Hiring a PR firm can bring attention to your company, its services, products and people. But public relations is not a hit-and-run venture; long-term strategies combine with short-term tactics to create a strong brand and positive reputation. Therefore, it is to everyone’s benefit that the relationship between the client company and the PR firm is a lasting one.

Occasionally, however, the relationship doesn’t work out, and while there are often various reasons cited, the problem usually boils down to a flawed vetting process when the firm was first hired.

Avoiding the following pitfalls can lead to a truly successful collaboration between client and firm.

1. Great Expectations

Public relations is not a magical enterprise. It involves creativity, hard work and dedication to the client’s interests. And it often takes some time before you see results. What can happen in the first meeting between the PR firm and a prospective client is an unconscious collaboration: the client wants to think the public relations person can make his company successful overnight, and the public relations person lets him think this because he wants him as a client. This can only lead to disappointment on both sides.
Most experienced public relations professionals will tell you what is – and is not – possible to achieve for your type of business and your budget. A long-term productive relationship is more satisfying for both the client and the PR firm than a short-term honeymoon.

2. Choosing the Wrong Size Firm

One frequent complaint that clients voice about their PR firm is that the top executives presented a wonderful proposal to them, but they rarely heard from those people again. Instead, their account was assigned to someone new to the firm, and they didn’t feel they got the attention – or the results – they deserved.
PR firms survive for the most part on the billable hours that make up the client’s fee. If your company is paying a fee at the low end of a firm’s fee schedule, you will probably get assigned to one of its less seasoned staff. Larger firms usually charge higher fees to cover their higher overhead costs. PR firm fees can range from $5,000 to $30,000 per month or more, so if a fee of $10,000 per month seems like a huge expenditure to you, it’s best to choose a smaller firm.

3. Not Knowing What You Want

From the point of view of the public relations professional, the most difficult clients to satisfy are the ones who really don’t know what they want. Meetings abound, ideas are put forward and shot down – as the public relations person tries fruitlessly to read the client’s mind. In the end, everyone is frustrated.
This outcome can be avoided with some advance planning. Before your first meeting with a firm, do some internal brainstorming and be ready to state your goals and the principal audiences you want to reach with your messages. If you are doing a small project, such as a brochure or website, show examples of the kinds of things you like, your current stationery or logos, and some of your competitors’ materials. You will save time and money by being prepared.

4. Being Cagey about your Budget

Some business owners think that if they talk about their budget upfront, the PR firm will “spend it all – and then some.” But the cost of public relations programs can vary greatly, depending on your goals and your budget. Be clear about both. If you outline goals that require extensive work with expensive outside services and act like money is no object, expect the PR firm to present a proposal for a big program that costs a lot – maybe more than you can afford. If you are honest about how much you have to spend, you have freed the firm to discuss what can be accomplished within your budget. Give the firm a chance to show you what they can do with a smaller budget. Then you will have a more accurate picture of the firm’s resources, creativity and capabilities.

5. Hiding Negative Information

When you are interviewing a PR firm, be open about the possibility of any negative publicity that may be on the horizon involving your company. Public relations people need to know these things – not just at the beginning, but throughout the relationship – in order to plan accordingly. Managing negative news is much more effective when done early on, before it festers and grows into a costly crisis.

Finding the right PR firm doesn’t have to be a shot in the dark. Check with your local chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. Ask other business people for their recommendations, and visit the firms’ websites. Interview several firms to see if they might be the right size and have the right background and experience level to do the job. Ask for a written proposal. Once you feel comfortable that a firm understands your business, your budget and what will be needed to achieve your goals, take the plunge. You will probably be pleasantly surprised.

Margot Dimond is an accredited public relations professional with more than 30 years of experience in the field. Currently a principal with DoubleDimond Public Relations in Houston, Texas, she has been on both sides of the public relations firm hiring process.

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Tags: public, relation, mistake, firm

There is no question that media coverage will boost business for you. It’s a proven way to put your business in the spotlight in a major way. A perfect example of marketing 1 to many, which if you know my teachings, you know is the ideal marketing model. Media coverage will also:

• Raise your public profile.
• Improve your credibility.
• Establish your authority.
• Generate new customers.
• Make it easier to convert prospects to customers.

Getting your product or service in the media has it’s process and that’s where many small business owners get stuck. They don’t know how and they don’t have the budget to hire a public relations firm which can get pretty expensive.

The good news is that doing your own publicity is very doable. In fact, it’s quite easy. You just have to know the steps, plug into it, and work it until you get the coverage you are looking for.

Here are the basic steps to getting free media coverage for your business:

1. Identify the media venues (print or broadcast) that your target audience is most likely to consume. For instance, if your product is for women you want to target programs and publications watched and read by women.

2. Contact the Producers and Editors of these identified venues. This is easier than ever. Every publication and program has a website with contact information. So look that up and ask for the key person you are looking for by department or segment and get that persons contact information so that you can start calling them and sending them information.

3. Send consistent press releases that are very catchy and even SEXY! I call press releases the necessary evil. Producers and editors get so many of these a day, that many get tossed. However, it’s also what needs to be sent out consistently to create a buzz about your product or service. The key is making it so catchy and sexy that it’s irresistible and provides valuable content to the producer. I use “sexy” because the media loves “sexy”. So find creative ways to hook them by pitching your story with a “sexy” tip.

4. Position Your Business Virally- The best way to hook the media is by being everywhere. Today, that is extremely easy with all the tools available with the internet. So position your business on the social networks, write articles and publish them online, put up videos on Youtube, and blog away. When you contact producers with your press releases, if they go on to research you and find you all over the net, you are more likely to be considered.

5. Have a Media Kit (online version works!) Websites have become the new media kits. If you have a page with a picture of you and your product, great content, articles and credentials, then you are set to go. Having a conventional media kit (a package you send out) is still great to have but if you don’t have a budget to get it done yet, your website can do the trick.

6. Be consistent. Like everything, getting on the media takes time. Working on your publicity everyday will get you the coverage eventually. And the best part is that once you get on, you have already established a relationship with key people who will continuously help you get more media coverage throughout your business.

If you want media coverage for your business do not fall into the trap of believing it can’t be done without a publicist or agency. Believe it or not the media needs you. So come up with the value in your product, spin it into a story and start working the system.

See you on TV!

© 2009 Synergy Communications, Inc.

Entrepreneur Julissa Fernandez a.k.a “The Sassy Media Guru” is a Business Communications Coach visit this Site. and Consultant, To learn more visit this Site.

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Hiring a PR company can be a daunting experience. After all, ‘PR’ is surrounded by mystery and you may not be entirely sure either what you’re paying for or the effects of their work. You know you can’t afford for your reputation to be damaged, but just how does a PR company portray you in a positive light and can this really benefit your business?

The central work of PR companies is to act as a link between your business and the media. Journalists look for stories and PR companies provide newsworthy information. This can be anything from your latest product launch to your hiring of a big industry name. PR companies are generally made up of people with journalistic experience who are skilled at writing press releases. These factual stories are written in a certain way so that journalists can easily use them. The PR company will use its contacts to disseminate the press release to the right media outlets.

Why can’t you do this yourself? Well firstly PR people have the right writing experience – press releases are a skill you have to learn. Secondly they have the industry experience and contacts to get your story into the right places. When consumers read a story in a newspaper or magazine they tend to trust it – the media after all is meant to provide factual information and often guides the opinion of the masses. If your press release was put on your website it would seem self-serving, but getting a story into a newspaper gives it credibility.

A press release has to be factual but it often contains soundbites from your company and portrays you in a positive light. You can talk about how your product benefits the consumer, or tests that have shown it to be useful for example. Including quotes gives your company a human face.

A good PR company should advise you on your strategy, but remember that any messages contained within your press release should be consistent with your overall campaign. If you contradict yourself people will notice and this doesn’t give a good impression. Clear objectives for your PR strategy will prevent the wrong messages reaching your target audience.

