Speaking to Your Ideal Client

By Alexandra Kutcher

To the business owner, the media manager, the marketing director…

Who is your ideal client? I’ll begin with that one simple question. I want you to think long and hard about it, and write down your answer. Tack that up in your office, memorize it, and make everyone else who works for you memorize it, too.

Are you trying to reach a very young, tech-savvy audience? Is your clientele middle-aged women? Is your clientele even gender or age-specific? Do you cater to people of a certain income? These – and many others – are factors you need to take into consideration when building your website, implementing marketing strategies, and using social media.
 
Know your People
Profile your ideal client. What is it that you offer? Who is buying your product or service? Once you’ve identified the ideal client’s profile, you can begin to build your brand, catering to the interests of your clientele.

Do as they do
You want your website, social media, and any other marketing tools to reflect your clientele, right down to the colors and style of your brand. Not only is your product or service geared toward them, but you also have an opportunity to cater to other aspects of your clientele’s life and interests.

If they’re mostly young teens, use a lot of engaging social media, not only of your product but also of other relevant trends in your clients’ age category, such as music, Hollywood, and humor. If your clients are mostly middle-aged business people, perhaps using promotions through LinkedIn would be a better way to engage. However, don’t count out any form of marketing or media simply because statistics have indicated the majority of your clientele doesn’t use it. There are exceptions around every corner, and in order to stay well rounded as a company and businessperson, you need to be able to speak on multiple platforms.

Keep on Keepin’ on
Frequently post content and remain consistent – stay on topic and brand. Your clients, no matter your service or product, need the information you are popping into their newsfeeds to be pertinent. So make your appearances frequent – but not aggressive – and worthwhile!

Your website, social media posts, and advertisements all need to ring in one clear, cohesive message that people will automatically recognize as you.

The Type of "Middle Man" You Want.

By Charlotte Cheek

If someone came up to you and said “I’m awesome,” would you believe them? Or would you have an easier time believing someone who said, “So and so is really great, because they did this.”

It’s easier to believe someone giving someone else a compliment than someone giving themselves a pat on the back.

That’s the power of third party validation.

Third party validation means having the media talk about you in a favorable way. The media is the middle man you want. They are not biased to you or your organization; so, their positive words hold more substance.

The media has the power to trash someone’s image or product, but when they don’t it means they mean what they say. Writing positive things about you or your organization does not directly increase their bottom line like it does yours. The public is more willing to take the media’s word for a great new product or service more so than believe an advertisement, because the media is not being self-serving by speaking well about you or your company.

Advertising will get the word out about your product, but a media outlet publishing an article or news channel talking about your company in a positive light will grab more peoples’ attention.

People trust their favorite media outlets as a reliable source to tell them what is going on in their world. So, getting the media to talk about you and your company is worth your time and money. So, go out and get a stamp of approval from the media, I promise it will help.

Speak, don't sell

By Charlotte Cheek

So, you have a speaking engagement! Good for you, but now, what do you say?

Your first instinct may be to get up in front of the room and talk about your spectacular business. It may seem easy to talk about the work you are passionate about and know inside and out. You may try and entice your audience to hire you or buy your products. But think before you act!

CEO of Yahoo, Marissa Mayer, is a well sought after speaker in the United States. Recently, she delivered the keynote address at the 2014 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In today’s world, we are overwhelmed with advertisements. According to the American Association of Advertising Agencies, the average American encounters approximately 560 ads per day.* So, the people voluntarily coming to your speaking engagement are not going to want to add your 25-minute-to-hour-long advertisement to their daily list of ads. Your voice may be lost in the noise of endless ads.

Fifty percent of a sale is being in front of the room. So, get up there and be passionate, but don’t sell. The sale will come on its own without a glorified in-person commercial.

Your New Goals while speaking, besides selling:

• Be Passionate – Talk about a hobby you are passionate about or something you have learned in your career that can help the audience. If you are passionate and interested in the topic, you will be much more likely to be interesting. You can keep an audience engaged and they may even learn a few things, which leads us to our next goal...
• Be an Expert – Gain credibility with your audience by knowing your stuff. The audience will trust you more when they can tell that you are knowledgeable, which can lead to them trusting you in your field of expertise (aka your job).

So what are you passionate about? Wine, animals, social media, or art? The possibilities are endless and people will want to listen!

*https://ams.aaaa.org/eweb/upload/faqs/adexposures.pdf

Bill Gates & Donald Trump

What do they have in common? The power of public relations!

These two names are known far and wide, and they’re known as successful, wealthy businessmen. Both Gates and Trump used PR to gain public awareness of who they are, and although their names and faces are established, they continue to work with PR reps to make sure people know what they’re doing, and ensure that the right things are being said. 

These men are obviously extreme examples of how powerful PR can be. However, PR is something that every person who wants a well-known business needs, in order to gain public awareness of his or her name and brand. Who knows? With the right PR rep, you could be on your way to owning the next Trump Tower!

The Latest and Greatest in Social Media? Instagram!

 

By Alexandra Kutcher

Picture this

How many times a day do you scroll through endless news feeds? Probably more than you have time for, thus, the rapid-fire scanning scroll.

