Tag Archives: PR

DIY PR? Sure, you can!

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Yes, you can be your own PR agent.

If you’re like many entrepreneurs launching a small business, a budget for PR is often last on the priority list. That’s unfortunate, because we’re all news providers these days, hungry for great news content for our own Facebook page, YouTube Channel, Twitter feed and other social media platforms. Having your story told through word-of-mouth marketing or in traditional media such as newspapers, radio, and TV is one of the most effective ways to attract new customers and build your business.

 

While it does require effort and learning, it’s possible to wear another hat and become your own PR rep. Like anything, you need to keep at it, even if you don’t see instant results.

I recently was interviewed about DIY PR for business people by Catherine Morgan, Transition and Entrepreneur Coach from Point A to Point B Transitions. Please take a listen and let me know if I can help you get started. Email me: michelle at michelledamico dot com!

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Social Web helps farmers plant seeds for growth

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Photo by Michelle Damico

Madison Farmer's Market

 

Most people don’t put farming and social media in the same sentence, but farmers are jumping on the Facebook bandwagon, whether they’re agri-tourism destinations such as Stade’s Farm in Johnsburg, specialty farmers, organic farmers such as Sweet Home Organics in LaFox and artisan producers of cheese, jams or natural soaps, fibers and wool. You meet them at your local farmer’s markets, providing advice and guidance on how to prepare their locally grown produce. They establish customer relationships that unfortunately go on hiatus during the winter months. Using Facebook or Twitter is a natural way to keep the conversation going year-round, and to keep learning and building trust between the farmer and his\her customers. It’s also a great and timely way to spread word of mouth about their offerings and availability throughout the growing season

I’m presenting at a social media workshop — Planting Seeds for Business Growth – Tuesday, March 29th and it’s sponsored by the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation and will be held at the McHenry County Farm Bureau (1102 McConnell Road, Woodstock, IL 60098).  If you patronize farms or farmers markets, please spread the word to any farmers you may know.  I have more details below. Thanks much. Michelle

Farmers and farm-based businesses will learn how they can deploy free social media tools to market their businesses, generate valuable word-of-mouth, attract new customers, strengthen current relationships, drive website traffic and support agri-tourism and the local economy. They’ll also learn about farms that already use Facebook, YouTube and other networks to connect with customers.

Social media evangelists Marla Pendergrast and Michelle Damico will make an informative and engaging presentation to demonstrate how using free social media tools can lead to real business results. Marla and Michelle have developed the highly successful digital properties for Twin Garden Farms and other local businesses. They will share their experiences and discuss which social media tools are right for you.
We will also discuss how interactive online communication, including Web sites, social media marketing, and video can help County farmers and farm businesses develop trade opportunities and open new markets.

Reserve tickets through the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation.

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Tell me what you do (in a minute or less)!

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So tell me, what do you do?

When customers and prospects visit your website, Facebook or other digital properties, do they see a memorable message about  your business and how it helps people or other businesses? In an elevator or at a cocktail party would someone understand your business value proposition in a minute or less?

If “NO” is the answer to both questions, you should consider creating or simplifying your business message or starting from scratch with a message framework.

It sounds easier than it is. Creating one short soundbite explaining what you do and why it matters to your target audience takes time, perspective and a willingness to dig beyond your mission statement and product/service description.

It also requires a kind of objectivity that’s difficult to practice when your business is your baby. The message development process can take hours, days or weeks, depending on your own and your customers’ experiences. My approach is to take it in baby steps; the first three are fact-finding steps.

  • Know Your Audience — pinpoint their problem, and consider all the ways that problem keeps them worried or makes them lose sleep.
  • List all the ways your product/service solves that problem. If you have a long list, put the top three in priority.
  • Describe the most important features that you offer a customer and how those features specifically address that problem.

The final fourth step has more to do with your customer’s feelings or emotions. We all establish personal connections to a business. I choose a neighborhood printer versus going online for my letterhead and business cards because the manager of the Minute Man Press in my town makes me feel important. As a small business owner, that’s a good feeling and one that will keep me coming back.