An added bonus to using press releases is that they contain a link back to you. In offline publications this will be your phone number and web address, and in online publications this web address should be a hyperlink. This means that your website can actually gain good links through your press releases and this helps any online marketing strategies you might have.

There has been a rise in the number of online press distribution networks and many PR companies utilise these. More and more journalists are going online to find their news as lead times become shorter and budgets become tighter, so putting your press releases online has become mainstream. It’s another way to get word about your company out there and your news can still end up in offline publications.

Hiring a PR company can be a brilliant move for your company – they can raise your business profile and increase the status of your website. Could you do that without them?

Sylvia Kittens lives in Harrogate, England

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Tags: public relations, pr, company, firm, corporation

We all struggle when it comes to getting our business’s name out there and on the publics mind. If you want to be noticed, you have to be buzz worthy!

Being Buzz Worthy means being the most talked-about business in your field. You want to be the stand out provider of your product and service, and getting there doesn’t always have to cost you the big bucks.

Here are some free ways to get others buzzing about you:

First, get news coverage about your business or new product locally, nationally, as well as in your industry’s trade publications. Most people forget that trade publications are a major attention grabber, as you are being recognized by your own industry. Even your competitors will be buzzing as they read the trade publications.

Use your e-mail list to keep your customers and potential customers informed. Send out updated information about your company, offer tips and tactics, and answer commonly asked questions. This creates a community that is faithful to your business.

Create a presence on the Internet to help build buzz. Besides your own website, chat rooms and blogs are a good way of creating communication that develops your credibility. Offer advice and insights online whenever you can.

But the best and most efficient way to get your name out to the public is word of mouth.

The word of mouth technique is inexpensive and viral. So talk! Others will start talking to their friends who talk to their friends. Also, talk every opportunity you can find whether it is at seminars, meetings, and/or conferences to get your name out.

Shannon Cherry, APR, MA is your Power Publicist and owns Be Heard Solutions, a virtual publicity and marketing agency. She helps entrepreneurs become more successful at attracting more clients, selling more products and services, and boosting their business. Get more tips and tactics with your free publicity power pack by visiting this website

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Tags: tech, pr, agency, jobs, firm

As business, non-profit, government agency or association managers, what they’ll tell you they DO know is, “PR is pretty much all about press releases, broadcast plugs, brochures and special events.”

And that’s too bad.

Because what those managers are missing is ANY recognition that strategic public relations could lead directly to achieving their unit’s managerial objectives. Presumably their primary concern!

They appear unaware that, along the way, they would be doing something really significant about the behaviors of those important outside audiences that MOST affect the department, group, division or subsidiary unit they manage.

They seem equally unaware that they would then be in a position to persuade those key external audiences to their way of thinking, moving them to take actions that allow that manager’s own unit to succeed.

I suspect those managers have heard about public relations missions biased towards simple tactics, thus denying them the best that public relations has to offer.

Again, that’s too bad.

What they require is first-class public relations planning that really CAN alter individual perception resulting in changed behaviors among key outside audiences. But that only happens

when they demand more than just communications tactics. That’s when they’ll receive the quality public relations results they deserve.

When managers adopt such an approach to public relations, the desired end-products usually soon emerge. For instance, prospects begin to do business with you; membership applications start to rise; welcome bounces in show room visits occur; customers start to make repeat purchases; capital givers or specifying sources begin to look your way; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures start showing up; politicians and legislators begin looking

at you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities; and community leaders start to seek you out.

Obviously, there’s a highly proactive premise undergirding this approach to public relations, to wit: people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is usually accomplished.

The public relations people on your staff are positioned to help you achieve your managerial objectives. They’re already in the perception and behavior business and can be of real use for your new opinion monitoring project. But be certain those PR folks really accept why it’s SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. And this is really important: be sure they believe that perceptions almost always result in behaviors that can help or hurt your operation.

Better take the time to sit down and review your new PR plan with those public relations professionals, be they agency, staff or parent. Discuss how you will monitor and gather perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Suggest asking questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the exchange? Are you familiar with our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

You may conclude that you should pursue your key audience data with a professional survey firm. But be cautious because that course of action may require more expense than using those PR folks of yours in that monitoring capacity. However, regardless of whether it’s your people or

a survey firm asking the questions, the objective remains the same: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

Of course you must set a realistic public relations goal which addresses the most serious problem areas uncovered during your key audience perception monitoring. And it must be both realistic and achievable. For example, will your goal be to straighten out a dangerous misconception? Correct a gross inaccuracy? Or, stop a potentially painful rumor before it does more damage?

A matching strategy will be just what the doctor ordered. But you have just three strategic options available to you when it comes to solving perception and opinion problems. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. Because the wrong strategy pick will taste like pork gravy on your white bean salad, be certain your new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. You certainly don’t want to select “change”

when the facts dictate a strategy of reinforcement.

If there’s any magic to public relations, it’s writing persuasive messages. And the goal is almost always moving a key audience to your way of thinking, so that the resulting behaviors will be to your liking. But such a message must be carefully written, and aimed directly at that key external audience. Get your best writer on this job because s/he must produce language that is not merely compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if it is to shift perception/opinion towards your point of view and lead to the behaviors you have in mind.

Now that your perception-moving message is ready to go, you and your people must wade through a wide selection of communications tactics. They range from speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be sure the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

Reminder: the way you communicate your message will bear heavily on its believability, always fragile at best. Which is why, initially, you may wish to unveil your corrective message before smaller meetings and presentations rather than using higher-profile news releases.

Obviously, to show how far the program has come in impacting perception, and thus behaviors, a second perception monitoring session will be needed. The result will be your first progress report and, happily, you can use many of the same questions used in your benchmark session. Only difference now, you’ll be watching for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

No program can keep running at 90 miles per hour, so if yours slows down, either add more communications tactics, or increase their frequencies, or both.

No, public relations is not “pretty much all about press releases, broadcast plugs, brochures and special events.”

It IS all about achieving an organization’s operating objectives. And in the process doing something really significant about the behaviors of those important outside audiences that MOST affect the organization, then persuading them to the unit’s way of thinking, and moving them to take actions that allow the organization

to succeed.

In that way, you get both the quality public relations results you deserve, and the best that public relations has to offer

Bob Kelly counsels and writes for business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has published over 230 articles on the subject which are listed at EzineArticles.com, click Expert Author, click Robert A. Kelly. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University, major in public relations. Visit:http://www.PRCommentary.com

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Tag:works, pr, firm, house, agency

A steady stream of publicity can catapult you, your brand and your business success. However, securing publicity can be intimidating for many entrepreneurs.

Learning and implementing the following basic publicity steps streamlines and facilitates the process for most entrepreneurs:

* Get over your fear. The most common reason entrepreneurs do not pursue media coverage is fear. Often, this fear stems from two streams of thought:

Too Big For Your Britches Thinking – This is the fear of what others in their industry will think of them. They don’t want to appear as if they are bragging or claiming to be the best, the only, or the most important spokesperson for the industry, etc. Although, that is not a bad thing to do.

60 Minute Ambush Thinking – This is fear of the media and being interviewed. Some of the strongest, most powerful CEOs become spaghetti during interviews with reporters – even small town, weekly newspaper reporter. This fear most often reflects a lack of knowledge of how the media works, what the media expects during an interview, and what the interviewee can offer to the media.

* Create compelling news hooks to capture media attention. Remember to think in terms of what readers, watchers and listeners want. Make it timely, interesting and entertaining to maximize media interest.
* Write a one-page press release that is clear, concise and newsworthy. In the media, less is truly more.
* Identify media you want to cover your story. For traditional news and feature media it is a good idea to begin locally to gain experience before approaching major national media. In the beginning, you will make some mistakes. It is always best to practice and learn the ropes with local media rather than making the mistakes in front of audiences of millions.
* Submit your press release – online, offline or both.
* Leverage your publicity. Each time you receive media coverage, use it in your marketing efforts to secure additional media interest. Then repeat the process over and over.