Where’s your voice – your company’s voice – in all of this? You know how you handle your social media intake. What about everyone else? You may rightly assume that most handle their news feeds the same way that you do: rapidly, quickly, hurriedly, briefly …

So, how do you get people to pay attention?

The short answer? Instagram.

Why? People use Instagram to look at photos. It’s a medium that draws people in more so than, say, Facebook because we are a visual breed. We want to look at things.

Attention

No one has it anymore.  Not a very long span of it, at least. Who has time to read a three-paragraph Facebook status on your all-star husband re-staining the deck and how your 3-year-old helped, all the while learning Latin?

Be seen not heard

Post a photo and blurb, and you are much more likely to engage and capture attention.

Scroll, scroll, scroll … something about the deli down the street … scroll, scroll, scroll … bad hairdresser something something … scroll, scroll, scroll … oh, what? I didn’t know they were remodeling. Gorgeous counter top! Is that concrete?

Like and comment: “Looks amazing, Jeannine! What’s the counter top made of? I’ve never seen anything like it!”

Jeannine posted a picture on Instagram and shared it on all her social media. She stood out. She posted an eye-catching photo in a unique format – square shaped with a dream-like edit.

Using photos to connect and grow your business allows the public to relate on an individual level.

On a personal note

If you don’t use Instagram, start now. Share those photos on all your social media outlets.

Don’t just talk about what you’re doing – show it. Customers, clients, and fans will see much more than just your brand. Post photos from your office. Post around holidays. Post with clients. Anything!

People will see themselves on your page, get excited, and share on their social media. This grows your following! Others will see friends, people, and places they recognize, and connect on a personal level.

And, they’ll want to be part of it. All because of Instagram.

Goddard Company helps Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra boost ticket sales!

Here at The Goddard Company, we are thrilled when our hard work pays off for our clients.

When the new Executive Director Kevin Marvin of the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra announced this month that the SBCO sold the most single tickets in 10 years for their 2014-2015 “A Season of Celebrations” season, we felt proud knowing that the publicity we generated helped boost those sales.  

Additionally, SBCO welcomed the most children and families (over 100 in December) through their “Free Concert Seats for Families” promotion.

We worked closely with Kevin Marvin, Board President, Joe Capanelli and the support staff at SBCO to define, refine and be creative in getting the message out about SBCO to the media.

We were grateful (and we always follow up with thank you notes!) for a plethora of arts coverage and calendar listings support in print media, great radio programs, as well as terrific ink in many society columns, television news coverage and a magazine cover story, which all boosted visibility to the public throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura.

More importantly, as Maestro Ohyama stated, “Our artistic mission is to present performances of such high quality that we move the hearts of those sitting in the audience.  The success of any artistic endeavor is intrinsically linked with the enrichment of the human spirit.”

For that, we are most grateful for the beautiful music we all enjoyed this past season.
Bravo SBCO – here’s to a stellar new season!
 

7 Ways To Get In Line With The New Media Times

By Regina Ruiz

It’s a time of change for news outlets across the world. A time to do more with less.
But, while there may be fewer resources, there is more social media and digital content than ever before. Think of it as the extra staff to get your message out to the public.
 
Social networks are changing the way news is consumed and shared.
According to the Pew Research Center State of the News Media Report 2014:
Only about a third of people who get news on Facebook follow a news organization or individual journalist. Instead, stories get shared from friends in their networks.
 

Here are 7 ways you can jump on the new media bandwagon and make it work for you!
 
1) Tweet, tweet, tweet.
 
Twitter can connect you in an instant to viewers, customers and clients. The great part, you don’t have to type a novel. Just a sentence or two and your message is out in the digital world. If you don’t have a twitter account, set one up now (I’ll wait).  Now, that you are back, start tweeting. You can also link to articles and videos. You should be tweeting every day. It’s free, it gets your message or news out and connects you to people all over the world.
 
2) Make your website relevant.
 
Give readers, potential customers and clients a reason to hang out on your website. Update it often and include the latest information on what you or your company is up to that’s newsworthy. If your website is the same day after day, week after week you are missing out on a great tool that could drive new business or a wider audience. Unlike a book, magazine, brochure, television; your website can be pulled up on iphones or laptops of thousands of people at any given time.
 
3) Don’t forget Facebook.
 
Facebook is a great tool to have a dialogue with your audience, customers or clients. Post your latest news to your website as soon as it happens. You can also give behind the scene photos or clips for your followers/friends to see and comment on. A new product? Demonstrate it and post the video on Facebook. Facebook is also a great place to just talk to who follows you or your company, ask a question about a company related topic and engage their responses. Facebook can make a customer three-thousand miles away feel like they are sitting at your desk. Plus, there’s the added bonus of your post being “shared” with a larger audience. The Pew Research Center State of the News Media Report 2014 found that half (50%) of social network users share or repost news stories, images or videos while nearly as many (46%) discuss news issues or events on social network sites.
 
4) Power of video.
 
With the increase in technology you can take great quality HD video right from your smartphone. Take advantage of recording newsworthy events and posting them to your social media. It doesn’t have to be a long, edited video.  A thirty second video works great for social media. Add a short interview with someone newsworthy in your organization and post it online. With all of the bloggers and citizen journalism, viewers are accustomed to seeing video that is not professionally shot. The key here, get your message and news out in a visual form.
 
