After 20 years in the PR business, I can tell you that getting publicity is an art, but you, as the entrepreneur, have a HUGE advantage because the press loves to hear about new things directly from the horse’s mouth. You, as the entrepreneur, are a “direct source” and considered a killer scoop for a journalist. Direct calls from inventors make journalists feel like they’re getting the straight dope without a publicist’s spin and they absolutely love it.

This creates an automatic trust and credibility that only you can provide. So go for it with gusto! Don’t be shy; turn on your passion. If a journalist blows you off, turn on your humbleness by telling them, “hey I’m new at this, would you mind helping me out?” Ask for their advice on which of their colleagues might like the story you are pitching. I find that showing true human foible and practicing humbleness really works wonders and brings down walls of defensiveness — even with the snarkiest of journalists. Here are my top 10 tips for getting the press to sit up and take notice and actually get them to report:

1. Identify holidays, seasons and special months that correlate to your product and pitch the press during that time. For example, if you are a chocolate company, call the press with a February Valentines Day story. If you are a bra company, call during October Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

2. Extract the aspect of your product that makes it totally different from the competition and focus on that only when you talk to the press. Note: Price, service and speed do not count. For example, for two former Seagram’s executives, we focused on Redcliff liqueur as the “first American liqueur” because it used a cola taste. Cola is a flavor uniquely American and born of Coca Cola fame.

3. Look through a magazine and notice all the different sections that might include your product. Come up with a sentence pitch about your product for each section, then call the editor with your customized pitches. There may be up to three places your product may fit in one magazine. For example, there are “new product” sections near the front of the magazine, “feature” stories in the middle, and sometimes “back of the book” profiles on personalities and CEO’s.

4. Tie your product launch to a nonprofit. The press are more apt to report about a commercial product if part of the proceeds benefit a charity. Find an organization that matches the purpose of your product. For example, Wine & Spirits magazine works with water conservation organizations because the publisher believes that water bottles litter the environment. They even created a slogan around it: “Drink Wine. Save Water.”

5. Develop a one sentence “elevator speech” that pithily describes your product, and let it be the first thing out of your mouth when you pitch the press or are selling someone on your product. Tokyo Coca Cola’s Green Tea Terrace made green tea lattes and cappuccinos. When we called the press about them, we started with “The ‘Starbucks of Green Tea’ is opening stores throughout the U.S.” Making the comparison to Starbucks describes what the company does, and the phrase provides a vivid Polaroid picture image in the mind. Developing words into images is a killer secret that wins the hearts of journalists and tells the story of your product in one simple sentence.

6. Do your research before you call a journalist. Journalist’s #1 pet peeve about phone calls are from people who “don’t know what they write about.” They abhor unspecific pitches and do not have the time to brainstorm with you about how your story will work for their publication. Before you pick up the phone, Google a writer to see what kinds of things they like to write about and note the tone of their writing. Customize your pitch to fit exactly into their style.

7. Consider who the reader/listener/viewer of a media outlet is before you call them. Pitch the story about your product in a way that would interest that particular reader/listen/viewer. For example, The View’s Elisabeth Hasselbeck has talked on air about her allergy to gluten and frustration in finding foods that will nourish her without an allergic reaction. Her viewers are women who are concerned about their health and the rate of gluten intolerance is rising at an alarming rate. Hasselbeck’s viewers want to know about solutions for their Celiac disease and she happens to be a personal advocate. These were very important to thinkproducts, so their CEO contacted Hasselbeck to become a “celebrity spokesperson” for their gluten free products.

8. Make 1000% sure you have the right phone number for a journalist you are calling. Be like a detective to find the exact right phone number. Leaving voicemails for the wrong person is a disappointing waste of time. Make the receptionist your friend. Use Hoovers.com and Linkedin.com to find phone numbers. You can subscribe to Bacons’ Media Directory (www.baconsmediasource.com) to get detailed lists of the entire staff of any magazine, newspaper, online or broadcast outlet.

9. When you do reach a journalist, qualify they are the right contact by saying “are you the person who reports about food? Beauty? Business?” After they answer, follow with your pitch by saying “great, because I have a food product that is filled with pure functional food and prevents cancer. Does that interest you to report?”

10. Call journalists when they are most likely to answer the phone. Morning radio shows start work at 4 am. and are gone by 11 a.m. Daily newspapers are rushing to get their stories done at the end of the day, so avoid afternoons and call them first thing in the morning at 8 a.m. Magazine reporters work on “long leads” that are 2-8 months ahead of time, so tag your story to coincide with the issue they are most likely working on now. For example in April, Body + Soul magazine is working on their October issue.

11. Bonus! Never, ever, ever hang up without asking a journalist for a referral. If the journalist you reached isn’t interested in your story, politely ask if there is someone else they think should hear and maybe report about it.

For more go to http://www.prhandbookforentrepreneurs.com

A natural born publicist and passionate writer, Alyson Dutch is a consumer product/services specialist who has launched cookies for Mrs. Fields, green tea cappuccinos for Tokyo Coca Cola’s Green Tea Terrace and the first sparkling wine geared for GenXer’s, Cuvee M. She’s created positioning platforms for personalities such as “luxury lifestyle designer,” Colin Cowie to launch his books, TV shows and tabletop products. Her “celebrity bra designer” campaign for actress Amanda Kennedy helped to grow her Sassybax concept into a $5 million a year bra company. Before Crest’s BrushUps hit shelves, Dutch launched the first “fingertip toothbrush” for Dental Dots with an award-winning “give bad breath the finger” campaign.

Dutch’s product prowess comes from a background in the entertainment industry where she looked at clients like The Beach Boys, The Lion King theatrical productions and the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA Pageants as products. She leveraged the music industry’s activist anthem of ‘I Ain’t Gonna Play Sun City” into CNN, Rolling Stone and Vogue reporting how the fall of apartheid in Sun City, South Africa changed the perception of the destination for Americans. Dutch booked celebrities for the first online celebrity chat rooms for America Online and Oldsmobile in the early 1990′s as a way to indoctrinate online membership. Always fascinated by how she can bring entrepreneurial products to the mainstream, she established Brown + Dutch Public Relations in 1996 and in 2007 finally downloaded her decades of knowledge into a book titled the “PR Handbook for Entrepreneurs.”

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Tags: online, pr, firms, public, affairs

It is not important to just know how to distribute a press release, but the timing and the content of the news release must be top priority. This is one of the least understood aspects of how to distribute a press release. Press releases are great marketing tools when they are done correctly. A public relations company can typically handle press releases for businesses, but it is also possible to prepare and release this item on your own. Knowing how to distribute a press release can save you tons of time and money if you do it correctly.

It is important to make sure that the press release contains all of the appropriate contact information. Items like headline, contact person and the name of the company should all be very quickly found when it is initially sent out. Make these items prominent on the document.

