Online Publishing is Easy with paper.li

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Michelle Damico

Online publishing is a hot topic in social media circles and it’s something I discussed Tuesday morning during my monthly social media segment on Farm Week Now, a production of the Illinois Farm Bureau Radio Network. You’re actually a content creator, and don’t need to spend the time publishing original material. You become a valued source of information around the web, finding the content for which other’s lack the time to search.

Paper.li makes content curation easy, and visually attractive while making you look like an expert on the topic of your choosing. Why should you do it? Because you don’t have to CREATE the content. You just CURATE it. It’ll help you grow your online community while positioning you as an authority on the topic(s) that your niche audiences find interesting. Since Paper.li is a social tool, others can easily supply you with content or share your content with their communities, making your paper.li viral.

Want to see what Paper.li is all about? See the Chicago PR Daily, created by my friend and fellow ex-City Hall reporter Sarah Skerik, who is now an executive with PR Newswire in Chicago. Sarah curates content on Twitter, uses it in her paper, and cites the friends and followers who originally tweeted about the content (in fact, I’ve been cited in her Chicago PR Daily on more times than I can count).
Want to follow the latest news about food to your table? Check out the Food & Agriculture Spotlight or The Daily Agvocate.

Want news about Chicago’s hottest restaurants and bars? See the Chicago Restaurants & Bars Daily. Maybe you’re tracking Restaurants of the World? There’s a paper.li Daily for that too!

Want to learn more about paper.li?

Paper.li has an easy step-by-step process for creating your own online newspaper

Or check out How to become a Twitter publisher with paper.li

If my post encourages you to create your own Daily newspaper, please let me know and send me the link to it. Do Good!

Need PR for your App? Sorry, there’s NO App for that!

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Michelle Damico

In the last month, I’ve been approached by three different companies seeking help in generating news for their smart phone apps creations. Currently, I’m working with a brother-sister team that developed BrainAttack App to help emergency room doctors and nurses save lives for stroke patients. Like my clients, all app creators are trying to rise above the noise being generated in an industry that’s growing at lightning speed.

Since 2008, when Apple launched its iTunes App store more than 800,000 apps have been downloaded. Google has quickly played catch up with just under 700,000 apps on Google Play as it marks its first birthday.

If there’s a business problem, there’s probably an entrepreneur who’s created or working on an app solution. Unfortunately, there’s no app guaranteed to get news coverage for your new app. With the mix of traditional and social media required to generate awareness of your app, a one-size fits-all solution just won’t get you results.

There are so many target audiences that can make or break your efforts to generate awareness of your apps. With these hurdles in mind, I offer…

Top 10 tips to build media buzz for your App Continue reading →

Best magazine covers; Magazine burial ground broadens.

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Michelle Damico

I’ve never heard of Vice or Flaunt, but I do appreciate the style and substance that goes into creating a compelling magazine cover.

So when Advertising Age compiled its 10 best magazine covers for 2012, I had to see them. And it’s worth the view. As I perused these beauties, I couldn’t help but wonder how many people actually purchased/subscribed to these publications and actually saw them at their best — in print. With magazine circulation numbers on a never-ending downward slide (see below),I also tried to estimate the year when we’d no longer hold a fully assembled and stapled magazine for our own personal pleasure.

From the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism

Magazine industry keeps downsizing, thanks to digital media and social networks.

My Newsweek print subscription will be no more come January 1st – I’ll have to get my Newsweek fix online and it won’t be the same.

I was saddened when Gourmet folded in 2009 and not surprised when PC Magazine suffered a similar fate. You can take a look to spot one of your favorite pubs that folded in 2009. Or maybe one of your favs ceased publication in 2008?

Will some of the best magazines remain as print versions, because they’re just too vital or beautiful or popular to die? Will many be around in 2015? 2020?

What’s your prediction on the year the last printed magazine as we know it will fold? Will you miss them when they do? Will you be satisfied reading an article or seeing your cover on a tablet or smart phone? Leave your comments because I love when you do.

Paying it forward matters in Media Relationships, too!

Posted on November 13, 2012 by Michelle Damico

I blog so others can learn about my successes and failures working with journalists. If you’re in public relations and marketing I hope you take my lessons and run with them, because that’s the intent.

I offer yet another media relations nugget — perfectly timed for this month of Being Thankful:

Never underestimate the value of paying it forward,

especially when working with media.

Create opportunities to help a reporter, and you will reap rewards. Want proof? It happened about a month ago. I was pitching Andy Giersher, the veteran Chicago producer for the number one rated radio business show — Noon Business Hour on Newsradio 780. I called him about two hours before the start of his show, offering a client expert on mobile shopping and mobile rewards programs, in advance of the holiday shopping season.

“No thanks,” he said, “right now, I’m trying to round out today’s show.”

