7 Tips to Get More Mileage Out of Your Online or Offline Publicity

You worked hard to get a story on your business in a popular
website or your local paper. Don't let your efforts ends there --
here are seven tips to help you maximize your online and offline
publicity:

1) Reprint, Reprint, Reprint!

A favorable article on your company or products is marketing gold
- it implies that the publication or website has given its
endorsement. The best part is that you can enjoy the benefits of
this "third party endorsement" long after the article has
appeared.

If you want to re-print an article from an offline publication in
its entirety, you must get permission from the publication. Most
publications have special re-print departments to help you.

The same rules apply for stories appearing on websites. To re-
print, take a screenshot - make sure to include the logo of the
media outlet.

If there is a particularly juicy section of the article that
you'd like to highlight, make sure to use a "blow-up" quote to
enlarge and separate it from the rest of the article.

2) Add it to Your Website

What better place to drumbeat your newly acquired media placement
than your website. If you get a lot of publicity, set up a
special area (for example, "As Seen In") to display your
placements. For a great story, highlight it on your homepage.
Susan Blair does a nice job of displaying her publicity successes
in her "Articles" section at http://www.blairenterprises.net

Note: if a publication displays your article on its website, make
sure to link to it. Remember to check your link often - media
websites constantly change. Better yet, take a screenshot of
your article including the publication's logo, and place it
permanently in your "As Seen In" area.

3) Stop the (Electronic) Presses - Mention Your Placement in Your
Ezine

If your business has a regular ezine, by all means let your
subscribers in on your publicity success. It's human nature to
be attracted to a popular, successful business or a famous
person. "Celebrity" status is very valuable in and of itself.

4) Email Existing or Potential Clients

Impress your existing or potential clients by tooting your own
horn with an email alerting them that you've been published or
seen on TV!

Use the power of PR to your advantage. Advertising is clearly
understood as coming directly from the sponsoring business and,
as a result, is usually taken with a grain of salt. An article
initiated (or "placed") by publicity efforts is viewed as the
product of the reporter who wrote it - an objective, third party
observer whose positive comments about your business will carry
great weight. For more information on PR versus advertising, go
to http://www.publicityinsider.com/questions.asp

5) Pitch it Again, Sam!

Take your story angle to a different publication or website -
make sure to bend the angle to match the publication's editorial
slant or specific reporter's column. DO NOT mention that the
story appeared in another publication. Why let a reporter know
your angle has already been reported? If it's newsworthy, the
story will stand on its own. To learn how to make a story
newsworthy, go to: http://www.publicityinsider.com/freesecret.asp

6) "Internal" PR

Place your article in a handsome frame and hang it in a visible
area of your office's waiting area. The story adds legitimacy to
your business and provides entertainment for your waiting
customers. If you don't have a waiting area, put the article
behind your desk facing your visitors or in your meeting room.

Make sure to distribute the story to your employees and suppliers
to build loyalty and company pride.

7) Other Suggestions

* Sales Brochures, Direct Marketing Materials & Trade Show
Handouts - Like advertising, claims in self-produced brochures &
mailings are taken with a grain of salt. But, if a credible
publication makes those same claims on your behalf, make sure it
gets "front page" placement in your sales materials.

* Speech handout: - One way to keep your speech working for you
long after the chairs are folded up is to distribute your article
with your business card and company information to all attendees.

* Business card: - Place an important quote from your article on
your business card.


By Bill Stoller

Pot Roast and Public Relations (or, How Your Web Site Can Be Your Best P.R. Tool)

Recently I had a craving for pot roast. I racked my brain to think of a restaurant that offered a great pot roast (as you can see, I'm not a whiz in the kitchen). Anyway, I did what I usually do when I need to find information - I searched Google for "pot roast boca raton" to see what restaurants came up.

Well, only one restaurant's menu that featured pot roast came up. I had never eaten there before, so I phoned them to make sure they still had pot roast on the menu (alas, they didn't).