5) Google+ will add to your business.
 
Google+ may feel like the newcomer on the block when it comes to social networking. While Facebook may seem easy to navigate, Google+ takes a bit of time to pick up. It’s not hard, just different. Instead of friending people, you follow them like on Twitter. You follow someone by adding them to your Google+ circle. It is important, though, because if done right you can increase your chance of standing out in Google search results and ranking higher.
 
6) Lights, Camera, Action! YouTube Channel.
 
If you followed #4, you already have a video shot and ready to go. Most likely it’s already uploaded to YouTube. Using YouTube you can create a channel for you or your business. This will be a one-stop shop for your followers to look at all of your videos in one sweep. It can be a great selling point because if a viewer finds your video on Facebook, then links to your YouTube Channel they may watch more videos than just the one posted on Facebook.
 
7) You’re reading a blog, now write a blog.
 
Let people inside your thoughts, business and strategy. Whatever you do, you are an expert at something. There is a market for that knowledge.  You can post your blog on your website, Facebook and also link to it on Twitter and Google+. A blog will show clients and customers your expertise in the field as well as giving them a reason to go to your social media sites and company webpage. The key is being active in this new day and age of social and digital media.
 
The bottom line, have a consistent presence all over the internet and social media. It’s free and can catapult a business or entity and will show you are in line with the new media times. 

Is your story ready for TV News?

Blog post by Regina Ruiz

Get your elevator pitch ready because you have 15 seconds to sell your story.

Why 15 Seconds? That’s about how much time television news directors typically take to decide if a story idea is newsworthy or not. If your idea gets the green light, the payoff is exceptional: millions of viewers are in front of their TV or computer screens, ready to watch.

TV news is big business.  I have spent more than a decade reporting in newsrooms from coast to coast.  We cannot forget that television news is a powerful business. That’s why only the best story ideas make the cut. Stations must deliver the most compelling news if they are going to build and sustain a loyal viewership. More viewers mean higher ratings and that translates into bigger advertising dollars, which keep these powerhouses at the top of their game.

Show, don’t tell to increase coverage 150%.  A vosot – industry shorthand for 30 seconds of video with a voiceover and sound bite – is one way to tell the story, but a 30-second vosot can morph into a minute and 15 second news package if you give the reporter more to work with visually and with compelling interviews. That’s 150% more airtime. 

People make the difference.  The most riveting interviews are with people who experience events first-hand. Viewers care about the people who are affected by a cause, organization or event.  It is also valuable to include a company spokesperson, who can be interviewed as an expert and bring added credibility to the story.

The eyes have it. Television’s greatest strength is the way it shows the story instead of solely telling it. People will often remember what they see but forget what they hear. A photo is worth a thousand words, but video’s reach is even more powerful.

Take viewers where the action is. Show viewers what is behind-the-scenes. Everyone loves a backstage pass, so give exclusive access to products, places and people they haven’t seen to get people talking about your story.

Whoever tells the best story wins.  Show what makes your story worth watching – what sets your business or organization apart. If you tell your story well, people are likely to talk about it. Television news is powerful. It will reach a ton of viewers, but you have to ensure you grab viewers’ attention and keep it!

Your Basic PR Arsenal

By Amy Marie Orozco
January 28, 2015

There’s no debating that the Web has changed the rules of Public Relations. Yet, just as advances in automotive technology have not replaced the wheel, the fundamentals of PR remain the same. 

According to the Public Relations Society of America, “Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.” 

In the olden days, Public Relations relied on print and broadcast media to disseminate an organization’s message. Since the digital revolution, organizations use the traditional media models as well as social media. Social media – channels such as Web sites, blogs, LinkedIn, Google+ and Facebook – enables direct communication between them and their public. 

Assuming your organization has a Web site, blog, or other Internet presence, the following three tools will get further your Public Relations expertise. 

•    A Media List is a targeted and focused list of journalists and social media channels to send your news. Along with contact information, the list includes names, title, and publication names. Individualize the list with information on story angle ideas, preferred method of contact, and best time to contact. 

•    A Media Kit is a pre-packaged set of promotional materials for an organization used for a product launch or other news announcement. Media kits should be in digital and hard copy (paper) formats. A kit’s contents vary depending on its purpose. Typical contents include a press release, company history, bios of executive team, and relevant artwork. 

•    Content Marketing is a technique of creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and acquire a clearly defined audience – with the objective of driving profitable customer action. Here’s an example: Writing a blog post on how to write an attention-grabbing headline. This is information that can be used by a reader, who is directed to a company’s blog (or other social media) when searching the Internet. Though by no means a relic, press releases are being replaced with content marketing. 

The above is intended as a partial Public Relations primer. For everything else you want to know about marketing and public relations in the Digital Age but lack the knowledge to even know such questions exist, I highly recommend David Meerman Scott’s book “The New Rules of Marketing and PR.” 

The metamorphosis of a single page press release into a cover story for Glass, a national trade magazine. 

The Editorial Calendar - a key component to your PR strategy

By AMY MARIE OROZCO

Face it: your business needs an editorial calendar for its social media. 

 
The ol’ random shotgun approach isn’t cutting it. Never has. Never will. 

