Archive for September, 2009
What Your PR Firm Doesn’t Want You to Know About Google
by Ashley Webb on September 30, 2009 | 1 comment
in Measurement, public relations
No one likes to give away trade secrets. But this little PR nugget is too valuable to keep to ourselves.
Google is a PR practitioner’s best friend.
Oh sure, everyone knows that Google provides convenient access and bite-sized information on a wide range of valuable topics. For essentially any industry, you can learn about competitors, research best practices, uncover lawsuits and much more.
But Google offers an amazing service that can also help monitor a company’s presence in the news and on the web.
Google Alerts will automatically notify you anytime new Internet results are discovered that match your criteria. Google searches for the latest relevant results on news sites, blogs, in videos and online groups. It’s a convenient way to keep track of developing news stories, stay current on a competitor or industry or monitor your company’s presence on the web and in the news.
To set up an Alert, simply visit the Google Alerts home page, enter your search terms, the type of alert you’d like (web, news, video, comprehensive, etc.), how often you’d like Google to check for results and your email address. Once you’ve completed these steps, Google will immediately begin its search and notify you automatically anytime new results are discovered.
To search for industry news or to narrow your results, you may want to visit Google’s Advanced Search page to learn how to refine your parameters for more targeted results.
So why should a PR firm handle your media monitoring if you can do it for free?
In most cases, PR firms have access to more robust monitoring services. Such services can be rather costly if purchased direct, but agencies are often able to achieve a volume discount they can pass along to their clients. Through these comprehensive monitoring services, we’re able to:
• access news from subscription-only publications and news outlets that do not publish online;
• execute more sophisticated and targeted searches;
• research past news stories;
• analyze coverage and compare against competitors;
• prepare advertising equivalency reports;
• monitor social media sites.
In the end, it depends on how important monitoring is to you and your company. Google Alerts are a great way to stay on top of company and competitor news, but if you’re looking for the most extensive coverage and analysis, leave it up to your PR pros.
What the … ?!
by Rosemary Plorin on September 24, 2009 | 1 comment
in Punctuation
An article earlier this week in the Chicago Tribune reminded me that today is National Punctuation Day. Sadly, the sun will likely set with this special day unrecognized by most. As a defender of written language (and as a professional who pays a mortgage and purchases health benefits based on my ability to communicate well) I would be remiss to let the day pass without a nod.
So, in honor of English teachers everywhere (especially you, Ms. Sturgeon and Sister Mary Hildebrand), I offer a quick tutorial on three oft misunderstood punctuation marks.
The semicolon. Poignant, decisive mark that rarely sees appropriate stage-time. The cabernet franc of punctuation.
Use the semicolon to separate two complete but closely related sentences.
“At her core she was a grammar marm; she could not let the national holiday go by unnoticed.”
This mark is also appropriately placed between compound elements in a list.
“Authenticity to both style and substance dominated her language in professional matters; in casual conversations at home, work or play; and in dialogue or debate with those of similar grammarian interests.”
The ellipsis. Seinfeld successfully transitioned this punctuation mark to spoken language in the 1997 episode “Yada yada yada.” (N.B.: the Seindfeldism requires no punctuation.)
The ellipsis notes a lapse or omission in a thought or quote. Use it for brevity, when an original quote or passage is just too darn long, or discretion – when a sentence contains elements too racy or distasteful for general audience consumption. The mark is comprised of three dots (periods) and is treated like a word, meaning, it is appropriately placed with a space before and after the triad.
“Clandestine episodes in the library between the grammar student and professor … were replayed as treasured memories long after matriculation was complete.”
The interrobang. Not unlike the guy in the Mac commercials, this punctuation combo meal is fairly ubiquitous, though few know its proper name.
The interrobang (or interabang) combines the exclamation point and question mark. In its most authentic representation, the two characters are actually morphed together into a single mark; as most electronic typefaces do not support the interrobang, side-by-side placement of the two marks is also acceptable. While not an officially sanctioned punctuation mark, the interrobang has widespread use as an interjection that denotes the mixture of query and excitement.
In its most common appearance, the interrobang partners with the ellipsis: “What the … ?!” A second example: “The budding writer flung the ribbons and wrap from the abbreviated Oxford English Dictionary and grasped her grandfather tightly about the neck, “Oh, Papa, how did you know?!”
A Smart Strategy to Grow Legit Email Lists
by Paula Lovell on September 22, 2009 | no comments
in Marketing
Talk about a brilliant PR tactic right alongside being a good corporate citizen! The management at Christie Cookies…the classic chocolate chip may be my very favorite “sin” of all time…determined they wanted to make a rather nice sized donation of $25,000 to one or more charitable organizations in celebration of the company’s 25th anniversary. Instead of just putting out a press release and passing out the dough (sorry) they ingeniously figured out a way to make it do double duty. They are putting on a contest! Anytime up to October 15, you can vote for your favorite charity, leave behind your email address and, who knows, your favorite charity might receive up to $10,000 from Christie Cookies.
