PR Basic

Public Relations For Commercial Fishermen

2009-03-03T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

Many environmentalists are concerned about over fishing our oceans and they scream bloody murder when whales or dolphins wash ashore and blame the sonar on Navy ships and submarines. They condemn our commercial fishermen as well. And yet these environmentalists live in the greatest nation in the World thanks to the military and they eat fish too? Some say it is total hypocrisy, nevertheless, they do seem to get media attention and have some people listening to their condemnations of all others.

Yes, we do have dead zones in many areas and yes we have over fished in many places and yet at the same time things must be put into perspective and this is where it makes sense for commercial fishermen to maintain good communication with the media and be involved in positive re-enforcement for their industry.

Mankind needs to have a balance with nature and we still need to eat and the commercial fisherman assist the needs of our civilization and society. Therefore for everyone to be on the same page a public relations and community goodwill program is paramount to prevent animosity or a negative anti-commercial fishermen trend to develop. Perhaps you will consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Public Relations For Racetracks

2009-03-02T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

Racetracks often make a lot of noise and bring in traffic to a city or town. Of course they also bring in revenue for businesses and customers who come to the area as well. Revenues coming into the city mean that this helps jobs and sales tax revenues to help the city remain strong. Many times race tracks can bring in thousands of people each week to spend money in the area.

So, often whereas racetracks do bring in a bit of commotion they also bring in a bit of revenue and therefore this also must be pointed out to the community in order to promote positive goodwill for the racetrack. This is where a strong public relations campaign and program can clear the way and eliminate animosity.

Most communities want race tracks to come in and they like the idea of the money it generates and yet, later with the increased traffic, crime and congestion issues those original cheers turn to negativity. It therefore makes sense to work with the economic development associations, chambers of commerces and city hall community affairs office to keep the spin positive. It also makes sense to insure constant and open communication lines with all media outlets. Consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Managers Get Real Please

2009-03-01T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Robert A. Kelly

Personnel mentions in the newspaper and product plugs on radio hardly qualify as an adequate return on your public relations dollar, and you probably know it!

Especially unfortunate when your PR budget could be doing something really positive about the behaviors of those outside audiences that most affect your business, non-profit or association.

And also when it could be delivering external stakeholder behavior change the kind that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives.

And, finally, when you could be persuading those important outside folks to your way of thinking, then move them to take actions that help your department, division or subsidiary succeed.

On the other hand, if all you want is a simple publicity effort, fine. But if you want full-bore public relations performance like that above performance that really contributes to your success as a manager here's a blueprint that will start you on your way.

"People act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished."

What can you expect from such a blueprint? How about heavy-hitter givers eyeing your 501-C-3; newly interested specifying sources asking you for more data; qualified proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; prospects showing new interest; growing numbers of requests for membership applications; repeat purchases reappearing; political leaders taking a closer look at your unit as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities; a delightful jump in sales floor visits; and even community leaders seeking you out.

If you're a business, non-profit or association manager, you need to take two steps as soon as possible. First, jot down those outside audiences of yours whose behavior helps or hinders you in pursuing your objectives. Then record them according to how severe their impact is, and let's look at the target audience that shows up in first place.

While you probably would have assembled the required data if such activity enjoyed a priority in your shop, fact is you probably haven't gathered the information that tells you what most members of that key outside audience think about your organization. But now, in the absence of a large professional survey budget, you and your colleagues will have to monitor external audience by asking the questions yourselves. questions like "Have you ever met anyone from our organization? Was it a satisfactory experience? How much do you know about our services or products?" Look for negative statements, especially evasive or hesitant replies. And be on the lookout for false assumptions, untruths, misconceptions, inaccuracies and potentially damaging rumors. You'll need to correct any that you come across because experience shows they usually result in negative behaviors.

With the aim of correcting such aberrations before they become hurtful behaviors, here you select the specific perception to be altered. You have now identified your public relations goal.

However, my friend, a PR goal without a strategy to show you how to get there, is like Quesadillas without fried onions and mushrooms. That's why you must select one of three strategies especially designed to create perception or opinion where there may be none, change existing perception, or reinforce it. But be careful that your new goal and the new strategy match each other. After all, you wouldn't want to select "change existing perception" when you have a good current perception suggesting a "reinforce" strategy.

Enter writing talent. Here your PR team must put those writing skills to work and prepare a compelling message. One structured to alter your key target audience's perception, as called for by your public relations goal.

Here's a good idea -- combine your fixit message with another newsworthy announcement or include it in a different presentation -- thus lending credibility by downplaying the fact that you're correcting something.

Still, your corrective message must be clear about what perception needs clarification or correction and why. The message must be truthful and your position must be persuasive, logically explained and believable. It is the best way to hold the attention of members of that target audience, and actually move perception your way.

Picking the tools you will count on to carry your persuasive new thoughts to the attention of that external audience (I call such tactics "beasts of burden") will be the easiest part of your campaign.

There is an endless selection of communications tactics available such as group briefings, letters-to-the-editor, brochures, press releases and personal contacts. Or possibly, radio and newspaper interviews, speeches, newsletters, and many others. But again, be cautious about the tactics you select. Can they demonstrate a record of reaching the same people as those you call your target stakeholders?

Undoubtedly, the question of progress will come up. And you'll want to be ready for such queries by again monitoring perceptions among your target audience members. But there's a big difference the second time around. Using questions similar to those used during your earlier monitoring session, you mow will be on the alert for indications that audience perceptions are beginning to move in your direction. Fortunately for you and I, that means progress.

Once again, we are fortunate in the PR business that we can move almost any program along at a faster rate by using additional communications tactics, AND by increasing their frequencies.

Two final pieces of advice. Keep your attention focused sharply on the very groups of outside people your key external stakeholders -- who play such a major role in just how successful a manager you will be.

And use a workable blueprint such as that outlined at the beginning of this article. In other words, a plan that helps you persuade those important outside stakeholders to your way of thinking, then moves them to take actions that lead to the success of your department, division or subsidiary.

About The Author

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communi- cations, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University, major in public relations. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net. Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com

Public Relations For Cable Companies Considered

2009-02-28T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

Everyone makes fun of the Cable Man and the lousy service for repairs or installation and yet the Cable Company takes all that negative perception and simply deals with it. Yet it is a wonder more cable companies do not get more involved in community driven public relations campaigns. By what types of things can a cable company do? Give out free signals to churches, Boys and Girls Clubs or day care centers? Heck they are probably stealing the signal already?

May I put a suggesting in for Cable Company participation in a mobile neighborhood business watch program? Why you ask, well consider how many vehicles they already have out on routes all day already and lets take a look at the over all business model for a second shall we?

CABLE COMPANY: Cable companies like other utility companies must remain in a good consumer light and establish a strong public relations program. This neighborhood watch is exactly up that alley. The other great thing about them is they can advertise their participation on the community channel bulletin board and in public service announcements on their local stations. Cable companies may also be willing to ask for volunteers to the program though their mass media advantage point.

Now can you see why it makes perfect sense to use a public relations campaign, which keeps the city free of crime and is free for the company to participate in? Please consider this case study in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Public Relations For The State Governors Offices

2009-02-27T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

State Governors Offices need to work very hard to maintain their public relations because there are always choices that have to be made for the betterment of the common good, which will upset some people. You can't please everyone all the time.

Of course a little PR goes a long way at the Governors Office and as long as you do not spring too many surprises on the public they do indeed at least understand the other points of view even if they disagree or realize it may not be the best for them personally.

What kinds of things can the governors office do? Well they can work hard involve citizens groups and remain in good standing with the media that covers them. Too often there will be media sources, which will end up with animosity of a subject and therefore end up causing huge issues later on and end up severely hurting the credibility of the Governors Office.

Many a Governor has been taken down at re-election time by media out for blood and some might have to ask who is running the state; the media or the Governor. Indeed often the media has too much power and that can cause an issues too.

Public Relations and goodwill at the Governors Level is paramount and those Governors who work hard to maintain it, will in the end stand the test of time. So, please consider this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Press Kit Elements That Work

2009-02-26T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Bill Stoller

Considering how fundamental they are to the publicist's trade,
it's always amazed me how lousy almost all press kits truly are.
Your typical press kit is a bloated folder filled with puffery,
hype, irrelevant information and worse. The vast majority of
these monstrosities do little besides kill trees and clog
newsroom trash baskets.

The good news is that creating a press kit that actually works
really isn't that hard. Let's look at the elements of a winning
press kit, and help you avoid some common pitfalls.

The Psychology of a Press Kit

There are two fundamental rules to creating a good press kit:

1. The press kit exists to make the journalist's life easier, not
for you to present sales messages and hype. Good publicists are
journalist-centric -- that is, they think from the perspective of
the recipient, not the sender. They take the time to learn what
journalists need and then they give it to them in as simple,
straightforward and user-friendly a manner as possible.
Remember, publicity is not about you -- it's about giving
journalists what they need to create a strong story.

2. Everything in the press kit goes to support your clincher.
Everything else gets yanked out. (A refresher: a "clincher" is
my term for the one or two line distillation of your publicity
message. It's the publicist's version of the Universal Selling
Proposition that marketers use to boil a product's marketing
message down to its essence.) You lay out your clincher in the
pitch letter that gets clipped to the cover of the press kit, and
the press kit serves to flesh out and support your clincher.
That's it. If your clincher is that you've brought a radical new
way of thinking to your market segment, then a backgrounder about
your "old fashioned commitment to excellence" not only doesn't
support your clincher, it may actually contradict it.

The Elements of a Press Kit

The Cover: In my twenty years as a publicist, I have never
encountered a single journalist who told me the cover a press kit
had the slightest impact on their decision whether to run a
story. Yet, businesses still spend thousands on glossy, four
color folder covers. Don't bother. A simple colored folder with
your business name imprinted upon it will work just fine.

Some businesses choose to get stickers printed up with their logo
and place them on blank folders, which is fine too, as long as
the stickers are neatly applied. Either way, don't obsess over
it -- it's what's inside that counts.

Letterhead: The first page of each press kit element should be
on your letterhead. Some folks prefer to get special "News from
(name of company)" letterhead printed, although, again, I doubt
it really matters.

The Lead Release: If your press kit is going out in support of
an announcement, an event, a trend story or for another specific
purpose, the release that lays out the news should be the first
thing a journalist sees upon opening the folder. This "lead
release" should be positioned at the front of the right side of
the folder.

Backgrounder: This is the element of your kit that provides,
well, the background information to support your pitch. It's
written in the fashion of a standard news feature (i.e. in third
person, objective tone). This is typically the longest element
in a press kit, often going 2 or 3 pages. As you're crafting
this, keep something important in mind: if a journalist is
reading your backgrounder, chances are he's already interested in
your pitch. If he wasn't, he wouldn't bother with it. You've
hooked him and the backgrounder can reel him in. To do so, you
must answer the two questions he has: "Is the claim made in the
pitch legitimate?" and "Is there enough material here for me to
do a story?"

Your pitch letter (based on your clincher) made a claim of some
sort about you, your company or your product. You're the
fastest, the most advanced, the hottest-selling, the most civic-
minded, etc. Now you have to back up your claim. Your
backgrounder is where this happens. Provide proof, by giving
concrete examples, third party observations, study results, etc.
to support your pitch. If you're claiming that there's a trend
taking place, here's where you provide the statistics to back it
up. If you've claimed that you've won more awards that anyone
else in town, here's where you describe them. Don't stray from
your purpose -- to reel in the journalist by convincing him that
your claim is legit.

The backgrounder also must demonstrate that enough material
exists to support the claim - and that it will be easy for the
journalist to access this information. Journalists don't have
time to do extended investigation on every piece. Provides leads
to websites, trade journals, experts and other resources to back
up your claim and help the journalist complete the story, you'll
have a big edge.

To write a backgrounder, do some role playing. You're a
reporter. Your editor has handed you a pitch letter and said
"write this up". In this case, of course, the pitch letter is
your own. While you're writing it, try to forget that the piece
is, essentially, about you. Pretend you're an objective
reporter. Track down resources, dig up stats, interview
experts. Try to see if you can create a credible piece that
proves the pitch's claim to be valid and interesting to the
reader. If you can, you've got a great backgrounder. If you
can't, it may be time to come up with a new pitch!

Bio: Only include bios of people who are relevant to the pitch.
A bio of your sales manager in a press kit designed to support a
claim of technological superiority is pointless. A bio of your
head of R&D is valid. Keep bios short (three paragraphs at the
most) and include only information relevant to the pitch. The
fact your head of R&D spent twenty years at NASA is relevant,
that she loves golf and has two cats isn't. The point of a bio:
to show the legitimacy of those quoted in your release or being
offered for interview, and to help the reporter craft a short
description of the person when writing the piece.

Fact Sheet: The fact sheet should distill the entire press kit
into an "at a glance" document. Keep it short, use bullet points
and bold headings. For example, I might start with the heading
The Story: and include a bullet point repeating the pitch. The
next heading might be Why It's Important: followed by some
bullet points putting the pitch into a broader industry-wide (or
perhaps even worldwide) context. Finally, I might use the
heading Why (name of my company) is at the Heart of this Vital
Story: and run some bullet points taken from the backgrounder
giving support to my claim. Put this fact sheet at the front of
the left side of the folder, just across from the lead release.
This sort of fact sheet is amazingly powerful and almost never
crafted in the fashion I just laid out. I've sold countless
stories because of this style of fact sheet and you can too.

Other Stuff: Filling out the kit with a company brochure and a
photo or two is reasonable, but don't get carried away. Keep your
kit simple, stick to your clincher and think like a journalist,
not a marketer, and you'll have crafted a first class press kit!

Bill Stoller, the "Publicity Insider", has spent two decades as
one of America's top publicists. Now, through his website, eZine
and subscription newsletter, Free Publicity: The Newsletter for
PR-Hungry Businesses http://www.PublicityInsider.com/freepub.asp
he's sharing -- for the very first time -- his secrets of scoring
big publicity. For free articles, killer publicity tips and
much, much more, visit Bill's exclusive new site:
http://www.PublicityInsider.com

Business Gifts For Your Clients And Employees

2009-02-25T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Keith Thompson

Tis' the season for business and corporate gift-giving! If you believe in the law of reciprocity, and if your business is the least bit successful you must; you know that giving back is not only the right thing to do, but it's very smart business as well. Let's look at some of the benefits and mechanics of Christmas and holiday gift-giving.

* WHY DO IT AT ALL?

Gift giving is an excellent way to not only say thank you for all the business and continued loyalty your clients and customers have shown over the past year, it help to solidify relationships and in some cases, actually tilt the playing field in your favor. A well-conceived business gift will speak volumes on your integrity, thoughtfulness and sincerity and may make the difference between you and a competitor. As for employees, the days of 50 years and a gold watch are long gone, so a token of appreciation during the holidays or other special occasions can turn a mediocre relationship into one of fierce loyalty.

* WHEN TO DO IT?

Obviously Christmas and the season surrounding it are the major themes here. Other times of the year, such as Thanksgiving, Easter, Labor Day etc., may also present golden opportunities as it is not expected then. Other times to consider might include occasions such as a business anniversary, marriage, births, promotions, new offices or branches, and possibly retirement (ESPECIALLY of a competitor!)

* WHAT TO GIVE?

This can be the most difficult part of the process. All of us have been the recipient of the cookie cutter approach, as the countless fruitcakes of Christmases past haunt our freezers. In a large company, it's difficult to avoid this, but by bearing this in mind, you'll be able to come up something unique and stand out above the rest. Also think of the nature of the business relationship. Anything inappropriate would not only be unappreciated, but could have the opposite effect of that you're trying to achieve. If you can, try to make it as personal as possible, reflecting the interests and likes of the person receiving the gift. Be mindful of religious differences, as you don't want to offend in that area either. While striving to give the nicest gift possible within your budget, take care not to appear as though you are bribing anyone for business or loyalty.

* HOW TO ACCOMPLISH THIS?

Start as soon as possible, and dedicate at least one person to work on this solely, as depending on the size of your list, it can become onerous. Given enough time and resource, however, it can be done quickly and efficiently. Shopping online has made things so much simpler. You can find so many more choices with the click of a mouse than you could with weeks of prospecting on foot. Many of your favorite brick and mortar merchants now have an online presence as well, as they too recognize the immense possibilities of the medium. Take advantage of web vendors, many of whom offer free shipping, corporate and bulk discounts, and many other perks to get your business. It really is a time-saver!

Christmas and Holiday gift-giving isn't the gargantuan task it used to be. The internet and a smart strategy make it profitable and enjoyable!

Keith Thompson is webmaster of GiftsForBiz.com, and the recipient of many BAD business gifts.

Public Relations For Taxation Agencies

2009-02-24T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

No citizen likes to pay lots of taxes and if you'll recall some of the citizens in the United States before it was formed were quite upset with the king and his taxation. In fact if you'll recall in Boston Harbor some dressed as Indians threw some tea in the water because they were slightly upset. Ever since this time American citizens through the generations have not trusted tax agencies.

There are many groups out in our society who try to get people to stop paying taxes in order to make a statement about government and taxation. Public relations for taxation agencies is therefore very important to help educate the consumer, customer and citizen of what their money is going for and why they are collecting it. Most people do not trust the Internal Revenue Service and get rather irate by audits.

A good public relations program and community goodwill effort from a taxation agency can alleviate much of the stress and anger from taxpayers. Taxation agencies should be careful to have open communication lines with all major media outlets and promote how they are doing, what they're doing and why it is so vitally important to our society and civilization.

This of course is not an easy proposition since no one likes to pay taxes and because our taxes keep going up and nothing seems to work right. The taxation agencies need to make sure that the people understand that they are the collection arm and if there is a problem that should be taken up with the fine folks in government and the elected representatives. Please consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Public Relations For The Ice Cream Man

2009-02-23T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

Recently during the Israeli-Hezbollah war we saw a nice Jewish Guy who was an ice cream man selling ice cream to the Israeli Troops on the Lebanon Border, now that man has a knack for business indeed. In fact he was later told to leave after he had sold out because the TV crews were showing him on the news in the middle of the war zone.

Now that my friends is Public Relations and Publicity 101, but what can an ice cream man do for public relations in the United States? Well I suggest that join a neighborhood mobile watch program in their community. Why you ask? Well consider this;

ICE CREAM MAN: You know the guy who cruises down the street with the music going. This is a company who can really benefit from the signs on the truck. Parents are always apprehensive when the ice cream man and any other stranger talks to their kids. The Ice Cream Man will now be a neighborhood friend, the parents will ask about the sign and the ice cream.

Can you see why it makes so much sense for an ice cream company to participate in cleaning up crime in the community to foster goodwill and sell more ice cream? Perhaps as you study public relations you will consider this story and think on this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Sound Like Your Situation

2009-02-22T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Robert A. Kelly

What a shame! Potentially productive public relations people resting on their oars in a large organization. Just kind of tinkering with tactics and leaving target audience perceptions (and behaviors) to pretty much do their own thing.

Big pain on the way!

Unattended, key public perceptions can morph into painful behaviors that hurt the organization.

Just plain shouldn't happen.

In military-speak, all it takes is some ongoing "intel."

First, insist that that potentially productive public relations team get busy by prioritizing your most important audiences. They can't work on everything at once. So for starters, they can identify that really key target audience.

Then monitor perceptions by interacting with some folks who make up that audience, and do it on a regular basis. Same with other important external publics, when time allows.

What's on their minds? Any negative feelings? See or hear anything that needs correcting? Is there a problem on the horizon that may come your way?

The answers to those questions help your crew form the public relations goal altered perceptions leading to altered behaviors. For example, correct the impression that you sell shoddy merchandise; or a perception that you favor one particular ethnic group; or a belief that your services aren't worth the price you charge.

Setting the public relations goal let's your public relations team focus on which strategy they want to employ to reach that goal.

There's not a big choice. In fact, just three are available. They can choose between creating perceptions (opinions) when none exist, or changing existing opinion, or reinforcing it.

But their ammo will be the persuasive messages they prepare for communication to that key target audience. Messages designed to affect perceptions in a way that leads to the behaviors you desire.

The message must outline what the problem is and what some members of that target audience believe. Then it must clearly set down the truth of the matter omitting any exaggeration or hype. In other words, it must be believable, credible and especially persuasive and compelling.

Enter "beasts of burden," the communications tactics your people will use to move your message to the attention of members of your key, target audience.

There is a vast array of communications tactics from which your public relations people can choose. They include everything from face-to-face meetings, emailings, op-eds and news releases to special events, speeches, trade show appearances and town hall meetings.

Wait a minute, not so fast! How will your public relations team measure progress? Best way is to put on the monitor hats again and fan out among members of the target audience.

Using the persuasive message as a guide, are respondents aware of the message? If so, what is their reaction to it? Does your crew find evidence that prior opinion (perception) has moved in your direction? If so, to what extent? Was the create/change/reinforce strategy choice correct, or must it be adjusted? Are refinements in the message in order, meaning there is still considerable work to be done?

Obviously, the problem solving sequence must be carefully retuned as progress is made in order to keep it on target alter perception, change behavior, and achieve not only a successful, but the desired public relations result.

About The Author

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks about the fundamental premise of public relations. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com

Finding The Right Pr Just Got Easier

2009-02-21T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Robert A. Kelly

Try this on for size!

As a business, non-profit, government agency or association manager, you need the kind of public relations effort that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives. And you need it because you no longer wish to be denied the best public relations has to offer, and because you want to pursue the quality public relations results you believe you deserve.

That's fair, but chances are good that you still have most of your PR eggs in the tactical basket. You know, with the big PR emphasis on press releases, special events, brochures and broadcast plugs. And your public relations people pretty much preoccupied with moving messages from one point to another.

But here's how easy it is to make the changeover from PR tactics like that to PR strategy where the payoff is much richer, namely, nothing less than those managerial objectives of yours.

This is an action plan that calls on you to do some meaningful things about the behaviors of those important outside audiences that most affect your operation; to create the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives; and to do so by persuading those key outside folks to your way of thinking by helping move them to take actions that allow your department, group, division or subsidiary to succeed.

What's really going on here? Well, you're preparing to do something positive about the behaviors of the very outside audiences of yours that MOST affect your operation. And that's when PR actually creates the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving those key managerial objectives of yours.

The underlying premise of public relations brings the plan into focus: people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

And it is results such as these that a manager might expect when he or she approaches PR this way: improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies; a rebound in showroom visits; membership applications on the rise; new thoughtleader and special event contacts; capital givers or specifying sources looking your way; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; fresh community service and sponsorship opportunities; prospects starting to work with you; customers making repeat purchases; and even stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities.

Take advantage of your PR staff experience to critique your plans for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Suggest queries along these lines: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the exchange? Are you familiar with our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

Do satisfy yourself that they really accept why it's SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. And be sure they believe that perceptions almost always result in behaviors that can help or hurt your operation.

There is always a temptation to use a professional survey firm to handle the opinion monitoring phase. But compare the cost of such service to the administrative cost of using your staff PR people because they also are experienced in perception and behavior matters. But whether it's your people or a survey firm asking the questions, the objective remains the same: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

A realistic PR goal is an absolute requirement, and it must call for action on the most serious problem areas you uncovered during your key audience perception monitoring. You may, for example, decide to straighten out that dangerous misconception, bring to an end that potentially painful rumor, or correct that awful inaccuracy.

To show you how to get to where you're going, you must have the right action-oriented strategy. But, you have just three strategic options available to you when it comes to doing something about perception and opinion: change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. Needless to say, the wrong strategy pick will taste like fried onions on your pumpkin couscous. So be sure your new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. You certainly don't want to pursue "change" when the facts dictate a strategy of reinforcement.

Here you're going to have to write a persuasive message in order to move your key audience to your way of thinking. Which suggests that you ask the best writer on your team to prepare a carefully-written message targeted directly at your key external audience. S/he must produce some really corrective language that is not merely compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are to shift perception/opinion towards your point of view and lead to the behaviors you have in mind.

You will need carefully selected communications tactics to carry your message to the attention of your target audience, and there are many such available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be certain that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

By the way, you may wish initially to unveil your corrective message before smaller meetings rather than using higher profile news releases or broadcast announcements. This is because a message's credibility is always fragile and often suspect, depending on the method by which it was delivered,

Progress reports will help you illustrate how the monies spent on public relations can pay off. But they'll also be your alert to start a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. Here, you'll use many of the same questions used in the benchmark interviews. Only difference now is, you will be on strict alert for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

Since there can always be a slowdown in momentum, be advised that you can always add more communications tactics, and/or increase their frequencies to address that problem.

Selecting the right public relations approach for your unit can be much easier when certain basics are observed. For example, resolve to do something about the behaviors of those outside audiences that most affect your operation; create the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives; and do so by persuading those key outside folks to your way of thinking by helping move them to take actions that allow your department, group, division or subsidiary unit succeed.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. Only requirements: you must use the Robert A. Kelly byline, and resource box. Word count is 1285 including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2006.

Bob Kelly counsels and writes for business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has published over 230 articles on the subject which are listed at EzineArticles.com, click Expert Author, click Robert A. Kelly. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University, major in public relations. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.PRCommentary.com

No Budget For Pr Do It Yourself With The Help Of Technology

2009-02-20T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Drew Gerber

Not so long ago, small businesses and non-profit organizations across the board were faced with a tough question: do we need a Web site? We know the answer to that as the majority of small businesses and non-profits offer effective sites that not only provide information but can sell products, accept online donations, and raise awareness.

The new question facing them now is: Do we need to hire a PR agency?

Unfortunately, though many small businesses and organizations would like to retain a PR firm, the cost just doesn't fit into the budget. Well, that doesn't have to be the case. Small businesses and non-profits can manage their own media relations with the help of a few tools of the trade.

Online Press Kits: Everything a business or organization's press kit contains can be published and distributed on the Internet with online press kits. Now, an online press kit is not a Web site. Don't be confused by the term "online." Though an online press kit can be displayed online and present information like a Web site, it is really a virtual folder or briefcase that allows an organization to upload and store press materials on the Internet.

Once in an online press kit folder, these documents and images can be distributed as links not attachments to e-mails. Most e-mails with attachments never reach their designated recipient in the media due to firewalls and anti-virus protection services. With an online press kit, documents are added as links within the message.

