You all know what I am referring to and I’m sure you are as fed up as I am with all the parsing of common words to misrepresent something, someone or both. The parsing of commonly held words is stupid and will not be tolerated by the masses any longer! If an advertiser wants us to dance a jig or jump through hoops to receive their low cost, almost worth nothing, free or freebie item all they must do is simply say so. Rather than parsing of words to mean almost free or free if you are new to our service, or free for the taking but it will exclude you from future almost free or freebies items, just simply say so.

Most adults are capable of understanding that you are a business because you want to feed your family. As adults most people don’t want you as a business to lose any money. As adults most people would like to know that you are making a fair profit and will be in business for years to come. As adults we simply wish for you to not parse words in an attempt to take advantage of anyone! We are giving you businesses, big and small, fair warning that we consumers are fed up with the parsing of words to take advantage of consumers and we are not going to let it continue any longer. We promise to embarrass you and your company if you continue in the future of parsing words to not mean what everyone takes them to mean. Just so that everyone is on the same page, we have listed what we understand these certain common words to mean.

1) The word free or freebie means simply that – zero exchange of money, postage stamps or anything of value.

2) The word free and freebie mean no exchange of money now or latter and also mean the same for new as well as existing customers.

3) The word free and freebie do not mean that we will be branded to lose out of or to be excluded of any special price or deal at a later time if we take advantage of your free product or service now.

4) The word free and freebie simply mean free, zero cost and zero exchange of valuable information such as our email address or the email addresses of six of our friends. This would also include any personal telephone numbers. Time of year or season does not change these commonly held meanings.

5) The word free or freebie means that we don’t have to do anything or offer anything in exchange for your free or freebie product or service.

Now that we have stated clearly what these commonly held words mean to us at large; we expect you businesses, big and small, to understand that we consumers will penalize any company by broadcasting it over the internet to everyone that said company has tried to parse these commonly held words. We believe there is no reason to parse these commonly held words other than to take advantage of another. Therefore we will broadcast across the internet via e-mail, via blogs, via bulletin boards via forums via any way possible now and in the future any company and/or individual that plays games with or parses the meaning of these commonly held words. For the record the meanings of these words are the same whether you are giving us a great or not so great of free or freebie item.

We also wish to state for the record that we consumers understand that you businesses must make profit in order to stay in business. We are not opposed to the fact that not every free or freebie item will be of great worth. We however expect the meaning of these commonly held words to remain just the same, regardless of worth of free or freebie item. May this article serve as fair warning to all businesses, big and small, that we consumers are fed up with all the parsing of commonly held words to take advantage of any consumer!

As a consumer, if you agree to this writing then it is expected of you to hold all businesses to these rules and if some business does not, you have the responsibility to make said infringement known to the masses via one or more methods listed above. Every concerned consumer should print out this little article and keep it handy and ready to post or serve such business and/or individual that breaks these rules. This article is free, zero cost, will not exclude you from future freebies, and will not require you to post personal information or the personal information of six friends. You need not do anything to print it out and post it. This article is completely free of charge regardless of time of day or season of year. This article is simply, FREE!

Theresa Twogood is Executive Director of OLIN e-Publishing Company – visit site -Denver Colorado-USA

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Tags: internet, ethics, strategy, language, websites

It doesn’t matter whether you hire a PR company to get exposure, or write your own press releases and submit them, there’s a way you can generate much more PR exposure, with little effort.

You know that if you send your press release to every editor under the sun (even if your article is of no interest to their readers), that is the easiest way for you to turn off your media contacts. That’s for sure. However, there are many ways you can increase your press release coverage in a targeted way, via the Internet.

The following method is one of the key ways I use to drive large numbers of traffic to my websites.

1. Submit to Newsgroups

On the Internet you’ll often find hundreds of thousands of newsgroups. Many of these newsgroups may be interested in your particular topic, with some of them freely accepting submissions. Some of these are un-moderated, while some are moderated. While a good 55%+ are largely rubbish and full of advertised get-rich-quick schemes, some of them are really genuine industry or interest-specific newsgroups. You just need to know where to look.

2. Banks of Articles

Many websites freely accept press releases and other informative articles on all types of topics, as a way of building up the value of their site and to increase repeat business. This helps drive traffic to their own sites. There is a benefit to both of you. The organizations increase their traffic and you increase your exposure and generate traffic to your website by a link placed at the bottom of the article. It’s a Win/Win situation for both parties.

