Holiday Cards-An Opportunity to Make Contact

December 11, 2008

 
As the holidays approach, you are probably swamped with year-end work activities and preparing for your own personal celebrations at home.

The last thing on your mind may be the thought of purchasing business holidays cards, writing messages and addresses, licking envelopes, and buying stamps. But you may be missing out on a great opportunity.

Not only are holiday cards a fantastic way to spread some cheer during tough times, but they offer a great way to get through to potential new clients, investors and sponsors, renew relationships with media members and thank valued customers.

After all, most people appreciate a personalized holiday card and will open this type mail.

Now, you may think it will take too much time and cost too much money to send out cards, but with today’s technology, it can be very easy and cost-effective.

Some services will even take care of printing and mailing for you! (Check out http://www.printingforless.com/holidaycards.html, www.kinkos.com  and your local print shop for help.)

And if you are really short on funds, you can always send electronic greetings through Hallmark, Yahoo! and others.

If possible, try to set aside a few hours to create an address list and send out holiday cards in the next few weeks. It may be a lot easier than you think and well worth the effort.

Not only will you help build business relationships, but you’ll spread some holiday cheer…and we could all use some of that right now!

If you need help with your copywriting and PR efforts, please let me know. Thanks!

2 Comments | Reaching Goals, Marketing, business | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by rembrandtwrites

A Simple Thank You Goes a Long Way

December 4, 2008

 

Now that we’ve all had some time to get back into work mode after the Thanksgiving holiday, I thought I’d provide a simple reminder…

As an entrepreneur, it’s important to regularly develop relationships with the media (on top of everything else you have to do). But it doesn’t need to be difficult.

In fact, the next time you see a quote or article in the media that includes information about your business, send a quick thank you to the reporter who wrote the story.

Media members are inundated with negative news, bad press releases and quick deadlines on a daily basis so they tend to appreciate a note of thanks and a few, nice comments about their hard work.

With this in mind, it’s also a good idea to regularly thank customers, partners, employees, and other business associates.

It only takes a few minutes. And best of all, your quick “thank you” may result in better relationships with the people who can take your business to the next level…fast. 

Try it and let me know what happens…

And with that note, THANK YOU for reading, and I’ll be writing more soon!

6 Comments | Marketing, Reaching Goals, Small Business PR | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
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
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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! 

Leave a Comment » | business, Marketing, PR, Reaching Goals, 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

3 Quick Ways to Build Buzz and Sales

October 21, 2008

 

If the economic crunch is starting to hurt your business, it’s time to act
fast to increase sales. Here are three cost-effective publicity activities you
can do now to help build buzz:

1. Team Up With a Bigger Organization.
Find a business or charity with a big name that compliments your products and services. Create a special discount, holiday package or event. Then, invite the press.

You’ll be able to split the costs, time and effort while sharing media resources and customer databases.

2. Contact Media Members Directly.
In addition to sending out a press release to build buzz, pick up the phone too! Contact a targeted reporter, introduce yourself and provide your unique and newsworthy story.

You can also offer yourself as an expert resource for a future story. The point is to start a media relationship and make contact. You may just end up with a feature story from one simple call!

3. Update Your Website.
Is your site current? If not, add valuable information for potential
customers. Make it easy to do business with you. Also, add some keywords to your site so that search engines can find you.

After all, if you don’t look like you are “home,” potential customers will visit
other sites to obtain information and assistance. Don’t miss out on potential business! Try to keep your site updated and provide contact information so people can reach you.

Just by taking a few minutes to make an extra effort, you can increase sales for your business. Even if you have zero funds, try to be creative and think about your customers and media members. What do they want right now, and how can you fulfill their needs?

For more help and free PR information, please provide your comments below or feel free to contact me at www.rembrandtwrites.com. I’d love to hear from you!

Leave a Comment » | business, Marketing, Reaching Goals, Small Business PR | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by rembrandtwrites

Small Business Public Relations-What to pitch right now

October 16, 2008

 

If you are a small business owner ready to pitch your story to the press, hold on.

Right now, media members are concentrating on two major issues:

1. The economy

2. The election

If your pitch doesn’t have anything to do with these two items, it’s time to develop a new story idea.