An online press kit can be linked directly to a Web site so that when the media visits in search of news and background information, they'll know exactly where to go. Changes and edits can be made instantly, preventing outdated or incorrect information from being distributed. Plus, some online press kit services are so simple to use and manage; an organization won't need to hire an "IT guy," another budget-friendly feature.

Online press kit services vary greatly in terms of price and features. Take some time to research your options and identify your needs before committing to one service over another. Some services include features you probably will never use (but pay for), while others may not provide enough services, such as training or support.

Web-based Media Lead Services One of the greatest benefits of the Internet is the ability to rapidly obtain information. What used to require a hard copy media guide or CD is now available from a number of providers online. An organization can reach virtually hundreds of thousands of media contacts with one click by listing spokespeople as experts, offering timely quotes on current events, or responding to the hundreds of media leads that come in daily from journalists on deadline. There are many providers out there that vary in cost and quality. It is worth the time and effort to do some research on which service is best for your budget and your needs. Some services are even free. Services that are used by the most media professionals will likely cost more than ones with lower membership.

Web-based Media Databases Your business or organization has hot news and you want to let every daily newspaper in the country know about it. First, you must visit each paper's Web site individually, record their contact information, compile a list and then blast that news out there. However, by the time you did that, your news would be at least a month old. Ouch.

Media databases to the rescue. There are many services available online that provide up-to-date media lists from every medium and market you can imagine. Most require a membership or subscription fee, but it is well worth the money if the alternative is to compile a list manually. Services of this type include BurrellesLuce Media Contacts program (www.BurrellesLuce.com), Bacon's (www.Bacons.com), and Contacts on Tap (www.ContactsOnTap.Com).

Press Release Distribution Services Got a press release that the world needs to see? You could compile the list as we mentioned above (the hard way), or use a media database but you could also leave it to the experts and submit your release to a distribution service, or "wire." There are many services available at various costs. One service is PR Web (www.PRWeb.com) which not only can run your release for free (limited distribution), but allows you to specify Internet search terms, making the release easily accessible to Web users.

The media savvy and expertise of media relations professionals is worth the money, but when the money just isn't there, small businesses and non-profit organizations can tap the talent they have within and combine it with technology designed to make communication easier.

If you need some help developing your press documents, take a look at the press kits of other businesses or organizations in your area. There are also many Internet resources available that can provide tips to writing your own press releases and news announcements.

Managing media relations in-house is not impossible and can be a fantastic way to reach the media as a small business or organization grows.

Drew Gerber is Co-creator of Press Kit 24/7 (http://www.PressKit247.com), an online press kit technology. In addition to helping non-profits and small businesses manage their own media relations through technology, Gerber is Co-Owner of Wasabi Publicity, Inc., a PR firm representing causes, nonprofits, and businesses that make a difference. An expert in the art of listening and in building relationships, Gerber can be reached at Drew@publicityresults.com.

Public Relations For Privatization Of Space

2009-02-19T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

The privatization and commercialization of space is occurring before our eyes and soon we will see new developments, innovations and exploits as entrepreneurial capitalists bold the unknown. Some are concerned about this and yet if mankind is ever to venture off into space then surely free enterprise will be the way to do it.

Some folks are worried that we are not spending enough money at home on social programs, like free health care and that we should not spend another dime of taxpayers money in space. This of course is linear thought because much of what NASA has discovered has helped us here at home.

Things such as satellites have helped communication and medical researchers around the world to communicate in real time and therefore move faster on medical break throughs and discoveries in medicine or procedures.

Additionally the privatization of space means non-governmental dollars will be funneled into programs and not taxpayers money and therefore who can debate that? We still get all the great new discoveries and transfer technologies along with people behind them who know how to bring them to market much faster.

These truths must be promoted for the betterment of the common good for all mankind thru better public relations programs. And luckily we are seeing a little bit of that in private space flight and there is more to come. Consider this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Mistakes You Cant Afford To Make When You Write A Press Release

2009-02-18T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Paul Hartunian

It's a real shame. If you open most any newspaper in the country you'll find at least one story you know really didn't need to be there. It just isn't that relevant or interesting. But somehow it made it in.

You can't help but wonder if it just happened to be one of those days when absolutely nothing worth mentioning happened to any one of the 6 billion inhabitants of this planet. And you know that isn't true either.

Nothing made it to the news because tons of people around the world made the first, worst mistake in announcing a news story.

They didn't.

They had information that people around their community, across their country or around the world would love to know. They came up with an idea that could revolutionize an industry, but gave up because the mainstream assured them the only way the press would listen would be through the very expensive advertising department. But that's far from true.

Where advertising might cost you money, news typically costs the newspaper, radio or television station plenty of money to gather. They pay reporters, correspondents, wire services and anybody else they can find for good news stories. If you have a great story to tell, they're more than willing to accept a freebee.

But it needs to be in the right format, while following certain industry standards. You can find plenty of free advice on how to format a press release at my web site, located at: www.PressReleasesMadeEasy.com.

If you're looking for a complete, extensive course on the subject, you can find it at my site on line at www.Hartunian.com/prkit. Among the advice you'll find there, here are some of the other reasons why great news stories never get noticed:

1. Many great press releases get tossed, unread, because they're too long. A program director or editor going through a stack of press releases won't typically stop to read that 5-page essay on why some business thinks they have a great product.

Most press releases are double-spaced and fit on a single page. If you can't get your entire message in that space, then you might want to consider hiring a professional writer.

Getting past the fluff and color and getting down to the story is an art. It's worth developing, or at worst, paying someone else who already has, for their help.

2. Another reason a lot of the press releases are never read is because they're obviously self-serving. You may feel your new product is the hottest thing going, but will someone else buy a newspaper to listen to you brag? Remember, editors and program managers are in the news business.

If you can't spin what you have to say in such a way as to make it sound just as fascinating or useful as that juicy stuff about the upcoming election or that tragedy in the Middle East then chances are it won't make the cut.

3. Many great stories are missed because they come too well packaged. A dozen roses or even fancy letterhead are surefire ways to slap a big sign across the front of a press release that reads "AMATEUR". Forget about the bribes. Editors know to watch out for fancy packaging. It typically reflects a story that needs a lot of fact verification and may or may not accurately reflect something it promises.

Simple white paper with the correct traditional headline and format is usually a simple way to make it to the "A" list on the editors desk.

4. Timing can make or break a good story. Obviously, announcing your new "Santa's Village" that includes $2 million dollars worth of animation and the ultimate Disney- style drive through cars would be a waste of time if it arrived on an editors desk in the middle of January.

If at all possible, timing your releases correctly can ad up to a good solid foot inside the proverbial newsroom door. Many people are in a rush to get their press release out. I understand. It's exciting. You just wrote your masterpiece. Now you want the media people to acknowledge it by calling you for interviews.

But hold on as best you can and consider whether or not you are sending it out at the best possible time. That could be the difference between getting the interview or not.

Obviously this list isn't extensive. There's probably as many "insider tips" as there are insiders, but following these 4 suggestions will definitely put your press release up there in the top 10% or so of "good guys" that get a decent chance turning into an interview.

# # #

Paul Hartunian is widely considered the world's leading authority on writing press releases and getting publicity for any product, service, cause or issue. Subscribe to Paul's free publicity ezine "Million Dollar Publicity Tactics". By going to http://www.Hartunian.com/ezine. Also be sure to check out all the great free publicity resources at his website http://www.Hartunian.com. Also be sure to read the story of how Paul used press releases and publicity to become the first person in history to really sell the world famous Brooklyn Bridge. You can read the story at http://www.Hartunian.com/bridge.html. You can reach Paul at (973) 857-4142 or by email at Paul@Hartunian.com.

The Truth About Public Relations

2009-02-17T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Robert A. Kelly

The truth is, you CAN attract the support of those external audiences whose behaviors have the most effect on your enterprise. But you must do it by first achieving the positive changes you need in their perceptions and, thus, behaviors.

You'll get both using this strategic approach to public relations which means your chances of achieving your organizational objectives are enhanced.

It all starts with the fundamental premise of public relations shown just below.

"People act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action those people whose behaviors affect the organization, the public relations mission is accomplished."

The core strength of those comments lies in the behavior changes that can take place among your key, outside audiences. When those changes occur and the combined perceptions of members of that important external "public" begin to move in your direction it can spell public relations success.

For instance, with a strong factual basis, you convince area activists gathering at your plant gate that (1) you don't dump chemicals into the river, and (2) both State and Federal investigations found that to be true. When they finally clear out, you've limited the damage an expensive and long-lasting disruption could have caused. That saved the organization cold, hard cash!

What happened? You managed to change the perception of those activists which, predictably, led to the change in their behavior that you desired. In other words, a successful use of public relations' fundamental premise.

While public relations can bring real power to bear, and while there's a well-worn path leading to each success, truth is, you can't change perceptions, and thus behaviors of your important outside audiences if you are not in touch with them on a regular and meaningful basis.

That's why it's so important to interact with members of each target audience, and ask questions. What do you think of our services, our programs, or our products? Are you satisfied? Listen carefully for signs of a misconception or a factual inaccuracy. Is there a belief alive out there that simply isn't true? Do you detect a hurtful rumor that must be squashed?

The answers you receive let you establish your public relations goal. For example, correct that inaccuracy, clear up that misconception, or get out the facts in order to neutralize that rumor.

But how will you actually reach that goal? With a clear and urgent strategy.

Fortunately, in dealing with perception/opinion, we have just three options available to us. Create perception/opinion where there is none, change existing perception, or reinforce it.

The goal you established will quickly tell you which strategy choice you must make.

But, of course, what you say to that target audience, in pursuit of your public relations goal, is crucial. Your message must be persuasive, compelling and clear as a mountain stream. It also must be credible and believable, which means truthful in all detail. It should also address the particular inaccuracy, misconception or rumor head on and not allow room for any further misunderstandings.

Now, how do you get that carefully chiseled message to the attention of members of that key, target audience? I still call them "beasts of burden" because they carry messages from Point A to Point B. Communications tactics is the answer, and you have a huge selection from which to choose. Everything from open houses, contests, news releases and speeches to brochures, community briefings, letters-to-the- editor, emails, radio/TV and newspaper interviews, and lots more.

Sooner rather than later, you will wonder whether you're making any progress. And the only realistic way to nail that down is to go back to members of that target audience again and ask them the same questions all over again.

The big difference this time around is, you're looking for signs that opinion/perceptions have begun to change in your direction. By that I mean clear indications that the miscon- ception is clearing up, or the inaccuracy has been corrected, or that a negative impression is slowly turning around.

Truth is, that's when this strategic, and powerful approach to public relations supported by appropriate tactical firepower delivers the altered perceptions and modified behaviors promised in the fundamental premise of public relations.

About The Author

Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com

Public Relations For A High Rise Apartment Complex Going In

2009-02-16T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

Public relations is very important to renting out all the units in a new high-rise apartment complex. Many of the neighbors may not like super tall buildings in the area blocking the view or casting shadows on their property at odd times during the day. It is for this reason that you must consider public relations and a community relations program.

The very first thing that the public relations company higher to promote a high rise apartment complex should do is to remind the local business community and the local chamber of commerce the amount of money which will be spent in the community thanks to the new luxury class clientele will soon be moving into the high rise apartment complex.

The second paying the public relations director should do when working on a high-rise apartment complex is to get with the Mayor's Business Roundtable, Chamber of Commerce and The City's Accounting Department and explain the increased sales tax revenue in real dollars to the city. So the city can upgrade the police department, fire department, parks and Recreations department and all the other little city projects.

Once this synergy is going and tours of the apartment complex are given to community leaders along with these other public relations tactics the high-rise apartment complex is well on its way to public and community acceptance. Change for a community is often met by resistance; nevertheless he could public relations campaign will make the difference. Please consider this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Financial Planners Why Advertise When Free Publicity And Marketing Is Better

2009-02-15T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ned Steele

Commit this to memory, please: To get in the media, being good is good enough.

You don't need to be perfect, or even the best in your profession. There's no elaborate entrance exam or competition to determine who gets media coverage.

The prize goes to those professionals who are competent or better, and who understand how to play the publicity game.

I have absolutely nothing against advertising as a means of getting exposure and a wider audience. In many cases, it's just what you need, and deserves a spot in your marketing mix.

But (have you noticed?) it is expensive, isn't it? And, in the end, it's still you saying you're great, which isn't as good as them saying it. I just think of it this way:

Advertising buys you visibility
Publicity earns you credibility

Sure, you're good. But, let's face it. So are many of your financial planning peers and competitors. But you can be the one who gets into the media. Because you knew how to get a reporter's attention.

You understand that getting in the media doesn't require you to be the best financial planner on Earth.

I am also a big believer in direct mail marketing. It's a superb tactic to build ongoing relationships with clients, customers, and prospects.

But, unless you're ready to cough up big bucks to buy mailing lists, it limits you. You can only reach the people you already know the ones in your database. All those people will get to know you better, and that's good but you won't be meeting any new prospects. To do that, it's either spend on lists or advertising, or learn how to get yourself some free publicity.

Ned Steele works with people in professional services who want to build their practice and accelerate their growth. The president of Ned Steele's MediaImpact, he is the author of 102 Publicity Tips To Grow a Business or Practice. To learn more visit http://www.MediaImpact.biz or call 212-243-8383.

Public Relations Why It Works

2009-02-14T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Robert A. Kelly

The short answer is, it works best when its fundamental premise is the guide, which insures that the primary focus of your public relations program is the behaviors of your most important outside audiences. Not less urgent matters like personalities, communi- cations tactics or administrative concerns.

PR strives to effectively manage the perceptions and behaviors of your outside audiences with the goal of helping you achieve your organizational objectives.

Pretty important stuff.

But not difficult or complex.

Particularly when you get started on the right foot.

Namely, do an inventory and identify those groups of people whose behaviors have a clear impact on your organization.

Because how those folks think about you and your organization usually leads to those helpful/hurtful behaviors, job #1 is, find out how they perceive you right now.

You and your colleagues must monitor those perceptions, interact with those target audience individuals and pose lots of questions. What do you think of us? Have you ever had a problem with our service? But remain alert to signs of negativity like hesitant or evasive responses, misconceptions, rumors or inaccuracies.

With those responses in hand, you establish your public relations goal. For example, correct a specific inaccuracy, clear up that misconception, or neutralize a damaging rumor.

Next question: how do I get from here to there? You need a strategy. But in dealing with opinion change, you have just three possibilities. Create opinion/perception where there may be none, change existing opinion, or reinforce it.

What you say to members of your target audience is really important. After all, you're trying to change perceptions, and that requires a message that is not only crystal-clear, but persuasive and believable. So, when you say the misconception, inaccuracy or rumor should be corrected, be sure your facts are rock-solid, credible and, hopefully, compelling.

Run the message by your colleagues to test its chances of altering perception, then fine tune it.

Your delivery system for moving your message to members of your target audience is the communications tactic. And there are scores of them available to you. From newspaper interviews, radio talk shows, emails, speeches and brochures to op-eds, community briefings, newsletters, personal contacts and many others.

How will you know if you are making progress?

Once your communications tactics have had six or seven weeks to make an impact on your target audience, go back out among audience members and ask the same questions all over again. The big difference the second time around is, you are now looking for signs that opinion has been altered with regard to the problem perception. And watch especially for altered perceptions that include the corrective elements of your message.

As you continue monitoring key audience opinion/perceptions, positive changes should begin appearing and, inevitably, lead to the behavior changes you want.

In public relations, it doesn't get much better than that.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net.

About The Author

Public Relations Success Starts Here

2009-02-13T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Robert A. Kelly

For discerning business, non-profit and association managers, PR success is pretty much a matter of achieving their managerial objectives by altering perceptions leading to changed behaviors among those important external audiences that MOST affect their department, group, division or subsidiary.

Period.

If, however, as a manager you choose to view public relations as simply a collection of tactics, you might see PR success through the lens of press release pickups, successful special events, or newspaper columns mentioning your chief executive.

I don't believe the underlying premise of public relations allows such a limited interpretation. See for yourself: people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired- action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is usually accomplished.

I believe that premise implies that the work that precedes such tactics will determine the success of your public relations effort.

It also implies that you might want to broaden your view of public relations requiring that you do something meaningful about your key external audiences instead of concentrating on a brochure versus a DVD versus a broadcast interview.

There's really no end to the benefits that may come your way. Prospects starting to do business with you; community leaders beginning to seek you out; welcome bounces in show room visits; rising membership applications; customers making repeat purchases; fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; and new approaches by capital givers and specifying sources not to mention politicians and legislators viewing you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities.

Will an outside PR agency team do all this work for you? Or folks assigned to your operation? Or, ideally, your own public relations people? No matter where they come from, they need to thoroughly understand this approach to public relations, AND, be really committed to the program beginning with key audience perception monitoring.

Nothing beats sitting down and having (as the Brits say) a good chin wag with your people in order to be sure that those assigned to you are clear on why it's vital to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. They must accept the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your operation.

Go over the details as to how you plan to proceed, especially when and where you will monitor and gather perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. For instance, how much do you know about our chief executive? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

Don't hesitate to use professional survey firms in the perception monitoring phases of your program if your budget can stand it. If the money isn't there, remember that your PR people are also in the perception and behavior business and can pursue the same objective: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

You can be pretty sure that you will prevail over the worst distortions you discovered during your key audience perception monitoring. Actually, your new PR goal will probably require straightening out that dangerous misconception, or correcting that gross inaccuracy, or stopping that potentially fatal rumor cold.

You also really need the right strategy. One that lays out how to proceed. Do not forget that there are just three strategic options available to you when it comes to handling a perception and opinion challenge. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. The wrong strategy pick will taste like rice vinegar on your scones, so be certain the new strategy fits comfortably with your new public relations goal. You don't want to select "change" when the facts dictate a "reinforce" strategy.

What's needed now is a strong message aimed squarely at members of your target audience. Admittedly, crafting action-forcing language to persuade an audience to your way of thinking is not an easy job. That's why you will need a heavy-hitter writer because s/he must create some very special, corrective language. Words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are to correct something and shift perception/ opinion towards your point of view leading to the behaviors you are targeting.

At last, one of the more entertaining chores -- selecting the communications tactics most likely to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. You might do this after you run a final draft by your PR people for impact and persuasiveness. There are dozens of tactics available to you. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. Only caveat: be certain that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

As a message's believability has been known to rely on the credibility of the means used to deliver it, you may think about unveiling it before smaller meetings and presentations rather than using higher-profile news releases.

Someone, somewhere will ask when a progress report will be available. Your smartest reaction is to take yourself and your PR team back to the field and begin a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. Many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session will fit perfectly the second time around. But now, you will be on keen alert for signs that the problem perception is being altered in your direction.

As we know, any program can slow down for one reason or another. Tuck this away for future use: if program momentum peters out, you can always speed things up by adding more communications tactics, and increasing their frequencies.

The reason we say up front that public relations success CAN start right here with this article, is that, in our view, managers must pursue their managerial objectives by concentrating on the work outlined here that precedes their use of tactics.

That will determine the success of their public relations effort.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net.

Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com

Public Relations For Musicians

2009-02-12T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

Musicians and Artists need to maintain a strong public relations program to insure that their voice is heard in their music and they do not allow their words in interviews to be misconstrued. Of course all musicians know that controversy does sell publicity and the more publicity the more people may try their music. Selling CDs and exciting crowds is part of a musicians entertainment job description, but often it requires some extra consideration as well.

Some of the more popular musicians and bands often get them selves caught in political and media firestorms over their perceptions and comments about events, people and concepts in our society and that is when a good public relations specialist can separate their brilliance from the baggage of their often high-strung words and fierce perspective based comments.

There are many things that Musicians can do to maintain their public relations and most of the top musicians know that while they are on the road they need a top notched public relations specialist promoting them with full access to the media and constant communication lines open as well. Surely you can think of some examples of really good PR for musicians and PR disasters as well even within this current year. So, consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

How To Be The Most Memorable Person At Networking Events

2009-02-11T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Charles Burke

Most of the people I hear from hate networking. They go only because they know they "should," but it's like pulling teeth for them.

If you've experienced the usual clammy grip of fear when it's your time to introduce yourself, the following may help you feel more at home, make deeper, more lasting impressions, and attract voluntary referrals from many of the other attendees.

First, if you want to take some of the pressure off, it can help to consider your first half-dozen events to be nothing but practice.

It helps even more if you go specifically to listen and get to know who's there, rather than to "sell" your own story. So take along your business cards, but dump your nice four-color 12-page brochures. There's a better way to make powerful impressions.

Here's an example that happened to me on Monday.

My wife does a lot of work for an NGO here in Japan that helps North Korean refugees, but I have little direct participation, other than running their English language website ( http://www.northkoreanrefugees.com ).

This past Sunday, we flew over to Seoul for the three-day North Korean Holocaust Exhibition to be held at the Parliamentary building.

The event started with the usual speeches and ribbon-cutting. Then the main organizers all split off, doing individual interviews with journalists. The regular attendees wandered around viewing the exhibits. And those who were there to gather information or disseminate it began mingling, meeting and introducing themselves. In other words, this turned into a networking event.

I wasn't there to sell anything or to persuade anybody, so I wandered around looking for the people who appeared too intimidated or too shy to mingle. These are the folks who hang back by the wall, or who stand alone looking wistful.

I found two ladies who told me they were doing a paper on refugees, so I led them over to the two main activists (I had exchanged emails with the activists for a couple of years, but had only met them in person minutes earlier).

I walked up, tapped both of the leaders on the arm and said, "Excuse me, but you two need to talk with these ladies. They're doing research on your topic. I think they may be able to help you tell your story." Then I backed away and let them have at it.

Later, I met a German journalist who had just arrived in Seoul as the new correspondent for his publisher. I found out what kind of information he was looking for, then led him over to a lady -- one of the refugees who had managed to escape through China -- and introduced him.

Now, bear in mind, I didn't even know the lady, and neither he nor I spoke any Korean, but I took him over and we tried talking with her anyway. Sure enough, some people nearby stepped right up and offered to interpret. Again, I just backed away and let them work.

Later, these people came back to me, appreciative and wanting more information about our NGO and website.

When you concentrate on giving and on priming the pump, good stuff can flow. People WILL remember you if you go out of your way to spread THEIR name around. Boy will they remember you.

Charles Burke is the author of Command More Luck, the book that shows you why all those things keep happening to you. Learn why "luck" doesn't work the way you've always been told. Not even close. The bad news -- There's no such thing as luck. The good news -- There's something even better. Learn how it works at http://www.moreluck.com

Public Relations For Vacation Resorts

2009-02-10T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

Often vacation resorts are put on islands where the people living there are relatively poor and it is kind of an invasion of the modern world onto their world. Nevertheless a vacation resort can bring lots of money to the island and increase the wealth of those that live there. In doing so this means a greater quality of life and a higher standard of living.

However, it must also be considered that once a big vacation resort goes into such a location it changes the dynamics of the community and the local microeconomics forever. For those who work at the vacation resorts they are paid a lot more money than they could receive elsewhere and this means there is a separation of classes nearly immediately.

Vacation resorts need to do things for the local Islanders such as help them with schools and education and mitigate any concerns of the local tribal leadership or local government. The efforts of a vacation resort on an island are also often respected by the visitors.

If the island resort gives money to the locals and helps out with local charities then the tourists are more likely to also chip in and help with their dollars. This can be a win-win for the island and the resort and make the customers feel like they are giving to important cause. Please consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Public Relations For Bond Measures

2009-02-09T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

Major infrastructure projects in our civilization often require bond measures. Sometimes these bond measures are voted on by the general public and often taxpayer groups will yell and scream that the bond issues are costing too much money. That the government does not need to make these infrastructure changes and is only making them to provide more work for large construction companies who are in bed with large government bodies and in the pants of politicians or pockets rather.

Without major infrastructure projects, our civilization could not do all that it does. We need our roads, dams, pipelines and we need schools, government buildings and so many other things. Without all these infrastructure items our civilization cannot function properly. This is why public relations for Bond measures is so vitally important so that people understand what is really needed and what is extra.

When a bond measure is floated it makes sense for the government agencies involved to promote them through positive public relations and in a way, which is honest and has integrity in the process. Promoting a bad bond measure only causes more distrust in government and does not serve the public good.

For those government agencies who are often involved in bond measures they need to make sure they have open communication lines with all media outlets so that when the detractors start making noise the government agency can address all the issues in real-time and explain and educate what is really going on to the general public. Please consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Making Your Own News

2009-02-08T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Amber McNaught

Getting a press release published in a newspaper or magazines can be one of the best ways to publicize your business. First, though, you need a good story and that can be the hard part.

Here's a basic rule of public relations for you, though: if you don't have a good news story to tell, you create one. Here's how to do it:

1. Throw a Launch Party

It doesn't matter if your business is a few months old, or just newly opened: if you haven't thrown a launch party, it's time to do it. Invite everyone you can think of to your party: invite the local councilors and MPs, members of your local business community, your friends, family and prospective customers - and, of course, the media.

2. Run a Competition

Just as everyone loves a story, you'll find that there are very few people who can resist a freebie. By running a competition, you'll be able to tap into that opportunistic streak all of us have and promote your business at the same time.

3. Give something away for free

I know, I know when your business is new, you want to hold onto every last penny. The very idea of giving something away for free is anathema to you! But trust me freebies not only help you get into the local media, they also help bring in more business.

By offering freebies, you do two things:

* Generate goodwill towards your business
* Gain media exposure

The media couldn't care less if you're selling something (even at a substantial discount) that's why they have an advertising section. Once you start giving it away though that's when they'll sit up and take notice.

Again, giving away freebies will cost you money: but the interest generated by the offer will last long after it ends, and there's a good chance that the people who missed out on the freebie will decide to try out the product anyway.

4. Get sponsored in an unusual way

As any PR-person will tell you, sponsorship doesn't just benefit the charity you're raising money for: if you're a small business owner, it can be of great benefit to you as well. Cynical? Well, probably. There's no getting away from the fact, though, that being sponsored to do something, whether it's a charity hike, sponsored silence or a walk halfway round the world will give you a better chance of seeing your business name in the paper.