3. Publishers of E-Newsletters

Some publishers of E-Newsletters worldwide accept articles free-of-charge. They publish these articles in their E-Newsletters in exchange for a link to your site. Publishers of some of these newsletters have over 100,000 subscribers. One article of mine on proposal writing was featured in an e-newsletter and generated 150+ hits to my site, 34 subscriptions to my newsletter, as well as an increase in product sales and enquiries for our copywriting services.

4. News Services – Online

Online news services sometimes will allow you to post press releases on an ongoing basis, sometimes free of charge or for a small fee; these news services are a valuable source for offline newsletter publishers and offline magazines around the world.

5. Include a News section on your websites, featuring all your press releases on your site.

6. Send your press release to your clients by email. When you manage to gain coverage in an offline publication, email the scanned news article to your clients.

For more tips and information about increasing your PR exposure go to this Website

Kristina is a successful and internationally acclaimed Copywriter, Internet Entrepreneur, Author and Speaker. Kristina has also pioneered many business success stories.

Words that Sell services and products include:

Secrets of Freelance Copywriting Success course
Website Copywriting Mastery course
Direct Mail Copywriting Mastery course
Press Release writing
Direct Response Copywriting
Proposal writing
Yellow Pages ads
Website and SEO content writing
Newsletter writing

Visit this website to read more about this topic.

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Tags: internet, marketing, strategy, traffict, websites

If you’re newly initiated into the Web marketing world, you may wonder about internet PR. Why do you need it? How are Web press releases different than the traditional ones you learned to write in Journalism class?

First, the basic purpose in writing a press release is still the same: announce a newsworthy story that puts your business in a positive light. In your press release, cover the 5W’s and H: the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How of your news story. Include a quote or two from a relevant source (qualified expert, product user or other) that “gives the story legs,” so to speak. Resist the temptation to use your press release as a selling tool. This is not advertising; this is reputation enhancement based on human interest news.

Now for the differences: here are some extras that come with submitting press on the web!

1. Web PR is as much a search engine tool as it is a form of journalism.

Major news sites around the globe are hooked up to the Web PR pipeline, running news across RSS channels that anyone in the world can pick up and share on their own Web site. Thus, even if you run four press releases over the next four months and not one media contact responds, you’re still getting the good effects of link-spreading. The idea is to get your business name out there and keep it circulating.

2. Web press releases bring you targeted traffic.

Just like the world of article marketing, online PR is organized categorically. The PR submission and distribution process is naturally designed to channel in fresh, niche-specific leads who are already interested in your products and services. Tip: to leverage the most traffic potential of a single press release, submit to sites that allow live links and be sure to HTML-code your release before clicking SUBMIT. (That means, use <> statements or an HTML editor to make sure your Web site links will be clickable to anyone who comes across your published press release.)

3. Web press release headlines allow for more flexibility.

If journalism writing was never your bag, have no fear. The internet is a much more competitive environment than the world of print media and therefore some creative rule-bending may actually get you noticed. Your primary goals: get your PR out there, and make sure people read it. Web content is arranged in such a way that you are placed alongside of rival companies 90% of the time. This is your motivation to write as captivating a headline as you possibly can.

Other Key Points, Tips and Suggestions:

Submit Web press releases on a consistent basis.

Web press release backlinks reach out twice as far, yet “expire” much sooner than those generated by article marketing. This is because Web PR moves much more quickly, with new stories cropping up every second of every day which replace old ones on the RSS media circuit. Use Google’s search engine to monitor your PR, see who’s picked up your stories and how many links are now pointing back to your site. You will need to submit press releases regularly (once a month is recommended) to maintain visibility and leverage the power of PR linking.

Write in the third person.

A press release is a news story about your company, told by an outside party. Unlike Web copy where you’re addressing and pitching to the customer directly, the news release is a report of your latest accomplishments and developments. Remember: articles offer advice. Ad copy persuades. Press releases tell a story.

Look for the human interest story in everything you do.

What advancements has your company made recently? Have you offered up any charitable contributions? Partnered with a fellow service provider? Received any recent accolades or credentials? How does your organization fit into the larger scope of your industry; what trends are you helping to usher in? Are you testing out a new technology or pioneering a new mode of thought? Who will your actions benefit; how, and why?

Publish your press releases on your own Web site.

Add an “In the Press” section to your Web site, where interested parties can go to get a clear picture of your brand image and a better understanding of your social and professional involvements. Readers place a high value in information that has been released in news format, so don’t overlook this huge credibility builder that does double duty as a page rank helper (search engines love Web sites that continuously add content).

Want to build brand awareness for your company via Web press releases? Have a gander at our Press Release Service details, located on the URL at the bottom of this page.

Copyright 2006 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.

