Have you noticed there are a bunch of polls and research reports that ask people questions such as "Do you read blogs?" or "Do you use social media?" or "Do you go to video sharing sites?" Often the resulting data show rather small use compared to those who, say, use search engines or email.
From the perspective of the value of social media in an organization's overall marketing and PR efforts, this data is misleading and dangerous. Why? Because the data is used by social-media-resistant executives to justify sticking exclusively to the methods that worked decades ago like image advertising, direct mail, and the yellow pages. I frequently hear CEOs, CFOs, and VPs of marketing say things like: "See, social media is not important, so we won't do it here. It is a waste of time." Other people say: "I don't read blogs, so how important are they?"
Click here and continue reading...
Monday, July 28, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
How well do you know your buyer personas?
If you've read my book The New Rules of Marketing & PR or spent time on my blog, you may recall that I stress the importance of "buyer personas." In fact, I believe they're one of the most fundamental aspects of great marketing. A buyer persona is distinct group potential customers, an archetypal person whom you want your marketing to reach.
Click this and continue reading...
Click this and continue reading...
Friday, July 18, 2008
Selecting a PR Program
To determine the types of public relations programs that are right for your business, there are several considerations to keep in mind.
Your company’s goals and budget will determine which public relations programs most suited to your company. Do your homework first:
* Evaluate your business goals: Are you a local, regional, national, or international business?
read more...
Your company’s goals and budget will determine which public relations programs most suited to your company. Do your homework first:
* Evaluate your business goals: Are you a local, regional, national, or international business?
read more...
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Top Ten Ways to Communicate @ Workat Image Are You Projecting
by: Carwin Dover
Whenever I ask people in a work setting, "What would improve work, profits and customer service the most where you work?" the answer is almost always "Better communication!"
Once the problem is noted, the next question is, "What are some effective ways to improve communication without breaking the bank?" Workshops on communication might be the place to start, but the long term answer is the day to day simple stuff. Many of the most effective ways to improve communication cost very little and require very little time on the part of anyone.
The suggestions below can be done by just about anyone from the janitor on down to the CEO. Check out the February 4, 2002 edition of Fortune for some real life examples in their list of "100 Best Companies to Work For." (Their dangling participle, not mine!)
Top Ten Ways to Communicate @ Work Effectively!
ONE: Learn How to "Read" People. Anyone who has read the newsletter, "Communication @ Work!" over the last several months has become a little familiar with the DiSC Personal Profile System®. I like the DiSC because it is easy to learn and an effective tool for learning how to "read" people. When you know what motivates individuals, you can respond to them effectively and efficiently.
read more...
Whenever I ask people in a work setting, "What would improve work, profits and customer service the most where you work?" the answer is almost always "Better communication!"
Once the problem is noted, the next question is, "What are some effective ways to improve communication without breaking the bank?" Workshops on communication might be the place to start, but the long term answer is the day to day simple stuff. Many of the most effective ways to improve communication cost very little and require very little time on the part of anyone.
The suggestions below can be done by just about anyone from the janitor on down to the CEO. Check out the February 4, 2002 edition of Fortune for some real life examples in their list of "100 Best Companies to Work For." (Their dangling participle, not mine!)
Top Ten Ways to Communicate @ Work Effectively!
ONE: Learn How to "Read" People. Anyone who has read the newsletter, "Communication @ Work!" over the last several months has become a little familiar with the DiSC Personal Profile System®. I like the DiSC because it is easy to learn and an effective tool for learning how to "read" people. When you know what motivates individuals, you can respond to them effectively and efficiently.
read more...
Monday, July 14, 2008
Things to Avoid When Distributing a Press Release
by Kim Lance, Web Marketing Specialist for JTV
Once you have carefully developed a press release for your website, it is important that you distribute it with hopes of receiving the best possible response from the press. The last thing you want to do is get on the bad side of a member of the press. There are some procedures you should pay attention to when sending a press release to a press contact.
1) Always Spell the Contact’s Name Correctly
First, avoid misspelling the contact’s name. When distributing your press release to an individual member of the press, always make sure the name and title of the person to whom you are sending your release is correct.
read more...
Once you have carefully developed a press release for your website, it is important that you distribute it with hopes of receiving the best possible response from the press. The last thing you want to do is get on the bad side of a member of the press. There are some procedures you should pay attention to when sending a press release to a press contact.
1) Always Spell the Contact’s Name Correctly
First, avoid misspelling the contact’s name. When distributing your press release to an individual member of the press, always make sure the name and title of the person to whom you are sending your release is correct.
read more...
Thursday, July 10, 2008
How to Gain Market Positioning
By Michele Connors
The key to gaining market positioning is through brand differentiation and increased exposure. In order to gain market position against your competitors, you must accomplish brand differentiation first. This will separate you from the competition and clearly define who you are in the eyes of your potential target market. Brand differentiation could be achieved through logo and design development, creative in-store visuals, customer perception (high end vs. mass market), pricing, target marketing demographics and selecting effective marketing vehicles.The second step, to increase brand exposure, should be taken only when brand differentiation is accomplished. Increasing your brand exposure is achieved by increasing your advertising, marketing and promotions schedule. This can include public relations.
Things You’ll Need:
* Corporate identity
* Marketing materials: in-store POP, printed collateral
* Print advertisement
* Press Release
How to Gain Market Positioning-Brand Differeniation
Step1
Research your competition's logo and design package. Does your design package stand out from the competition? Make sure the colors and style fit your brand's identity. The logo and design will be the face you put forth to potential customers, so make sure the tone and colors fit. For example, a casual restaurant should have a friendly font with primary colors versus a more fine dining restaurant with a more formal design aesthetic and scripted font and mature muted colors.
read more...
