The one thing every PR/Markeitng Plan must have

Never has it been easier to create a whiz-bang public relations plan. There are more tools available than ever before. Start with media placements, events, newsletters, brochures, and sales sheets. Then juice it with social media. Link it, hash tag it, post it, make it tweet and tumble. Do these things and your company will see more profits, and be more highly regarded.

Right?

Maybe not.

The critical element in all of this is measurement. Was it the whiz, or the bang that made customers react to your efforts? How does someone know if all the moving parts had an impact? Which caused the biggest reaction? What should you keep doing? What needs to be scrapped, or changed? The hype comes easily, the value is harder to define. 

All of these things are great, but the most critical element is measurement. This can be click through rates on your email blasts, amount of media coverage, increased phone calls, unique URLs created placed in your brochures, and much more. If your campaign is generating likes, follows, phone calls and more – congratulations! But, if all that noise isn’t supporting your long term goals, or increasing your profits – it is time to re-evaluate.

The business development process that works

My face was flush as my feet dangled high in the air. I was five years old, gripping the cold metal handle of a seesaw, and staring down at my older sister. I shouted at her to let me down. She complied by standing up abruptly. My seat slammed down to earth, smacking my backside and bruising my tender ego.  

Today, as a business owner, I have a new position on a teeter totter that has nothing to do with child’s play. Each day work productivity faces off against business development. Devoting time to billing hours is easy to justify, and so is shirking a networking event or putting off a blog post for one more week. But I have to manage my own business development as I would a client’s, or I would have no business – or credibility. I created the following framework to avoid the whack of financial stress brought on by an immediate, unexpected shift in my work load.

Sales sheet – I use a simple Excel spreadsheet to track the contacts I make each day. It includes the name, date and method of contact I used for each individual. My goal is to contact five people every business day.

Blog – writing posts requires the most time and creativity. 

Newsletter – my electronic newsletter goes out monthly (usually). I share case studies and demonstrate my abilities.

Social media – I’ve taken a different approach to Facebook and Twitter. Rather than have hundreds of followers, I’m interested in an engaged audience group. This keeps the process manageable for me, and gives me quality over quantity.

Networking – I target different groups each month.

Volunteering –  I volunteer because I enjoy making a difference. Meeting new people and creating new relationships is a side benefit.

Nothing listed above is revolutionary, but the routine creates a sense of balance and keeps my business from slamming into the ground. 

Snagging Headlines from Sex Scandals and Superheroes

A high-profile sex scandal and comic book superheroes have gripped news coverage in San Diego for most of the summer. The mayor's alleged indiscretions dominated news coverage, while the city played host to Comic Con, a huge international entertainment convention.

The task of getting news coverage in the midst of all this drama felt like a job for Wonder Woman, or at least someone who owned a cape and matching boots. My client, Ducerus  - a national college planning company based in San Diego, gave me the assignment of getting coverage on back to school savings tips for families sending their kids to college.  

Here's how this ordinary mild-mannered PR professional persevered on the quest to get media attention:  

-I focused on parenting magazines, education and consumer reporters. Not everyone was writing about the salacious happenings inside city hall. I stayed away from general assignment reporters – they’re assigned the news of the day.

-I made it easy. I asked a local magazine, if they would be willing to accept a back to school story with my client’s byline. They did!

-I turned up the heat. Back to school is a timely story angle, but has a short time frame. I stayed on top of pitches and follow-ups.

I managed to get results without the use of a cape or super power. Ducerus was featured in the
San Diego Union Tribune, local television stations and a parent's magazine. The story was also picked up in LA and other stations across the country. As an additional bonus, a successful pitch was made to Yahoo! News. That story should run within the next couple of weeks.

  

Make a Flyer that Gets You Business

A friend asked me to review her new flyer while we talked on the phone. This wasn’t the scheduled topic of our conversation, but it was a simple request and I really wanted to see what she had developed. She emailed it to me and we sat in awkward silence as we waited for her creation to appear on my screen. Her team spent a lot of time on it she told me. She really thought I would like it.