But here's the bottom line: I would have become a new customer at this restaurant -- because it offered what I wanted -- and I learned about it while searching the Web.

This underscores an important point: every business needs a Web site. Very simply, you never know when potential clients will be searching on the Web for something they need - and the name of your business or organization will come up.

Here's an example. The other night, I got a phone call from a writer in California. She was doing a story on P.R. and my name came up on her Internet search. If it weren't for my Web site, she never would have found me -- and I would have missed the opportunity for publicity.

Here's another example. One of my clients told me that a potential customer had decided to do business with his company because of the high quality of its Web site.

If you don't think your business or organization needs a Web site, consider this: quite possibly, this very minute, somebody out there is searching the Web for something he or she needs that you can provide.


By Margie Fisher 

Editorial Calendars: A Key to Publicizing Your Business

What is the one thing that all of the best public relations
agencies do every year?

They research and compile editorial calendars from publications
that are pertinent to their client's business.

You should too.

What's an editorial calendar?

Editorial calendars are schedules of what topics a publication
plans for cover for a particular month. For example, the INC.
editorial calendar for July 2003
http://www.inc.com/advertise/magazine/calendar.html states that
they're writing an article on various business services.

Bingo!

If you feel that you can contribute to this particular topic,
call or email the editorial department at INC. (try to "speak" to
the managing editor) and find out who (which reporter) has been
assigned to write the story. Email or call the reporter and
explain how you can contribute. It's that simple -- it takes less
time than writing this article - and is much more effective than
blast-faxing a garbage bound press release to inappropriate
reporters.

Final thoughts: Many publications post their editorial calendars
on their Web sites -- usually they're found in their advertising
media kits. Otherwise, contact the publication's advertising
departments and ask for a calendar. Check for editorial deadlines
- many publications work 6 months in advance.


By Bill Stoller

The 7 Deadly Sins of Press Releases

A press release is often your only chance to make a great first impression.

Newspapers, magazines and trade publications receive them by the truckload. That means sloppy, inaccurate, pointless releases are the first to hit the newsroom wastebasket. To make sure yours isn't one of them, avoid these 7 Deadly Sins:

1. Providing insufficient or wrong information on your press releases, particularly telephone numbers. Releases must be complete, accurate and specific. (Note: A news release is the same as a press release.)

2. Writing too long. They should be no longer than a page.

3. Sending it too late. Mail or fax it to local media at least two weeks before an event, preferably three or four. Major magazines work four to six months ahead of time.

4. Sending a release with no news value. News is what happens that is different. If it isn't different, it isn't news.

5. Blatant commercialism. Avoid hackneyed words and phrases such as spectacular, incredible, the only one of its kind, breakthrough, cutting-edge, unique and state-of-the-art.

6. Omitting a contact name and phone number. At the top of the first page in the left corner, let editors know who they can call if they have questions. Include day, evening and cell phone numbers.

7. Calling after you send a release and asking questions like "Did you get my news release?" or "Do you know when it will be printed?" Don't follow up with a phone call to see if the media got your release, unless you are absolutely sure that someone will check for you. Most reporters and editors don't have time. If you do follow up, make sure you have a reason to call. Suggest a particular angle to your story, or ask the media people if they need any other information.

By Joan Stewart

What is GuerrillaPR Anyway?

Public relations is the art, as one of my colleagues put it, of "offering people reasons to persuade themselves." In other words, we are not Madison Avenue; we don't tell people what we want them to think. Rather, we give them evidence, facts, and opinions that help them reach a conclusion. If we're good at what we do, they will reach the conclusion we've been hired to promote.

The differences between traditional public relations and Guerrilla P.R. are relatively simple. First of all, public relations firms like mine are available to people with a lot of money, because we charge what we consider to be reasonable fees, which are out of reach of many small or one-person businesses. So entrepreneurs and small business owners need to learn and apply the same skills I use every day in service of their larger, more well- heeled rivals. But these skills can't be used the same way, since they require more money than most small businesses can afford. Not everyone can buy a minute of time on network TV to get the message across.