The key to gaining market positioning is through brand differentiation and increased exposure. In order to gain market position against your competitors, you must accomplish brand differentiation first. This will separate you from the competition and clearly define who you are in the eyes of your potential target market. Brand differentiation could be achieved through logo and design development, creative in-store visuals, customer perception (high end vs. mass market), pricing, target marketing demographics and selecting effective marketing vehicles.The second step, to increase brand exposure, should be taken only when brand differentiation is accomplished. Increasing your brand exposure is achieved by increasing your advertising, marketing and promotions schedule. This can include public relations.
Things You’ll Need:
* Corporate identity
* Marketing materials: in-store POP, printed collateral
* Print advertisement
* Press Release
How to Gain Market Positioning-Brand Differeniation
Step1
Research your competition's logo and design package. Does your design package stand out from the competition? Make sure the colors and style fit your brand's identity. The logo and design will be the face you put forth to potential customers, so make sure the tone and colors fit. For example, a casual restaurant should have a friendly font with primary colors versus a more fine dining restaurant with a more formal design aesthetic and scripted font and mature muted colors.
read more...
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
The Rise and Rise of Article PR: What are the Implications?
Article printed from SiteProNews: http://www.sitepronews.com
HTML version available at: http://www.sitepronews.com/archives.html
The Rise and Rise of Article PR: What are the Implications?
By Glenn Murray | SEO Copywriter (http://www.divinewrite.com)
& Article PR Specialist (http://www.articlepr.com) (c) 2006
Already a very popular method of achieving a high search engine
ranking, article PR (aka article submission) has now entered the
mainstream. As such, its popularity is increasing at a dramatic
rate. While this is great for SEO copywriters like myself, there
are some side-effects that need to be addressed if article PR is
going to remain a viable search engine ranking technique. This
article discusses some of those side-effects, along with how
they might be addressed.
read more...
HTML version available at: http://www.sitepronews.com/archives.html
The Rise and Rise of Article PR: What are the Implications?
By Glenn Murray | SEO Copywriter (http://www.divinewrite.com)
& Article PR Specialist (http://www.articlepr.com) (c) 2006
Already a very popular method of achieving a high search engine
ranking, article PR (aka article submission) has now entered the
mainstream. As such, its popularity is increasing at a dramatic
rate. While this is great for SEO copywriters like myself, there
are some side-effects that need to be addressed if article PR is
going to remain a viable search engine ranking technique. This
article discusses some of those side-effects, along with how
they might be addressed.
read more...
Monday, July 7, 2008
PR Tips For Startups: How To Get And Keep The Media Attention
by Alex
just an excerpt...read more here...
Hire a PR Firm
This may come as a surprise, but you do need a PR firm. An early stage startup can’t really afford one, but it does not mean that it is not necessary. The number one reason you need a PR firm is because of their connections. They know people, because this is what they do - network.
You do not really know people and if you hope that you will just email them and they will reply - it is a false hope. It is very tough to get people to answer cold emails these days. Going through a friend or a connection is always easier, it almost always works, but direct email almost never works. This is where having PR firm pays off, they come with a Rolodex (nowadays called LinkedIn). But there are, of course, a whole bunch of issues.
just an excerpt...read more here...
Hire a PR Firm
This may come as a surprise, but you do need a PR firm. An early stage startup can’t really afford one, but it does not mean that it is not necessary. The number one reason you need a PR firm is because of their connections. They know people, because this is what they do - network.
You do not really know people and if you hope that you will just email them and they will reply - it is a false hope. It is very tough to get people to answer cold emails these days. Going through a friend or a connection is always easier, it almost always works, but direct email almost never works. This is where having PR firm pays off, they come with a Rolodex (nowadays called LinkedIn). But there are, of course, a whole bunch of issues.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
How to Communicate More Effectively
Be sure to apply the three fundamental rules test.
by Dr. Thomas Klipstine
University of South Carolina
A basic principle in developing any written communication is when content is developed in a user friendly format and adjusted to meet the needs of the consumer, readability increases and message effectiveness is enhanced.
In writing for today's electronic medium, key factors in developing and formatting content can be basically boiled down to what I believe are three fundamental principles or rules for electronic content. If these rules are followed and applied to material developed for electronic distribution, content will become user friendly and messages will be more effective. Based on various usability studies and writing research my three rules are:
The Three Fundamental Rules:
read more...
by Dr. Thomas Klipstine
University of South Carolina
A basic principle in developing any written communication is when content is developed in a user friendly format and adjusted to meet the needs of the consumer, readability increases and message effectiveness is enhanced.
In writing for today's electronic medium, key factors in developing and formatting content can be basically boiled down to what I believe are three fundamental principles or rules for electronic content. If these rules are followed and applied to material developed for electronic distribution, content will become user friendly and messages will be more effective. Based on various usability studies and writing research my three rules are:
The Three Fundamental Rules:
read more...
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Gobbledygook banned by English and Welsh local authorities
Valerie Conyngham points us to a fascinating story.
The Local Government Association (LGA), an association of English and Welsh local authorities representing over 50 million people, has told local government officials to ditch meaningless jargon.
According to an article in The Telegraph, the LGA has sent a list to Town Halls of 100 words and phrases that should be avoided. The list includes "empowerment," "synergies," "revenue stream," "sustainable communities," and "stakeholders."
read more...
The Local Government Association (LGA), an association of English and Welsh local authorities representing over 50 million people, has told local government officials to ditch meaningless jargon.
According to an article in The Telegraph, the LGA has sent a list to Town Halls of 100 words and phrases that should be avoided. The list includes "empowerment," "synergies," "revenue stream," "sustainable communities," and "stakeholders."
read more...
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