Press Kit 101: promoting previous publicity
January 28, 2010 by Mary Ellen · 1 Comment
You may want to share hard copies of articles about your business when you communicate with the media, even if you have an online media room.
For those who plan to use a traditional press kit, make your previous publicity work harder for you. Here’s how:
- Highlight your mentions in previous articles. This saves the recipient from searching for your name, your quote, your specific. If the article is all about your company, highlight a key point or pertinent quote. On the other hand, your highlight will make you more prominent in a compilation article or series.
- Make sure credits show on your publications: names, dates, contributing author. (NOTE: The time to get permission to use this information is when it is printed. Contact the publication and ask about their reprint policy.)
- Give special attention to the organization of your stories. Include most recent materials on top, filing in reverse order to oldest dated information.
- Be selective. If you have dozens of press clippings, include only the most significant or those most pertinent to the target.
- When sending your press kit to multiple locations, keep a duplicate so you know where materials “live.” You can then find referenced information quickly, or you could direct someone else to do the same. (HINT: If this kit is available at the office then other employees can be taught to refer to it as well.)
- Include a personalized cover letter when you send your press kit. HINT: Refer to a particular item (you’ll notice …) and thus direct the recipient inside the kit.
- In addition, take the time to target the recipient and customize your communication to him/her. For example, if the publication has a section for which you’d be perfect, mention it. As a storefront, if you are a tourist attraction, make a case to be included in a regular column about highlights of a city; a service provider who is a subject matter expert, might site examples of quotes or feature articles pointing to his/her specialty. Give the publication a good reason to make your story/idea work.
- Most of all, make it easy for the publication to like you and showcase your business in a future issue!
- Include contact information on all materials.
While there’s no magic formula to capture the attention of the media, one thing is certain: If you don’t work at it you have no chance.
Social Media: Chasing the Ball
January 26, 2010 by Mary Ellen · Leave a Comment
“Yelp it!” encouraged my friend shortly after returning from San Francisco. “The restaurants we chose came from Yelp and our entrees were described in detail. I think we even got better service because the waiters saw me typing with my iPhone while we were there.”
Her enthusiasm was catching. I’ve since signed up although I have yet to write a review.
Maybe Yelp isn’t for you.
If you’re in business, you can hardly sit on the sidelines of social media.
But how do you pick? Where do you begin?
“It depends.”
Everyday there’s a new solution, an ‘opportunity’ that might make you millions, and will at the very least require some time to investigate. Rather than chasing the idea of the week much as a child chases a bouncing rubber ball, stop and think.
- What are your goals for your business?
- How do you expect social media to contribute?
- Do you have a long-term plan for social media?
In an article on open forum, consultant and speaker Amber MacArthur suggests five social media tools for small business:
- Nameck – discovery and implementation of names
- Twitter – promotion in 140 characters or less
- Bit.ly – shortening urls and more importantly, tracking the info
- WordPress – Yes for a blogging platform choice! (My choice as well.)
- Facebook – 350 million users can’t be wrong
Read the full article from this link: http://bit.ly/SocialMedia5. MacArthur demonstrates her grasp of the problem small business faces with her summary:
“Once you start to use these tools, assign someone within your organization to act as the community manager (if you’re a one-man or one-woman business, this manager will be you!). This person will control your online voice. With all social media sites, you get back from them what you put into them. In other words, it’s critical to start, follow, and take part in ongoing conversations. Finally, track your successes and take small steps to grow your social media presence as required.”
Disclosure: I ran across this article first on Alltop, a time-saving source for small businesses.
Publicize Now: Get the word out 10 ways
January 24, 2010 by Mary Ellen · 1 Comment
A service provider complained to me about marketing.
“Newspaper is too expensive,” he stated. “We did it once and got no results.”
I didn’t discuss what section he advertised in, what he said, or any of the specifics connected with the problem of doing something only once and expecting results.
Instead, I asked “How do you keep in touch with your best customers?”
“Call them?” he asked.
“PWOP,” I thought. (Person without a plan.)
