Remember: PR Does Not Equal Press Release

When it comes to public relations, the first thought that comes to mind to most small business owners is "issue a press release!" While press releases are part of the PR arsenal, they are not the end-all, be-all. There are numerous other components you also need to focus on in order to generate PR for your small business. Here are a few other key actions you should also spend time on:

1) Build relationships with journalists

You'll get more traction when you issue a press release if you have an established relationship with your key media contacts. Regularly try to either help journalists or comment on their recent work. They'll appreciate your help and feedback, and will be more likely to want to help you in return. 

2) Create unique events
From contests to giveaways, build off an event with another business or create one on your own. Generate buzz with something creative and out-of-the-box. You could even offer a media-only event to give your new journalist friends a sneak preview of a new product or service.

3) Give back to your community (local or virtual)
Whether you operate a brick-and-mortar business, or you're strictly online, finding ways to give back to your community can garner positive PR. For one month, offer to donate a percentage of your proceeds to your favorite charity or a non-profit aligned with your business. For example, a dog-walking business may selected a local animal shelter to support.

4) Network online through social media
Building relationships online is just as important as your media contacts. Engage through a variety of online channels that makes sense for your small business. Are you an artist? Be sure to use Pinterest. Offer small business services, join groups on Linked In geared towards that audience.

5) Keep learning
When it comes to PR, nothing is more important than continuing to learn about public relations. A strong PR campaign takes time and consistency to garner the best results.  Whether you're completely new to PR, or a veteran, personal development is always beneficial.

How do you view PR? Are you addicted to press releases, or do you dabble in more innovative methods?

3 Quick Tips for Low-Cost Marketing

Everyone is on a budget these days, including most businesses. But how can you grow your business and not spend money? Embrace low-cost, no-cost marketing ideas.

Marketing is the life blood of any business. It's essential to generate new customers and clients. Here are some ways you can market your business without breaking the bank:

Word-of-Mouth
Tell everyone about your business, from your mother and cousins to your hairdresser and mechanic. Every person you interact with should know that you're in business, what you offer and how to become a customer. Think about it. Every person in your social circle probably knows 50 to 100 people. It's the old adage "and they tell two friends, and they tell two friends..." Word-of-mouth referrals are a great source of business.

Public Relations (PR)
It's important to note that public relations and advertising are not the same. PR is essentially unpaid advertising. However, what you would pay cash for in marketing, you will pay in your time with PR. PR is not a quick fix. It's like sowing seeds. You need to plant, care for and nurture your PR efforts. PR highlights newsworthy information and should not be promotional. You can generate PR in a variety of ways, including with press releases, a media event, pitching local media or highlighting a recent survey or case study.

Social Media
No low-cost marketing plan is complete without including social media. Social media is all the rage. With hundreds of sites to choose from, you're best bet is to select a few to focus your efforts. Depending on the type of business you have, I would recommend Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. These popular sites are a great way to build relationships with customers, highlight products and services, gather feedback and leverage viral marketing. It's a great venue to both market and provide value to customers. Best of all, it doesn't cost any money to do it!

While there are hundreds of free or low-cost marketing ideas, these are just a few. No matter what kind of marketing you are doing for your business, the most important part is to have a plan. It doesn't need to be anything elaborate, but it should include all the components with a calendar outlining what to do and when.

Have any free or low-cost marketing tips that have worked well for you business? I'd love to hear them!

PR Tips & Tidbits

5 Tips for Radio Show Interviews

1) Have a goal for the interview - the most common one today is to drive people to your web site.
2) Have a web address that's easy to remember and spell - so listeners won't forget it after the interview.
3) Call-in on a landline - better voice quality and more reliable.
4) Listen to the show a few times before you get on - so you know what to expect.
5)  Have a pencil and paper in front of you during the interview - so if a thought occurs, you can jot it down and be sure to cover it.

Source: Fred Gleeck Insights, 8/27/09.
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Twitter Tip
Perry Belcher, a successful Internet marketer with over 60,000 Twitter followers, uses this formula for successful tweeting:

** 30% anything funny (jokes, funny quotes, etc.)
** 25% compliments and praise for others (includes retweets)
** 10% information that keeps them informed
** 5% what you are doing

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***What are they saying about you online?***

Is your business being hurt by people who are trash-talking about you or your product on blogs and web sites?

To find out what is being said about you online, do a full search using your company name, brand, and product names on Google, Bing, and Yahoo twice a month, advises marcom strategist
Dianna Huff.

On Google, open a Google account and set up Google Alerts. These are e-mails that Google sends you whenever a specific keyword or phrase you specify - like your name -- is used online. 

Use the images, books, maps, and more links at the top of the Google search page to see how your company and product names are being used. Then click on "more options" to see online reviews, forums, and related searches. Plus: check for mentions of you on Digg, Delicious, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Source: Marcom Strategist, 7/10/09.

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***4 ways to make Google love your site***

According to Internet marketing guru Howie Jacobson, Google ranks "authority" web sites - sites that provide valuable information on a topic -- higher than ordinary web sites.

Here are the 4 things you need to have an authority web site:

1-High-quality content - valuable information that's free - and lots of it.

2-New material added all the time - so Google sees the site is growing and staying current.

3-Easy-to-use site navigation - including a site map.

4-Inbound links to your site from other authority web sites in the same niche.

Added bonus: having an authority website also helps position you as a thought leader in your industry.

Source: Early to Rise, 7/1/09.

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***7 reasons why visitors don't buy from you online***

According to an e-tailing group survey, visitors don't buy online for 7 reasons:

1-High shipping charges - 46%.

2-Desire to comparison shop some more-37%.

3-Lack of money-36%.

4-Wanted to look for a coupon-27%.

5-Wanted to shop offline-26%.

6-Couldn't find preferred payment option-24%.

7-Security concerns about ordering online-21%.

Action steps: test lowering your shipping and handling charges; expand your payment options;  test coupons on your shopping carts; and make sure you have secure socket layer (SSL) security logos on your site's order forms and shopping cart. These include VeriSign, Entrust, TRUSTe, and GoDaddy.

Source: eMarketer, 6/30/09.

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***5 Ways to Write Better***
1—Write what you know.
2—Know what it is that you know.
3—Make good use of details.
4—Look for details in experience – yours or other
5—Collect information. You never know what will someday be

Source: Richard Lovett, Analog, 1/10/10, p. 55.

This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly Direct Response Letter at www.bly.com.