During seventies and eighties the Indian handmade carpet industry had a sizzling pace of growth. Massive demand for carpets from western shores outpaced the supply because the huge demand led to shortage of weavers.

Resultant there was huge influx of labor from the neighboring states. To exploit the opportunity extensively, child labor too was brought in droves.

Thanks to a few activists, this horrifying reality came into light in the later part of the eighties.

The terrible news got wings and spread like wild fire which reached to countries of the west which were the chief consumers of this craft.

Carpet importers became wary and as a precautionary measure started asking for affirmation that the carpets being supplied are free from child labor.

But the damage has already been done.

The industry which was going at a fast clip saw sharp drop in its export simply because magic of media reached even to consumers who avoided buying handmade Indian carpets.

IKEA, a Sweden based multinational, which bought Indian rugs in great quantities, found itself in a tight spot.

At one point in time it was about to stop sourcing carpets from India but good sense prevailed and it decided to bring discipline into its Indian suppliers.

Thus I-Way (Ikea-Way) came into existence which required that its suppliers should follow the norms set in its I-Way – norms which required abide by not only tenets spelled in its I-Way but Indian labor law should also be adhered.

No doubt, besides Ikea, there appeared many non-profit organizations (NGOs) who are still working for the elimination and rehabilitation of child labor of this industry.

But the greatest catalyst of them all, I believe, was Ikea and its I-Way, which was very effective in making the general public aware of the abuse and making the Indian carpet dealers’ observant with the vulnerability to the trade from this immoral practice.

Many manufacturers even got themselves registered with organizations such ISO and other Social Compliance Audits

Undeniably these measures contributed considerably to fight the abuse of child labor from this industry but the problem is still prevalent not insignificantly.

Problem still exist simple because carpet industry is cottage industry and is spread deep into the unapproachable hinterlands.

In fact, I believe, that active involvement of the whole industry can prove effective to wipe the problem from its root.

The idea is that each manufacturer worth its salt must take up a social cause that is targeted for the welfare of deprived children.

At this end, we at AAFRIIINZ intend to adopt the village Nai Bazar – a village where we live-in – with the objective of taking its people in confidence.

This undertaking, we believe, becomes possible if our approach is value based – if we are able to make people aware with the values of life – that is caring, sharing and sensitive to social mores.

If we are sincere, it won’t be hard to make these simple folks to partner for this common cause.

May be we prove ourselves an example to be followed by others.

And, of course we would like that our audience be a part of this problem-solution process to and send their suggestions if they feel like so.

We already have a dormant blog which we intend to make lively once we are able to start turning our mission into reality.

Naseem Ansari
Author and Publisher
Visit this site

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Tags: business, ethics, publicity, advertising, pr

Penny Pincher, CFO of Mature Market Industries was alarmed. With Sarbanes Oxley requirements, raw materials rising, office supplies costs escalating, and shipping costs skyrocketing, were all taking a negative toll on her and the balance sheet. Tired of hearing her purchasing agent say they were bidding everything every year yet year over year costs still rose, frustrated over their transportation manager say they were doing their best but transportation costs year over year continued to climb, the office manager said they were getting great rates from their suppliers. But then, how did she really know as there was no data to support these claims?

Penny’s concerns heightened when she kept seeing various vendor advertising specialties around her business in hats, calendars, pens, not to mention the constant stream of lunch offers, race car event entertainments and year after year the same provider loyalties remained. She checked the company Code of Conduct still posted but buried around the EOE, Safety and other postings on the bulletin board…clearly this nor meetings/memos on the need for costs savings were having any impact. Her hunch was these communications were in name only that the diligence of employees may well be impacted by the salesmanship and schmoozing of vendors with a false sense of accomplishment by bidding or simply renegotiating their business every year to the same group of providers.

If her company books had to comply with Sarbanes scrutiny, and their financial consultant insisted on audits, why shouldn’t transportation, office/plant supplies and raw materials also have a yearly audit to determine cost effectiveness, a benchmarking of how they compare to similar size companies? Having read about scandals in transportation management at similar size companies involving collusion, kick backs and host of other improprieties, this would be the area to start…not to mention transportation was not a core competency, costs were rising more dramatically than any other area and other than anecdotal stories, there was no hard accounting evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of their spend or deliverable values.

The traffic manager was highly agitated when told to develop costs savings ideas and the criteria their business needed in deliverable values of a transportation provider. He tried asking customer service their needs as well as shipping/receiving and purchasing: they all said they either loved or hated the same providers, transit times critical but to balance value with cost in provider selections by client needs. Confused he turned to his favorite transportation provider sales rep who was happy to create a model that not surprisingly favored their capabilities and easily copied and pasted into a company memo. These efforts coupled with showing he re-bid their business every year…but curiously always landed with pretty much the same providers with year over year costs higher on similar tonnage numbers, was the end result. Penny sensed her lacking transportation knowledge could be a good thing in questions seeking a different approach with better results.