When I fixed my eyes on the flyer, I saw what I’ve seen so many times before – a great design that was consumed by a copious amount of content. “It’s very comprehensive,” I said. A quick glance told me there were nearly 1,000 words on the page in front of me. This wasn’t a flyer, it was an essay.



This flyer uses bullet points and a fun design to
make for easy reading.

Flyers are a great resource. You can have one written, designed and produced inexpensively in a matter of hours. The problem is a lot of flyers don't get read because the message isn't clear. The business owner wants to tell their customers everything about what they do and answer every possible question. That’s asking a lot of one sheet of paper. A flyer should serve as a written elevator pitch - quickly and easily digested by anyone.

The most successful flyers can be read aloud in about 15 seconds. Here's three tips for making better flyers.

1. Determine the call to action. What do you want people to do? Call for an appointment, come into the store for a special offer. Decide the desired response and lead with that in your text.

2. Make the copy brief and use bullet points. Does it pass the 15 second test?

3. Know your audience. Are you selling to mothers, business professionals, teens? Make sure the design relates to them, and doesn’t detract from your core message.

Bonus tip: Read every flyer that comes your way. How quickly can you determine what the seller wants you to do? Can you find the contact information? Could you explain it to your neighbor after just an initial glance?

An impressive flyer can be found anywhere - even your front porch. My doorbell rang and to my surprise the man standing before me handed me a flyer that was far better than his competition. He used bullet points to describe his landscaping services, included a couple of pictures and made his contact information easy to find. Can you recall the last flyer you received from a landscaper? Before that moment, neither could I.

One might argue that a landscaper has a simple message to deliver, and therefore his flyer was easier to produce. But you should be able to describe your business, no matter how complex, in the same manner to anyone. You may not cut grass, or trim the hedges, but you sell something to a group of people. If you can’t explain what you deliver in quick fashion, nobody else can either.

Why Women Aren't Eating Your Food

The banquet room at a posh Dallas hotel was buzzing when a waiter thrust a tray of skewered chicken between me and two other women. The grill marks looked appealing and the smell told me butter was involved in the preparation. He raised his eyebrows, tilted his head and smiled. Together, as if on cue, we shook our heads no and smiled politely. We stood in silent agreement on this issue - there is no lady-like way to gnaw chicken off a stick.

Later in the evening I was sipping the house chardonnay while speaking to an attorney at a local health care company when the same waiter offered soft tacos. Shredded lettuce spilled over the top of each flour tortilla. An orange sauce, that may have been a creamy salsa blend, had been poured over the top. The waiter had only a napkin to offer. There was nary a plate or utensil anywhere in sight. It would have taken me at least three bites to finish. The attorney snagged a taco and bit into it. He nodded his head in the affirmative, even though I had stopped talking. Lettuce spilled out and landed on the floor after his first bite. His second bite left sauce on the corners of his mouth which he then licked. He crumbled up his napkin and wiped his hands on his black trousers. Had I attempted a taco, I’m certain the sauce would have left a permanent reminder of the evening on my white jacket.

That night a lot of food went back to the kitchen untouched. I’m certain it tasted as good as it looked, but a cave woman I am not. The thing to remember when planning the hors d’oeuvres list for your next event is that women want small portions. Anything larger than a cracker will likely get waved-off.

I once worked with a caterer who rolled grapes in blue cheese, making the perfect bite-sized snack. A fruit tray is an easy sell, as long as the fruit is cut in small portions. Food at these type of events should be appetizing and functional. I want the people I meet to remember me for the topical information I shared, not the food left on my jacket, or the mess I left behind.

 

Coaching Success

The Rangers have a new coach. He’s a cheerful man who wears enthusiasm like his team’s colors. He smiles and welcomes each player with praise as they run onto the field. “Hey, Johnny! You made it. Good for you!” Each practice begins the same way, with him on one knee looking into the eyes of his young team. He ties shoes and straightens ball caps while giving clear direction. “Here’s how we’re going to become better ballplayers today.” He explains the drills they will run and why each is important. A haystack of hands gives way to a, “Go Rangers!” cheer before they run to their positions.

