Linda Alexander of Pitman, NJ, writes:

“I work for an association management and publishing company, and we have just published the book Mentoring the Stars: A Program for Volunteer Board Leaders. 

“The book is designed to help new board members on association boards understand their new roles and learn the skills and competencies they need to be a successful board member.  Leadership, decision making, teamwork, strategic planning, effective meetings and mentoring are just some of the topics covered.

“Mentoring the Stars is a great resource for association board members in any industry—nursing, hospitals and health care, education, banking, real estate, human resources, plus church groups, community organizations and more.  While it’s great to be applicable to anyone, it’s also hard to promote to everyone!

“The book is available on our website and on Amazon. We have done some traditional PR and will be trying some targeted advertising on Facebook, Google and Yahoo.  Can your readers offer any suggestions for ways to promote Mentoring the Stars to members of association boards?”

Posted In: Authors & Publishers, Facebook, Publicity for Niche Markets, Publicity on the Internet
posted On: 1/5/2010: 3:09 pm: By Joan
Comments: 5 Comments

Have you claimed your copy of “The Best of The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week of 2009″ yet?

It not, grab it here. You’ll find the 26 tips that generated the most response from readers of my ezine last year. 

I give away this ebook each year, and my readers eagerly look forward to it. Many of them regift the book to their own friends and followers. And the big attaction is that anyone can access the ebook. You don’t have to opt in with your name and email address. 

What will you learn in this book? Plenty.

For example, I explain how to create your own day, week or month of the year. You’ll learn about lots of tricks and tools for participating at the social media sites. Read about 10 dead or dying PR tactics. 

And for Publicity Hounds who are looking to connect with journalists, I’ve given you several resources.  The book will help you, regardless of what business or nonprofit you’re in. 

Use the ebook one of these 12 ways:

1. Create a Facebook note, and excerpt the entire tip. Use the photo along with the text, and you’ve got a nice little item that your followers and fans will love. Christine Buffaloe discussed Facebook notes when she was my guest during a teleseminar on “11 Ways to Avoid Missed Opportunities on Facebook.” 
        
2. No time for a Note? Write about it and share the link (http://tinyurl.com/bestof2009tips) in a Facebook status update.
       
3. Write about it in a LinkedIn status update.
        
4. Blog about the book, and include your own success story that ties into one of the tips. 
        
5. Offer the ebook as a bonus along with other products and services you’re selling.
       
6. Give it to your clients and customers.
       
7. Mention it at your weekly staff meetings.
       
8. Add it to the Free Articles page at your website.
       
9. Give it away to the winner of a contest you’re sponsoring.  
         
10. Offer the ebook as a freebie to help you capture names and email addresses at your website. 
       
11. Create a video that discusses the ebook and upload it to your website or to YouTube, then share that with your social media friends and followers.
       
12. Include the link  (http://tinyurl.com/bestof2009tips) in a book you’re writing, or in handouts you’re using for a speaking engagement.

What about you? Have you thought of any other clever ways to use the ebook? If so, share them here. I’d love to hear them.

Posted In: Authors & Publishers, Blogs, Contests, Facebook, Holidays, Information Products, LinkedIn, Nonprofits, Pitching the Media, Publicity on the Internet, Social media marketing, Twitter, YouTube
posted On: : 2:12 pm: By Joan
Comments: 2 Comments

Cheryl Muskus of Oak Creek, WI, writes:

“I’m the owner of  The CarmelRose, a floral shop, and I’m looking for ways to generate publicity in a very competitive market.

“Even though our industry is hurt to a large extent when obituaries state ‘in lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to…,” we’re trying to form relationships with local funeral homes so they can refer us to families that are buying flowers for the funeral.  I’d also like to target the local corporate market because revenues from local businesses that need floral arrangements can be significant.

“What ideas to your Hounds have for events I can sponsor at the shop or elsewhere, story ideas I can pitch to the local media, press releases I can write, photos I can offer the local media, opportunities for getting onto local TV, and joint venture partnerships I can form with other businesses? 

“Also, suggestions for using social media would be appreciated.”

Posted In: Business Promotion, Holidays, Newspaper Publicity, Photos & Graphics, Pitching the Media, Press Releases/News Releases, Publicity on the Internet, Special Events
posted On: 11/3/2009: 9:25 am: By Joan
Comments: 15 Comments

Jeff Clear writes of Monument, Colo., writes:

“I do the Internet marketing for Lasater Grasslands Beef, a grass-fed beef ranch in Colorado.

“Our target audience consists of environmentally conscious people, moms who want to feed their families healthy beef, and people who have spent money on vitamins because they have already proven they will spend money on health.

“Our beef is sold in Whole Foods, so that will give you an idea of the demographics of our customer base. Our grass-fed beef has less saturated fat and is lower in calories than grain-fed beef, and has no hormones, additives or pesticides.  It has higher amounts of omega-3 fatty acids and other vitamins.

“What’s the best way to reach our target market online?”