“What are you working on?” I asked. “Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Yeah, I’m looking for someone to comment on Newsweek.”

Continue reading →

Facebook’s Got a Bleeding Heart

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Michelle Damico

May hearts & flowers © Michelle Damico

My garden’s bleeding hearts on this first day of May reminded me of Facebook, which has added a new page option for users who wish to sign up for their state’s organ registry.

As someone on the receiving end of an organ donation (my right knee’s ACL was replaced a few years ago when a snow boarder hit me while skiing) it was very humbling when the nurse offered me the chance to send a note to the donor’s family, telling them their loved one’s life goes on, thanks to the tissue donation that enables me to run, walk and have free movement.

Organ donation is not only about hearts, livers and kidneys. One body may have as many as 50 opportunities for transplantation, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Facebook is taking steps to be more socially responsible. I’m hoping that altruism is the main goal; the skeptic in me thinks Facebook wants to develop a softer public persona as well. Either way, I’ll be signing up (as I already have on my driver’s license). You should too. If you want to learn more, read about. It’s all over the web today.

Great Tool to Follow Journ Tweeps

Posted on January 31, 2012 by Michelle Damico

Image by The Next Web via Flickr

If you are a news junkie and a Twitter fan, you will want to check out this directory of journalists on Twitter, listed by their media outlet. It comes from Muck Rack, which follows what journalists are reporting and talking about on social media. It also ranks the most active journalists on social media on the Muck Rack Leaderboard, which is a great way to follow trends and developing news.

Muck Rack is a fantastic source for anyone interested in news and communications. It was started in 2009 with about 150 journalists on Twitter and now lists thousands of reporters and editors who are active on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Quora, Google+, LinkedIn and more. What’s best is that the list is actually fact-checked by a team of editors, so you know you’re getting great info.

If you want to get even closer to the action, subscribe to the Muck Rack Daily email to learn on a daily basis what journalists are saying. This is a great resource for anyone who is trying to promote their own business, or who is doing PR and Media Relations on a shoestring! If you subscribe, let me know what you think.

“How do I…?” The entrepreneur’s most common PR question

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Michelle Damico

“How do I use PR to…

Get more customers?
Grow my business?
Stand out from the competition?
Inject new life into my online presence?

Almost every week, small business people and entrepreneurs ask me how can PR build your customer base and grow your business?

It doesn’t happen overnight, unless you’re one of those rare savvy jack-of-all-trades who hits the PR jackpot and has your product or service featured on The Today Show or on the Chicago Tribune front page in your first round of media outreach.

It starts with building relationships with the people who can help you spread word about your business.

Look at your local newspaper or radio station. What stories do you see about your industry? Who is the reporter, how can you contact them, what are his/her interests? Do you have any interests in common?

You can find out a lot about reporters by simply following what they write about. Many media outlets provide online profiles about their writers and editors. Often, they’re buried online under the “About Us” or “Contact Us” sections. For example, many major metro newspapers, such as the Chicago Tribune and the Daily Herald (serving the North and Northwest suburbs), have a very detailed list of their reporters, writers and editors.

These editorial directories can be a bit hard to find. For example, the Daily Herald lists their media contacts under the tab “Services & Info, which isn’t the most intuitive for searchers. Often, media outlets bury their “Contact Us” link at the bottom of their web page in very fine print. Take the time and patience to look for it.

If you’re looking for contacts on a magazine web site, often you’ll find an editor to reach by clicking on their “Advertising” tab and clicking on their “Media Kit” or “Editorial Calendar.”

Trying to reach TV reporters? You’ll often find their contact information online as well, although it seems TV stations make it the hardest to find that info. For example, this NBC5 Chicago contact site has minimal information. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, pick up the phone, call the station or outlet’s general number and ask to be connected to the Newsroom. Someone staffing the news desk will be able to direct you to the appropriate person. Don’t be surprised if you get a reporter’s voicemail.

Use the search tool available on nearly all media outlet web sites to see past stories. If their stories are archived (often for a fee), make a small investment to get copies of their most recent reports.

Consider ways to get their attention by sending them samples of your product, inviting them to visit your business, or sharing a new angle or bit of advice on something they’ve reported on. Better yet, send an email, complimenting their work and offering your expertise for a future story. Invite them for coffee (most reporters don’t have time for lunch, but you should still extend the invitation.) Don’t be discouraged if they say they’re too busy for an in-person meeting. They really are busy – their jobs have become more demanding. Besides reporting the news, media reps also are expected to post on social network profiles and/or provide additional content for media-owned blogs (or even their own personal blog).

Are you on Facebook or Twitter (either a personal or professional page)? It’s very likely that reporter is also on social media, so take the time to “Like” their page, follow what they do, and engage. Post items on their wall that are helpful. And I mean helpful - not bragging or advertisements. Show them that you can be a valuable resource.