Penny called a counterpart at a non related but similar size industry and asked how they approached controlling transportation costs. She learned that they had determined that bids only got the best of a mediocre bunch, a thorough review of available options and best practices was not practical and that transportation simply was not a core competency, so they turned to a transportation management business process outsource provider. Having outsourced their transportation management two years prior, they were able to report a year over year hard 10% savings, but the pleasant surprise value was the added technology provided that created supply chain visibility/reporting with dedicated account support, all at no cost! A new breed of transportation management providers were leveraging their buying power to make their money from the asset providers and pass the savings on to their shipping clients.

Penny got the contact name and number of the transportation management company and in less than a week, placed a non disclosure agreement and obtained at no cost or obligation, an audit of their small package, less than truckload, truckload and international transportation spend. Utilizing tier 1 transportation providers and gaining supply chain technology their company could not afford, a guaranteed offer of over 10% year over transportation spend savings was presented.

The transportation manager when presented these results said it would not work as they tried something similar before, that internal customers would not like changing carriers, and a host of other anecdotal excuses from over the years. However the hard data of six figure dollars falling directly to the bottom line of the balance sheet was too compelling for Penny.

The smooth transition/implementation took less than 6 weeks and the savings were demonstrated immediately. The previous asset providers howled but in the end offered to lower their now clearly premium rates for mediocre services… Penny declined both on the principle of clearly not being treated as a partner and she still had better savings and value with the new transportation management company. Internal influencers in finance, inventory management, customer service and sales were delighted with the new supply chain visibility and improved shipping reliabilities. The Code of Conduct is more prominent now along with the new earnings report that sparkles center stage in posted results and Penny’s success story featured in the company newsletter. The Purchasing department is the next audit target but will be managed by the new CFO as Penny has been promoted to CEO and is driven to focusing on their core competencies as her new CFO is charged with leveraging additional business process outsourcing successes.

Penny learned that employee’s self preservation can be a greater motivator than a Code of Conduct, that company goals for cost savings are relative when balanced against what’s in it for the department head, and that the greater good of the employer is not as great a good as perks legal and potentially illegal to those who feel entitled. Penny learned to take charge and saved big, enhancing her position and financial health of her company.

Harry Gorden, President, Transportation Management Services, Inc, a transportation management agency with over 35 years sales experience, providing consulting to the equity, capital management and supply chain communities as well as no cost referrals for manufacturers/distributors seeking the right fit transportation management support.

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Tags: dilemma, ethics, customer, advertising, publicity

Southern grandmothers have often said, “there are only three times a respectable person’s name should be in the paper: when you are born, when you are married, and when you die.”

This is the one area in which I part company with my grandmothers. Publicity is more critical today for the success of a business than it has ever been.

Why do I believe it’s critical? Let’s review what publicity – particularly publicity in business and trade publications – can do for your business.

Provides Neutral Third-party Endorsement. Even though many think the media are biased, consumers still cling to the belief that people who are quoted by the media have something worthwhile to say.

Boosts Your Competitive Advantage. Positive publicity confirms for your customers that they made the smart choice when they elected to use your products or services.

Enables Referrals. Your “smart” customers become evangelists by handing out articles about you to their business contacts.

Shortens Your Sales Cycle. Media coverage often does a better job of explaining what you do than an ad can. So, readers will have a level of knowledge about you before you meet.

Builds Your Marketing Library. Print and web-based articles can become excellent marketing material that costs little to develop.

Positions You. Publish or perish is the academic motto. Experts from outside the world of academia also know that by being quoted by the media they can improve their position as industry experts.

Builds Value. For every speaker like Tom Peters earning thousands of dollars for appearances, there are hundreds who are paid a pittance for speaking engagements. Can you guess the difference?

As you can see, there are a wide variety of reasons for you to be publicizing yourself and your business. Just this once, don’t listen to Grandma. Go get your name in the paper.

Harry Hoover is a partner in My Creative Team. He has 30 years of experience in crafting and delivering bottom line messages that ensure success for serious businesses like Bank of Commerce, The Bray Law Firm, Brent Dees Financial Planning, CruisingTheICW . com, Duke Energy, Focus Four, Levolor, North Carolina Tourism, TeamHeidi, Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, VELUX, and Verbatim.

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Tags: publicity, public relations, PR

While many people only use press releases to get free publicity, learning how to write an effective pitch letter can dramatically increase the amount of publicity you get.