So once you’ve done all your fact-finding in steps 1, 2 and 3, consider the emotional response from your client when you do business with him/her? Does he feel more secure? Trusting? Smart that he’s spending his money wisely? Protected because you’re watching out for her business?

Navigating this process requires your own review of how you’ve helped customers and the anecdotes they’ve shared about how you made a difference. It’s also best to conduct this messaging process with the help of a third party, someone who can be objective, who doesn’t live and breathe your business, and who can provide a different perspective of your business and your audience. The anecdotes you gather become the supporting points that bolster your message. These “proof points” also serve as conversation-extenders, since prospects want to hear about other customer experiences for a better understanding of how you’ll help them.

So let’s get a conversation started — What do you do?

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Turning “No, You Can’t” into “Yes, You Can.”

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Bachrach speaks to students at Chicago's Julian High School

It’s ironic that I nearly said “No You Can’t” to Lloyd Bachrach, the founder of Yes You Can! Lloyd has an amazing story to tell about his success and personal achievements in spite of a birth defect  that made his legs unusually short. He had approached me in late December, asking to help him get coverage for his speeches before kids in Chicago’s most violent-prone public schools. Through a grant from the CME Group Foundation, Lloyd was going into the schools and encouraging kids to respect themselves and each other and to strive for greatness beyond their imaginations.

I discouraged him from doing PR during the busy Christmas season, initially telling him that getting  reporters out to the schools would be difficult. Plus, I feared administrators wouldn’t allow  for kids faces to appear on camera, plus some principals don’t like camera crews or reporters in their schools. I had an endless list of reasons for “No You Can’t.”

He accepted my advice, and I told him I’d be in touch after the New Year. Luckily I didn’t accept my advice and realized the huge mistake I made! How could I be telling this amazingly optimistic, inspiring human being that his story wasn’t ready to be told.  We started working with each other immediately. Loyd is a great speaker and a great performer. He had these middle school and high school kids in the palm of his hands! Finding ways to curb violence and bullying in Chicago Public Schools is a hot topic, because our schools have been plagued by kid-on-kid violence. So reporters, looking for a fresh angle heading into the New Year, were instantly interested.

Literally within days, I secured the first in a string of  interviews from reporters who wanted to talk to Lloyd by phone or in person at the events. Within a six-week period, Lloyd was featured on WLS Talk Radio, Chicago Tribune (print story and video online), the DeKalb Daily Chronicle, Living Lake Country publications serving Southern Wisconsin and  the Oak Leaves of the Pioneer Press. Other media are also interested in TV interviews or in having Lloyd write an article about how he helps steer kids away from violence.

Lloyd is one of the best clients I’ve ever had. Besides inspiring kids, he inspires me — A LOT!  He is always positive and funny. And he listens to my advice, always seeking constructive criticism. I’m so glad I went with my gut, and told myself Yes You Can to Lloyd. I’m also glad I had the honesty to admit a mistake and to follow my instincts.

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You landed your first TV interview!
Now what?
Five tips for positive coverage

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Houston, TX., 9/10/2005 -- Media conduct inter...
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You finally nailed it – a local TV reporter you’ve been calling and emailing for weeks wants to interview you for the business, community or social issue that you’ve been promoting. Excited, you call your friends to alert them about your upcoming TV news appearance. Now what?

That’s the question I posed to my friend Kathy, who was thrilled about her upcoming WGN-TV interview about her community’s opposition to a giant new sports complex.

Landing the big interview to generate awareness for her cause was a great reward for her media outreach efforts. She quickly recognized though that the prize – accurate reporting of her position – only comes with preparation.

Looking at a reporter, talking to into a microphone, searching for a profound  comment while a video camera rolls is not a skill most of us possess. As my colleague Neil Parker advises his clients “An interview is no time for original thought.” Your comments and how you present them should be prepared and practiced far in advance!