Establishing media relationships is one way to open the door to possible coverage and demonstrate your expertise and credibility.

Next time we’ll talk about how you can use social networks to spread word of mouth and get your customers and their friends talking about you and providing untapped exposure.

In the meantime, I’d love to hear about your experiences working with reporters. What have you done to get their attention?

Was it fruitful? What could you have done better? Leave a comment and I promise to respond!

Post happily written by Michelle Damico

Kicking off December with Thanks to You

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Michelle Damico

This is a great time to say thank you for following my blog and participating in great conversations that (I hope) have helped you realize your PR goals and your business dreams.

This year has been tough for nearly every organization seeking to boost sales or increase awareness through traditional media such as print and broadcast, or word-of-mouth platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

In 2011, professionals were faced with a double whammy: shrinking marketing budgets and trying to follow and adapt to an ever-changing media landscape. We’ve all had to learn a lot of new rules and tools to stay on top of social media marketing.

As my way of saying thanks, I’d like to share a few timesaving tools and resources that kept me on top of my game this year:

1. PR Daily: A fantastic eNewsletter for PR and marketing professionals following traditional and social media trends and topics.

2. LinkedIn’s Answers: Saves countless hours researching an infinite number of topics or challenges. Why start from scratch when you’ve got experts eager to help on any topic for any industry.

3. Google Docs: Invaluable for collaborating on projects. Edit or create documents on a Google Doc and use Google’s chat tool for instantly discussing or improving upon your changes. It’s simple and elegant.

4. Join.me: Share your computer desktop view with others remotely for presentations or collaboration. Others can view your desktop presentations or follow as you navigate web sites by simply clicking on a link to Join.me.

5. Highrise Contact Management: Following-up with the reporters you pitch, or the prospects you’re trying to reach is easy with Highrise. It helps you track all emails and phone calls and sends reminders about the tasks related to those contacts. An easy way to create, organize and monitor all your customer info, emails and notes.

Give these free tools a try and tell me what you think. And if you would like to review your PR efforts this year, or want to discuss your 2012 strategy, don’t hesitate to contact me through the form here on my blog or at michelle at michelledamico dot com.

Wishing you happiness in the Season of Giving and lasting prosperity in 2012.

Enjoy these photos as a gift from my personal collection.

Gifts from an ice storm, by Michelle Damico

A visual feast is often the next best thing, by Michelle Damico

Your passion will take you there, by Michelle Damico

Social Currency: Is your wallet ready?

Posted on July 16, 2011 by Michelle Damico

Image via Wikipedia

Google+, Groupon, Spotify, LivingSocial Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media networks may be capturing headlines, but there’s a quiet revolution going on that could change the way the next generation buys consumer items and transacts business. It’s the movement toward Social Currency, a development that is taking shape through corporate leaders such as American Express or small start-ups like Pegmo.com, based in the Chicago area.

Here’s the premise behind social currency: The best way for a business to strengthen customer loyalty and spread valuable word of mouth is to reward customers for engaging with them. American Express is trying this experiment in Isreal, where its Rewards customers earn points by engaging with AmEx on its Facebook Fan Page.

Chicago-based Pegmo is focussed (for now) on the shop local movement, rewarding creative “Pegs” when you Tweet, post a comment or photo, like, or check-in to the social media property of your favorite restaurant, store, or other local establishment. Collect enough pegs and you’re eligible for $5 to $20 gift certificates from your favorite merchants.

Chicago entrepreneur innovations expert Noel Burkman says social currency is the future, and he believes it will be the next big disruption to the way we interact with businesses. Burkman points to the start-up GiftRocket. Who needs to shop for gift cards when you have GiftRocket?
Burkman says you just visit the site and create a gift card for any establishment, which your friends and love ones can redeem through their mobile devices. Provide the name of a business for which you want to give a gift card. I love a Barrington, Ill. gourmet bakery called Ambrosia Euro American Patisserie. My husband can go to Giftrocket and purchase credits for me an Ambrosia Lemon Charlotte cake for my birthday.

Ambrosia’s not required to be part of any GiftRocket membership plan. They don’t have to be a part of anything. GiftRocket finds Ambrosia on Google maps, specifies the gift amount I’ll receive and sends me an email that I’ve got Ambrosia money in my pocket (well actually in my email). The next time I’m within 20 yards of Ambrosia, GiftRocket will deposit $20 in my Paypal account and I’ve got a decadent cake with my name on it waiting for me in the showcase at Ambrosia’s welcoming cafe. How easy is that?

Who needs cash when you’ve got Social Currency? Will you? How far will you go to engage AND transact socially? Would love to hear your thoughts.

And if you’d like to read more about it, check out these links.

Michelle Damico Communications

Chicago-based PR Expert for Excellent News Coverage

Category Archives: News and Trends