A media pitch letter is a brief proposal addressed to editors containing an idea or article that you would like them to use in order to help you get free publicity. It is important to write a good pitch letter in order to properly get your point across.

It is important to do some simple research before sending out your letter. Research the editor’s name and the publication’s name and be sure to include these in your introduction. This will keep your letter personalized, will show the sincerity in your intentions, and will keep the editor from assuming that this is a letter you sent to other publications as well.

It is also essential that you open your pitch letter with a statement that is attention-grabbing and will make your reader instantly interested in what you have to say. If your reader is instantly hooked on what you have to say, he or she will go on reading.

For example, if I were to write a pitch letter about my adventure selling the Brooklyn Bridge in 1983 (yes, I really did sell the Brooklyn Bridge), I’d start my letter by saying:

“In 1983 I caused an international media sensation by becoming the first person in history to REALLY sell the Brooklyn Bridge — one square inch at a time. Now, 25 years later, I’m doing it again, even bigger and better than before.”

Afterwards, get to the point. Explain to the editor what it is that you want to do-whether suggesting a new product or recommend a person to feature. Make sure that your story or idea is perfect for the publication’s target market, then tell the editor why this is so.

Now that you’ve got the editor’s attention, explain your concept in the most clear and concise way possible. It is important not to put out all your ideas in one media pitch letter for two reasons: first, your letter will not drone on and bore the reader, and second, you will pique your reader’s interest and keep them wondering and wanting more. Make sure that since this is the bulk of your letter, you’ve gotten your main points across-all while keeping your letter within one page. Ideally, the letter should have 200-400 words.

Make it clear to the editor that you are the best person to do the job. You can take this opportunity to cite a few of your past works or significant experiences that may be to your advantage in handling this subject matter. Don’t be too cocky, but confidently explain that you have quality information this person can use and pass on to his or her audience.

Lastly, make sure that you leave your correct contact information. Sounds simple, but you’d be amazed at how many people screw this up.

Include a phone number (cell phones are fine too. Just indicate that the number is your cell number) and an email address that you check frequently. State that you may be reached at those numbers or email addresses anytime should the editor be interested in your idea. You can also include additional press materials with your letter in order to avoid having the editor do some extra research on your topic.

Once you send out your media pitch letters, be sure to check your email and voice mail services often. The media people are happy to leave a message or send an email, but they won’t wait long for you to get back to them. If you don’t get back to them within hours, you risk losing your opportunity for an interview.

If you follow these steps and learn how to write a pitch letter, you’re on your way to getting free publicity that can drive new customers to your business at little to no cost to you.

Do you need more help getting free publicity for your business? Paul Hartunian has all the help you need here and also here where you’ll find free publicity tips, free articles, free coaching call replays that will make getting free publicity for your business a snap!

Plus you’ll find information about Paul’s Million Dollar Publicity System, the whole story of how he sold the Brooklyn Bridge and plenty more.

And, for just $7 you can get 3 issues of Paul’s publicity newsletter, 3 of his best strategy reports, personal coaching from Paul and your very own, authentic piece of the world famous Brooklyn Bridge.

No need to hunt for top quality information on how to get free publicity. Paul Hartunian has it all for you.

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Tags: media, relation, letter, publicity, tips

Getting publicity for yourself and your online business is not as difficult as you may have previously thought. Since web 2.0 took a firm hold a couple of years ago, we are now able to control much of what information we give out and receive. This is the perfect time to promote what you are doing to others in the world you are interested in your topic and ideas.

There are many ways to be your own publicist. One way is to send a press release whenever you do something newsworthy. The important thing to remember is to make news, not make news or press releases. You must have a hook of some kind if you want others to have an interest. Once you find that hook, your information can go viral online.

Many magazine and newspapers have either folded or at least cut way down on the number of people who are reporting the news. My local paper uses stories from the Associated Press wire and other services to fill up their pages. People like you and I are in a fantastic position to be able to get our information out to others.

You can post your stories to your blog, and then use social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook to get the word out as well. I do this for myself, my business, and the non-profit groups I am associated with.

Make sure that anything you send out on the internet is exactly the way you would want to be quoted and represented. Once you press send, it is out there forever.

Download a free teleseminar on building your online business by visiting this Site to learn how to write articles, blog, become involved in social networking and learn the technology needed to build a profitable online business.
Connie Ragen Green has been online since 2005 and teaches people how to build their own online business in record time, offering free teleseminars weekly, as well as online courses in a workshop environment with webinars.

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Tags: public, relation, worldwide, publicity

This article is for people who want do publicity and have had no training. Lack of training causes the big mistakes when doing PR. Ever had a change for some free publicity and blew it because you were not ready? Now is the time to get ready. You do not get ready for publicity when you are asked for an interview. There are lots of people who push to get free publicity but then do not have any idea of what to talk about when they get the opportunity. Always have your agenda ready. Always have a message you are ready to convey about your business and yourself.