When you consider keeping your customers and/or finding new ones, think about your systems. Here are 10 things you can do to get the word out with minimal systems and planning:
E-mail. Stay in contact with your best customers through email. Use Constant Contact, iContact, or one of the many other services out there to start and build your list.
Calendar your content. Think through your month and list four events. Write a specific email for each event to send later. HINT: Do it now before you get too busy.
Table tents, counter toppers, or other signage. If you have a retail establishment, find a printed way to engage customers while they wait. One local restaurateur, Myra Ghattas of Slate Street, added table tents so customers could review specials or upcoming events while waiting for their food.
Newsletter. Betty’s Bath & Day Spa sends out a chatty, newsy missive every month “Dear Bettyites.” The newsletter promotes specials and lets customers know about special happenings at the spa.
Use social media. Let employees know about offerings and ask them to help get the word out. WESST, a nonprofit, does just that. Nina Anthony regularly posts to her Facebook page or Tweets about upcoming events.
Publicize through traditional means. Clare Zurawski from WESST was quoted as a subject matter expert in an article on SEO, search engine optimization in the New Mexico Business Weekly. WESST regularly lets local media know about upcoming events through press releases. Do you have a system to do the same?
Advertise. Traditional advertising can be an effective way to get the word out if you’ve carefully targeted your audience. CPA firms, for example, might advertise in a local publication to get new tax return customers.
Network. If you belong to an association it may offer publicity options: include a blurb in the regular newsletter, provide announcements or flyers for a meeting and get the word out to dozens of people at the same time.
Collaborate and cross-promote. Take the time to form an alliance with a complimentary business. Let them distribute your coupon and you do the same for them.
Plan. Take a few moments to jot down your goals for this month and next. Then, list three tactics to make your plan happen.
Sound the Marketing Message: Differentiate
January 18, 2010 by Mary Ellen · 1 Comment
Your message is the foundation for business. Your point of differentiation or, as some call it, your USP – unique selling position.
Once you’re clear about the message, (the USP), you can decide where you publish it. The big challenge is finding the words to describe what you do and how it’s different from the competition.
Mostly, we think of ourselves, filling messages with “me” rather than “you.” Hard as it is, we must put ourselves in the shoes of our customers. Here’s what I mean: In a sad but true scenario, I got the following unsolicited email from someone I didn’t know:
Dear Ms. Merrigan:
My name is Don Martin and I own a small commercial cabinet business here in Albuquerque. I estimate my buisness to exist another 60 days unless I can find more work. As we all know, times are as tough as anyone has ever seen. I had 17 employees in June, I now have 3. The 14 I laid off have not found work. I need help. I am not looking for a handout or a loan…just some work to keep afloat. Do you have any suggestions?I have taken the liberty to attach a brief comany history and description. I can forward photos at your request.I am a 100% Veteran Owned small business. Thank you very much.
Regards,
Don Martin
President
Martin Brothers Cabinets
This message is all about Mr. Martin. Five of his short sentences start with “I.” A couple of misspellings further hurt his letter.
Martin Cabinets, LLC needs a point of differentiation, a real message.
- What is the one thing you are most known for?
- What makes you different from other cabinet makers?
- What could you do for me?
- Why would I hire Martin Cabinets if I were considering cabinets at all?
In your letter Mr. Martin, start by explaining why you’re contacting me. Did you meet me somewhere, get my name from an association, or find my site on the Internet?
Get my attention by telling me some fact about cabinets and explaining why that’s applicable to me. Forget attaching a Word doc. I don’t know you and I’m afraid to open it.
Good luck with your quest for work. During your free time, work on your message. As Jack Trout puts it: “Differentiate or Die.”
Think Through Your Smart Marketing Choices
January 14, 2010 by Mary Ellen · Leave a Comment
Even though decisions must be made on the fly, I gulp when I think of the amount of money wasted by “winging it.”
True story: a local bookkeeper who hates marketing bought a subscription to salesgenie, business and consumer lead data, in May 2009.
