Happy Thanksgiving!

November 25, 2008

Phew! We made it to Thanksgiving.

With the last few months of election activities and the economic roller coaster, I think we all deserve a break. And even with all of this turmoil, we are still around and have a lot to be thankful for.

With this in mind, I’d like to thank all of you for reading my blog. I hope I’ve given you some help with your PR and copywriting activities and provided some inspiration at the same time.

In the month’s ahead, I hope to continue to offer you some valuable information to boost sales, awareness and credibility.

But for now, I wish you a happy and health Thanksgiving full of fun, friends, family, rest, and relaxation!

1 Comment | Reaching Goals | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by rembrandtwrites

What Did Your Brain Just Say?

November 20, 2008

 

With the economy the way it is, there is a lot more competition for business. But before you jump at every new job opportunity that comes your way, take a moment to stop and think.

I don’t know about you, but every time I’ve gone into a new business relationship without paying attention to my inner voice, things usually don’t work out well.

There have been many instances where things just “don’t seem right,” and my instincts are giving me a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach. But I move on with a new client or business relationship because things are transpiring fast, and I need to make quick decisions.

When I do this, I always end up wasting time, money and effort. And even though it can be very difficult to take a moment before accepting a huge contract or working with a new client, I’ve found that it is essential.

Just by giving myself a few minutes of quiet time, or by sleeping on a decision, I know exactly what I need to do and things seem to move forward much better.

…So with this in mind, it can be well worth it to listen to your inner voice prior to making a decision. It has helped my business grow much faster, and it may help you too! 

If this little tip helps you, please let me know. And if you have questions about your small business public relations or copywriting, I’d love to hear from you!

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Posted by rembrandtwrites

Did you really ask that?

November 18, 2008

 

Have you ever been listening to an online seminar, speaker at an event or tele-seminar, and someone asks a really lame question?

For example, I was recently watching a presentation related to online marketing tips from one of the top experts in the industry. The host opened the floor for questions, and someone got up and asked, “What is a landing page?”

Now, this is a perfectly good question, but it was just not the right time to ask it. After all, the expert only had a few minutes to share his thoughts and answer questions.

And instead of simply finding the answer on Google on his own time, the audience member could have used this opportunity to his advantage and ask for some inside information .

For example, he could have said something like, “What trends do you see happening in landing pages and SEO strategies that have produced the biggest boost in sales in the shortest amount of time for your clients?

Not only would the response have provided useful information to everyone listening, but the caller would have appeared to be more professional.

I don’t like to get on my soap box, but business is competitive. You need to do the work and present yourself in the best light possible in order to succeed….so here are three tips to keep in mind the next time to go to a seminar or listen to a presentation online:

- Research the subject matter and the speaker in advance.

- Figure out what information you hope to get out of the presentation.

- Write down pertinent questions specifically for the speaker so you can get the data you need.

After all, if you spend the time, money and effort to participate in an event, you want to get the most out of it as possible. Not only will you help your business grow faster, but you may just help other participants get the information they need to be successful too!

1 Comment | Marketing, Reaching Goals, Small Business PR | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by rembrandtwrites

The Secret to Getting Press

November 13, 2008

 

You sit down in your favorite chair ready to bite into your freshly prepared bagel and… Drat! There is a headline featuring your competition with a big photo of the CEO. The first thing you ask yourself is, “Why him and not me?”

 

Well, don’t get too upset. That CEO may be:

 

·       A good friend of the reporter;

·       Advertise in the publication;

·       Spend a fortune on a big PR firm; or

·       Know the one secret to publicity success.

 

And if it’s the last point above, you’re in luck. Here is the secret:

 

Create a unique story angle for a specific reporter and contact that media member directly.

 

I’m not kidding.

 

There is so much hype about building buzz that is really comes down to this.

 

You just need to be willing to conduct the appropriate research and develop a unique and newsworthy story angle that a reporter will really care about.

 

And even if the reporter doesn’t like your pitch, at least you will start to establish yourself as a reputable source and create a working relationship with this media member for future stories.

 

Sure. Many business owners are lucky enough to get big media stories right away. But don’t let this get to you.

 

For true publicity success, you need to work hard, be creative and have some patience. And if you keep going, eventually you’ll be the one with the front-page feature!