Sign up for the Copywriting and Marketing Ezine from Dina at site and learn to write search engine-friendly Web copy and market your Web based business for free.

Don’t miss Web Content Awareness Day 2007 – a month-long “information celebration” from site. Visit site to learn more and sign up now.

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Tags: pr, internet, press, releases

Blogs–short for “web logs”–are rapidly gaining in popularity, replacing online newsletters and articles as the vehicle of choice for anyone who has an opinion to share or a skill to teach.

Blogs are self-publishing in its purest form. Blogs allow anyone with an Internet connection to reach a potentially large audience with minimal cost. With such a far-reaching impact, it’s no wonder businesses large and small are jumping on the blog bandwagon.

Yet despite the surge in blogs, very few media training firms include blogging in their programs. Spokespersons need to know not only how to write their own blog (or contribute to the organization’s blog), but also how to contribute to outsider blogs that influence their customers and the public. As part of our media training services, we are fortunate to have the resources of the Blog Squad, specialists in blogging, available to our clients.

Jonathan Schwartz, CEO of Sun Microsystems, is an executive who knows how to harness the power of blogging. As he said in a recent blog posting, “I’m a big believer in the transparency blogging drives for me and Sun.” In other words, blogging–putting himself out there for the public to see and hear–ends credibility to Mr. Schwartz and to his company. After all, a man who isn’t afraid to attach his name to his own opinions, ideas and fears is a man who can be trusted, right?

Trust and credibility are at the core of organizational success, and blogging is quickly becoming one of the easiest and most accepted ways in which businesses can gain that trust within the marketplace.

Blogs are also a great way to ensure that your web site is constantly full of interesting content. If your organization sells software, a daily or even weekly blog about new developments in the software industry will soon gain a large following of like-minded software professionals who want to hear what you have to say. Do you publish text books? Why not offer a blog for teachers discussing the latest trends in education? Do you manufacture camping equipment? How about a blog that lists great places to vacation? The goal is to make your site—and by association, your company—an authority in your industry.

Hosting a Successful Blog

Interested in starting a blog for your own company? The following media training tips will guide you toward blogging success.

1. Speak your readers’ language. Who is your audience? Are they professionals within a specific industry who will understand technical jargon? Or are they novices who would prefer to read a more casual approach to your subject?
2. Deliver a useful message. To be truly effective, your blog must provide a service. No one will become a faithful reader of your blog unless you are consistently giving them useful information, be it a list of on-line resources, a how-to article, a product review, or a place where they can be part of a stimulating discussion.
3. Keep it short. A blog entry should be relatively short; often a paragraph or two will suffice. Articles on the web are more enticing if they have short paragraphs and plenty of white space, as busy readers will rarely spend the time to read long tomes. If an entry needs to be long, post the opening two or three paragraphs then have the reader click to continue.
4. Encourage comments. At the end of your post write such things as, “What do you think? or “What experiences have you had with this?” or “What suggestions do you have?” And then direct them on the next step to take: “Enter your comments below.”
5. Be consistent. Update your blog on a regular basis (the Blog Squad recommends at least twice a week, but encourages clients to do even more frequently) so that your readers can develop a habit of checking in.

Lou Hampton is president of The Hampton Group, Inc., a Washington, DC firm specializing in media training, speech coaching, and message development. For tips, tricks, and techniques on how to communicate as a leader, go to Lou’s blog

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Tags: Media relations, blog, training, internet, traffic

One great way to create public relations and Internet community goodwill for your online business is to do interviews of people in the industry. This does two things; first, it makes you look good being associated with other people that you are interviewing and it makes you look like you know what you are doing and you are well connected in the industry so you must be very good and even an expert in the field or industry sub sector.

Additionally, it makes the other person look good and that means they are more likely to network with you in the future on industry projects and that can bring value to your business future sales. It adds one more important word-of-mouth advertiser in the industry funneling business your way. Creating PR by way of interviews is a very smart business tactic in marketing because it is a win-win situation for both the interview were and the interviewee.

What some people do not realize is that often in the interviewer can end up with more publicity, public relations and Internet community goodwill than the interviewee. Often the interviewee is someone who is very popular and already well known in the industry and that is the reason that they picked them to do the interview in the first place. By being associated with this person it upgrades their status in the industry as well.

The good thing about using interviews for PR is it also separates you from the interviewee in case sometime in the future the interviewee has any negative political or unfortunate negative press. After all you are not associated with them or aligned with them anyway because you merely did an interview. So interviewing people for public relations and marketing is a very smart idea and something you might consider in 2006.