Get a list together of the medial outlets that you plan to send the press document. Take the time now to make sure that the contact information is current and that the list is accurate. Make sure the list contains only the outlets that will most likely have an interest in the press release. Don’t waste time sending the document to those outlets that are not likely going to be interested in your release.

The method of delivery must also be determined. Will you be faxing or emailing your press release? Most news outlets require you to fax the document, but some will also want an email follow-up, while most others will require an online submission. Check with each media outlet to find their preferred method. When sending a fax it is always a good idea to test the quality of the fax. You can avoid a lot of headaches or missed opportunities if you correct any legibility problems before you send it out.

Plan your timing very carefully. If you send your press release during a major event you will not get anyone to look at it. It is best to try and release your document in the middle of the week. There is no way to tell when it will be a slow enough news day to give your press release the attention it needs, but with a little attention you should be able to tell when it is not a good time to send it.

Be ready for some questions. Get a list together of potential questions that could be asked about your announcement. This will help you to be prepared and ready with your answer no matter the question that is asked. There is no way to predict every question that will be asked, but it is possible to be prepared for the most likely ones.

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: financial, public, relations, services, firms

Press Releases are a fantastic and FREE form of marketing your company, products and services. Basically, it works like this – you send your company news to a list of publications. The editors WANT your news so they can keep their subscribers up to date on what is happening in your industry. You get a plug and all it took was time to write the Press Release.

The other great advantage is that it can now be posted on many electronic magazines, spreading the word throughout the Internet.

To create the best chances of success with your Press Releases, here’s a quick “How To” list:

1. Have a plan. News happens fast, and you need to be ready with a plan to react to that news to tell the world. So before you start, write at least twelve Press Releases in advance and put them into a folder to draw from when needed. Keep in mind that when in comes to news, it doesn’t matter if it’s NEW to you, it matters if it’s NEWS to the editors. Write them in advance so you can draw from this folder once a month on the same date for an entire year. Keep them in chronological order. As up-to-date news occurs in your company, use that information first, bumping all other Press Releases back one month. Review the folder each month before you send your release and move the unused, unneeded or out of date releases to an archive on your website along with the release you just sent. Get every extra mile you can from every release you write!

2. Create letterhead and envelopes specifically designed for Press Releases. As you send the Press Releases the editors become familiar with your envelopes and letterhead, and know what to expect. This familiarity also increases your changes for success. Don’t be afraid to actually say “Press Release Enclosed” on the outer envelope.

4. Send one release a month. No more, no less. More than that and you stand the chance of annoying the editors, and that means less print space. Less than once a month and you don’t appear to be the kind of company that is actually worthy of news because nothing of importance is happening in your organization.

5. Include a photo or image separately in the same envelope if possible. This just adds to the interest of your Press Release and increases read rates by editors.

6. Use the familiar format for written releases: Header should be your logo. Top right, flush right in Times 12 point, your name on line 1, your contact information on lines 2 (phone) and 3 (email). Under name and contact information, flush left, in Times 14 point bold, all caps, the title of the receiver (i.e., BUSINESS NEWS EDITOR) followed by the words “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE”. Under FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, centered, in Times 14 point bold, upper and lower case, the subject of your Press Release. Use no more than two lines and as few words as possible. Body copy should be Times 12 point, no indentations, double spaced. Start with the city you are sending the release from in parenthesis. Each paragraph should be able to stand alone without needing the above or below paragraphs to make sense to the reader.

After the final paragraphs place three centered star symbols (* * *) to indicate the end of your release. If you have enclosed a photo or image indicate that with a line under the starts stating “Photos/Image Enclosed”.

7. You can gather your Press Release list yourself or have a service bureau provide it for you. To gather the list yourself, go to your local library. There are numerous resources that list publications and their addresses, and the names of the editors. These include The Directory of Newsletters, SRDS (Standard Rate and Data Service), and others. Spend some time and look around. Add your current customers, prospects, vendors and employees to your list. The list should include magazines, journals, newsletters and newspapers. You can also cruise the internet for electronic magazines and newsletters.

8. If you produce a newsletter you should also consider a designated area to reprint your Press Releases in each issue.

Press releases tend to have a snowball effect. When a publication receives enough REAL news from your company on a consistent basis, the more they see the more they tend to print. So create a manageable plan, and stick to it. Examples of what is considered newsworthy (but may not necessarily be news to you) are: New Logos, Logo Update, New Website, Website update, New Blog, New Employees, Promotions, Facility Expansion, New Address, Newsletter Introduction (Electronic or Print), New Products or Services, New Literature, etc.

At the end of the year, review the printed Press Releases. By measuring the amount of space they used in an issue of a publications and comparing that to the advertising rates for that publication you can easily compute how much FREE ADVERTISING your releases have netted you throughout the year. Whatever figure you end up with, add another 10% for editorial markup – your space is actually worth MORE than the amount of advertising space because by printing your Press Release the editors have given a thumbs-up to your company!

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Tags: advertising, public, relations, firms, agencies

While strategic PR campaigns were once reserved for the business “elite”-those who could afford to spend one to three thousand dollars a month to retain a PR firm-these days, it is not is not uncommon for even the smallest of shops to whip out press releases in an effort to build buzz.

The truth is, no matter what size your company or what industry you’re in, getting your message in the media should be a major part of your business development efforts. Having a consistent media presence helps companies build credibility and get more business. Thanks to constantly changing media landscape, this is becoming easier and easier to do.

Have you thought about how to use the media to leverage your message in for 2008? If not here are the top 5 things you can do jump start your company’s publicity efforts this year:

1.) Do a media plan.

Planning is the key to media success. Take some time and think about what newspapers, magazines, news shows you would like to appear on this year. How about Business Week, the Wall Street Journal, the Today Show or your local newspaper? Once you’ve identified a few media outlets, decide which topic you want to discuss. Then find out which producer or reporter you should send a pitch letter or press release to. Don’t wait for the media to find you, take your story to them.

2.) Position yourself as an expert.

If you have a wealth of experience in your industry or you know things that other don’t, don’t be afraid to call yourself an expert. What are your strengths? Are you a relationship guru, a financial advisor or women’s empowerment advocate? Find your niche, bring new and unique information to the market and you can begin to attach the expert title to your name. When journalists and producers see the word “expert,” your chances of getting featured increase dramatically.

3.) Write a “How-to” article.

Take your expertise and put it in a step-by-step format that will allow readers to easily apply the strategies you recommend. If you’re a relationship coach, write an article on “how to avoid arguing with your mate.” Or, if you’re a fitness trainer, your article could focus on “how to avoid gaining weight during the holidays.” Submit your article to websites, magazines and discussion groups and you’ll be surprised how many people you help and how much publicity could result from it. This strategy also helps you position yourself as an expert.

