Tips to Having a Successful Media Interview

By: Helena Stanley

We all know interviews can be stressful, whether online or in-person, but doing one for news outlets can feel even more intimidating. Interviews can be tricky, but if you are prepared for what is to come, then they lose their fear factor. That’s why we’ve decided to put together this list of how to properly prepare for a media interview.

Prepare for the Interview

If the interview is not specifically based around one topic, think of talking points that will work to you and your company’s advantage. You want to appear professional, yet passionate, about what you are discussing. If you are discussing something pre-determined, think about any difficult questions the interviewer may ask and brainstorm an appropriate response to each question. By doing so, the interviewer will not catch you off-guard and you will be able to remain cool under pressure.

Be Honest, Don’t Speculate

Honesty is always the best policy! If you are dishonest, and the interviewer discovers they have caught you in a lie, it ruins your credibility. Therefore, being honest is the best way to go. In addition, do not speculate, if you do not know the answer to one of their questions, tell them you will find out and get back to them later. It’s better to give them information a little later via email or phone call rather than tell them the wrong information at the time of the interview.

Don’t Use Jargon

Whether you are an attorney, an accountant, or a CEO, you will need to explain things in layman’s terms rather than the jargon or acronyms that you use regularly at work. Chances are the audience may be confused if you do not explain the meaning of your career-specific words. By speaking clearly and concisely, the interviewer, and subsequently your audience, will be able to better understand the message you are trying to deliver.

Nothing is “Off the Record”

While you may think speaking “off the record” means it is safe for you to disclose sensitive information, it rarely holds true. If you are giving information you and or your company are uncomfortable having in the news, then avoid talking about it. You want your press to be positive, so attempt to steer the conversation toward positive points about you and your company.

Reflect

Once you finish your interview, it is good to reflect on how you think it went. What do you think you could have improved on? What do you think went well? Is there something you wish you would have said (or not)? By reflecting on your media interview, you can better prepare yourself for the future. You can always improve no matter how many times you’ve done one before.  

How to Make the Most of LinkedIn

By: Helena Stanley

Nearly every professional has a LinkedIn, but what have you done to set yourself apart from others in your industry? LinkedIn is great for finding connections and expanding your network, but if you do not make use of these connections to further relationships with potential clients, you are missing out on potentially expanding your client-base. Here are some ways you can become more active and attractive to potential clients on LinkedIn.

Keep Your LinkedIn Profile Professional

It is important to keep your profile completely up to date with current experiences as well as relevant background information. The more a client can learn about you and your business, the more they will be inclined to find you trustworthy and may reach out. This means you must have a professional photo, updated work experience, an intriguing “About” section, and any awards, volunteering, or endorsed skills that are applicable. Do not include “fluff” just to buff up your profile, clients want to see what is relevant to what you are currently offering.

Create a LinkedIn Company Page

By creating a web page on LinkedIn for your company, you can keep your connections updated on your company’s news and other important announcements. Your company page should also be visually appealing with your logo and other photos relating to your industry. On this page, you should have links to your website as well as different ways to easily get in touch with either yourself or others in your company. Don’t be shy, invite your personal connections to follow your page! When your personal network interacts with posts from your page, your content will be seen by their connections as well.

Create Relevant Content

Remember always, Content is King! When you post to your personal LinkedIn account or to your company’s page, do not post for the sake of posting. Create content that is business-oriented, and pertinent to your industry that may help to boost your company. This means posting about company updates, or news that can impact your clients. For example, some good content to post would be if you or someone in your company won an award, if your company has appeared in the news, or even information about the services you and your company can provide. By staying updated with who is interacting with your posts, you can reach out and gain more connections who may become potential clients.

Join Groups for your Profession

LinkedIn has various groups that you can join for free that allow for more networking opportunities. You can post your company updates in this group, schedule zoom meetings, or just generally interact with different professionals. This can ultimately lead to others recommending your business and allows you to promote yourself to others.

Up Your Game on Social Media Platforms During Covid-19

By: Helena Stanley

            As social media platforms continue to take the world by storm, expanding their fan bases and continually introducing new apps and features to allow people to remain connected, companies must attempt to keep up. Amid the Coronavirus pandemic, where working from home has become the norm, social media plays a more important role than ever for companies. As a result, it is incredibly important to keep your company’s social media up to date in order to continue to reach current and new clients. Here are some tips to make the most of your social media platforms throughout Covid-19 and beyond:

Post Regularly

Make a schedule of when you plan to post, but be careful not to flood your followers with content every hour because no one wants to feel constantly accosted by information. Instead, make a schedule of what you will post each week and when, allowing yourself to get into a routine. By having your followers see content from your company every day or every other day, you are reminding them that your company is there for them, and they will think of your services the next time they need them. In addition, if you choose to post more than once in a day, make use of Facebook and Instagram “Stories”, which allow viewers to take a quick glance at what you are currently doing.

Make Your Posts Eye-Catching

If your posts are too wordy or the quality of the photo is poor, chances are your followers may not think highly of your platform. A string of drab posts can cause followers to become disinterested and potentially unfollow, so use colors that pop, take high-quality photos, and edit your posts so your feed looks cohesive. By constantly creating original content, your followers are more inclined to be engaged and continue to follow your company.

Keep Your Profile Updated

This is important because without a complete profile, clients may not trust that your social media is your official account. Plus, adding links to your website, a direct phone number, or email address makes it much easier for clients to get in touch quickly after reviewing your social media account.