“Just why do I need an editorial calendar?” you may ask. 

Here’s why: First, you are most likely reading this because of an interest in or need for publicity, and you are reading a blog not a book. This blog post is an example of “content marketing.” Content marketing is what fills, or should fill, Web sites, Twitter feeds, blogs, and the rest of the digital universe. 

Today, wooing clients and customers is a whole new ballgame. Getting estimates, window shopping, kicking the tires, checking out “Consumer Reports,” they pretty much all are done online. And the buyer is looking for information, not hype. Think of information as a synonym for content marketing. 

Wikipedia defines content marketing as any marketing that involves the creation and sharing of media and publishing content in order to acquire and retain customers. This information can be presented in a variety of formats, including news, video, white papers, e-books, infographics, case studies, how-to guides, question and answer articles, photos, etc. 

Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, potential customers are preparing to purchase something. That prep work is via the Internet. Comparing and contrasting. Shopping around. Yes, they may come into shop or office for the actual transaction, but odds are they’ve done their research online. Or they’ve taken a recommendation from a friend, who has done the research online 

Your content marketing pipeline must be filled. All the time. In his book, which is well worth the purchase, “How the Web Has Changed the Rules of Marketing and PR,” David Meerman Scott advises, “While information about your organization and products is certainly valuable on the inner pages of your site, what visitors really want is content that first describes the issues and problems they face and then provides details on how to solved those problems.”  
In other words: Know your customers and give them what they want. (Simple, eh?)

An editorial calendar keeps things simple. You already know your customers and what they want, right? An editorial calendar enables strategizing by giving a bird’s eye view of what’s ahead. 

Start with listing your company’s social networks such as blog, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram, among others. Brainstorm a list of topics. Don’t worry, the editorial calendar is a living document, so it’s easy to change. Who will write the pieces? You, an employee, a guest blogger, a professional writer?

Now, slot the information into the calendar. 

There are plenty of free templates available on the Internet (content marketing in action!). Along with lots of valuable information, CoSchedule offers templates that include an idea zone, an annual overview, and a one-month calendar. 

Building a Beneficial Relationship with the Media

By AMY MARIE OROZCO

Quick! Name the business page reporter for your local daily newspaper. The one whose beat includes your company.

A gold star for you if you knew the reporter’s name. If not, not to worry, you can find it easily enough by checking the morning paper or Google-ing it (“[name of newspaper] + business reporter”). Then, you’ll have completed the first step to building a relationship with the media—knowing an individual’s name. This first step is critical in helping you secure publicity.

Contrary to what many might think, journalists are human beings. They only appear monster-like sometimes because they are constantly racing against a clock, and that race leaves a razor thin margin for niceties such as common courtesy and politeness.

Learning to navigate reporters’ tight schedules and pitch stories quickly will help you get on their good side.

The next step to forging a relationship with the media is not to take any of the aforementioned lack of civility personally. While it’s hard not to be offended and arch your back after being hung up on, just remember, it’s not you. It’s the media. And, they don’t see their behavior as rude. It’s how they get their job done. They act that way toward everybody.

Now, to build a long lasting and beneficial relationship with the media, try the following. (Remember: don’t take anything personally.)

Introduce yourself. Pick up the phone and call. Most likely you’ll get voicemail so have a 15-second message ready. Follow up with an email. Let the reporter know about your expertise in your field. Offer a few story ideas with unusual angles. Most likely you won’t get a response, and that’s okay.

Mind the time. Journalists are always on deadline. Use a direct approach. Stick to a point, and stick to what you know. Return calls and emails quickly. Use first and last names and, when possible, answer Who, What, Where, When, Why without being asked. A deadline is hard and fast. It’s not a target.

Be reliable. Don’t stretch the truth. Don’t spin. Ever. If you don’t know an answer to something, say so. (And, if asked to speculate on rumor or innuendo, do yourself a favor and don’t.)

Help them. You’d be surprised to what extent journalists use the Internet to do their job. Is your Website media friendly? Is there a Press tab? Are key personnel names and contact info readily available? High resolution photos of products and people easily downloadable? A clear and concise write-up on your company available?

Stay in touch. Keep them in the loop. Email is the preferred way; an occasional phone call is okay. Expand your social media. Link one of the reporter’s story you find interesting on your company’s blog. Re-Tweet. Follow the reporter on Facebook. Remember, there’s a thin line between persistent and annoying. Be careful not to cross it.

Nothing too earth shattering, is it? Maybe not common sense, but easy enough. Yet, so many business people are in the dark. Follow the above guidelines, and soon you’ll have a relationship with a local reporter and your name will be in lights.

For more information on building relationships with the media, read Dorie Clark’s piece on the Huffington Post or Abbi Whitaker’s post on Ragan’s PR Daily.

Celebrating an anniversary

When a family-owned business is having an anniversary, it's a double-whammy. Since both the "family-owned" portion and the "anniversary" portion are newsworthy, be sure to emphasize both in the press release (notice the first sentence of this press release).

After talking with Sasha Ablitt for only a few minutes, it is clear she cares deeply about providing her clients with the best dry cleaning service possible.

Even though the news "hook" is the 30th anniversary, the story is Sasha's passion in carrying on the family business—that is why we spent time in paragraph three showing the depth of Sasha's family legacy.