4.) Write a letter to the editor.

If you see an article in the newspaper that you strongly agree with or object to, use that as an opportunity to write a letter to the editor. Recently I wrote a letter to the editors of all the major newspapers here in Chicago on behalf of a client who works in the healthcare industry. He expressed his regret that so many cuts were being made, despite the fact that healthcare needs are at an all time high. Two major papers called to inquire about the letter and one paper actually ran it, along with the client’s name, title and organization. If your letter gets printed with your name and company info, that’s free publicity!

5.) Do something good in the hood.

When a company or community organization hosts an event that helps other people, an opportunity for free publicity is automatically created. Do you have a scholarship program, awareness raising initiative or food give-away? Find a unique way to tie it in with a major holiday, anniversary or commemoration and you could wind up featured in your local paper or on the news.

Monique Caradine is a Chicago-based broadcast media professional and President of Momentum Media Group, Inc. A former radio and TV talk show host, her specialties include program development, media training and publicity consulting. She is also a noted speaker, workshop presenter and commentator. Visit her website here

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Tags: public, relations, tips, consultant, firms

Press releases are great tools in creating publicity for your products and company. They are widely used by both offline and online businessmen to create product awareness among their target market. Here are the 5 ways to make more profit with press release writing:

1. Create a compelling, attention-grabbing title. Your headline must capture your readers’ interest, thus it must be intriguing and interesting. Pique your readers’ curiosity by using titles that communicate the benefits that the press release can offer. To make it even more compelling, make your title brief, concise, and it must answer the basic why, what, where, who, when, and how questions of your potential readers. Here’s is a great example of a press release; “Telecom company to offer broadband service to New Mexico in 2008″.

2. Create a short summary. Before you write your first paragraph, provide your readers with a brief summary (1-2 sentences) of the press release. Here’s a sample of a short summary; “Telecom Company responds to the growing demand of New Mexico residents for a stable broadband connection. Project will start on the first quarter of 2008″

3. Make your first paragraph explosive. Unveil the most important information in this area. Make sure that you present the juiciest part of your story to keep your readers interested.

4. Stick to the facts. Remember, you are not allowed to pitch in your opinion or your recommendation. As a press release writer, you must present facts and information as they are, never interpret them.

5. Insert a valuable statement from your company CEO or president. Let your readers know how your top management feels about the latest news by inserting their comments or statements.

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just completed my brand new guide to article writing success, ‘Your Article Writing and Promotion Guide’

Download it free here: Secrets of Article Writing

Do you want to learn how to build a big online subscriber list fast? Click here: Secrets of List Building

Sean Mize is a full time internet marketer who has written over 9034 articles in print and 14 published ebooks.

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Tags: pr, jobs, firms, communications, marketing

Most business owners overlook the power of free press. First item to address is do you have a press kit ready at for any event that you may attend? Not only should you have a press kit ready, you should have a press release ready for any exciting events that maybe upcoming for your business. These key points are simple points to get your business more attention and a chance to gain valuable future customers.

Press Kit Survival Guide

1. Have a folder with your logo on it to hold the release.

2. Place your business card in the inlets of the folder.

3. Have the Press Release in the right hand side pocket of the folder.

4. Have a brochure about your business included in the folder.

5. A nice touch is to have a thank you note in the left pocket of the folder.

First, a press release is a one page statement that summarizes what is going on with your business, why is it important, and where to go for more information. You should always make sure that the press release is clear and concise. The release is for editors who will hopefully be writing an article about your business.

Second, do you know you know the different media outlets in your area? This should include local & regional newspapers, news radio stations, and TV stations. It is also never a bad idea to send a press release to local magazines. You can submit these press releases through fax or email. Before you do this I also recommend you getting to know your local publishers and editors for these media outlets. Having a personal connection with these individuals will not only help your press release get published, but also give you advice on writing a more informative release.

Next, make sure you send the press release at least twenty four hours in advance if you are wanting the media to show up to the event. If you forget to send the press release to a media outlet before the event go ahead and send it to them afterwards. Making them aware that the event occurred sometimes is just as helpful. While at the event if other media happens to come to an event make sure you a have press kit to give them.

Lastly, if you are attending a networking event or an event where you are speaking it is always a good idea to have this press kit with you. This is because the press kit will help give answers without taking more of your time to explain to each person what you do and where you do it. For a sample press release click here.

This knowledge was gained after I worked for a state politician.

I am in my last year of Accounting and Economics & Finance. I have worked for any industry out there from farming, fast food, retail, cold calling, personal lending, and consulting. I am young in age, but experienced well beyond my years. I now own three companies and I host my own radio show while wearing many other hats throughout the community.

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Tags: pr, list, jobs, firms, agency

Your chauffeur picks you up for your massage appointment. Your designer suggests one or three custom outfits with matching accessories. Your flight attendant in the private jet pours you a glass of champagne. Your key people worldwide report that everything is peachy keen.

What a fabulous way to start the day…

If you want the fame, prestige and exposure that only the media can provide you’d have to go beyond becoming an average author, speaker or the millionaire next door. You must offer a powerful message of hope to a starving marketplace. A unique message that provides answers to a significant issue. And you must grab more than one media producer’s attention so you can quickly and effectively broadcast your message into the mainstream consciousness.

Maybe your message is saving the planet from global warming. Maybe it’s helping people make and maintain a fortune in investments. Perhaps it’s discovering a cure for a disease. How about being the whistleblower of a major conglomerate? Or maybe you’ve produced the easiest, most powerful, melt-fat-while-you-sleep diet program.

The truth is there are already others, or there will soon be others cashing in on the same marketplace. For example-think about the latest fad diet ads being pumped through the media. And then the many new plans, pills and surgical procedures that attack the same weight-loss market each year. People get numbed with all those messages assaulting them on bookshelves, in the mail and in print advertising.

But I know your message is different.

So where do you fit in? How will you stand out? Is there any significant difference between you and your peers?

After you’ve honed down your message, it’s time to pitch your story to a producer. Getting interviewed on radio or television or being invited as the guest will gain you tons of exposure-if you can pull it off. But how do you get a producer’s attention?

Three keys when pitching a producer:

1) A unique spin. A popular show like Howard Stern caters to a certain audience. If that’s your target market, you should create something to offer Stern’s producer that would interest that particular audience.

Let’s assume you own a cosmetic surgery business you want to spread the news about on Stern’s show. So what? How is your business different from the dozens of others that may be pitching the same producer?

Your wouldn’t want to say: Our Breasts are the Best in the West. That’s ridiculously shallow. And overused.

But you might want to claim: Our Breasts are Certified 100% Safe by the Adult Entertainment Association of America. That’s more specific and sounds almost like an industry endorsement.