5. Sponsor someone else

If you don't fancy being sponsored yourself, then try sponsoring someone else. Local clubs, sports teams and organizations are always on the lookout for extra cash, and while you may not be able to spring for a sponsorship deal with your local premiership club, sponsoring your local kids' football team will earn you goodwill and your business name on eleven shirts for a year!

6. Piggy-back on someone else's press release

We've already discussed politicians and how media savvy they are. The same goes for many other organizations and businesses, who are just as desperate for publicity as you are. It makes sense to get to know the PR people working for these organizations. Say your business is in a health-related industry, and you find out that your local hospital is about to put out a press release about an issue affecting them. Why not contact the hospital press officer and ask if you can help? You may be surprised at how willing they are to have your voice of support quoted on their press release and that means getting your business in the media.

This article is an excerpt from "PR Power: How to Write a Killer Press Release and make sure it gets published!", Amber McNaught's popular new ebook. Buy it at http://www.hotigloo.co.uk/prpower.htm

Amber also offers an affordable press release writing and distribution service.

Public Relations For Ongoing Education Courses

2009-02-07T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

Ongoing education courses are required in most industries, which have licenses or in those industries where the government supervises the industry somehow. Some of these rules, laws and regulations are put into effect to help the consumer, investor, patient or the homeowner. Each person who is in the industry must go to ongoing education classes to show that they are competent and follow the rules of the industry.

Sometimes this works and sometimes it just slows down the industry and naturally ends up hurting the investor, consumer, homeowner or patient. It often adds costs to those who buy the services or products of that industry and that is truly unfortunate. Worse off for ongoing education courses and companies that offer that service most of the people in the industry hate them.

They know that they are necessary but they hate the ongoing education courses, mostly because they are mandatory and have nothing to do with the actual ongoing nature of the business or industry they are in. With all this said how can an ongoing education course or company that offers such services participate in positive public relations and industry goodwill programs in order to attract those participants in the industry to buy their ongoing education services to get the required credit to continue their profession?

It is not easy but one way is to hold free seminars or Tele seminars and give some of the education away for free in advance in hopes of signing up students. Please consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Media Relations Ending The Press Release Crutch

2009-02-06T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Brad Phillips

When most people think of media relations, they think of press releases. To be sure, writing and distributing them is one of the most important parts of the job. But press releases may be the most overused tool in the media professional's arsenal to the detriment of other tools that might have greater results.

When I worked in broadcast news for ABC News and CNN, the fax machines virtually never stopped. We got press releases by the dozen, and by the end of each day, we had a ream of press releases. They each had something in common. They each went unread.

To break through the clutter, you'd be wise to occasionally skip the press release and send a personalized note to a reporter instead. This works particularly well when offering a reporter an "exclusive," a story that you will only pitch to a single news organization.

Here are three tips to help make sure your letter gets read:

1) Offer an Exclusive -- News is a competitive business. If a reporter likes your story and is convinced that his or her cross-town rival won't have it they are much more likely to carry your news. The offer of an exclusive is an effective tool, but should be thought out carefully, since the news organization that doesn't get the story may hold it against you.

2) Conduct Reporter Research -- You may have a brilliant pitch but if you send it to the wrong reporter, it's useless. Make sure you properly identify the correct reporter for your type of story.

Once you've done that, indicate to the reporter that you've been following his or her work, and that your story is similar or related to another story he or she has recently written. Mention his or her previous articles by name. A shockingly small number of media relations professionals take the time to do this, so the reporter will instantly deem you more credible than the average "PR flack."

3) Subject Line -- Reporters from National Geographic Traveler and People magazines recently told me how critical they consider an e-mail's subject line. A boring subject line means that the e-mail will probably never even get opened!

There are certain things you can do to break through the clutter. I've found it effective to write "Offer of Exclusive" in the subject line, or to include the reporter's name in the subject line, as in "To David New Research Shows Children Increasingly Illiterate."

But virtually nothing beats a genuinely creative and attention-grabbing headline. I recently saw an e-mail sent by a company that uses clamshells to make jewelry. Their subject line? "Clams aren't just for chowder anymore." You better believe that most reporters were curious enough to open that e-mail!

Brad Phillips is the founder and president of Phillips Media Relations (http://www.PhillipsMediaRelations.com). He was formerly a journalist for ABC News and CNN, and also headed the media relations department for the second largest environmental group in the world.

Vip Database Does Your Company Have One

2009-02-05T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

The VIP databases are fun to create and can be an excellent source for your small business. You say; VIP database, "what is that; who would I put in it?" It will contain things like mayor, city council persons, city managers, service club board members, campaign contributors in previous elections, human resource directors, P.R. directors and presidents of large companies, etc. And anyone who's anyone in your market or trading area should be put into your VIP database for easy reference. We recommend using a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet as a format.

To insure accurate information you will need to call the presidents of all clubs and introduce ourselves. By clubs we mean the Rotary, Kawanis, Lions, Elks, Optimists, Soroptimists, Genealogical Society, New Comers, etc. Then jot down all of their annual and or big upcoming events they have planned, their basic mission, big projects, weekly meetings and club contact names. Presidents of clubs love to talk about all the great things they are doing. They'll talk your ear off. So listen. When they are done talking, you start talking, volunteering and telling them about your services or products and thus you become a resource for them to do good in the city. They will pretend to care for ten to fifteen minutes and then give you the names and phone numbers of their club officers and various committee heads. These go in the VIP database. It doesn't take much to get yourself invited to a meeting or two.

Most local politicians are listed in the white pages. They usually have an answering machine and don't pick up the telephone. They want to look accessible, but it's all a facade. Half of the local politicians return phone calls and the others don't care unless you are a contributor to their re-election or you are a VIP. You need to make contact with them and tell them of your pro-active approach in your business to be a community based business and you want to help.

As your database gets bigger you will see the value and the simple meeting of all these folks will start an insider buzz and it will bring business your way as you tap into the community that supports you. Think about it.

Lance Winslow

Public Relations Air Conditioning Companies

2009-02-04T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

Have you ever considered how to launch a public relations campaign in a community when your company profession or industry is not so glamorous? Consider if you will a Air Conditioning and Heating Company. What sorts of community spirited public relations campaigns can you do with such things?

Well how about setting up or participating in a Neighborhood Mobile Business Watch Program, sponsored in part by the Chamber of Commerce and the local police department? Consider if you will the following observations;

AIR CONDITIONING COMPANIES: Heating and Air Conditioning Companies often work for commercial properties on roofs, a great vantage point and totally unexpected. They usually have many vehicles. They have constant communication. Their owners are usually very involved in city and civic affairs.

They also work in apartment complexes and low income housing areas where a higher percentage of crimes are committed due to density. They work in commercial malls and centers. More cars are stolen at regional malls than any other location and there is lots of shoplifting. They are also in residential neighborhoods of middle and upper middle class where people are at work and not around to protect their properties.

You see for all these reasons it makes sense to enjoy the benefits of helping the community, which supports your business by keeping an eye out for their well being. Such a public relations program costs next to nothing and the community goodwill generated is truly fruitful. So consider all this in 2006.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

55 Reasons To Send Out A Press Release

2009-02-03T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Scott Lorenz

When should you send out a press release? You want to know my acid test? If it's newsworthy and if it's useful to the reader. It's that simple.

There are many factors to weigh when considering the need to send out a press release. As a publicist I have sent thousands of releases over the years and while there are no hard and fast rules, the most important factor is that you've got to make sure it's newsworthy and useful to the reader. Any thing else and it's just a waste of time for the members of the media.

A good press release can accomplish a lot of things too. It can be used to announce information to the public, your investors, the media, your customers and even your competitors about you and your activities. To help my clients determine whether something is newsworthy I compiled a list of fifty-five press release ideas I give to them to get their ideas flowing about their own businesses. Some are for general consumer media and some may not apply to all business types.

1. Announce a new service.
2. Announce a new product.
3. Tie in with a national holiday, a birthday or anniversary.
4. Report a new study of your own and your analysis or forecast.
5. Tie in with a controversy by commenting on it.
6. Co-op an event with the media.
7. Utilize a national survey or study to your benefit.
8. Announce your exhibit at a trade show or convention.
9. Commission a survey and report the results.
10. Write a white paper and announce its availability at your web site.
11. Create and promote a special event.
12. Use a current news event to frame your release.
13. Host a seminar and announce the information discussed.
14. Announce an upcoming speaking engagement.
15. Schedule a speaking engagement at the local library for free.
16. Make reprints of speeches available at your website.
17. Create a contest and offer a prize that's newsworthy.
18. Pricing and policy changes.
19. Patents and trademarks.
20. Litigation won.
21. Announce the results of a new study.
22. The number of hours your employees donate volunteering in your community.
23. Involvement in various community events and activities.
24. Innovative use for your products.
25. First person stories about people using your product or services.
26. New clients you've obtained.
27. New testimonials.
28. Celebrities that use your product or service.
29. Financial projections and forecasts.
30. Announce a public appearance.
31. Appointments by government officials to offices.
32. Retirement of well respected and revered employees.
33. Recognition of long-time employees with 25 years of service or more.
34. Internal promotion of key staff members.
35. Send a letter to the editor and CC the media and your audience, "in case they miss it."
36. New members of important committees.
37. Results of an election.
38. The passage of an important resolution.
39. Anniversary of the founding date of the organization or company.
40. Charitable donations by your organization.
41. ISO 9001certification of your company.
42. New awards won.
43. Association membership.
44. Publicly release a letter from a soldier or someone with poignant thoughts.
45. Report on a public project and offer insight to the problem.
46. Protest an activity or issue.
47. The sponsorship of a community event.
48. How to apply for internships in your company.
49. How to apply for scholarships offered by your company.
50. Open house where people can tour your plant, office etc.
51. Create an award to honor individuals in the community.
52. The appearance in front of a public entity, i.e. testimony before the US Senate.
53. Host a public debate.
54. Announce a fact finding trip and then report your findings.
55. Host a celebrity event and tie in your company.

Once you get the release written now what? How do you put it in the hands of the media? How can a company or individual know if it can handle media relations themselves or if it needs to hire a public relations firm, an independent publicist or a full fledged marketing firm? If you aren't completely certain after debating the pros and cons, ask these questions:

* Are we getting all the PR we deserve?
* Is our competition getting more than their fair share of media coverage?
* Would media coverage bring more business to the firm?
* Do we have a PR strategy for continuous year round media coverage?
* Is our in-house "PR person or department" overburdened with "in-house" work like the company newsletter?

First of all, let's define a PR firm. Some people interchange a PR firm with a marketing firm, or marketing agency, or even an ad agency. Basically a public relations firm handles media relations and is the interface between a company and the news media.

A public relations firm or publicist will "pitch" the media on a story idea involving a company, invention or author. A good pitch about a story that would interest the people who read, watch or listen to a particular media outlet gets coverage.

Many larger companies rely on in-house staff trained in public relations or marketing while others hire PR consultants or publicists to handle their PR campaigns.

Joe Nicassio, author of Guerrilla PR Brand Manager, says whether a company should conduct its public relations, marketing or advertising campaigns internally or externally should be determined by these factors"

Do you NEED solid, consistent media exposure week after week, or are you satisfied with "occasional" exposure?

Do you have the internal staff and expertise to commit the internal resources to your public relations, marketing, advertising efforts?

If you have the internal staff, and they understand Guerrilla PR principles, then there may be no reason to hire an outside agency. Paradoxically, the busier you get, the easier it is to parlay, or "set aside" consistent, important PR activities. Don't get caught in that trap!

"Public Relations is a craft that requires PASSION," says Nicassio. "You may need PR, and you may even have the people to conduct your public relations, marketing, advertising campaigns but that's not enough. To be truly effective, your PR campaigns must be conducted with PASSIONATE CONSISTENCY."

-END-

Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with doctors, lawyers, inventors and authors. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC Nightly News, The New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, NPR, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Family Circle, Woman's World, & Howard Stern to name a few. To discuss how Westwind Communications helps its clients get all the publicity they deserve and more, call 734-667-2090 or email: scottlorenz@westwindcos.com . Visit: http://www.westwindcos.com

How To Write Your News Release

2009-02-02T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by George Torok

Follow this step-by-step process to write and expose your news.

Format

Call it a 'News Release', 'News Bulletin' or 'Announcement'. 'Press Release' sounds like propaganda.

Add, 'For immediate use'. This implies urgency. It also allows them some choice on when to run it. If the news is date sensitive state 'for use before' or 'for use after'.

Fax or mail? If urgent - fax. But to get noticed mail it. They get a lot of junk mail and junk fax. The fax junk looks too much alike. If you mail it you have a chance to get attention with the colour and feel of the paper. Send it on good quality paper with your logo. That could be your letterhead.

Don't address it to 'newsroom' or 'editor'. That's the same as 'occupant'. Instead address it to a person. Get their name.

Make it easy to read. Maximum one page. Use easy to read font. Twelve point size Times Roman works well. Add a little spice by bolding key names - but sprinkle lightly. Italics draws attention but is hard to read. Use capitals and small letters - don't print the whole thing in capital letters. That is extremely difficult to read. Keep paragraphs and sentences short. Double spacing is best.

Make it clear whom the release is from. Lead with city and date of the release. This gives perspective. At the bottom of the page state, 'The end' or '- 30-' Show contact name(s) and phone number(s) clearly at the bottom or top of the page.

Make sure those contacts receive a copy of the release and that they will be available and prepared to talk to the press when called. Impress on those contacts that the press need speedy responses to make their deadlines.

Content

Start with a strong title. A subtitle is not necessary if the title is strong. Study newspaper headings for ideas. Examine the style of the target media you are trying to reach to get ideas.

You have only one chance to hook them with the title. If you do not, they will not read any further. One glance at the headline is how they preview the release. There must be words, themes, companies, personalities or issues in the title that slows their glance enough to invite them to read the first paragraph.

The first sentence must grab them. Rework that first sentence until the first few words or even the first word pulls the reader in.

The first paragraph is important. It should contain your most important message. If they read that far - it is what draws them into the story. Write that first paragraph as if that might be the only paragraph they print.

Follow with the next points in order of decreasing importance. Assume that they might chop it after any paragraph. Write each paragraph applying the same approach to your sentences. If they only print one sentence make that the first sentence.

Good news releases are not written , they are re-written and re-written.

Make it easy to read. Maximum one page. Use easy to read font. Twelve point works well. Add a little spice by bolding key names - but sprinkle lightly. Italics draws attention but is hard to read. Use capitals and small letters - don't print the whole thing in capital letters. That is extremely hard to read. Use many short paragraphs and short sentences. Double spacing is a very good idea.

Proof read before you send it. Journalists are especially sensitive to poor grammar and typos. It hurts to read garbage - so they won't.

The media will read your release thinking, 'Will this interest my readers, listeners or viewers and is it unique?' It doesn't have to be 'very' unique - just a little. Every January we get news about the first News Year's baby. Because the first one is unique at that time, the second is not news.

Relate the news to the reader. Why is it important to the readers, listeners, or viewers of the media? Test for significance by asking, 'So what?'

Answer a reporter's key questions: who, what, why, where, when and how. You could even use these questions as sub headings - or as a summary. Use these questions as a quality test before you send it.

Quotes are good and more interesting. You might use quotes from company officials, community leaders or customers. When you use a name always state who they are, e.g. National Sales Manager, President and Founder, author of Use quotes that evoke emotion, create controversy or present a position.

Don't introduce too many new names. This confuses readers. Talk about one or two.

Write the name in full the first time you use it. After that you can use only the last name. If you want a name to be remembered use it several times in the release.

After the Release

The reporter(s) may call for more information or to arrange a photograph. Be available. If you are out of the office check your voice messages often. The press has tight deadlines.

Don't expect to review the reporter's article before publication. Occasionally they will run the article exactly the way you wrote it - but not often. Once you give them the information they have control. It helps if you have read other articles from the reporter and know their slant and hot buttons.

If they use your news release, send them a thank you note.

Keep and file all your news releases in sequence - even the ones that did not get action. Clip and save the articles that ran with the release. Study them to find what works with whom and when.

See you in the news!

© George Torok is co-author of the national best-seller, 'Secrets of Power Marketing', Canada's first guide to personal marketing for 'non-marketers'. He delivers seminars & keynotes to corporations and associations across North America. You can reach him at 905-335-1997. For more information about seminars and more marketing tips visit http://www.Torok.com

Public Relations 101 Getting Your Message Out

2009-02-01T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Chris Robertson

Perhaps you'd like to promote your organization's event. Maybe you're trying to publicize your cause. Or maybe you're trying to get media attention for yourself or your product. Sometimes it's difficult to have your voice heard amidst the cacophony of competing messages.

The mainstream media often refers to today's information overload. After all, people get their information from more sources than ever before. There's broadcast news, cable news, newspapers, magazines, radio, online publications, bloggers, discussion boards, RSS streams, and more. It seems, however, that people aren't overwhelmed with information; they're simply customizing the way they receive information. As for the mainstream media's hype about overload, it may very well just be a case of sour grapes. When people turn to other sources for news and information, the market share of the mainstream media decreases.

When you're trying to get your message out to the masses, follow the lead of public relations professionals. Their approach to promotion is to use multiple channels, both in traditional media and in new media. By blanketing as many channels as possible, your efforts at public relations and promotion are bound to be successful.

When you want to get the word out, you first need to define your audience. Who is it that you're trying to reach? If you're trying to market your message to 18-34 year olds, you don't want to waste your time with media that draws an older crowd.

Once you define your audience, you need to craft your message. Indeed, if you are using multiple channels or trying to reach more than one audience, you may have to craft several messages. For each, it's important to try and see the world through the eyes of your intended audience, and the design a message that they will find appealing.

When you know your audience and have your message, it's time to distribute that message. Although that can seem like an obstacle for an amateur, there are actually many venues through which you can do public relations and promotion. There are even online marketing opportunities that allow you to post free press releases and offer free public relations services.

One such service is pr-inside.com. It's a free public relations service that helps you in promotion - whether you're promoting your online business, your organization, or yourself. You simply register and submit your free press releases. It takes about five minutes, after which the pr-inside.com team reviews your text and adds it to their public relations website.

There's no need to be intimidated by the competition from big public relations firms or the savvy mainstream media. With some forethought and a targeted message, you can publicize your message effectively using free online marketing tools.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Visit this Business and Entrepreneurs Website and Majon's Business and Entrepreneurs directory.

Not Getting The Pr Results You Want

2009-01-31T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Robert A. Kelly

The reason might be this simple: as a business, non-profit or association manager, you're too focused on communi- cations tactics and not on a workable blueprint for dealing with those important outside audiences whose behaviors most affect your department, division or subsidiary.

If this sounds familiar, the blueprint I refer to provides the tools required to persuade those key external stakeholders to your way of thinking. Then, hopefully, move them to take actions that lead to your success.

A blueprint, say, like this one: people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

And, by the way, this is a blueprint that can produce behaviors such as more prospects interested in your services or products, more proposals for joint ventures and strategic alliances, more frequent repeat purchases, or fresh, new capital contributions and membership applications.

If this is something you wish to pursue, the next move is yours. For example, take the time to enlist those public relations people assigned to your unit in a brand-new push to find out once and for all what those outside audiences those with behaviors that actually affect your organization really think about you.

That's where the rubber meets the road because target audience perceptions inevitably lead to behaviors that will either hinder or help you in reaching your objectives.

So, let's assume you and your PR team decide to prioritize your outside audiences, then monitor the perceptions of members of the #1 target audience on your list.

Here's the first "fork in the road." You can use your PR professionals who after all are in the perception and behavior business to interact with target audience members by asking a lot of questions. For instance, "What do you know about us? Have you ever had dealings with our organization? Was it, or they, satisfactory?"

Or, if you have access to an ample budget, you can engage the services of a professional survey firm to handle the perception monitoring chore for you. Keep in mind, however, that this activity is central to the success of a public relations effort.

Either way, the data assembled by this drill is the raw material used to create your public relations goal. And that goal might call for clearing up a troublesome misconception, fixing a serious inaccuracy or killing that budding rumor dead as a doornail.

But reaching that goal is another story. You need a strategy to show you the way, and when it comes to perceptions and opinion, there are only three strategies from which to choose: change existing opinion/perception, create it where none exists, or reinforce the perception. Trick is, be certain the strategy you select is a natural fit with your new public relations goal. For example, if you discovered a really negative perception among members of your target audience, you certainly wouldn't choose the "reinforce" strategy.

But the real "beast of burden" in this PR problem solving sequence is the message you will use to alter the offending perception you turned up during your audience monitoring drill. This is one message that must be very well written, clear as crystal, and supported by compelling and believable facts if it is to alter what some of your target audience members believe. In this way, the message can nudge perception in your direction, lead to the behaviors you have in mind, and help you achieve your unit objectives.

Final challenge? Get that message to the eyes and ears of members of your target audience. And that means selecting and employing the right communications tactics from the wide choice available to you. You can use personal contacts, special events, media interviews and speeches. Or, you might select from among news announcements, facility tours, newsletters, brochures, audience briefings and so many others. But be certain that the tactics you choose have a record of reaching people like the members of your target audience.

Soon, however, questions will be asked as to how the new public relations effort is faring. In other words, "Are we getting the PR results we want?"

A fair question and one that can be fairly answered by returning to the field for a follow up monitoring session. Once again, you as the manager, and/or your PR support staff, must ask questions similar to those you asked during your earlier benchmark perception monitoring session.

The difference now? You want to see evidence that your perception monitoring, your public relations goal and strategy as well as your carefully crafted corrective message and communications tactics have actually altered the offending perception as you planned.

Should results not come fast enough, additional communications tactics can be added, and their frequencies increased.

Bottom line: as the department, division or subsidiary manager for a business, non-profit or association, if the primary focus of your public relations effort is tactics, you are well-advised to make a shift in favor of this kind of workable PR blueprint that gives you the best chance of achieving your unit's operating objectives.

About The Author

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com.

The Press Pack Is Chasing You Give Them Room

2009-01-30T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by George Hopkin

There's good news for public relations execs, marketing professionals and even one-man-band entrepreneurs: journalists are surfing your sites looking for news.

It's true - while some PR people spend months trying to win over cynical reporters in order to wrangle a company profile or CEO interview (and get nowhere), an army of journalists are proactively hunting for facts, figures and interview candidates.

Now the bad news: these same journalists say most online press rooms suck. Big time. If you're thinking to yourself: 'Uh-oh, we don't have a press room,' chances are you're missing out on important media opportunities. If you're thinking: 'What's a press room?' you need to act fast.

In an ideal world, a press room is a vibrant, constantly updated section of your corporate website including company backgrounders, executive profiles, news releases (with a comprehensive, searchable archive), media mailing list and - perhaps most importantly - clear and concise contact information if journalists need to get in touch.

Want to see a great press room? As usual, Google pulls it off by keeping things nice and simple:

http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/index.html

If you haven't got the time or resources to put together a world-class press room like that, here are a couple of strategies that can help you in the short-term. But keep in mind these are suggested as temporary measures - an accessible, professional press room is no longer a luxury for a company that considers itself professional, it's an absolute necessity.

Blog It!

Sign up for a blog at one of the big free providers such as Blogger (http://www.blogger.com). These services are template based and you can have their standard layouts look and feel like your own site in a jiffy. To be honest, even if you use the standard template, change the title and give it the odd tweak here and there you've still covered the important bases.

Then place a link on your corporate website to the new blog (perhaps label it as 'News Blog' or plain old 'News Room' or 'Press Room') and you're ready to promote your news. Be sure to include full contact details in the blog's bio section - remember, journalists are always on one deadline or another and they want your input NOW! If you're worried about spambots gathering your email address, include them as 'name <-at-> domain dot com'. If a journalist can't work that out you probably don't want to hear from them anyway!

Once your blog is up and running, turn it over to one or two key members of your staff. Have them post news releases - and shorter news updates - to the blog as often as possible. The beauty of this solution is that you get free XML/RSS feeds thrown in via the Blogger engine. If you don't go for Blogger, be sure to check on XML/RSS feeds before you select a suitable service.

The Single-Click Press Room

Even if your corporate website is a few pages of plain HTML a friend knocked together as a favour and you're unwilling to make any drastic changes to it in order to add a press room, you can still provide visitors with a full list of your press releases with the addition of a single link to your main site.

First of all, ensure you're making full use of one of the free press release distribution services. For the sake of this example I hope nobody objects if I use our own, ClickPress (http://www.clickpress.com).

Enter your company name in quotes as a search term - for example: "Vegetarian Society". Hit search and you will be presented with the results: press releases about or including references to your company. Click on the link below for a live example using "Vegetarian Society":

http://www.clickpress.com/cgi-bin/releases/search.cgi?query=% 22Vegetarian+Society%22

A search for "Your Company" will look something like this:

http://www.clickpress.com/cgi-bin/releases/search.cgi?query=% 22Your +Company%22

Copy that URL (with your own company's name, of course) and there you have it. Well, almost, you still need to add it to your site. Add a link to the URL, label the link 'Recent Press Releases' and every time you add a new press release to the news distribution site it will be included in the dynamic search - you've got an automatic, single-click press room.

Contacts, Contacts, Contacts

Perhaps the most regular criticism made by web-savvy journalists is a lack of media contact info on most corporate sites. If you do nothing else to your site you should add a few lines explaining who journalists should contact at your company and how they should do it.

If you're worried about spam, encrypt email addresses as explained above or include them as a graphic rather than a hot link. Provide a landline number and explain between what hours someone will be available to take calls (and be sure to include your time zone, unless you're happy to field calls at three in the morning from a journalist half way around the world).

There are a wealth of additional cost-free additions you could make to your site to make it media friendly (a press release mailing list hosted by Yahoo! Groups or Topica perhaps), so be sure to check out what other companies are doing.

Best place to find them? In the results of a news search engine, because they're the ones who have probably secured media coverage thanks to a proper press room.

George Hopkin is a freelance journalist and CEO of ClickPress (http://www.clickpress.com), a free press release distribution service which distributes content to some of the world's most influential news and web search engines. ClickPress is a propery of Pressventures, a provider of free and fee-based services to PR professionals.

How To Write A Press Release In 14 Easy Steps

2009-01-29T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by David Bain

Writing and submitting press releases isn't the same as writing and submitting articles about your business. Press releases have a much greater degree of credibility among hard copy publications and major current affairs orientated websites alike. They may be published as released, amended or changed completely to suit the publisher.

