At a time of soaring gas prices and unemployment rates, everyone is trying to figure out how to do more with less. In this weak economy, you have to learn how to stretch the almighty dollar. Business owners know the importance of this more than anyone else.
One of the biggest ways entrepreneurs can recession proof their business is by reserving their cash flow. Now more than ever, business owners must find a way to limit their expenses. This may mean making some serious decisions. One of the biggest things that that can be impacted during lean economic times is the marketing and advertising budgets.
By now, you should know my answer to this dilemma. Advertising costs are major expenses small businesses should not have to absorb. Not when there are countless ways for them to raise their level of publicity for FREE.
If you own a business, now is the time you should be creating your EVERGREEN list of newsworthy story ideas for the sole purpose of generating some free publicity.
As a business owner, you understand the financial pressures and challenges of your customers. So make sure you get that message across in your publicity campaign. Come up with a snazzy sale that is better than your competitors. Raffle off a free gas card or a coupon good at your customer’s favorite supermarket. Then, do what all smart business owners do. Put together a smart publicity campaign around that great idea (or hire someone to do it for you). Contact your local media outlets with your creative and newsworthy story ideas. When it comes to saving your customers a few bucks, you can never go wrong. Remember, the foundation of any newsworthy story is “What’s in it for them?”. If you can answer that question, you will be way ahead of your competition in recession-proofing your business.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Public Relations or Advertising? (The Four C's)
Why should you choose public relations over advertising? What are the differences between the two? Well, since I am former journalist I am going to give you a fair and balanced answer to that question. The good points and the bad points. I like to call them the Four C’s.
First let’s start with the Cons:
Consistency:
Because you, the entrepreneur, pays for the ad space on that local tv or radio station, or in the local magazine, you can choose to run that ad over and over again, for as long as you can afford it. You can dictate the level of consistency you want.
But in pr, you generally get one shot to showcase that ground opening of your business or big event in the local media outlets. That is why you have to make that one shot count.
Control:
Again, since you will be shelling out the money to pay for advertising space, you can have the creative control over your content. You can dictate what is said, how it’s said and how often it’s said. However in pr, that control generally shifts over to the media organization and how they choose to showcase your business, product, service or idea. But a skilled pr specialist can make sure your view is heard or seen.
Now, the Pros:
Cost:
You, the business owner, pays for the ad space, which can be VERY EXPENSIVE. That cost goes up each time you choose to run that ad. For small businesses, that can really put a dent in the budget. But there is no cost for pr. That's why people call it free publicity. You can do this through news conferences, press releases, or more effectively a pr specialist who knows the buzz words that can get you the media exposure you’re looking for.
Credibility:
In advertising, consumers know when they are being sold a product or service. Phrases like BUY THIS, ACT NOW, CALL NOW, lets consumers know when they are getting a sales pitch. And in their eyes, this means the message they are seeing or hearing is biased or skewed. When a business or product is featured on the news, consumers view it differently. They become believers. They feel if a news producer or editor takes the time to invest in the business they’re seeing or hearing, it MUST be special. Therefore, your credibility isn’t compromised.
I hope that information helps. The bottom line is if used correctly and by the right person, public relations can be a very effective tool in getting publicity. That is why a skilled pr specialist, with a nose for the news, is imperative. You need someone who knows how to create the publicity you want, the publicity that will have the media and consumers knocking down your doors.
First let’s start with the Cons:
Consistency:
Because you, the entrepreneur, pays for the ad space on that local tv or radio station, or in the local magazine, you can choose to run that ad over and over again, for as long as you can afford it. You can dictate the level of consistency you want.
But in pr, you generally get one shot to showcase that ground opening of your business or big event in the local media outlets. That is why you have to make that one shot count.
Control:
Again, since you will be shelling out the money to pay for advertising space, you can have the creative control over your content. You can dictate what is said, how it’s said and how often it’s said. However in pr, that control generally shifts over to the media organization and how they choose to showcase your business, product, service or idea. But a skilled pr specialist can make sure your view is heard or seen.
Now, the Pros:
Cost:
You, the business owner, pays for the ad space, which can be VERY EXPENSIVE. That cost goes up each time you choose to run that ad. For small businesses, that can really put a dent in the budget. But there is no cost for pr. That's why people call it free publicity. You can do this through news conferences, press releases, or more effectively a pr specialist who knows the buzz words that can get you the media exposure you’re looking for.
