It has happened to the best of businesses–a PR blunder or snafu. The nice thing about life is you can learn from others’ mistakes in order to avoid making them on your end. Here are a few common ones to watch out for:

1. Not having a plan: It’s true: some companies have done little or no PR planning. The reality is it should be part of your marketing plan and overall business strategy.

2. No distribution of internal message:  It is paramount that every employee should be able to tell anyone who asks what your “core message” is.

3. No distribution of external message: If you don’t have the channels of communication set up and regularly used , it’s nearly impossible to get your message out. You need to build your community BEFORE you try to speak to it.

4. No crisis plan: As unpleasant as it is, bad things happen to good companies all the time; often when they least expect it.  You should have a point person in place to oversee the handling of a crisis. The approach and messaging in regards to a PR nightmare can make or break a company,

5. Denying wrongdoing: No company is perfect, and yours will make mistakes. It is not the end of the world if you do, but it really spiral out of control if you don’t. Own your actions–good and bad.

What is the most shocking PR gaff you’ve ever seen, and how was it resolved?

Getting your name “out there” doesn’t have to be costly. There are some easy and cost-effective ways to make a statement. Here’s a start:

1. Stand-out customer service: Sometimes life isn’t perfect. You lose a customer’s order in the mail, or accidentally charge a customer twice. The reality is that faux pas like these have the potential to be blessings in disguise. Seize the moment to show off your customer service skills and turn the customer’s experience around, effectively winning them over. A wrong righted can be a way to further engage your customers with your brand.
2. Seek inspiration: Do your own online research. Do you come across websites that speak to you, design wise? Find a quality designer, and communicate to them what you want. After all, imitation is the best form of flattery!
3. Perfect your elevator speech: If you don’t know what your business is about in and out,  then who else will?  Perfect your elevator speech to target and customize to different audiences.
4. Make it easy for the media: Make it easy for the media, by providing them with good ideas and the facts and resources to back it up. Be prompt, and courteous, and they’ll be more likely to want to work with you again.
5. Start an e-newsletter: This is a great way to promote your own articles and link to other pieces related to your industry. Become the go-to person for insight about issues affecting your field. MailChimp is a cost-effective and intuitive platform.

Mobile phones aren’t likely going away anytime soon. And more and more people are accessing content via their smart phones. What does that mean to you and your business? One thing’s for sure: optimization should be a consideration when creating or updating a website.

Why, you ask? First, the numbers speak for themselves.  Mobile traffic currently makes up 10 percent of global Internet traffic,  and this year more people will use mobile phones than PCs to get online, according to Gartner.

Are you among those businesses who have not yet optimized their websites for mobile use?  If so, here are a few reasons why you should re-consider:

• If your site isn’t optimized for mobile, shoppers will go elsewhere. If they can’t find what they’re looking for on your site, they might seek out a competitor’s mobile-friendly site instead, of switching to a PC to revisit yours.
• Mobile sites lead to mobile purchases. Shoppers are more likely to buy a product or service if your site is optimized for mobile. This is not rocket science. The easier your product or service is to purchase, in theory,  the more likely a consumer will buy in.
• A bad mobile experience can damage a company’s brand. A bad mobile experience can create bad feelings about your company. Think about it…if the shopper feels  frustrated and annoyed when they happen across a site that’s not mobile-friendly,  they might feel like your company doesn’t value their experience.

Ok, so you’re sold on why you should optimize your site, but you might wonder how to do so. Here is a great resource on the topic.

Small  business owners often balk at the idea of hiring a small business marketing consultant. The main reason for this hesitation is a misconception that consultants are perceived as only cost-efficient for large companies.  However, hiring a consultant to aid with marketing can be a practical solution for small businesses. Here’s why:

• Marketing design and content: A marketing consultant is trained in creating materials that will gain attention. He or she may be able to create a marketing campaign–from the words on the page- to the design.
• An outside perspective:  A small business marketing consultant can draw from years of business experience while assessing the strengths and weaknesses of your business. Sometimes it’s too hard to see reality because you’re too close to the situation as the owner/manager. What’s more, he or she can clear the proverbial air with a fresh, unbiased view–devoid of office politics and institutional memory
• Time equals money! Most consultants will offer an hourly rate. This freelance approach offers owners the major advantage of avoiding employee-related taxes. Knowing that marketing is taken care of allows you to more closely focus on your business’s core offerings. This, in turn, can help your bottom line. Now you will have more time to focus on the day-to-day, while knowing your marketing is in good hands.