There is great value in pursuing a steady stream of publicity. So, challenge yourself today, to write and submit a newsworthy press release.

Now, I invite you to grab a free copy of my special report: “Marketing with Press Releases” at this site.

This 12-page report walks you through the 6 basic steps for getting publicity, 12 steps for writing a press release, a press release template and 20 places to post your press releases online.

Go get famous, one press release at a time.

From ExpertPreneur Strategist Amelia Brazell.

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Tags: marketing, public, relations, advertising, firm

Press Releases is one of those things that can take on a life of its own. The right press release can generate tremendous exposure, opportunity and yes…profits. The real trick to writing a press release is to have something newsworthy to write about. This often takes creativity, inspiration, and a bit of innovation. Here are 10 ideas to get the brainstorming wheels spinning.

Calendar events. Events are a great way to get your business in the headlines. Whether you host a seminar or conference or you are sponsoring a local team events are newsworthy. To emphasize the newsworthiness of the event be sure to point out who it helps or how it solves a problem. For example a seminar on how to sell your home in a down economy benefits the very large For Sale by Owner segment in the United States. Sponsoring a local race to raise money for diabetes benefits those fighting diabetes.

Letter to editors can be a tremendous way to get the ball rolling or get attention for issues that are important to your business and your industry. As a business owner, when you take steps to bring issues to the forefront it demonstrates your passion for your field and your customers. It also demonstrates that you are a take charge, action oriented business. The letter itself can be used to generate a press release stating a businesses involvement or solution to an industry problem.

Problem-solving Tips articles. A press release that demonstrates how to resolve a common problem can be a great way to generate interest in your company’s products or services. For example, a pet store can write a press release about ten tips to house train your new puppy. The release can be made relevant and newsworthy by simply stating a statistic related to house training dogs, like 1 in 10 new puppy owners gives up their puppy due to house training problems. A statistic helps make the content newsworthy while the remainder of the article helps to make the content useful to consumers.

Local human interest story. Human interest stories, as they relate to your business, are a great way to generate publicity and press. Think about how many human interest stories make it to your local news. Both the morning and the evening news often highlight local businesses and how they’re benefiting the community. What is unique about your business, your customers, and your staff?

Query letters help generate press and publicity by getting your prospects, customers, and industry involved in a topic or an issue. Stick with topics that are current and you’re sure to generate some water cooler chatter.

Opinion editorials. Often times stirring the pot can bring about some pretty interesting press. While that old adage all publicity is good publicity may be true, it is important to not offend your core customers. So while generating some controversy is good for publicity careful consideration must be taken before giving an opinion that may offend your most profitable customers.

People advancements are a great way to showcase your company’s expertise. Anytime a staff member has a promotion, won an award, or contributed to the community or industry in some way, it’s time to generate a press release. Showcasing your staff’s expertise is a great way to build credibility for your business.

Small feature stories are another excellent tool to demonstrate the knowledge and expertise your company has to offer. For example, a software developer could write a story showcasing how their software helped a local business owner or non-profit become a leading force in their industry.

New products, services, book. This type of information is generally what stimulates a company to issue a press release however the release of a product or introduction of a new service in and of itself isn’t newsworthy. In order to make sure your press release gets the attention it deserves be sure to tie it to a problem or issue that needs to be resolved and then show how your product or service solves the problem.

Large feature stories. Feature stories, large or small, are designed to take a look at a subject in depth. An example of a large feature story might be how retailers can take advantage of impulse shopping. The article could highlight several retailers and their philosophy or approach to impulse shoppers, how to maximize it, and then highlight a few products that make great impulse shopping items in a gift shop.

Press and publicity is a great way to keep your business fresh in the minds of prospects and to reach new prospects around the world. A little creativity and innovation can go a long way toward generating very profitable press.

Robert Moment is an innovative sought-after small business and marketing coach and author of Invisible Profits:The Power of Exceptional Customer Service. Robert specializes in teaching entrepreneurs and small business owners how to start a business that profits and grow. Visit this site and sign-up for the FREE 7 day e-course Turn Your Passion into Profits: Small Business Startup.

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Tags: pr, publicity, firm, public, relations

Public relations is defined as: Positive communications and interactions between a person, organization, or company and the public on whom its success or failure depends.

Like it or not, we are always engaged in public relations. From the time you step out of your house and greet your neighbor, until the time you say good night to the parking attendant when you leave work, public relations are inevitable.

Who you are as a person, and how you are as a professional is delicately intertwined. There is seldom a total disconnect.

Simultaneously (and subconsciously) we communicate messages about ourselves in the way that we dress (visually), how we talk (verbally), and the things you do and don’t do (actions). In fact, communication is involuntary and we are always conveying something about how we feel, what we value, and who we are – without even trying.

The key to making personal PR work for you is to become adept at managing your own, and reading the personal PR messages of others.

As a professional, you have a public that you are accountable to. By public I mean group or community of people whose approval, support, assistance, or patronage you rely upon for success.

This is the group who you need to put your best foot forward with; however, be cognizant of the fact that anyone you meet could potentially migrate into this group so it behooves you to engage in positive public relations with everyone at all times.

Yes, it’s tiring, but it can also be fun, and it’s definitely worth it.

The following are some examples of visual, verbal and action communication messages that can instantly improve your personal PR efforts whether you are an independent contractor, employee, or business owner.

-Under promise and over deliver
-Inquire about satisfaction with a sold product or service
-Give random gifts
-Give compliments
-Offer a discount
-Make a referral
-Don’t take calls while with a client
-Arrive early
-Stay late
-Say ‘thank you’
-Greet people enthusiastically
-Become a better listener
-Take someone to lunch
-Sponsor an event or charity
-Verbally express appreciation
-Overhaul your appearance
-Upgrade your wardrobe
-Write a thank you note
-Send Christmas cards

Once you begin to consciously conduct yourself and your business affairs with mindfulness of the impressions that you leave, and the involuntary communications in which you engage your public, it changes your behavior – for the better.

This is not about pretending to be something or someone you are not; it’s about becoming the professional that people want as a business associate, and the person that people want to maintain a relationship with. Every encounter and every interaction you have with someone gives you this opportunity.

Making personal PR work for you is all about awareness and practice, and it can be practiced everyday until it is mastered.

Gian Fiero is a seasoned educator, speaker and consultant with a focus on business development and music/entertainment industry operations. He currently teaches at San Francisco State University where he is an adjunct professor of music industry studies. His affiliations include National Association Of Record Industry Professionals (associate director); CLA (speaker); West Coast Songwriters (consultant); The Muse’s Muse (producer of the Muse’s Muse Awards); and SBA (business advisor).

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Tags: pr, association, professional, firm, news

One of the frequent questions we get at our marketing newsletter, The Marketing Taxi, is whether or not there is still a role to play for the traditional press release. Indeed, as the Web was becoming more important as a source of news and information, many public relations professionals started to think of the press release as an anachronism, a relic of a bygone era in public relations.

What we have learned, however, is that the press release, particularly social media releases, are preferred by a growing number of journalists. That is especially true for younger journalists regardless of media, and certainly all journalists in new media. What do we mean by social media?

Social media allow people to use text, audio and video to share information, ideas and opinions, such as blogs, podcasts and message boards. Social media releases are news releases that incorporate and utilize properties of social media.

The degree of social in a news release can vary considerably. One example would be the company that uses the traditional news release, but which also has a media room on its Web sites where press releases can be posted. The releases themselves often contain links to other Web sites and resources.