Use Relevant Hashtags

Whether or not you decide to use hashtags for your company’s posts, it is necessary to use hashtags that are relevant to what you are posting about. Otherwise, your company runs the risk of being shadow banned (when a social media platform blocks a post from being seen by others due to a hashtag that is unrelated to the post). Therefore, using hashtags related to the post and industry are important, so that clients will continue to see your posts.

Connect with Followers

If your followers interact with your post by commenting, liking, or reposting it, then it is a smart decision to follow up with them by responding or thanking them for their support. Keeping your followers engaged and creating a relationship with them creates loyalty between your clients and your company.

4 Basic Steps on Marketing to Clients

By: Helena Stanley

PR and marketing are essential to gaining and retaining new clients. Without a plan or detailed blueprint on how to reach these clients, no matter how great the pitch may be, it may lack direction and can ultimately run out of steam. Therefore, we’ve compiled 4 steps on how to properly market to current and potential clients:

Define and Maintain Attainable Goals

This is an integral part of any marketing strategy because without set, clear goals, the project will fall apart because of a lack of substance. In order to define your goals, ask yourself who your target client is and how your services can match up with their ideals. Having a broad goal such as “find new clients” is good as a loose outline, but without specific goals, the path forward becomes clouded. With clear objectives, you can set yourself up for success by understanding exactly how to attain the end-goal of gaining new clients. Maintaining attainable goals goes hand-in-hand with defining the goals of the project because if you are constantly reaching too high, the results will often be disappointing. Yet, starting with smaller, achievable goals such as “post on social media daily” can ultimately lead your company to accomplishing those larger aspirations that you strive for.

Tailor Messages to Your Audience

A press release that excites students in a college town may be unsuccessful with a retirement community, therefore, it is critical that each message created is tailored specifically to your target audience. This not only includes what is written in a press release, but also encompasses where it is released. Seasoned generations may read print much more than younger generations, so do your research on your audience before sending out your marketing messages so the campaign follow the proper channels to reach the correct people. Tailoring your message bolsters your strategy and allows you to reach possible clients and achieve the goals you set in the beginning.

Have Structure but be Flexible

While this may sound counter-intuitive, structure is the backbone of any well-thought-out marketing strategy, but flexibility is key to pulling it off. Without some semblance of organization in your plan, you are simply putting yourself at a disadvantage. Maintaining a proper framework helps to section off each of the defined goals, allowing for a clear, concise path to follow. Yet, it is also important not to panic if something does not go according to plan. If part of your marketing plan falls through such as a press release not being run by a specific media outlet or your marketing is not receiving the amount of feedback you desired, you must be able to adapt and overcome. Flexibility is vital to accurately alter your strategy in order to reach current and new clients.

Execute

Lastly, a no-brainer, you must execute your strategy. If you abandon your marketing plan at the last minute, chances are, it will not reach the correct people or be nearly as effective as the strategy that is thoughtfully prepared and organized. Through these four basic steps, you can effectively market your business and yourself, ultimately expanding your client-base.

A 26-week marketing plan, starting July 1

By: Jennifer Goddard Combs

To really succeed at marketing you need to be strategic, persistent, and consistent. A one-time Facebook advertisement or email blast may not be enough to attract customers to your business, or ensure your company is the first place potential clients think of when they need the services you offer.

Building a buzz around your business requires a plan, and will take time. You can take your marketing to the next level by plotting out an action to take each week that will drive customers to your business.

Open a spreadsheet, and plot out 26 weeks, starting with the first week of July. For each week, jot down what you will do to reconnect with existing clients, bring new clients to your business, and get the word out about how great you are.

Here are some ideas:

Compile media list: Select news outlets, either local or compatible to your business, that would be likely to publish your businesses’ most recent announcements. Media lists are a great resource to keep track of what publications are available to facilitate your business remain in the public eye.

Send out a press release: New developments related to your company could be newsworthy to your community. Draft a press release detailing the who, what, where, when and how, and send it out to local media contacts. Use traditional publicity as part of your social media content. Publicity is the gift that keeps on giving, so long as you share it.

Social Media Posts: Social networking apps and websites have rapidly become a vital news source to individuals across the globe. Use these platforms to propel business ventures and garner new clientele. The key facet to social media networking is that it is a fast and free tool to promote business and create brand awareness, utilize it.

Blogs and Opinion Pieces: Curating blog posts and opinion pieces can be an excellent way to give your business both credibility and a voice. In personifying your business, via opinionated or informational writing, viewers get a glimpse into the people and opinions behind the scenes of your company, providing an altruistic component to your website. 

Hold a webinar: Share your expertise – and information about your business – through an online webinar or talk. You may be able to offer the webinar through your local library, county government, chamber of commerce, or trade group. Or perhaps you have an existing list of clients you can contact who would be interested in the topic you're planning to discuss.

Mailings to past clients (Personal notes, postcards, reprints of articles): Remind your clients of the great work you offer! In showcasing past achievements, sending heartfelt messages about these trying times, or more generally sending out messages of well-wishes; you can garner in potential new work and better relationships. Putting in that extra effort to mail out to individual clients will insure that past clients feel remembered and valued.

Celebrate a milestone: The weeks ahead are filled with public holidays, themed events and national something-or-other days. For example, in addition to the obvious days like 4th of July, next month includes a National Fried Chicken Day (July 6), National Hammock Day (July 22), and National Gorgeous Grandma Day (July 23). You may even have your own company milestones to mark, such as your 5th year in business, or the opening of a new branch. Take advantage of these special events to generate publicity.