These tried and true steps will arm you with the confidence you’ll need to turn that interview into and all your PR efforts into positive coverage. These apply to practically any media interview, whether you’re speaking on behalf of a community group, business, government or nonprofit organization:

Agree on a spokesperson

For businesses, governments or nonprofits, that’s an easy one. It’s usually the top executive. But if you’re a community group with many volunteers at work, you’ll need to agree in advance on who’s doing the interview. The stark reality is that it should be one person (or two at most) who will do the interview. If there are two of you, agree in advance who will discuss which topics, so you don’t repeat your key messages.

Turn your messages into sound bites

Since the news report is likely limited to two or three minutes, expect that just one or two of your sound bites – typically 10 to 20 seconds long– will be aired. Before the interview, jot down your key messages and shorten them. Repeat and put your messages in your own words to increase your comfort level and boost confidence.

Remember — COMFORT + CONFIDENCE = POSITIVE COVERAGE

Anticipate questions

Be prepared with answers by knowing the questions. It’s likely that as a business exec, government leader or a community activist, you’ve been asked hundreds of questions. Identify which questions are most likely to be asked. Put your topic in context of other news or trends. For example, the sports complex proposed for Kathy’s community comes as other similar facilities are failing and may require government help – a tax increase – to stay afloat. So her answers should refer to the experiences of other towns stuck with a white elephant that will require a bail out.

Practice

Rehearsing your answers is AS important as framing them. Ask a colleague to lead a mock interview. That experience will be just as weird and surreal as the real video-recorded interview, so why not get the hang of it beforehand! Practice a few times, and if you have a video camera or digital recorder, use it! Watching or hearing yourself for the first time is hard for anybody, but you’ll learn a valuable lesson and will sharpen your performance after seeing yourself in action.

Relax

Yes, you can still have nervous energy – it’s natural and provides the adrenaline rush that leads to great performances. However, the way to channel that energy into a compelling interview is by being prepared, knowing what to expect and facing your questions with confidence.

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Trying to Make Business News in the Political Clutter?

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Campaign Signs on the Corner of 6th and Morton
Image by Indiana Public Media via Flickr

We’re heading into the final stretch for the mid-term elections, with just four full days before voting day November 2nd. If you think  the media won’t latch on to your non-political story idea, change your way of thinking. I just pitched two Illinois reporters on a business story and asked if they’d be interested at this time and they both said YES.

A general assignment reporter for public radio said she might use my item for Tuesday, because typically radio stations have an election-day blackout on campaign mudslinging and candidate positioning. She needs non-campaign pieces for her hourly newscasts. Another newspaper business reporter says he’s always looking for business items he can localize and is also considering a client interview.

The message here, as with all media relations: Don’t enter a PR assignment with your own preconceived notions. If you don’t think reporters will be interested, ask them what they’re covering and what they’ll be needing, based on the calendar or everyday circumstances. Don’t think your business message will get drowned out just because we’re in the midst of fiercely contested political races. In fact, don’t think too hard about it at all…just call and talk!

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How Christine O’Donnell broke PR’s golden rule

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The new Christine O'Donnell Witch doll.

“I am not a witch!” Tea Party Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell held a news conference this week to introduce her “I am not a witch” campaign ads. She admitted that she dabbled in witchcraft at a younger age, and now her critics are taking advantage of the admission. Her response is a PR person’s worst nightmare.

Why, oh why would she create a political ad to promote this message, and why would her manager allow her to do it? By sending out this message – and giving it a campaign priority, O’Donnell has broken one of the top rules of PR — never repeat a negative. Richard Nixon broke the rule: “I am not a crook.” Mayor Richard M. Daley did it: “I am not a wimp.” And now O’Donnell. Responding to a negative question with a negative answer only reinforces in the mind of the listener that you really  ARE what you say you AREN’T! The negative sticks to you.

By putting out this ad, and making it her message, her problem didn’t go away. It just got worse. I, like many people, didn’t pay attention to the details of her background. I was amused by her candidacy, but I wouldn’t have cared, because I’m not voting for her.

Now, she’s allowed her campaign to become even more of a circus act than it already was. I’ll follow her now, just for the entertainment value of witnessing her next PR blunder.