The next time you distribute a press release via email, don’t send the release and images as attachments, but include thumbnail sketches that link to high resolution downloadable images and links to background information from both your organization and third parties to help reporters gather more information.

Consider using an email service that allow you to track who received and opened your email, and which links they clicked on include links to third-party sources. It not only makes life easier for reporters, it increases the credibility of your press release. Moreover, if it is a controversial story, those links help you to control the debate over the issue that is the subject of the release.

If you are feeling adventuresome and work in an industry where rule-breaking is welcome, consider a social media release format in which the basic facts are presented up front as bullet points. They are then supported with links to photos, videos, podcasts, videos and other Web resources. Following that, there might be a series of quotes from company leaders, customers, and industry experts. Finally, add at the very end your standard press release.

There you have it: the best of both worlds: the social news release and the conventional release.

Frank Marafiote is a business writer and consultant with over 25 years experience in advertising, marketing, and public relations. His specialty is helping small and medium-sized businesses communicate more effectively with customers and employees. He can be reached at Source

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Frank Marafiote – EzineArticles Expert Author

Tags: pr, firm, agency, new, version

One of the frequent questions we get at our marketing newsletter, The Marketing Taxi, is whether or not there is still a role to play for the traditional press release. Indeed, as the Web was becoming more important as a source of news and information, many public relations professionals started to think of the press release as an anachronism, a relic of a bygone era in public relations.

What we have learned, however, is that the press release, particularly social media releases, are preferred by a growing number of journalists. That is especially true for younger journalists regardless of media, and certainly all journalists in new media. What do we mean by social media?

Social media allow people to use text, audio and video to share information, ideas and opinions, such as blogs, podcasts and message boards. Social media releases are news releases that incorporate and utilize properties of social media.

The degree of social in a news release can vary considerably. One example would be the company that uses the traditional news release, but which also has a media room on its Web sites where press releases can be posted. The releases themselves often contain links to other Web sites and resources.

The next time you distribute a press release via email, don’t send the release and images as attachments, but include thumbnail sketches that link to high resolution downloadable images and links to background information from both your organization and third parties to help reporters gather more information.

Consider using an email service that allow you to track who received and opened your email, and which links they clicked on include links to third-party sources. It not only makes life easier for reporters, it increases the credibility of your press release. Moreover, if it is a controversial story, those links help you to control the debate over the issue that is the subject of the release.

If you are feeling adventuresome and work in an industry where rule-breaking is welcome, consider a social media release format in which the basic facts are presented up front as bullet points. They are then supported with links to photos, videos, podcasts, videos and other Web resources. Following that, there might be a series of quotes from company leaders, customers, and industry experts. Finally, add at the very end your standard press release.

There you have it: the best of both worlds: the social news release and the conventional release.

Frank Marafiote is a business writer and consultant with over 25 years experience in advertising, marketing, and public relations. His specialty is helping small and medium-sized businesses communicate more effectively with customers and employees. He can be reached at Source

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Frank Marafiote – EzineArticles Expert Author

Tags: pr, firm, agency, new, version

When you hear about a website owner or information products marketer using press releases, what type of questions come to mind? Do you think; why would I want to send a press release? How about do Press Releases really work or more commonly does the statement I’ve never sent a Press Release before and I wonder if it is easy to do? If you do issue a press release how much traffic can I expect?

Well to address these concerns when you think why you would want to send one, remove your old world traditional thinking and move into the world of the internet. One concern to remove is that you will be shunned like a leopard by the old the traditional world of newspapers. The answer is no, you will not be banned from the hard copy paper world for ever if your press release is not perfect or right for the offline world.

Also you need to understand that the world of the internet has many legitimate websites that people can locate, read and possible have an interest in your product. So do you really care where a customer comes from as in from the local paper or from a far way website? If they buy your product that is what is important not some false perception we harbor from days one by. A sale is a sale.

Also understand the internet provides valuable back links to your website and hence can raise your ranking and hence more traffic comes your way. More traffic more sales.

So with those reasons in mind, what are some of the reasons to issue a press release. Well to stimulate your thinking let’s list a few.

• Did you just launch a web site?

• Did you introduce a new product?

• Did you enter into a new collaboration?

• Did you develop a new technology?

• Did your company win an award?

• Did your company hire a new CEO?

• Did your company expand its facilities?

• Did your company reach a milestone?

These are just some of the great reasons to notify the press. Just about any business can benefit from the potential media coverage generated from a well-structured press release. An article or an editorial reference about your new product, website, or announcement in a prominent publication can assist in achieving your business objectives.

You need to take advantage of this relatively simple, easy and in most cases free resource that can help build your traffic and improve the bottom-line of your business.

Learn to build your business on the web using IOVC strategy and technology solutions like blogging, press releases, article marketing and more at this web and for a limited time, it’s all for free.

Gregory Burrus is helping people in business succeed through the use of IOVC, internet, office, voice and customer relationship technologies. Learn more about Greg at this site

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Tags: pr, web, com, site, firm

Let’s assume you know the definition of public relations: unpaid publicity achieved by pitching press releases and bylined articles to editors at newspapers, trade magazines and business journals.

And let’s assume you know the value of PR is up to 10 times higher than paid publicity, that is, advertising, because readers realize it has been validated as newsworthy by a “neutral gatekeeper,” the editor or publisher who evaluated and accepted it.

And let’s assume you’ve listened to the experts who say your promotional budget should be split 50-50 between PR and advertising.

You’re ready to act, to hire a PR firm to increase your company’s visibility through a stream of publicity over time (there are no instant results), to give you credibility as an expert in your field, and to get your company name out in front of the community and, maybe, the nation.

How do you know what company to choose?

Here are 10 crucial questions to guide your search.

1) Does the PR firm specialize in any particular areas?

PR firms often tout expertise in one or two areas such as high-tech PR, healthcare PR and crisis communications. In areas such as entertainment and sports, there are unique requirements and procedures, and a specialist is mandatory. In any industry, you will get better results from a PR firm familiar with your field and with editorial contacts at your key publications.

2) Who will be working on your account?

With some mid- to large-sized PR firms, the President of the agency may sell you the account, then turn the day-to-day operations over to an account executive. A smaller firm is more likely to provide the personal attention of an experienced PR pro.

Whoever works on your account should be skilled at developing editorial relationships and understanding reporters’ needs. Placement clippings achieved specifically by the person handling your account should be evaluated before approving a new staffing assignment.

3) What is the firm’s writing and editing skills?

Writing is fundamental to the PR profession because it affects both the acceptance and impact of your company’s stories. Flowery writing is fine for your college English exam, but the best PR firms write succinct, compelling press releases and bylined articles. Be sure to review a portfolio of writing samples before hiring a PR firm.

4) What is the firm’s pitching skills?

Pitching and writing are two very different skills. Does the firm use the same people to handle both? Here large firms may offer specialization unavailable by smaller organizations. A “publicist” is a pitching specialist who is skilled at orally convincing editors to accept a story. This may require follow-up over the course of several weeks before a placement is achieved.

Pitching at smaller organizations, on the other hand, is more integrally connected with the story. A principal probably suggested the idea for the release, then wrote it for the client’s approval. Thus, when reporters ask questions to these people, they are informed about the field and know what themes to emphasize.

5) Are you going to be lost in the crowd?

How many other companies is the agency serving? What are the turnaround times?

At larger organizations, a week may pass before you see unsolicited progress on your account. Executives at smaller organizations generally do something for every client on a daily basis.

6) Are you locked into a three-month contract?

Many PR firms demand this, but if you are new to PR, you should insist on a month-by-month retainer. While it may take 90 days to see the results of any publicity, other financial imperatives may occur, and it is always good business to maintain flexibility in case of unforeseen circumstances.

7) How much?