Seven ideas for a press release subject

1) The launch of your new website. Make sure you define who your target audience is, and differentiate specifically what your website offers

2) A free email newsletter that you're publishing. Again, make sure that you're specific about whom you're aiming at and why your service is of benefit

3) An RSS feed that you've introduced. Remember to give a brief background on RSS and its usefulness, as well as your service

4) A Podcast show that you've started. Podcasts are still new and original enough to gain good press coverage if your show's good enough

strategic alliance with another website. Whether it's an outsourcing relationship with your site coder, or an alliance with a business in the same field, there's a story in it

6) An online award that your website has won. Websites such as Webbyawards.com or Web.com specialise in reviewing websites in certain genres and 'awarding them'. If you don't enter, you can't tell anyone about it!

7) The reaching of a measurable milestone. Whether it's 1000 unique visitors in a day, or 1000 subscribers to your RSS feed, if it sounds good, it's probably a good story

Seven golden rules on how to format your press release

Your press release is aimed at grabbing a journalist's attention, and not your customer's attention. Bear this in mind when considering your title and objectivity. Follow the 7 golden rules on how to format your press release:

1) Don't use any unnecessary uppercase - it tends to denote shouting

2) Never try and sell your product or service. Convey great, interesting, new information

3) Remember that the journalist reading your article won't necessarily have in-depth knowledge of your industry, so don't be too technical

4) Use around 500 words. Much less and you won't be conveying enough information. Much more, and the journalist won't be able to find the facts, and your chances of getting published diminish

5) Basic grammatical errors are more common than you think. Always get somebody else to proof read your press release

6) Stick to the tried and tested layout as discussed in the 35 press release tips article

7) Always include your contact details and an 'About Us' section. Always be available to take calls after you submit a press release

Source to publish your press release

PRWebDirect.com

PR Web Direct include same day distribution, simple insertion process and enhanced priority placement on PR Web and eMediawire.

David Bain is founder of the independent business articles resource, http://www.BuildYourOwnBusiness.biz. BuildYourOwnBusiness offers the latest business news & management advice on how best to build your own business - business articles on Strategy, eBusiness, Change Management & much, much more.

How To Master Communication Even If You Failed High School Grammar

2009-01-27T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Maria Boomhower

Does the thought of knowing your verbs from your adjective scare you? Can the word syntax send you running for cover? Or perhaps putting two words together in front of a crowd sends your body into complete melt down. If so, there is help for you.

Have you ever wanted to communicate more effectively with other people, or dreamed of writing a novel. Maybe you just want to write better reports, get your points across more clearly or be able to stand up in front of people and give a talk.

Often people will say to themselves, "I canât do that, I was never good at English in school." Yet, this feeling of not good enough is where many communication masters began.

I know of people who stuttered as children and were told theyâd never be able to read or talk, yet are well known speakers today. One other person that I know, immigrated to the US and had to learn English, yet today he is a speaker and author. These people discovered that it takes more that knowing your nouns and sentence structure to communicate with others.

Part of the challenge is, we were taught that if we can write a proper sentence then we can communicate are thoughts correctly. That is like saying if you can see than you can read or if you can hear you can listen. Unfortunately, this is not true for reading and listening are skills that we need to learn.

There are many people who have grammatically correct sentences with proper punctuation who can not write anything creative or interesting. It takes more than grammar to connect with other people.

Getting your thoughts, feelings, views and values across to another person are skills that you can learn and master.

It is important to understand that connecting with people can be very intensive and emotional whether you are feeling fear; anger, joy or ecstasy and many people shy away from this. Most often people misunderstand one another because people see things differently and can get upset when people do not see eye to eye with them.

There is a lot of fear of being wrong, of making mistakes, of failing or being perceived as being stupid in anyway. Many misunderstandings lead to disagreements and violence in trying to make or force their way of thinking. People can act as though their lives depended on being right as apposed to having a different point of view. These create many barriers to communication which need to be overcome in order to connect with another person and master communication.

When you can release the need to be right, you can discover a whole new world of discoveries and wonders. Marianne Williamson said it well when she said, âDo you want to be right, or do you want to be happy?â It is important to understand, that to make the world work, we need different views, outlooks, likes and desires.

Many problems happen with people who share the same birth language. There seems to be an assumption that if you spoke the same language that the other person should automatically understand you.

What most people do not realize is that on a physiological level, our brains are all wired differently due to the way, environment and culture that we have been raised in. This also helps to create our psychological out look and personalities.

There is also our metaphysical nature which affects whether we are willing to try and connect with other people. We are influenced by Universal laws, even when we are not aware of them. For example, if you did not know that gravity existed, it wouldnât stop you from falling off of a cliff. On a quantum level our beliefs and attitudes affects the outcome of our ability to interact with each other. For example many people have heard of "Cause and Effect". In this law, as you treat others, so shall you be treated. On a scientific level, we are electromagnetic spectrums of energy. So the energy that we give off, we attract back, because like attracts like. This means, when you give off anger, hatred, judgments or love, kindness, and understanding, you are attracting the very same behaviour back to you. This in turn, affects your ability to communicate and connect with other people.

Your beliefs have an impact on whether you are happy or sad, have abundance or poverty, health or suffering and even of what you can or cannot be, have or do. It is when we are aware of our own beliefs and values we can work on seeing if they work for us, or if we need to change or alter them. So maybe youâre asking yourself, where do I begin? That question is easy to answer, with yourself. So often people have no idea what they want and hope that other people will figure it out for them. I have seen people get mad at other people for not knowing what they want or for misunderstanding them. It is important to realize that we canât communicate to others before we clearly know what we want and where we are heading. The people that I spoke about earlier; their lives improved when they clearly understood what they wanted, and then were able to ask others for guidance and moved forward in helping others. For communicating is connecting with others. The second area, once you understand yourself, is that itâs important to understand others and their reality. The next step would be to realize that what you think you are seeing and understanding may not be an exact representation of reality. Our brains filter out most information around us so as not to overload us. What it chooses to let through are things that are important to us and things that are a potential danger. Any information that is considered in conflict with our perceived reality and beliefs is filtered away. So you need to be open to learning and discovery.

Now, if you take this information, consider the following. What if you realized that reality is often illusive and personal? What if you where to discover that the main block to your growth and answers are in the way the you perceive yourself, the world around you and of what you believe you can achieve? And what if you were to understand that the answers werenât out there, but inward and that you already have what you need to communicate clearly to others? What if I told you, that what you had to do was to be willing to look anew, and that it can build from there? See if you canât realize the possibilities from understanding yourself and others around you in order to master communication. Today, we are asking more questions and wanting more answers. Today more than ever people are asking, what if I can?

Maria Boomhower is a professional in communication, media relations and holds a Diploma in the Art of Applied Communication. She has won awards for excellence in her field. Her background in communication management has spanned from supervision and training to productions, photo journalism, running sub-press centres and security videos Her style has been to teach communication in ways that creates a win-win environment for those involved. Maria Boomhower The Master Communicator http://www.falconfreedom.com "Command Attention & Confidence" 1-250-389-0551 maria13-89433@autocontactor.com

What Is The Importance Of A Press Release

2009-01-26T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Steve Waganer

A press release is all about the publicity that you can do for your online business. The more publicity you do for your goods and services the more your business gets recognized everywhere on and off of the web. The trick is in making use of all the publicity tools including press releases in the correct way to draw attention to your site. Publishing press releases on the web is one great way of going about the successful publicity of your site.

Well, it is not enough just to write press releases and publish them on the web, you must know the correct way of writing a press release to be noticed on the web. There are hundreds of press releases posted on the web on a daily basis and there are chances that the one you write will get lost among the lot. The press release that you write must be just perfect to make you visible on the web.

The first and foremost rule of writing a good press release is that the information that you give throughout the press release must be newsworthy. Who will even read the press release that you have written if the information is not newsworthy? Remember, your press release must not sound like an advertisement. Rather it should be newsworthy information about the product or service you are offering to customers. There is a very thin line between writing about your site and the write up not appearing as advertisement of your business.

Always remember to ask the question how you as a customer will feel while reading your write up. And if you feel that you would not like to read it, then you drastically need to change your press release. If you do not like something chances are no one else will like it either. Put special emphasis on the first paragraph of your press release. Most editors do not go beyond the first paragraph and if you are going to create a first impression then half the work is done. If some one likes to read your first paragraph then they will go through the entire thing.

Press releases have more credibility among all the other publicity methods. While reading a press release readers do not feel that they are reading some other disguised advertisement about a product. Readers and online visitors are more likely to trust credible sources like columnists, editors and reviewers about the authenticity of any write up appearing anywhere. Editors will not publish anything that is not well written.

The buck does not stop here. The next step for you is to submit your press release to the proper places. You need a proper channel to publish your press release be it online or offline. Lots of people must have access to your press release if you are serious about this and want to create an effect. Create very impressive and eye catching headlines for your press release. A catchy headline guarantees that you press release will grab attention and compel people to read it.

Take care that there are no spelling and grammatical errors in your press release. Get someone to proof read it two or three times so that there is no chance for any mistakes. Incorrect spelling and grammar usage is not acceptable. Stick to the facts while giving information to readers and do not try to use fancy language and adjectives in your writing.

Steve Waganer has specialization in Web Marketing. He is expert in Search engine optimization, Affiliated Marketing,Affordable search engine marketing and articles and Press Release.To get his expert advice for your website to get high rank and top position in major search engines visit http://www.cometsearchenginemarketing.com

Easy To Be Foolish About Pr

2009-01-25T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Robert A. Kelly

In fact, here are three really foolish goofs made by too many business, non-profit and association managers.

If that's you, you foolishly do nothing positive about the behaviors of those important outside audiences of yours that most affect your operation.

You foolishly fail to create external stakeholder behavior change leading directly to achieving your managerial objectives.

Then you foolishly compound those goofs by never persuading those key outside folks to your way of thinking, or moving them to take actions that allow your department, division or subsidiary to succeed.

Enough already!

What you really need to know is this.

The right PR really CAN alter individual perception and lead to changed behaviors that help you succeed. And your public relations effort must involve more than special events, brochures and news releases if you really want to get your money's worth,

The foundation underlying public relations reads like this: people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

Just look at the results it can deliver: new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; prospects starting to work with you; customers making repeat purchases; stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities; improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies, and even capital givers or specifying sources looking your way

And results need not stop there. For example, you should also see results like rebounds in showroom visits; membership applications on the rise; new community service and sponsorship opportunities; enhanced activist group relations, and expanded feedback channels, as well as new thoughtleader and special event contacts.

Of course your PR crew agency or staff must be committed to you, as the senior project manager, to the PR blueprint and its implementation, starting with target audience perception monitoring.

And furthermore, you must impress upon them the crucial importance of why your most important outside audiences really must perceive your operations, products or services in a clearly positive light. So assure yourself that your PR staff has bought into the whole effort. Be especially careful that they accept the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.

Meet with your PR team and discuss the PR blueprint in detail, especially the plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

Luckily, survey pros can always handle the perception monitoring phases of your program, IF the budget is available. But remember that your PR people are also in the perception and behavior business and can pursue the same objective: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

Now a word about your public relations goal. You need one that speaks to the aberrations that showed up during your key audience perception monitoring. And it could call for straightening out that dangerous misconception, or correcting that gross inaccuracy, or doing something about that damaging rumor.

The hard truth is that, when you set a goal, you need a strategy that shows you how to get there. You have three strategic choices when it comes to handling a perception or opinion challenge: create perception where there may be none, change the perception, or reinforce it. A bad strategy pick will taste like ketchup on your stringbeans, so be certain the new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. For example, you don't want to select "change" when the facts dictate a "reinforce" strategy.

Because awfully hard work really is awfully hard work, persuading an audience to your way of thinking means your PR team must come up with just the right, corrective language. Words that are compelling, persuasive and believable AND clear and factual. You've got to do this if you are to correct a perception by shifting opinion towards your point of view, leading to the desired behaviors.

Review your message with your troops for impact and persuasiveness. Then, pick out the communications tactics most likely to carry your words to the attention of your target audience. You can pick from dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be sure that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

You've heard the old bromide about the credibility of a message depending on its delivery method. So, on the chance that HOW you deliver your message may affect its believability, you could introduce it to smaller gatherings instead of using higher-profile tactics like news releases or talk show appearances.

When you notice mumblings about a progress report, take it as an alert to you and your PR folks to return to the field for a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. Using many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session, you'll now be watching very carefully for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

If things still are not moving fast enough, you can always accelerate the effort with more communications tactics and increased frequencies.

No more foolish goofs!

Instead, depend on the reality that the right PR really CAN alter individual perception and lead `to changed behaviors that help you succeed.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net.

Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com

Possibilities Of The Blogosphere For The Pr Industry In Spanishspeaking Countries

2009-01-24T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Octavio Isaac Rojas Orduña

Only two media in Spanish speaking countries offer RSS: the Spanish newspaper El Mundo and the Argentine Clarín. Although the blogs are becoming more visible in the media and are becoming a research topic, still they are something of small "evangelist groups", who promote its use but this can change in little time.

To face this great challenge, Spanish-speaking PR professionals have to identify the enormous opportunities that other colleagues, fundamentally those whose native language is English, use for their clients, their businesses and, even for themselves.

Perhaps it would be easier for Anglo-saxons, with a different culture, to accept that in order to enter the blogosphere they must take themselves off the pedestal on which they think leaders should be placed, and be closer to thousands of people in a direct way, without any obstacles.

It is hard for me to believe that a politician, a high-ranking official or an executive in Mexico, Spain, Peru or Argentina, would agree to write a blog. Furthermore, except for some industries (i.e. IT), the use of blogs to maintain direct communication with their audiences continues to be limited to political parties, governments and even successful businesses.

In recent years, there has been a great advance, in which leaders have taken into account the advantages of having a web page and have included it in their communication campaign.

Nevertheless, for some industries of the Spanish-speaking countries, the Internet still is a foreign, difficult and expensive tool, and because of this they disregard its use to communicate with their audiences. The blogosphere offers the exact opposite of this: it is a communication tool close to the people, easy-to-use and with such a reduced price that, with so many resources available on the Internet, it can be practically free of charge.

It is easy to say that blogs could become a "democratizing" element with real possibilities to change the traditional relationship between sources and the media with the public.

Blogs will make possible the "participative journalism", through which it will be possible to connect the problems of real people to other individuals with the same difficulties and worries. The possibilities are endless in societies that are used to the lack of transparency in government activities and large businesses, and even with media that lack credibility.

In fact, what is already happening in a lot of Spanish-speaking countries, as in the Anglo-saxon world, is an explosion of blogs that offer alternative information to the traditional media. Thousands of blogs are appearing to reflect, qualify and denounce, not only the governmental actions or those of political parties, but products, services or even plans that many businesses are carrying out.

Also, it is possible that the blogs can be seen as the real possibility for the small and medium-size businesses to access the Internet, without needing to provide a large quantity of resources or having to depend on IT people that don't necessarily understand the business or communication strategies.

Perhaps here is the heart of the matter. These reasons make me think that there are many possibilities for the public relations industry in the Spanish-speaking countries to explore blogs. It is possible that very soon the blogs in Spanish may reach the same importance that other blogs are gradually but firmly gaining, in countries such as United States, United Kingdom, Canada or Australia.

Right now, I don't believe that really independent blogs -that is to say, those that are not part of important communication groups or that are not written by professional journalists that update their blogs parallelly to their main activity- may be accredited like mainstream media in important events such as political campaigns, as is already happening in the US, and soon in the United Kingdom.

The public relations industry in Spanish-speaking countries should be prepared to obtain the maximum profit of this phenomenon.

How? I will tackle this through some proposed plans of action.

* Identify those blogs that have a good level of hits and organize them in categories: technology, political, media, etc. There are some directories that do this like Bitácoras.net, Blogdir.com, Blogsmexico.com, Blogalia.com, to mention a few. We should be open to see all kinds of blogs, keeping in mind that there will be occasions in which we won't share the authors' points of view, but that is important that we take them into consideration.

Let's take the the case of the videogames web pages. There are occasions in which children with barely 12 years become true opinion leaders, who are capable of destroying the launch of a new game in which thousands or even millions of euros were invested.

* Enter into the blogosphere with the objective of understanding the new medium, its tools, its possibilities and limitations, as well as the best-known authors, although they not be Spanish-speaking.

It may seem obvious, but there are many people that have never heard about RSS, feeds, posts, blogs, syndicated content, links or anything along these lines.
A public relations consultant can't suggest that his or her clients launch a blog without having previously informed the client about what it takes to be successful and, above all, he or she can't afford not to know an answer to an issue that may be presented in the blogosphere.

* Before launching a corporate or institutional blog, one should have a clear strategy of what he or she hopes to be communicate and should understand that the blogosphere has its own "net-etiquette", that is to say, its own codes, that have implications regarding updating, information sources, the form, the tone of the communication and, of course, the feedback of the public.

We can find that a good idea may produce mediocre results if inadequate tactics are chosen. In this sense, a blog is one more tool among the many available for public relations. And, yes, it offers some unique possibilities that other don't have.

* Make the blog relevant, but take into account that it is a blog. There are people that keep thinking that the blogs are newspapers for teen-agers, in part because it is true. However this is not something bad at all since this shows how flexible blogs are.

Therefore, at the moment of launching a blog, one must find an equilibrium among the characteristics of the blogosphere with the objectives of the organization. One cannot do is to create irrelevant posts or wait too long to update the blog.

If a business does not have the capacity to maintain a continuous communication with its audience, whether for strategic reasons or legal limitations of another type, perhaps a web page is better for its objectives.

* Note that results can't be immediate. It is one of the main challenges to all public relations professionals that should be faced, not only with the blogs, but when using any other tool.

Perhaps in the case of the blogs the challenge is greater because of the novelty of the medium and, in the case of some Latin American countries, by the low penetration of Internet.

* Be "blog evangelists". One must know not only the blogosphere, one must be part of it. This is the only way in which a consultant will be able to offer his or her clients an adequate consultancy. It is not a matter of being a guru with thousands of visits a day, but it is necessary to be comfortable with the blogosphere and knowing who-is-who. The only way to persuade someone is being convinced of that which is preached.

The best business card of a consultant that uses the advantages of a blog for an organization should include, apart from its email, his or her blog addresss.

There will be many of things to do, but this could be a good beginning for the Spanish-speaking PR industry, that has yet to see blogs as a tool with a huge potential.

We must wait to see if the "blog phenomenon", that is taking place in a number of countries, will spread to the rest of the world. The low internet penetration in Latin American countries, an incipient culture of the use of IT and a different way of understanding the social relations, will be the main obstacles that will determine if this phenomenon spreads as it has in the Anglo-Saxon countries, or maybe it will be possible that a different movement arises with local particularities that haven't been exploited yet. We will wait and see and we better be prepared.

Octavio Isaac Rojas Orduña is Senior Account Executive in Weber Shandwick Ibérica, in Madrid, Spain. An award-winning radio scriptwriter in Latin America and Germany, he joined Weber Shandwick in 1997. He has offered strategy consultation for both multinational companies, such as BBC, McDonald's, Siemens, Unilever, Kodak, LEGO, and Spanish companies, and industry associations.

Publicity Polls And Surveys Are A Great Path Free Publicity

2009-01-23T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ned Steele

When I search Google News for "surveys," I get nearly 50,000 results. When I search for "stocks," I get about 54,000. The media love polls and surveys.

Here are just a few headlines in the news as I write this, generated directly from surveys:

Survey: CEOs cut expectations of economy
Survey: Israelis more depressed, anxious than Western Europeans
Survey shows farmers aware of soybean rust

As you can see, surveys are used for just about any industry. Why not yours?

If you're the expert on bankers, or single parents, there's hardly a better way to tell the media than by releasing surveys of your market group. It's easy to do almost all media outlets accept informal or online polling.

You don't have to hire a research company, you can just have clients or colleagues check a few boxes on a photocopied form.

You don't have to release a massive book of results, you can just send media people a press release highlighting the most newsworthy responses.

The general media aren't professional journals: they don't insist on strict statistical methodology. They just want a good story.

That said, you should never make up a result or falsely represent your data. Media folks aren't likely to double check the information you give them, but you want to be able to present accurate, truthful results if they do.

Dont Pay For Radio Interviews

2009-01-22T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Joan Stewart

It used to be that all you had to do was pitch a great idea with a clever hook, and you'd be booked as a guest on a half-hour radio show.

These days, however, hang onto your wallet. A new breed of radio host is insisting that guests fork over a few hundred dollars-sometimes more-for the "privilege" of being on their show. Some guests, desperate for exposure for a new book or project, willingly pay the money. Then they're disappointed when they get little feedback from listeners, or the show leads to no product sales.

There's nothing wrong with the concept of paying money for air time. But there's a name for it. It's called advertising. Joe Sabah, author of the book How to Get on Radio Talk Shows All Across America says that if you want a legitimate interview, no money should change hands.

"With more than 740 radio shows all over the country willing to book guests for free, there's absolutely no reason why anybody should have to pay," Sabah said.

A different twist on the same theme involves a radio station approaching someone and offering them their own weekly show on a particular topic, then telling them they must charge guests to appear. That means that if a host comes across someone who they think would be a great guest, they can't book them if the guest can't afford to pay.

Why, suddenly, are some radio interviews no longer free?

The radio industry has been going through sweeping changes in the last several years, with many stations being bought or sold for hefty amounts, and that means they're trying to entice people like you into paying the freight.

Joann McCall has an interesting perspective on the problem. As president of McCall Public Relations in Portand, Oregon, she specializes in generating publicity for authors. She also has been a radio host, interviewer and newscaster for 18 years and hosts a radio show with her partner, Debb Janes, called "Janes McCall & Co.," on KKSN radio in Portland.

McCall says the practice of charging guests has become acceptableeven though it isn't right.

"Having someone approach you to pay for an interview is like buying a radio infomercial," she said.

McCall advises that guests don't pay. Instead, when you hear a sales pitch, simply reply, "Pay for an interview? I don't need to. Thanks anyway."

"Don't be bullied by these people," she said.

Joan Stewart, a.k.a. The Publicity Hound, shows you how to use the media to establish your credibility, enhance your reputation, sell more products and services, promote a favorite cause or issue, and position yourself as an employer of choice. She publishes "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," a free ezine on how to generate thousands of dollars in free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.PublicityHound.com and receive by email the free checklist "89 Reasons to Send a News Release."

Publicity How To Capture The Attention Of The Media

2009-01-21T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Dave Wells

If your company is the publicly-traded market leader in your industry you can stop reading this because even the most mundane press release about some boring event at your company will make the major media news outlets. For the rest of you, you will have to be more creative if you want to get the media to cover your news.

Publicity is just one aspect of an overall integrated marketing campaign and something that we at EMDCO.com take very seriously, and not so seriously, because it's part art and part science. When we put together a publicity campaign for our clients, we strive to report on populace aspects of their news stories that will have a better chance of gaining media attention.

What do I mean by populace aspects? They are twists to your plain vanilla news story that will help to get media coverage the story around the story that impacts the general public. Unless you incorporate one of the 5 twists that make a story compelling to a reporter, you're sunk. Most companies aren't big enough to command news coverage. What do I mean by big enough? Their news doesn't affect the majority of the population. That's why your press release about hiring a new Vice President of Sales will make the local paper at best, and that's if it's a slow news day and they have room to print it.

The fact of the matter is that the media just doesn't care about your news. You have to have a story that will affect most if not all of the readers of the publication. Just think about how hard it is to get an appointment with your prospects. If they don't care about your products or services, what makes you think the media is going to fall in love with your story?

We've uncovered 5 twists to look for in your news angle if you want to get media coverage. The reporter is interested in pleasing the editor and the editor is interested in printing stories that will sell their magazine or newspaper. That's it. They don't care about your company. And if you continue to create vanilla press releases and uneventful publicity campaigns you are guaranteed not to get any media coverage for your company.

You have to give the media something to write about. Today, the media's idea of what is newsworthy is a little different than what you think is newsworthy about your company.

Year after year, here are the five most frequently written news stories:

What's already hot in the media.

The controversy story.

The unusual or outrageous story.

The celebrity story.

The under-dog or David-and-Goliath story.

If you can create a story with any of these story angles you're going to capture the attention of the media. Create a story that packs two, three, or four of these angles all at the same time and you've hit a media grand slam.

Creating a Story That's Already Hot in the Media.

For the last year and a half gas prices have been a major news topic. The media reports gas prices at the pump along with the commodity futures prices almost every day. You can't pick up a paper or turn on the TV without being bombarded with news about gas.

EMDCO.com leveraged this hot topic for a client that generated national news. We capitalized on National Bicycle Week and the high price of gas by making the company executives buy a new fleet of cost-saving vehicles (yes bicycles). The headline: "In This Time of Gas Guzzlers, Executives Splurge on New Fleet of Vehicles." We invited both TV and print media to cover the delivery of the new fleet and we won major coverage for this Midwestern company. The company makes gears for industrial equipment. We crafted a story about health benefits for the employees, cost savings for the company, plus a beneficial impact for the environment is a twist that is much better than a press release about how they are now making gears with 451 teeth instead of the old ones with 450 or that they have been in business for 17 years!

Creating the Controversy Story

People in the entertainment business use this all the time. Stories like mega female singer wants to help two up-and-coming female pop singers get more media so she kisses them on stage bingo press coverage. Girl-next-door actress needs to change image so she dates hot bad boy bingo press coverage. You see the real reason something is done is always there, it's just not the part that makes the news. What's so newsworthy about 3 women singing on stage?

One of our clients wanted to generate attention for its business. EMDCO.com put together a publicity strategy that focused on controversy. We decided on a bold move. They work in an industry that already has a tarnished image. We carefully crafted a campaign in which they exposed the dirty little secrets within their industry. Risky? Yes. Effective? Unbelievably. They are now know as the honest guys in their industry.

Here's one that was just reported the other day. 'Man Gets Arrested for Stealing Internet at Café.' Okay what are the elements? Café offers free internet. So what, many others do these days. Not much has changed in coffee products so not much to report there. But what happens when a customer comes in to the café, uses the internet but doesn't buy any coffee? Arrest him! Without the arrest there isn't a story, but now you can have debates about freedom and what's moral, etc. Was it a publicity stunt? You better believe it! Why would the story include a picture of the guy smiling while sitting in the very café that arrested him?

