I have watched Street sweeping folks come into a parking lot and drive around a few times put a little bit of dirt in the air kind of like when you take your home vacuum cleaner and forget to clean out the bag and the vacuum blows all the dust all over the place while you are vacuuming. Then the street sweeper leaves without cleaning anything, as there is still debris in the parking lot and trash. This seems rather dishonest and I guess no one notices that they did not do their job.

Who is to say how clean a parking lot is supposed to be? As long as they showed up and drove around who is to say they didn’t do what they said they were going to do? My question is why show up at all if you’re not going to do the job? It seems there is a lack of integrity in many street sweeping companies. A very smart national firm, which operated professionally and responsibly could probably through economies of scale do the work for the same price and actually do what they say they’re going to do. Please 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:ethics, news, business, training, code

The vests are highly reflective and are easily seen by oncoming automobile traffic. Natasha thought that a similar vest might protect her as she crossed the street from the bus stop to her house in the evening.

Jorge stood up, took the vest off, and presented it to Natasha as a gift.

In a world that seems less concerned with the well being of others, than with grabbing what you can, Jorge’s selflessness stands out as a welcome gesture.

In our personal lives and the business world there is room for improvement in manners and etiquette. In the business etiquette training video America the Rude, the lack of good manners and honesty is pointed out as a growing problem.

“As common courtesy becomes less common and good taste is all but a contradiction of terms, Americans continue to push the envelope of socially acceptable behavior. Does the Golden Rule still apply, or are people too busy to care about the feelings of others? This program probes the apparent erosion of decorum in the United States, which has had a profound impact on respect for authority, trust for one another, and willingness to give a helping hand. Experts include Professor Stephen Carter, of Yale University; psychologist Arnold Nerenberg, author of Overcoming Road Rage; and Pier Forni, of Johns Hopkins University’s Civility Project.”
– Ad copy for America the Rude

Doing nice things for people should be the norm, not the exception. In our shrinking world, we need to make the effort. We still need to adhere to the golden rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Is that really so hard? Of course, if were easy, we wouldn’t need training videos like America the Rude, which is actually the first tape in a two-part series called Truth and Consequences: Is America Going Downhill? The second video is called Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire.

Lies and rudeness seem to be so prevalent that small courtesies really stand out. This is good for people and businesses that do practice polite customs like expressing pleasantries and sending thank you notes.

Who really wants to be an oaf or a bumpkin? In today’s world it’s easier than ever to be a gentleman or a lady. Sometimes all it takes is a smile, a nod of recognition, or the gift of a used plastic vest.

Don Doman is a published author, video producer, and corporate trainer. He owns the business training site Ideas and Training, which he says is the home of the no-hassle “free preview” for business training videos. He also owns Human Resources Radio, which broadcasts HR and business training information, program previews, and training samples from some of the world’s great training speakers twenty-four hours a day. You can listen and learn on Human Resources Radio.

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Tags: ethical, news, perspectives, articles, issue

Web 2.0 is the second generation of web development. Its emphasis on sharing information and collaborative social networking and has brought with it some important changes to traditional media practices.

Not the least of these is the fact that market savvy individuals now have the power to disseminate press releases and reach their target markets directly.

While mainstream media still play an important role in many PR initiatives, it’s important to remember that your target audience is no longer a small cluster of journalists.

Thanks to the powers of web 2.0 there are now millions of readers out there who are able to access your press releases and turn them into news. To get you on your way we’ve jotted down a few tips and suggestions:

- Understand your new market. Unlike traditional press releases, a web 2.0 press release has the capacity to reach millions of people through search engines and RSS readers. Before you write, think carefully about your target market, and use phrases that will resonate with them.

- Use a distribution service to publish your release. Of course, simply writing a brilliant press release isn’t going to increase sales. Once it’s written, take some time to distribute your release through established distribution channels. As a first point of reference you might like to consider sites such as businesswire.com or marketwire.com.

- Include links. Make sure you give your readers plenty of opportunities to link back to your site. A good press release will provide only a brief outline of newsworthy issues, and readers will expect links to a site where they can get more detailed information.

- Emphasize key words. Think like your target market and be sure to use the same keywords that they use when they are searching for information.

- Remember, good content inspires action. Make sure you release quality content and back it up with strong copy on your own site. Your readers won’t be fooled by fluffy content; they’re looking for substance – be sure to give it to them!

If you need help with a web 2.0 press release, visit Affect Media Copywriting and Communications Consultancy

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Tags: pr, press, press release, media, news

Press releases should make your business story clear and should express what is newsworthy about your event or change within your business. The format is pretty straightforward and there are plenty of templates online. They should be written in third person and have all of your contact information including your name, where your business is located (city and state), your phone numbers and email addresses. They are not difficult to write, but do use proper formatting if you want to get noticed.

If you are a business owner who rose up out of poverty to create a viable business, that is a news story. If you have sold a portion of your business to a Fortune 500 company, that is a news story. If you hire only after school high school employees to help you, that is a news story. If you have started a business that has a really strong niche market, that can be a news story. The fact that you have a business that sells widgets for a low cost is NOT a news story. Find an angle in order to entice reporters to write about you.

If you consider yourself less than a good writer, you can outsource the work to a freelance copywriter. They are easy to find on freelance employment sites like Odesk or Elance. For a standard one page press release, you can expect to pay $5-$15. Don’t skimp! You should review writing samples the writer has done in the past. But, if you write at the executive level, you can easily write your own using templates you found online.

Write a press release that is full of detail, but not marketing, sales or industry talk. Write it in common, news style language and be sure the story is obvious to the reader and reporter. Don’t get bogged down in your personal industry jargon. Write it like you’ve never heard of your business before.