You should always have a way to tie into the current events. If you do not watch the news or read any online, you have to find a way to be current. People who are clueless about what the rest of the world is facing have nothing to offer the media. You can not be a resource and you will not be the person they think of first when they want to a quote for an article.

Creating good sound bites that can be used over and over it the secret of the best publicists. There are many ways to say the same thing. You have to find the way that is creative and interesting. You need to find sound bites that are easy to repeat. By being repeated, you will be remembered. Another big publicity mistake is hiring a publicist hen you have no idea of what they do. You need to know what to expect and what services they really offer. Good publicists usually cost upwards of $5,000 month. One month of services will not get you the publicity you need. If you have the budget for it, this is a great way to go. If this is your last $5,000 you should think of another strategy.

Publicity is usually gone after by those with no training or expertise. Just the smallest amount of training will help you tremendously. If you want to make the most of any publicity you get, then get the training to make it happen. No one is a natural talent.

Dr. Letitia S. Wright, D.C. is the host of the Wright Place TV Show, now in it’s 10th year on the cable television. The show has strategies and tips for business owners and can be seen online. For more PR training and tips, go to this site

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Tags: pr, public relations, protect, mistake, publicity

Many make the mistake of thinking that once an event is over, then it’s over – and there’s no more publicity to be wrung out of it. This is false – whether you are a musician playing gigs or a business with an open hour or a nonprofit with a fundraiser, you can make every event pack more punch! Use these tips to get the most out of every event!

Take photos during the event to use in your after-event promotions!

- Mention the event in your next newsletter with a photo or two. (Add the link to the Facebook album for more punch!)
- Submit a photo (or several) to the local printed media. The metro paper, town paper, and free weeklies and monthlies. Whatever media makes sense. That might be Your Metro Business Magazine, or maybe it’s Your Local Alternative Weekly. Or maybe both!
- Post the pictures to Facebook. Let your attendees know that you will be posting the pics, and ask them to tag anyone they are Facebook-friends with.
- Tweet the link to your Facebook album about the event.
- Create a #hashtag for your event and ask your attendees to tweet about it.
- Encourage your attendees to upload their own pics to your Facebook Fan Page.
- Send a follow-up press release. If your event was to launch a project or raise money and you were successful (be creative!), send a follow-up release to the local media.

What other ideas do you use when doing post-event promotions?

Andi Enns is a cutting-edge Public Relations & Marketing Campaign Strategist from Kansas City, Missouri. She loves seeing her clients get the recognition they deserve! For more great articles, visit her blog

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Tags: publicity, ideal, event, attend, public relations

This article will help you create publicity on a continual basis for any sports team. There are action item you can do today to get started. Let’s talk about why you would even want to bother with PR.

Every team needs PR or publicity. Children’s teams need PR so they can attract sponsors and visitors to the games. Even if the visitors do not have to pay, it’s more fun for everyone when there is a large involved crowd at the games. The PR can also be used to attract support before it’s needed. A team that is fully supported is less likely to be shut down when funds are tight in the schools, cities and counties.

Adult teams need publicity because it will bring in sponsors and paying customers who come to games. Paying customers tend to buy t-shirts and other things that support the team financially. Few teams can afford to survive with no money coming in.

Where do you start?

Start with your local media. When you send the local radio stations and newspapers the stats and updates on the teams wins, along with some interesting fact about the team or a particular player, you give them something to talk about. This needs to be done each week or at least every other week. Publicity is not something you do one time and that’s it. You have to keep sending information. When a media outlet sees they can depend on you to send timely updates, they are more likely to include you. A timely update is one that is well before the time they need to publish or be on the air. If the local sports radio show comes on at 8 am, then this information should be sent the day before, not at 7 am when they are prepping for the show. This means you will have to find out the publish dates of the newspapers and magazines you send this information to. And send the information well before that dates. When you approach sponsors, you can show them the visibility your team already has. Everyone wants to be with winners.

Getting your press releases or media releases as I like to call them, written up and sent out is not an easy thing. Some people can write professionally but not well. The bottom line is to stimulate the media to do a story on your team or at least mention your team. You must keep sending them out; you can’t send out one and say it did not work. Rarely do people get written up on the first media release unless they are professional PR people and have connections to make it happen.

These strategies work for Semi-professional teams as well as children’s community teams. They are strategies the professional teams use.