2) Your expertise. Who are you? What got you started? Why should audiences listen to you? Have you written a book? Have you been a guest on TV or radio? Do you host your own show? Have you reached celebrity status?

Audiences want to know your story. They want to connect with you. They want to know the reason why you do what you do. They want to see your passion.

Did you study under a certain guru? Did you travel to the jungles of the Amazon to find The Cure? Maybe someone you loved passed away and you wanted to do everything possible to prevent this from happening to others.

3) Your solution. What problem(s) are you solving? How safe is it? How many people have had positive results? How are you helping families, neighborhoods, and country?

Where is your product produced? What are the ingredients? Is it environmentally friendly? Can you produce test results?

Has your company gone public? Can consumers order online, through the mail, or FAX? Do you offer customer support? Do you send out a newsletter? Is there an online forum or blogs? Do you have repeat customers? Are there retail outlets?

Here’s the kicker…

Producers are extremely busy people. They are listening to pitches all day long. You must condense your three keys into a short, powerful attention-grabbing hook that will benefit the show’s audience.

Linking your pitch to current news, controversial topics, or disastrous events may help. Tying your story to a humongous problem like consumer debt, the subprime mortgage mess, or the war on obesity may help. Sometimes shocking discoveries, claims or beliefs may give you an edge to get on the air.

If you can get a producer’s attention and get invited onto the show, you’ll see a dramatic increase in business like you’ve never seen. There will a buzz for your products or services. And other producers may invite you on their shows.

Tommy Yan helps business owners and entrepreneurs make more money through direct response marketing. He publishes Tommy’s Tease weekly e-zine to inspire people to succeed in business and personal growth. Get your free subscription today at www.TommyYan.com.

If you’re a speaker, trainer, coach, or a consultant-the major challenge you face is connecting with your audience. You talk, shout, or recite your message while they are dreaming about dinner.

Their eyes are glossy, their minds’ elsewhere, and their bodies ready to bolt. You don’t have a lot of time, so you’ve got to grab their attention fast. Or else, you’ll die wrestling against audience resistance.

But it doesn’t have to be this way…

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Tags: advertising, public, relations, firms, jobs

What is Marketing? And what is the best type of Marketing for your company? How about a Yellow Pages advert? Pay per click? Maybe some direct mail followed up a telemarketing campaign?

Well whilst each of these are perfectly valid marketing routes and one’s any forward thinking company should at least test the very best type of marketing for all types of business is the type that is free. That’s right Ladies and Gentlemen, if you’re working with a tight marketing budget (or indeed with no set marketing budget at all) then you can now get exposure for your product, service or company in the form of PR (or Public Relations).

For large companies PR is big business. They will think nothing of employing staff with the sole intention of getting the name of their company in the media (be it written press, television, radio or online). And because the PR market is seemingly dominated by the larger companies small companies shy away from using PR in their marketing mix.

If this applies to you then good times could well be ahead as PR is a vital part of the marketing mix for smaller companies in particular as they often don’t have the time or money to spend on often expensive advertising or other marketing.

Business Marketing and Small Business Marketing often share many of the same functions but successful businesses of all sizes use PR to promote their business, build their reputation and become a recognised expert in their particular field. And the beauty of PR is that everyone is an expert in something. And by passing on your expertise in a particular subject in the right way you become newsworthy.

And that is the real secret when it comes to good PR. It has to be interesting and newsworthy. Nobody cares that you’ve just launched a new website or that Mrs Jones in Accounts has just become a Grandmother for the second time (both subjects I’ve seen in press releases and both subjects I’ve seen in journalist’s bins!!). And if you’ve ever attempted PR only not to have it published then I wouldn’t worry too much about it as you’re amongst the 99% of companies who send out PR that isn’t newsworthy or interesting.

Over the course of the next few weeks and months I’ll be giving you tips and advice and how you (whatever business you’re in) can make sure you’re in the 1% of companies who do get PR published and who does get business as a result of it. Until then here are a few words on Why PR is important.

Communication lies at the heart of today’s modern society. Be it on the internet, television, pod casts or whatever medium you choose. And with so many firms competing for the same business as you, how do your customers differentiate between you and your competitors?

The answer lies not particularly in the size of your Yellow Pages advert but how you project yourself and what your firm has to offer.

PR has a huge sway in the minds of consumers as the perceived third party endorsement that comes from editorial coverage can be substantial, maybe even more so than advertising that can cost hundreds or thousands of pounds. This done well can result in increased exposure, increased business and increased profits. And if you want your business to be the best it can be then becoming good at PR is something you want to do.

And remember, it’s FREE!

Mark Burdett is the owner of one of the UK’s Leading Marketing Consultancy firms, The Marketing Buzz.

With almost 2 decades of marketing experience Mark has worked on highly successful and profitable campaigns for companies including Norwich Union, Kia Motors and Zurich. Now based in Newcastle upon Tyne, The Marketing Buzz help small and medium sized UK businesses grow and increase their profits by using highly effective Marketing techniques.

If you want to grow your business and increase your profits contact The Marketing Buzz at this site.

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Tags: pr, marketing, firms, company, jobs

A client of mine told me about a PR firm that offered to do his advertising creative. It turned out to be ineffective work because, in the end, it didn’t address his marketing objectives, nor did it communicate to his target audiences. He was surprised because this firm did such a bang-up job at PR. His disappointment led to a complete dissolution of his company’s relationship with the PR firm.

Why the failure? In this case, the PR firm did not recognize its limitations, and therefore did not recognize the opportunity to come through for their client by bringing in qualified, experienced creative professionals. The assumption that because a person can write a press release means they can come up with creative concepts, or even write effective ad copy, is a bold one and, more often than not, a mistaken one.

I relayed this story to a friend of mine who has been a successful freelance copywriter for more than 15 years. She rolled her eyes and said, “Been there. Done that.” In her experiences, she has worked with consultants who insisted on acting as “account executives,” but lacked advertising and marketing expertise. Still, they would not bring her into the room to meet with their clients. As a result, they couldn’t help their clients determine their objectives, and were therefore unable to communicate those objectives to the creative team. As a successful creative professional, my friend possesses a great deal of marketing savvy, or else she would not have been able to do successful work for so many clients over the years. “My work is only as good as the input I get,” she told me, adding that she can spend an hour with a client and usually glean more than she needs to know because she knows what questions to ask. She felt that the consultants with whom she worked in some instances were well aware that they were not needed in the creative process, and feared that their clients would realize the same thing if they were to meet the creative team face-to-face. So they tried to fake their way through client meetings alone and then expected the creatives to perform miracles with inadequate input.

Risking your reputation and your client relationship for the sake of making a mark-up is short-sighted. Imagine if my client had been told by his PR firm that the work he needed done was out of their depth. My client would have found someone else to do the work and would have respected the firm’s honesty. If the PR firm had told him they couldn’t do the work, but referred him to a top-notch creative who could, they would have been heroes and shown their commitment to helping their client succeed. In doing so, they would have retained the account.