Credibility:
In advertising, consumers know when they are being sold a product or service. Phrases like BUY THIS, ACT NOW, CALL NOW, lets consumers know when they are getting a sales pitch. And in their eyes, this means the message they are seeing or hearing is biased or skewed. When a business or product is featured on the news, consumers view it differently. They become believers. They feel if a news producer or editor takes the time to invest in the business they’re seeing or hearing, it MUST be special. Therefore, your credibility isn’t compromised.
I hope that information helps. The bottom line is if used correctly and by the right person, public relations can be a very effective tool in getting publicity. That is why a skilled pr specialist, with a nose for the news, is imperative. You need someone who knows how to create the publicity you want, the publicity that will have the media and consumers knocking down your doors.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
The Power of the Media
Earlier this week, I was listening to my favorite talk radio station while I was driving in my car. The subject was the incredible power the media has on the ongoing race for the United States President. The guest speaker discussed how Republican nominee John McCain has gotten off relatively easily, while Democratic nominees Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton continue to battle it out the war of the words. No matter what side of the political fence you fall on, there is no denying that the media has had a great impact on the race. In just a matter of hours, the media can have the public loving you….even hating you.
That’s why it’s imperative that you and your business use the media to your advantage.
That’s why it’s imperative that you and your business use the media to your advantage.
- Keep a list of newsworthy ideas about your product, service or idea handy at all times. Remember, follow a big current trend or tie in to a current event.
- Do your homework and respect journalists’ time. Make their job easy by including any and all details you think they may need to tell your story.
- Respect the timing of the news. Your newsworthy idea may not make the top of the six o'clock news. But it may be the perfect fit for a weekend feature.
Don’t under estimate the power of the media…your business will thank you!
Friday, March 28, 2008
What are you doing tomorrow?
Can you believe we are almost a quarter of the way through 2008?! Before you know it, we will be ringing in 2009! Time waits for no one, which is why YOU as a business owner MUST make the most of each and every day. The beauty about news is that you get a fresh opportunity to become NEWSWORTHY with each passing day. Yesterday’s news is old news, passé, BORING. NO ONE wants old, boring news.
So now with just a few days left of the first quarter of 2008, I have to ask you a question. Have your made your first quarter goals? What have you done to make your product, service or idea stand out from all the rest? Did you come up with a creative idea that led to free publicity on your local news station or in your local newspaper? Did you make your business matter to your customers? Because by now, you should know that people won’t support something they don’t believe in…something that doesn’t matter to them. If you didn’t reach your goals, how can you turn it around in the second quarter?
Che Brown is the President of Partners In Learning, a Washington DC based sales training and professional development firm (www.partnerslearning.com). Brown offers some great advice in this area. He says each day is an opportunity to get back on track. “You are only one day away from reaching your goals”, he says.
So, if you didn’t get a chance to put your business on the publicity map in the first quarter, you have three more quarters to make it happen. You don’t even have to wait until April 1st to begin. It can all start tomorrow. So.....what will you be doing?
So now with just a few days left of the first quarter of 2008, I have to ask you a question. Have your made your first quarter goals? What have you done to make your product, service or idea stand out from all the rest? Did you come up with a creative idea that led to free publicity on your local news station or in your local newspaper? Did you make your business matter to your customers? Because by now, you should know that people won’t support something they don’t believe in…something that doesn’t matter to them. If you didn’t reach your goals, how can you turn it around in the second quarter?
Che Brown is the President of Partners In Learning, a Washington DC based sales training and professional development firm (www.partnerslearning.com). Brown offers some great advice in this area. He says each day is an opportunity to get back on track. “You are only one day away from reaching your goals”, he says.
So, if you didn’t get a chance to put your business on the publicity map in the first quarter, you have three more quarters to make it happen. You don’t even have to wait until April 1st to begin. It can all start tomorrow. So.....what will you be doing?
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Time for some Spring Cleaning!
Thursday, March 20th, marks the first day of spring. Hallelujah! I am so glad I will be finally able to pack away my bulky winter coats for at least another 9 months or so! Me and cold, wintry weather just don’t get along!
With springtime comes a whole new season of renewal and refreshing possibilities. This is the time of year when people start clearing out their homes, dusting off their furniture and rolling up their sleeves for that much needed spring-cleaning. Out with the old and in with the new!