Also, remember to include a quote (here are a couple tips) like we did in paragraph five.

Here's to another 30 years, Ablitt's!

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Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners turns 30

Sasha Ablitt

Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners and Launderers is celebrating 30 years as a Santa Barbara family-owned business.

Founded in 1984 by Neil and Sue Ablitt, Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners started with a boiler, a flatwork ironer and a vintage dry-cleaning machine. From there, the business has grown to now more than 30 employees, with their signature pick-up and delivery service reaching from Carpinteria to the Santa Ynez Valley.

For the Ablitt family, high-quality dry cleaning is a family legacy. Neil Ablitt’s parents first met working at the dry cleaners owned by his maternal grandfather. After his parents were married, they started their own dry cleaning business in the same building where Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners now operates. After living in Mexico and Canada for a decade, Mr. Ablitt brought his family back to Santa Barbara and started Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners in 1984. His daughter, Sasha Ablitt now owns and operates the business.

In total, the Ablitt family has been in the dry cleaning industry for more than 100 years.

“It has been wonderfully rewarding managing the business I watched my parents build when I was growing up,” said Sasha Ablitt. “Dry cleaning is so much more than doing a load of laundry. Every day, I want to grow the legacy left by my parents and grandparents.”

In addition to traditional dry cleaning services, Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners offers a Concierge Service that provides free pickup and delivery; specialized cleaning for household linens, expert wedding dress cleaning and preservation, bedspreads and sofa covers; leather and suede care; expert alterations.

For more information, visit www.ablitts.com. 

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Founded in 1984, Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners and Launderers specializes in all dry cleaning services, including shirts, linens, wedding dresses and more. Ablitt’s is located at 14 West Gutierrez Street in downtown Santa Barbara. For more information, visit www.ablitts.com.

So You’re in the News, Now What?

By AMY MARIE OROZCO

Congratulations! Your company was featured—favorably—on the front page of a large metropolitan daily newspaper. Way to go! You can’t buy publicity like that.

And the story spun into a 30-second bit on the nightly news? Priceless!

Go and bask in the glory … I’ll give you 5 minutes.

So, now what?

First, I’m going to assume you have covered the operations side of things. Ready for the resulting onslaught of orders. Materials in place. Distribution channels clear and open. Staffing ramped up.

Now, I’m going to tell you how to parlay your 15 minutes of fame into an eternity of publicity. Don’t let this avalanche of good fortune go to waste. Here’s what you must do:

• Thank the journalists responsible for putting your company’s name in lights. No need for a gift, but a phone call and an email or handwritten note will do the trick.
• Buy reprints of the newspaper story. Get it in digital form, too. Then create professionally produced reprints. Post the reprint on your Web site, Facebook page, and the rest of your social media.
• Link to the 30-second news bit to your Web site and all social media.
• Remember to use SEO and back links to further drive traffic to your company.
• Share your news with ALL your clients and prospective clients. Copies of the reprint go via snail mail. An email blast or your e-newsletter goes into everyone’s inbox.
• Think re-purposing and reusing. Did the newspaper article refer to you as an expert in your field? Add that to your list of credentials. Did the newscast recommend your business? Better put that on your Web site.
• Find out how the reporter decided to do the story. From a press releases you sent? A customer? How do you find this out? You ask them directly! Use the same tactic in the future, but don’t rely on it solely.
• Pitch other media with your news. Like a trade magazine or a radio talk show—now that you’re an expert.
• Keep your press kit updated. Always.
• Stick to your publicity calendar. Continue sending out press releases. Be regular with blog posts. Is your Web site fresh? Don’t rest on your laurels.

New CT scanner cuts radiation by 2/3 ... Making Headlines Work

When a new product or service better serves the public, that is something to proudly announce.

Pueblo Radiology's new CT scanner does just that—it better serves patients by reducing radiation by 2/3. That's huge!

Notice the headline: Pueblo buying a new CT scanner is not really the news. The real news is what the new CT scanner does, so that's what we put in the headline.

Find the nugget that makes your announcement news, then put that in the headline.

If you don't know right off the top of your head, try asking these questions:

• What does my new product or service do for people?
• Why should people care?
• How would I sell them in one sentence?

More great tips and advice on writing headlines here.

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Pueblo Radiology’s new CT scanner cuts radiation by 2/3

Dr. Gary Blum, medical director at Pueblo Radiology

Pueblo Radiology Medical Group recently installed a new Siemens 64 slice CT scanner in its Santa Barbara office that utilizes the latest in dose reduction technology.

This state-of-the-art CT scanner cuts radiation by two-thirds, is more patient friendly and has excellent diagnostic quality, according to Medical Director Dr. Gary M. Blum.

“As an independent group of physicians, our priority is maintaining the highest level of patient care and staying on the leading edge of technology,” Dr. Blum said. “This CT scanner helps us accomplish both goals.”

Founded in 1957 in Santa Barbara, Pueblo Radiology provides diagnostic imaging and    interventional services in a patient friendly outpatient setting. Pueblo doctors have worked in partnership with many hospitals throughout the years, starting with St. Francis Hospital in 1960, then at the current Cottage Healthcare System hospitals in Goleta and Santa Ynez, and now also at the Ojai Valley Community Hospital, St. John’s Regional Medical Center, Community Memorial Hospital and St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital.