Think about how your products and services fit into economic news and/or the election.

Can you provide some kind of specific benefit, discount or tip to help people save money or deal with the current economy?

Do you have expertise in an area related to one of the issues on the upcoming ballot (local reform, saving the environment, etc.)?

Check out these news sites to help discover some new story ideas:

www.usatoday.com
http://news.yahoo.com/i/1203
http://money.cnn.com/news/economy/
http://www.ap.org/elections2008/index.html

If you don’t have a story related to these hot news items, you may want to hold off on pitching media members your personal, business story. Instead, it may be wiser to focus on your marketing efforts for a few days and practice your pitch for a later date.

After all, why waste time on a story media members just don’t want to hear right now? You’ll avoid frustration and feel much better if you think about the reporters’ needs first.

Got small business public relations questions? Just let me know. I’m here to help!

1 Comment | business, Marketing | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by rembrandtwrites

Financial Help for Small Business Owners

October 14, 2008

 

If you are worried about the current economic turmoil and want some help with your small business financial worries, check out these sites:

About.com
http://stress.about.com/od/financialstress/Financial_Concerns_Managing_Your_MoneyAND_Your_Stress.htm

DebtSteps.com
http://www.debtsteps.com/financial-stress.html

Fortune Small Business
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fsb/fsb_archive/2008/10/01/toc.html

Free Management Library

http://www.managementhelp.org/finance/fp_fnce/fp_fnce.htm

SBA

http://www.sba.gov/services/financialassistance/index.html

SCORE
http://www.score.org/index.html

StartupNation
www.startupnation.com 

SuzeOrman.com

http://www.suzeorman.com/igsbase/igstemplate.cfm?SRC=MD012&SRCN=index&GnavID=84&SnavID=20

Yahoo! Small Business
http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/r-mainCat-m-2-finance-i

http://finance.yahoo.com/how-to-guide/career-work/12825

The more informed you are, the better off your business will be now and in
the long run. Plus, you can save yourself a lot of unnecessary stress and
hassle.

If you need help boosting sales for your small business via publicity and
online copywriting efforts, please let me know below or at
www.rembrandtwrites.com. I’m here to help!

6 Comments | business, Marketing, Small Business PR | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by rembrandtwrites

Scared of Reporters? 3 Tips to Overcome Your Fears

October 2, 2008

 

It’s already October, and Halloween is upon us. With this in mind, are you afraid to talk to reporters?

 

If media interviews make you nervous, there are several things you can do to reduce your stress and handle these calls with confidence. Here’s a quick review:

 

1. Be prepared.
 

Learn from this famous Boy Scout motto and be ready for media calls before they happen. Review your messaging and write down key points you want to convey.

 

Think about what you will say and how you will say it. You may even want to keep some cards with talking points by the phone for easy access.

 

And for those times when you need to respond to unexpected media requests regarding current issues and news, take a moment to collect your thoughts. Tell the reporters you will call them back in ten minutes.

 

Then, figure out what you want to say, write it down, take a deep breath, and pick up the phone. This brief interval will help you relax and have confidence so that the last-minute interview goes well.

 

2. Practice.


It never hurts to sharpen your speaking and interview skills. Have a friend or co-worker interview you on a regular basis. Get feedback on your tone, responses and body movements.

 

You may even want to videotape or record these practice interviews. This way, you’ll be able to correct mistakes and improve skills faster.

 

Plus, wouldn’t you like to see what you are doing wrong now as opposed to watching your mistakes on a national news broadcast?

 

3. Review.

 

After you’ve finished an interview, review it carefully. Look and listen for things you can improve on the next time. Perhaps you said “um” a lot, moved your head too much or came across as a weak leader for your organization.

 

The more you review previous interviews and make appropriate adjustments, the faster your skills will improve.

You Can Do It!

Not everyone has natural interview and speaking skills. But if you take the time to prepare, practice and review, you’ll have more confidence, and your fears will disappear.

 

Plus, you’ll give better interviews that can help your company grow and prosper.

 

If you’d like more information about this topic, feel free to comment below or visit my website at www.rembrandtwrites.com to register for my free newsletter packed with valuable tips and information. Thanks!

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

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