The going rate is about $3,000 per month. This is often prohibitive for smaller and start-up organizations. If you can’t afford the standard retainer, see if the agency offers any special packages or if they can refer you to someone else. Some PR agencies even offer unique introductory programs.

8) What do I get?

No PR firm will guarantee results, at least no reputable one. You should, however, request to see some of the agency’s placements for clients in fields similar to your own. In addition to briefs of a few paragraphs, you should look for longer stories, general company coverage and graphics. Also inquire about the circulation of the publications shown. Are you familiar with the publication, or is it an obscure trade magazine? You should expect to see stories in publications with a circulation of 30,000 or more.

9) Do you feel a rapport with the person who will work on your account?

This is important. PR is a collaborative activity, and the best ideas are often generated during brainstorming sessions. Your PR person should enjoy talking to you and vice versa.

10) Who are the PR firm’s other clients?

Ask for references from both past and current clients. When you talk to them, ask about the PR firm’s strengths and weaknesses. Every firm has both.

While there is no foolproof method for hiring any organization, the above questions, pursued with due diligence, will put you on track for a long-term relationship with a steady stream of benefits such as increased recognition and visibility with your prospects, colleagues and clients.

Founded in 2003, Cut-It-Out Communications, Inc., is a full-service Westchester public relations firm with departments in copywriting, political communications and grantwriting for private foundations. The President, Willy Gissen, a Harvard graduate, trained for almost five years at a top Westchester County public relations firm. He also served on the staff of the McCall/Mehiel gubernatorial campaign where he worked in the communications department and prepared a statewide press summary for the New York City headquarters.

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The invention of news release submissions was originally intended to be a communication tool between businesses and the media. It was a way of announcing important news and product introductions to the news outlets that would distribute it in their medium. The Internet has changed all of that. Today’s news release submissions are typically a marketing tool that can allow communication directly from the business to the customer.

The knowledge that most Internet users regularly visit news sites has caused marketers to see news releases as more than just a method to announce news. It is now a way to get the attention of Internet users who might likely become customers.

To get the most attention from a news release submission you will need to follow some important tips. You will want to maximize the visibility of the document. The first tip may seem a little obvious, but make sure you’ve actually got something to write about. The content of a news release submission must be newsworthy. Just like the old days of press releases, you must have something worth writing about. Boring won’t hold the attention of most online readers.

Take advantage of multiple angles for the story. Think about the story in a variety of different ways and submit the news document to several different news wires. Remember to rewrite the article so that it covers an entirely different angle on the same story.

Give your audience a reason to click through from the document to your site. A good method for doing this is to include a free report in the press release if the reader clicks through. Anything that you can offer to encourage a click through will generally work. People love freebies.

Get a list together of media contacts. Email them the document along with a good summary of what the news release submissions contain. Offer some of the writers exclusives with you if they will carry your press release. That will go a long way toward encouraging a good response to your release.

Write a blog version of your press release. Submit this blog release to the social media sites and get attention that way. Make sure you are writing in a way that is specific to the cultural group you are posting to. Check out the sites first and be sure you can capture the flavor of the writing.

There are many ways to get the word out about your business. A well-written and timely press release is just one powerful way that marketers are discovering for online businesses. Get in on the action and write up your press release now.

Rod C. Beckwith, co-creator of the Press Equalizer software, has made hundreds of media contacts and distributed thousands of press releases online. If you need to distribute press releases online, then check out his software package.

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Tags: marketing, public, relations, advertising, firm

A popular television show is What Not to Wear, in which a person who is “challenged” in how to dress and look is totally made over. In our version, our goal is to discuss what not to say, especially to the media.

At the most basic level, don’t say anything that you don’t want passed on, and this includes e-mail. Just telling someone that what you are saying is “confidential” or “off the record” isn’t a guarantee that you won’t see it later. And, while we’re primarily discussing seeing it in the media, this also pertains to everyone, everywhere. You may think that you’re telling your senior staff about upcoming layoffs, only to discover that “somehow” the information was leaked to the entire staff.

But, back to What Not To Say to the media. Here’s several examples of incidents that we’re sure people never intended to be public fodder – or certainly, ones they wish they could change by saying something differently when the situation first occurred:

* When an international exchange student returned home, he weighed just 97 pounds and had to be hospitalized. He said his host family gave him only small amounts of food for months. What gave this story even more coverage was the fact that he sat next to a Senator on his return flight home and she publicly commented. The communications director for the exchange program declined to discuss the matter, referring the media to their lawyers. While a lawsuit certainly is a possibility, she passed up a prime opportunity to potentially diffuse the situation – without admitting any guilt or responsibility – as the boy’s mother said that aside from anything else, they just wanted someone to say “I’m sorry.”

* Actress Nicole Kidman is pregnant and it was reported that she was drinking alcohol after an awards event. Kidman’s PR person came out swinging at the columnist, stating: “I cannot remember the last time that Cindy Adams got anything right. She’s an idiot, and you can quote me.” We’ve all experienced times when reporters are incorrect, but calling her an idiot was not the way to handle the situation. The response made the story last much longer and it was picked up in more places. Plus, as we all learned back in “PR school,” it’s never wise to pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel!

* Always remember that it is a reporter’s job to report the story – good, bad and sometimes sensational. The best advice is not to tell them something unless you want it made public. You can speak to a reporter “off the record,” but it is usually agreed upon in advance. If not, you may become an “unnamed source” or worse, actually quoted, as Samantha Power, former senior advisor for the Obama campaign, found out during an interview with The Scotsman. She called Senator Clinton a “monster” then hastily told the reporter her comment was off the record. In this instance, Ms. Power was promoting a book she wrote and agreed in advance that everything she said was on the record.

* Bruce Goldberg, a reporter for the Denver Business Journal, frequently provides examples of “Bad Press Release Theater.” One example was: “Because of issues of client confidentiality and disclosure, the press release below, sent to you on Friday, July 13, should not be used as news material or disseminated in any way. Please completely disregard it.” You can’t unring that bell. Just telling the media to ignore something doesn’t mean they will forget about it – and if it is a good story, you can bet they will begin researching it on their own.

Mistakes will happen, but you can take steps to help alleviate them. Double and triple-check your facts. If you are sending out a press release, have another person (or more) read it. And always, always, make sure you should be sending it out!

If you are going to be speaking to the media, either in press conferences or in interviews, don’t go into it without media training. Of course, we don’t know whether the people in our examples had media training, but it’s always a good idea. Ms. Power got flustered by questions from the reporter and blurted out the “monster” quote. In the instance of the exchange student, a statement could have been issued along the lines of “We are sorry for the student’s health problems. We care a great deal about all of our participants and hope that he has a speedy recovery.” Many people assume that “No comment” means “We’re guilty.” One can say they are sorry without taking blame. Finally, while you may truly want to call a reporter an idiot (or worse), sometimes it is best to not respond at all and let the story die on its own. Or at the very least, take a moment to calm down, and then respond in a civil manner.

One final thought, don’t forget that it’s very easy for your comments to be recorded and/or videotaped. Many cell phones can take short videos and digital cameras are credit card sized. Don’t end up on YouTube…then the nightly news…unless you planned it!
Working with the media can be an intimidating process – but it doesn’t have to be. If you’d like help developing your public and media relations program, call us for a complimentary one-hour consultation.

Deborah Krier, president and founder of Wise Women Communications, is a marketing and public relations professional with experience in media and public relations, internal and external communication, crisis management, integrated marketing campaigns, brand management, event coordination, Web site design and development, and community relations. She managed corporate communications programs for the Denver site of ING Group, served as a media and communications coordinator for the Rocky Mountain Region of the American Cancer Society, served as the director of public relations and account manager for Linnell & Soreide Marketing Partners, a full-service marketing and advertising firm. In addition, she provided lobbying support at a state and local level for Corporate Advocates, a Denver-based firm. Deborah holds an MBA degree with an emphasis in marketing from the University of Colorado and an MS degree in communications management from Colorado State University.

