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Suggest You - Three Ways to Invest Time + Money In PR
I can't be the only one who has noticed the decline in customer service these days. It is a very sad thing. I have stopped shopping at many stores because of how I was treated. I believe that customer service is one of, if not the most important ingredient to any successful business.Here are some basic tips to help you earn your customer's trust and repeated business.- Never Argue with a Customer! No matter what, the customer is ALWAYS right. Do what it takes to make them come back. If you go the extra mile with a disgruntled customer, they will walk away happy and share their experience with others. And, everyone knows that word of mouth is the best form of advertising.- Always be Professional. Even if your customer or client is being unreasonable, always put YOUR best foot forward. You don't know what that person's day was like, or what their past customer service experiences have been. Treat them like family. After all, they are your bread and butter.
Kelly: So what’s the one thing you wish your clients would do that would make it easier for you to help them in their publicity efforts?
Elizabeth: Bring us into the
Digital signage... you know what I'm talking about. Those screens with awesome graphics, catchy music, bold text and funky transitions. They're at your local supermarket, nightclub, pub, train station. They hit you like a brick wall. They're in-your-face, attention grabbing and make you think... and there's no escaping them.Deemed as the new revolution in communicating to targeted audiences, digital signage is taking over from traditional print billboards, posters and banners. Being digital, this method of communication has a number of benefits above and beyond its traditional counterparts. You just have to love the advantages of technology!The number one benefit of digital signage would have to be its capacity to rapidly update the messages it communicates. The content of a digital signage system can be changed at various locations and on a predetermined schedule from one central design station by utilising the internet. With this ability to deliver content within seconds o
Kelly: When should people consider PR in their marketing efforts?
Elizabeth: PR should be included in every marketing plan you develop…from the very beginning of a new product being launched or a policy coming out. Use it heavily in the beginning to establish a brand, then level out over time. It’s also a good tool for handling crisis down the road.
For consumer-related messages, PR really builds credibility quickly – 40-50% of your budget isn’t unreasonable.
Fritz: The traditional view is that product marketing should go with ads, not PR…and that issues and position-related launches should use op-eds and PR. But I see it as actually the opposite…for example a good story on NPR will do more than, say, ads. Think of PR to launch a brand, and advertising to maintain it.
Kelly: What advice to you have for someone just learning about PR for their business or organization?
Fritz: PR is a process – it’s not a one-time hit or magic bullet. Just like networking or in social experiences, it takes time to develop trust and credibility. So just one press release in a vacuum won’t do it. This is really a cornerstone. One thing that really helps is planning – even if it’s a year out…you need to be thinking about it now.
Actually, you really need to be thinking and talking internally about it all the time. All of your employees are diplomats and ambassadors of your company. So all the internal communications need to be aligned, with policies on if or how to talk with the press, the general public…talking points are key, as is training. Protect your brand by getting everyone on the same page.
Kelly: So what’s the one thing you wish your clients would do that would make it easier for you to help them in their publicity efforts?
Elizabeth: Bring us into the p
Your first job is setting the context for all next ones.So you should be carefull and that is why we go to school for. It is like playing football and the ball is out. And it is your turn to get the ball back in. So you are not waiting until you have arrived there at the line, watching where your team mates are and thinking, "where is the best place I will throw this ball." No, once knowing that it is your turn, you are already observing the positions of the players and when you have arrived at the side you throw the ball right where it should go.There is a big difference between school and study and the real world outside. Some have the entrepreneurial spirit when they are still young and they present themselves at the market.Others start by a first job, and a second, a third... But, wait a minute, before you know it you are in the middle of a course you cannot longer escape from. You build up expertise and people hire you to do the trick again.So your first j
For consumer-related messages, PR really builds credibility quickly – 40-50% of your budget isn’t unreasonable.
Fritz: The traditional view is that product marketing should go with ads, not PR…and that issues and position-related launches should use op-eds and PR. But I see it as actually the opposite…for example a good story on NPR will do more than, say, ads. Think of PR to launch a brand, and advertising to maintain it.
Kelly: What advice to you have for someone just learning about PR for their business or organization?
Fritz: PR is a process – it’s not a one-time hit or magic bullet. Just like networking or in social experiences, it takes time to develop trust and credibility. So just one press release in a vacuum won’t do it. This is really a cornerstone. One thing that really helps is planning – even if it’s a year out…you need to be thinking about it now.
Actually, you really need to be thinking and talking internally about it all the time. All of your employees are diplomats and ambassadors of your company. So all the internal communications need to be aligned, with policies on if or how to talk with the press, the general public…talking points are key, as is training. Protect your brand by getting everyone on the same page.
Kelly: So what’s the one thing you wish your clients would do that would make it easier for you to help them in their publicity efforts?