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

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Tags: internet, media, public relations, interviews, pr

Savvy small business owners know the importance of saving money. There are definitely times when going cheap spells disaster (you’ve seen those Hefty commercials, haven’t you?); but this isn’t one of them. Welcome to the wonderful world of PR – public relations; or, as we like to call it, free advertising – an essential part of any effective marketing strategy.

Are you making effective use of this important strategy for reaching your target market, or do you shy away from PR because you feel it is:
# Too expensive
# Too time-consuming
# Too scary
# Too expensive

Yep. I said that one, twice. Truth is; the issue of price holds most small business owners back from using this very powerful and successful means for getting attention for their business. Don’t fret. PR doesn’t have to be that hard. Here are some ways that you can take baby steps toward a full-on PR campaign.

Write a press release. What is a press release? Technically, it is an announcement that an organization or group issues to the news media, and other specific publications or outlets, with the goal of informing the public about developments within, or important to that organization or group. Maybe you still think that only big wigs in ivory towers, or 50-story glass ones, have the power to issue such an important document. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Important news stories can come from a variety of sources these days: cell-phone-carrying tipsters, whistle-blowers, activists, letter-writing school children, or small business owners whose new product or service can help members of the community in some significant way, or who have a story that is just right for the end-of-the-news “chuckle” piece. You know, something that will help us rebound from all of the talk of war, gas prices and uncontrollable weather. Besides, how do you think people get those “ask-the-expert” spots on the local and national news? Usually through the strategic use of press releases and other PR methods.

Write articles. Everyone is an expert on something. If you’ve got the gift – you’ve got to use it. Are you an IT whiz? Then write an article on the best ways to keep your PC bug-free. Are you a chef? Help those who aren’t culinarily inclined learn to make a simple dish that will impress their friends with very little effort. Do you own a nursery? Tell people with black-thumb about plants that not even they can’t kill. You get the idea. If your article gets published in a targeted newspaper or periodical, the benefits are obvious. But, even if you submit them for free to a content distributor like www.ezinearticles.com; there is still a great opportunity for a payoff. Use the handy-dandy resource box provision to include a few snappy sentences about you, and your expertise, with a link back to your website. Who knows how long those articles will circulate, giving you additional exposure to people with an interest in your products or services.

Produce an informative newsletter or blog. Here’s an opportunity for you to, again, share helpful information with your readers while building a relationship. Even if the reader never buys from you, they are likely to refer others to you, who are in the market for your goods or services.

Speaking engagements. Do you know a lot about your industry, or target market? Do you enjoy talking with people, face-to-face? Then get in front of your target market through the use of speaking engagements. Start with groups within your comfort level, like your local chamber of commerce, then widen out. Before long, you might discover that you are a highly sought after, well-paid speaker with oodles of leads and more business than you can handle.

If any of the above methods seem to risqué for you, at this stage of the game, think of investing in the services of a virtual professional who can help you make use of public relations as a way to increase your visibility, credibility and profitability.

Remember, being a small business owner can be equally as tough as it is gratifying. It certainly isn’t for the squeamish. The fact that you’ve decided to step up to the challenge of being an entrepreneur means you were obviously willing to take a risk. So, if you’ve got the talent, bite the bullet and delve into public relations; or hire a capable professional who can help you through it.

You don’t have to go for an expensive PR firm; there are hundreds of qualified virtual professionals who specialize in this area. One of the areas you might consider enlisting help with is in putting together your Media Kit. This is simply a physical, or electronic, information packet that will provide the media with much of the basic information they’d like to know about your organization, when deciding whether your story is newsworthy or not.

Whether you discover that you have a previously hidden aptitude for public relations, or you recognize your need for help in this area, public relations may very well be some of the best money that you never spent.

Roxanne Ravenel is the President/Owner of SOHO Support Solutions LLC, a full-service Copywriting & Virtual Assistance Firm. Her firm produces business articles and a variety of marketing collateral for small to medium business organizations and independent professionals. Visit this web to learn more about her firm’s services. She is currently conducting online seminars teaching small business owners how to use low-cost and no-cost technology tools and virtual collaboration to Take It Virtual.

Copyright © 2006 Roxanne Ravenel

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Tags: pr, blog, pr, public relations, internet

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what does your do-it-yourself head shot say about you? Many small business owners take the do-it-yourself route when submitting head shot photos for media use to save time and money or meet a pressing deadline. This can work well, provided they take care to capture a winning image.

Other times, owners submit images for media use that don’t put their best faces forward. Maybe these mug shots would pass for a driver’s license or passport, but not for promotional use. As Erma Bombeck once quipped, “If you look like your passport photo, it’s time to go home.” Face it, just because you own a digital camera doesn’t mean you should use it for business. A poor portrait can reflect negatively on your personal brand and reputation.