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Tags: public, relations, firm, agency, marketing, campaign

Most undiscovered UK designers experience periods of absolute frustration, as your designs go largely unnoticed by the majority of the design community and you lack the funds to get access to the usual platforms to be seen. It is easy to become despondent, but with a striking design idea, you are usually only a few steps away from starting to make something of your ideas. Essentially you are sitting on a powderkeg, and you just need a little interest to spark it into life.

The one thing aspiring designers tend to attract is other aspiring designers, and you can use your battling network to your advantage. Split between a collective, the usually prohibitive price UK designers face when wanting to exhibit at high-ranking shows can be brought into reach.

Once you’ve picked your fellow UK designers, a show to split costs on and got your designs lined up, you need to let people know you’ll be there. The best way to reach a big audience is through the press, and the easiest way to get there is to get a press release to the right people.

Journalists are often pushed for time, and it is not unusual for an entire press release to be wholly copy and pasted to form a short article. Your press release should be written in a straight-forward fashion, avoiding the use of ‘flowery’ adjectives and intensifiers like ‘very’ and ‘absolutely’. While obviously being favourable to your products and those of the UK designers you are showing with, it should also appear impartial. Writing your press release in the balanced nature (most) journalists are out to achieve increases the chances of your release getting the straight-to-print treatment. It also allows journalists who are going to write at length about you see to the very core of your designs, which will form the basis of their article, without having to fight through your opinions.

Your aim with a press release is essentially to make the easiest job possible for the journalists who will be reading it. It is this fact that makes the angle of your press release such an important factor in its success. By giving a central theme, or hook, to your article it gives the journalist an instant, hopefully logical connection, between the you and the people exhibiting with you: it gives them something to talk about, as well as plenty of content to inform their piece.

Working as a group, it can be difficult to come up with a combined angle, but the angle can be created from any level of detail, with the emphasis on either the designs or the people involved. Viewing other UK designer press releases can provide a good source of press releases which deal with groups of designers exhibiting together. The angle of these releases can vary from design similarities between the majority of (but not necessarily all) pieces to the background (or relative anonymity) of the designers.

Once your angle is established, you need to go about writing the body of your press release. Your angle should be laid out clearly in your press release’s title, and followed up with more detail in the first line of text. From this point you can outline the people and products on display, taking care to clearly link each new piece back to the established angle. It is equally important to ensure that you are presented as a group of UK designers to avoid confusion: you don’t want the journalist thinking there is a lead designer, with other designers working under them. Remember, exhibiting in a group is a benefit: it is a major bonus to journalists who see it as a chance to get the low down on numerous designers in one visit. For this purpose it may be useful to give your collective a name. Name yourself after your studio address, your favourite (collective) film, anything you want – just ensure that throughout the rest of the release your individual company names are strongly linked to your individual products.

A group press release can be just as effective for UK designers as an individual press release, if not more so. Just make sure you can create a feasible angle to grab the journalists’ attention, keep it balanced and fair, and present as a unified group. You are in a great position to get some attention, so let your designs speak for themselves.

Saul Sherry
Editor – Hidden Art

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Tags: online, pr, jobs, firm, public

Driving traffic to your website is one of the biggest problems of the small guy.

Nowadays it is easy to get products and create automated websites with killer sales machine. However this is a one time setup work.

But the most important part which you have to do on a daily basis is to drive thunderstorm of targeted website traffic to make some serious money.

Another problem is that traffic is expensive. It takes some serious money to attract traffic to your website.

It can cost you up to 50 cents to 5 dollars to attract one visitor to your website.

If your site is not converting well, you will be out of business in just few short months.

There has to be some alternative that can drive free website traffic that is highly targeted.

Luckily there’s one. Here you go…

Do you want publicity for your products and services? If you answered yes, get started with press releases.

Awareness about your products and services to your target market can boost up significantly using press release.

Here are 5 amazing ways to profit from PR advertising…

1. Write a Killer Title that Grabs Attention.

Your headline must attract your visitors interest and get them involved with your press release. This is a hook.

Make sure that you communicate benefits in your title. Your title can also communicate the biggest problem your target market is facing.

Answer the basic why, what, how and when related questions of your target market.

2. Create a Short to the Point Summary.

The summary includes a basic intro about the press release. It should be just 1 or 2 sentence.

Then start with your first para.

3. Focus on your First Para.

This is the hook that will get your readers interested to read your entire press release.

Therefore communicate your most important information in this area.

4. Focus on Facts.

You cannot just pitch your readers with blue moons or any of your stories or opinions. Therefore make sure you stick with the facts.

Present information as they are, never modify them with your own recommendations.

5. Give a Valuable Statement from a Top Authority.

It can be either the CEO of your company or some well known person.

Let the readers feel how this top guy feels about this latest news.

Do you want to learn how I do it? Watch this ‘FREE Report’ and Discover How I Created a Killer Cash-Pulling-Machine that Attracts 23,883 Visitors and Earns $6665.49 on Autopilot from just 20 Days of Lazy Work…

==> FREE business focusing internet Report.

Murtuza Abbas has helped hundreds of newbies ‘One-On-One’ to start their internet home business…Visit his website.

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Tags: pr, web, com, site, firm

“Let me give you my golden rules bout PR,” Mr. X said to the young University Y-graduate joining his staff.

Are you the owner of an online business and eager to promote your website and your services without spending a single dollar? Press release writing could well be one of the ways to advertising your products online. Technically speaking, press releases are news item which you can transform to cater to your marketing goals by writing ads that have the features of general news. This could be very advantageous in your publicity campaign since many people are bored of reading ad copies that only boast about themselves and want to read news which contains solid information and hard facts. One of the most essential internet marketing schemes, this could effectively attract the eyeballs from targeted groups.

Given below are three ideas to effectual press release writing that can give a boost to your advertising and marketing campaign programs:

1. Write your copy in the third person to create press releases that sound objective. Avoid the use of personalized phrases and words. Try to express what you want to say in as much as a concise and brief manner as possible. Straightforward description is the key here – make sure to use the 4 Ws and 1H of news writing – who, what, when, where and how.

2. Try to steer clear from hype words. This is a definite no-no in press releases. Editors are extremely impatient of such texts and will discard them in no time. And on the other hand readers will find it too cliché to be honest hence the purpose your advertising copy will become ineffective. Simply use objective words and neutral descriptions.

3. When you want to insert hype in press releases there is a way to do it. Place direct quotes from people who lay a claim of loyalty to your products and services. Get the words of endorsement from your CEO or marketing officer and put them word by word in your article. Strategically insert them to add the X factor in your write-up. However, keep in mind not to carry this far because you want your article to be objective and not flowing with direct quotations like a book of quotes.

You can use your press release also when there are significant events coming up. Through this your customer will get an idea of how this event or update might be helpful for them. To establish your credibility you can also display a press release citing the receiving of an award.

Another important thing to note is to make the article attractive to both the media as well as the general public to achieve a wholesome impact. A unique press release is not only unprejudiced but also conversational. Remember to coordinate your release with the correct media. You would not like to waste your resources submitting it in an incorrect forum.

Do not forget that when you strategically and effectively use press release as a medium of publicity, you would be in a position to raise the return on what you invest. This will increase your authority in an unprecedented manner, beyond your imagination!

For more information on Press Releases and other internet marketing strategies visit this site To learn more marketing strategies from Maury Wilks, visit this site

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Tags: marketing, public, relations, firm, advertising

Almost every manager knows exactly how important PR is to his or her job. No one can deny the significance of changing the minds of key stakeholders in your own favor at a crucial juncture. Perhaps you have also been in such a tough spot a few times in your executive career. If you have you will remember exactly how desperately and how delicately you have had to try to convince others to sanction your managerial objectives.