Pueblo Radiology of Santa Barbara is located at 2320 Bath Street, Suite 113. Santa Barbara Women’s Imaging—an affiliate practice of Pueblo Radiology—is located at 1525 State Street, Suite 102 in Santa Barbara.

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Pueblo Radiology Medical Group is dedicated to providing high quality diagnostic imaging services in a professional, compassionate and timely manner for its patients, referring physicians and hospital affiliates. Pueblo Radiology services are accredited by the American College of Radiology. For more information, visit www.puebloradiology.com.

Life is a marathon

Governet president Mark Svorinic gave the graduates of Pima Medical School some great advice last month. He reminded them of the importance of having a team in this marathon of life:

“You will find the encouragement, motivation, truth and perspective that your team brings invaluable. Your team will help keep you focused, honest and, at times, humble.”

— Mark Svorinic, Governet president

In treating life as a marathon, Mark encouraged the graduates to build their team, set mile markers, not get discouraged by “uphill” trials and use the flat-road times to refocus. What great advice for all of us.

Thank you, Mark!

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Governet’s president delivers commencement speech at Pima Medical Institute

Mark Svorinic, Governet president

Mark Svorinic, president of Governet, a web-based company that creates and implements curriculum and program management software for colleges and universities around the world, encouraged graduates from Pima Medical Institute’s Mesa, Ariz. campus to build their team during a recent graduation ceremony in Phoenix.

“You will find the encouragement, motivation, truth and perspective that your team brings invaluable,” Mr. Svorinic told the 300 graduates. “Your team will help keep you focused, honest and, at times, humble.”

The graduation was held at the Chandler Center for the Arts, outside of Phoenix.

Founded in 1972, Pima Medical Institute is a medical career college with 15 campuses across the western United States. Pima prepares its students for the quickly growing healthcare industry in several fields of study. It’s the largest independently owned, private allied health school in the U.S. and is nationally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools.

In his speech, Mr. Svorinic, who has more than 25 years of experience in educational technology, compared life to a marathon and encouraged the graduates to set mile markers, to not get discouraged by “uphill” trials and to use the flat-road times to refocus.

Mr. Svorinic earned his Bachelor of Science degree in business education from the University of Arizona and his master’s degree in learning and instructional technology from Arizona State University.

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Governet is a curriculum management systems innovator that helps colleges and universities totally automate the curriculum process: planning, approving and publishing. Through a network of individual institutions and statewide college/university systems, Governet is guiding the development of best practices standards for curriculum databases, workflow and the dissemination of curriculum information to a worldwide community of students and educators. For more information, call 208-522-1225 or visit www.governet.net.

Careful, speaking “off the record” can stay on your permanent record

By AMY MARIE OROZCO

Journalists question President Richard M. Nixon during a Watergate press conference—Oct. 26, 1973. White House Photo Office Collection.

Anything said to a journalist may be used in a story, unless a previous agreement has been made—emphasis on previous. Remember that.

Speaking “off the record” needs to be a premeditated act with a very specific agreement reached between the subject and the journalist. For many, “off the record” means the source of the information won’t be named. However, to the Associated Press and journalism schools “off the record” means information given to a reporter is for his or her knowledge only and cannot be used in a public way. Oftentimes, this off-the-record information points the reporter to a new source, one who perhaps—reporters hope—has more leeway to speak “on the record.”

What many people think of as “off the record” is technically called “on background,” which means the information given to a journalist can be used but not attributed by name. The journalist will attribute the information to an agreed upon title such as “city hall insider” or an “executive level source within the company.”

When is it appropriate to speak off the record? When you have very important information of public significance and need a promise of confidentiality, according to the Associated Press Stylebook. Only speak after you have reached a previous agreement with the reporter. The AP Stylebook also advises that “a reporter who reveals the name or identity of someone who was promised confidentiality can be held liable for breach of this agreement.”

For some critics in today’s 24/7 news cycle, off the record has become synonymous with license to attack without accountability. For journalists, off the record and on background remain cornerstones of upholding the First Amendment.

To play it safe with the media, follow Media Manoeuvres Golden Rule:

“Always assume, if you are near a journalist, camera or microphone, that you are on the record and if you don’t want to see it, hear it or read it, then don’t say it.”

How to tactfully brag about awards

Our president, Jennifer Goddard Combs often asks our clients:

“What awards or honors have you received recently?”

People sometimes seem skeptical about announcing their awards to the world. It can seem too self-promoting, and we get that.

However, it's our job to tell you that it's okay to self-promote. It's good to share your awards and honors.

Just make sure you share them with the right tone.

Keeping these tips in mind should help:

1. Name the award right out front. No pomp or frills, but also not hidden away. (See paragraph 1 in the sample press release below.)
2. Include a quote that focuses on the passion behind the award. For example, notice Terre's quote below in paragraph 2. Terre has just won an award for closing 16 mortgage loans through the Coastal Housing Partnership. In her quote, she does not focus on her award, but rather focuses on her desire to help clients have a "successful" and "easy" mortgage experience. With her passion for good customer service, it now makes sense why Terre was able to close 16 mortgage loans. In addition, Coastal Housing Partnership helps Terre make that goal a reality by allowing her to offer "wonderful benefits and saving." Terre's quote has now changed the tone of the press release from self-promoting to showing her heart to help ease the cost and stress of buying a home. It now seems good and natural that Terre receive this award.
3. Spend some time talking about the organization or group who gave the award. This prevents the press release from becoming too narrowly focused on the award winner. It spreads the PR love around a little. (See paragraph 3, for example.)