Submit your press releases online. There are a variety of services that will deliver your item. Some are paid sites but there are many free site as well. Do a Google or Yahoo search for press release services and register with each of them. There are restrictions for free submissions and each site has particular requirements so review those before submitting.

Using press releases effectively can brand you as an expert in your field. Don’t throw them out for everything you do. Use them judiciously and look for the stories within your business. Once you learn to develop this eye, you build credibility with reporters. Media attention is free marketing so try sending out some and see what kind of interest you generate.

Steve Schlagel is a CPA, CVA, CFP and attorney with over 30 years experience providing small business owners coaching, training and consulting services. Steve understands business, wealth creation, and building successful and valuable enterprises. Visit this site for more articles or to learn more about his services.

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Tags: map, basic, press, press release, news

1. Write your header. The very top of the page should be your company’s logo or, at the very least, the name of your company. The right hand side should state “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE,” all in caps. The left hand side should indicate a contact’s name, address, email and phone number.

2. Write your title in all capital letters. Then, write your subtitle in initial caps. Resist your urge to sell in your titles. A reporter isn’t looking to help you get business. Frame your release in a newsworthy fashion. For example, if your product solves a specific problem, use that viewpoint when you write your title.

3. Write your lead. This is the area that journalists skim when they decide whether or not to keep on reading. It sets up the rest of the release, but should be able to stand alone. The lead should be purely fact-based. This isn’t the place to hype a website or product. Instead, develop your framework using the facts of your story.

4. Write the body. Here is where you can introduce your store, pull people into your new forum or talk about your new product. However, you still must keep your newsy framework in mind and work that end of your story too.

5. Write your boilerplate. This is a standard small paragraph about your business. You should be able to use it over and over again on other releases. After the boilerplate section, use 3 of the numeral symbols to indicate the end of the release [ "###" ].

6. Email your release. You can either use your own email list, or you can hire a company to send it for you such as PR Newswire or PressDr.com. PR Newswire will send it out online, but PressDr.com will email directly to editors. It’s up to you which one you choose.

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Tags: pr, press release, press, news, coverage, email

Remember, when it comes to landing media coverage, it still all comes back to the media hook, to offering them a strong story. It’s the story that will interest the press. Don’t simply send out your book and information to the media, thinking that they’ll be so knocked out by your writing or the book’s subject matter that they’ll be clamoring to interview you. It seldom works that way. Develop hooks and story ideas that you can use to spotlight your book. If your book is non-fiction or a how-to this becomes a much easier task. We have represented authors who have written books on fashion, beauty, health, relationships, sex, and a variety of other topics.

Even though we focus on the books in our campaigns, we do not limit ourselves to the book exclusively. Our objective remains the same: to establish our clients as experts in their field. The book becomes a part of the story, but it never defines the entire campaign. If you can place an article in a magazine or a segment on a talk show that revolves specifically around your book, you’ve hit pay dirt. But that’s not always an easy task. Certainly pitch your book as one of your hooks, but don’t limit your campaign. Come up with other story ideas which can include your book, but do not revolve specifically around it.

For example, we worked with a psychotherapist who wrote a book on how to save a troubled marriage. Although we included the book in all of our pitches, the focus remained on the psychotherapist’s expertise in relationship issues. We pitched the women’s magazines and talk shows, relationship-oriented stories in which our client could appear as an expert. The media reacted well to our pitches and interviews were scheduled. Although some of the stories were about marriages and romantic relationships, others were about other types of relationships, such as parent child relationships or sibling relationships.

Even though those issues did not revolve specifically around the topic of our client’s book, she could expertly address them. When she appeared on talk shows, our client was introduced as the author of her book and was asked questions about her book during the interview. Although the shows themselves did not always revolve around the book, the book and client were always highlighted. If we had insisted on segments or articles that only featured or revolved around the book, we would have severely limited the media opportunities. We were branding her as an expert. Whenever she was interviewed, she discussed her book, which garnered her book more coverage and led to more media specifically focused on her book. The approach worked.

So, broaden your media horizons. Make a list of all the potential story ideas about you, your journey and your book and start writing again – writing press releases that is.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2008
For further information visit this web
Anthony Mora began his media career as a journalist and magazine editor. In 1990, Anthony formed Anthony Mora Communications, Inc., a Los Angeles-based public relations company that has placed clients in: Time, Newsweek, 60 Minutes, CNN, USA Today, Oprah, The New York Times, Vogue, and other media. Anthony, who is the author of “Spin to Win,” has been featured in: USA Today, Newsweek, The New York Times, , The Wall Street Journal, The BBC, CNN, Fox News, and other media outlets.

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Tags: media relations, media, pitch, story, news

1. Tell the people who love you.
No, not your mom. (Okay, tell your mom.) Tell your regular customers through your email blast, with all the details about how they can tune in/read it. Be sure to add a “Forward to a Friend” button!

2. Tell people who don’t know you.
Create a postcard or half-page flier about the upcoming appearance and leave stacks of it around your public space (retail front, lobby, office), in coffee shops, on community bulletin boards… anyplace you can leave some, do. If you’re doing a trade show or fair, hand out the flier. And tuck one into any press kits you’re sending out!

3. Ask if anyone else wants you, too.
If it’s an out-of-town media appearance, contact other outlets and ask if they want to interview you, too. Don’t go to competing outlets – ie, if you’re being interviewed on radio, don’t go to another radio station.

Bonus tip: Make sure other media outlets know about your upcoming appearance – your local media (if it’s out of town), alumni (college and frat), industry outlets, Chamber of Commerce, and any other organizations you belong to (the Home Owners Association of Your Neighborhood?).

Andi Enns is a cutting-edge Public Relations & Marketing Campaign Strategist specializing in small businesses, nonprofits and individuals. She lives in Kansas City, but works with organizations nation-wide. Visit her website or her blog
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