Why Publicity is Better than Advertising

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Why Publicity is Better than Advertising

By Jennifer Goddard Combs

Advertising is what you pay for, publicity is what you pray for.

And why do we pay for publicity? Because it is far more effective than advertising. The implied third party validation by an editor or newscaster is far more persuasive than a one-sided commercial. Additionally, while advertising builds exposure, Public Relations builds trust.

Jean-Louis Gassée is best known as the former executive of Apple Computers from 1981-1990.

Jean-Louis Gassée is best known as the former executive of Apple Computers from 1981-1990.

First, a quick review. Advertising is paid media. You spend a specified amount of money for a specific product, e.g. a full-page ad in the Sunday newspaper supplement or a one-minute commercial on the local news. You dictate and approve the content of the advertisement. Public Relations, or publicity, is earned media. Editors and reporters are convinced to place your story in the media, e.g. magazine feature, spot on the evening news, or a post on blog that’s gone viral. You don’t have control over the message, why it’s imperative to have a seasoned PR professional working for you.

Advertising certainly has its place, and my intention is not to bad-mouth it. The purpose of this post is to highlight the effectiveness of Public Relations.

In the article “The Real Difference Between PR and Advertising” in Forbes.com, contributor Robert Wynne writes “Almost every article you read or see in the media is ‘gift-wrapped’ or originates from a public relations agency. Think about it:  A new smart phone. An attack from a Congressman criticizing the President. The latest report on glaciers melting in Antarctica. None of these stories appear out of nowhere and end up in front you of and millions of other consumers. All of these stories were written, tested, practiced and formulated by publicists, staffers, speechwriters or corporate experts before being sent to reporters who processed the information, rejected some assertions, accepted others, then decided to produce a news product.”

Need further convincing on the benefits of Public Relations? Below I give my top three reason to hire a Public Relations professional.

1. Build Your Bottom Line through Exposure (while Saving Money)

PR exposes you to a variety of media. With the right match of a publicist, you are able to tell the world what you think they should know in the most efficient manner. An attorney specializing in Trusts & Estates is interviewed on a local newscast as an expert. A CPA is the featured speaker at an industry/trade awards ceremony. A financial planner’s OpEd is featured in Sunday’s business section. Try figuring out how much that kind of exposure would cost in advertising dollars.   

2. You only have 24 hours a day (like the rest of us)

How much time are you able to devote to actually making money with your business? You know, billable hours? Payroll, facilities management, human resources … all very time consuming. And you want to add Public Relations on top of all that? Remember, the best PR professionals have relationships (years and years of history) with the media. That’s part of what your are paying for – the inside track on getting your name and your company’s name in front of as many people as possible.

3. The Credibility Factor (every business needs it)

Having a PR team shows you are serious about your business and its reputation. Also, a PR professional will guide and groom you and your business, which bumps up confidence, which bumps up success.

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Get Your 2016 On

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Get Your 2016 On

By Jennifer Goddard Combs

The end of the year is a slow time for many non-retail businesses, and it’s a perfect time to prepare for the good things to come your way in the New Year.

Now, stick with me here. This isn’t an out-with-the-old, in-with-the-new fairy tale promising untold riches by making and keeping impossibly difficult resolutions. Rather, it’s a few suggestions along with reassurance that 2016 can be better for your business.

In no particular order, I present the following:

happy-new-year-pics-sand.jpg
  • Leave some stuff undone. Yep. Don’t get to it all. Understand and accept that you’re human and only capable of so much. Of course, you need to prioritize and tend to the items you deem important. Plus, you need to own your decisions, which may have consequences such as missing or attending your child’s soccer match.
  • Reacquaint yourself with your ideal client. This can be done literally, if you, indeed, have an ideal client, by reviewing what makes them ideal. Factors may include: regular work and they pay on time; interesting subject matter and enjoyable jobs; excellent growth potential; and nice people.  Or maybe you need to start from scratch and create a profile of your ideal client. You can do it simply by making a list with paper and pen (must have big marketing budget, must be in financial sector, must have over 50 employees, etc.) or get grandiose with a vision board. It doesn’t matter. Here’s the takeaway: Intimately knowing your ideal client makes it much easier to give them what they want, which makes it much easier to find or attract them.
  • Give a nip and tuck to your outer image. (Remember, this is a PR blog.) When was your Web site last updated? How old is your headshot? Is that a misspell in your email sig? Must the recycle bags be parked at your office door next to the dead plant? What did you mean by that last Facebook post? Didn’t you say you were going to join a LinkedIn discussion group to raise your profile? Come on, you know what I’m talking about. This kind of stuff can be knocked off in less than an afternoon.
  • Now, give a nip and tuck to your inner image. What in the heck are those piles of papers on the “conference” table? (If you can’t remember, you may want to consider hiring a productivity or organizing consultant.) How are your files? Client records up to date? Can you approximate the location of your tax stuff? Do this – Take everything off your desk. Now, clean the desktop with a rag and cleanser. Give it a good scrub. Then, be very discriminating about what you put back on your desk.
  • Plan something nice for early January. The first month of the year can be a bit depressing with the hangover from the holidays and the slump in sales. It’s a perfect opportunity to make a special lunch date. Or take a mental health day. Or decide to dress up just for the heck of it. Whatever it is, a little shot in the arm will go a long way.

Here’s to a wonderful 2016! Hope your year is everything you want it to be and more. 

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Strength of Opinion

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Strength of Opinion

By Stephanie Soldo

Opinions can be scary. There’s a reason we avoid them at Thanksgiving dinner (or on first dates). They can ostracize and provide us quick judgmental wands to decide who can be our friends and who can’t.

Well, if opinions are scary among friends and family, imagine how they must feel among businesses. When a corporate name is involved, suddenly it isn’t a friendship at stake, it’s a client. One wrongfully slipped comment and a long-standing business relationship can be severed.

For this reason, companies might not be eager to publish what is known as an Opinion Editorial (or an Op-Ed) for their PR needs. But if you are a business in this position, we want you to reconsider, and here are three reasons why:

  1. Op-Eds are PERSONAL. When someone hears an intimate account from a business, they are invited inside their home. They will see where you live and catch a glimpse as to where you are coming from. With this invitation comes an increase of trust, and trust will strengthen any relationship, whether the two parties agree with each other or not.

  2. Op-Eds offer a CONNECTION that can be a jumping off point for new clients. Imagine Sarah, who has a year-old Beagle, is reading through the newspaper for a grooming service. She might see ten beautiful ads claiming their puppy-hair-care to be the best in the world and she might pick one at random. But if she stumbled into the Opinion section and found an article from Doggy Do-Good on how upset they are certain chemicals are used in canine shampoos, Sarah might suddenly feel a connection to Doggy Do-Good.

  3. Op-Eds can be a platform for a business’s STORY. And we have been building relationships through stories since we lived in caves. They are the deepest thread of the human experience, and they should celebrated and not be feared.

Next time you are wondering what kind of press would help give your company the extra edge you are looking for, consider writing an Opinion Editorial. At the very least, it will be better than having to listen to Aunt Linda talk about donkeys and elephants over apple pudding.

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Can Traditional Media Reach Millennials?

By Charlotte Cheek

Recently I read an article in Business Insider titled “Millennials don’t actually watch the news.” I read on and I agreed with Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix. I, a millennial, do not tune in to the newscast at 6 PM on my TV. Just because I and many other millennials do not turn on the news daily, does not mean we are not consumers of the same news stations. We reach the same media outlets in different ways.

As outlined in Tim Stenovec and Skye Gould’s article, millennials get their news from social media, digital outlets, and smartphones. At the same time, millennials are not following random medias or downloading Apps from obscure sources on their phones to get their news fix. Instead, millennials are downloading, following, watching, liking and reading from the same media outlets that other generations tune into nightly on the television.