I’m glad to be guided by the experiences of other professionals. I find that I learn something in virtually every conversation I have that’s related to business. Of the things I’ve learned, some of the most important are: 1) How to recognize talent; 2) How to recognize an organization’s needs; and 3) When to get out of the middle in order to let talent and organizations make magic together. And I’m proud to make such referrals.

The lesson? There are truly remarkable, highly talented PR firms out there. They’re top shelf in every respect. The principals of these types of firms and their top administrators don’t misrepresent their reach, their in-house talent or the clout they will bring to your team. But if you’re in the market for PR, do your homework at the outset before signing on — especially with smaller firms. Ask the tough questions. A firm that delivered supernatural performances for one business may not offer the in-house talent that your business needs. Ask them who on their team delivers the goods you need. Be smart — meet them!

Don’t let consultants misrepresent themselves — those who do are the ones that give all of us with such hung shingles a bad name. The bottom line is that some projects are out of a firm’s comfort zones. The unprincipled ones will be very hesitant to declare that with consulting ducats on the line. The rock-solid ones are generally quick to size up your wishes and requirements, and to point you in another direction if someone amongst their stable of professional connections can better serve you.

My passion is words and their power to inspire and bring about action, leading recently to fulfillment of a life-long dream — launch of my own consulting gig. As an editor, I’m even more persnickety than I am as an administrator. I have run point on monthly and quarterly magazines, website launches, flier and brochure development, advertising “creative,” and marketing initiatives, as well as the more mundane writing of HR- and admin-related manuscripts, handbooks, annual reports, etc. I have also written a great many speeches that have been extremely well received. My background includes a journalism degree and a career principally in the nonprofit community. And all of that has added up to some “thoughts” on words, writing and business. Lee Cooke.

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Tags: advertising, pr, firms, companies, marketing

Television is one of the most powerful forms of media. The visual aspect provides people with additional emotional stimulation and is seen by a large audience.

But a lot of what is done in an actual TV interview is often disregarded. How can you ensure your message not only gets across, but stays across?

Here is the third part of a series of interviews on how individuals as well as companies can raise their media quotient or MQ.

Interviewer: Do you have any tips for those who may be interviewed on TV?

Thomas Murrell: TV is all about pictures and being visually appealing. It is more important to concentrate on how you look and the location than what you say. Keep it short with memorable “quotable quotes” or sound bites.

Interviewer: Can you give an example of a good sound bite for the area of accent reduction?

Thomas Murrell: Alliteration, metaphors and stories make good sound bites. I can’t think of one immediately but a favourite sound bite came in a press conference from a famous black athlete announcing he was coming out of retirement.

He said …. “I’m bored, I’m broke and I’m back!” – you can see how the media loved this. Give me your message and we can work on it now.

Interviewer: Ok – well key themes would be improving clarity to increase opportunity for work and social activities i.e. people feel more confident if they have to repeat themselves less often, so frustration all round is greatly reduced.

Thomas Murrell: “Consistently increasing clarity improves confidence” for example.

Interviewer: Great – a little alliteration!

Thomas Murrell: Or use a metaphor – “improving clarity is like improving your sight. When you work on clarity it is like putting on a pair of glasses and you can see the world a whole lot clearer and how others see you and this can really brighten up your world.”

Interviewer: I see that the time is nearly up. On behalf of everyone taking part in this online forum, thanks for sharing your expertise with us so others can benefit from some excellent tips on using the media more productively. Thanks again for your time Tom.

Thomas Murrell MBA CSP is an international business speaker, consultant and award-winning broadcaster. Media Motivators is his regular electronic magazine read by 7,000 professionals in 15 different countries. You can subscribe by visiting this site. Thomas is available to speak to your conference, seminar or event. Visit Tom’s blog

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Tags: public relations, firms, companies, media, quotient

Since so much has been written about how to go about finding a PR agency, I thought it timely to examine the process from my perspective – a consultant who is also a PR headhunter.

Throughout the U.S. there are thousands of PR firms of all sizes who claim to specialize in dozens of different specialty categories.

As the person designated within your company to identify and hire a PR firm, where do you start? What do you look for? How much should you pay? What characteristics of the PR firm differentiates it from others – and are those differences important to your company? What size firm should you hire? What about account conflicts? Is the firm’s location important? Who’s going to work on your business? What about performance and results? What should you reasonably expect and how do you measure success?

These are only some of the questions that will undoubtedly arise in your quest to hire a firm.

From my experience, all of these questions should be asked and answered before signing on with a PR firm. However, the real issues that become important should be evaluated within the context of your company’s needs and goals. Chances are the answers will fall somewhere in the proverbial gray area.

Going solo
Should you decide to identify a PR firm on your own, there are many reference materials available which can help you quantify the players. However, without the tools and the inside knowledge of how PR firms work and which will work best for your company, the task can be difficult to qualify.

Many solo searchers rely on references from colleagues, industry sources and the like to help them target a group of likely PR firms. The tough part however, is evaluating the relationship between members of your company and the PR firm. Additionally, not every PR agency is listed and quantified in every directory. New ones are popping up all the time and others are merging, being acquired or just fading away. When working with a limited knowledge-base, evaluation can become problematic.

The key to any successful PR agency search lies in the depth of the research expended. The greater amount of time spent researching the agency, its people, culture, working style, etc., the better chance you have of bringing home a winner. Also, it’s easy to be distracted by fancy promotion and lose sight of the agency’s key elements.

Sometimes the identification of a winning PR firm can be a slam-dunk. More often, it can be like nailing Jello to a tree.

Slam-dunk
If your company produces a highly specialized or technical product, chances are there will only be a few PR firms that will fill the bill. Whether it’s engineering, biotechnology or baby toys, your choices will be limited. Add to that the numerous other specifications that you will invariably want to see in your new PR firm.

It’s a slam-dunk if your product or service touches on issues such as abortion, guns or smoking. Options will be limited if your PR budget is unusually small or restricted, or if when your PR program is narrowly focused on, say, major mentions in key business publications, or, interviews for your CEO with major network media.

It’s probably a good idea to go solo when the budget is small, the PR program is limited and targeted to a highly technical audience or, when the agency’s geographic location(s) is restricted. Of course, if management’s view of PR is archaic or unrealistic, then the chance of a successful agency union is rather slim under any circumstances.

Not so fast
In my PR agency identification experience, the two most difficult parts of evaluating an agency are costs, (both actual and projected), and team identification and evaluation. Each tend to resemble a moving target that’s hard to keep in your sights for too long.

As a general rule, PR agencies don’t advertise their fees for services they perform. They tend to promote their expertise and experience in the business of PR and then charge you based on the size of your budget. By knowing that beforehand, they can tailor their services to your specific needs and stay within your budget – or, so you would hope.