When trying to convince others you will be well advised to view your problem like this —- Everyone has a certain perception of the problems they are presented with. Very rarely will your perception exactly match with someone else’s. While trying to convince someone of something try and put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Everyone has a certain predictable reaction to every situation. Try and gauge what this might be in your case. Depending on what this predictable reaction maybe you can device techniques to alter, reinforce or create an opinion, according to your own requirements. Learn to persuade and coax, without getting vulgar. As an executive you will have to get down on your knees without losing your dignity.

As a manager your ultimate job will be to help your organization make a profit or to reach a certain level of expectation your co-workers or your business unit has from you. In your way to this goal you will have to travel over a number of hills and valleys, so brace up. Good PR skills will help you smoothen your way to success by helping you modify others behavior towards your propositions.
Also, since every business after all relies on the mass for its profits you must also put your Public Relations marketing in good order. Remember this is your golden ticket to success. The better your PR marketing, the better are your chances for making a good profit. So irrespective of what your product is and how good or bad it is, make sure that you create public awareness about it. Unless your target audience knows a product such as yours exists they will hardly be likely to want to buy it. So let them know about the existence of your product in every way you can.

If you do manage to create a good PR marketing pitch you will be doing your business unit a favor in many ways. For starters you will be raising its revenue by a decent level. Along with that you will also be helping establish long-term goodwill relationships between your company and your buyers. This will also help your company attract more business and advertise sales. On the whole all this will have a favorable impact on your company’s business and turnover, not an unwelcome development of events.

It is because a number of companies have realized the potential of Public Relations marketing that they have begun paying extra attention to establishing a specialized PR department. However, this luxury is not an option for most of the smaller business units, they are better advised to consult and external PR marketing firm for their needs. If the extra finances required for this seems like an unnecessary expenditure one can rest assured that the increase in profits as a result of engaging a professional PR firm will take care of that. With the help of great PR consultants any small business can hope to expand in a very short while.

If you need to discuss any thing related to Public Relations and what it entails, feel free to contact ARITRA BASU today! She loves to discuss with people on electronics public relations and its impact on today’s business.To know more about her and her upcoming product, please visit this site today!

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Tags; public, relations, firm, agencies, marketing, campaign

There are many ways to generate profile without breaking the bank. It takes and effort and creativity but you certainly don’t need to spend big bucks to get noticed. It’s true that it may take time to generate a groundswell of interest but persistence is the key. There are number of ways in which you can raise your profile without blowing big budgets.

* Tracking key journalists – it is a good idea to track the articles and types of stories covered by your key journalists. This gives you great scope for approaching them with ideas and comment that you know will be of interest to them.

* Local media – it’s easy to forget the local media but they play a useful and important role. Stories are often picked up by other publications. Local media is also a useful way of getting experience with handling interviews. It is much better to have that under your belt before embarking on approaching journalists on national publications and programmes or specialist press or media.

* Radio phone-ins – if there are particular radio programmes relevant to your area of expertise then it is helpful to track them on a regular basis. Why not call into the radio programme next time they are inviting comment on a subject that is relevant to you. It can also give you a foot in the door for establishing your expertise.

* Contacting journalists on the back of other people’s stories – there will be stories every week that you can provide expert comment on. Journalists need expert views to help their audiences understand the story as well as provide insightful comment. If you really do have something of value to add then journalists will welcome your approach.

* Internet – journalists, like many of us, are increasingly using the internet to source information for stories. It is a good idea to demonstrate your expertise on your website as well as highlight any news announcements.

* Journalist databases – there are a number of databases that journalists use to source expert comment. You simply list your details and your areas of expertise for an annual subscription. In the UK www.expertsources.co.uk is a useful online listing that is worth looking at for this. There is fierce competition and it is worth checking the listing to see the competition you would be up against.

* Press release – this is another useful tool and one that can be highly cost effective. It does take time to write a press release that will get the journalist interested and it may also be worth considering investing in some photography if that can support your story.

PR can play a useful role in highlighting your organisation to prospects and customers alike. It need not be expensive. You just need to understand what your key audiences want and how to give it to them.

Using PR to build your profile and protect your reputation can help you influence the audiences that are important to you – I invite you to access more free articles, tips and information on this, and other subjects related to public relations, by visiting this site.

Debbie Leven – Profile Matters Ltd PR Consultants UK

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Tags: publicity, pr, jobs, company, firm

There are many ways to generate profile without breaking the bank. It takes and effort and creativity but you certainly don’t need to spend big bucks to get noticed. It’s true that it may take time to generate a groundswell of interest but persistence is the key. There are number of ways in which you can raise your profile without blowing big budgets.

* Tracking key journalists – it is a good idea to track the articles and types of stories covered by your key journalists. This gives you great scope for approaching them with ideas and comment that you know will be of interest to them.

* Local media – it’s easy to forget the local media but they play a useful and important role. Stories are often picked up by other publications. Local media is also a useful way of getting experience with handling interviews. It is much better to have that under your belt before embarking on approaching journalists on national publications and programmes or specialist press or media.

* Radio phone-ins – if there are particular radio programmes relevant to your area of expertise then it is helpful to track them on a regular basis. Why not call into the radio programme next time they are inviting comment on a subject that is relevant to you. It can also give you a foot in the door for establishing your expertise.

* Contacting journalists on the back of other people’s stories – there will be stories every week that you can provide expert comment on. Journalists need expert views to help their audiences understand the story as well as provide insightful comment. If you really do have something of value to add then journalists will welcome your approach.

* Internet – journalists, like many of us, are increasingly using the internet to source information for stories. It is a good idea to demonstrate your expertise on your website as well as highlight any news announcements.

* Journalist databases – there are a number of databases that journalists use to source expert comment. You simply list your details and your areas of expertise for an annual subscription. In the UK www.expertsources.co.uk is a useful online listing that is worth looking at for this. There is fierce competition and it is worth checking the listing to see the competition you would be up against.

* Press release – this is another useful tool and one that can be highly cost effective. It does take time to write a press release that will get the journalist interested and it may also be worth considering investing in some photography if that can support your story.

PR can play a useful role in highlighting your organisation to prospects and customers alike. It need not be expensive. You just need to understand what your key audiences want and how to give it to them.

Using PR to build your profile and protect your reputation can help you influence the audiences that are important to you – I invite you to access more free articles, tips and information on this, and other subjects related to public relations, by visiting here.

Debbie Leven – Profile Matters Ltd PR Consultants UK

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Tags: publicity, pr, jobs, company, firm

With the markets steady as a loose guy-wire in a gale, we’ve seen considerable IRO hand-wringing lately. The lament: Who’s behind this knee-jerk selling?

Let’s look at the answer this way. Monday, Bear Stearns bought out the minority interest in NYSE specialist firm Bear Wagner and wrote down the investment. Why? For now at least, electronic trading nearly neuters specialists (Nasdaq folks, stay with me; this applies to you too).

As Marketwatch columnist David Weidner observed in a piece today, “Only about 50% of the orders in NYSE-listed stocks are appearing on the specialists’ book and most of those orders are electronic. That means they are anonymous to the specialist. The orders come in “shredded,” or in the form of an algorithm, and the specialist won’t even know that multiple orders are from the same client…This veiling, combined with the growth of private markets or “dark pools” where anonymous trading is the calling card, is leaving many investor-relations departments less sure about who owns or doesn’t own the company.”

Yet answers aren’t elusive if you tweak your IRO thinking. With algorithms engineering market entries and exits, it’s darned difficult to find Fidelity, for instance. But you can see buyside and trading styles ebb and flow. In others words, you can map the footprints of Fidelity-style folks, thanks to marketplace rules and structure today (happy to revisit Rule 606, Best Execution, etc., but for space I’ll skip them here).