Arrange speaking engagements: You hold ample valuable knowledge and information within your particular field. Organizing speaking engagements with cohorts or fellow business owners can be a great way to disseminate your prized philosophies and proficiencies, and in return acquire profound networking potential. Consider organizing a Zoom call (or under the right circumstances, an in-person allocution) for a business-related discourse with other professionals to maximize your businesses’ reach and networking capabilities.

Hire a public relations firm: It can be hard to put your energies into marketing when you're caught up in the day-to-day demands of running a business. Don't feel like you have to handle everything on your own. Hiring a reputable, experienced public relations firm to take charge of your marketing will ensure this important job gets done, freeing you up to focus on your what's most important to you.

Like many business owners, you've probably been through a rough patch over the last couple of months as the economy all but shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic.

While there will undoubtedly be more bumps along the road ahead, the gradual lifting of restrictions is creating an important window of opportunity for businesses to place themselves in a position of strength as the economy recovers.

Having a strong marketing plan – and a detailed strategy for implementing it – is the key to ensuring your business not only recuperates its losses but can also thrive in the post-stay-at-home era. After weeks of inactivity and uncertainty, your clients are probably eager to hear from you, and there are likely many more who could benefit from your service or product as life gradually returns to normal.

So dust off your marketing materials, grab your calendar, and put your creative thinking cap on. It's time to take advantage of this temporary lull in business to let the world know you're still here and ready to serve.

Feeding the Dragon (Bad Publicity Happens; Know How – and Whether – to Respond)

By: Jennifer Goddard Combs

Public relations crises are inescapable. Anyone in business can expect at some point to encounter a difficult customer, client, employee or circumstance whose actions or words have the potential to hurt them, their business and their professional reputation.

If you have a business client who’s been hit with negative publicity, there are some basic things for them to consider – like, for instance, whether they should respond to it at all. As Abraham Lincoln once wisely noted, “What kills a skunk is the publicity it gives itself.”

This is not to say businesses should never acknowledge something unfortunate that has adversely affected them or their commerce. In many instances, the best response is with clear and decisive words and actions; in other cases, though, the better move may be to walk away. They’ll first have to determine which makes the most practical sense.

Define ‘PR crisis’
At The Goddard Company, a locally based public relations firm specializing in reputation management, we interpret a PR crisis as any news or event that threatens the reputation or safety of a businessperson or the health and wellbeing of a business stakeholder.

PR crises can befall the smallest of companies and the most gigantic corporations; they can run the gamut from a scathing online review to the national recall of a major consumer product.

Whatever the size or nature of the business, if your client has experienced an incident of any magnitude that falls under this broad definition and if they’re considering their next steps, they’ll have to first ask a few preliminary questions:

§  Is it untrue? Did your client NOT actually do or experience what is being alleged?

§  Could their silence alone dispel the negative energy? In other words, is the critical event not connected to any prominent lawsuits, media outlets or online accounts?

§  Is the incident contained? Is your client in the driver’s seat, with no one else controlling the narrative?

If the answer is yes to *all* of these questions, then they should be able to safely step away from the fire and move on. No need to “feed the dragon.”

On the other hand, if what’s out there is true and if the event is general public information or if someone else is driving the story, they may want to do something.

The first thing to do, of course, is to seek professional guidance. Companies like ours exist not only to help our clients market their products and services but also to maintain the good names they’ve spent their careers building. This can be a tougher task these days, in a world with an ever-widening web and savvier-than-ever consumers.

Reputation management
According to a recent study, 91 percent of consumers regularly or occasionally read online reviews, 90 percent are positively influenced by a good review and 86 percent are negatively influenced by a bad one.

Whether it’s on Google, Yelp or any other digital media outlet, consumers’ online comments are eminently important. They can hit businesses right in their virtual pocketbooks and, for better or worse, they can turn entire careers.

That’s why in recent years it has become an imperative for all businesses to consider online reputation management along with search engine optimization in their digital marketing budgets.

Online reputation management is a vast and complex area of marketing that continues to be defined. What’s clear, though, is that businesspeople at all levels in all fields should know where they stand in the virtual firmament and their best options for maintaining their online reputations.

Forming a plan
Once your client has decided to publicly acknowledge a potential PR crisis, they need to decide the most measured, least obtrusive response. Remember, they’re “feeding the dragon”; overreacting can stoke the flames of a beast best fed sparingly.

This is where we can help: As the reach of the internet continues to grow, the first advice we give our clients is to not attempt their own remediation plans; companies like ours exist to provide professional guidance in an increasingly complex public-facing world.

We offer our clients a service to scan the internet and review the relevant review sites, to find out what’s out there and recommend the most beneficial responses.

Even if the crisis has spread, with a good marketing plan that includes honesty and humility, humor when appropriate and an apology only when it’s fully warranted, we can generally knock the problem down pretty quickly and get your client back to the work they’re here to do.

PR professional Jennifer Goddard Combs, of The Goddard Company Public Relations & Reputation Management, has worked with a number of attorneys and law firms throughout her more than 20 years generating successful publicity campaigns for companies, products and nonprofits locally, regionally and nationally. The Goddard Company is at 550 Maple St., Suite G, Carpinteria, CA 93103; 805-565-3990. Visit www.thegoddardcompany.com.