These tips should help you turn the tone of the press release while still allowing you to get some good PR mileage out of your most recent award or honor.

So think back. What awards and honors have you received recently?

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Publicity on Noozhawk.

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Community West Bank’s Terre Lapman earns Coastal Housing Partnership award for third consecutive period

Terre Lapman

Mortgage lender Terre Lapman is a 2013/2014 Coastal Housing Partnership Award Winner.

“My priority is always a successful and easy mortgage experience for my clients,” Ms. Lapman said. “That is why I’m honored to be a Coastal Housing Partnership lender — because it enables me to offer my clients wonderful benefits and savings.”

Coastal Housing Partnership helps lower the threshold for Santa Barbara and Ventura county residents to enter and remain in the housing market by giving significant savings and benefits when buying a home, refinancing or renting.

Ms. Lapman has achieved the nonprofit’s highest award level. Coastal Housing Partnership denotes each level with a house symbol. Four house symbols is the highest award level. Since each house symbol represents four closed deals, Award Winners must have closed a minimum of 16 Coastal Housing Partnership loans in an 18-month period to be at this top level. Ms. Lapman has achieved this highest level of service for three consecutive periods.

“Working in partnership with an outstanding group of network service partners — including lenders, real estate agents, home inspection firms and residential developers — we have helped more than 10,000 local employees become homeowners in the past 27 years,” said Corby Gage, Coastal Housing Partnership’s executive director. “We are pleased to once again honor Terre Lapman as one of our top award winners.”

During her many years of experience processing loans, Ms. Lapman has learned how to interact with real estate agents, Homeowner’s Associations and appraisers, staying hands-on through the entire process. She is a founding member of The Santa Barbara Leading Lenders, a small group of loan offers throughout the Santa Barbara area who are committed to continuing education and putting customer needs first.

Community West Bank was founded as Goleta National Bank in 1989. In 2004, the name changed to Community West Bank to better reflect the bank’s expanding footprint while emphasizing its three core services: relationship banking, mortgage lending and small business administration (SBA) lending. It has since grown and now has $550 million in assets and 130 employees at five branches — Goleta (the original), Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Ventura and Westlake Village.

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Community West Bank is a full-service bank focused on relationship banking, mortgage lending and small business administration lending in California. The bank opened for business in 1989, and has since grown to five branches, and additional mortgage loan and SBA loan offices. Branches are located in Santa Maria, Goleta, Santa Barbara, Ventura and Westlake Village. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. For more information, call 805-692-4379 or visit www.communitywestbank.com.

When it's okay to take a back seat in PR

Even though this press release is about Abiel Acosta of Acosta Wealth Management, you'll notice in paragraph two and following that we took quite a bit of time and space telling about El Centrito Family Learning Centers.

Since we are announcing Abiel joining El Centrito's board, it is natural to include information about El Centrito; however, it is important not to curtail the explanation about El Centrito in favor of more space to list Acosta Wealth Management's services.

In a press release announcing you have joined the board of a nonprofit, too much focus or emphasis on your own business is bad form. Take the time and use the space to brag about the good work of the nonprofit you are supporting. Your business will actually benefit from taking a back seat on this one.

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Abiel Acosta joins El Centrito board

Abiel Acosta

Abiel Acosta, CFP®, Founder and President at Acosta Wealth Management, recently joined the El Centrito Family Learning Centers Board of Directors.

Founded in 1992, El Centrito offers high quality educational and leadership services to low-income and immigrant children and families in Ventura County. The nonprofit focuses on collaborating with parents, schools and neighborhoods. El Centrito offers three main programs:

1. a STEAM Academy focused on strengthening children’s skills in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics,
   
2. early childhood programs to prepare English-learning children for kindergarten, and
   
3. parent education programs designed to build parent leadership and encourage parent participation in their children’s education.

“I believe education is foundational to help children set ambitious goals and achieve those goals,” Mr. Acosta said. “I have seen how the staff at El Centrito effectively help build students’ confidence and instill a love of learning. I joined the board so I could encourage, support and help expand their great work.”

Mr. Acosta is a financial planner committed to helping his clients pursue long-term financial success through a diligent and proactive financial planning process. He helps professionals and small business owners have financial “sense of security” so they can focus on their businesses and families.

“I hope to use my professional experience as a financial advisor to help El Centrito continue to operate and thrive for future generations,” Mr. Acosta said.

For more information on El Centrito Family Learning Centers, visit www.elcentrito.org. For more information on Mr. Acosta, visit www.acostawealth.com. 