Action Items:

1. Look at the team schedule and create a schedule to send out media releases
2. Get some interesting facts about the player or team to send to the media
3. Make a list of local radio, TV, magazines, newspapers and blogs that cover your local area and find out about their deadlines
4. Use the contact information to just send media release and updates
5. Send pictures as often as you can about the topic in the media release
6. Delegate one person to handle this so that when the media contacts you, they don’t get the run around as to who to talk to.
7. Always leave your contact information with media every time you connect with them.

Dr. Letitia S. Wright, D.C. is the host of the Wright Place TV Show, now in it’s 10th year on the cable television. The show has strategies and tips for business owners and others on how to get sponsors here.

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Tags: publicity, relation, public, sport, team, secret

It seems that with the advent of reality TV, more and more people – of varying degrees of skill and ability – are seeking their 15 minutes of fame. The opportunity to be, if only for a short while, the most interesting person at the party.

So, how do you achieve this? What quality divides those that are constantly being looked over from those who are simply over looked? In other publications the issue here may be to tackle the question: what lies at the heart of celebrity status? What engine drives the media towards one-person and away from another? In some journals we may well be discussing the merits of 15 minutes of fame as opposed to a hard earned, hard won opportunity to be centre-stage.

That’s not the purpose of this diary entry. The truth is, most of us don’t care why some people are famous and others are not. You just want to know how you can grab a slice of the limelight and your position on that elusive centre stage.

During my career as a publicist and media consultant, I have had the privilege to advise clients ranging from corporate organisations to one-man businesses.

From stars of sports and stage to politicians and otherwise ‘ordinary’ people who suddenly find themselves in the media spotlight. During a career that has spanned nearly two decades (yes, I really am that old) I have been able to identify no less than eight essential factors that should be taken into account if you are to become a star.

1. As far as the media is concerned, there are two types of people in this world: those who, when walking into a room, say, “there you are.” And there are those who walk into a room and declare: “here I am!” To be a celebrity you have to be the latter. You don’t have to be extraordinarily talented, because the truth is talent is grossly overrated. You don’t have to be the most attractive person in the world because looks fade. Or even the smartest or funniest character on the planet. You just have to be able to perfect the ability to draw attention to yourself.

Take a look at your wardrobe. What are you wearing today? Are these the type of clothes that will get you noticed? It seems a superficial tissue but it’s an important one. Some may argue that it doesn’t matter what you look like as long as you have what it takes inside. Don’t be fooled by this argument. You only get one chance to make a first impression. Your outward appearance plays a crucial role in determining whether or not people will want to see you – or even remember having seen you at all.

2. Never ever copy someone else’s style. Unless you’re planning to make a living as a lookalike, it’s virtually the kiss of death to be described as ‘the new so and so.’ I should know. When I first started my career as a publicist I had to the dubious pleasure of being described as “the new Max Clifford.” I thought this was great as it got me noticed almost immediately. But for every interview I did Max was getting a free mention! Eventually I had to insist that, during every interview, the journalist or presenter was not to compare me to any other publicist. By all means pay special attention to celebrities who have achieved stardom despite what appeared to be insurmountable odds. Take inspiration from their success but don’t try to copy them. All imitations are worthless. To set yourself apart from everyone else you have to be different. I can’t stress this enough. If you copy someone else you will always be in their shadow. Do you remember a group called The Jackson Five? Now think about the British version who described themselves as Five Star and you’ll see my point.

Enough said.

3. Don’t try to hide what others might consider to be your shortcomings. Use them to your advantage. It’s not a perfect world and we’re not perfect people. Some of us are too short others are too tall. Some of us haven’t got the best vocal abilities in the world others have strong, strange accents that make others smile. Sometimes we speak with a lisp. Use these shortcomings to set yourself apart. Accept yourself for who you are – and who you will one day become. We all know famous people who are less than the average height. We all know famous people have speech defects, big noses or are going bald. If they can make it despite these so-called shortcomings you have to believe that you can too. Sometimes these minor imperfections are what will give us that valuable edge over everybody else.

4. Set yourself a realistic goal and a time frame to achieve it. Every single day – starting from today – do at least one thing towards achieving your goal. It may be you want to be a pop star. Send a demo tape out as often as possible. Write to record labels as often as possible. Network as much as possible. If you dream of one day becoming a best selling author, write at least one page of your block buster every single day. The universal truth here at is that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. The more you do the more you’ll get back.

5. Don’t bore family and friends with your constant declarations of determination and how you will one day achieve your dreams. You might think it shows how committed you are but often you will come across as desperate and desperate people never inspire confidence. Keep your goals to yourself and also what you’re doing to achieve them. That way, when you start getting the returns back from your hard labours, everyone will be amazed because they didn’t realize just how hard you have been working. An example from the animal world comes to mind here. Imagine if you can the vision of an elegant swan gently gliding along a clear lake. The swan’s progress appears to be almost effortless but beneath the surface its webbed feet are paddling like crazy.