However, clients often complain that their agency goes over budget. This is especially true during economic boom times. The firms usually argue that you, the client, have either implicitly approved of the extra work that was done on your behalf, or, that circumstances mandated that your account be “over-serviced.” The budget and over-service issues are less pronounced when business and the economy is slow.

As any other business, agencies must stay profitable. Just like management consultants or lawyers, PR people parcel out their expertise in the form of hourly charges. Whether you’re paying a “flat monthly retainer” or hourly for services rendered, the agency will calculate the time spent working on your behalf in increments of hours to remain within profitable guidelines. Agency client management employees usually have an “hourly rate” that is levied against the time they spend on behalf of their client. That rate is usually a function of the employee’s title. Obviously, the higher the title, the higher the rate.

Sounds pretty straightforward, right? Well, not so fast. There are many variables that impact this rather neat little picture. Variables such as employee promotions, employee title inflation, freelance consultants, the changing nature of your account, fee increases, out-of-pocket expenses, economic inflation or recession, conflicting accounts that pay higher fees, result measurement, client vs. agency expectations, irreconcilable differences and much more.

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. Click here for more information

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Tags: pr, agency, company, public relations, firms

People often confuse public relations with advertising. PR is the effort that creates publicity for your product, service, or company; this publicity is perceived as not being paid for by the company or individual. PR is communicated by third parties such as newspapers, radio, television, or e-zines. Generally, PR is deemed to be credible and is believed since a third party delivers the message.

Advertising is publicity delivered in the form of advertisements in the print media, radio, TV, and the internet; these ads are paid for by company or individual and everyone knows that. Because of this direct sponsorship, advertising is not as believable as PR. In fact, studies show that PR is 8-10 times more believable than advertising.

Contrary to popular opinion, PR is not free. It takes hard work and it does not happen by chance. Entrepreneurs can do PR in-house or they contract a PR Agency to help them. Small firms will often do this work in-house. Typically, this means writing a press release and distributing it to a list of contacts and customers. However, PR is much more than just writing a press release.

In a grander since, PR is all about creating awareness for your business or product, communicating your understanding of your customers’ needs, and building a constituency with the customers. The hope is to convert your customers into advocates of your brand.

PR agencies can help you do that, but they cost money. The fundamental job of a PR firm is to do the following:

1. They help you craft your message. These are the words and images that describe what you want your customer to know about your company or product.

2. Next, they help you get the message out to the industry via press releases, interviews, and special events. New methods include blogs and article marketing.

3. Finally, they connect you to the right people: industry gurus, media contacts, people with influence, and decision markers.

If the PR firm can’t help with the above, then you don’t need them.

John Bradley Jackson © Copyright 2006 All rights reserved.

John Bradley Jackson brings street-savvy sales and marketing experience from Silicon Valley and Wall Street. His resume also includes entrepreneur, angel investor, corporate trainer, philanthropist, and consultant. His book is called “First, Best, or Different: What Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know About Niche Marketing”.

Check out his website or his blog.

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Tags: fundamental, jobs, pr, firms, publicity, public relations

Picture this scenario:

Your chauffeur picks you up for your massage appointment. Your designer suggests one or three custom outfits with matching accessories. Your flight attendant in the private jet pours you a glass of champagne. Your key people worldwide report that everything is peachy keen.

What a fabulous way to start the day…

If you want the fame, prestige and exposure that only the media can provide you’d have to go beyond becoming an average author, speaker or the millionaire next door. You must offer a powerful message of hope to a starving marketplace. A unique message that provides answers to a significant issue. And you must grab more than one media producer’s attention so you can quickly and effectively broadcast your message into the mainstream consciousness.

Maybe your message is saving the planet from global warming. Maybe it’s helping people make and maintain a fortune in investments. Perhaps it’s discovering a cure for a disease. How about being the whistleblower of a major conglomerate? Or maybe you’ve produced the easiest, most powerful, melt-fat-while-you-sleep diet program.

The truth is there are already others, or there will soon be others cashing in on the same marketplace. For example-think about the latest fad diet ads being pumped through the media. And then the many new plans, pills and surgical procedures that attack the same weight-loss market each year. People get numbed with all those messages assaulting them on bookshelves, in the mail and in print advertising.

But I know your message is different.

So where do you fit in? How will you stand out? Is there any significant difference between you and your peers?

After you’ve honed down your message, it’s time to pitch your story to a producer. Getting interviewed on radio or television or being invited as the guest will gain you tons of exposure-if you can pull it off. But how do you get a producer’s attention?

Three keys when pitching a producer:

1) A unique spin. A popular show like Howard Stern caters to a certain audience. If that’s your target market, you should create something to offer Stern’s producer that would interest that particular audience.

Let’s assume you own a cosmetic surgery business you want to spread the news about on Stern’s show. So what? How is your business different from the dozens of others that may be pitching the same producer?

Your wouldn’t want to say: Our Breasts are the Best in the West. That’s ridiculously shallow. And overused.

But you might want to claim: Our Breasts are Certified 100% Safe by the Adult Entertainment Association of America. That’s more specific and sounds almost like an industry endorsement.

2) Your expertise. Who are you? What got you started? Why should audiences listen to you? Have you written a book? Have you been a guest on TV or radio? Do you host your own show? Have you reached celebrity status?

Audiences want to know your story. They want to connect with you. They want to know the reason why you do what you do. They want to see your passion.

Did you study under a certain guru? Did you travel to the jungles of the Amazon to find The Cure? Maybe someone you loved passed away and you wanted to do everything possible to prevent this from happening to others.

3) Your solution. What problem(s) are you solving? How safe is it? How many people have had positive results? How are you helping families, neighborhoods, and country?

Where is your product produced? What are the ingredients? Is it environmentally friendly? Can you produce test results?

Has your company gone public? Can consumers order online, through the mail, or FAX? Do you offer customer support? Do you send out a newsletter? Is there an online forum or blogs? Do you have repeat customers? Are there retail outlets?

Here’s the kicker…

Producers are extremely busy people. They are listening to pitches all day long. You must condense your three keys into a short, powerful attention-grabbing hook that will benefit the show’s audience.

Linking your pitch to current news, controversial topics, or disastrous events may help. Tying your story to a humongous problem like consumer debt, the subprime mortgage mess, or the war on obesity may help. Sometimes shocking discoveries, claims or beliefs may give you an edge to get on the air.

If you can get a producer’s attention and get invited onto the show, you’ll see a dramatic increase in business like you’ve never seen. There will a buzz for your products or services. And other producers may invite you on their shows.

Tommy Yan helps business owners and entrepreneurs make more money through direct response marketing. He publishes Tommy’s Tease weekly e-zine to inspire people to succeed in business and personal growth. Get your free subscription today at www.TommyYan.com.