Of course there are other benefits to hiring a small business marketing consultant. The derived value will vary from business to business. If you currently work with a marketing consultant, what has been your experience?

Your company may send out regular press releases, but that doesn’t mean you’re not missing out on opportunities to get the word out.  The good news is there are simple, yet impactful steps you can take to maximize your results. Consider these four simple tactics to get more bang for your buck:

1. Use SEO: A press release that coveys all the relevant information is no longer enough. Instead,  you must now also write your release in a way that is conducive to searches.  Reporters use search engines to find sources and story ideas.

But where to begin? Start by making a list of the keywords and phrases that are most relevant to your company, and then cross-check these terms using Google’s keyword tool to assess monthly search volume and competition for your core keywords, and to see suggestions for other related keywords.

Once you have your list of keywords, use them in the headline and subhead of your release, as well as throughout the body of the announcement – just make sure that the release flows, and makes sense. Avoid over-repetition by using secondary and tertiary keywords, too.

2. Include search-optimized images with your release: It’s been proven that  journalists and bloggers are more likely to cover news that includes an image. It’s human nature, really. People are drawn to images over a jumble of text. Images can also work double duty in your search strategy if you optimize the images for search by naming and tagging them with keywords.

3. Boost engagement with video: Including video can increase impressions, interactions and the overall syndication of a release.  What makes a good video?  Think helpful content. Avoid a sales pitch or featuring a talking head. Be authentic, when in doubt. Graphics or charts can also help to get your point across. Note: simply placing a link to a video is not good enough. Having the video embedded in the distribution is essential. Once your video is uploaded, make sure to tag it with your keywords, and even consider including a transcript of the video so that search engines can index the content.

4. Use social media to amplify your news: The more backlinks that point to your content, the more value search engines will assign to it. Therefore, posting your news on your various social media channels is one approach to drive more traffic.

If this all seems foreign to you, start with this post about what to include in a press release.

Have you heard? Twitter isn’t just for personal use anymore.  Twitter can be a great resource for business use.  Here are a few ways you can use Twitter to leverage your brand:

Provide another customer service channel:  The creation and use of a Twitter account for the sole purpose of customer service can foster a line of instant communication between you and customers. For example,  you can provide basic tech support, answer sales questions, and respond to inquiries.

Make it right: It is common for customers to vent to their network about a poor experience with a company or product/service.  If and when these complaints involve or mention your company, it can tarnish your reputation. Yet this also provides an opportunity to get involved in the conversation. Concerns can be addressed and resolved, and made into a positive experience.

Build Credibility: Twitter allows you to be the expert in your field. Use it as your opportunity to show off  knowledge in your respective industry. Keep it short and simple, with facts, quotes, photos, videos and links directly or indirectly related to your industry. In theory, the more intelligent, informative and relevant, the more credibility you will gain in the mind of your consumers.

Push Traffic to your Website: You may have a great website, but what good is it if no one goes there? You can use Twitter to push readers to your site. Promote updates to your site, like blog posts, press releases, and new product information.

At the end of the day, once you have engaged, helped your customers, or educated them, you’re doing your job. This is the key to brand loyalty.

CSR is a great way to help the community, while advancing your brand. CSR(Corporate social responsibility (CSR, also called corporate conscience, corporate citizenship, social performance, or sustainable responsible business/ Responsible Business) is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model.

