Tag Archives: pr campaign

How To Get TV News Coverage

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PR Clients always want the best visible coverage from the media. So how do you get this coverage?

Getting Television and Print Coverage

Getting Television and Print Coverage

First you need to plan your publicity campaign. That means you need to establish what is newsworthy, set a target date to make this announcement (press release), be prepared to follow up to all the news media the release was submitted, and have a spokesperson(s) be ready to meet the press. Sounds simple, but this is not an easy task. Knowing the reporters and the media is very critical in getting a story published or aired on broadcast television. PR Clients must rely on their pr agency to direct how and when such a story will be presented. It is the agency’s expertise that will make this happen. Many times pr clients feel that their point of view about their product or service is superior to the competition and cannot understand why “they” are not getting the media or reporters to take notice. For this reason alone, it is important for pr clients to trust the direction, recommendations of the pr agency, if not, it is possible the pr client could create a negative impression to the media and nothing will happen.

We recently had two pr clients that wanted major media coverage. One was for the California RV Show that recently happened at the Fairplex in Pomona on Oct. 11 through 20. The other was Grande Bakery whose 50+ years in business was forced to close due to the city of Santa Ana using eminent domain to take their property for road expansion. We established a strong pr campaign that highlighted the objectives we developed for each pr client. The results were excellent.

The California RV Show had a full week of coverage from KTLA’s Gayle Anderson, plus CBS chief meteorologist Josh Rubenstein, Telemundo TV, various print media and several bloggers writing about the event. You can read more about this publicity campaign in my blog dated October 22.

Grande Bakery required a different type of approach. Knowing this decision by the city was going to impact the lives of the Gallegos family who owned the bakery for over 50 years, and the employees (many who worked there for over 30+ years) and how it was going to have an effect on the community who supported and relied on their goods for over three generations, was our focus. Our timeline was short. We only had three weeks before the city was to take possession of the property so we had to move fast and smart. Our first article appeared in the OC Register with interviews by Tony Gallegos and Ralph Gallegos. This was followed up a few days later with NBC and Telemundo doing interviews. Less than a week later a follow up story with OC Register, NBC TV, plus Telemundo and Excélsior Newspaper created more media attention that generated many calls to the office of Loretta Sanchez. Everyday another media will pickup the article and do their story angle as did OC Weekly’s Gustavo Arellano in today’s online news.

Having a solid campaign that gets your message to your audience is how to get the attention of the media. Knowing when, how and what to do is the pr agency’s responsibility. Give your pr agency the freedom to create the campaign you need and trust their decisions will help you gain the awareness you desire. If your company, event or product needs more visibility, consider a solid publicity campaign. If you need help developing the campaign then give George Carson a call at 949-477-9400. We know how to “make things happen!”

How to increase website traffic using LinkedIn

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Publicity is everywhere! And that is why social media is one of the most successful resources to get publicity quickly in front of your potential customers. Ok, I will now get into why LinkedIn has actually become a solid pr marketing tool.

Unlike Twitter (which should be part of your pr marketing campaign), LinkedIn is purely a businessperson’s social media. Yet, too often it is thought of as a place for job hunter’s or those looking for people to add to their company. In the past this was how LinkedIn was used, but it has grown more as a means to build traffic to your web site. Why is this a good thing? If you own a business, or are a VP or manager of a company, it can be a place to create topics, and discussions among peers. It can direct them to your site and establish business relationships that can lead to more networking and sales. Linkedin

Without trying to give you many examples, just visit Chris Crum’s article on this topic. I was glad to see and read his article because finally someone else recognizes the value and maybe pr clients will listen to a different person who sees this as a major opportunity to build traffic to your site. As many of you may know (at least I hope you know) LinkedIn announced it is now integrated into Microsoft Outlook. This is a big deal for LinkedIn! So now you should more than ever take advantage of this powerful social media and add it into your pr marketing strategy campaign.