That's where Guerrilla P.R. comes in. This down-and-dirty offspring of the traditional method is based on an idea I developed called the Tiffany Theory. The Tiffany Theory is an idea that sounds simple but, like most such theories, is so basic it contains numerous truths.

My Tiffany Theory states that a gift delivered in a box from Tiffany's will have a higher perceived value than one in no box or a plain box. That's not because the recipient is a fool; it's because in our society, we gift-wrap everything: our politicians, our corporate heads, our movie and TV stars, and even our toilet paper. Tiffany paper places a higher perceived value on things.

In effect, what I do each day is gift-wrapping. I take a message and wrap it in the finest paper from Tiffany's. No matter what the message may be, I try to make it sound more appealing, more interesting, and more useful. If I do my job correctly, the consumer (who gets the message through television, newspapers, radio, or the Inter net) will get the message. But first, that message has to go through editors, producers, reporters, and website managers. The Tiffany paper adds perceived value and cachet.

Notice, now, I said, perceived value. In public relations and publicity, perception is truth. It isn't what happened that counts, it's what people think happened. This is the absolute day-to-day currency of politics, entertainment, and most other industries. In our case, we're looking at how the public-that is, the segment of the public you believe is your customer base-perceives your company. Not what your company actually might be.

Does that mean you should lie? Never. Lying, besides being morally wrong, is quite literally indefensible. That means, at some point, you're going to be found out. And even if you weren't, you would have to start living the lie- remembering what you told the people interested in your business, and hearing people call you what you said you are. It's too hard, and it's not worth it. Besides, it's plain bad business.

When I say that the perception of the truth-rather than the truth itself-is the stuff of great publicity campaigns, I mean that the truth will take care of itself. But you have to make sure that the image you project, the perception you offer to potential customers, is what you want it to be.

For example, a man named Dave Schwartz decided he'd start a car rental company that would lower rates to the consumer by featuring cars that weren't 100 percent new off the showroom floor. He had a choice to make in terms of the perception of his new company, and he chose to beat critics to the punch with a strong sense of humor and a catchy company name: Rent-A-Wreck. Now, Dave didn't lie (his cars weren't wrecks, they drove just fine, so maybe he exaggerated a little), and he didn't fall into the trap of emphasizing price. After all, his competitors already had names like Thrifty and Budget. He hit you in the funny-bone, made his impression of a fun car rental company-with the implied promise that the cars would cost less because they weren't brand new- and launched a very successful business.

It's all in the perception. But is this a contradiction of the Tiffany Theory? Did Dave actually wrap his cars in Kmart paper to make his point?

Not really. Dave still wrapped his message in Tiffany paper. He made sure local news outlets, publications, and media companies knew about his company, and he emphasized exactly how reliable and economical the rental cars at Rent-A-Wreck would be. By downplaying the appearance of the cars-calling them "wrecks" he allowed the media to expect dented, scratched, beat-up cars. When they toured his facility and saw cars that were only slightly used, Dave didn't have to say a word. The message got out that the "wrecks" in question were very reliable, attractive cars that would be available for a lower rental rate because they were used. A brilliant, subtle piece of Tiffany wrapping.

----------------------------------------------------------

The Tiffany Theory applies to the Internet in ways it never could with traditional media. Keep in mind that more information is available on the World Wide Web than you can possibly track, let alone control. So it's always important to keep your information true. But unlike information in newspapers or magazines, the data you provide on a website is yours, and you provide the Tiffany paper. Use photographs, charts, quizzes, and prizes, if you can, to keep surfers' interest alive on your site. And remember to wrap every fact in a nice neat piece of Tiffany wrap.

GuerrillaPR Insights is a, weekly newsletter that does 2 things: First, it provides readers with a weekly, actionable "insights" on how you can work more effectively with the media.