Creating the Unusual or Outrageous Story

Creating unusual or outrageous stories isn't as hard as you think. Yes there are times when something so unusual happens in real life that it becomes news. Like the time I wrote a press release about a kid that found several thousand dollars outside of a well-known department store. Within 5 minutes of faxing out a one page press release, calls started coming in from all the different media outlets TV, Radio and print. There was so much coverage that the story worked its way all the way up to the Jay Leno Show and the Ellen Degeneres Show where the boy went on national TV to tell his story. It also generated major coverage for the department store.

The minute any of your employees have something unusual happen to them and you can tie it into your company you should alert the press.

Here are some other publicity stunts that I'm sure you have heard about:

"Found in NY Taxi: Jewelry Salesman Forgets $275,000 Dollars in Jewelry"

"$40 Dollar Hamburger" secret Kobe beef (from Japanese cows that get massages)

"Hotel's $1,000 Martini" comes with real flakes of gold and a diamond in it

"$500,000 Honeymoon Suite at Chicago Hotel" included trip to Harrods and twin Mercedes cars

You guessed it all publicity stunts that got media attention for the client.

Creating the Celebrity Story

Creating events that draw in big crowds and media can help your business in many ways. Here's the quick breakdown of an event that generated great buzz for an auto dealer group that sells Acura, Mercedes, Infinity, Toyota, VW, etc, here in Chicago.

This auto group dealer wants to sell fleets of cars to Chicagoland corporations. We decide on holding a fundraiser for a leukemia charity. A well-known beauty salon has models highlighting the latest hair styles along with dresses from local designers. Who gets invited? Executives and their spouses, past and present salon customers, as well as local celebrities and the media show up. It became such a hip event that even Chicago Social Magazine covered the story.

Creating the Under-Dog Story

This angle is very effective if your business is up against a major competitor. I could go on and on about ideas in this category but instead I'll just list a few to give you some ideas.

Web-based sales force application company against giant sales force software company: company pickets in front of a national sales exposition with signs saying "Down with Software"

We had a software company client picket in front of their own building with signs saying, "We'll pay more rent, but we need more." Story talked about how the client was growing and they couldn't get building management to make changes to accommodate the growth, resulting in news about how quickly our client was growing.

EMDCO.com created a contest for one of our technology clients. Their goal was to get noticed for new clients and possibly sell their company. They knew that they had some of the best and brightest software programmers. We went on the attack with a challenge of programmers from the biggest web development companies. The contest pitted our client against others in a challenge to build the best web application for an actual client. Yes we invited a bigger competitor to work on an actual client. Our smaller client won the challenge and was subsequently bought by the bigger competitor.

The truth of the matter is that news just isn't news unless it has one of these twists. Look at how the morning national news looks more like a variety show than an actual news cast. At first TV anchors just read the news to you, then TV news had two kinds of anchors; the warm fuzzy talking heads that would then send you over to their more serious news desk people and now both groups of anchors are getting all cozy on the morning news couch.

You don't want your company to create a stunt just for the sake of it. But you do want to create a catalyst that has substance and relevance to what your company does and will catch the attention of the media. Creating a buzz about your company is what we do best.

David Wells is a business development expert, speaker, consultant and founder of http://www.emdco.com His company is a provider of business-to-business lead creation, data confirmation and integrated marketing solutions.

Business How To Build It Using The Media

2009-01-20T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Alan Fairweather

Have you ever noticed that when someone is interviewed on radio, television or in the newspapers about a particular subject, it tends to be the same people? You may even be saying - "Why don't they ever ask me?"

Well the reason is - they don't know about you. If they did know that you were an expert on a particular subject, then there's a good chance you'll be asked from time to time. There are various ways to make yourself known to the media. One way is to write a News Release. Send the media a news release when you want to announce:

A new product or service -

A new marketing campaign -

A new address -

New staff or someone being promoted -

Any other newsworthy information about you, your business or your people.

Editors, radio and TV producers receive tons of information from individuals and companies trying to get publicity for their business. However, they need information that is newsworthy, relevant and interesting for their audience.

There are guidelines for writing and laying out a news release - if you don't meet these guidelines then your release will probably get dumped immediately.

A News Release needs

A contact person - In the top left-hand corner of the first page put the name and telephone number of a person who can provide further information. If it's your name then okay, but an editor would expect to see someone else's name rather than the business owner. If you have an assistant, put their name or your partner's name - if they work with you.

Date - In the top right-hand corner. You also need to state when it can be released, if it's for immediate release then - put those words. You may want it to be released on a particular date - if so, give the details.

Headline - You need a headline that summarises the story and grabs the editor's attention. Write what you might expect to see in the particular publication or hear someone say.

The Body - Write your news release on one page if you can; two pages maximum. Up to 250 words double spaced and a maximum of four paragraphs. Always write in the "third person" not the first. Make your information exciting and human, think about what would grab the attention of the readers. Include a quotation from a customer if you can; for example - Fred Smith, Chief Executive of Apex Software said - "This is the most exciting new product to be introduced to our industry this year!"

Here are a few other points to consider when writing a news release:

It's not a sales document - This is news information, it is not an advertisement. You don't want words like - "Wonderful - Fantastic New Service. If an editor thinks you're just trying to get a free advertisement then it'll be dumped.

Think of questions - Be prepared for any questions you might be asked if an editor phones for more information; you don't want to blow it if you get to this stage.

Get a name - Find out the name of the person to send it to, if it's aimed at the business community send it to - John Brown, Business Editor, XYZ newspaper. If you can't get the name over the phone then, send it to the Business Editor or the Lifestyle Editor. You can usually find the name of the person you want from the latest edition of the publication you're sending it to. If it's for radio or TV, phone and ask - "Who should I send this to?"

Media services - There are media distribution services that'll send out your release to all the relevant people - for a fee

PR Company - You could employ a PR company who'll do the whole News Release for you. They know how to write it and who to send it to. They'll also have contacts - journalists, TV editors, producers. They can often get you an interview with these people.

Here are a couple of books that could be useful:

One Step Ahead: Publicity, Newspapers and Press Releases - by Alison Baverstock

Press Here! Managing the Media for Free Publicity - by Annie Gurton

Discover how you can generate more business without having to cold call! Alan Fairweather is the author of "How to get More Sales without Selling" This book is packed with practical things that you can do to get customers to come to you . Click here now http://www.howtogetmoresales.com

Public Relations For Hillary Clinton Discussed

2009-01-19T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

Conservatives are already calling Hillary Clinton a Communist and she has not even thrown her hat into the ring for the Democratic Party Presidential Election yet? Many others are calling her a socialist, but her own far-left party members are calling her a traitor for her stance on International Terrorism and her leanings towards the middle.

What does Hillary Clinton need right now to over come all these labels, many of which are contradictory in nature? Can her political team over come these early on attacks? Some say it makes sense for Hillary Clinton to wait before answering these scandalous comments about her personal character and her vision for America.

Of course, Hillary Clinton cannot wait to long to take a stand against her opponents and detractors and yet on the other hand she cannot afford to show her hand in the high-stakes game of human politics. Will Hillary Clinton try to appease the far left in order to get the rabble rousers to support her? If she tries too hard will she alienate any potential crossover voters in the future if she happens to win the political primary for the Democratic Party?

If Hillary Clinton takes a moderate stance early on during the Democratic Party primary will she have a chance of securing her party's nomination for president of the United States of America? Hillary Clinton will obviously have the top public relations people on the planet working on her campaign. But can she win? The future holds many clues and the answer to that question. From a public-relations standpoint it is an excellent case study. Please consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Public Relations For Super Models

2009-01-18T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

Public relations and brand goodwill is something that Corporations live or die by. If their product stays in the minds of their potential future customers they sell lots and their quarterly profits and shareholders equity remains high. If not the competition takes their market share and they die on the vine. Now lets look at a Super Model, there image and ability to stay in the minds of those who hire them is very important. More importantly they must be popular with the end viewers, if not there value will diminish.

Handling the public relations for super models is a job that is so different to any other type of marketing job or even public relations effort that there is really no way to train for it. Sure there are many lead-in type careers in the glamour industry to prepare one for how things work in that industry, but the world of Super Models is all about events, gossip control and having the right contacts in the print media, Television and Internet to make it all work.

Keeping a positive light on a Super Model is not easy and crisis management and paparazzi control are all part of the game and things happen in real time and in Internet time, in time zones all over the world. These supermodels might be in New York one night and China the next and for the public-relations specialists, which control their destiny there is no sleep for the wicked. Please consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

What Kind Of Pr Makes Sense

2009-01-17T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Robert A. Kelly

For business, non-profit and association managers, is it publicity that delivers newspaper and talk show mentions backed up by colorful brochures and videos, combined with special events that attract a lot of people?

Or could your business, non-profit or association PR dollar be better spent on public relations activity that creates behavior change among your key outside audiences that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives? And does so by persuading your most important outside audiences to your way of thinking, then moves them to take actions that help your department, division or subsidiary succeed?

What we're talking about is the kind of PR that lets you do something positive about the behaviors of those external stakeholders of yours that MOST affect your organization. Which means the right PR really CAN alter individual perception and lead to changed behaviors that help you win.

Here's a recipe for you: people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving- to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

And it can generate results like increased membership applications; prospects starting to work with you; customers making repeat purchases; capital givers or specifying sources looking your way; stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities; and even improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies,

Once the program gets rolling, you also should see results such as new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; rebounds in showroom visits; community service and sponsorship opportunities; enhanced activist group relations, and expanded feedback channels, not to mention new thoughtleader and special event contacts.

To garner such results your PR crew agency or staff must be committed to you, as the senior project manager, to the PR blueprint and its implementation, starting with target audience perception monitoring.

As you know, its extremely important that your key outside audiences see your operations, products or services in the most positive light. So make certain that your PR staff has bought into the whole effort. For example, do they accept the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit?

Review the PR blueprint with your PR team, especially the plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

IF the budget is available, survey firms obviously can handle the perception monitoring phases of your program. But remember that your PR people are also in the perception and behavior business and can pursue the same objective: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

But what about your public relations goal? You need a goal statement that speaks to the aberrations that showed up during your key audience perception monitoring. And it could call for straightening out that dangerous misconception, or correcting that gross inaccuracy, or doing something about that damaging rumor.

PR 101 says when you set a goal, you need a strategy that shows you how to get there. Here, you have three strategic choices when it comes to handling a perception or opinion challenge: create perception where there may be none, change the perception, or reinforce it. A bad strategy pick will taste like lime zest on your veal chops, so be certain the new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. For example, you don't want to select "change" when the facts dictate a "reinforce" strategy.

Your PR team has their work cut out for them because now they must come up with just the right, corrective language that will persuade an audience to your way of thinking. Words that are compelling, persuasive and believable AND clear and factual. You have little choice if you are to correct a perception by shifting opinion towards your point of view, leading to the desired behaviors.

Message impact is also key in such a message, so sit down again with your communications specialists and review your message for that quality as well.. Then, select the communications tactics most likely to carry your words to the attention of your target audience. You can pick from dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be sure that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

The credibility of a message can depend on its delivery method. So, think about introducing it to smaller gatherings rather than using higher-profile tactics such as news releases or talk show appearances.

Calls for progress reports will send you and your PR folks back to the field for a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. Using many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session, you'll now be watching very carefully for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

If colleagues (or bosses) seem impatient for results, you can always accelerate things with more communications tactics and increased frequencies.

Folks act on their perceptions of the facts they hear about you and your operation. Which means you have next to no choice but to deal promptly and effectively with those perceptions by doing what is necessary to reach and move those key external audiences of yours to actions you desire.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net. Word count is 1085 including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2004.

Public Relations For State Departments Of Transportation

2009-01-16T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

State Department of Transportation offices need to concentrate on public relations and it should be a very big part of their job. The transportation sector such as trucking companies, railroads and bus companies rely on a seamless communication line between government transportation agencies and their companies in the private sector.

Public relations for State Department of Transportation must also be careful to alert the media and the citizenry on the plans they have for the future of our roadways and highways. If not often citizens will be upset for the long delays in traffic on their work commutes.

Public-relations for departments of transportation have often worked hard to promote alternative energies and propulsion for automobiles, trucks and buses. This is a positive step forward and the public relations are usually pretty good. Unfortunately it is also a little bit too little and a little bit too late. Many believe that they have done a piss poor job in our country with switching to alternative fuels.

Additionally, there is much criticism towards State Department of Transportation Offices due to the huge amounts of money that they spend each year and what is actually realized. Often poor communication with the citizens means that most people believe the Department of Transportation is wasting their taxpayer's money.

In some cases they probably are, but also realize a single bridge overpass could cost up to $5 million just to go over a freeway. It is paramount that State Department of Transportation public-relations officials work harder than anyone else in the department to ensure that these kinds of conflicts are mitigated between the citizens and the government. Please consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

How To Use A News Release

2009-01-15T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Abe Cherian

News releases, also called press releases, are the most important selling tool of publicity. The release must capture the editor's attention, be precise and easy to read.

A news release can go to just one newspaper or many publications at once. It can be a community notice about an organization's library sale or an international insight into inflation. The same standard form is used for every type of news, whether an executive promotion in the trade magazines, or a local event such as an author signing books at a neighborhood bookstore.

If you want your notice to get into a special edition of a publication, be aware of the deadlines. Sunday news editions generally have more readers than the daily editions. Find out when your release must be received at the editor's desk. Never mix publicity with advertising. If your newspaper features specific businesses in special industry supplements, you may be chosen because you advertise.

But otherwise, editors frown on any releases that merely imitate advertising and are not newsworthy. Don't embarrass yourself by sending anything that is not worthy of being printed in the publication as news. Not only will your release be thrown away, but you will destroy any chance you had for subsequent releases with that editor.

WRITING THE RELEASE

Keep the news release to one page. Type it clearly on white bond paper, double spaced, and never send it with typographical errors. Since the release might be published exactly as it is received, be sure the copy is professional and worthy of publication.

At the top left, put your name and address and the phone number you can be reached at during business hours. In full capital letters at the right, type, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, PLEASE or for release on or after a certain date.

Use a headline appropriate to the event or topic, and keep it short - just like newspaper headings. Capitalize the letters and underline the headline.

Start the copy with a dateline, which is the city and date. Then write the rest within a few paragraphs. Include the important information in the standard who, what, when and where. Use good English, but don't run on with unimportant adjectives or boring information. You can capitalize the first letters of important events such as Public Auction or the name of your new product.

If you have a release to send to many publications at the same time, have it printed by photo offset so the copy is clear and looks original.

Include a personal letter to the editor. Be cordial, but keep it short. If your product is convenient to mail, you may include a sample if the editor is amenable.

Watch the publications and clip the printed publicity yourself. Never ask the publication to send you a copy.

Abe Cherian is the founder of Multiple Stream Media, a company that helps online businesses find new prospects and clients, who are anxious to grow their business fast, and without spending a fortune in marketing and automation. http://www.freehomebusinesstips.com

If you wish to find a suitable home business or learn how to start your own business from your home visit Free Home Business Tips: http://www.freehomebusinesstips.com

Publicity Marketingminded Financial Planners Never Say These Words To A Reporter

2009-01-14T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ned Steele

Everyone has something that drives them up a wall. You may be surprised at what aggravates reporters.

They deal with horrors like jargon-filled press releases, poorly-written news advisories, and gimmicky pens and mousepads, but reporters consistently and overwhelmingly name one habit of publicity-seekers as their number one peeve.

What is it? It's when someone calls after a press release has been sent and asks "Did you get my press release?"

This is the single worst way to follow up after sending something.

When you make this no-no call, the reporter thinks: "If I wanted to call you, I would" or "Doesn't this person think I know how to open mail?" What's worse, they may even say this to you right over the phone. If they weren't interested in your story ideas before, they certainly won't be now.

You think: "Unfair! These guys lose half the stuff they get sent!" True, but remember, they do own the printing presses. If you want to reap the many benefits of free publicity, you have to stay on their good side.

What works better is to find a credible reason to follow up. For example: "Hi, Jen. Since I sent you that release last week on how to buy U.S. Government bonds, Congress passed a new law that makes it even easier."

Cooking Up A Press Kit

2009-01-13T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Harry Hoover

Press kits, like any dish, may include different ingredients depending upon who will be consuming them. A good press kit can be used with potential investors or clients, just as it can for editors. The contents should be developed based upon your audience.

Let's review some common elements you will find in press kits aimed at journalists. A letter of introduction - or a pitch letter - often is attached to the outside of the press kit folder. This could include an overview of kit contents and your contact information. Now, let's go inside the folder:

The Backgrounder. This is an overview of your company that may include its history and a profile, company locations, as well as brief bios of key company officers.

Product/Service Information. Include product and service spec sheets or brochures, as well as any reviews you have received from neutral third parties.

Art. Photos, charts, graphs and illustrations often help sell the story. Editors and are always looking for ways to visually illustrate news and feature items. Including art gives you a leg up.

Recent Coverage. If you have received editorial mention elsewhere, include it. This gives an editor a little more confidence that your story or company has merit.

News Releases. Now, I'm not saying you should include every release you have written since the dawn of time, but include some that are pertinent to the subject at hand.

Article Layout. Laying out a story using text and visuals in what is known as mat format often can result in additional coverage. Editors can pick up the entire layout and drop it into the publication. This is more likely to happen with small newspapers and trade magazines than with major media. But it can even give major media editors ideas on how to illustrate a feature.

FAQs and Facts. Frequently asked questions and bulleted fact sheets also can spur coverage.

Harry Hoover is managing principal of Hoover ink PR. He has 30 years of experience in crafting and delivering bottom line messages that ensure success for serious businesses like Brent Dees Financial Planning, Focus Four, Levolor, New World Mortgage, North Carolina Tourism, TeamHeidi, Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, VELUX, Verbatim and Wicked Choppers.

Financial Planning Publicity When Talking To The Media Dont Fake What You Dont Know

2009-01-10T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ned Steele

Relationships are based on trustnot just romantic relationships, or doctor/patient relationships, but practically any relationship, even the one with your auto mechanic.

That's why the absolute worst thing a financial planner can do in their relationship with a reporterespecially a new relationshipis to give them false information.

Remember, they think of you as a subject matter expert. Someone they can turn to again and again for concise, intelligent and accurate explanations for financial planning matters that they don't understand. If you mislead them, even if it's unintentional, you lose all credibility--and all chances for publicity.

It is an especially egregious mistake to make with a reporter, because they have a relationship with their readers. If they print the false information that you gave them, it gets into the hands of thousands of people.

When the mistake is caught (and it will be) the reporter has to print an embarrassing correction or retraction. Believe me, your number will be gone from their Rolodex in an instant.

If you are not sure of the answer to a reporter's question, say these words: "I'm not sure, let me check." This sentence is the only acceptable response. Winging it will invariably get you in trouble. Tell the reporter you'll look into it, and call back soon.

How To Write A Press Release That Will Get You Maximum Results

2009-01-08T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Christopher Kyalo

When writing your press release there are a few tips that will help you turn an ordinary topic into the sort of hot item that will end up winning you massive publicity.

a) In your press release put yourself in the shoes of the reader. What is of interest to them? How can they benefit from the information that you have?

b) Sometimes simple information of something you are doing in your blog can be of great benefit to many folks out there. My advice is that any new thing you do at your blog, simply announce it in a brief press release. You will not hit a home run every time but you never know when you will and end up increasing your traffic many times over. What's more, every press release is bound to attract some sort of interest.

c) As much as possible give actual figures and numbers to support what you are saying in your press release. You can even get figures from the industry in general to illustrate a specific point in your web site. Figures will always add great weight to any press release.

d) There is nothing wrong with using your targeted keyword phrases in your press release. In fact it is a brilliant idea.

Interested in sending your press release where over 50,000 bloggers will instantly see it?

Public Relations For Boat Detailing Companies

2009-01-07T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

Boat detailing requires hard work and to make a run at the local marina market you need a strong customer base. Of course many people rarely come out to visit their boats and the chances of you getting a personal meeting are not so common as you might like.

When business is great you are busy working and do not have time to solicit new business and yet you need to run around the marina on a busy weekend day and hand out your business cards, flyers, brochures and floatable key chains with logo to give to potential customers.

You see what you really need is a strong presence and allow the power of that presence to rule the local market for you. You can achieve this; how so you ask? Well, you need a professional public relations program plan first off and then you need to consider implementation.

There are many things you can do such as help a maritime museum refurbish an old boat or host a fundraiser for the Sea Cadets. Many Boy Scout Groups have the Sea Explorers sub-group and hosting a boat wash fundraiser for a day means you will get your name out to the parents of all these kids who probably also own their own vessels and have friends who also own boats. Sometime public relations can get your business name in places you never thought possible. Consider all this in 2006.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

33 Reasons To Do A News Release

2009-01-06T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Harry Hoover

News releases are not the best way to get major media coverage, but they can be used to increase the frequency with which your company name appears in the press.

Press releases will get you coverage in set features like business notes, and new personnel columns. They also provide a good way to let allies, employees and customers know what you are doing. For these purposes, post releases on the company website, send out by e-mail, or distribute by one of the services like PR Newswire or PR Web.

Here is a quick list of 33 possible reasons for you to write and distribute a news release.

* New Products

* Business Start-Up

* Partnership

* Strategic Alliances

* New Or Innovative Business Strategy

* Restructuring The Company

* Going Public/Going Private

* Company Comeback From Adversity

* New Employees

* Important Executive Retiring/Resigning

* Executives Comment On Business/Economic Trends

* Employee Promotions

* New Branch Offices

* New Divisions Established

* Headquarters Relocating

* Research Results Announcement

* Major Anniversary

* Major New Client Acquisition

* Company Revenue, Sales or Profit Growth

* Company Name Change

* Winning Major Awards Or Receiving National Recognition

* Company Presenting An Award

* Receiving Important Accreditation or Certification

* Holding Free Seminar or Workshop

* Employee Appointed To Civic/Government/Professional Board

* Availability Of Guest Articles Or White Papers

* Issuing A Position Statement On Topical Subject

* Free Consumer Information Available

* Company Speakers Bureau

* Company Philanthropic Support

* Major Company Milestone

* New Board of Directors

* New Website

Harry Hoover is managing principal of Hoover ink PR. He has 26 years of experience in crafting and delivering bottom line messages that ensure success for serious businesses like Brent Dees Financial Planning, Focus Four, Levolor, New World Mortgage, North Carolina Tourism, TeamHeidi, Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, VELUX, Verbatim and Youth Link USA.

Top Ten Tips For Great Sound Bites

2009-01-05T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Shannon Cherry

If you're an online business using public relations (PR) to help increase traffic at your site, you've found a great way to gain exposure at little cost. And before you know it, the day will come when you are invited to do an interview with a reporter. It's exciting, but scary. What do you do? How do you prepare?

First, be prepared when the telephone rings. If you sent out a release recently, have it at your fingertips.

Get some information yourself before you answer any questions: Ask the reporter:

* his or her name?
* the name of the news outlet?
* his or her phone number?
* what exactly is the story they are working on?
* are they coming on-site to do the interview or will this be a phone interview?

Then buy yourself some time. If this is an onsite interview, it you'll already have time to prepare. If it's a phone interview, you need to ask for the extra time you need to get ready.

Most reporters deadlines aren't immediate but within a couple of hours. Ask the reporter what his or her deadline is. If you have some time tell them you'll call them back in 15 minutes or half-hour, so you can gather what you need.

Here's some tips to get you ready for your 15 minutes (or more) of fame.

Before the interview:

1. Practice your answers to the questions that will most likely be asked - both the easy and the difficult ones. Prepare and practice so your statements will flow smoothly.

2.Consider the main messages that you want the audience to receive. Make a list of three major points, and practice saying these three points to yourself until you can speak them smoothly and confidently, without stumbling.

3. Be prepared to tell brief anecdotes and short stories. Find a way to mix one or more of your three main marketing messages into each anecdote.

4. Avoid trying to be humorous or telling negative stories. Both will most likely backfire, making you look like the fool.

During the interview:

5. Try to include your three main points as much as possible. Your interview is likely to be edited prior to publishing or broadcasting. By repeating your main points, you reduce the possibility that your preferred message will be edited out.

6. Speak in plain English. Remember the average newspaper's reading level is at grade six. Using jargon or trying to sound more important or educated by using big words will only make it hard to use your sound bites or quotes.

7. Don't lie. Ever. If you don't know the answer to a question, say so, but offer to find out the answer and get back to the reporter.

8. Remember, there really is no such thing as 'off the record.' Everything you say to a reporter is fair game to use. Don't say anything to a reporter you wouldn't want everyone in the world to know about!

9. When you've made your point, stop talking. Silence by a reporter could mean two things: either they are taking notes and haven't caught up with what you're saying, or it's a tactic to get you to say more than you want to reveal.

10. Don't ask if you can see the story before it goes to print. It's the most insulting thing you can do to a reporter. After all, they are the experts in their jobs, you are not. How would you feel if someone challenged your expertise?

Shannon Cherry, APR, MA helps businesses, entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations to be heard. She's a marketing communications and public relations expert with more than 15 years experience and the owner of Cherry Communications. Subscribe today for Be Heard! a FREE biweekly ezine and get the FREE special report: "Be the Big Fish: Three No-Cost Publicity Tactics to Help You Be Heard." Go to: http://www.cherrycommunications.com/FreeReport.htm

Controversial Packaging Topics Make Great Media Fodder

2009-01-04T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by JoAnn Hines

Packaging is in the news almost every day. Not in the obvious sense where the package is the focus, but behind the scenes playing an integral role in the story. The problem is most people aren't aware of packaging component and don't understand the importance of its function.

Consider these recent headlines:

Consumers Want to Know What's Sweetening Their Foods

Nanotechnology Passes First Toxicity Hurdle

Aquamantra Gives the Gift of Luck to This Year's Nominees

There is nothing mentioned about the packaging in the headline, but when you delve into the article you find out that packaging has a role to play in the outcome. I joke about all the "I Hate Packaging" articles out there, but seriously this topic has not died. We can go from the Oyster Award to Wrap Rage, but it is unlikely that people will stop loving to hate packaging.