 

If you have questions, or need help with your PR and online copywriting, please let me know! I’m here to help. Thanks! 

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Posted by rembrandtwrites

Just when hope starts to fade…

November 11, 2008

It’s 4:00 a.m., and I just turned on the computer and took my first sip of coffee.

 

With the stress of the economy, the election and an increase in the number of reporters losing their jobs, it has been an uphill battle to build buzz for my clients.

 

And just when frustration started to get the best of me, things turned around.

 

In the last few days, my hard work paid off. My clients were featured on Forbes, The Discovery Channel, Workwise, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, and others.

 

It just goes to show you that you need to keep pluggin’ away, and even give  extra effort, when things aren’t going the way you planned.

 

Sure. This can be easier said than done so here are a few sites to help you stay positive and get the inspiration you need to hang in there when times get tough…

 

Quotes from “Power of Positive Thinking’s” Norman Vincent Peale

 

Daily Motivational Quote Widget

 

Small Business Advice from the Experts at SCORE

 

Small Business Help from Experts and other Entrepreneurs

 

Funny YouTube Videos for a Quick Laugh

 

And if this doesn’t work, just think…the Thanksgiving holiday will be here soon. Then, you can take a few days to relax, rest and start fresh when you return to the office!

 

If you have questions, or need help with your PR and online copywriting, please let me know! I’m here to help. Thanks!

Leave a Comment » | business, Small Business PR, small business public relations | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by rembrandtwrites

Are Reporters Reading Your E-Mails?

November 6, 2008

 

It’s 8:30 a.m. and you’ve spent the morning crafting the perfect e-mail to announce your brand new clothing line for dogs.  You click “send” and wait for a response from the business editor at The New York Times.

Now, it’s noon and still no response from the editor. You call and get voice mail so you leave a message. Days go by and still no response.

Does this sound familiar?

These days, most reporters are swamped with deadlines and just trying to keep their jobs. They don’t have time to contact anyone who pitches irrelevant topics.

…But what’s that? You say you researched the reporter and thought he or she would really be interested in your new dog collar?

Well, maybe it’s not your pitch, maybe it’s your e-mail.

You may very well have a great story to tell. But if you don’t send a user-friendly e-mail, you’ll get nowhere fast.

When crafting an e-mail that is going to reporters, try to keep these tips in mind:

- Keep it short and sweet.
Get to the point fast and avoid “fluff.” Stick to the facts.

- Focus on the benefits.
Why is the reporter going to care about what you have to say?

- Include links.
Try to add links to important data relevant to your pitch. That way, reporters can easily get additional information fast.

- Run Spell Check.
Be sure to check for grammatical and spelling errors before sending out your e-mail. You want to present yourself as a professional who took some time to create the e-mail.

-Where’s your contact information?
If reporters want to learn more, can they find your contact information easily? You may want to include your cell phone number so they don’t have any problems reaching you.

It takes some skill to pitch reporters and give them a unique story packed with excitement and benefits. And once you spend the appropriate time crafting your pitch, don’t forget to proof your e-mail too.

After all, if it’s too long, boring and packed with errors, your message will go straight to the wastebasket. And who wants to waste time and effort like that?

If you have questions about your PR and copywriting efforts, please let me know here or at www.rembrandtwrites.com. I’d love to hear from you!

8 Comments | business, Marketing, PR, Small Business PR, Writing Tips | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by rembrandtwrites

Vote and Move On

November 4, 2008

 

Did you vote? I’m sure you will hear this a lot today, but it is an important election. And it will be interesting to see the media frenzy announcing all of the results.

Whatever happens, reporters will spend some time discussing the issues, and then it will be (somewhat) back to “business as usual.”

Are you ready?

Here are the key areas media members will be focusing on for the rest of the year:

- The Economy

- The Holidays

- The New Year (that’s right…start preparing your pitches now)

If you can figure out a unique story angle for these key areas that focus on the benefits of your products and services, you’ll have a much better time getting “press” over the next few months.

Do you have some interesting pitch-ideas you’d like to share or have questions about your PR efforts? Please feel free to contact me below or at www.rembrandtwrites.com. I’m here to help! Thanks!

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Posted by rembrandtwrites

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