Secondly

Possibilities Of The Blogosphere For The PR Industry In Spanish-Speaking Countries

Only two media in Spanish speaking countries offer RSS: the Spanish newspaper El Mundo and the Argentine Clarín. Although the blogs are becoming more visible in the media and are becoming a research topic, still they are something of small "evangelist groups", who promote its use? but this can change in little time.

To face this great challenge, Spanish-speaking PR professionals have to identify the enormous opportunities that other colleagues, fundamentally those whose native language is English, use for their clients, their businesses and, even for themselves.

Perhaps it would be easier for Anglo-saxons, with a different culture, to accept that in order to enter the blogosphere they must take themselves off the pedestal on which they think leaders should be placed, and be closer to thousands of people in a direct way, without any obstacles.

It is hard for me to believe that a politician, a high-ranking official or an executive in Mexico, Spain, Peru or Argentina, would agree to write a blog. Furthermore, except for some industries (i.e. IT), the use of blogs to maintain direct communication with their audiences continues to be limited to political parties, governments and even successful businesses.

In recent years, there has been a great advance, in which leaders have taken into account the advantages of having a web page and have included it in their communication campaign.

Nevertheless, for some industries of the Spanish-speaking countries, the Internet still is a foreign, difficult and expensive tool, and because of this they disregard its use to communicate with their audiences. The blogosphere offers the exact opposite of this: it is a communication tool close to the people, easy-to-use and with such a reduced price that, with so many resources available on the Internet, it can be practically free of charge.

It is easy to say that blogs could become a "democratizing" element with real possibilities to change the traditional relationship between sources and the media with the public.

Blogs will make possible the "participative journalism", through which it will be possible to connect the problems of real people to other individuals with the same difficulties and worries. The possibilities are endless in societies that are used to the lack of transparency in government activities and large businesses, and even with media that lack credibility.

In fact, what is already happening in a lot of Spanish-speaking countries, as in the Anglo-saxon world, is an explosion of blogs that offer alternative information to the traditional media. Thousands of blogs are appearing to reflect, qualify and denounce, not only the governmental actions or those of political parties, but products, services or even plans that many businesses are carrying out.

Also, it is possible that the blogs can be seen as the real possibility for the small and medium-size businesses to access the Internet, without needing to provide a large quantity of resources or having to depend on IT people that don't necessarily understand the business or communication strategies.

Perhaps here is the heart of the matter. These reasons make me think that there are many possibilities for the public relations industry in the Spanish-speaking countries to explore blogs. It is possible that very soon the blogs in Spanish may reach the same importance that other blogs are gradually but firmly gaining, in countries such as United States, United Kingdom, Canada or Australia.

Right now, I don't believe that really independent blogs -that is to say, those that are not part of important communication groups or that are not written by professional journalists that update their blogs parallelly to their main activity- may be accredited like mainstream media in important events such as political campaigns, as is already happening in the US, and soon in the United Kingdom.

The public relations industry in Spanish-speaking countries should be prepared to obtain the maximum profit of this phenomenon.

How? I will tackle this through some proposed plans of action.

* Identify those blogs that have a good level of hits and organize them in categories: technology, political, media, etc. There are some directories that do this like Bitácoras.net, Blogdir.com, Blogsmexico.com, Blogalia.com, to mention a few. We should be open to see all kinds of blogs, keeping in mind that there will be occasions in which we won't share the authors' points of view, but that is important that we take them into consideration.

Let's take the the case of the videogames web pages. There are occasions in which children with barely 12 years become true opinion leaders, who are capable of destroying the launch of a new game in which thousands or even millions of euros were invested.

* Enter into the blogosphere with the objective of understanding the new medium, its tools, its possibilities and limitations, as well as the best-known authors, although they not be Spanish-speaking.

It may seem obvious, but there are many people that have never heard about RSS, feeds, posts, blogs, syndicated content, links or anything along these lines.
A public relations consultant can't suggest that his or her clients launch a blog without having previously informed the client about what it takes to be successful and, above all, he or she can't afford not to know an answer to an issue that may be presented in the blogosphere.