Since it won't go away, how can you use this to your advantage? The media, generally, tries to portray two points of view. Knowing that, you want to position yourself to get your name out there and to be the one they call when they want an explanation as to the positive aspects of your type of packaging.

If you have been reading my column for any time at all you will remember that in January I offered my predictions for packaging trends for 06. Some of these are controversial issues that are still in the limelight right now. Just remember there are two sides to every story.

So think about the positive spin on your product packaging. How can you take a media hot button issue or an innocuous subject and turn it to your marketing advantage?

You have to make them seek your advice and explanations. The problem is that the media doesn't understand the issues of packaging either. That means that you are going to have to spoon feed them as to why this is important. I like to use the following factoids when I need to get the media's interest in a hurry.

Packaging is the third largest industry in the US.

10% of every dollar spent at retail can be directly attributed to packaging.

The packaging industry employs over a million people.

Without a package, you can't have a product.

These facts always open doors beginning with some dialogue. So start watching for those articles that are subliminally talking about packaging. Get your ducks in a row and see how you can piggyback off of them for some media exposure. Keep these hot button issues in the forefront and create an angle for yourself or your company to tell the other side of the story.

Anything to do with green packaging or the environment;

Anything to do with Wal-Mart and packaging;

Anything to do with hard to open packaging (yes, I know lets beat a dead horse);

Anything to do with RFID and packaging;

Anything to do with nanotechnology and packaging.

If you are still brain dead for ideas, go back and look at my blog topics at http://packagingnewsyoucanuse.blogspot.com/

They often cover controversial packaging issues. Finally, give me a call and I will tell you what's hot in packaging and what's not -- and the packaging trends of the future.

Packaging BootCamp For Entrepreneurs, Small Business And Inventors

ATTENTION:

You have a product - RIGHT?

You need a package - RIGHT?

You realize your package is your best sales agent RIGHT?

You know nothing or very little about packaging - RIGHT?

You have no idea where to start - RIGHT?

That's what this workshop is all about. It has been designed to give you the nuts and bolts for packaging. It offers all of the fundamentals necessary to package your product to sell.

Before you ask why you need this workshop think about this: without a package you can't have sell a product.

You want to sell your product - RIGHT?

If you plan on selling ANYTHING you better have the right packaging. The package is vital to your product's success. You have invested in your product, don't stop short of the finish line and leave out the most important component.

Spend half of a day with the Packaging Diva, the number one consumer products packaging expert, and learn how to package your product for sales success.

For seminar details visit http://www.packaginguniversity.com

Public Relations For Car Wash Companies

2009-01-03T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

When considering public relations for Car Wash Companies you should understand that there are ways to maximize your gifts and donations to the local community and space these acts of kindness over a long period of time. How so you ask?

Well, simple lets say your car wash has pre-paid wash cards then you can give those out for silent auctions, door prizes and at chamber of commerce mixers so they give you PR and also are welcomed by the recipients. If you give away 4-free washes, which are the mid category of services then that customer may upgrade when they come into the car wash.

Additionally consider that if they get four car washes over a one or two-month period you get the benefit and PR for one to two months along with any good will and referrals that generates from those who know the recipient. Next as the car is used up you have a chance at a new regular customer who may come every other week for the next year. Meaning your new customer pays you for those visits = 10 months.

It makes sense to support the community which supports you year in and year out; giving back can be easy, fun and rewarding and when done carefully it can add money to your bottom line and allow you to do even more good for the community in the future.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Tv Reporter Shares The Secrets To Getting Covered On The News

2009-01-02T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jeff Crilley

Do you have a great idea for a story, but no clue how to get it in the news? Are you tired of pitching press releases the news media simply ignores?

After twenty years of beating the street as a TV reporter, I have a scoop for you: the media needs good stories. But most stories are pitched so poorly, they are lost in the blizzard of faxes that blanket every newsroom.

So, here are five steps to increase your chances of getting covered that even some PR pros don't know:

1) BE UNUSUAL

The old adage about "Man bites dog" still holds true. The news doesn't cover what's normal. We cover the abnormal.

PR whiz Carolyn Alvey knew this when she was trying to raise money for a charity several years ago. Instead of holding a garage sale, she sent out a press release announcing a "Celebrity Garage Sale." Everything from Bob Hope's old golf clubs to Roger Staubach's long-neglected neckties were for sale. By making an ordinary garage sale extraordinary, the media was instantly sold on the story.

2) BE VISUAL

Reporters tell stories with pictures. If the pictures aren't there, chances are the reporters won't be either.

Even the most non-visual story can be made visual if you're creative. A dog biscuit business? Boring. A dog birthday party complete with doggie guests and party hats? Now you're barking up the right tree.

That's what Michelle Lamont did to boost her dog biscuit bakery. She began baking huge dog biscuit birthday cakes and inviting the media to cover the parties. She's had reporters hounding her for stories ever since.

3) CHOOSE THE RIGHT REPORTER

Perhaps the most common mistake even some PR pros make is trying to sell a good story to the wrong person. Most reporters have a specialty, like "crime" or "business."

So, seek out the reporter who will have the most to benefit from your story. Start studying the news. Before you call a TV station or try and pitch the paper, become familiar with a reporter's work. Don't try and sell an investigative story to a reporter who covers entertainment.

4) WRITE LIKE A REPORTER

If I were going to send a press release to a reporter, I'd write the kind of headline that a newspaper would run. And I'd make the rest of the release so conversational that a TV anchor could read it right on the air.

Why is this so important? A major market newsroom gets hundreds of press releases every day. Often the decision on whether to cover your story is made in a matter of seconds. Many times that well-crafted sentence in the third paragraph of your press release is never read.

5) WAIT FOR A SLOW NEWS DAY

The holidays are the slowest "news times" of the year. When government offices are closed, so are most of our sources. Take advantage of it.

In fact, take out your calendar and begin circling government holidays. If the government isn't making news, we reporters are scrambling to find something to cover. Pitch even an average story on a day when the media is starving for news, and you're much more likely to get coverage.

There you go. Now you're armed with knowledge that even some well-paid public relations professionals don't practice. If your idea is unique, visual, and pitched to the right person when the supply of news is running thin, you're in!

Jeff Crilley is an Emmy Award Winning Reporter and author of Free Publicity - A TV Reporter Shares the Secrets for Getting Covered on the News. It's available at bookstores everywhere or online at www.jeffcrilley.com

Managers Pr More Than Tix And Plugs

2009-01-01T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Robert A. Kelly

You bet! And in three ways vital to you as a business, non-profit or association manager.

To succeed, your public relations effort needs to do something really positive about the behaviors of those outside audiences that most affect your operation.

It needs to deliver external stakeholder behavior change the kind that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives.

And it needs to do so by persuading those important outside folks to your way of thinking, then move them to take actions that help your department, division or subsidiary succeed.

All three, hopefully long before anybody worries about theater tickets or radio plugs!

But how do you get to the point where all three of those dynamics actually contribute to your success as a manager?

I believe the fundamental premise of public relations is a good place to start, herewith: people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

Get organized around that premise and you could get behavior changes like more membership applications; customers making repeat purchases; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; community leaders beginning to seek you out; welcome bounces in show room visits; prospects starting to sniff around; capital givers or specifying sources beginning to think about you, and even politicians and lawmakers who view you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities.

May sound painfully obvious, but you need the entire PR team assigned to your unit on board for this ride. They need to accept that fundamental premise of public relations.

A not so obvious first step? Make certain the whole team agrees really agrees -- why it's so important to know how your outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Be deep-down-sure they accept the reality that perceptions almost always lead to destructive behaviors that can damage your unit.

Carefully go over just how you plan to monitor and gather perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

Your PR people can be of real use for this opinion monitoring project since they already labor in the perception and behavior vineyard. Yes, you can always bring in a professional survey firm, but that can be hard on the wallet. Whether it's your people or a survey firm who asks the questions, the objective stands: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other potentially hurtful perception and prepare to deal with it.

Then you must carefully select which of the above becomes your top priority, yet corrective public relations goal is it the need to clarify that misconception, or spike that rumor or correct the false assumption or inaccuracy? ! Success is just around the corner when you pick the right strategy from the three choices available to you. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. And be certain your new strategy is a good fit with your new public relations goal.

So, just what will you say when you have the opportunity to address your key stakeholder audience? In other words, what will you say to help persuade them to your way of thinking?

Your best writer must be tasked with preparing such a message because you'll obviously need some very special, corrective language. Not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if the language is to shift perception/opinion towards your point of view and lead to the planned behaviors.

At this point, you select communications tactics to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. But carefully insuring that the tactics you select have a record of reaching folks like your audience members. Fortunately, there are dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others.

As the credibility of your message is always at stake, you may wish to deliver it in small meetings or presentations rather than through higher-visibility media announcements.

In due course, you'll f eel pressure for indications of progress. Which translates into another perception monitoring session with members of your key target audience. Using some of the same questions used in the original benchmark session, you will now be especially alert for signs that the questionable perception is being altered in your direction.

Here, you're in luck because matters can always be expedited by adding more communications tactics, AND increasing their frequencies.

Thus, what should come first in any manager's public relations effort is prompt and effective action in dealing with key, target audience perceptions by doing what is necessary to reach and move those key external audiences to actions you desire.

In the proverbial nutshell, use an action plan that helps you influence your most important outside stakeholders to your way of thinking, then move them to behave in a way that leads to the success of your department, division or subsidiary.

About The Author

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University, major in public relations. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net. Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com

Public Relations And 180degree Turns

2008-12-31T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

Public Relations is a pretty unforgiving field to participate in. Even those who are often called the king of spin have problems with it occasionally, as it is hard to be right all the time in an ever changing world of public perception and mass media incited hysteria.

So what do you do when something goes terribly wrong and you are in crisis mode? How can you back out of a public relations campaign, community goodwill program or direction of spin gracefully and do a 180-degree turn? It is not easy and often it involves some very creative thinking on the part of the main members of the team.

When a public relations campaign is not working right it needs to be shut down and terminated before it does any more damage. Sometimes, it pays to play up the controversy and then report that our customers have made up their minds and we are listening and therefore we are dumping this public relations campaign for something that our customers want and we are doing it now.

Another thing to do is to have a vote and let the customers decide what they like, this allows them to have by in and have a say in the public relations campaign. Then you can say as a company you trust your customers and you intend to give them what they want because you do it all for them. This is one of the easiest strategies for 180° turnaround's in a public relations campaign midstream. Please consider this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Pr Is Just Smart Business

2008-12-30T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Robert A. Kelly

The name of the game is doing our part to achieve manage- ment's objectives. And public relations best practice properly applied does just that.

How? The driving force is public relations' fundamental premise which promises to harness your most important external audiences in a way that actually helps reach those very same business objectives.

Just look at that premise: "People act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving- to-desired-action those people whose behaviors affect the organization, the public relations mission is accomplished."

It strongly suggests that without the understanding of who and what your organization is all about, the behaviors of those important external audiences may hinder your efforts and, left unattended, tie your organization in knots.

This sentence sums up the bottom line. When public relations alters key audience perceptions, then reaches, persuades and moves them to an action you desire, it clearly helps achieve management's objectives.

Do you enjoy that kind of support? You can if you employ a program along these lines.

Decide at the start which outside audiences display behaviors that most impact your organization, and list them. We'll concentrate here on that #1 external audience you believe has the greatest effect on your operations. Of course, other audiences may need your attention as well.

The obvious first step is to find out how members of that "public," as we call them, actually perceive your organization. The best and quickest way to do this is to interact with those people and ask questions that probe their perceptions. Listen carefully for negative observations and remain alert to factual errors, inaccuracies, misperceptions and even rumors.

These responses enable you to create a public relations goal aimed directly at correcting the damaging perceptions, especially misconceptions and inaccuracies.

Now, you get to select one of three available opinion strategies that show you how you will reach your goal: create opinion where there may be none; change existing opinion, or reinforce it. Your public relations goal will lead you to the proper strategy selection.

The meat of the program is usually the message you will send to members of your target audience. After all, that message will be charged with the task of altering people's perceptions, and that means it must be persuasive and compelling. It must also be as clear as possible, and contain the facts and figures needed to repair the perception damage. In short, your message must be believable. You might also run it by a few members of your target audience to be sure it has the desired effect on the perception you are striving to alter.

Moving your message to many members of your #1 external audience requires aggressive and carefully targeted communications tactics. Public relations is fortunate to have dozens of such tactics from which to choose. For example, radio and newspaper interviews, letters-to-the-editor, face-to- face meetings and speeches. Or you might select tactics such as facility tours, brochures, community meetings, special events and promotional activity.

In due course, after your communications tactics have spread your message far and wide, you will want to know if you are making any progress. Experience shows that remonitoring your target audience is a must.

You will want to ask the same questions of audience members you used during your data gathering exercise at the start of the program.

Your objective, however, will be different. Now, you will be looking for signs that the offending perception has begun to be altered in the direction you desire. Should more work be necessary, a possible change in the mix and frequency of your communications tactics can be made. And, of course, you would want to review your message for clarity, impact and direction, especially with regard to your supporting facts and figures.

Because we know that predictable behaviors tend to follow changes in perception, your carefully planned public relations effort is well-positioned to create key audience support for management initiatives.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net.

About The Author

Guerrilla Pr Chapter One

2008-12-29T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Michael Levine

THE NATURE OF MEDIA

Thirty years ago, Marshall McCluhan, the father of modern communications, wrote the immortal words, "The medium is the message." Today I would amend that to, "The medium is the media." Our civilization is utterly dominated by the force of media. After our own families, no influence holds greater sway in shaping the text of our being than do the media that cloak us like an electronic membrane.

We all think of ourselves as unique, unlike any person past or present. Indeed, what gives human life its divine spark is the distinct quality of every individual. Yet in many ways we are all the same. The task of market analysts, pollsters, and demographers is to identify those characteristics we share, and group us accordingly. If you are in your early forties, male, Caucasian, a father of two, earn $50,000 or more, and listen to a Top 40 radio station, there are total strangers out there who know an awful lot about you.

That's because they understand a lot about your upbringing. They know you watched "The Mickey Mouse Club" in the fifties, "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." in the sixties, "Saturday Night Live" in the seventies, became environmentally conscious in the eighties, and were probably sorry ABC canceled "Thirtysomething" in the nineties. They've got your number because they understand the role the media have played in your life from the moment you Boomed as a Baby.

Today, in America, we tune in to over 9,000 commercial radio stations, 1,100 television stations, 11,000 periodicals, and over 11,000 newspapers with a combined circulation of nearly seventy million. These are the sources of our opinions on everything from nuclear disarmament to Madonna's love life. Nobody likes to be told what to think, but all of us, every single day, are told precisely what to think about.

As Anthony Pratkanis and Elliot Aronson show in their insightful book, Age of Propaganda, the mass media are most effective in terms of persuading the public for two primary reasons. First, they teach new behavior and, second, they let us know that certain behaviors are legitimate and appropriate. So, if the media are encouraging certain buying patterns, fashion trends, modes of thinking, the unstated message we receive is "It's okay for me to like that, do that, feel that." In this way, our culture evolves, is accelerated, and disseminated.

Like the transcontinental railroad of the last century, the media link every city, gully, farmhouse, and mountaintop in North America. Regionalism is fading. The American accent is more uniform; our penchant for migration and blending in is like the smoothing out of a great national blanket. We are fast becoming one.

A common grammatical error occurs when people say "The media is" rather than "The media are" ("media" being the plural of medium"). Yet I sense people who say "the media is" are on to something. They perceive the many arms of the media-TV, newspapers, radio, etc.-as part of one monstrously monolithic creature. The media are "one" too.

Consider "Baby Jessica" McClure, for whom my firm donated public relations services. Jessica was the toddler from Midland, Texas, who fell down a narrow pipe in her backyard in 1987. For thirty-six hours, America was mesmerized by press coverage of her rescue. Acting as a concerned neighbor, the media conveyed Jessica's light to the nation. The private agony of the McClure family became the anguish of all America.

Think of it: the temporary suffering of one "insignificant" little girl stopped the world's most powerful country dead in its tracks. (Then, to canonize the experience, the TV movie version of Jessica's story made it to the small screen within a year.)

Without those cameras there to catch it, and those TV stations to broadcast it, Baby Jessica's ordeal would have made absolutely no impact on anyone other than her family and those who saved her. Because of the media, all of America for two days became part of Jessica's family.

CONTRACTION AND EXPANSION

Journalists and talk-show hosts like to claim they're in the information business or the news business. But you know and I know they're in the money business just like everyone else. Because practically all media are privately held profit-making ventures, they behave much like any other enterprise, looking for ways to increase the bottom line.

To do that they must expand their consumer base, that is, their audience. They must give the customer what he or she wants. So if your local news station runs a few too many five-part specials on the illicit sex lives of nuns during "Sweeps Month," remember they're only trying to please the viewers.

Creating a successful product means citizens may not always get the information they need. A Harvard researcher found the average network sound byte from presidential campaigns dropped from 41.5 seconds per broadcast in 1968 to just under 10 seconds in 1988. That translates into roughly sixteen words a night with which to make up our minds on who should run the country. We absorb more information, yet understand less than ever before.

This is a logical consequence of big media. Their existence depends on keeping the audience tuned in. If TV station "A" covers candidate "B" droning on about farm subsidies, most of the audience will probably switch to station "C" running a story about the stray cat raised by an affectionate pig. Station "A" would be wise to ditch candidate "B" and send a crew out to film Porky and Tabby.

Along with this contraction of information is a parallel expansion of media. Because social scientists have us so precisely categorized, outlets targeted to specific groups flourish. Lear's caters to mature, high-income women. Details appeals to middle-income, fast-tracker men. Essence aims for black women.

Peter Yarrow, of Peter, Paul, and Mary, tells a great story in his stage show to illustrate how narrowly focused we've become as a society. In the 1940s and 1950s we had the all-encompassing Life magazine. Then, we cropped our vision down to People magazine in the seventies (all of Life wasn't good enough anymore). Things tightened up even more with Us. Now we have Self. Somewhere, there's just gotta be a magazine just for you. I can just imagine it: on sale now, "Fred Morganstern Monthly."

Not only do we see more media outlets, but the flow of information has likewise increased dramatically the past few years. Fax machines, cellular phones, modems, fiber-optic cables, Low Power TV, satellite down-links, all have reshaped the way we get our information, when we get it, and what we do with it.

During China's "Goddess of Democracy" protests in 1989, the students kept in touch with the outside world via fax. Instantly, China seemed to leap forward from feudal empire to modern nation. Vietnam was the first "we'll be right back after these messages" war. As napalm rained down on the jungle, we saw it live as it happened. We had no time to process information or analyze events as we were barraged by them. Because of improved communications, the Gulf War had the same effect, only with infinitely more drama.

The media may have accelerated the process of dissemination, but as we found out in the days of the first supersonic jets, breaking the sound barrier did not, as some scientists feared, cause planes to disintegrate. Likewise, instant news did not cause us to psychologically disintegrate.

There's no way to assess what this means to society. To be carpet-bombed by information must have far-reaching consequences to our civilization, but that's for future observers to sort out. Today, we face an intimidating media- driven culture. Anyone looking to succeed in business must first master the fundamentals of navigating the media. To reach customers, donors, or investors-to reach the public-one must rely on the media as the prime intermediary. The methodology to achieve this is known as Public Relations.

THE NATURE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

Half the world is composed of people who have something to say and can't, and the other half who have nothing to say and keep on saying it.

-- Robert Frost

I'm often asked whether public relations is a science or an art. That's a valid question. In science, two plus two equals four. It will always equal four whether added by a Republican from Iowa, a shaman from New Guinea, or an alien from Planet X. However, in public relations, two plus two may equal four. It may equal five. It may equal zero today and fifty tomorrow.

Public relations is an art.

Like an art, there are rules of form, proven techniques, and standards of excellence. But, overall, it's a mercurial enterprise, where instinct is as legitimate as convention.

Public relations was once defined as the ability to provide the answers before the public knows enough to ask the questions. Another P.R. pundit once stated, "We don't persuade people. We simply offer them reasons to persuade themselves." I define what I do as gift-wrapping. If you package a bracelet in a Tiffany box, it will have a higher perceived value than if presented in a K Mart box. Same bracelet, different perception.

PERCEPTION IS REALITY

Don Burr, former CEO of People Express Airlines, once said, "In the airline industry, if passengers see coffee stains on the food tray, they assume the engine maintenance isn't done right." That may seem irrational, but in this game, perception, not the objective truth, matters most.

How one comprehends given information is all-important in public relations. For decades, baby harp seals were bludgeoned to death by fur hunters, but until the public saw the cute little critters up close and personal and perceived the hunt as unacceptable, the problem didn't exist. Before that, it was a matter of trappers preserving their hardy way of life. The seals ultimately hired the better publicist.

This also works in negative ways. The congressional check-bouncing scandal was a case in which individual congressmen's visibility skyrocketed, while their credibility plummeted. The Tobacco Institute, a Washington-based lobbying and P.R. outfit, spends its time and money claiming cigarettes are okay. Nothing they do or say will ever make that true, but they may go a long way in changing public perception of their product. A few years ago they sponsored subliminally that no-smoking regulations infringe on our basic liberties. How's that for a P.R. stretch?

Ultimately, the goal of any public relations campaign is to either reorient, or solidify, perception of a product, client, policy, or event. From there, nature takes its course. If the public perceives the product as good, the movie star as sexy, the pet rock as indispensable, then the public will fork over its money. As the brilliant business author Dr. Judith Bardwick explained, "To be perceived as visible increasingly means one is perceived as successful."

Some may charge that stressing perception as reality is tantamount to sanctioning falsehood. I disagree. As the great historian Max Dimont argued, it didn't matter if Moses really did have a chat with the Lord up on Mount Sinai or not. What matters is that the Jewish people believed it and carved their unique place in world civilizations because of it. Perception became reality.

Likewise, on a more mundane scale, one will succeed in a P.R. campaign only if the perception fostered truly resonates with the public. I do not believe people are easily duped. You may try everything in your bag of tricks to get the public to see things your way. You'll pull it off only if the perception you seek to convey fits the reality of the public, the reality of the times. As Pretkanis and Eronson argue, credibility today is manufactured, and not earned.

P.R. OR PUBLICITY?

Often, the terms "public relations" and "publicity" are used interchangeably. They shouldn't be. Publicity is only one manifestation of P.R.-specifically, achieving notoriety through accumulated press exposure. A publicist knows newspapers, magazines, and TV talk shows. Public Relations is much more than that. The Public Relations expert is as well versed in human nature as in editorial and sound bytes.

P.R. can be as macro as a campaign to persuade foreign governments so buy U.S. soybeans, or as micro as a warm handshake. The notion that P.R. is simply a matter of mailing press releases is nuttier than a squirrel's breakfast. As producer, manager, and publicist Jay Bernstein says, "P.R. is getting a front table at the right restaurant, getting you invited to the right party, and getting into first class with a tourist ticket."

A man who has greatly affected my thinking, the esteemed business author and lecturer Tom Peters, tells the story of a visit to a neighborhood convenience store. "American Express was being a little user-unfriendly," Tom recalls, "and it took a good three minutes for my AMEX card to clear. When it finally did, the cashier bagged my purchase, and as I turned to go reached into a jar of two-cent foil-wrapped mints. He pulled one out, dropped it in my bag, and said, 'The delay you experienced was inexcusable. I apologize and hope it doesn't happen again. Come back soon.' For two cents, he bought my loyalty for life."

This story is about one small business owner and only one customer, but it's a perfect example of good P.R. But what about bad P.R.? I doubt there's anyone on the scene who has mastered that dubious craft better than sometime-billionaire Donald Trump. This is a man who has lost control of his own gilded ship. His lurid infidelities, his profligate spending, his precipitous fall from fortune, and, worst of all, his attempt to exploit the Mike Tyson rape tragedy to promote a prize fight, collectively paint a portrait of a thoroughly vulgar mind.

The Donald doesn't care what you say about him, as long as you spell his name right. True, whenever he opens his mouth or makes a move, the press is all over him. But his massive celebrity has made him only a famous fool. You are not likely to achieve the degree of fame that Mr. Trump has, but, given his shameful image, I would congratulate you on that.

P.R. VS. MARKETING

With Guerrilla P.R. (and P.R. in general), you do not tell the public that your new digital fish cleaner is the greatest invention since the dawn of time. You could easily do that in an ad. Your goal is to lead people to draw that same conclusion for themselves. Otherwise, you're engaging in good old-fashioned- or is it new-fashioned?-marketing strategy.

Companies often relegate public relations to their marketing departments. That might make sense from a corporate point of view, but there's a distinct difference between P.R. and marketing. Going back to the "science vs. art" analogy, whereas P.R. is the art, marketing is the science.

Bob Serling, President of the Stratford Marketing Group, an L.A.-based marketing firm, has written, "Marketing is everything you do to make sure your customers find out about, and buy, your products and services." That's a tall order, and to go about filling it, marketing executives lug around a hefty bag of tricks.

To a large degree, they rely on surveys, demographic analyses and established sales and advertising procedures to accomplish their goals. But in Public Relations, intangibles play a far greater role. How do you measure a feeling? It's not easy, but in P.R. we trade in the realm of feelings every day. We may use the media as the vehicle, but the landscape we traverse is contoured by human emotion.

Marketing often goes hand-in-hand with advertising. The undeniable advantage with advertising is that the advertiser retains full control. He knows exactly what his message will say and precisely when it will be seen. But remember this little fact of life: most top ad agencies consider a 1-2 percent response rate a triumph. That's all it takes to make them happy. And, like it or not, most people don't take ads as seriously as advertisers would like. Everybody knows they're bought and paid for.

I prefer the odds with major media exposure. True, you do lose a large measure of control, and you never know for sure when or how your message will be conveyed. But the public is far likelier to accept what it gleans from the news media over what it sees in commercials. If Dan Rather says a new sports shoe is a daring innovation, people will give that more credence than if company spokesman Bo Jackson says it. The news, indeed the truth, is what Dan Rather says it is.

So who tells Dan Rather what's news? The media like to boast they rely on ace newsgathering staffs; but in fact they depend a great deal on public relations people. That doesn't mean the journalists of America are saps. They're just looking for good stories. A hungry reporter and a smart publicist is a match made in heaven, and it's been that way since the dawn of the Communication Age.