As far as my five year old son knows, this is how every coach coaches. His red and white t-ball uniform will be a boxed up memory by the time he discovers not every coach wears a ball cap. The best coach I ever had didn’t teach me how to improve my batting, or my backhand. Instead he helped me harness my enthusiasm for my work and channel my energy into being a better teammate and person. I improved my ability to draw up project outlines, realized the importance of staying laser-focused on target audience groups, and got better with each communication plan. I gained enough confidence under his tutelage to start my own business. We never had a company cheer, and he never blew a whistle, but it was obvious he viewed his role as a head coach. 

In the after school practices held in my backyard, I don’t give my son pointers on his swing, or tell him how to throw with more accuracy. I have no idea how to improve either. What I learned from my coach can’t be listed as a statistic on a baseball card.

One warm afternoon just before it was time to go inside for dinner, I watched my son line up to swing at a ball resting on the tee. I noticed his lips move just before he brought the bat around his shoulders. The ball dropped not far from the chalk outline of home plate because he hit the tee rather than his target. Again, he appeared to be mouthing something under his breath just before his second swing. Another miss. The third time he closed his eyes tightly. He pursed his lips and moved them again with more intensity. I wondered.

A favorite song running through his head?

A quiet prayer?

Harsh criticism of his own performance?

I clapped my hands and offered encouragement. “It’s alright. Good effort. You’ll do it this time.” His final swing sent the orb soaring into the trees. He watched with pride before remembering to pump his legs around the bases. We slapped high-fives and celebrated his home run. Breathless he said, “Mommy, I believed in myself and I did it! I said, ‘You can do it,’ and I did it!”

A home run indeed.

Five Tips for Getting More Interviews

My clients don’t want a single interview with a reporter; they want several interviews. Getting them on the ten o’clock news once means they’ll get calls from family, friends and clients who saw the story. They'll have the opportunity to post a link to the story on their website, in their newsletter and on their Facebook page.

But making the airwaves multiple times allows clients to establish credibility as an expert, and will strengthen their relationships with their peers and customers.

Here are five ways I work to get clients more press coverage:

1. Plan ahead. I outline a list of story ideas at least six months ahead of time with the understanding that the plan might change due to trends or breaking news.

2. Media training.  Reporters are interested in speaking to people who provide succinct and interesting sound bites. I work with clients to develop talking points that will resonate with a news outlet’s audience group.

3. Plant the seed. When the journalist arrives for the first interview, I’ll mention my next story idea before the meeting ends.

4. Monitor industry trends and current affairs. It is called news for a reason. Journalists want someone who can provide context around an issue that is happening now.  

5. Leverage coverage. A national news outlet wants to know that the person I’m pitching is a good interview, has something relevant to say and is credible. Providing them a list of other media outlets who have covered them makes them of greater interest.


Got a question about public relations? Email me.

What Makes You An Expert?

Having your expertise on word usage challenged by someone who is illiterate is an interesting experience. My five year old gets all of his information on this topic from a girl who comes up to my pockets. “Libby says 'yea' is not a word,” he informed me with confidence on a car ride home from school. I explained 'yea' was informal speech – OK to use with friends, but not with grownups.

Who was I to question Libby, he wanted to know. She has continually espoused her knowledge to her classmates since the beginning of the school year.

“A trick is a lie!”

“Booty is a bad word!”

“I saw Hailey’s brother naked!” (She's also an expert in anatomy.)

My son doesn’t care that Libby can only read about as many words as he, which as of this posting is still in the single digits, or that her best literary references come from One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. In his mind, she is an expert.

What makes you, or me, or anyone an expert on anything? Education? Experience?  Money?  An appearance on Oprah? The ability to shout louder than all the other kids in Mrs. Dawson’s Pre-K class?