* Before launching a corporate or institutional blog, one should have a clear strategy of what he or she hopes to be communicate and should understand that the blogosphere has its own "net-etiquette", that is to say, its own codes, that have implications regarding updating, information sources, the form, the tone of the communication? and, of course, the feedback of the public.

We can find that a good idea may produce mediocre results if inadequate tactics are chosen. In this sense, a blog is one more tool among the many available for public relations. And, yes, it offers some unique possibilities that other don't have.

* Make the blog relevant, but take into account that it is a blog. There are people that keep thinking that the blogs are newspapers for teen-agers, in part because it is true. However this is not something bad at all since this shows how flexible blogs are.

Therefore, at the moment of launching a blog, one must find an equilibrium among the characteristics of the blogosphere with the objectives of the organization. One cannot do is to create irrelevant posts or wait too long to update the blog.

If a business does not have the capacity to maintain a continuous communication with its audience, whether for strategic reasons or legal limitations of another type, perhaps a web page is better for its objectives.

* Note that results can't be immediate. It is one of the main challenges to all public relations professionals that should be faced, not only with the blogs, but when using any other tool.

Perhaps in the case of the blogs the challenge is greater because of the novelty of the medium and, in the case of some Latin American countries, by the low penetration of Internet.

* Be "blog evangelists". One must know not only the blogosphere, one must be part of it. This is the only way in which a consultant will be able to offer his or her clients an adequate consultancy. It is not a matter of being a guru with thousands of visits a day, but it is necessary to be comfortable with the blogosphere and knowing who-is-who. The only way to persuade someone is being convinced of that which is preached.

The best business card of a consultant that uses the advantages of a blog for an organization should include, apart from its email, his or her blog addresss.

There will be many of things to do, but this could be a good beginning for the Spanish-speaking PR industry, that has yet to see blogs as a tool with a huge potential.

We must wait to see if the "blog phenomenon", that is taking place in a number of countries, will spread to the rest of the world. The low internet penetration in Latin American countries, an incipient culture of the use of IT and a different way of understanding the social relations, will be the main obstacles that will determine if this phenomenon spreads as it has in the Anglo-Saxon countries, or maybe it will be possible that a different movement arises with local particularities that haven't been exploited yet. We will wait and see? and we better be prepared.

By Octavio Isaac Rojas Orduña

Media Kit: 25 Component Possibilities

Media kits include a combination of information whether created for electronic delivery or print. The number of components depends on the kit's focus and intention. For instance, an author's kit would include a different combination of information than a service business, or a multifaceted company or speaker.

Here is a list of component elements to pull from and tips to bring a media kit together. No single kit will need all components. Choose the components that match your or the receiver's needs.

1. Table of Contents (TOC). Kit receivers always appreciate this feature, it respects their time. I recommend this rule: five or less pages, include the TOC in a personalized letter, using design elements such as bold, larger font or centering to set itself off from the rest of the letter. Six and more, use a single sheet. And place the page before all other pages, including the letter. For electronic delivery, use color, to help gain attention.

2. Company Information. An "About Us" page includes contact information. It is also an accumulation of other aspects about that company, however, in summary format. When founded but not how founded, vision and mission, simple list of services or product or just an overall view.

3. About Our Departments. If you have several different departments in your company, you can include a page with a summary of each departments responsibility.

4. About You. Similar to number 2 with the focus on a single individual. You will want to focus the language and information to exactly what the media needs to know. For example, solopreneurs the particulars would be about you, credentials, and information with a single focus. Similar to a resume but not quite.

5. Founder Page. Do you have a company founder with an interesting story of how they started the company? It doesn't matter if they are deceased or retired. Honor their tenacity and creativity with their picture.

6. Upper Management. It is important to stress any special skills or background in the company that is an asset. Use one page per management level or several on a single page. Several pages are okay for this section if it supports the media request.