Why companies need public relations help before website building and SEO

By: Jennifer Goddard Combs

Websites and SEO are undoubtedly important elements for building a successful business in today's increasingly online world. But starting with these services neglects one basic fact: Putting your business on the Internet won't automatically bring you customers. For that to happen, you need people to hear about you through sources they trust.

That's where public relations comes in.

Public relations is essentially a type of advertising, but it's more sophisticated – and far more powerful – than simply paying to display an advertisement in a publication or on a billboard, or getting your business listed in the Yellow Pages or online.

Instead, a public relations firm can generate free publicity for your company by bringing positive information about your business to the attention of journalists and editors at respected media outlets. When those outlets run stories about your business, potential customers are more likely to pay attention and trust the information than they would if they saw a paid-for banner ad.

In addition to newspaper or magazine stories, a good public relations company can help your business gain positive exposure through television and radio appearances, opinion articles and letters to the editor, speaking engagements, press events, and postings online. And it can develop uplifting narratives about your business and accomplishments for use in promotional materials and on your website.

Here's why it makes sense to start with public relations before focusing on your website and search engine results:

• It drives customers to you. Media exposure will build a buzz around your service or product so that customers start contacting you. You can establish a simple, one-page website so people can look you up online. But wait until you've established a client base before investing money in a more sophisticated website.

• It gives your business credibility. By hiring a public relations firm, people will hear about you through trusted media and community sources. That will give them more confidence to actually contact your company and purchase your product or service than if you simply appeared in a list of search results on Google.

• You'll have material to put on your website. When you do hire someone to build your website, they're going to ask you for information to put on there. A public relations firm can provide you with dynamic write-ups and news stories about your company and staff. Media coverage can also be highlighted on your site to enforce credibility for your customers.

For more information about public relations and how quickly publicity can grow your business, call us at 805-565-3990 or visit www.thegoddardcompany.com.

A Great Tip for Marketing Your Business

By: Jennifer Goddard Combs

How does a business consistently promote itself?

It’s one of the most common questions I get when I’m speaking at public engagements as well as with my clients at The Goddard Company.

It’s not surprising. As busy business owners focus their energies on day-to-day operations, self-promotion can get lost in the shuffle. But marketing is a vital piece of any business plan and should not be ignored. So what’s a businessperson to do?

Here’s a great, simple tip I recommend to anyone who runs a business: Create a spread sheet, listing 52 weeks and filling out one thing every week.

It might seem almost too easy, but it absolutely works. It could be attending a networking group, placing an opinion piece in a local newspaper or speaking before a targeted audience. It could be writing an SEO-targeted blog post or sending out a press release about a new product or service.

Each week should contain one simple entry, which can be completed as the year rolls out or – preferably in terms of long-range planning – before a new year begins.

With that in mind, there literally is not a better time to start than now. With a new year and a new decade upon us, this would be the perfect time to make a resolution toward the future success of your business.

Here are some other tasks and goals to consider for your spread sheet:

Update branding: From logos to website designs, there always is room for branding to evolve. Discuss it with your graphics designer.

Have PR backing: If you don’t already have a marketing team or outside firm, get one. For relatively little investment, marketing and public relations support can provide the crucial aid you’ll need to reach out to the public. 

Make a deal: Working with your team, come up with a product or service incentive that you’d like to offer to potential customers or clients, and put it in writing.

Create a media list: Make or update a target list of media outlets – from print publications to TV and radio stations – that you would like to feature good news about your business.

Send a press release: You’ve got the help, the deal and the list; now use them. Put your plan into action by distributing a press release that promotes the news and information you would like people to know about you and your work.

At The Goddard Company, we live to support clients who resolve to help themselves grow their businesses into the future, and we welcome any additional questions about how to do it.

Businesses Can Rise or Fall Based on Online Reputation

By: Julie Price

It’s a vast and complex area of modern marketing that can quite simply make or break a business: Online reputation management (ORM) is pretty much everything these days for customer-based companies in the world of Google, Yelp and other digital review media.

Online reputation management is what it sounds like: It’s a method for business people to monitor whatever is being said about them and their businesses by their clients and customers on the internet – and to respond appropriately to it.

With the proliferation of business review websites and virtual word of mouth, and with online reviews affecting the spending decisions of some 90 percent of consumers, according to a recent study, online reputation management has rapidly risen to a necessary art form and an increasingly important niche area of internet marketing.

Businesspeople at all levels in all fields should be aware of the risks and the benefits associated with their online reputations and their best options for dealing with them.

For those responsible for marketing some of the more reputation-based businesses – attorneys, financial advisers and building contractors, for example – their careers can rise and fall on reputation and public perception.

Our advice

As the reach of the internet continues to grow, the first advice we give our clients is to include ORM in their marketing budgets going forward.

Of course, we make it clear that, if you’re truly engaged in ORM, there is always the chance that you’ll uncover some bad news you’d rather not have; in terms of ORM, controlling the spread of negative publicity across the web is the greatest challenge.

But we’re also clear on the good news: You are in control. Ultimately, you get to decide how you would like to manage your businesses’ reputations. With honesty and humility? (We recommend this.) With humor? (Sometimes a good idea.) With apologies? (Only if a complaint is fully warranted; if it’s wholly unfounded, we recommend zero engagement.) And how do you want to publicize the positive feedback? (Happy dilemma.)

Positive feedback is a beautiful thing. It’s the kind of news that should be shared across as many media as possible, online and otherwise, in as savvy a way as possible, and we’re more than happy to help. Spreading good news is the fun part of ORM.