How might she have responded to questions about her past interest in witchcraft? She could have responded “I’ve already answered questions about that, and it’s not relavent today, when so many other challenges are facing our country.” Or she might have said, “I’m sure all of us regret some of our youthful indiscretions, and my campaign is about finding answers to our problems, and not looking back.”

Is that a sincere answer? Probably not, but it would have saved her from the damaging headlines and the lingering story. Heck, just as she announced “I am not a witch,” a new doll manufacturer came out with the Christine O’Donnell action figure, and guess what, she’s dressed as a witch!

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Is Your Biz Missing the Social Media Boat? C’mon, Hop On!

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Description: Social Networking Source: own wor...
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The social media bandwagon is getting pretty crowded with corporate marketers and PR professionals.  Big corporate players such as Old Spice, Kraft, Coke, Skittles,  and others have been one-upping each other with creative social media initiatives over the past few years.

While there’s lots of dazzle in these campaigns, the reality of social media is that you don’t need a big fat marketing budget to experience the direct customer engagement you’ll get from  Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr, and others.

If you walk down Main Street USA, you’ll find that many small businesses haven’t caught the social media bug. It’s easy to understand why. Small business people are the most time-stretched of all the entrepreneurs I meet. They’re often operating on a shoe string, and seek help from family and friends to keep the payroll down. It’s hard enough to consider promoting your small business brand when you’re trying keep the lights on and the doors open.

If you can relate to all I’ve just said, perhaps you might want to take a few baby steps before taking the social media plunge. Here are a few ideas that might save you time and budget.

1. Focus on Facebook. Don’t get dizzy wondering whether you should be on Facebook, YouTube or Twitter. With 500 million users and growing, Facebook is where it’s at. It may not stay the most popular social network forever, but with that many eyeballs, and with the constant media chatter about its popularity, keep your focus on its potential to let you talk directly with your customers.

2. No need for high priced experts. Look in your own backyard for help. Better yet, look in the next room. If you’ve got a kid on Facebook, see if you can capture your attention for a few minutes to show you how to set up a page for your business. Hey, maybe you can dangle an incentive such as a boost in the weekly allowance in exchange for help in creating AND completing a business page. Don’t have a teenage techno wiz available? Small business development centers all around the country are offering social media introduction classes, and often they cost next to nothing.

3. Take advantage of customer relationships. The best small business people get to know their customers through casual conversations. You’ll probably find a few marketing professionals among your customers with experience setting up social media pages and profiles for their clients. Suggest to arrange some sort of barter relationship to take advantage of their expertise.

4. Be a Google Meister! There’s a wealth of how-to information on how to use Facebook. Facebook itself has a wealth of help resources, but don’t stop there. Sites such as AllBusiness.com and Mashable.com offer up-to-date news and knowledge about the best uses of Facebook and social media trends.

5. Inspire Your Customers. Once on Facebook, let them know you too have a presence. Encourage them to find you and “Like” your business page. When they leave comments or give you the thumbs-up sign on your page, comment with a thank you or post something on their wall. Make it relevant to their lives. Offer advice.  Explain your products or how to best use them. Post photos of happy customers.  Launch Facebook-only promotions. Give them tips. Establish trust. Entice them to come back for more.

6. Scope out your neighbors. See what other stores and businesses are doing on social networks. Join a club in your community. I found more than 88 million results in a Google search of “finding social media clubs,” so go find one, you’re likely to find new customers as well!

7. Don’t be intimidated. If somebody tells you they’re a social media expert just nod and walk away. We’re all just learning this new and exciting way to market your business. So start with a healthy but realistic search for knowledge.

8. Share your experiences with others. Social media is all about developing relationships and establishing trust. Help out others who face similar challenges, and watch your network of fans and customers grow.

Have any other ideas for small businesses dipping their toes in the social networking waters? I’d love to hear them!

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Gratitude from a happy telecommuter

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Traffic in Chicago, USA.
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I saw this great blog post this morning by Chris Brogan (one of my favorite social media gurus) and think it’s worth sharing. Not just because he video blogged while driving out of Boston — yes he was behind the wheel while he vlogged — but because he reminded me of how grateful I am for my current life.