7. Services. One per page or several to a page. If you don't have enough material for a whole page, create enough. If more than one service, add a list of the other services at the end of the page to indicate what else is available.

8. Products. Use service tips above. You will want to include whatever pictures need to depict the product.

9. Employee. This component is seldom included, yet it is a significant way to demonstrate how the company's differences. This information is about the staff as a whole. Presentation depends on what the intention of the media kit. Statistics, number of employees, tenure, company events, or community projects, work well here. If the statistics don't shine, don't include.

10. Company History. Adding a history can make or break media attraction. If a young company you might think it's could be a negative element, not true. Depends on what side you are presenting in the kit. For a season company, it is a must. What prevails or whether to include or not, is how interesting is the story. If it is interesting or creates curiosity, include it.

11. Awards. Include any awards or special interests of employees. Do you have published authors in your company, an Olympic participant, or something else? Consider including. Sometimes a backdoor interest can bring media coverage in. If there is only one award you can add it on another page. To create a whole page from short information, list past winners or describe the selection process. Ceremonial pictures add interest.

12. Distinction Page. This page needs to show how the company is different. Comparison charts, like those found in most software product sales information pages, are easy for readers to scan and comprehend. Graphs also work well.

13. Client List. List clients whether they are well-known or not. If your client list is extremely confidential, mention this in lieu of the list. You can expand the information by providing some brief background information about the client.

14. Company Affiliates. If you have a formal affiliate program, add this information. If you use top quality vendors, add their information as well. Connection add flavor to being attractive.

15. Press Releases. Use releases with dates less than 90- days.

16. Publication List. If an author, where published. If short, expand by adding details about the publication. A few summarized paragraphs will do. If you are or where a columnist or write your own electronic or printed newsletter add this information as well. Add copies only if relevant and current.

17. Speaking List. Have you spoken at events or to groups? List, if old, don't include when. Instead group by categories. Include panel participations.

18. Radio/television appearances. Guest or host, doesn't matter. Tell them where they can listen to any audio or video clips. I don't recommend including. They are too expensive to send and for receivers to store. You want to set the availability information off in some sort of design element to make sure it isn't missed. To expand an appearance I like to suggest adding elements about how you got on the show, what you did and didn't like, or other details about the experience. Human interest stories always spark interest to the media. Give enough to peak their curiosity.

19. Personal Story. What is your personal story about starting the business, creating a product or service? Is it a rags to riches story? Usually people don't think they have a good enough story to include, however, that normally turns out to be fiction. Look for the buried treasure, dust and polish to see the shine. Someone that can write from a charge neutral standpoint is best for these.

20. Testimonials. You can spread testimonials throughout the components using pull quote design effects. And also have their own page. To expand, enlarge font size or reduce margins.

21. Endorsements are personal acknowledgements. For media kits, credibility stands higher. They include more detail than testimonials. Add copies of special endorsement letters or just mention them in other components. Only add with the endorsers permission. Products and book authors frequently include these. Be creative with this in your kit.

22. Reviews. Product or book reviews are not endorsements. Reviews give an overview charge neutral opinion. Reviews have their own language. To learn that language, read movie or book reviews.

23. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). This component is a must in every media kit. Normally, media reads these pages first or second. Formulate questions by asking media personnel. Don't guess what they want.

24. Photos. For trainers, speakers, or other professional services, color photos are too expensive to include and aren't necessary. A small 6x9 black and white is appropriate.

25. Community. Add volunteer projects you have worked on or positions you have held. To expand, add additional details about the organization.

Note: Two-side pages count as one page.

When you are ready to send out a media kit, pull together the pieces that fit, create a personalized letter, slip in the contact person's business card, usually the same person signing the letter, and its ready to mail or e-mail.

A beautifully designed media kit is nice but not necessary. Visual impact is important, yet, you can do this with a matching color theme and quality paper. Content needs to be the first and foremost focus. Fancy-looking media kits but if it doesn't say anything to the receiver, it's trashed. Value is in the information and news worthiness.



By Catherine Franz