6. Take an active interest in the field you want to break into. This may seem an obvious point but it’s remarkable how many people want to be a great writers yet claim they haven’t got time to read. If your interest is in a comedy, then visit as many shows as you can. Find out who’s making it in the industry and what sets them apart. Get yourself on the subscription list of industry newsletters and magazines as they can often provide you with valuable information as to openings and possible closings.

7. Cast a critical eye over yourself. Get a pen and paper and write down a list of both your great points and your shortcomings. Do everything you can to draw attention to your good points and work on those shortcomings so that they will work to your favour.

8.If all else fails – or you’re looking for a short cut to fame and fortune – hire a great publicist.

Looking for work in the world of media, whether being a journalist, PR Vacancies or new media. Setting up a website was enjoyable and fun, keep an eye on journalist vacancies that may suite you.

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Tags: public, relation, manager, publicity

You have an upcoming media appearance – an article in a newspaper, magazine, blog, or newsletter or an interview on television, radio or podcast. Great! You’re done until after the appearance, right? WRONG. There is more you can do to make sure you maximize the effect of the publicity. Use these tips to make sure you get the bang for your buck!

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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Tags: publicity, news, newspaper, magazine, blog

While digital music promotions is how you market and expose the music digitally, public relations is ultimately how you create a following. PR is the difference between being heard by the masses or being heard by a few, and the right PR muscle to successfully intensify exposure for your project will eventually lead to more sales.

Of course, the intensity of PR strategies that you implement in your campaign would depend on what phase of the campaign you’re in. If you are in the beginning phases of pushing a particular project and have yet to create a buzz or secure the support of DJs, then there is no way that the project would merit having national publicity unless you have an absolutely unique angle or story or a great track record. On the other hand, if you’ve been consistently building your fanbase and have the numbers to back it up and the support of DJs to show for it, then regional or even national publicity could go a long way in your campaign.

Despite where you are with your project and how it is progressing along, you still need PR whether it is just online publicity, exposure within the DJ community, or even regional or national publicity, your project still needs exposure in a major way. With just four simple tips to follow, you can generate positive publicity for your music promotions campaign regardless of how much buzz or credibility you have.

1. Press Releases. You need them. Get familiar with them. Besides being a natural way to distribute news for your campaign, press releases give you instant visibility in the search engines. With a well written press release, not only can you secure write-ups and reviews, you will also notice how Google and other search engines improve your searchability. The key to digital music promotions is all about optimizing online visibility.

2. Social Media Press Releases. You don’t just need a press release, you need one that is optimized for social media. If you don’t know what that is, then get to know it. Let’s face it. Media is no longer what it used to be and is now replaced by social media and citizen journalism (i.e. blogs).

3. Social Media. Don’t just create a profile page on social media networks- strategically use them to create conversation. In addition, create conversation with the right type of people in your social networks. If you’re an artist or record label and your ultimate goal is to increase your exposure, then people in your social networks should be journalists and writers, DJs, and other record labels and artists. Word of advice- Myspace is no longer the king of social media- it has been replaced by the new kings- Twitter and Facebook.

4. Email Lists. Build an extensive email database of people who would be interested in what you have to say and that includes media, DJs, industry tastemakers, and potential fans. Don’t have enough emails? Well, that’s where email blasts services come into play, but make sure they are credible and are able to generate positive results. Word of advice- organize your database into relevant groups. Although an email blast is one way to increase exposure, it’s also the easiest way to kill your exposure. You don’t want to make the mistake of sending a press release meant for media to your fanbase who would have no use for it. Likewise, you don’t need to send your mp3 to journalists if it’s meant to get DJs to break your single.

Fabiola Fleuranvil
N.Y.L.A. Entertainment Group
Music Promotions | Fashion Marketing | Entertainment PR
Website.

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Tags: PR, publicity, promotion, tips

Online Publicity – PR 2.0 is the way to go!

The internet is not going away. You’ve got to embrace. The Michigan Chronicle is even online and some of the editors blog there! So, how do you as an author or an aspiring – use the internet to the max? Here some tips:
1. Write a web site plan. Know what you want it to do before you build a site. Create a favorable buying experience for your ministry products. Make the web site easy to use. Provide good customer service by shipping products within 5 to 7 days. Use auto responders when people make purchases. Make your site “shopper-friendly.”

2. Attract people to your site by promoting it through frequent email campaigns linking back to the site. Have your site content-rich to keep visitors at your site, wanting to share it with others. This is called viral marketing.