If you’re a speaker, trainer, coach, or a consultant-the major challenge you face is connecting with your audience. You talk, shout, or recite your message while they are dreaming about dinner.

Their eyes are glossy, their minds’ elsewhere, and their bodies ready to bolt. You don’t have a lot of time, so you’ve got to grab their attention fast. Or else, you’ll die wrestling against audience resistance.

But it doesn’t have to be this way…

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Tags: advertising, public, relations, firms, jobs

Often vacation resorts are put on islands where the people living there are relatively poor and it is kind of an invasion of the modern world onto their world. Nevertheless a vacation resort can bring lots of money to the island and increase the wealth of those that live there. In doing so this means a greater quality of life and a higher standard of living.

However, it must also be considered that once a big vacation resort goes into such a location it changes the dynamics of the community and the local microeconomics forever. For those who work at the vacation resorts they are paid a lot more money than they could receive elsewhere and this means there is a separation of classes nearly immediately.

Vacation resorts need to do things for the local Islanders such as help them with schools and education and mitigate any concerns of the local tribal leadership or local government. The efforts of a vacation resort on an island are also often respected by the visitors.

If the island resort gives money to the locals and helps out with local charities then the tourists are more likely to also chip in and help with their dollars. This can be a win-win for the island and the resort and make the customers feel like they are giving to important cause. Please consider all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance’s Web

. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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Tags: public relations, resorts, agency, company, firms

Window Washing Companies need to maintain a clear image in the community. It therefore makes sense to carefully consider their public relations strategies. But what kinds of innovative things can a Window Washing Company do that have not been done before? Well, how about joining a Neighborhood Mobile Business Watch and Community Policing Program? Why would they do that you ask? Well consider the window cleaning business model if you will;

WINDOW WASHING COMPANIES: These companies work in a very low cost, high volume business and know everybody in town, and certainly nearly every business owner or manager on their routes. At $1-2 per pane, they must do a lot of windows to make money. They leave their vehicles in parking lots all over town for 20 minutes to 2 hours and move on. Some do residential as well; parking in neighborhoods for the same time periods. They are a great source for flyer distribution to merchants, retailers, etc. If you decide to have a poster program, they can have those posters up all over town in days on the windows of businesses.

You see it makes perfect sense for such a small service company business to promote themselves as positives in the community. This is one way to do just that and increase the businesses goodwill. Consider all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; WorldThinkTank. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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Tags: public relations, companies, jobs, firms, pr

Public Relations can be done for nearly any type of company. And to illustrate and illuminate this point let us consider a most unlikely candidate. What about a Street Sweeping Company? Sure there are all sorts of catchy slogans you can use and yet this is more advertising than public relations.

There are things a street sweeping company can do in the community such as painting storm drain grates and such and indeed in the end this also helps them with an easier clean up job. But what if we take the Cleaning Up the Community motif one step further? How so you ask?

Well consider assisting the Police Department in a little community policing and becoming the eyes and the ears of the community while out at night cleaning up the parking lots? Perhaps the participation in Neighborhood Watch Patrol might be a good public relations campaign? It costs nothing to implement it or participate. Here is a few reasons why street sweeping companies should be involved in such programs;

STREET SWEEPING COMPANIES: Most of the activities done by street sweepers are at night in commercial and retail areas when nobody else is around. This is the time most likely to have vandalism occur. The drivers may be oblivious to the surrounding activities, but if asked to help, will gladly keep a watchful eye. The owners of these companies may also own other companies such as landscape companies. They may own only 4-5 street sweepers, but 3 times as many landscape trucks. Ride on lawnmowers should have the stickers on them too. They are at parks and golf courses and people see them and will feel safer and be okay with the noise.

Participating in a program like this develops goodwill and positively impacts its standing in the community and really isn’t that what public relations is all about? Consider all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; WorldThinkTank. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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Tags: public relations, company, pr, firms, creadibility

Public Relations Programs and such for Party Supply Companies are not tough due to the number of events they are involved with and yet often sometimes something unique in nature also makes sense because this means a little innovation bonus in the minds of the community. Consider if you will that a Party Supply Company can receive community goodwill thru participation in a Neighborhood Business Mobile Watch Program. What you ask; Why? Well think about the Party Supply business model for a second;

PARTY SUPPLY COMPANIES: These people are always where the action is, town get -togethers, grand openings, and big family events. They are a great resource for your program and always willing to help. They come to volunteer group meetings with great attitudes; this is a major bonus. The upbeat attitude will help in the development of the program. They will be good resources too when it is time to throw a party for the group. They also have delivery vans with big pictures on the sides of happy things like giant balloons, to attract attention, thus many people look at the trucks and then see the magnet sign for the neighborhood mobile watch program. Party supply companies are very visible.

For all these reasons it makes sense to support the community thru participation in such a program and a Party Supply Company can and will bolster their goodwill and make excellent use of such a public relations strategy. Consider all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; WorldThinkTank. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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Tags: public relations, companies, jobs, firms, pr

Public Relations for Flower Shops is easy and yet it is difficult to do your local community business relations without getting into a loop of giving away every thing in your store. It costs lots of money to get flowers to market and those costs are real. If you give away your inventory freely to all comers who need something for a non-profit group you may have trouble paying the rent and the energy costs for your refrigeration system.

What if a flower company used its flower delivery vehicles to help with a Neighborhood Watch Program? That is something they could do fairly easily while they were already making their deliveries. You see;

FLOWER COMPANIES: Usually have delivery vans, which deliver to offices and homes. These vans park in shopping center parking lots at night. This fact helps the center from break-ins; it makes the criminal think twice. The owners of Flower Shops are involved in all kinds of things. They are in contact with Human Resource Departments, and executive administration of large companies around the area. If your group needs money to buy more Neighborhood Mobile Watch Signs, they would surely have the contact name to get you in the door. No criminal would ever suspect a Flower Van to be a mobile watch vehicle.

Perhaps it pays to think a little outside the box when considering the public relations strategies for your flower shop. Why not do something good for the community and get the goodwill you deserve without giving away all the merchandise? Consider all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; WorldThinkTank. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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Tags: public relations, companies, jobs, firms, pr

What can a small simple business like an auto detailing company do to promote itself in Public Relations? It seems when a small business is unique in nature their number of choices are quite diminished and yet on the flip side to this whatever public relations campaigns that they come up with will also be unique and this also means that they will be remembered too.

This is why a small business in a tight market niche or industry sub-sub-sector can make out like a bandit when it comes to a professionally orchestrated public relations program. But what kinds of things can an Auto Detailing Company do for public relations?