Cost: $65 per month.
In theory, he could access up to 500 names/leads each month.
Nine months later, he’s STILL not accessed the system, not used a single lead, and paid $585.
AND, by the way, he’s STILL not sent out a single marketing solicitation for his firm.
If you’re considering a marketing purchase, my suggestion is think it through. Consult your marketing plan. At the very least, ask yourself these questions:
- How will I use the information?
- Can I afford the “bargain” I get? (For example, mailing 500 letters costs $220 per month, plus the stationery, printer ink, time to pull the addresses, write the letter, etc.)
- What kind of return do I need for this to be a successful venture?
- What kind of return do I expect?
- What if it doesn’t work?
- Can I afford to NOT work this?
Are you drowning in programs you don’t use or bargains that didn’t pay off? Could you pick up some money in your marketing budget if you stopped winging it?
Perception vs. Reality: How does your market see you?
January 12, 2010 by Mary Ellen · Leave a Comment
I won a Communications Diagnostic Evaluation – a communications survey – earlier this month by responding to an email newsletter offer from Kelly Koepke, Professional Communication Services. In the process, I discovered a new view of an associate and a few things about myself.
Although I ask similar questions of my clients, I found myself hesitating, tongue-tied with Kelly.
“What will she think?”
“Is this the ‘me’ I want her to see?”
“Silly,” my self-talk scolded, “You want this. She’s helping you.”
My summary arrived as promised: two pages, single-spaced, crammed with information pulled out of me a phrase at a time in less than 30-minutes.
It included four specific recommendations, backed by not just Kelly’s opinion, but research. In one recommendation, she suggested beefing up my presence on Facebook and Twitter. She walks her talk. The same day, Kelly tweeted about it. And then friended me on Facebook.
What I liked:
- System. Kelly took notes for me, and walked me through her questionnaire with ease!
- Opinion backed with research. The final product contained referenced studies to back up her recommendation.
- Nicely presented. Bolding of phrases made for easy reading. The clean, formatted look was fresh and appealing. I can make further changes to the Word document as I go forward.
- Organized information. Kelly simply walked me through her questions.
What I noticed:
- Once I gave myself to the process, it got easier.
- It was easy to have the conversation because Kelly tucked in her own comments about similarities, differences and challenges she faced. It felt real.
- Kelly did her own communication with me in addition to the diagnostic: tweeting about the call and friending me on Facebook. And remember, I responded to an offer in her newsletter.
- She followed up when she promised, further building her credibility.
- Kelly didn’t provide answers for me. Instead, gave me a starting point for my own plan. That was the promise as you can see:
That’s why I created my Communication Diagnostic Evaluation – a communication check up. Let’s talk about what you’re doing to tell your story. For only $99, you’ll receive a snapshot report of your communication strategy, and ideas to grow your business that you can implement immediately.
What I learned:
- Process works. This was an effective way to introduce a service.
- You get when you give. Learning from an associate builds respect for the associate and generates ideas for yourself.
- Reminder to self (and other service providers): control your client’s perception of you and your service as you give them a great experience.
Do you have a clear understanding of how your market sees you?
Brand it! Define your business and yourself
January 9, 2010 by Mary Ellen · Leave a Comment
Brand – the essence of any business -deserves discussion, review and revision on an ongoing basis.
What is a brand, anyway?
How do you get there if you’re not Nike? 
The famous swoosh (especially with the “Just do it” tagline) is one of the most know brands in the world.
How fun to read commentary on the development of the Lip-Sticking Brand as I caught up on my reading from the past few weeks. The Lip-Sticking blog offers fun commentary on marketing to women. (Disclosure: My friend and collaborator Mary Schmidt is one of the contributors.)