That rule doesn’t just apply to homeowners, you know. If you own a business, you too could benefit from a little sprucing up. The arrival of springtime could mean spring-cleaning for businesses as well, a chance to breathe some fresh air into a stale PR plan. You can start by asking yourself the following questions:
(1) Is it time to blow the dust off your current pr strategy for your product, service or company? What’s working for you? More importantly, what’s not working?
(2) Are all the numbers and email addresses of your media contacts in your Rolodex up to date? Who should you add…who should you delete?
(3) How can you maximize your resources and fresh new ideas to secure yourself some free publicity?
A change of seasons could be the fresh start your business is looking for. Spring into the possibilities and seize the opportunity!
With springtime comes a whole new season of renewal and refreshing possibilities. This is the time of year when people start clearing out their homes, dusting off their furniture and rolling up their sleeves for that much needed spring-cleaning. Out with the old and in with the new!
That rule doesn’t just apply to homeowners, you know. If you own a business, you too could benefit from a little sprucing up. The arrival of springtime could mean spring-cleaning for businesses as well, a chance to breathe some fresh air into a stale PR plan. You can start by asking yourself the following questions:
(1) Is it time to blow the dust off your current pr strategy for your product, service or company? What’s working for you? More importantly, what’s not working?
(2) Are all the numbers and email addresses of your media contacts in your Rolodex up to date? Who should you add…who should you delete?
(3) How can you maximize your resources and fresh new ideas to secure yourself some free publicity?
A change of seasons could be the fresh start your business is looking for. Spring into the possibilities and seize the opportunity!
Monday, March 10, 2008
What's Buzzing You
Sixty three thousand jobs were lost in the month of February. That's more than any other month in the past five years. If you were one of the lucky ones whose job was spared, chances are you know someone who wasn’t so lucky. Employers are rightsizing, downsizing, upsizing or just plain firing people all over the country. When there are no jobs, there is no spending. So in these tight times, how are businesses attracting customers?. Let’s face it, people just aren’t spending as much money as they used to. Just turn on the news tonight and see for yourself. The buzz words you’ll hear are: Recession, Downsizing, Cautious, Fearful, and Slowing Economy...just to name a few. The list could go on and on. But if you are a business owner looking to squeeze through these tight times, those same buzz words could be the basis of your publicity campaign. Remember, the key to successful public relations is to offer a useful solution to a problem, a problem many people can relate to. If you can find a way to build your company’s pr campaign around a cost saving measure, a way penny pinching consumers can purchase your products without blowing their budget, you can kill two birds with one stone. You’ll entice more customers to your business by offering cost saving solutions and you’ll be protecting (maybe even building) your bottom line. They key is to listen to the buzz words!6:47 pm est
Monday, February 11, 2008
If it bleeds....
It’s a common phrase used in the news industry: If it bleeds…it leads. Meaning that the more gory, tragic or devastating a story is, the more likely it will be at the top of any newscast. Seems pretty brutal, right? Why should someone’s tragedy be someone else’s leading news story? Although not all news stations follow this rule of thumb, there is some truth to that mantra. Whether you like it or not, sometimes it IS the bad news that makes the headlines. A tragic car accident that kills an entire family or that devastating house fire around the Christmas holiday always tugs at people’s heartstrings. That, of course evokes strong emotion, an important quality that makes any story newsworthy.
But a story doesn’t always have to be sad or involve some sort of conflict or controversy in order to be newsworthy, especially if it offers a solution or answer. That’s where you come in. As a business owner, can you offer your customers a solution to a problem or issue? The problem can be anything from high gas prices to high electricity bills. Do you offer a special price break or sale that beats out your competitors? How about a special drawing for a coupon or gift certificate to a local gas station or grocery store? Remember, in order to get publicity you have to first drum up the interest. The same thing that tunes viewers into the 6 o’clock newscast can also drive customers to your store. You just have to find that “leading story” to get their attention.
But a story doesn’t always have to be sad or involve some sort of conflict or controversy in order to be newsworthy, especially if it offers a solution or answer. That’s where you come in. As a business owner, can you offer your customers a solution to a problem or issue? The problem can be anything from high gas prices to high electricity bills. Do you offer a special price break or sale that beats out your competitors? How about a special drawing for a coupon or gift certificate to a local gas station or grocery store? Remember, in order to get publicity you have to first drum up the interest. The same thing that tunes viewers into the 6 o’clock newscast can also drive customers to your store. You just have to find that “leading story” to get their attention.
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