I used to be on the daily commute, driving or taking the train 4 hours each day to my job in downtown Chicago or in the suburbs. I never had breakfast with my kids, rarely smelled the beautiful air in my hilly town and never met the parents of my kids’ friends. That’s all changed since I’ve become an independent contractor working for two agencies, Pipeline Media Relations and Marj Halperin Consulting.

Being in PR and marketing offers many pluses — the first of which is the ability to stay connected out of a home office. The client never knows I’m not in a downtown cubicle. During conference calls, no one knows I’m in my shorts. And after writing or editing content or analyzing research, no one knows whether the work was completed at a local Starbucks or at my desk.

Three years ago, I lost my job and that opened so many doors for me to work from home, to try new things, to learn social media, and to get connected to my community. My independent work was done out of necessity. If you’re at all thinking about following my path, don’t wait much longer because you will not regret your decision.

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PR Mastery-One Blog at a Time
List Building

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I’ve been in the marketing and PR business for a long time and am now fortunate enough to enjoy a variety of PR and marketing assignments through my friends at Pipeline Media Relations, Marj Halperin Consulting and my own firm, Michelle Damico Communications. Through my many years in communications, my colleagues and friends have commented on my success in reaching out to the media to place stories on behalf of clients. So I thought it might be helpful to develop a series of blog posts that offer tips on what’s worked for me over the years.

Today I’m starting with the humble media list. It’s a task often relegated to the most junior staffers within a PR agency. If that’s you, take your time and do it right. If you’re lucky enough to work for a firm that pays for a media contact data base, take the time to dig deep within the list of provided reporters and their beats. Don’t take anything from a media database at face value.

If you don’t have a media database like Cision or Vocus at your disposal, you can still find the right media through the popular search engines. The same advice applies — take time and learn about them.

Why? During one of my first meetings with clients or prospects, I usually ask how they connect with the media. I learn about their extensive list of contacts, how frequently it’s updated and the source of their media data.

And then I ask about outreach: “How do reporters learn about your news?” They invariably respond that they send out emails en masse to all the reporters on their list. They know blasting emails is not the best way to establish media relations, but they lack the time to create customized, one-on-one emails to their long list of trade and general business media. I don’t even venture to ask whether the look up their favorite media on Facebook or Twitter; I already know their answer: “No time for that either.”

Rather than rush to judgment and criticize the practice of email blasting press releases to the media, I put myself in their shoes and express gratitude that they’ve come to me for help. Establishing media relationships is labor-intensive, requires the use of many tools, and has a very low initial rate of success, especially during your first three months of outreach. It’s no wonder that harried PR people juggling many tasks don’t invest the time needed for effective media outreach.

List-building is a case in point. Just this month, I launched media outreach on behalf of a client. The preliminary research alone to develop a solid media list took at a full-day’s work – and that’s while using an efficient online media contacts database.

Here’s what’s involved, just in list-building:

  1. Identifying the key topics, news and trends your client wants to talk about
  2. Identifying the appropriate media outlets, and the reporters and the beats
  3. Viewing media sites to see recent coverage and assessing the chances that the reporter might be interested in your client (you’ll often find that their identified beat, and what you perceive as their specific interest, don’t often match your PR goals, so dig deeper).
  4. Checking out others within the same outlet who seem to cover similar beats – but don’t – you can only know by reading their stuff.
  5. Identifying other ways to reach them besides email – are they active on Twitter or Facebook? Do they write a blog or have a personal web site? Are you following them? Why not?
  6. Finding mutual interests – whether it’s personal or professional – so you have something in common to get conversations started with the media via social networks

The eventual media list I built included lots of notes, to help me find genuine (not phony) connections with the media, either professionally or personally. Relating to them is one way to show you care, and to also show that you GET IT. GETTING IT is the key. What I mean here is walking in their shoes, understanding their needs and empathizing with their daily juggle of stories, deadlines and fears of their newspaper/magazine folding in the not-too-distant future. So you’ve spent a day or two and have a solid list built. Then what? I’ll have more on that later.