Posted In: Business Promotion, Publicity for Niche Markets, Publicity on the Internet
posted On: 8/25/2009: 12:53 pm: By Joan
Comments: 11 Comments

One of the biggest mistakes people make when measuring the success of a publicity campaign continues to be counting the number of newspaper clippings, or the number of page views, that result from a press release or promotion.

But a pile of clips, or thousands of page views, don’t mean diddly.

Instead, determine whether your campaign did one of these three things:

• Build awareness
    
• Shift opinion
         
• Motivate people to do something (the most powerful of the three)

Changing behavior is so much more effective than simply getting an article published in the Daily Tattler. If your target audience is the under-30 crowd, the Daily Tattler is probably insignificant to your customers. You need to find out where they are, and present a compelling marketing message.  

Did your PR campaign encourage people to make a donation? Or write to their U.S. Senator? Volunteer their time? Opt into an email newsletter? Follow you on Twitter?  Visit your YouTube channel? Download a free White Paper? 

All of those “calls to action” are much better indicators of success, particularly if you can measure the results.

Nancy Schwartz, an expert in marketing for nonprofits, wrote an excellent item about this in the most recent issue of her Getting Attention newsletter. It’s must-reading, even if you’re a for-profit company. In fact, I recommend it for anyone creating a media campaign or a 12-month publicity plan. 

I like her tips so much that I’m featuring Nancy here as this month’s guest blogger. I love her blog, too.   

Media Relations Planning — 11 Steps to Success

By Nancy Schwartz

Relax and breathe a sigh of relief.

• Once you buckle down to this media planning process, it’s extremely doable.  Depending on the time you can dedicate, the process can be executed in a variety of ways.  For example: 
      
• If time is extremely tight, allocate 2 hours weekly to this process.  It will take longer but it will get done.
      
• If you have a bit more time, spend 6 hours a week on this process.  You’ll be done in two weeks max, assuming you have a colleague or freelancer doing the research for you.

The staff or consultant primarily responsible for media relations should own this process and do the initial strategic thinking.  That person, or another team member, can be assigned to research (e.g. to develop your press list).

    
Here’s How to Start

Begin by reviewing this list.

Next, dive into the low-hanging fruit (#1-5 below).  You should be able to complete these tasks without additional research.  Run by colleagues to ensure you are on target.

Assign an intern or assistant (you could even hire a virtual assistant for this) for tasks #6 and #7 to start researching key media to follow, and to draft a top ten press list.

Take these findings, finalize the press list, and address the balance of the planning tasks (#8-11).

Review the draft plan with key colleagues, and revise as needed.

   
The 11 Steps 

1. Estimate what you can invest in building your media relations program, time and budget.
    

2. Set goals.

—What are your three main program goals? 

—How can media relations be used to achieve these goals:  Build awareness, shift opinion, motivate action?

   
3. Define realistic objectives, both output and outcome. 

What do you envision your media work will generate?  These objectives serve as the measures you’ll track to evaluate your success.

   
4. Identify three or less primary target audiences.

—Define each group’s connection to each issue or story, what you want them to do, what is important to them, and what they read, watch and listen to.

—Audience definition shapes your key messages and press list.
   
   
5. Tell your story.  Pinpoint the key messages you’re trying to communicate.

—Try to distill your message into a 25-word (maximum) statement that will get the point across.  Add supporting messages of one to two sentences each, max.

—Make sure these messages are integrated into all of your communications. 

—Mixed messages are confusing.  Consistency ensures that your points are heard and recognized and likely to be repeated.

  
6. Build your media database/press list. 
  
Identity key media covering your issues, themes, geographies via these strategies:

—Capture information on reporters who contact or cover your organization (log conversations/emails with media so you have this information). 

—Find related stories via Google news, noting sources and reporters’ names.

—Exchange media contact lists with your colleague organizations.
      

7. Read, watch and listen to these media over a month or so to pinpoint your top-ten press list.

   
8. Identify the best way to get journalists to cover your story.

Through news releases?  Personal visits to reporters?  On-air interviews?  Each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages.

   
9. Craft the timetable.

—Consider external events, editorial calendars and date-based news hooks.

—Organize key media outreach efforts chronologically and prioritize, being realistic about what you can accomplish.
  

10. Define the work plan, and roles and responsibilities.

Remember, everyone on your staff and your external supporters are communicators.  Give them what they need to spread the word directly as well as via media contacts.
    

11. Track, measure and fine-tune (ongoing, forever).

—Log all contacts with the media.

—Make the log easily accessible.

Let me know how this process works for you!  I’ve used it with client organizations time and time again with strong results.

And please let me know if you have any steps to add to this process, or guidance on those listed here?  Please share them with me today.

*     *     *

Nancy mentions hiring a virtual assistant to help. I offer more tips on how to do this in my article on how to train your virtual assistant to help with publicity.

Posted In: Business Promotion, Newspaper Publicity, Nonprofits, Pitching the Media, Press Releases/News Releases, Publicity for Niche Markets, Publicity on the Internet, Twitter, Video, YouTube
posted On: 8/17/2009: 3:03 pm: By Joan
Comments: 1 Comment