How smart is that? They are collecting email addresses, promoting the delectable cookies and providing free advertising for the charities now posted on their website. Even our local NPR radio station ran a story about this on WPLN.
I have gotten emails from friends all over the country asking me to vote for a particular charity. The charity that drums up the most votes will win $10,000!
I understand the company now has almost 160,000 votes. Think of all those tasty email addresses they’ve acquired, right here before Christmas! Whoever thought this up was one smart cookie!
I Heart NPR!
by Jan Morrison on September 16, 2009 | 1 comment
in The Media
Just like Paula, I {heart} NPR. I love it because it is thorough, calm and reasoned in a world of 24-hour news networks and pundit-fueled commentary. So I was thrilled to learn last week that our local member station (WPLN) would be changing its format to reduce classical music and increase news and talk programming during the day.
I knew I liked this idea, but I wondered what precipitated the decision and how it would impact listeners. Thankfully, our local daily newspaper asked that very question and provided the answer:
“Several other public radio stations have undergone similar format changes in recent months, including those in Gainesville, Fort Myers and Jacksonville, Fla.; Winston-Salem, N.C.; and in Vermont and Connecticut,” Rob Gordon [president and general manager of WPLN-FM 90.3] said.
The general manager at one such member station, WBHM in Birmingham, Ala., said that the station experienced an increase in daytime listening by 35 percent and saw the average age of listeners decrease from 59 to 54 after switching from classical music to news and talk programming.
Before WBHM experienced an increase in listeners, it heard a lot of grousing about the sudden dearth of classical music on its airwaves. But in the end, it was a good move for the station.
Hopefully organizations can learn two things from this development:
1. Change can be hard at first, but if it is best for the long term growth and sustainability of your business model, it has to be done.
2. Real news is not dead. People love blogs and twitter, but they also want the facts from a reasoned source that checks its facts and has access to people who make important decisions that impact us all.
Just like Paula, I hope that this finds you inspired enough by the quality of news delivered by NPR that you consider becoming a member of your local NPR station, as well.
Times Change, but Sound Business Practices Endure
by Rosemary Plorin on September 14, 2009 | no comments
in Marketing
1902
It’s not hard to imagine how a turn of the century clothier in New York City labored to sell women’s suits and dresses.
The customer – a fashionable woman of means with more than passing interest in social appearances – visits a dress store in Midtown Manhattan. The suitmaker chats with her, learns about her style interests and clothing needs, shows her a lovely lithograph handbill detailing some of his recent creations. He politely invites her to share her postal address so that he might update her about sales, trunk shows and the latest fashions from Europe.
READ: The businessman identifies his target audience, builds a qualified list, communicates a relevant message that is valuable to his customer. Ultimately, he sells women’s skirts and suits, “$3 and up.”
2009
One hundred and seven years later, our firm is fortunate to partner with Strength for Service (SFS), a non-profit organization that produces and distributes a poignant devotional (first published in 1942) written specifically for men and women in the service of others, particularly the military.
We recently encouraged SFS to capture the email addresses of military chaplains who often make inquiry of the organization via the Internet. With a qualified list in hand, we designed and executed a direct email campaign to 200 chaplains, reminding them of the book’s availability and encouraging them to secure copies for the men and women in their spiritual care.
The email achieved a 30 percent open rate and resulted in the request of nearly 2,000 devotionals.
READ: We helped the organization build a qualified list and communicate a relevant message that resonated with the customer. Ultimately, SFS advanced its mission and positively impacted the lives of hundreds of American soldiers.
The tools evolve, and the audiences are certainly different. But sound communication and marketing principles endure over time.
Bread and Butter: Communicating Your Message Effectively
by Jessica Turner on September 9, 2009 | no comments
in Marketing
Last week a representative from a printing company seeking our company’s business came to our office unannounced and asked if I was available.
I was in a meeting with a client, so she left me a brown bag from a local bakery and a folder.
Inside the bag was a loaf of delicious bread and some butter. The folder included her business card, her business’s brochure and a single sheet about its services.
I assume that she brought me bread and butter because she was going to say something like, clients like you are our company’s bread and butter.
But, I was in a meeting.
So she left the package and said nothing.
Her folder also said nothing about wanting my business, hoping we could work together, etc.
As a marketing professional, this poor attempt at securing my business left me disappointed because, while it was clear she had spent time going to the store and purchasing the bread, she did not spend time crafting her message.
Thanks to the internet, people are bombarded with more messages than every before, making it critical that companies effectively communicate. While this sales person’s attempt to secure my business was a delicious break in my day, it lacked the necessary messaging to really be effective.
Here are a few ideas on how she could have improved her pitch:
• Called ahead to see if I would be available to speak with her;
• Included a letter stating why she wanted my business; and/or
• Created a sticker to put on the bread bag with the company’s logo and a catchy phrase.
What ways have companies ineffectively reached out to you in the past?