The Greatest Generation, Baby Boomers, and Generation X may watch CNN every night, but millennials follow CNN on Twitter, like CNN on Facebook or may even have the CNN News App. Moreover, other generations may read the local newspaper or the Wall Street Journal every morning while millennials seem to skip a morning news brief. In the age of hashtags and up-to-date news, millennials reach the news throughout the day quickly and learn from top news outlets through Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram. Particularly Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat all have top media outlets on their sites and apps. Millennials wake up and check their Twitter, for example, to see what is going on in their immediate circles and in the greater world. So, do not discredit the nightly news channels, even local news channels (they have Facebook, Twitter, websites, etc. as well!), because millennials are still following them, just in a different way.

We may be even more tuned into the news, because our news is not bound by a limited amount of space in the morning newspaper or a limited amount of time on the television. We are constantly being updated to the world around us through-out the day through the same media outlets online sources.

Traditional media outlets like the nightly news on your local news station still reach millennials and millennials want to be reached. Traditional Medias use the same content from their newspapers and nightly news online. That is why traditional media still holds an important seat in your set of marketing tools. Businesses still need to get their business featured in traditional medias to continue to reach millennials and baby boomers, alike. 

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Traditional Media is the Perfect Complement to Social Media

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Traditional Media is the Perfect Complement to Social Media

By Charlotte Cheek

Today’s technology has put a strong emphasis on 140 characters or fewer, a square image, and sharing with your closest 500+ Facebook friends, and less of an emphasis on the old fashioned black & white newspaper at your front doorstep every morning. Many might contend that long gone are the days of paperboys and traditional media, as social media and online sources steal newspaper and magazine readers, radio listeners, and television viewers.

But what if I told you that the world is a big enough place for all types of medias?

Well it’s true. In fact, they cannot only coexist, but they complement one another too.

For example, say your charity event just showed up on the TV news. If you want to have it seen repeatedly, you can take it to social media and more people will see it. Publicity is the gift that keeps on giving – as long as you keep on giving it. By sharing traditional media (TV, newspapers, magazines, or radio) on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and even Instagram…the number of views rises higher and higher.

Did your business just show up on the front page of the newspaper? Copy and paste it on social media. Instead of all your posts coming directly from you, a third party will validate what you are doing for your community. Sharing traditional media on social media gives a variety of content that keeps things interesting.

An article or news clip is dead in the water after it has aired or been printed, unless you take matters into your own hand and share.

Don’t forget the newspapers, magazines, TV, or radio because they only will help your business!

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The Number One Media

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The Number One Media

By Alexandra Kutcher

If I told you that radio is the current number one media in the world, you probably wouldn’t believe me. Yes, this is a fairly difficult concept to wrap your mind around, especially if you’re in a “younger generation.” It's true; radio even beats any social media channel such as Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

Let’s think about this for a minute … chances are, if you’re reading this, you live in the United States. You’ve got a TV, you’ve got a smartphone. Take into consideration the rest of the world, though. Many people have access to none of these tools, and a radio is their only source of news. Because the larger part of this vast world does not have the same access or connectedness to television and Internet, this statement stands true: Radio is the number one media in the world.

Although radio may not be number one in all markets, it still is a surprisingly effective tool, specifically for retailers. The ROI for radio advertising is quite high. In other words, for those whose ideal clients listen to radio, radio advertising is actually quite cost effective. Part of this may be due to the fact that radio ads are much less expensive than other forms of media, specifically television, but the numbers still stand: Radio is the current number one media in the world, and is effective in driving sales. 

So don't forget to consider radio when strategizing publicity! Radio is not only popular and accessible worldwide, it gets results. 


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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.

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The Type of "Middle Man" You Want.

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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.

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Speak, don't sell

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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.

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

 

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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!

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The Latest and Greatest in Social Media? Instagram!

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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.

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Goddard Company helps Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra boost ticket sales!  

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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!
 

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7 Ways To Get In Line With The New Media Times

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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. 

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Is your story ready for TV News?

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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!

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

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The Editorial Calendar - a key component to your PR strategy

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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. 

 

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Building a Beneficial Relationship with the Media

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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.

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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!


Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners turns 30

Sasha Ablitt

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.

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So You’re in the News, Now What?

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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.

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