Newspapers publish executive photos in their “Briefcase” sections, and readers turn to them to learn who has been promoted or moved to new positions. Readers who seek new business prioritize prospecting efforts based on these postings and follow up to extend congratulations and invite new business conversations.

In addition, many papers publish how-to columns from area experts offering tips readers can use to make smarter business decisions. A quality head shot can turn such a column into a credible and persuasive branding tool that can live on as a professional reprint long after the newspaper has faded.

Since your image is on the line, supply a photo that does the best that can be done with what you’ve got to work with. Then, when editors see your photo, they won’t quip that you have a face for radio. Worse yet, they won’t exclude your photo from the mix in favor of others of better quality.

Some of the most common missteps with do-it-yourself head shot photography include:

• Unflattering lighting

• A non-neutral background (plants that appear to be growing out of an executive’s head)

• Poor wardrobe choices (bold patterns and dated clothing)

• Too much blue eye shadow

• Dated or messy hair styles

• Far more person showing than the standard head-and-shoulders view

• Somber facial expressions

• Submitting a photo from five or ten years ago. This can backfire when folks meet you for the first time. If you are not truthful about your appearance, what else might you fib about? Keep in mind that hair styles, hair colors, and fashion trends change as time marches on. If your reflection in the mirror today doesn’t match your photo, it is time to sit for a new one.

Henry Schulz, principal of Henry Schulz Photography, has photographed Miss Washington candidates for the last seven years, along with numerous local executives for a wide range of publications. Based on his years of photographing the bold and the beautiful, the shy and retiring, and those who are growing older and wider, he offers these tips:

Personal Grooming:

Women – Pay special attention to hair and make-up. Apply more blush than usual to avoid appearing washed out.

Men – Hair should be neatly styled, and facial hair should be precisely trimmed.

Clothing: Solid, medium to dark tone business attire works best. Faint pin stripes or subtle patterns are acceptable.

Background: A smooth neutral colored background works well. You should be situated at least three feet away from the background, and six feet away is preferable. This helps keep the background out of focus.

Posing: Turn away from the camera at approximately a 45 degree angle. Turn your head directly to the camera with the shoulders still facing away from the camera. The back should be arched slightly with your shoulders back.

Technique: Framing in the camera should be from the bottom of the breast pocket on a man’s jacket, or just above the “V” where the blazer meets when buttoned. Allow a few inches of background above the head. Always use your “on camera flash” to take the picture, whether in daylight or inside. Let the subject know when you snap the photo. Saying “cheese” or a similar phrase really works because it tends to put a twinkle in the eye and a smile on the face of the person being photographed.

Cropping: Four by five or five by seven inch images are adequate for most uses.

Digital Quality: Most newspapers and magazines prefer digital photos of at least 300 DPI.

Labeling: Label the images by first and last name and the date.

If you insist on do-it-yourself photography, follow these tips. In the alternative, hire a professional photographer to capture a winning image. The investment of time and money is modest, and the end result will put your best face forward so folks beyond your mother will notice.

Nancy S. Juetten owns Nancy S. Juetten Marketing Inc., a public relations and marketing communications agency that helps winning companies tell their stories and build their brands. She is also the creator/author of the Media-Savvy-to-Go publicity tips booklets, audio CD’s, and e-workbook that help business owners and independent professionals earn their own ink and air without spending a fortune. Publicity Hound Joan Stewart (see this site) says the tips booklets are a fabulous crash course on how to be media-savvy and that Publicity Hounds everywhere need to read Nancy’s tips. Visit this site to learn more.

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Tags: marketing, strategy, firm, internet, business

The answer is a loud YES if you’re a business, non-profit, government agency or association manager. Because somewhere out there is an external audience or two whose behaviors can help or hinder your achieving your managerial objectives. And THAT spells c-r-u-c-i-a-l.

That’s managerial success you cannot ignore. And it works because public relations’ underlying
premise lays the proper foundation: people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can bedone. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organizationthe most, the public relations mission is usually
accomplished.

What it boils down to, is this: the right public relationsplanning really CAN alter individual perception and lead to changed behaviors among key outside audiences, and thus, managerial success.

But keep in mind as you move forward, that your PR effort will demand more than special events, news releases and talk show tactics if you are to receive the quality public relations results you deserve.

You’ll be glad you took such a step when new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures start showing up; new (and very) welcome bounces in show room visits occur; capital givers or specifying sources begin to look your way; customers begin to make repeat purchases; membership applications start to rise; prospects actually start to do business with you; politicians and legislators begin looking at you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities; and local leaders begin to seek you out.