A fellow business owner told me how a potential client dashed her hopes of landing a new account with a single interview question - “Where did you get your MBA?” She was deflated. Her 25 years experience, her work on national campaigns, and her bulging portfolio became irrelevant with six words. His definition of a marketing expert included an advanced degree.

I was described as an expert once. I experienced palpitations as a result of the utterance. A man emceeing a professional organization’s monthly meeting introduced me, the scheduled speaker, as an expert on social media. My eyes widened as I looked into the faces of dozens of my peers. The word traveled through my ears snaked through my body, encircled my heart and squeezed. Had he not seen the bio I sent? Did he not hear me prior to his announcement when I said I preferred to be described as an independent PR practitioner who has done research on viral videos? I decided he was not an expert on introductions.

Dictionary.com lists the definition of an expert as: a person who has special skill or knowledge in some particular field; specialist; authority.

I have knowledge of food preparation and certain amount of cooking skill, but an expert in the kitchen? Julia Child I am not.

The definition doesn't concern me as much as the connotation. To be all-knowing. Wise beyond all others in your field. The ability to pass a pop-quiz at any time. Unflappable. Right. Always.

When I pitch clients to the media, I feel confident their expertise would bring value to the ten o'clock news because I rely on facts. A dermatologist with 30 plus years experience who has treated thousands of patients is an expert on skin. A consultant who saves his clients, on average, $30,000 on college expenses is an expert on tuition planning. Of these things I'm sure.

Expertise can be less tangible than statistics, and is a bit like beauty – in the eye of the beholder. If you were referred to me by someone I know, or have created a body of work that I appreciate, you are an expert. I make that decision based on what is important to me - the letters after your name, the work you've created, our shared acquaintances.

Someday I’ll tell Ethan my personal definition - someone who has made all the mistakes in a particular field. This less formal description is much easier to live up to, but probably wouldn’t meet Libby’s standards. Defining the word this way releases the pressure, and let's people know you've worked hard, you learned some things, and are willing to help others even at the risk of being scrutinized.

2013 Commitments

I'm not one for resolutions. I'm all for self-improvement, but the word itself seems flimsy and superficial. As papery as the confetti that falls on New Year's Eve. An apt description for something that won't be kept, and will be cast aside - even forgotten by Spring Break.

I prefer commitments. We honor our commitments, respect them, are bound by them. We marry them and hold them dear. Committing to change doesn't require a calendar. Exercise, going back to school, eating right, and everything else we resolve to do beginning Jan. 1 can occur under any sign of the zodiac.

However, a new year promises new beginnings, a fresh start.

I submit to you advice provided by the Pulitzer Prize winning author Annie Dillard. In her book, The Writing Life, she said this about writing:

"..spend it all, shoot it, play it, lose it, right away, every time. Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book; give it, give it all, give it now."

"Similarly, the impulse to keep to yourself what you have learned is not only shameful, it is destructive. Anything you do not give freely and abundantly becomes lost to you. You open your safe and find ashes."

I relish the last three sentences. In addition to writing, the prose applies to business and life. Never wait. Tomorrow is not promised. Do what you must to make things happen today. I started my business more than four years ago because I couldn't continue to let my son spend more time with daycare providers than his parents. A huge risk that had to be taken. There were dozens of reasons to wait - we needed more money in the bank, my car wasn't paid off, the house needed to be painted. Waiting, or stalling, would have prevented me from getting to where I am now - a much happier place.

This blog is a demonstration of my believe in sharing knowledge - freely. I often suggest (beg) for others to call me, at any time, to ask questions and get my opinion on PR, communication issues or anything else. I believe in sharing, openly (and obnoxiously) what I've learned. I work with lawyers, accountants and other professionals who do the same.

I renewed my commitment to this for 2013 knowing that every time the phone rings, I get more out of the conversation than the person on the other end of the line. A new challenge, the satisfaction of being useful - to anybody, and the opportunity to refer a friend new business, makes life better.

If you have room in your life for resolutions, you have room for commitments. Change happens every day, and making a commitment to help others improves us all.