If you do not have the time, or the staff to handle a social media campaign, then contact a social media company that could get you started. Don’t know anyone? Then call George Carson at Carson Marketing, Inc. – 949-477-9400.

Magician, Loren Zwick, Chooses Carson Marketing, Inc. for Publicity

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Surrealist Magician, Loren Zwick, has selected Carson Marketing, Inc as the exclusive publicity firm to promote his astonishing talent. Unlike other magicians, Loren combines some of his illusions with motorcycle stunts. Having worked at major venues in Las Vegas and the Magic Castle plus other famous clubs, Loren was one of the youngest members to be accepted at the Magic Castle at the age of 14. Today, he has perfected many of his creative illusions and will be starting his Surrealist Magic Tour in Southern California at different clubs and private corporate events.
The edgy, young and sexy looking magician enjoys creating his own illusions that mystifies audiences.magic stunts “I choose Carson Marketing because the company has shown me they too know and understand what it takes to make people take notice”, commented Loren. “Carson is one of the few companies that knows and understands how to use all media, including Blogging, Social Networking, web marketing as well as traditional publicity”.

Carson Marketing, Inc. will be developing various materials for distribution and create a unique pr campaign to promote Illusionist Loren Zwick. His illusion web site is: www.zwick.tv

The publicity division of Carson Marketing, Inc., www.CarsonPR.com, has been servicing clients from Fortune 1000 to startups since 1980. Located in Santa Ana, California, George Carson (Marketing Director) said “Loren Zwick is the type of client we all enjoy, because it allows us to be creative without limitations.”
For further information, and how your company can get noticed, contact George Carson at 949-477-9400.

How Small Businesses Can Use Publicity To Grow

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Companies still think that publicity is only for those large companies, or pr clients that have offices all across the country. No True!

The size of your company should not be a factor in developing a pr marketing strategy.publiciy for small business What you need to understand is that publicity when implemented correctly, can actually help any size company grow. When you see articles on the larger corporations, like Microsoft, pr clients tend to feel that only “those guys” get all the glory. If you have a solid pr marketing strategy, and your publicity agency is equipped to implement a pr campaign, then you too can be “in the news”.

Just make sure what you offer is newsworthy. And above all, keep your company away from legal issues or personnel issues that can have a bad reflection on your business. For years we have provided pr clients with a host of programs designed to accomplish their goals. Here are a few tip that you should include into your pr marketing strategy campaign.

1- Put together an eNewsletter. This can be monthly, or bi-monthly. Write informative “how to” or “tips” that your customers will enjoy and learn from

2- Get involved in community programs or events. This is what the press are looking for. You can submit your photos of an event your company sponsored or created and invite the press to attend. If they don’t, send photos of the event to the reported covering community stories in the newspaper.

3- Become a guest speaker. Look at local Chambers of Commerce, community and civic groups to see if they will let you speak on topics you know. It makes sense to discuss about your industry. But don’t SELL your services or products. Instead, discuss how your industry, and your company) is improving the area, or helping to change things for the better.

Many other tips can be found in various articles that discuss publicity. One in particular is an online site called Direct. You can also find tips at the PR Insider. And if you want to get a professional group to get your small business noticed, give us a call. We can show you how to make your company grow using publicity. It is an affordable solution for small businesses.

When is Publicity Good or Bad?

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PR Clients can get bad Publicity, or Good Publicity. Which one is best for your company’s public relations?

To get a better understanding, you need to first know how to react to publicity exposure. Whether you are the pr client who is getting bad publicity, or good publicity, you must have a plan that has positive reactions. Being prepared to answer questions is critical in any pr campaign. Keeping personal feeling aside, and keeping a clear focus on business can alter how the media perceives you, which in turn will be how the consumer reacts to your name. Your response can increase your branding position if handled properly.