CSR programs will look vary across the board, depending on the respective organization’ s investment level, and the needs of the community. Generally speaking, CSR efforts include employee volunteer programs, philanthropy, cause marketing, and sustainable(eco-friendly) practices. CSR is truly a win-win for the company, and the community. Here’s why:

• When employees are seen volunteering in the community, it can enhance the company’s image.
• In turn, the employees feel a sense of purpose and accomplishment, which can boost morale.
• There can be tax savings.
• Return on investment: One of the easiest places for a company to start engaging in sustainability is to use it as a way to cut costs. Whether it’s using less packaging or less energy, these savings add up quickly.

There has been a lot of talk lately about one of the newest social media network: Pinterest.  Among the questions are what to post, but I think the more important question is should your company be on there in the first place?

Luckily, this handy flowchart from Intuit might help you make an informed decision:

Image courtesy of Intuit

Do press releases elude you? Do media releases seem like a foreign language..then read on!

A press release is a way to provide the reader, and eventually general public, with additional information about your company or organization. Additionally, press releases can drive more traffic to your website by use of SEO(Search Engine Optimization).

So, where to begin? To start, consider including these common components:

1. Headline - It’s as straightforward as it sounds. Headlines or titles are usually short and clearly demonstrate your news announcement. Keep in mind that headlines are used to grasp the attention of the reader and briefly summarize the information.

2. Dateline - Sometimes also referred to as “lead,” your press release will contain information such as the date it was release of posted.

3. Summary or Introduction - Your press release summary or introduction should be one or two sentences long. The purpose of this paragraph is to provide a short overview of what the press release contains. In other words, it answers basic questions like who, what, where, when and why–the 5 W’s.

4. Body - The body of your press release is where all the information is provided, in greater detail. This section of your press release should be organized and error free. Avoid writing long paragraph; rather, separate each paragraph to contain 3-5 sentences each. It is essential to maintain your train of thought, no jumping around from one subject to the next.

5. Boilerplate - The boilerplate section, or generally referred to as the “about” section, of your press release is where you get to inform readers about the very basics of the business or organization.

6. Contact Information - In this section, you are to include information such as your name, company name, telephone number and website. This makes it easier for readers to contact you or visit your website once your press release becomes distributed over the internet.

Need help with professional press release submissions? Contact Lauren for a free press release rate quote.

Members of the media can be your best friends. That is, if you know how to approach the relationship correctly. Here are a few tips for enhancing company-media relations:

• R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Above of, be respectful of their time and workload.  Members of the media have deadlines and cannot always respond to your inquiry within your ideal time frame. Patience is key.
• Do your homework:  Know the reporter and the media outlet before picking up the phone. Consider building a detailed and targeted media list to help determine which one is a good fit for your organization.
• Method of Communication is key:  Make a point to know how and when the reporter wants to be contacted. Some welcome phone calls, while others prefer email or even snail mail. Also, as stated above, be aware of deadlines.

• Build trust: Never make a promise you cannot fulfill, especially to a journalist. This is the kiss of death for media relations. Promise to do your part well before the deadline and always follow though. If a conflict arises, notify them ASAP.
• Keep them in the loop:  Maintain constant communication with reporters on your beat. They will appreciate the heads up especially in the event of a breaking news story.

Hungry for more tips? Read this article!

When bidding on a copy-writing project recently, a client once informed me I was among the most costly (much to my surprise.) He asked me to justify my rates and I did. Luckily I was awarded the project. But the story doesn’t end here. This conversation prompted me to ponder my pricing.  For those of you out there who are concerned soley with pricing, may I offer a few considerations:

• Experience: How long has the vendor been in the business? Sometimes experience is worth top-dollar. A formally trained journalist has skills an amateur lacks.
• Turn-around time: There is something to be said for a writer who can turn around a project within a few hours (or minutes’) notice. Time is money. Never forget that!
• Quality: Nearly anyone can produce mediocre content. It takes a skilled writer, however,  to really knock it out of the park. Put simply, you get what you pay for!
• Professionalism: Look for a writer who maintains professional courtesy, responds to inquiries within a reasonable time (1-2 days at worst), and meets deadlines. In today’s ever casual e-world, this trait is not commonplace.

So, there you have it. The next time you question a writer’s quote, be sure to take all of these factors into account. A great writer is the total package.