Elizabeth: Bring us into the
It seems that every time businesses decide to cut down on expenses, they always seem to focus on the Help Desk/IT department. IT Managers are very often asked to work with outdated software, understaffing and an ever- increasing backlog of calls and angry customers.What the people upstairs seem to forget is that without proper equipment, software and competent support staff, the back bone of the company could very well crumble.It’s a vicious downward spiral; The IT/support budget is cut, we have to service our customers with outdated software, the support staff is unmotivated and leaves, there’s not enough money to hire competent people so novices will do, we therefore offer a shocking service, the word climbs up the ladder, our budget is cut some more because the service is poor anyway, and here we go again!The reality is that while a company is spending thousands of dollars on computers and printers and everything else they need, they’re cutting back on the one depa
Kelly: What advice to you have for someone just learning about PR for their business or organization?
Fritz: PR is a process – it’s not a one-time hit or magic bullet. Just like networking or in social experiences, it takes time to develop trust and credibility. So just one press release in a vacuum won’t do it. This is really a cornerstone. One thing that really helps is planning – even if it’s a year out…you need to be thinking about it now.
Actually, you really need to be thinking and talking internally about it all the time. All of your employees are diplomats and ambassadors of your company. So all the internal communications need to be aligned, with policies on if or how to talk with the press, the general public…talking points are key, as is training. Protect your brand by getting everyone on the same page.
Kelly: So what’s the one thing you wish your clients would do that would make it easier for you to help them in their publicity efforts?
Elizabeth: Bring us into the
What would you do with a million dollars? Buy your dream house? Retire, invest, and never work another day in your life? Go on a dream vacation? What if you could work from your home for a few hours a day and have money pouring into your bank account; enough to become financially independent for life. Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? Well, for the most part you're right.We've all seen the ads for get rich quick schemes. The internet is full of them running the gamut from do-it-yourself real estate ventures to stock market investing to internet marketing. They all have one thing in common; a self-proclaimed guru that's willing to show you how to earn millions if you just buy their secret book. I can tell you right now that 99.9% of these people are total frauds. You may have even fallen prey to one of these scam artists, selling you their latest "work at home" program. I know I have. I've spent years and thousands of dollars looking for a golden opportunity. I've bought into
Actually, you really need to be thinking and talking internally about it all the time. All of your employees are diplomats and ambassadors of your company. So all the internal communications need to be aligned, with policies on if or how to talk with the press, the general public…talking points are key, as is training. Protect your brand by getting everyone on the same page.
Kelly: So what’s the one thing you wish your clients would do that would make it easier for you to help them in their publicity efforts?
Elizabeth: Bring us into the
A must read before you form your corporation.We've talked to literally hundreds of business owners over the years. If there's one thing we've learned beyond the shadow of a doubt from those who have been sued, needlessly poured money down bottomless tax or expense holes, or whose businesses have failed, it's this: NOT ONE was excited over the few bucks they saved by using a low cost incorporator -- or worse, flying solo -- to incorporate or establish an LLC for their business.Years and untold dollars later, they sorely regret the hard work, stress, and many, many lost hours of time with family and friends -- consumed instead by lawyers, bankers, accountants and creditors, while picking up the pieces of the wreckage from a devastating lawsuit or bankruptcy.All those losses could have been prevented by proper planning with the right company to support them. All those losses were the indirect, and sometimes direct result of “penny-wise, pound foolish” thinking. They've l
Kelly: So what’s the one thing you wish your clients would do that would make it easier for you to help them in their publicity efforts?
Elizabeth: Bring us into the planning process early on. Often, clients will sit down at the beginning of the year when they get their budget and plan, but don’t include their PR team until much later. You need to think through angles and pitches early on – and be thinking strategically…not just about tactics.
Fritz: Then there’s the media schedule – if you want to do big pushes in February, realize that you’re competing with the Super Bowl, Grammy’s and Oscars. Even if you’re local and on a smaller scale, there’s an annual cycle that you need to take into consideration.
Elizabeth: There are things you should plan around, unless you can relate your topic to these things.
Fritz: The other thing is for clients to understand the difference between the story and how it’s pitched. We had a client who shot themselves in the foot by not allowing us to let the media ask them about a particularly hot topic – it’s got to be about what the public wants, not what you necessarily want to say.
Kelly: So what should a small company budget for PR if they want to build a regional presence?
Fritz: That’s a great question…and again, it depends on whom you’re trying to reach. You need to look at the scope of what you want to do. What’s your dream list, and then scale it back and budget realistically. Come up with smart PR dollars, and don’t waste your investment. So television interviews may not be needed, when radio will be more effective.
Kelly: Let’s talk about radio in a minute. But first, what are SMTs and VNRs...and why are they beneficial to PR campaigns?
Fritz: A Video News Release (VNR) is a pre-packaged news segment. It looks
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