For more information on what we do, including online reputation management, call us at 805-565-3990 or visit www.thegoddardcompany.com.

Marketing Through a Recession

By: Julie Price

“If I was down to my last dollar, I would spend it on public relations.” – Bill Gates

When the economy gets tough, the tough business leader knows it’s crucial to keep the company name and good reputation out there. For this reason, the boldly confident business tends to survive economic downturns, while the weak tend to flail and fold.

It’s a highly relevant point right now, with all the rumbling about a recession – about when and not if it will occur. Now is the time to consider how your business will weather the apparently inevitable economic storm on the horizon.

For reference, we need look back barely a decade, to the great recession of 2008, when thousands of businesses failed and tens of thousands of employees lost their jobs. It’s still fresh in our minds – helping to stoke the fears that, in the event of another recession, the same would happen again.

But if there’s a positive side to the recentness of the last downturn, it’s that there are still-relevant lessons to be learned – and an abiding one stands above the rest: Don’t stop marketing.

It’s standard sage advice that many businesses don’t heed – often to their great detriment. As author and marketing whiz Jay Lipe notes in his “10 Commandments of Marketing”: “Thou shalt not cut marketing spending during slow times.”

Lipe cites as an example a McGraw-Hill Research study that analyzed 600 companies and their marketing spending during an earlier downturn. The study “concluded that those firms that had maintained or increased their advertising during the recession … boasted an average sales growth of 275% over the next five years (while) those companies that cut their advertising saw paltry sales growth over the next five years of just 19%.”

“When is the right time to market your business?” Lipe concluded. “All the time.”

Era of low-cost marketing

The advice is timeless, but these days it’s easier than ever to promote your business – and especially important during a difficult fiscal period.

“Staying in the public eye is essential to enduring a recession,” said California journalist and digital consultant John Boitnott, who was quick to add that marketing today “doesn’t have to break your budgets.”

“Social media and websites provide an effective platform for small-business owners to market without spending too much,” Boitnott noted in a recent article on Inc.com. “Social media is free. Options like Facebook ads and email marketing are low-cost compared to a TV commercial.”

The bottom line: “If potential customers don’t know you exist, they can’t use your products or services,” Boitnott said, “so utilize inexpensive options if you have to, but don’t stop marketing.”

At The Goddard Company Public Relations and Marketing, we take great pride in helping our clients establish individual marketing budgets that make sense for their unique needs. To learn how you can prepare your business for whatever lies ahead, visit us at www.thegoddardcompany.com.

You Should Be On TV

By: Julie Price

Local TV stations remain the most relied-upon news source among U.S. adults. According to a recent Pew Research Center study, half of us still get our news regularly from television – more than any other news source and significantly more than online sources.

As a businessperson, you should not discount the marketing and public relations value of having your company featured on your local TV news station – and with no ad dollars involved.

Regardless of your line of work, there is a TV news opportunity out there for you. Whether it’s a deal you’re offering, a local wrong you’re righting or invaluable information you’re sharing, with a little ingenuity, you can create a camera-ready news event for your business. At The Goddard Company, we regularly work with our clients on creative ways to put their names and faces on the local TV news.

Here are a few tips to think about if you’re seeking TV news coverage:

• BE VISUAL: Television is, above all else, a visual medium. Only stories with video components will be considered, and the more compelling the video, the better. We make sure that any TV pitch we make includes a strong visual element.
  

• BE AVAILABLE: Our caveat to our clients: News breaks now, and deadlines are no joke. Be aware that, once we’ve made your news pitch, you have to make yourself available at any time, or you could miss this opportunity.
  

• BE TIMELY: News producers like well-timed stories. Connect your news event to a holiday or other time-pegged observance – from Thanksgiving or Christmas to the start of spring or summer.
  

• BE KIND, HUMBLE, RESPECTFUL: If your news event is self-serving or promotional, it will instantly ring false. If your news offers no insights, it will not be considered. If it disrespects others, it will defeat its purpose of shining a positive light on you and your work. To best position yourself for news coverage, simply provide a clear, useful story.
  

• BE AWARE: If you’re in business, you are sitting on a newsworthy story. You may not know what it is yet, but if you give it some thought, and seek the help of a PR professional, you will find it. Some of our most rewarding work comes in our collaboration with clients as we get to the hearts of their stories – stories we ideally see on TV.

How Publicity Helps Attorneys

By: Julie Price

When a water main burst under a community playhouse, it nearly destroyed the structure, and it sparked a dispute over liability between the utility company and the two local brothers who owned the historic playhouse.

To the townsfolk, it was clear: The brothers deserved full compensation for the damage caused by the breach. The utility was offering a relatively modest settlement. Without the resources to fight in court, the brothers didn’t have much hope against the big utility … that is, until two local attorneys from a prestigious law firm in the area offered to help – which they did for three and a half years, until the brothers received full compensation.

The attorneys’ help was a boon to not only the brothers and the community but also their law firm, a client of ours that asked us to share the story publicly. With our assistance, the story – and the law firm – remained in the news throughout the long legal battle. As the playhouse got its second life, the law firm’s business and reputation grew.

Over the years, we have represented countless lawyers in a variety of interesting ways. With their expertise and eloquence, attorneys provide excellent opportunities for publicity. If it’s not a local-interest news story, it can be one of many other things. For example:

• Speaking engagements: Attorneys are public speakers by their nature, and they also tend to have vital information of general interest. With that in mind, we often arrange to have our attorney clients go out and address civic groups. These engagements are a great, positive way to give back to the community and also to keep the law firms on top of people’s minds.