Whether fundamental or quantitative, investors react to changes in market structure. Ironically, changes – even before they happen – are starkly evident in order flow. Case in point: we noted last week how market structure went haywire with July monthly options expirations. Yet the tripwire triggering quantitative selling didn’t strike until August 26. The same features are evident in individual equities – that is, in your stock.

One last thing, we said last week that by August 27 basic supply and demand had harmonized. Were we wrong? Be sure we are at times! But not this time. The markets reflect characteristics of a loose guy-wire now chiefly because risk-management strategies employed on a colossal scale have not yet reset (some have resulted in margin calls, sales of underlying assets, reduced exposure, covered puts and calls…and more). This also means that markets have been wide open to short-term exploitation – and we see it in the order flow. Further proof: our broad glance at order flow by type on August 3 was a nearly perfect mirror image of structure on August 27. The point? It’s about hedges, not equities at present.

Tim Quast is a fifteen-year Investor Relations veteran and founder and managing director of ModernIR.com, which parses and categorizes over a half-billion shares per week with its trading intelligence systems. More information is at here.

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Tags: pr, market, job, firm, agency

The PR job market is always changing. Depending the forces of supply and demand, one type of search method may be better than another.

Here is an overview of three methods used to recruit PR executives.

Retainer search

Exclusive to one search firm.

Extensive research, interview and recruiting process to identify potential candidates.

Search person will travel wherever necessary to personally meet with the candidate. Travel costs are passed on to the client.

Three or four candidates are presented to the client. Presentation includes a credentials and background report for each candidate, along with samples of work, letters of recommendation and complete reference-check covering numerous past employers, colleagues, editors and others.

Search person acts as intermediary throughout the process to ensure that search runs smoothly.

Conditional employment guarantee generally begins at one year and extends sometimes two years and beyond – depending on hiree level and prior agreements.

Fee: usually equal to 30-35% of the hiree’s first annual compensation. That includes bonuses, perks (such as cars, club memberships, etc.) and anything else that is considered part of the hiree’s first year of compensation.

Search person’s out-of-pocket costs such as telephone, administrative costs, hotels, airfare, meals, etc. that are in connection with the search are billed to the client in addition the standard fee for the search.

Payment of fee: generally paid in thirds. First one-third payment is due at signing of search agreement; next is due thirty days later and final payment due thirty days after that.

Contingency search

Fee is paid contingent upon a hire being made.

Non-exclusive.

Original research is minimal. Heavy reliance on top-of-mind or database candidates who are either out of work or are still employed.

Depending on level of individual being sought and time constraints, original recruiting is done (contacting employed individuals who may or may not have expressed prior interest in seeking another job).

Whenever possible, potential candidates are interviewed in person.

Candidates are not interviewed in person when the client wants to meet the candidate immediately based on the strength of the candidate’s resume, or, if the candidate resides in another state or is otherwise unavailable. Client is made aware of situation and candidate agrees or has given prior consent to meet the client without meeting the search person first.

Presentation to the client usually involves the e-mailing of a resume with a few comments regarding the qualifications of the candidate in relation to the job.

Most times there are no restrictions on the number of resumes sent by search person.

If client is interested, based on resume, candidate is then scheduled for an interview.

No biographical report is filed. Usually no references are checked at this time. Sometimes work samples are sent along.

Most of the time references are checked by either the search person or the client.

Hiree retention guarantee is generally three months for not-for-profit organization and PR agency; six months for corporate communications department. Usually valid if pre-stated conditions are met. Longer guarantees can be negotiated with additional client concessions.

Costs can vary depending on whether the search was for a not-for-profit organization; a PR agency or a communications department of a corporation. Costs are calculated as a fee equal to the hiree’s first year of annual salary. Rarely are other compensatory benefits included such as bonuses, perks, etc.

Fees: Not-for-Profit: 15-20%. PR Agency: 20-25%. Corporate Comms. Dept.: 25-33%.

There are no additional out-of-pocket costs to the client except when there are extraordinary costs in connection with the search. These costs require a prior agreement with the client in order to be reimbursed.

Modified contingency search

Full fee is paid contingent upon a person being hired. Typically a portion of the fee is paid when agreement is signed. Some form of exclusivity is part of this agreement. Either total exclusivity or exclusivity for a defined period of time in which there will be only one designated search firm working on the assignment. After which, one other or others can be added.

Frequently the client is free to advertise, actively recruit or otherwise seek referrals from colleagues even when an exclusivity agreement has been made with a search firm.

Search firm will undoubtedly spend more original recruiting hours sourcing new candidates via phone, database and in-person interviewing. Having an exclusive and/or a portion of the fee up front keeps the search assignment high on the search person’s radar screen.

In this type of search, conditions are often set that require more intensive review and interviewing of potential candidates. Sometimes complete reference checks are made even before a resume is submitted. In some cases, close scrutiny of the candidate’s written samples and portfolio is required before resume submission.

Many of the same elements of search procedures are evident in the Modified version as in the standard Contingency search, only more extensive and more in-depth. Conditional employment guarantees can range from three months to one year. In more senior level searches, it can be up to two years.

Fees are in the same ranges as standard Contingency searches with a prior agreed-upon portion of the fee being paid at the beginning of the search. Those percentages can be one-third, one-half or two-thirds. The balance of the fee is contingent upon someone being hired.

Spring Associates, Inc. is arguably the most imitated search firm in public relations. Dennis Spring created his firm in 1980. In addition to executive search services, the company also handles communications audits, mergers and acquisitions, client/agency reviews and PR agency selection searches.

Spring Associates was the FIRST to compile and publish The Official PR Salary & Bonus Report. Considered by many as the industry standard for accurate and reliable salary, bonus and PR agency hourly billing rates. The Report has been published annually since 1996. Visit this site.

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Tags: pr, executive, recruite, firm, hire

Today’s businesses and business professionals wonder how they can possibly know if they need to hire a publicist or a public relations firm. Obviously there are many factors to consider when making this decision. To provide some guidance to businesses, here are ten top reasons that provide confirmation you need to hire a publicist or PR firm.

1. The news releases you have prepared and submitted never or very rarely are used by the media.

2. There is a significant lack of PR savvy internally within your company.

3. Your media kits are not designed to be consistent with the firm’s image and are not designed with the flexibility to be tailored to varying media needs.

4. There are no significant relationships established with the media and therefore you are easily ignored. And there are no solid media contacts lists.

5. There is no real strategic communications and public relations plan for the company.

6. The efforts put forth in opinion pieces, “pitch letters” and actual media kit content are totally ineffective.

7. There is no follow-up on any news releases, story pitches, etc.

8. Your competitors are constantly in the print and electronic media and you are nowhere to be found in the media.

9. You are turning down interview opportunities because you are not prepared and do not have someone to manage the interview requests.

10. You are not benefiting from increased awareness of your business, products and/or services through exposure in the media.

If you and your company identify with these reasons and are unsure of what to do, how to do it, when to do it, and who to do it with, please contact Glenn Ebersole through his website.

Glenn Ebersole, Jr. is a multi-faceted professional, who is recognized as a visionary, guide and facilitator in the fields of business coaching, marketing, public relations, management, strategic planning and engineering. Glenn is the Founder and Chief Executive of two Lancaster, PA based consulting practices: The Renaissance Group, a creative marketing, public relations, strategic planning and business development consulting firm and J. G. Ebersole Associates, an independent professional engineering, marketing, and management consulting firm. He is a Certified Facilitator and serves as a business coach and a strategic planning facilitator and consultant to a diverse list of clients. Glenn is also the author of a monthly newsletter, “Glenn’s Guiding Lines – Thoughts From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach” and has published more than 225 articles on business.

To find out more about the benefits & rewards of effectively working with a strategic thinking business coach, please contact Glenn Ebersole through his website

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Tags: strategy, public relations, publicist, firm, pr