3. Capture names of visitors by using a “squeeze page.” Offer something for free like a CD or booklet if they provide their contact information. Get their email address at the very least so you can send the booklet in a PDF file or the CD as an MP3.

4. Publish a regular online magazine called an Ezine. This is a motivational tool for people to look forward to receiving. It has the ministry updates in it.

5. Include recent news hits in your ezine. Stream TV interviews and audio clips. Use a template from an Internet database management company like Constant Contact. I’ve used them for years!

6. Join discussion groups and nings like ChocolatePagesNetwork dot com. You can learn a wealth of information this way in any particular industry. There are groups for pastors, ministry communications professionals, Christian authors, or whatever your specialty. Look up your area of interest in Yahoogroups, connectplatform.com or Google.

7. Put banner ads on other sites that your target audience may visit. If it is Gospel Today or DetroitGospel dot com, inquire about placing a banner ad on those sites. These ads are usually very inexpensive. You can promote your TV ministry schedule or other products.

8. Update your site frequently. Current information sends the message that you are current in your ministry. It keeps people coming back to your site. Try new things on your site like podcasting or webcasting. Keep it fresh.

9. Concentrate on great content so the search engine optimization will give you a high ranking when people are surfing online via search engines like Google or AOL. Adding links is another great way to increase your site rankings and get noticed among the search engines.

10. Add a “news room” to your site. The media will access your high-resolution photo (300 dpi), get a press release, ministry history and a good bio from this section. It makes their life easier and shows you’re a pro at handling media interviews. This is also a good place to list other media hits that you have received like magazine/ezine articles, radio interviews, and columns you’ve had published.

11. Create a blog. Do this only if you have time to keep it up. A good blogger posts about 2 to 3 times a week. A blog is like a personal journal online. A blog is an abbreviation of “weblog.” It is the online version of you. It’s more personal and informal than a web site and visitors can respond directly to you. Go to blogger dot com to set one up free. See the Ministry Marketing Solutions blog. It’ll give you ideas too.

12. Use a signature at the end of every email that includes your tag line, web site, blog and contact information. Please. The best form of advertising – and it’s free!

Ministry marketing pioneer and PR Coach Pam Perry helps African American Christian authors garner publicity and leverage online strategies. As a 20-year PR veteran, she is also the co-author of
“Synergy Energy: How to Use the Power of Partnerships to Market Your Book, Grow Your Business and Brand Your Ministry.”
For a free MP3 of “What Every Author Should Know,” go to this web. She’s also the creator of the ChocolatePagesNetwork, a social network for Christian authors and the Chocolate Pages Show at Blog talkradio.
She offers free help at her blogsite with her monthly Ezine and teleclasses.

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Tags: PR, web, publicity, online

A recent conversation with a fellow business mum about recognising the difference between free publicity and paid advertising made me wonder how easy it really is to tell.

I have worked in writing, public relations and marketing for more than 10 years, so recognising material – particularly in print – which has been paid for has become second nature. However my friend said she found it difficult to spot the difference sometimes.

Here is a guide to media space and time that has been paid for, and that which is free and generated through public relations.

I think I can safely say it is easy to spot most advertising – it comes in breaks in your favourite TV programs, between music on the radio, down the side of a web page or sometimes pops up from the page, and surrounds articles in newspapers and magazines.

Where it becomes hazy is when the information is included in an article or advertorial (an advertisement made to look more legitimate as an editorial piece – these should carry the word “advertorial” and “advertisement” at the top), in a news or current affairs item or when the presenter speaks about a product as they would discuss the news, similar to John Laws’ Cash for Comment affair.

The job of a PR consultant is to generate publicity for their client. Their client isn’t paying for the time or space and the information considered more credible by the public. Examples include an article, news broadcast or TV segment. This media coverage is achieved through many avenues such media liaison, media releases, article marketing, public speaking, case studies and blogging.

Many of the articles you read in the paper, magazines or online and items you heard on the news or radio today would have been generated through public relations. For example after the federal government’s recent increase in the first home buyers’ grant a host a organisations, from real estate agents to banks, sent out press releases commenting on the grant and what it meant for the economy. They were positioning themselves as experts, or contacts the media could use when covering the story.

Whether the information came to the journalist via a media release or they chased it up through contacts, it is still from PR. The biggest difference between getting something published once because the media outlet liked your story, and getting regular coverage, comes from maintaining a good relationship with journalists, producers and editors. Good PR, whether done by you or a consultant you hired, leads to you being the contact the media calls on when they want to know something about your topic.

Advertising is about guaranteeing your message gets out there when you want through payment. It is seen as less credible because the organisation has paid for the space or time. However public relations is about communicating your message to your public, usually via the media. A company or issue receiving media coverage is seen as more credible because the journalist or presenter has endorsed the message.