Let’s get into the good and bad of publicity. For example, Mattel received a lot of media exposure for their toys that were made innegative publicity China using lead paint. An article in the New York Times describe the situation. As much as this was negative publicity for that pr client, they took too long to respond. In addition, the CEO chose to not accept that Mattel should take responsibility for their non-involvement of the Chinese manufacturer. A positive note would have been to address the issue quickly by mentioning that it is difficult for US companies to keep a strong control over companies in China that you contract to manufacture products. It is known that this country is still in a competitive situation and will switch to cheaper materials even after you contract with them. The lead paint was probably what the manufacturer in China selected after the agreement, because they (the Chinese company) could make a few cents more per toy.

Is this Mattel’s problem? Yes, they should do a check more often of their products. Why? Because the US standards are more rigid and they (Mattel) should become more active with offshore manufacturers. On a positive note, Mattel was quick to provide consumer web sites, and recall centers to avoid any harm to children. That was a positive move. So I ask, was the negative publicity good or bad for Mattel?

Ok, let’s move to Countrywide. As you know, they have been hit hard with the sub-prime loans going “south” in the housing market. Was the publicity bad? Of course. Did it hurt the company? Yes. Is it as forgiven as Mattel’s negative publicity, NO! Why? Because Countrywide had complete control and knew exactly what they were doing and the CEO knew the condition of the market and how they (being the largest in that industry) were actually controlling its outcome. Countrywide within the industry is known to do these poor loans in the past, so it is no surprise by inside industry people and companies. But did Countrywide respond correctly. NO again. They ignored the problem and hoped to be bailed out. That is exactly what B of A and Citibank are doing. Saving their butts. Yet, the CEO, the top executives are all getting their big paychecks, and enjoying life without caring what they have created in the housing market. The company refuses to admit to all the wrong doings, and blame people for the slump. But it is these companies, like Countrywide and all the others who cause the problem, not those who got loans that really should not have been granted loans.

Now you decide, is the publicity and handling the reaction to the negative publicity good or bad for Countrywide. My guess, it is bad. Few will want to do business with them, unlike Mattel; people will forgive them and buy their toys in the near future.

Keep the PR Program Active

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Like an ad campaign, publicity needs consistency

So you ran a pr release last week, or was it last month? And maybe you had an article scheduled to be in a publication, but the editor, or reporter had to cancel, delaying the article for another month or two.

If this is how your publicity campaign sounds, then you need to rethink what you’re doing. It is up to your pr agency, or pr staff to continually develop press releases, pitch stories, or arrange for interviews. It is this on-going effort that makes any campaign: publicity or advertising, become effective and gain exposure. The positive results will follow when you have this concentrated effort in place.

Another pr company, PowerPR, has in his blog today a similar viewpoint about handling your publicity campaign. The title of his blog "Have you published a release lately" parallels my philosophy on publicity.

Whether you are a pr client looking for increased exposure, or work as a pr consultant, consistency and repetition is critical. Another good idea is to have a regular eNewsletter that is published and sent to the media. Don’t go wild sending them an eNewsletter every week, or even monthly. It should be sent just prior to submitting a release or pitching a story. The eNewsletter should also be of good information. It wouldn’t hurt to have a short preview about the product or service that will be presented to the media.

Keeping a flow of activity in your public relations program is how to help get recognition. This will also help build brand identity and awareness.

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Is Your PR Plan Current?

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It is time to review the publicity program

Pr clients and publicity agencies are guilty of developing Publicity Plans for the year and forget to review the activity and analyze the results at least every quarter.

We live in a fast paced world surrounded by constant changes in economy, products, businesses and jobs. Keeping this thought, it is a good idea that you review every quarter the publicity activities that your PR Plan had outlined. Make a checklist to see if the goals and results are in line with the objectives you specified.

If you are working with a publicity agency, then call a meeting with them. Don’t call a surprise meeting; tell them in advance what the meeting is about. Let them know that you want to review the overall publicity program and compare the results. This is also true if you are doing publicity in-house. Give your pr staff time to document and collect what you need to make a clear evaluation.