By the way, and not so incidentally, your staff PR pros can be of real use for your new opinion monitoring project because they are already in the perception and behavior business. But be certain that the PR staff really accepts why it’s SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Above all, be sure they believe that perceptions almost always result in behaviors that can help or hurt your operation.

Spend a few minutes with staff PR and review your plans with them for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside
audiences. Ask questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you satisfied with the exchange?
Are you familiar with our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

Another reality of PR life? Bringing in survey pros to do the opinion gathering work will be considerably more costly than using those PR folks of yours, who are already in the perception business. But 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.

Your call for action will establish your PR goal requiring action on the most serious problem areas you uncovered during your key audience perception monitoring. Will it be to straighten out that dangerous misconception? Correct that gross inaccuracy? Or, stop that potentially painful rumor cold?

Of course, setting your public relations goal will demand an equally specific strategy that tells you how to reach that goal. Only three strategic options are available to you when it comes to doing something about perception and opinion. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. The wrong strategy pick will taste like chicken gravy on your fried eels, so be sure 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.

Because you must prepare a persuasive message that will help move your key audience to your way of thinking, good writing becomes paramount. It must be a carefully-written message targeted directly at your key external audience. Select your very best writer because s/he must come up with really corrective 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.

As you no doubt are aware, your message will be carried to the attention of your target audience by communications tactics. And there are many available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be certain that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

The WAY you communicate your message is important since the credibility of any message is
fragile and always up for grabs. Thus, initially, you may wish to unveil your corrective message before smaller meetings and presentations rather than using higher-profile news releases.

To demonstrate progress, you will need to undertake a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. You’ll want to use many of the same questions used in the benchmark session. But now, you will be on strict alert for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

In the event there is a loss of program momentum, you should know that you can always speed things up by adding more communications tactics as well as increasing their frequencies.

Clearly, PR is crucial to any manager’s success if for no other reason than that s/he needs the kind of public relations effort that leads directly to achieving their managerial objectives. Then, and only then, will they enjoy the best public relations has to offer, especially the quality results they believe they deserve.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website.
Only requirements: you must use the Robert A. Kelly
byline, and resource box.

Robert A. Kelly © 2006.

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 240 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. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net

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Tags: marketing, agency, agencies, advertising, internet

Often, your business card is the only item left with a potential client or business partner. After a conference, meeting or display of your products, you are likely to meet dozens of people and leave your business card with them. It is essential that the business card design is complex and complete. This means that your logo, name, title and address (including contact details such as phone, fax, e-mail and web site) should all be present. When you are having your business card designed, aim for an image and a “feel” that best represents you and your company. Do not go for a flashy business card design if you are working in the financial field as this might give a feeling of sloppiness and insecurity to your clients.

Adapt the business card design to your clients

It is not important that you like your business card – but it is very important that your business partners and clients like it. Of course, you should always aim to get a business card design that you become attached to, a fact that will give you even more confidence. One useful trick is to print out a few dozen business cards and give them out to potential prospects and conduct an “on the spot” interview about them. Gather their opinions and make any necessary changes to improve your business card design.

Business card printing

If a professional graphic design company created your business card, you can rest assured that they also followed all the necessary guidelines to make the business card printing process a good one. This means that the business card designer saved the files in a format suitable for print (such as a TIF or EPS) and left a bleed area sometimes required by printers. Many advertising and creation agencies also offer business card printing, either with their own printers or by using a dedicated printer’s services to do it. Quite often, a graphic design company will offer you a package for your card: both the design and the business card printing.

Costs of business card printing

Because there are many design and print packages and a variety of prices for business card printing, we will not stop to analyze actual costs. However, the general rules are as follows:

· Black and white business card printing is the cheapest, but do try to print on high quality paper, or the business cards will look unprofessional.

· Using 2-3 colors (pluswhite and black) can produce good visual results and is also cheap.

· Full color business card printing is more expensive, but can also produce some great visual results.

· The larger your order, the cheaper you get with the individual business card printing cost.

Author information: Mihai is a successful graphic design company manager, working with a multitude of international clients.

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Tags: consultants, pr, firms, internet, marketing

Once considered the stepchild of the publishing industry, custom publishing now claims a legitimate slice of the B-to-B MarCom pie.

Custom magazines, newsletters and sponsored supplements are becoming an increasingly integral part of the overall marketing program. Recent studies by the Custom Publishing Council and Publications Management show leading U.S. companies spending about 25% of their marketing budgets on custom publishing endeavors, compared with 13% just three years ago.