• Press releases: When a lawyer gets a landmark case or an interesting decision or a special recognition or a promotion, it’s often newsworthy. A standard press release distributed widely to all relevant media outlets is the bread and butter of a solid marketing plan.

• Op-ed pieces: Sometimes – and particularly on topics of some urgency – it makes more sense to have the attorneys tell the stories directly, in which case we help them write and distribute first-person opinion pieces for local, regional and/or national news media and bar association publications.

• Awards: The Los Angeles Business Journal is among the regional publications that present awards to leaders in the legal community. We nominate worthy clients and often succeed in having them recognized; as they learn, these honors are timeless and priceless.

• Share with client base: We try to distribute all publicity and published articles to the law firms’ clients, so they’re apprised of what their attorneys have accomplished.

• Weekly marketing plan: Bottom line, whatever they do, attorneys should do something EVERY WEEK to market themselves and their firms. The regularity of publicity is the single greatest tool to its success.

Public Relations: A Primer

By: Julie Price

If you’re in business, you’re in public relations. By definition, anyone engaged in commerce must be relating to the public.

Ideally, though, you have a PR partner like The Goddard Company to help you maintain your public image and do your promotional heavy lifting; that’s because, while PR is a basic and vital function of business growth, it’s not nearly as simple as it might seem.

The nuances of knowing when, where, why and how to promote a person or company are generally beyond even the most masterful brand owners and best left to the PR professionals.

Still, if you’re in business, you should have at least a working understanding of public relations.

Here are a few fast facts and truisms to help you:

◊ Define ‘public relations’: The work may be complicated, but the PR concept is not. It’s pretty much just controlling the public conversation around you and your work. Google defines it as “the professional maintenance of a favorable public image by a company or other organization or a famous person.”

◊ As old as civilization: A clay tablet found in ancient Iraq that promoted more advanced agricultural techniques may be the first known example of public relations – proving that pretty much forever, where there’s been commerce, there’s been PR.

◊ Putting PR to use: In practice, public relations covers a vast spectrum of services, from the distribution of a single press release to the long-term promotion of a major project to the establishment and maintenance of an ongoing multiplatform marketing campaign.

◊ Advertising vs. PR: The differences are distinct: Advertising is when you pay directly for public space; public relations is when a story earns free media attention. Or, as business executive Jean-Louis Gassée put it: “Advertising is saying you’re good. PR is getting someone else to say you’re good.”

◊ Quote unquote: Simple memes like Gassée’s can be the best instructors. Here are some other pithy PR quotes, summing it up in under 20 words:

• “A good PR story is infinitely more effective than a front-page ad.” – Richard Branson
  
  

• “People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories and magic.” – Seth Godin
  
  

• “If your stories are all about your products and services, that’s not storytelling; it’s a brochure.” – Jay Baer
  
  

• “Your brand is a story unfolding across all customer touch points.” – Jonah Sachs
  
  

• “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” – Peter Drucker
  
  

• “PR is performance recognition.” – Douglas Smith
  
  

• “It’s all about finding the calm in the chaos.” – Donna Karan

• “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some hire public relations officers.” – Daniel J. Boorstin
  
  

· And our personal favorite: “If I was down to my last dollar, I would spend it on public relations.” – Bill Gates

- Questions? The Goddard Company is as close as a call or an email.

Market Your Business – Always

By: Julie Price

When acclaimed marketing guru Arlene Dickinson advises businesspeople, “Don’t slash your marketing budget!” that’s not self-serving hyperbole.

The president and CEO of Calgary-based Venture Communications and a well-known Canadian TV personality, Dickinson uses this marketing mantra to express to businesspeople the fiscal wisdom, if not necessity, of creating a public brand message.

“No. 1 is, make sure your message is well expressed so that it’s easily understood,” she told a recent gathering of several hundred businesspeople. “No. 2 is, make sure you say it repetitively.”

The reason should be obvious: “When you disappear from the marketplace,” Dickinson said, “you disappear from people’s minds.”

This is true always but particularly during economic downturns. According to Dickinson, companies that increased their marketing spending during the recession saw 5.1 percent higher increases in profitability during the recovery than those that decided to cut, and they also gained a higher increase in market share – almost three times higher than companies that cut their marketing budgets.

At The Goddard Company, we know these things absolutely if only anecdotally: Our clients with consistent marketing budgets virtually always outpace their competitors. In our many years of experience, we’ve watched company after company that marketed regularly and consistently outpace those that do little or no marketing – and the difference has been significant.

Define ‘marketing budget’

Depending on the industry, businesses generally earmark from their budgets anywhere from 4 percent (for energy companies) to 24 percent (for consumer packaged goods) for marketing, with the average in the 11.6 percent range, according to the Wall Street Journal.

These days, the bulk of marketing expenses tends to go to internet strategies in addition to personnel costs. With everything from social media to SEO (search engine optimization) dominating many marketing budgets, we also maintain that good old-fashioned publicity is both cost-effective and generally effective.

While we do help our clients with broad-based web services including blog posts, e-newsletters and social media marketing, we also encourage them to utilize the most basic marketing tools, such as making public appearances and offering newsworthy incentive programs, products and services.

With our help, keeping business names out there, we have found that all sizes of companies can save substantially on marketing costs and still maintain a strong market presence.