Well really there are many things they can do, from giving out coupons to senior citizens, for 80% off to free detailing for the local church who has cars donated to them to sell. Additionally auto-detailing services make great gift certificates for large fundraising events or silent auctions. An auto detailing company can also host a car wash fundraiser for a High School Band, Cheerleaders or Church Youth Group planning a retreat.

By allowing the kids use of the pressure washers for the day and water supply there is a great Public Relations value for doing so very little. Helping the community always comes back to small businesses and it is important to give a little back as you grow. Please consider all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; WorldThinkTank. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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Tags: public relations, companies, firms, auto detailing, pr

Well, simple lets say your car wash has pre-paid wash cards then you can give those out for silent auctions, door prizes and at chamber of commerce mixers so they give you PR and also are welcomed by the recipients. If you give away 4-free washes, which are the mid category of services then that customer may upgrade when they come into the car wash.

Additionally consider that if they get four car washes over a one or two-month period you get the benefit and PR for one to two months along with any good will and referrals that generates from those who know the recipient. Next as the car is used up you have a chance at a new regular customer who may come every other week for the next year. Meaning your new customer pays you for those visits = 10 months.

It makes sense to support the community which supports you year in and year out; giving back can be easy, fun and rewarding and when done carefully it can add money to your bottom line and allow you to do even more good for the community in the future.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; WorldThinkTank. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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Tags: public relations, companies, carwash, pr, firms

In the Transportation Sector often we see anti-truck comments in the newspaper, TV or hear them on the radio. Some folks apparently do not understand that everything they buy came to the market via a truck at some point. And yet all they see in traffic jams is these big vehicles blocking their view of more traffic ahead.

The motorists are quick to complain about the traffic, embellish accident reports and pull up old articles of truck accidents and pitch the anti-truck safety issues. We all know these are unfounded and yet public perception is the key. This is why Trucking Companies need to stay on the ball with proper public relations.

Perhaps you have seen some of the public relations in the past for instance the National Trucking Safety Watch, kind of like a Neighborhood Watch rolling along American Highways. Maybe you have seen the “No-Zone” campaign to alert drivers not to drive in the driver’s blind spots.

Remember the; Keep on Trucking, bumper stickers? Now we trucks with messages on the sides and public service announcements, these types of public relations programs turn the side of the truck into a billboard of good will. Public relations with trucking companies are important and they should be considered, so think on this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; WorldThinkTank. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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Tags: public relations, companies, trucking, pr, firms

Day Care Centers have a rough time of convincing parents that their children will be safe and they also have a tough time with public relations, as parents are so quick to prejudge them and their services. Nevertheless a Day Care Center must over come this unfortunate public perception and consider that they need to be on the other side of the game.

How so you ask? Well what if a Day Care Center took the approach that they were helping make the entire community safer? Lets say by participating in a Neighborhood Watch Program? Why you ask; well consider if you will the following facts;

DAY CARE CENTERS: Day Care Centers have vans and shuttle buses that pick up kids and they are colorful and happy in their paint schemes. They also know all of the Moms who work at all the corporations in town. Family and safety are at the top of their agenda. They are very concerned with the concerns of their clients. Those concerns are of safety. Even if they feel uneasy about the sign on their vehicles they will participate and leave flyers in their lobbies. Also remember that many of these day car centers are franchises and therefore will receive kudos from their franchisors for helping the community.

Now then it makes a lot of sense for them to join in a Neighborhood Watch Program and also it makes sense for them to bolster their community spirit and goodwill. This means that they can help the community and gather sufficient bonus in public relations, so, consider all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance’s Web. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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Tags: pr, agencies, jobs, firms, company

Too many business people simply cannot stand the onerous over regulations that have to do with OSHA and that is a shame that our own government is so hostile to the business community and yet there must be some way to change this perspective. Indeed, OSHA needs a much better public relations program.

I propose that we have OSHA inspectors join in the Neighborhood Mobile Business Watch Patrols and then they will be assisting businesses and business owners by reducing crime rather than being seen as criminal government extortionists by the business community. Why would OSHA join such a program? Well to promote goodwill and strong public relations. You see OSHA is perfect for such a program, consider if you will that;

OSHA INSPECTORS: These inspectors go to facility departments of large corporations, they go to construction sites, and they go to government agencies and even colleges and Universities to insure that there are consistent and safe working conditions. This is good because they too are trained observers, drive four door sedans and have a huge networking pool of people they deal with on a regular basis.

This makes OSHA a natural for community business policing efforts and therefore part of the solution instead of considered a problem for the businesses. Consider this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; WorldThinkTank. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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Tags: pr, team, marketing, firms, public relations

Some industry sub-sectors have a difficult time in setting up public relations plans and strategies. Lets look at a plumbing company for instance, it is a company type that everyone thinks nothing of until they need a good plumber and then they are at the top of our list for solving a major if not catastrophic potential problem.

But what kinds of things can a plumbing company do to promote itself and increase its community standing and goodwill? Well why not join in a Neighborhood Mobile Watch Patrol in the town or city. Help take a bite out of crime? Great, but what does this have to do with plumbing you ask? Well consider if you will the following factors;

PLUMBING COMPANIES: Plumbers are highly paid individuals and tend to know all the income property owners of the town. These property owners are the movers and shakers who are also involved in all the philanthropic and political groups in the towns. Plumbers handle many emergencies and are some of the most randomly scheduled professionals. No one can predict when or where they will show up next, including themselves. A criminal planning a break in hates these types of wild cards. Like locksmiths called out to help with lock out problems, they can be anywhere at any time for anybody. A plumbing company with multiple trucks can be a great asset. A small company with one truck can also have just as many contacts around town. Both large and small plumbing companies will be more than happy to help your program.

You see all this makes a plumbing company a valuable asset to the safety of the community and thus helps rank them at the top of our list. Such goodwill and public relations are indeed difficult to come by these days. So, consider all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; WorldThinkTank. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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Tags: pr, company, public relations, plumbing, firms

Boat detailing requires hard work and to make a run at the local marina market you need a strong customer base. Of course many people rarely come out to visit their boats and the chances of you getting a personal meeting are not so common as you might like.

When business is great you are busy working and do not have time to solicit new business and yet you need to run around the marina on a busy weekend day and hand out your business cards, flyers, brochures and floatable key chains with logo to give to potential customers.

You see what you really need is a strong presence and allow the power of that presence to rule the local market for you. You can achieve this; how so you ask? Well, you need a professional public relations program plan first off and then you need to consider implementation.

There are many things you can do such as help a maritime museum refurbish an old boat or host a fundraiser for the Sea Cadets. Many Boy Scout Groups have the Sea Explorers sub-group and hosting a boat wash fundraiser for a day means you will get your name out to the parents of all these kids who probably also own their own vessels and have friends who also own boats. Sometime public relations can get your business name in places you never thought possible. Consider all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; WorldThinkTank. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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Tags: pr, company, detailing, firms, public relations