Smart companies employ custom publishing tactics in their B-to-B marketing programs to enable them to reach highly targeted buying audiences. A major software developer, for example, developed a sponsored supplement (or “advertorial”) featuring articles about data management challenges faced by hospitals as a means of raising its profile with an important marketplace. The 32-page advertorial, which also contained house ads for the company’s new data processing software, was inserted into a magazine read by major hospital data managers nationwide. In this case, it was more cost-effective than buying a series of ads in the publication because the developer’s exact message was delivered exactly where the company wanted it delivered.

But strategic custom publishing efforts are not limited to magazines. One leading foodservice equipment and supplies distributor has a staff of 12 dedicated to producing internal newsletters for suppliers and employees. These publications let suppliers know what’s going on with the company’s business and make employees aware of changes in human resources policies. They also serve as an internal promotional tool.

Other successful B-to-B custom publishing initiatives include: Priority, a bi-monthly magazine from Pitney Bowes that targets 750,000 small business owners; Cano Energy Pipeline magazine, which targets investors in domestic oil and gas limited partnerships; and Tellabs Emerge, Tellabs Inc.’s quarterly magazine reaching15,000 telecom engineers in North America who make purchasing decisions for their companies.

Another trend noted by the CPC is that a majority of companies still handle production chores for their custom publishing efforts in-house, spending the bulk of the $29 billion that goes toward such efforts on internal staff. But that may be changing, given bottom-line pressures. According to Publications Management, a trade newsletter, 40% of U.S. companies that pursue custom publishing strategies currently avoid the hassle and expense of adding staff by outsourcing production of their publications. It may also change as varying types of electronic B-to-B marketing efforts, such as websites, e-postcards and e-newsletters, are further integrated into marketing strategies.

Whatever the goal, launching a custom publication as part of a B-to-B marketing campaign needs to be handled within the context of a medium and long-term strategy in support of overall business objectives. And placing a company’s message and brand before the target audience should always be the goal of any custom publication as questions about the concept’s legitimacy continue to wane.

Chris Scott heads Hodge Media Group, the custom publishing arm of Hodge Communications, Inc. Hodge specializes in strategic public relations and marketing communications for businesses, entrepreneurs and professional associations. Formerly an award-winning journalist, he brings over 20 years of experience to client engagements. Subscribe today to Communic@te! our free bimonthly e- newsletter and get a free special report: “Using Buzz To Create a Groundswell For Your Business.”

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Tags: marketing, plan, strategies, internet, online

The Internet may have opened worlds for businesses and consumers, but it has also created a public relations nightmare for businesses. Forums, opinion Web sites, blogs, and anything that is publishable can smear a company’s name in moments.

Remember, “Yours Is a Very Bad Hotel” presentation that described one customer’s bad experience with a hotel chain? Hotels are run by humans. Humans make mistakes. It’s how you handle the mistakes that can make the difference in customer service. Since the hotel’s employees didn’t try to help the customer overcome a bad situation, the customer lashed back and bloggers blogged it.

If the hotel is on top of its game, it would unleash its crisis management (also known as reputation management) team to salvage its reputation while it can. It’s possible for a company to overcome bad PR and come out ahead as in the case of PG&E (California’s Pacific Gas and Electric company).

Another strategy is to use Internet monitoring to monitor online articles regarding a company’s activities to prepare for negative publicity. Some go further and monitor chat rooms, newsgroups, and online discussion forums.

It’s like the story of the town gossip who spread false stories about its people. One day, he felt terrible and went to the chaplain [Rabbi, pastor, priest, or other — take your pick] to ask for forgiveness. The chaplain said,”I will forgive you, but you must do something first.”

“Take a feather pillow, cut it open, and scatter the feathers to the winds.” The man thought this was a strange request, but it was a simple enough task, and he did it gladly. When he returned to tell the chaplain that he had done it, the chaplain said, “Now, go and gather the feathers. Because you can no more make amends for the damage your words have done than you can recollect the feathers.”

The same can happen to a company without a crisis management plan in place. It’s possible to survive the crisis and thrive as PG&E did. Don’t expect Worldcom to pull out of its Enron-like mess. Fraud is not excusable. And Martha Stewart? She has hired a public relations strategist firm in an effort to do damage control. It’ll be worth watching to see what happens in her case and how the PR firm attempts to save her reputation. Did you know there is a recall on one of her products? Adds fuel to the fire, doesn’t it?

Meryl K. Evans is the Content Maven behind meryl’s notes, eNewsletter Journal, and The Remediator Security Digest. She is also a PC Today columnist and a tour guide at InformIT. She is geared to tackle your editing, writing, content, and process needs. The native Texan resides in Plano, Texas, a heartbeat north of Dallas, and doesn’t wear a 10-gallon hat or cowboy boots.