Now, an expanded Lip-Sticking Society site offers much more, including a soon-to-come learning center. Sign up now to get the updates. In a recent post, Donna DeClemente, marketing director for the Lip-Sticking Society gives a branding overview about the development of Lip-Sticking’s new look. She’s got some strong “how-to” hints for any business:
1. Describe the product in writing (yes, you must write it down for true clarification)
2. Define your audience – primary and secondary
3. Define your value proposition. What is it you offer the customer and why do they care?
4. List the unique features and benefits of your product.
5. Create the personality by listing the words (preferably from the customer)
6. Develop a tagline
Read the entire post and check out the new look for Lip-Sticking Blog.
One of my most aha moments came from “Brand You,” a concept developed some years ago by Tom Peters and featured in one of the early issues of Fast Company. It’s still applicable.
No matter what you’re doing today, there are four things you’ve got to measure yourself against.
First, you’ve got to be a great teammate and a supportive colleague.
Second, you’ve got to be an exceptional expert at something that has real value.
Third, you’ve got to be a broad-gauged visionary — a leader, a teacher, a farsighted “imagineer.”
Fourth, you’ve got to be a businessperson — you’ve got to be obsessed with pragmatic outcomes.
It’s this simple: You are a brand. You are in charge of your brand. There is no single path to success. And there is no one right way to create the brand called You. Except this: Start today. Or else.
Naturally brand isn’t a new realization for me. It’s an ongoing process. See related posts: Clarity begins at home, Walking your talk requires taking your own medicine, and P.S., Take big steps.
Cause-Related Marketing Unites Hearts and Helpers
January 6, 2010 by Mary Ellen · 2 Comments
Giving gets fashionable during the holidays but cause-related marketing can work for you anytime of the year. Embracing a cause makes good busines sense, although sales are not generally the primary factor.
People recognize and embrace the passion behind a cause.
If you’re considering adding cause-related marketing to your plans this year try these things:
- Choose fun projects
- Encourage participation – from employees, vendors, customers, and friends. Cause-related marketing is social and is perfect for social media.
- Make authentic contributions
WorkSpace Dynamics has provided Christmas for families in need as referred by the police department and family advocacy center for several years. The photo below shows Santa delivering the goods.
This year’s request for participation included this: “We recognize the hardship many people have suffered this year; some more than others. We realize that many of you may be cutting back on your own celebrations. As you read the stories of our families, please reflect on what you have and what you may be able to share. As you will see, many of the requests are for simple things like blankets, pjs and slippers. The families will be grateful for gently used gifts, toys and clothes. It is not about spending money, but sharing your kindness- which is priceless.”
- Be real (see previous quote)
- Get others involved
Mary Escobar, owner of Workspace Dynamics serves on the board of CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women), a national organization with local chapters in every major city.
CREW adopted a family with seven children who would not have had Christmas without the assist. CREW purchased a tree, set it up, and delivered all of the gifts for the family. In addition, CREW raised over $1500.00 in donations for gifts, food and utility payment vouchers.
What can you do this year to extend your business? Find a cause. 
Make a difference.
Disclosure: I’ve done work for WorkSpace Dynamics and consider Mary Escobar a friend.
Smart Marketing Strategy: Step into 2010
January 4, 2010 by Mary Ellen · Leave a Comment
Steps.
Where do the steps go?
One step at a time, a staircase can take you places.
(Why doesn’t my staircase look like this?)
From the number of steps to the size of the rise, every staircase is different. Although materials vary – from stone, like the steps pictured here, to other materials, the process of climbing remains the same.
Your marketing is similar to a staircase in that it involves a number of steps. The materials may vary, but the process is the same.
Management, sales, marketing, business development – you want the complete staircase, don’t you? Find a small business solution here at ProfitMeister.
Stories of solopreneurs and service providers, independent business owners who tackle the same challenges as you, illustrate steps others have taken to generate successful marketing plans.
In the coming days, we’ll offer additional resources with links we like and ways to organize and systemize the marketing process so you get a step-by-step solution customizable for you.
Use these ideas to focus your year and develop a master marketing plan for your business.
Create a marketing plan with realistic sales projections. Then, analyze, interpret and challenge your numbers. Use our questions to take Big Steps to grow your business.
Welcome to 2010.