FROM THE GUERRILLA P.R. FILE

In Amarillo, Texas, you'll find the Big Texan Steak Ranch, where the owner issues the following challenge:

If you can eat a seventy-two-ounce steak in an hour, you get it free. News of the deal traveled far and wide, even to the skies where I first read about it in an airline magazine.

GLORY DAYS: THE FOUNDING OF THE P.R. INDUSTRY

The public relations industry flourished with the growth of twentieth-century mass media, although sensitivity to public opinion on the part of public figures is nothing new. Even Abraham Lincoln got into the act, declaring once, "What kills a skunk is the publicity it gives itself." The fathers of modern P.R. knew the value of simple images to convey powerful messages.

Edward Bernays, founder of modern P.R., defined his mission as the engineering of consent. He was a nephew of Sigmund Freud, and he strikes me as having been just as perceptive about human nature as his esteemed uncle. Bernays displayed a genius for concocting indelible images, something good P.R. campaigns require. In one early triumph, he arranged for young debutantes to smoke Lucky Strikes while strolling in New York's 1929 Easter Parade. What Bernays sold to the press as a bold political statement on women's rights was no more than a gimmick to sell cigarettes.

Pioneers like publicist/film producer A.C. Lyles set the pace for generations of publicists to follow. Another innovator, Ivy Hill, is often credited with inventing the press release. Hill believed telling the "truth" in journalistic fashion would help shape public opinion. He sensed editors would not dismiss press releases as ads, but rather would perceive their real news value. He was right.

The publicist's ability to appeal to newspapers proved invaluable to captains of industry seeking to shore up their images. Back in the 1920s, Hill masterminded industrialist John D. Rockefeller's much-ridiculed habit of handing out dimes to every child he met. Ridiculous but effective in its time. (Imagine T.Boone Pickens trying that today.)

Occasionally, clients got less than they bargained for. In the late 1950s, the Ford Motor Company hired P.R. trail-blazer Ben Sonnenberg to help overcome the negative fallout from the Edsel fiasco. He charged Ford $50,000 for a foolproof P.R. plan, and after three days submitted it in person. Sonnenberg looked the breathless executives in the eye and intoned, "Do nothing." With that, the dapper publicist pocketed his check and walked out, much to the slack-jawed shock of the Ford brain trust.

Even nations sometimes need help. During the 1970s, Argentina developed a little P.R. problem when its government kidnapped and murdered thousands of its own citizens. Buenos Aires hired the high-powered U.S. firm of Burson- Marsteller to tidy things up. For a cool $1,000,000, the firm launched an extensive campaign involving opinion-makers from around the world: a stream of press releases stressed, among other things, the Argentine regime's record in fighting terrorism. Sometimes the truth can be stretched until it tears itself in half.

I don't wish to give the impression that P.R. is strictly a polite version of lying. That's not the case. As I said, P.R. is gift-wrapping. Whether delivered in fancy or plain paper, truth is truth, and the public ultimately comprehends it. The trick is packaging the truth on your own terms.

How often have you read about a big movie star storming off the set of a film because of "creative differences" with the director? We all know the two egomaniacs probably hated each other's guts. But if the papers printed that, we'd perceive the situation very differently. By our soft-pedaling the row with words like "creative differences," the movie star's reputation remains intact, even though intuition tells us he's "difficult."

MORE THAN ONE PUBLIC

Thus far, when referring to the public, I've generalized to mean the population at large: We the People. The sophisticated modern art of P.R. encompasses many more "publics" than that. In fact, selective targeting is a primary tactic in sound P.R. strategies. As you will see, bigger is not always better.

Depending on the goals, a publicist could target any one of various business, consumer, or governmental communities. An investor seeking financial backing aims for the financial press and relevant trade publications. A rock musician zeroes in on the local music rags. A lobbyist might need nothing more than a friendly article in the Washington Post, a retailer only the residents of his immediate neighborhood.

Though I've found a few clients easily dazzled by quantity, in P.R. quality is what really counts. A seven-inch stack of press clippings means nothing unless the objectives of the campaign have been met. The scrapbook makes a great Mother's Day gift, but I'd rather see my clients' careers advanced in the right direction.

Figuring out which public to reach is one of the most critical decisions a publicist makes. My orientation-and, I hope, yours-is geared toward the most significant audience vis-à-vis your objectives, which is not necessarily the widest. You may want to target the people you buy from, the people you hope to sell to, the people you work for, the people that work for you, and so on. It's a big world full of little worlds when you look closely.

In most cases I spell out precisely who and what I'm going after, and then proceed aggressively. Don't go for the moon all at once. Set a goal, achieve it, then build on that base. Any good planner knows the advantages of thinking three steps ahead while proceeding one step at a time.

FROM THE GUERRILLA P.R. FILE

The history-making August 1991 revolution in the former Soviet Union began when then-president Mikhail Gorbachev left Moscow for a vacation on the Crimean Sea. Because the whole affair had a happy ending, everybody laughed when, only a few days later, the president of an outdoor billboard company in Detroit ran a series of large ads all over town reading: "Welcome Back, Gorby! Next Time Vacation in Michigan."

MICHAEL LEVINE'S TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR DEALING WITH MEDIA

Never be boring. Never!

Know your subject thoroughly.

Know the media you contact. Read the paper, watch the newscast.

Cover you bases.

Don't just take "yes" for an answer. Follow up, follow through.

Never feel satisfied.

Always maintain your composure.

Think several moves ahead.

Be persistent, but move on when you're convinced you're getting nowhere.

Remember, this isn't brain surgery. Don't take yourself too seriously (like too many publicists I know). Have fun.

Michael Levine is the founder of the prominent public relations firm Levine Communications Office, based in Los Angeles. He is the author of Guerrilla PR, 7 Life Lessons from Noah's Ark: How to Survive a Flood in Your Own Life.

GuerrillaPR.net is a resource for people that want to get famous in the media, without going broke. http://GuerrillaPR.net

Be The Medias Dream Guest Publicity Pro Tips For Smash Hit Success

2008-12-28T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Annie Jennings

Thanks all for your wonderful interest in our publicity tips. The series is a set of tried and true publicity tips to use while working with the media. You'll learn 4 of the top pre-interview tips, on-camera or on-air tips, media etiquette tips & lots more PR pro tips to help position you as the media's dream guest!

Don't miss this series. When the media calls, you'll be ready!

TIP #1 Don't Try To Change The Segment Or Story Idea

During the pre-interview with the producer or journalist, please do not attempt to influence the producer or journalist to slant or change the original segment idea. This is because the article, story or segment idea is most likely already set in stone by Managing Editors or Executive Producers and your contact has very little flexibility. They are assigned to develop a story or segment idea according to a specific set of directives and appreciate your support in moving the story or segment forward.

Always give the media the info they are looking for first so they can complete their assignment otherwise, they might decide to move on to another expert! If you do a great job for them, that is, you are on target and on message without meandering off topic or discussing topics that fall outside the scope of the placement, they will use you again!

Of course, if they ask you about other ideas you may have, feel free to give them your best stuff!

TIP #2

Never Cancel A Segment Or Appointment With The Media!

Once you represent that are able for the media opportunity, please do not change your mind because the producer or journalist moves immediately to finalize the media placement on their end.

If you pull out you upset the booking process you leave the producer or journalist in a tough spot. This business is built on trust so never do anything to jeopardize the trust the media has in you.

When you make a commitment, stick to it, even if something comes up that you feel is more important. Your word should be worth gold in this industry!

TIP #3

Prepare Talking Points For The Pre-Interview With The Journalist Or Producer

Prepare your talking points in advance of your pre-interview or interview with the media. This way, you will appear to have command over your area of expertise and knowledgeable about the issue under discussion. You will avoid stumbling for thoughts or concepts.

If the media doubts your ability or expertise in the pre-interview, they will not use you for the placement. They simply have no choice. Their job is to book top qualified experts and if you indicate you are not that, they have to move on. As Annie Jennings PR has said for many years, think of any contact you have with the media as an audition. Everything you do is evaluated by the media with the thought in mind - is this person the perfect expert for the story or the segment?

You can make the media contact confident in choosing YOU if you are ready and prepared to discuss the topic. Create at least five discussion points on the topic before you speak to the producer or journalist.

You'll be happy you did!

TIP #4

Make Sure The Media Has Your FAST Contact Info!

Always provide the media with your contact info including your cell phone and fast contact info. As we mentioned, when the media moves, it moves fast. If you are actively seeking PR or are booked for a media opportunity already, keep yourself available and able to be reached immediately. If you give out your cell phone be sure it is working properly and also check your messages immediately so you don't miss a thing.

If you are traveling to a location for a TV or radio segment ask for the emergency contact info to the producer and of course, only use it for emergencies. This way, if you have trouble finding the location you know how to reach your media contact immediately.

Annie Jennings PR is a national publicity firm with over 16,000 experts available to the media. Major media calls everyday with their expert requests. Annie Jennings PR offers a variety of publicity programs including the new HOT PUBLICITY Branding Program. Interested in letting us know about you, your expertise, your media objectives or your book/company? Fill out our expert form (and get a complimentary publicity CD) at http://www.anniejenningspr.com/experts.htm Would you like four more "Be The Media's Dream Guest Tips?" If so, please click to http://www.anniejenningspr.com/dreamguest.htm

Public Relations Tips You Can Take To The Bank

2008-12-27T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Mary Eule

There are two vehicles for having your company's information show up in a newspaper or magazine pay to advertise or let the press do it for you. The latter occurs as a direct result of public relations (PR) efforts - actively seeking publicity as a form of marketing communications.

While each of these is valuable, a solid news story can give you with a higher ranking on the credibility ladder. Why? Because people understand that an ad is placed by you so are far more suspicious of its veracity. (Recent consumer studies confirm that most consumers think that all advertisements include outright lies and/or misleading information.)

However, articles written by others are viewed as more objective (especially if the author has no stake in your company's success or failure) and thus, more believable.

It's important to understand how this process works so you'll be able to take advantage of newsworthy opportunities that may come your way.

Most newspapers (and other media such as TV and radio) have a designated employee (usually called an assignment editor) who has responsibility for decide what's news and what isn't. They are tasked with reading and evaluating press releases. The ones that make the cut are sent to another editor for follow-up and inclusions, the others are usually trashed. The vast majority, up to 90%, end up in the rubbish.

This is why it's so important to get it right if you expect to compete with the hundreds of others vying for the same space. Here are some handy tips:

Let a professional public relations expert write your press release and put together a press package for you. There are many freelance experts around who won't charge you an arm and a leg. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, good public relations professionals network well and have media contacts the rest of us don't! Also, keep in mind there are few boring stories, but many boring ways of telling themanother reason to seek wise counsel from a professional. (Chapter Eight contains several good resources)

Focus on content versus form Yes, there is a proper format, but it is far less important than what you say. Remember, newspapers need information as much as you need publicity. They are looking for timely, educational and informative information so provide it. Conversely, local radio stations may be interested in airing stories that are funnier, quirkier or more controversial.

Human interest stories are popular across all media types one reason talk shows are so popular. So, if you have a compelling personal story, one that others will find interesting, tell it.

Make sure that your story is timely and not late. If your store opened three months ago, it's old news. Also, understand that journalists work on very tight deadlines, so it makes more sense to fax or e-mail, rather than mail, your release.

Edit, Edit, Edit If an editor sees typos and other errors, it may cause them to question the accuracy of your content a real killer.

Make sure that you include accurate contact information Provide precise and complete information so you're easy to find - phone (including cell) and fax numbers and e-mail, website and mailing addresses. The last thing you want is to miss an interview because you couldn't be reached!

The more back-up information you provide the better The easier you make it for a journalist to cover your story, the more likely they'll be to include it. Include photos, samples, interview availability times, research backup, and the like.

Make sure to send press releases to all media in your area, no matter how small. It's much easier to get local, rather than regional or national, coverage.

Contact journalists and offer yourself as an expert in a particular field One they can count on to provide them with accurate and objective information on the subject

These are just a few tips to get you moving in the right direction. However, as I've said before, best cost is not always least cost so get a professional to help you with your public relations efforts. It will save you time, money and aggravation in the end.

Mary Eule specializes in helping small and medium-sized businesses get and keep profitable customers. Formerly a Fortune 500 marketing executive; founder of two successful small businesses and award-winning speaker, Ms. Eule is President of Strategic Marketing Advisors, LLC. and co-author of a new book, "Mandatory Marketing: Small Business Edition". She has a BA in Journalism/English from the University of Maryland and earned her a master's degree in marketing from Johns Hopkins University. Log onto her website: http://www.StrategicMarketingAdvisors.com for free articles, newsletter and helpful marketing tools, tips and templates and/or to purchase the book.

How To Keep Pr Working For You

2008-12-26T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Robert A. Kelly

Managers in the non-profit, association and business worlds need to persuade outside audiences with the greatest impact on their operations to their way of thinking. And then move those external stakeholders to take actions that help their departments, divisions or subsidiaries succeed.

But that takes a very special plan, one that delivers results far beyond simple publicity placements.

I'm talking about a blueprint, say, like this one that lets you broaden your public relations field of fire, putting its primary focus where it belongs, on your unit's key external stakeholder behaviors: "People act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired- action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished."

You'll know such a blueprint is working when you see results like capital givers or specifying sources starting to look your way, customers making repeat purchases; membership applications on the rise; prospects beginning to do business with you; fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures coming in; welcome bounces in show room visits; community leaders beginning to seek you out; and politicians and legislators starting to view you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities.

However, to get there you've got to be certain the public relations people assigned to your unit buy into your more aggressive public relations approach. In other words, do they all accept the reality that it's crucially important to know how your outside audiences see your operations, products or services? And do they really subscribe to an even more important reality that says perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can trouble your unit?

Start by involving your PR team in plans for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

I mean, your PR people ARE in the perception and behavior business to begin with, so they should be of real use for this opinion monitoring project. Professional survey firms are always available, but that can cost a bundle. So, whether it's your people or a survey firm who asks the questions, the objective is to identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, and misconceptions .

With such answers gathered, you must decide which of the negatives should be designated as your corrective public relations goal for example, clarify the misconception, spike that rumor, correct the false assumption or fix a bothersome inaccuracy.

In the same way garlic goes with lamb chops, the right PR strategy tells you how to reach your goal. But just three are available when it comes to matters of perception and opinion -- change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. But be sure your new strategy fits naturally with your new public relations goal. If data gathered is satisfactory, you want the "reinforce it" strategy, not "change it."

When the moment comes to speak to your key stakeholder audience and help persuade them to your way of thinking, what will your message say?

Tap your best writer to produce the well-written corrective language you need. Words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are to move perception/opinion towards your point of view and result in the behaviors you desire.

Here, fortunately, things gets easier as you select communications tactics to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. Be sure that the tactics you select have a record of reaching people like your audience members. You can pick from dozens that are available ranging from speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and so many others.

Because HOW you communicate can affect the credibility of the message, you may wish to deliver it in small meetings or presentations rather than through high-visibility media announcements.

Those around you will soon be asking about progress. Which will lead to a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. Employing many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session, you will now be watching carefully for signs that the offending perception is being altered in your direction.

In public relations, we're lucky that action like this can be accelerated by adding more communications tactics as well as increasing their frequencies, if necessary.

And you're lucky again that the folks you deal with behave like everyone else they act upon their perceptions of the facts they hear about you and your operations. Which leaves you little choice but to deal promptly and effectively with those perceptions by doing what is necessary to reach and move your key external audiences to action.

The workable public relations blueprint outlined above will, in fact, keep your PR working well for you for a very simple reason (repeating for emphasis), it will help you persuade your most important outside stakeholders to your way of thinking, then move them to behave in a way that leads to the success of your department, division or subsidiary.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net. Word count is 1025 including guidelines and resource box.

About The Author

Public Relations For Bars

2008-12-25T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

Public relations for the local bar is something that they must do in order to keep their bar in business. Too often bars will sell alcohol to people who will then get into their automobiles and drive and when they do they end up causing problems in the community, getting into accidents or perhaps even killing someone.

Since people know that people who drink and drive are bad news they often look at the bars for the reasons that these horrific accidents occur. Because of that negative publicity and public relations it is very hard for the bars to maintain positive community goodwill. However, it is possible for bars to do quite well if they understand how to bring it all together in the community.

One thing a local bar can do is to have it become a place where local singles who meet on the Internet can come to meet each other in person. Then it would be considered a safe haven and neutral point for that first meeting.

Local bars can also increase their image by promoting themselves to local corporations as a place to do business deals. If a bar works on upscale clientele it will find itself with less hassles down the road from bar fights out in the parking lot, damaged vehicles or drunk drivers who can not handle the alcoholic drink. Please consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Foolproof Publicity For Marketingminded Financial Planners

2008-12-24T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ned Steele

They'd hate to admit it, but the media is pretty predictable.

There are some stories that will run in newspapers until the saints go marching in. Some of the obvious ones: diet tips, anything having to do with kids or animals, political scandals, celebrity divorces...you could probably find a story about each one of these topics in every single edition of every daily newspaper in the country.

Long ago, newspaper editors realized that these topics attract readers. And, if you got your story published, the same determination was made about your topic. Once a topic is anointed as "news-worthy" by the media, you can keep coming back to it again and again, as long as you have a reasonably new angle.

Think of every PR success as the seed for the next placement. Re-read your article when it appears, and ask yourself, "What could I have elaborated on?" or "What's going to be happening next in that field?"

For example, say your published story was about municipal bonds. Stay on the lookout for any municipal bond news that arises. Bond failures, new bond issues, appealing ratesall of these could be topics to bring back to a reporter. You may also consider a story about other tax-free return investment vehicles.

Press Releases

2008-12-23T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Bette Daoust, Ph.D.

How do press releases or interest stories have an effect on meeting new potential clients?

Press releases can make the difference between being known and being just the same old service that everyone offers. You need to set yourself apart from all the others. The press needs to have stories about what is happening in your product or service area. They are not looking for the common place activities you provide; they are looking for what is unique about you. After all, the press has to write stories, why not all about you? You have to determine what they are looking for by reading their newspaper and by learning what the editor or producer is looking for.

You will need to write your press releases to their attention. The press release should always be short. They should contain the most important information first, such as who you are and your company name. The first paragraph should contain all the exciting things you want to announce. The remaining 2 paragraphs should give a little more detail but not too much. You want them to write about you and what you are doing. Some newspapers will want to have other information and you will need to provide a press kit for their reading. Just remember that when you send out a press kit, you should only do so if the publication requests it or when they state ahead of time that you need to submit one. A press kit should contain the press release, In any case, please remember, it is YOU who needs to make the news!

A press release is one way that you can make an announcement. There are many other places in the media where you can highlight company. For example, you can place announcements in many places besides newspapers. Announcements can be anything, not just a promotion.

Bette Daoust, Ph.D. has been networking with others since leaving high school years ago. Realizing that no one really cared about what she did in life unless she had someone to tell and excite. She decided to find the best ways to get people's attention, be creative in how she presented herself and products, getting people to know who she was, and being visible all the time. Her friends and colleagues have often dubbed her the "Networking Queen". Blueprint for Networking Success: 150 ways to promote yourself is the first in this series. Blueprint for Branding Yourself: Another 150 ways to promote yourself is planned for release in 2005. For more information visit http://www.BlueprintBooks.com

Your Organization What Role Pr

2008-12-22T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Robert A. Kelly

As a manager, does your current business, non-profit or association public relations effort concern itself primarily with radio and newspaper publicity? Or does it concentrate on a specialty area like financial communications or trade relations? Or, possibly, it deals each day with sales support or government affairs?

Actually, maybe your PR effort should concentrate on delivering what you really need?

For example, PR that really does something positive about the behaviors of those outside audiences that most affect your organization?

PR that uses its fundamental premise to deliver external stakeholder behavior change the kind that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives?

And PR that persuades those important outside folks to your way of thinking, then moves them to take actions that help your department, division or subsidiary succeed?

What fundamental PR premise are we suggesting as your new action blueprint? People act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

The results can be very satisfying: membership applications on the rise; customers starting to make repeat purchases; fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; community leaders beginning to seek you out; welcome bounces in show room visits; prospects starting to do business with you; higher employee retention rates, capital givers or specifying sources beginning to look your way, and even politicians and legislators starting to view you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities.

The first step, obviously, is involving the public relations people assigned to your unit and getting them on board the new approach. Be sure everyone buys into why it's so important to know how your outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Be especially certain they accept the reality that negative perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can damage your organization.

Plan carefully how you will monitor and gather perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

Your PR people, who are already in the perception and behavior business, can be of real use for this opinion monitoring project. Yes, you can always use professional survey firms, but that can turn out to cost real money . However, whether it's your people or a survey firm who handles the questioning, the objective is to identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, and misconceptions .

Your next chore is identifying which of the above problems becomes your corrective public relations goal -- clarify the misconception, spike that rumor, correct the false assumption or fix certain other inaccuracies?

You achieve that goal only when you select the right strategy from the three choices available to you. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. Picking the wrong strategy is only slightly worse that forgetting to serve horseradish mustard with the corned beef. And please be certain the new strategy fits comfortably with your new public relations goal. You wouldn't want to select "change" when the facts dictate a "reinforce" strategy.

Here we have the question of what to say when you sit down to create a persuasive message aimed at members of your target audience. Always a challenge to put together action-forcing language that will help persuade any audience to your way of thinking.

Be certain you have your best writer on this assignment because s/he must create some very special, corrective language. Words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are to shift perception/opinion towards your point of view and lead to the behaviors you have in mind.

Now, an easy step pick the communications tactics to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. Insuring that the tactics you select have a record of reaching folks like your audience members, you can pick from dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others.

With, as always, the credibility of the message at stake, you may wish to deliver it in small getogethers like meetings and presentations rather than through a higher-profile media announcement.

Inevitably, you'll soon hear from your colleagues re: signs of progress. What that signals for you and your PR team is a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. You'll want to use many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session. More to the point, you will now be watching very carefully for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

We're lucky in this business that these matters usually can be accelerated by adding more communications tactics as well as increasing their frequencies.

This workable public relations blueprint will help you persuade your most important outside stakeholders to your way of thinking, then move them to behave in a way that leads to the success of your department, division or subsidiary.

So, while you did not ask for this public relations advice, I hope you will agree that the people you deal with do, in fact, behave like everyone else they act upon their perceptions of the facts they hear about you and your operation. Leaving you little choice but to deal promptly and effectively with those perceptions by doing what is necessary to reach and move your key external audiences to actions you desire.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net. Word count is 1165 including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2004.

About The Author

Inside A Companys News Release Part Two

2008-12-21T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by James Finch

Energy Metals Corporation (TSX: EMC.TO) announced it would commence trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Thursday. EMC Chief Executive Paul Matysek's quote spelled it out, that because of this it would be possible for " the Company to reach a broader base of individual investors, mutual funds and institutional investors." In other words, there would be less dependence upon the retail investor, and more reliance on the big funds to pile into EMC shares. Of course, the little guy will join the party as well.

Uranerz Energy (OTC BB: URNZ) issued a few telling news releases, which may explain the direction in which they are heading. On June 5th, the company announced a new Chief Financial Officer. URNZ also announced it had closed a financing, bumping up their cash to just under $12 million. URNZ Chief Executive Glenn Catchpole told us he hoped to launch his first In Situ Recovery operation for about, or less than, $10 million. This is a good sign. But, it was the next day's news release which confirmed the earlier news and reinforced where the company is going. The company announced the appointment of three independent directors to its Board. All three were appointed to the audit committee. Two are accountants with impressive track records; the third has an MBA from the University of Western Ontario, one of North America's top MBA schools. How do we interpret this news release? URNZ probably plans to move from the lowly over the counter bulletin board to a more senior exchange: Amex or NASDAQ Small Cap would be our guess.

What do you do about a company that hasn't been issuing a flurry of news releases? Take Strathmore Minerals (TSX: STM; Other OTC: STHJF) as an example. There are developments, but the news stream has been fairly quiet. Have they come to a standstill? No, quite the opposite is true.

We did what any investor should always do in the absence of major news. We picked up the phone and called their investor relations department. During a brief chat with Craig Christy, the company's spokesman, we asked about the company's cash situation. He responded, "We have about C$0.55/share in cash." Based on Thursday's closing price, that comes to more than 30 percent of what the market is valuing STM. That's UP from C$0.37/share earlier this year. STM has plenty of cash and is in excellent financial shape.

We looked through our copy of the Hargreave Hale Report, entitled, "Too Hot to Handle or Just Warming up?" This is a leading British financial institution, based in London. They are a major shareholder in STM, and they have been recommending STM shares. On page 32 of their document, we reviewed a great financial analysis of 33 Canadian and Australian uranium producers and development companies. The bar chart depicted the Uranium Enterprise Value (UREV) per Risk Adjusted pound of U3O8 Reserves and Resources of those thirty-three companies. A horizontal line crossed the chart, showing "fair value" of about US$4 million for each company's UREV per pound adjusted.

It was interesting to study how STM stacked up against many of the most popular uranium companies. Companies, such as Mega Uranium (TSX: MGA) rated at about US$28 million about 700 percent ABOVE the Hargreave Hale "fair value" analysis. Crosshair Exploration and Mining traded about 500 percent of its fair value. UEX scored about twice above its fair value. Companies such as Uranium Resources, Western Prospector, Paladin Resources and UrAsia Energy scored at or very near their fair value. Strathmore Minerals had the lowest fair value rating an absolute steal at about 30 percent of its fair value. About 16 companies traded above their fair value, some very much above the Hargreave Hale fair value analysis. It was enlightening to find Strathmore was in the company of producers such as ERA of Australia, IUC, Uranium One and Denison as an undervalued uranium company. In this case, it was the most undervalued of all 33 companies analyzed by the City of London financial institution.

We also found out that, a week ago, Strathmore Minerals president David Miller presented at the invitation-only Raymond James In-Situ Leach Uranium Mini-Conference in Toronto and Montreal on June 7th and 8th. You could visit the Raymond James website for the webcast of David Miller's presentation, but it has restricted access. Others presenting were Uranium Resources and Energy Metals. We were fortunate to review David Miller's PowerPoint presentation. One word describes Miller's presentation: Wow! It really did pack a punch. We heard Raymond James may be releasing these presentations to the public in the near future.