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Acosta Wealth Management is a full-service financial planning firm associated with Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation, a division of Lincoln National Corporation. Mr. Acosta is one of 67 financial planners from among 2,000 across the U.S. to belong to the Select Member group of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. / Sagemark Consulting — Private Wealth Services program, dealing with High Net Worth clients. This distinction shows Mr. Acosta’s commitment to client service and current success. For more information, call 805-973-5908 ext. 27 or visit www.acostawealth.com. CRN1027283-100214

Quotes are key

What makes this press release stand out? Excellent quotes.

Typically, you do not want to start press releases with a quote, but here, we weave them in to add extra sparkle.

Notice two specific things:

1. The quotes are from two different people. Having multiple speakers is more powerful than having several quotes from the same person.
2. The quotes are separated by a paragraph of text — a mini break to explain how expanding the board impacts the organization. You want to avoid, if possible, listing quotes one after another, with the exception of breaking up a long quote by one person (see below).

EXAMPLE:

"Quote," said person A.

Text.

"Quote," said person B.

EXCEPTION:

"Quote," said person A. "Quote."

"Quote," person A added.

Next time you draft a marketing piece for your company, consider adding sparkle through quotes.

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Ambrecht associate newest member of Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra expanded board

Catherine Karayan Wilbur

Catherine Karayan Wilbur, attorney at Ambrecht & Associates law firm in Montecito, recently joined the Board of Directors of the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra.

As a planned giving specialist, Ms. Wilbur will act as board secretary and spearhead the new Legacy League Endowment Committee, according to Kevin Marvin, the Chamber Orchestra’s executive director.

“We are excited and honored to welcome Catherine to our board,” Mr. Marvin said. “Her energy and talent in estate planning will certainly benefit our organization.”

Expanding the Board of Directors is part of a larger effort to strengthen and revitalize the chamber orchestra, which has performed well-known classical repertoire and hosted world-class soloists since 1978.

“As a lover of classical music, I am delighted to be able to give back to the community through the arts by my involvement with the chamber orchestra,” Ms. Wilbur said. “I hope this will be a long and beneficial relationship.”

Ms. Wilbur specializes in complex tax and estate planning issues, international estate planning issues, estate and gift tax controversy matters and estate and trust administration matters. Before joining Ambrecht & Associates, she clerked for the Honorable Kathleen Kerrigan at the United States Tax Court in Washington, D.C.

A native of Southern California, Ms. Wilbur earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in classics at Washington University in St. Louis. She then went on to earn her Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law and her LL.M. (Masters in Law) in Taxation from New York University School of Law. Ms. Wilbur is admitted to the California State Bar.

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The Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra strives to maintain the highest artistic quality possible, produce the finest music heard in Santa Barbara and perform well-known repertoire as well as music written in this century. Conducted by Heiichiro Ohyama, the Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1978 by then-conducting student Jeffrey Evans. Current and past SBCO musicians perform with the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Opera, Pacific Symphony, Saint Louis Symphony and Santa Barbara Symphony. For more information, visit www.sbco.org.

For a unique business, start a press release with a specific example

It is a good bet that a new company will make a splash in the news — editors and reporters like being the first to announce anything new and revolutionary. If that new, revolutionary thing is a new business, new jobs and a new product or service, they just got a 3-for-1 deal.

Although Critical Solutions is not a new company, it is new in Santa Barbara thanks to a recent expansion.

This expansion is the focus of the press release below.

Since the name "Critical Solutions" does not clearly explain this company's service, notice how the first sentence focuses on a specific, relatable example. A first sentence like this: "Critical Solutions Protective Services Group is now offering its protection services in Santa Barbara County," does not give the clear explanation and interest as the first sentence used below.

While, in most cases, you want the company name at the top, it is okay in this and similar instances to wait until the second paragraph.

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Private protection group expands into Santa Barbara

Adam Bercovici

The security company behind the first active anti-terrorism security program at a major American mall is now offering its private security services to Santa Barbara County residents.

Critical Solutions Protective Services Group specializes in executive and celebrity protection, event security, corporate security, estate and residential security details, healthcare and hospital security and private school safety security. The company also offers security trainings and assessments.

“It is an unfortunate truth of our day and age that robberies and the threat of terrorist attacks are on the rise while police departments’ budgets are being reduced,” said Adam Bercovici, a retired Los Angeles Police Department lieutenant and Critical Solution’s Chief Executive Officer, now based in Carpinteria.

Critical Solutions employs off duty and retired police officers who have extensive experience and proven loyalty. Employees have experience in tactical, surveillance operations, consulting, large venue security and retail security, according to Mr. Bercovici.

“We are excited about our recent expansion to Santa Barbara,” said Joseph Scully, an attorney and Critical Solutions partner. “We want to help our clients feel as safe and secure as possible, no matter what the occasion.”

“Customer care is one of our top priorities,” Mr. Bercovici said. “We remain available to our clients day and night, and we solve problems as discreetly and confidentially as possible.”

Based in California, Critical Solutions operates in the United States and has employees in the United Kingdom and Europe.

For more information, call 800-278-4575 or visit www.criticalsolutionspsg.com. 

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Critical Solutions Protective Services Group is a threat assessment, risk management and integrated security company based in Los Angeles. With 25 years of private security industry experience, the law enforcement professionals who own and operate Critical Solutions provide security services to progressive leaders in business, politics and entertainment. For more information, call 800-278-4575 or visit www.criticalsolutionspsg.com.