A mistake companies make when implementing a pr campaign is the lack of patience. Because things are moving fast, we tend to feel that publicity runs at slow pace. Publicity is not something that happens overnight. Nor are the results. Unlike running an ad, which can be monitored and scheduled for print, a publicity campaign requires patience and planning. Working with the media and all the different editors, publishers and Internet pr services can be rewarding when the plan is given its due time to get the results.

After reviewing the results of the pr plan, discuss with the staff what needs to be changed in the PR Plan. Keep in mind to not make a 180-degree change, unless drastic changes occur in your industry or economy. Make changes that will best achieve the results you want. By keeping your focus on the original objectives will allow your plan to go in a positive direction to gain positive pr.

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Are Your Photos Funny or Serious?

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Photos are important for publicity

Before you send out that press release or article to the editors or publishers of a magazine, make sure you analyze the photos. This means to make sure the photos are:

  • Not boring
  • Has a visual that is of interest
  • Captures the mood you want
  • Is creative

These are a few tips to consider when submitting photos in any publicity campaign for pr clients.

Another tip is to make sure when you include people that the photos are not showing a smiling person if the release, or article is of a serious nature. A book titled "How to use Photos and Graphics in your Publicity Campaign" sums up a lot of the mistakes publicity people make too often. Whether are in the publicity industry, working for a pr firm, or happen to be a pr client doing your own stuff, this book could help. It is not telling you things you probably don’t already know, but it will keep you in line with the things to look for when including photos with your pr campaign.

In addition, you need to consider different angles of the subject. Of course, if the release is about a product, there are only so many ways to shoot it, right? Wrong. Be creative, but not too creative. The purpose of the photos is to help visually get the message across and offers the publisher, or other media, an option to use when publishing the release or article.

Just like a good ad has more potential of being noticed and read, a well written release with good photos has a greater chance of being published.

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Public Relations Needs Web Marketing

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Get more traffic using these tools

No matter what your clients or pr agency says, you cannot have a successful pr campaign if your web site isn’t visible to the search engines.

So what does all this mean? By working with your pr staff, or your publicity agency, and the marketing people and the web IT department, you will see positive results.

Now let’s talk briefly about your web marketing. Maybe you do not have a web marketing or IT department, or your web designer doesn’t do marketing for web sites. No matter what your situation is, start building links to your web site. First, let me remind you that the site needs to be optimized for any site to gain credibility and ranking. If you are not sure how to optimize the site, contact me and I will give you a FREE analysis of your site’s optimization.

In previous blogs, I have addressed the two types of links. They are:

  • ONE WAY links. This is when you ask someone to have him or her place a link to your site on his or her site.
  • RECIPROCAL links. These are the type of links that you exchange with another relevant web site. Basically, you are linking to each other’s site.

Remember that it is always best to link to a high-ranking web site. And it is more critical to link to a site that is relevant to your industry. If not, then you are defeating the process and the search engines will penalize your site.

Some other web marketing tips:

1- Do Not link to too many sites too fast. For example, Google wants to see a slow progression of links built

2- Try to get about 5 or 6 new links per day

3- Make sure your keywords are relevant and placed into the text (body) of your message and into your title pages

If you want to learn more, contact me.

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PR Is A Team Effort

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I was reading an article by Robert Kelly and he pointed out that PR sometimes doesn’t show as much in return as does the brochures a company produces.

Part of the problem that Mr. Kelly points out is that PR is a team effort. I agree with this. Too often companies ask a PR or Advertising company to put together a campaign. What typically happens, the company doesn’t implement the campaign elements into their own organization.

How can you then expect a campaign, or program to become successful if the company doesn’t have its employees support the campaign elements.

Pubicity needs to start within a company. A team effort is just that. Everyone working towards that same goal. Both the company and the PR or Advertising Agency that was hired must all act upon the same goals set forth.

This may seem very elementary, but it is a problem that does exist. Companies and PR firms are too often pointing fingers at each other when the campaign isn’t working. What should happen is a careful monitoring of the campaign with constant communications between both parties.

This will create a successful partnership and campaign when everyone works together.