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

What’s Your Work Ethic?

December 9, 2008

 

Over the weekend, I was walking along the beach early in the morning and noticed several people standing around with brooms. They were all wearing bright orange vests and seemed like they were fulfilling a community-service obligation.

As I passed the group, I heard the leader say, “Now, take your time. If they see you’re not doing anything, they’ll give you more work to do.”

Sure enough, a few minutes later, I noticed all of the volunteers spread out across the sidewalk…standing there looking at the ocean with brooms in hand. There must have been 25-30 people in the group!

Now, in my opinion, about five people could have swept the entire sidewalk in a matter of hours while the others did something more beneficial elsewhere.

I like to avoid negativity, but I felt this was a total waste of people power and it really got me thinking. With everything going on in the world, isn’t there a way these workers could have completed their community-service hours by directly helping others in need, recycling or taking part in some other volunteer activity that provided value?

In addition, what kind of work ethic does this support?

If you were given this situation, would you just stand there and look at the ocean, or would you try to do a good job with the task you were given?

Obviously, many people would take the lazy route and enjoy the ocean view. But is this the mentality that got them to this point in the first place?

Having a strong work ethic is essential in today’s economic environment. Now is not the time to do “only what is expected.” Instead, it’s important to go above and beyond.

The hard-working people who put in the extra effort now will be the ones who will be able to compete, weather these tough times and experience great success in the future…so with this in mind, are you going to settle with the status quo or make your dreams a reality with hard work and perseverance?

If you have copywriting and PR questions, please let me know. I’m here to help!

3 Comments | business, Reaching Goals | 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

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!

Leave a Comment » | 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
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! 

Leave a Comment » | business, Marketing, PR, Reaching Goals, small business public relations | 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

Boost Awareness in 5 Minutes!

September 30, 2008

Do you have five minutes?

 

If you have five minutes, you can help boost awareness for your business online!

 

Here are three quick things you can do in about five minutes. Pick your favorite:

 

1. Enter information on a forum or blog.

Visit an online forum or blog where your target market hangs out. Then, enter your quick comments about the current subject being discussed.

 

Provide a valuable statement without pitching your business. Just make sure your name and business name appear in your signature online (also include your website address if appropriate).

 

2. Change your home page.

 

Look at the home page of your website and make a change. Add a valuable statement, a link to a good article, a blog entry, etc.

 

You can even add some keywords to improve search engine optimization. After all, when was the last time you updated your site?

 

You need to appear “home” so make a quick change now. And when you have more time, go back later and add new updates.

 

3. Share a blog entry.

 

Visit a blog carnival like http://blogcarnival.com/bc/. Then, review the different carnivals and add your favorite blog entry to the appropriate group.

 

If you don’t have time for this, send the link to your entry (or a good article) to a new customer, partner or other person as a reminder or networking tool. It only takes a minute to convey a good message.

 

It Only Takes a Few Minutes

Now, these activities only take me a few minutes to complete, and they may take you a bit longer. But when you feel like you are short on time, and you really need to accomplish something, try to do one small thing.

 

Think of things that you can do quickly that will make a difference. Then, take a moment to take action.

 

Not only will you get a small break from whatever you are working on, but you’ll feel more positive. And you’ll be able to return to your other, long-term activities with a better attitude and a new sense of accomplishment!

 

For additional help with your online copywriting and PR needs, feel free to contact me here or at www.rembrandtwrites.com. Thanks!

3 Comments | Copywriting, Marketing, PR, Reaching Goals, Small Business PR | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by rembrandtwrites

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