This article first appeared on Flying Solo. See more by Johanna Baker-Dowdell

Johanna Baker-Dowdell is a freelance writer and public relations consultant. She owns and manages Strawberry Communications, a consultancy that helps businesses tell their stories through great words and PR. Johanna is based on the NSW Central Coast just north of Sydney, Australia.

For more information on Strawberry Communications, log on to this site.

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Tags: difference, publicity, advertising, media, public relations

One of the best and most basic forms of getting publicity for your business is through a press release. This is usually a short summary of your business or an event related to your business that has, or will soon occur. These stories are then sent to newspapers, magazines, and trade publications.

The first thing to do is determine how you will get the publications you have sent your press releases to, to publish them. The best way to do this is by knowing what they are looking for, and writing it properly.

Start by sending a cover letter to the people you would like to consider your story for publication. Do your research to make sure you send it to the person who has the final say over what is published.

The cover letter should be in the form of a short note, printed on good quality paper. Start with the date on the top, and then write a few details about the attached material. Specify that the information is new, and would interest the readers. Include a brief summary of your story, and give an example of the information you wish to share. End with your name and address.

You are now ready to write your release. Start by writing the words “Press Release” across the top. Then include the phrase “For More Information” and add your name, phone number and address.

Decide on a story headline, and after writing it, write For Immediate Release. Now you fill in your story. It should be about half a page long.

Pay attention to the headline. Make sure it grabs attention and directs the reader on to the body of the story. It should be appealing, and hint at essential information that they simply must have.

The story itself should be short and have all the information the reader now expects. Describe why your product is superior, less costly, more valuable, etc. Lay out all the major benefits the reader will get from the purchase of your product. It’s always a good idea to give free samples of your product or service, and don’t forget your phone number. If the publisher has any questions, it’s important he be able to reach you.

So now you are ready to send your release to the proper sources. Check to make sure your spelling is correct. Do your homework and send to publications that have a history of printing similar releases and stories.

Once your release is accepted, send a thank you card to the editor. This is not only good manners, but it helps create contacts that can be valuable in the future.

Now you have a great, free tool to help get you the customers you need!!

Marcie Tirado

Please visit this site

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Marcie Tirado – EzineArticles Expert Author

Tags: press release, press, publicity, pr, business

Everywhere around you, there are people talking non-stop about press release submissions. Are you thinking to yourself, “what exactly are PR submissions and how do they function in making your business prosper?” Read on, as we have the answers for you.

The most important advantage of press release submission is that your company will be out in the open to a lot of individuals who are probable clientele. PRs will move your merchandise out to the world and broadcast your label. Press release submission as well fetches the finest back-links and additional places to respect for advertising your website and for augmenting extra income.

In Public Communication:

Advertising received from press release submission is enormous and might perhaps boost your client base by a long way in a little amount of time. If your merchandise or assistance is not generally presented to the community, you possibly will land up weighed down with orders.

Press release submission is an instrument to teach the community about the magnificent merchandise you are selling and in what market are you located. It will bang into the position you are aiming for and fetch in consumers who are prepared to purchase from you. That is what you require and can be obtained only through PR submission.

Linking Back To the Vital Websites:

Press release submission allows back-links to your website and provides you a superior search engine rank. If you are able to link to a great magnitude of websites presenting information or network channels, you will be at the peak of the search engine listing in no time at all.

Back-links are the single accurate method to control the search engines regardless of which ones you have presented. Back-links with an additional all the rage website will as well help you to the highest degree.

Alakh Arpan is a successful search engine optimizer, internet marketer and successful online entrepreneur. Please visit his website and find out how he can help you in PR Writing and Distribution to boost your Online Marketing campaign.

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Tags: public relations, advertising, press release, benefit, publicity

There are many resources for free publicity for small business available online. A great resource that we have found is Joan Stewart who is publicity expert with a wide variety of information available online. Anything from “How to write a press release” to “How to get Free Publicity” to Publicity Tips”. You can find many of these articles on our website or you can link to her own website. She even has a schedule of tours she makes in the USA to local business groups. Her publicityhound website has articles, CD’s, resources, tips, ebook, blog and a wide variety of sources for you to use online.

If you need even more information she has a newsletter with tips you can sign up to.

The big question is how do you write a press release that is newsworthy? Well see what’s going on in your local community and what is important. Also think about what is not being covered. In the end your press release must contact facts about the who, what, when, where, why and how but it most be beneficial to the community so determine what you provide that is beneficial or what information you can provide that may be helpful and determine where to send that press release. Most importantly, get some advice from an expert first, it will save you alot of time.

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Tags: publicity, affair, relations, business, information