Contact us for personalized information and estimates.

Go Make a Story

By: Julie Price

In business, there’s no substitute for good old-fashioned good news

A local Realtor noted a pattern among several clients who were selling homes in nice neighborhoods after a family member had died or moved to assisted living. In each case, the empty home was in disrepair but the seller was in a Catch-22 situation, unable to afford the repairs that would allow the home to bring in anything close to what it was worth.

Moved by their dilemma, the Realtor realized that he could offer to fund the repairs and receive payment after the homes sold at or above fair market value, which they all did.

His plan created not only a win-win situation but a unique niche market – and a great story, which we helped him share through local media.

In other instances:

• A family-owned architectural coatings firm funded an anti-graffiti mural program alongside a busy L.A. freeway, earning kudos from the mayor and making headlines across the country.

• A small nonprofit group that helped the families of local children who were battling cancer let us share some of its heartwarming stories, shining a light on the group’s amazing work.

The businesses and their stories are diverse but the outcomes are the same: By doing something noteworthy, they made a name for themselves. In each case, their businesses thrived in the wake of the publicity.

In this era of social media and the many-tentacled beast that is public relations, there really is nothing like a good old-fashioned good-news story.

So, what have you got? Can you speak or share a presentation about your business at a civic group meeting? Can you find a way to give back to your community in some unique way? Or how about offering a free introductory service or leading a free introductory class? …

The options are endless, to do something that will make lives better in your community – and could also make headlines, online, in print, on radio and on TV.

With the help of a marketing or public relations firm, you can make a wonderful name for yourself, locally and sometimes beyond, simply by doing good work.

As noted, some of our greatest successes at The Goddard Company have sprung from something as simple as helping to share a story that shines a public light on what good companies do.

Do Something Every Week …

By: Julie Price

All successful businesses have one thing in common: relevance.

In a recent study from Accenture, a global management consulting and professional services firm, 65 percent of the 23,000 consumer respondents said that, when they switched company brands, it was to pursue more relevant offerings.

If you own a thriving business, it’s a fact: You have done something to keep your product or service pertinent to the world around you.

So, if you’re in business, how do you do that? How do you remain relevant?

In the long term, of course, you should keep up-to-date on general technologies affecting your work and you should stay on top of continuing education.

But let’s look at the short term: Each week, there’s some small thing you can do to make sure your brand is out there working for you.

Here are a few things you can and should do every week to stay at the top of your game:

* SEO: Search engine optimization is what gets you to the top of Google searches and other free, organic online searches. All new business plans should include SEO; to get you started, you can search online for the “Google keyword planner.”

* Blog: You know your business – and what you know could help others, including potential clients and customers. Share what’s new in your trade or some other knowledge you have that others might not. Maintaining a blog is a great way to give back through sharing; it’s also a natural way to keep your name current and to keep your website updated. An outdated website is a clear sign to the public that you are not keeping up.

* Networking: There’s no substitute for face-to-face connection with the world out there – and with your professional public. Join your local chamber of commerce. Explore service and professional groups in your area that are likely to connect you with new clients, customers and consumers. Attend community gatherings. Doing this even once or twice a month can do wonders for your professional visibility.

* Traditional media: There’s also no substitute for positive press, for a good-news story. So, what have you got? Can you speak or share a presentation at a civic group meeting? Can you find a way to give back to your community in some unique way? Or how about offering a free introductory service or leading a free introductory class? … The options are pretty vast, to do something that will make the local news – online, in print, on radio and on TV. With the help of a marketing or public relations firm, you can make a wonderful name for yourself, locally and sometimes beyond, by simply doing something good. Some of our greatest success stories at The Goddard Company have revolved around media campaigns that have catapulted good businesses into the stratosphere, simply by shedding positive light on them in the public eye.

What New Year’s Resolution?

By: Amanda Longstreth

“Happy Valentine’s Day!”

Uh oh. ... Just hearing those words can spark a low-level anxiety – and not just because you still haven’t bought your sweetie a gift, or because you don’t have a sweetie (you’re not alone). What can be especially jarring about this particular holiday is that it means a full month and a half has already passed since the new year.

All those grand plans and resolutions you made to increase your social media and online marketing are starting to slide to the backburner and you’ve returned in large part to your position of accomplishing “just enough.”

But guess what? It’s not too late. Far from it. There are ways you can still hit all your marketing goals and accomplish what you set out to accomplish just six weeks ago.

First of all, keep your eye on the prize. Literally, pull out that list you wrote down with all your goals and commitments for this year and read them over again. Perhaps they’ll spark something different in you today. Some goals may no long seem necessary or realistic. Some may feel even more important now. Just taking the time to read over your resolutions may well light the fire you felt when you first wrote them down.

Ask for help. Reach out to your co-workers, employees, business associates or networking groups and find ways to collaborate. Check in with your marketing or publicity team and see how they can assist you in meeting your goals – and how you can help them in theirs. Just see how much a team can accomplish.

Take note of what HAS been done. Did you write a blog last month? Did you stick to your commitment to post on your social media more consistently? Give yourself credit for what you HAVE accomplished over the past six weeks and let that pride compel you.

Break it down. Instead of focusing on the whole year, take a realistic look at what you can do this month, this week or even this hour to keep the overall plan in motion.

Finally, think big picture. You may have called them New Year’s resolutions, but the business goals you set for yourself in January do not necessarily end in December. Don’t judge yourself by your actions each day; have the foresight and vision to see where your long-term goals can ultimately lead you and your business.

“Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in 10 years.” – Bill Gates

Make and Meet Business Goals – 2019 One Month at a Time

By: Amanda Longstreth

Every Dec. 31, an estimated 130 million Americans resolve to improve something about themselves in the coming year. By February, it’s estimated that 80 percent of them have already bailed on those goals. By the next Dec. 31, only 8 percent are estimated to have seen their New Year’s resolutions through.

The good news is that those folks who do meet their resolution goals tend to succeed in making lifelong changes for the better.

If any of your 2019 resolutions center on improving your business, we have some tried-and-true marketing and public relations tips to keep you on track … one month at a time.

By setting monthly goals, not only will you increase your odds of sticking to them but you also can address more areas that may need improvement.   

Here are 12 marketing and PR goals you can include in your business plan for 2019, one month at a time:

1. Plan: Do a mental review of the past year. What is one area that stands out as weak? Could you have organized your financial goals better? Improved your communication? Done more to market your business? Pick one primary area of weakness and resolve to improve it this year. 

2. Image/branding: Update business branding and graphics – from logos to website designs, from text to photos.

3. Media list: Create (or update) a list of print publications and TV and radio news outlets that you would like to have feature you and your business this year.

4. Press releases: Use your new media list to increase visibility and publicity for your business by sending out a press release, on a new product, service or event you’d like to promote.

5. Social media: Increase and maintain your company’s social media presence on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and/or LinkedIn, with regular tweets, photos, stories, videos and other posts.

6. Blogging: Create a blog – or commit to writing posts more regularly on an existing blog.

7. Speaking engagements: Get out there! Offer to speak (or have a partner or employee speak) on your professional area of expertise, at local/regional business and civic group meetings.

8. Networking groups: Contact your local chamber of commerce for information on joining or starting a local networking group. If possible, offer to host a mixer at your business.

9. Online marketing: Focus on your website – posting, engaging, collaborating – and online marketing tools such as search engine optimization (SEO) and keyword identification.

10. Socialize: Attend community events where you can connect with old clients or meet potential new ones.

11. TV/radio: Create valuable, timely talking points related to your company or business. Then reach out to local broadcast stations to set up informational appearances.

12. Seek support: Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Seek out a marketing/public relations firm to help take some of the burden off achieving your new goals. At The Goddard Company, we take great pride in helping businesses that are resolving to better market themselves.

When a PR Crisis Occurs, It Pays to Have a Plan

By: Julie Price

In 1982, seven people in the Chicago area died after taking Tylenol capsules laced with poison. It was headline news for weeks.

In response, Tylenol’s parent company, Johnson & Johnson, directed by its public relations team, immediately pulled more than 30 million bottles of Tylenol, stopped all production and cooperated fully with law enforcement. When the crisis had subsided, the company reintroduced Tylenol in then-new and highly innovative tamper-resistant bottles, along with $2.50-off coupons. The company is widely credited with leading the way in unsafe packaging reform.

This landmark case presents a perfect example of how to manage a PR crisis. Proof is in the fact that Tylenol exists today as one of our nation’s primary pain-relief products.

We may not be at the level of Johnson & Johnson, but let’s face it, in all of our lives and businesses, crises will occur. How we respond to crisis can be the difference between a tragic ending and a happy ending.

Over the years, our company has navigated our clients to good outcomes in the face of a wide variety of emergencies. Some common examples of PR crises are:

·         Public legal battles

·         Bad publicity surrounding a product or service

·         A public controversy involving an employee or associate

·         Criminal activity connected with a company or associate

·         The unexpected death of a prominent person

Each crisis is unique – connected only by the common element of surprise – and so is each resolution plan, but when any crisis occurs, the need to respond and communicate is immediate; the method of response is critical; and the existence of a crisis communication plan is vital.

If you don’t have one, you should create one or connect with a public relations firm that can help.

What is Free Media...Really?

By: Stephanie Soldo

About two years ago, we defined what free media is here, but now we’d like to dive deep into what free media really, REALLY means.

Free media. How many business owners out there have wanted to promote their companies but could not decide between advertising or publicity – aka free media?

The best way to describe free media is to compare it to its counterpart – advertising, which involves a person or company paying a newspaper (or radio station or cable TV channel) to have an awesome product or service put on display for the world to see (or hear). Of course, there’s nothing wrong with advertising, and it can be an effective way establish “name recognition.” But there is an unattractive connotation with the idea. Think about it: When we see an ad on Instagram, we swipe quickly past, and when a jingle for dog food comes on the radio, we groan and change the channel.

Free media is different. There is no payment for a spot in a magazine, only persuasion for one. Our job as public relations agents is to convince journalists and editors why our stories matter, so when our articles are published, they are endorsed by the print media, not paid to be there.

This third-party validation is everything. If Fred the Barber pays for an ad in the newspaper, he doesn’t cut it out, frame it and show all his customers. But if Fred the Barber is nominated and wins Barber of the Year in the Los Angeles Times, you can bet that recognition will be on his wall.

As a result, publicity is usually more “bang for your buck.” Not only is the press that’s generated by PR agents free (meaning no one pays publications for it to appear) but it is meaningful. So, turn down that radio ad and swipe away on Instagram and, the next time you’re faced with the age-old marketing dilemma of “To Advertise or Not to Advertise,” consider free media as a more effective way to boost your company’s presence.

Interested in speaking with free media experts? Call us and we will answer any of your PR questions.