to solve the problem and delivered the new labels on-time.

The point to all this is again…PR is everywhere.

Our client was happy, and their customer was pleased. This became a great publicity effort for our client. By delivering on-time was important, but most of all, they showed thier customer that THEY are important by fulfilling a need. This is PR. Yeah, maybe I’m stretching it a bit, but whatever you may think, it’s still publicity at its best when you meet a clients need or solve their problem.

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Carson Wins Talent Balancing Promotion

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Book publicity

The other day I mentioned one way to become an expert is to write a book.

Well, that’s exactly what Jim Stedt, of Hartley and Associates has done.

For over two decades, Jim has been placing people (mostly high tech personnel) in companies that are growing, expanding or startups who are looking for key people.

Over the years he has seen a how companies tend to overlook top talent in their own company, or seem to not understand how to hire the right person for the proper position.

Jim used his experience to write a book called Talent Balancing™. It’s great reading for HR people and CFO’s, COO’s, CEO’s and Presidents of companies wanting to know how to improve their business with the people they have or how to find the people they really need.

One of our assignments was to develop and design a web site for his book. In addition, our company will be doing the publicity to promote the book and Jim.

He has registered the words Talent Balancing™, which will protect him from anyone else trying to capitalize off of his success.

We are scheduling seminars at companies, and workshops as well. Jim will be doing some book signing as the schedule allows. We are working with the publisher to make sure the pr plan coincides with their activities.

The book is the second published for Jim. Talent Balancing™ will definitely help establish him as the "expert’ he has become as we approach the media to get him favorable publicity. The book is now available at all major online book stores, including Amazon, Barnes and Noble, among others.

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Become an Expert

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It builds your brand

Our clients have enjoyed the position they hold in their respective markets. That’s due in large part from the branding and marketing we created to establish their position.

I’m not bragging, just want to make a few good points about what you can do to help re-position your company in a specific market.

First, as always, you need a plan. Don’t just be a bull and charge ahead without knowing the path you want to take, and what you hope to accomplish.

Ok, now that we mentioned a plan, this is something to consider.

One of the publicity programs that you have in your plan, should include a series of articles on topics that you are an expert in. These should be sent to reporters, publishers and other important media (trade journals, newsletters in your industry, etc).

Become more visible in the community, and in your industry. Contact the different associations in your industry and become a speaker, or ask if you could conduct a workshop at one of the meetings.

You could write a book on a subject that you are very knowledgeable in. Then self publish the book, or submit it to publishers.

I noticed the other day when surfing different blog sites that Dan Janal’s blog, he mentioned that he encourages clients to do teleseminars. That’s a great marketing and pr tool. Teleseminars are easy to do, no major costs involved such as renting rooms, providing drinks, or traveling.

Dan also says he sells transcripts, CD’s and it makes the program profitable.

I am a true believer to use technology when it can benefit a company. Just like your web site, which should work for you, let a teleseminar do the same.

That’s the tip for the day, become an expert. Need to know more, or how to do this, give me a call. We’ll get you going in the right direction!

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Partition Specialties Renews Agreement

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A satisfied client

Well, it’s another year and time just seems to move faster each year.

One of our clients, Partition Specialties, Inc, has again awarded us their complete advertising, marketing and web marketing responsibilities.

It’s great when clients understand and appreciate the work it takes to get a product or service noticed. More important, is the fact that our campaigns have generated positive results for PSI.

They are an installer of moveable walls, partitions, and raised floors. The company has been in business since 1958. We have been working with them since 2001. The company has five locations throughout California.

PSI works with major manufacturers like Modernfold, Skyfold, Tate Access Floors, Smoke Guard and other companies to make business environments fully workable and pleasing.

The web site our company created has been updated to reflect the company’s image of being a full service provider of interior space for office buildings, schools and large auditoriums. The next couple of months will be very active as their industry trade shows begin and we will help them get maximum coverage and visibility.

We want to say thank you to the great people at PSI and for their loyal commitment to our company. Now let’s get back to work!

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Reporters and Emails

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Get your email releases read

One of my previous blogs discussed the issues of email and reporters on how it is difficult to get their attention unless you have photo or quote from a celeb attached.

It seems that a publicity pro named Paul Krupin disagreed with my comments.

He states that in his 20+ years of creating and sending releases taught him the secrets to getting your newsworthy emails noticed. Paul sent me an email listing 23 errors, or mistakes that pr people do when writing a release. Although I agree with many of them, he basically repated a few of the problems by offering a different example.

It is true that many writers use a lot of fluff and don’t offer the reporter enough reason to feel the article or release has any newsworthy information. One of the points he identifies is that companies tend to focus on themselves and not let the readers know how the information in the release benefits them (the readers).

That’s basically what Paul says will make a release noticed. Yes, it must be well written, and that should be common knowledge. Having a publicity plan, as I keep telling you, is important. It becomes your road to a successful pr program.

I have always said that you need to understand your audience, the media to whom you are sending the release or article, and be as factual as possible with a call to action. Paul feels that releases need to reach a broader base of readers, I disagree. If you are in a specialized industry or market, then you need to speak in that language, not for the masses.

So go back to the drawing board and review what your objectives and goals. Then make sure you have all good facts that will get a reporter to contact you for further information.
That’s the secret.

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What’s Better—Blogging or Publicity?

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Is there a difference?

You hear so many opinions about what is the direction of the future. Is it blogging, or a stronger, traditional publicity campaign?

Neither one should be practiced alone.

The new technology has made blogging a good communications soruce, which in part is publicity. But this alone cannot be the main source for a solid PR campaign. You still need to interact with the media.

I saw a blog site this morning about this similar topic. Tom Murphy’s PR Opinions speaks about how people think Blogging killed PR (Publicity). He is right, at least in my opinion, that blogging is a new form of communication, but it is not replacing or killing traditional PR.

As I have said before, publicity is everywhere! Blogging is just one of the many and useful means to get your message out the market.

So before you jump into blogging and think it will be your main publicity vehicle, think twice. Don’t turn your back on reporters, or other media. They will be around for a long time. And these reporters, journalists are also reading blogs. They are not in the dark of the technology.

As for blogging, it will probably be here too, but will it outlast traditional publicity vehicles, I doubt it.

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SEO’s Blogging

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Finding blog sites

As I continue with blogging for my site and my clients, I realize that finding the right blog sites to collect information about an industry, or product is a major task.

I decided to surf the Internet and look for good blog sites. It happens that I came across Lee Odden’s blog site where he mentioned that you can  "vote" for your favorite blog site.

Although I’m not that interested in voting, he also provided additional information about Search Engine blogs.

If you want to vote then you need to visit the KBCafe Blog Award site. It has all kinds of blogs that range from food, to sports like Hockey to political issues sites.

Lee gives locations for 3 search engine blogs that I thought were helpful. One in particular is Search Engine Marketing Blog.

If you are hungry for more search engine blogs, then you need to visit Search Engine Roundtable. It will satisfy your hunger.

I thought it was interesting to see what google has listed if you type "seo blog". Well, Lee already had a link to this saving me some time. Google listed over 8 million sites. That’s just too many for me.

You can now see that a lot of information on seo blogging is available. Almost too much to read.

So have fun looking for something that might interest you. And while you’re at it, remember that you can do Marketing for your company with this reasearch.

Enjoy!

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