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Tags: internet, public, relations, effective, firms

been killed by bad word of mouth.

But now the landscape is changing, making word of mouth more important than ever – only now, that word of mouth is being communicated on the Internet.

People – your customers – are turning to the Internet as their primary source of information on products and services. Instead of opening the yellow pages of their phone book, they turn to Yahoo or Google. And in addition to websites and listings for local businesses, they are finding ratings and reviews!

Sites like Amazon.com and ePinions pioneered product rating systems. In some categories, these ratings have become essential to a product’s success: more than 60% of consumer electronics purchasers report that they consult online ratings before making a purchase decision!

Ratings have also become common is a few other business categories, such as restaurants and hotels.

But the online ratings explosion is just starting; Internet entrepreneurs are demonstrating that virtually anything can be rated online.

RateMyProfessors.com, launched in 1999, allows college students to rate – well, professors. The site has accumulated over 3 million ratings, and has spun off another site, RateMyTeachers.com, aimed at high school and elementary students.

ApartmentRatings.com has the most comprehensive database of apartment ratings, with almost 250,000 reviews. RateMDs.com was formed to allow patients to rate their doctors. A new site, ClubRatingz.com, allows patrons to rate nightclubs and bars (perhaps while recovering from hangovers?)

Rating sites are even risking the wrath of the legal profession: LawyerRatingz.com provides attorney ratings and reviews.

All of these sites feature a fair share of rants and raves. Many of the comments aresemi- oherent ramblings, often typed with Caps Lock down. But surprisingly, over time and with enough ratings, a fairly accurate picture emerges. Some reviewers provide well-thought reviews and useful information. And the sites are being visited and read!

The ratings phenomena may not have reached your industry or your community, but it probably will. So what can you do about it?

First, be aware of ratings sites. Use a search engine to look for rating sites in your area and business. (Search for things like landscaper ratings in Pittsburgh or hair salon reviews in Sacramento.) You may find that your business is already listed on a rating site. If it is, make sure that the basic listing information (business name, location, website) is correct, and if not, contact the site operator. If your business is not listed, see if there is a way to add your listing. Do not pay for this service! Legitimate rating sites are not supported by the businesses being rated! (However, a few sites offer enhanced “listings” for a small fee. Consider paying for this is the
site seems to be well run and have a lot of traffic.)

Check the rating sites regularly. You might actually get some good information on how customers see your business, and where you need to make improvements.

Encourage your patrons to rate your business. Satisfied customers will give you good ratings. (Don’t try to “flood” a rating site with bogus reviews; many of these sites use algorithms to detect the source of ratings, and may even remove businesses that try to cheat.)

If you get a bad review, there’s probably not much you can do about it. The rating and review sites are on pretty solid legal ground, and most will not remove bad reviews. However, some sites have a mechanism for responding to a review, so be sure to ask about this. If nothing else, you can submit your own review and calmly refute the complaints of other reviewers. Be careful to stay calm and professional, and not get into online debates that can damage your credibility.

In the end, business success is still based on word of mouth – but now more people are listening.

Bob Nicholson / WYGK Consulting provides business, technology and strategic consulting for small businesses, internet start-ups and entrepreneurs.

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Tags: public, relation, internet, review

Sure, any publicity is good. But don’t invest time and effort to be in “Lucky: The Magazine for Shopping” if your major topic is planning for college. Go where your market is!

Which media outlets are the best for you? Easy answers – and the Home Run of publicity – include national giants like CNN and The Wall Street Journal. These outlets reach millions of people…and they also have thousands of publicity-hungry folks constantly badgering them for coverage.

Your prospects can also be found through many outlets that are more readily accessible. Sometimes the best outlets are ones you’ve never even heard of. Trade magazines, special weekly television or radio programs, syndicated columnists—all have unique and loyal audiences.

How can you find out about them? Simply ask your clients what they are reading or watching, and you’ll know exactly where you need to get your story placed.

The best way to get yourself into a media outlet is to study it first – carefully. Learning how it covers your topics, which reporters write about your areas, and how to reach them – it all becomes crystal clear once you start paying attention. This isn’t complicated or hard. Just read a few issues of the publication you’re targeting.

Ned Steele works with people in professional services who want to build their practice and accelerate their growth. The president of Ned Steele’s MediaImpact, he is the author of 102 Publicity Tips To Grow a Business or Practice To learn more visit this site.

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Tags: public, relations, strategy, internet, consultants