Sometimes, when there is a lack of news, one can learn to dig around and find a company can be doing quite well. In other instances, one can study the news releases and try piecing together where the company is heading. We hope this guidance helps you become a more sophisticated investor. We neither recommend stocks nor give buying and selling advice. As always, speculating on natural resource companies can be very risky and suitable only for certain investors. One should always check with their registered financial advisor about what is suitable or not for one's investment decisions.

James Finch contributes to StockInterview.com and other publications. Sign up now and get your free copy of our new book, "Investing in the Great Uranium Bull Market: A Practical Investor's Guide to Uranium Stocks." Just visit http://www.stockinterview.com for details.

The Role Of Public Relations In Branding

2008-12-20T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Michael Levine

Because PR can be difficult to control, it is often discredited. According to Dick Lyles, president and chief operating officer of The Ken Blanchard Companies, a full-service consulting and performance improvement company, "People tend to migrate to things they can control. Even now, when an executive looks at an advertising message that's exactly what they want to create, with exactly the right positioning and so forth, they say, 'That's the message I want to send.' That's great, even though people may not read it, or people may give it less value and discount it, because it's advertising.... [On the other hand], if you get a well-placed article in a trade journal or you get some ink, people give it more credibility. The impact is greater, but because it may not come out exactly the way it was intended to come out, [businesspeople frequently] discount it."

The concepts of Branding and public relations are closely intertwined. The job of public relations is to encourage the public to have positive thoughts about a particular company, product, service, or individual. Branding is the idea that a particular set of attributes will encourage the public to have positive thoughts about a particular company, product, service, or individual. It's a subtle distinction, but an essential one.

In order to best understand Branding and how it is done, it is necessary to examine and explain public relations. Many experts on Branding espouse the opinion that public relations are a vital part-if not the most vital part-of the Branding process. Public relations practitioners are particularly well suited to the Branding concept, since they are well versed in the techniques and practices that create a public identity very close to the central idea of a brand.

Unlike marketing or advertising, which are essential activities and indispensable to the creation of a brand, public relations is not devoted to a tangible object. Advertising executives create television, print, and radio ads; these are concrete, identifiable things. Marketing creates a product-be it a physical product or a service-and presents it to the public. That is an obvious, noticeable thing; it is not hard to understand.

Public relations does not do either of those things. When properly conceived and executed, a public relations campaign is next to invisible; the public does not know it's there. More to the point, public relations does not create a physical manifestation of its effort: When PR is done right, it doesn't leave the trace of a newspaper or magazine ad, a videotape, or an audiocassette that will win awards-and that can sometimes overwhelm the message being delivered.

What public relations does is to encourage third parties to deliver the message. Why? Because the third parties are news organizations, print journalists, and television and radio news programs and talk shows, which by definition have more credibility for the general public than an advertisement or the word of a company spokesperson.

In other words, public relations is meant to generate news coverage. It does so through planned events and through news stories (true news stories, it should be emphasized) suggested to reporters and their editors. When a newspaper runs an article about the unusual new promotion being done by a local business, that's public relations. But to the reader of that newspaper, it appears to be an article generated by the editorial staff of the publication itself.- There is no advertisement disclaimer that runs over a PR-suggested news article. That makes sense, because the news editor always has the option of ignoring the suggestions made by public relations people. Editors and producers will rely on public relations for news leads, but will not simply act as a conduit, presenting the message from the public relations company's client unedited and unconfirmed. Public relations can suggest, but not control, the message being sent. It is a very difficult tightrope to walk.

For example, in 2000, when the Beatles song compilation 1 was being released by Capitol Records, it presented (believe it or not) a public relations dilemma: how to promote an album full of songs that the entire target audience almost certainly owned in another form already.

The problem was solved in a number of ways. First of all, it was emphasized that these were the 27 number one songs the band had produced during its legendary career. Press releases noted over and over again that these songs had never been compiled on one album before. It was intimated that many in the group's core audience might not have heard these songs on CD before, having bought them on vinyl records when they were originally released.

But more than anything, the public relations executives managed to generate publicity for the album with something that no other project could possible offer: access to the (at the time) three surviving Beatles for interview. News programs, interview shows, publications, and talk programs were all given opportunities (albeit brief ones) to interview at least one Beatle, and therefore the album was mentioned on countless air-waves and in publications for weeks before its release, and given very prominent placement.

The album went on to become a smash hit, reaching number one almost 40 years after the initial release of some of the recordings. It was yet another triumph for a legendary recording group, but it was also something of a coup for the public relations personnel involved. Yes, they had the luxury of three of the most famous faces on the planet, and the ability to use them. But the PR people who worked on that project also knew that they had to make something that wasn't necessarily new seem vital and important, and they knew where the news story in the project was kept. Making sure the news got out was their job, and they did it admirably.

The best part: The public was never aware there were PR people involved at all. What average fans saw on TV was Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and/or Ringo Starr. They heard snippets of the songs they had loved for decades. And they were told that this was different; it was new; it was unique. That's all the public needed to know. The fact that this message had been carefully constructed and the interviews painstakingly arranged was irrelevant to consumers; all they needed to know was that the Beatles were, more or less, back.

Public relations works behind the scenes, but its impact on Branding is enormous. Because PR generates interest, and precisely because it is working offstage, it is as valuable a part of the Branding process as can be imagined. And best of all, it's often the, least expensive component in a sophisticated Branding machine.

As Adam Christing, president and founder of Clean Comedians, a company that provides meeting planners with G-rated comedians, says, "Public relations takes the brand and makes it mobile, makes it more visible. It's like taking a band that's been successful in a local neighborhood and taking it out on the road so more people can experience it."

Of course, when the message is not delivered in the form that was initially intended, that means the public relations professional has not done the job properly. The mistake can be in the design of the message itself-in particular, if the message that has been designed is a false or misleading one-or in the method of its delivery. It's a fine thing to have a vital, exciting news story to tell, but if the presentation is ineffective, that story win not be told, or win be told in such a way that its original intention is lost.

Public relations is about messages and their delivery, but that isn't all PR is. In correlation with Branding, the goal of public relations must always be to create a feeling in the mind of the target audience for which the message is being tailored. If Branding is about creating an identity for a product, service, or entity (company or individual), public relations' contribution to Branding is about making that identity friendly and likable for the public--specifically, the public for which the message is intended.

Obviously, the feeling most PR aspires to create is a positive one. But the intention is vastly more complex than that: In truth, public relations seeks to create and maintain a consistent feeling of familiarity, trust, reliability, and confidence with the targeted public. If advertising is about getting the public's attention, public relations is about delivering the message once the attention has been commanded. When people express an opinion about a product or a company, initially they'll say they like or don't like it, without offering further explanation. But when they're given specific questions about their opinions, the effects of public relations become clear. When products are assigned personality traits or attributes by the public-"friendly," "environmentally aware ... .. concerned with quality ... .. accessible"-it means that public relations, in conjunction with advertising and marketing, has done its job. But because the public is naturally wary of advertising and marketing, and because those disciplines are considerably more visible than public relations, it is possible that PR makes the most honest, and deepest, impact on the public's psyche.

How is the feeling created? Unlike advertising or marketing, public relations alms to influence public opinion without being noticed. So efforts made by companies to create goodwill through advertising and marketing are effective, but will be met with a higher amount of resistance from the public than a public relations campaign.

GuerrillaPR.net is a resource for people that want to get famous in the media, without going broke. http://GuerrillaPR.net

What People Think Can Kill Managers

2008-12-19T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Robert A. Kelly

By delivering a body blow to their operation when business, non-profit, government agency or association managers, with public relations reporting to them, overlook assembling the PR resources and action planning needed to alter individual perception leading to changed behaviors among their most important outside audiences.

Those managers' guilt worsens when they compound matters by failing to persuade those key external audience members to their way of thinking, and then overlook moving them to take actions that allow their department, group, division or subsidiary to succeed.

What such managers often have in common is a single- minded preoccupation with simple tactics like press releases, broadcast plugs, special events and brochures, which denies them the best that public relations has to offer.

On the other hand, approaching a public relations challenge as outlined in the paragraphs above, means you, as manager, are doing something positive about the behaviors of the very outside audiences of yours that MOST affect your operation. It is then that PR creates the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving your most important managerial objectives.

But managers need a public relations game plan if they are to get all their team members and organizational colleagues working towards the same external stakeholder behaviors.

While PR blueprints do vary, here's one that can keep a manager's public relations effort, as they say, "on message:" people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

Since "results usually tell the tale," this is what a manager might expect when he or she approaches PR this way: improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies; a rebound in showroom visits; membership applications on the rise; new thoughtleader and special event contacts; capital givers or specifying sources looking your way; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; fresh community service and sponsorship opportunities; prospects starting to work with you; customers making repeat purchases; and even stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities.

The public relations people reporting to you are of the utmost importance. But, who will you use? Your regular public relations staff? People assigned to you from above? Or could it be PR agency staff? Regardless, they must be committed to you as the senior project manager, and to the PR blueprint starting with key audience perception monitoring.

Once the right specialists are aboard, satisfy yourself that team members really believe that it's crucially important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Be certain they buy the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.

Sit down with your PR troops and go over the blueprint with them, in particular your plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the exchange? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

The use of professional survey counsel for the perception monitoring phases of your program is always an option. But your PR people are also in the perception and behavior business and can pursue the same objective: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

To go further, you must set down your public relations goal from which you can do something about the most serious distortions you discovered during your key audience perception monitoring. The new public relations goal might call for straightening out that dangerous misconception, or correcting that gross inaccuracy, or stopping that potentially fatal rumor.

Of course, you need a solid strategy to achieve success, one that clearly indicates to you and the PR staff how to proceed. But do keep in mind that there are just three strategic options available to you when it comes to handling a perception and opinion challenge. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. The wrong strategy pick will taste like sea salt on your Lingonberry pie. So, be certain the new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. It goes without saying that you don't want to select "change" when the facts dictate a "reinforce" strategy.

Time to sit down at your computer to prepare and share a powerful corrective message with members of your target audience. But persuading an audience to your way of thinking is no easy task. Which is why your PR folks must come up with words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual. Only in this way will you be able to correct a perception by shifting opinion towards your point of view, leading to the behaviors you are targeting.

Bring your communications specialists into the planning cycle and, together, decide if your message's impact and persuasiveness measure up. Then select the communications tactics most likely to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. You can pick from dozens of available tactics. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be sure that the those you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

This is when you might want to unveil the message before smaller gatherings rather than using higher- profile tactics such as news releases. Reason is, the credibility of the message itself can actually depend on the perception of its delivery method.

Using progress reports might occur to someone at this point, which should lead your PR team to return to the field and start work on a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. In all probability, you'll want to use many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session. Only this time, you will be watching very carefully for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

While things can always slow down, you can then accelerate matters with more communications tactics and increased frequencies.

But now is the time to move beyond tactics like special events, brochures, broadcast plugs and press releases to achieve the very best public relations has to offer.

Thus, the bottom line for managers wishing to avoid death-by-bad-PR is this: the right public relations can alter the individual perception among your key external audiences leading to changed behaviors which, in turn, lead directly to achieving your managerial objectives.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net. Word count is 1285 including guidelines and resource box.
Robert A. Kelly © 2005.

Bob Kelly counsels and writes for business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has published over 200 articles on the subject which are listed at EzineArticles.com, click Expert Author, click Robert A. Kelly. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University, major in public relations. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.PRCommentary.com

Dont Expect To Bump Oprah From A Magazine Cover

2008-12-18T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Roman Pericon

"I want a pony, a tree house and the fastest bike in the world."

"I want the G.I. Joe with the parachute and camouflage Jeep."

Those wants from when we were children haven't changed much now that we have traded in our play clothes for suits and ties. When I sit down with clients, I always ask them what they want out of their publicity campaign so I can create a realistic list of expectations.

But I usually hear:

"Front page of the Wall Street Journal."

"I want to sit next to Katie and Matt."

"Do you think I could be on Oprah next week?"

Before I sign a new client, I make sure I explain editorial calendars and lead times so they won't ask me "Why haven't I gotten placements with you yet? It's been six days already." I also explain the concept of "newsworthy" to them.

But it seems that more often than not, all of that explaining goes out the door.

Here's The Naked Truth.

Sometimes reporters like big names. Sometimes they like unknowns. That lifestyle editor at InStyle may love the handmade candles that you created but if a major crisis happens in the news (e.g. celebrity breakup, A-list star caught with a call girl, paparazzi caught impromptu wedding) then you can bet your wick and scented oils the focus of their article won't be on your candles. Same goes for almost every magazine you want to target unless you are Oprah, Bill Gates or the president of the U.S. not Trixie's Organic Dog Snacks. So don't blame your publicist if your story is axed or postponed. They will try another publication.

There's a great big world out there. Newsweek reaches over 3 million homes each week. They receive enough trash worthy press releases and media kits to fill a broom closet. Sometimes what you think is news isn't. And you just have to trust your publicist to alert the media when something of interest is happening with your company. Or you run the risk of an editor never taking your releases seriously when you do.

Understand your target market. I know you think it would be the coolest thing since Nobu Next Door to be on the cover of Cosmo but you sell a high-end baby stroller. Cosmo readers don't have an interest in that. Trust me. They won't and the editors don't have time to wade through releases of no interest to their readers. Publicists know the publications' target audience and with the help of editorial calendars, they can figure out if you will fit in a certain issue they are preparing. So don't get upset when your publicist tells you they got you into a different publication because the one you wanted said "NO" to your story over 10 times. When they just aren't interested, publicists move on.

Sometimes the more is not the merrier. Just because we have an editor contact database of thousands doesn't mean each of them should receive your press release or an invitation to your launch party. It might sound great to you to say "Our company press release just went out to over 10,000 editors" but if they aren't targeted to the right editors they will only end up in the recycling bin. I'm positive Janice Huff at Channel 4 doesn't care about your gelato shop. She only covers the weather.

When it's time for your company to retain a public relations firm, remember to have realistic expectations. Your publicists know what publications are good targets and they know that providing you with the results you want is going to make you happy. And all publicists want to make their clients happy.

About The Author

Roman Pericon is the CEO of NakedPR (www.NakedPublicity.com), a public relations and event planning firm in New York. Subscribe to "The Naked Truth", his free monthly PR newsletter, by emailing Roman@NakedPublicity.com. NakedPR specializes in entertainment and lifestyle clients.

Eleven Solid Ways To Optimize Press Release

2008-12-17T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Allen Brown

It is an amazing thing that you find a press release for a particular product posted at a site that doesn't meant for such commodity. Despite the fact, the press release drags you to the company's website that has no existence in any search engine listings.

From this one can easily come to know about the influence of well optimized press release. How those press releases were able to get in search engines? Certainly, they were well crafted and efficiently optimized.

On the other hand, you might have come across poorly written press releases that does not even augur keyword based ranking in news and search engines. Stuffing keywords in press releases would lead to spam subject, which are being distributed with a bare minimum.

So, what we supposed to do? Write a simple release that does not contain keywords or key phrase? Here, a talented writer is required, who has the art of optimizing press releases with keywords. The well optimized and written press release will automatically haul reader's interest to read it.

Here are the eleven concrete guidelines to optimize the press release.

1. Select proper Keywords: Selecting key word is the salient part of press release optimization. Be very careful while deciding on a keyword phrase that is relevant to the product or service you are offering. The best recommended tool to search keywords is wordtracker.com.

2. Keyword or phrase placement: Be sure to place key phrase into the headline and the title of your press release. Try to repeat it nearly 2-3 times in the content of the release. You can put two links in your content. But, write "http://www.yoursite.com" instead of "yoursite.com".

3. Use product name repeatedly: Place repeated name of your service or product to make it eminent, stress on its common portrayal rather than its name. For example, write "Microsoft Word" instead of writing "MSWord". This would result making your product's name better and popular.

4. Replace pronouns with phrase: Similarly, replace relevant keyword phrases to the pronouns such as 'it' or 'its' to enhance its existence increase their overall frequency in the release.

5: Make it newsworthy: Make sure that your press release is well crafted and holds informational content that is useful for readers.

6: Select right PR distribution network: Selecting appropriate press release distribution is also a significant consideration. There are several free press release distribution networks exist so it is crucial to make mind on whether to go for paid services or free. There are also many press release distribution networks that claim for huge distribution but have very little network or use spam techniques.

7: Prepare your release for substantial media coverage: Make List of publications, send emails and correspondence letters to journalists for your release. Make sure you don't mail the complete release into the email. Be concise and send URL of the whole press release with the mail.

8: Create online media kit: Make an online media kit for the website that can be operated with a Blog Content Management System. This will lead interested readers to subscribe your latest updates and news.

9: Make it for journalists: Everyday thousands of press releases are emailed to the journalists. So make your press release presentable and well written to be noticed by them. These journalists usually sweep off poorly written releases.

10: Offer RSS feeds: Help journalist by offering RSS feeds, to be hauled to your website. Through this journalists and interested parties will be acknowledged that you have relevant release on the topic they are searching for.

11: Publish releases frequently: Make an effort to publish press releases often to be recognized as news source for Yahoo news and Google news. Add news weekly if not possible daily to be crawled frequently by Google.

An added advantage of these vital tips is that it enhances the rankings of your website at search engines that considers inbound links to boost search positions.

Allen Brown is a freelance writer for http://www.1888PressRelease.com

http://www.1888pressrelease.com/, the premier website to Submit Free Press Release for any announcements including launching of new product or services, new website, announcing new hires, sponsoring a special event or seminar and more. He also freelances for http://www.1888Articles.com

Public Relations And Goodwill

2008-12-16T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Kurt Mortensen

One highly effective type of advertising costs virtually nothing: public relations. With public relations, the newsworthiness of some aspect of your business or business activities can earn you free publicity in newspapers or magazines, or even on radio or television.

However, it must truly be newsworthy. You might publicize, for example, a lecture, a demonstration or a workshop being presented at your business site - an event that news outlets could list in their community calendars or possibly even send a reporter to cover. Find out who at a station or publication handles such local events and send that person a news release. Alternatively, prepare an article for a newspaper or trade magazine in which you offer information of value to its readers. The point of such articles is to establish you as an authority in your industry. It's for this reason that a stockbroker might write a biweekly column on personal finance or a nursery write a column giving gardening advice.

A further source of publicity is goodwill efforts. Team sponsorships, for example, keep your name in front of the public. Lectures given by you or your staff to civic groups or other businesses also enhance your company's visibility. Get a list of clubs and associations from your local Chamber of Commerce. Another course of action, one that must be heartfelt and genuine, is to spearhead a campaign to solve a community problem that is related to your business. A pharmacist, for example, might lead an effort to keep poison detection centers open.

Writing a News Release

If you keep in mind the person at the newspaper, magazine or station who'll receive your news release - a person buried under stacks of releases and eager to find some newsworthy information you'll automatically write the best kind of release: short, crisp and simple.

In the first paragraph, tell who, what, why, where and when - starting with a description of the event itself. For example:

A free slide talk on family hikes in the Bay Area will be given by writerphotographer Jane Doe on Thursday, October 18, 7:30 p.m., at Jackson's Shoes in Berkeley.

In the following one or more paragraphs, add information that rounds out the first paragraph or answers questions the first paragraph may evoke. For example:

Doe, author of A Walk in the Park, will recommend nature walks for families with children aged seven and older. Most walks are in regional parks, and Doe will not only show what various trails have to offer but also the trails for difficulty. Parents and their children are invited to attend. Jackson's Shoes is located at 1234 First Street in Berkeley. For more information, call (510) 555-3271.

Finally, on either the top or bottom of the news release - which can be written on letterhead with the words NEWS RELEASE above the text - write the name and telephone number of your contact person. For example:

For more information, contact Mark Jones at (510) 555-3271.

To give newspapers further encouragement to publicize your event, enclose a glossy black-and-white photo that illustrates the subject of your release. Type a caption and paste it on the back. For example, if you are using a nature photograph:

Family hikes in the Bay Area will be the subject of a free slide talk by author Jane Doe on Thursday, October 18, 7:30 p.m., at Jackson's Shoes in Berkeley.

Overall, the virtue of a clear, well-organized news release and captioned photo is that they give newspapers - your most likely recipients - several ways to respond. They can print your entire release and captioned picture, they can use only the captioned photograph, or they can insert just the first paragraph into a community calendar. As a result, your chances of getting something into print are greatly enhanced.

Conclusion

Persuasion is the missing puzzle piece that will crack the code to dramatically increase your income, improve your relationships, and help you get what you want, when you want, and win friends for life. Ask yourself how much money and income you have lost because of your inability to persuade and influence. Think about it. Sure you've seen some success, but think of the times you couldn't get it done. Has there ever been a time when you did not get your point across? Were you unable to convince someone to do something? Have you reached your full potential? Are you able to motivate yourself and others to achieve more and accomplish their goals? What about your relationships? Imagine being able to overcome objections before they happen, know what your prospect is thinking and feeling, feel more confident in your ability to persuade. Professional success, personal happiness, leadership potential, and income depend on the ability to persuade, influence, and motivate others.

Kurt Mortensen's trademark is Magnetic Persuasion; rather than convincing others, he teaches that you should attract them, just like a magnet attracts metal filings. He teaches that sales have changed and the consumer has become exponentially more skeptical and cynical within the last five years. Most persuaders are using only 2 or 3 persuasion techniques when there are actually 120 available! His message and program has helped thousands and will help you achieve unprecedented success in both your business and personal life.

If you are ready to claim your success and learn what only the ultra-prosperous know, begin by going to http://www.PreWealth.com and getting my free report "10 Mistakes That Continue Costing You Thousands." After reading my free report, go to http://www.PreWealth.com/IQ and take the free Persuasion IQ analysis to determine where you rank and what area of the sales cycle you need to improve in order to close every sale!

Ill Alert The Media

2008-12-15T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Harry Hoover

There is something newsworthy happening at your organization right now. Here are some tips on how to tell your story.

First, make sure your story contains all the relevant facts. Ask yourself: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How?

Next, make your story readable. Here's how:

Use short sentences. (Best single thing you can do...and easiest.) Research shows sentences of 15-20 words or less are easiest to comprehend. If you must write a long sentence, punctuation like colons and dashes can help the reader.

Use short paragraphs. Usually one or two sentences per paragraph is enough. Otherwise, the reader sees a solid, gray mass when looking at a narrow newspaper or magazine column.

Use easy words. Avoid multi-syllable and/or technical words that are hard to understand. If you must use them, explain them with simple definitions or by using analogies.

Use personal words. These are human interest words: e.g., "I," "you," "me," "they," names, quotes.

Use active verbs. These are words that show action. Examples are easily found in recipes or on sports pages (mix, stir, blend, whip, hit, run).

Get to the point...fast! Readers and editors don't have the time or inclination to wade through a bunch of words before finding out what a story is all about.

Use an "inverted pyramid" style. Most editors usually chop stories - to make them fit available space - from the bottom. So put the most important points first, second most important next, and so on down to the least important.

Now, alert the media.

About the author: Harry Hoover is managing principal of Hoover ink PR, http://www.hoover-ink.com. He has 26 years of experience in crafting and delivering bottom line messages that ensure success for serious businesses like Brent Dees Financial Planning, Duke Energy, Levolor, North Carolina Tourism, Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, VELUX and Verbatim.

Public Relations For Online Article Submission Sites Considered

2008-12-14T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

In studying the online article submission web sites of the present period it seems to me that some do not fair so well, while others do better than could be expected. Why is this? Well some is good strong customer service and listening to the authors who post and those who pick up the syndication services.

Yet we see that there are several sites, which do all these things. But what makes the top online article submission sites do so well? I submit to you that it is very much about online community goodwill and Public Relations and the great customer service is a must that allows them to compete for top bidding in the first place. Public Relations for Online Article Submission Sites must be considered if these companies are to become superstars and break away from the pack to ride in the Yellow Jersey.

Public Relations in online venues carries a lot of responsibility and it is not always easy to choose the right publicity and it is not always wise to align yourself with every company, who wishes to use your success to promote themselves. Sometimes it provides a win/win, and other times it does more to harm than good. Public relations for an online article submission website is tricky business indeed. Please consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Marketingminded Financial Planners Get Free Publicity By Choosing The Right Outlets

2008-12-13T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Ned Steele

Sure, any publicity is good. But don't invest time and effort to be in "Lucky: The Magazine for Shopping" if your major topic is planning for college. Go where your market is!

Which media outlets are the best for you? Easy answers and the Home Run of publicity include national giants like CNN and The Wall Street Journal. These outlets reach millions of people...and they also have thousands of publicity-hungry folks constantly badgering them for coverage.

Your prospects can also be found through many outlets that are more readily accessible. Sometimes the best outlets are ones you've never even heard of. Trade magazines, special weekly television or radio programs, syndicated columnistsall have unique and loyal audiences.

How can you find out about them? Simply ask your clients what they are reading or watching, and you'll know exactly where you need to get your story placed.

The best way to get yourself into a media outlet is to study it first carefully. Learning how it covers your topics, which reporters write about your areas, and how to reach them it all becomes crystal clear once you start paying attention. This isn't complicated or hard. Just read a few issues of the publication you're targeting.

Mobile Oil Change Business Marketing To Corporate Employees

2008-12-12T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

If you own a mobile oil change business then you know that it behooves you to find as many customers in one spot as possible. One because it costs nearly $3.00 in fuel to drive around and two, because you make money when you are parked with cars lined up in a row and you are burning valuable time and costs when you are in route to the customer.

One on-site oil change company owner asks; "Many of the small tenants participated. However, I have had some difficulty reaching anyone in the bigger companies. Any ideas there?"

Well indeed it makes sense to contact the Human Resource Directors and Facilities Maintenance guys will be your decision maker. There are many ways to do this and there are lists and phone numbers often available at the Chamber of Commerce or the Business Journals; "Book of Lists". For our company we always noticed that when we were involved in the community we always ended up with more business without really selling, marketing or trying. For instance; if you want to reach these companies do car wash fundraisers for civic groups in your area;

http://www.carwashguys.com/fundraisers/LAschools.html

Or perhaps do mobile oil changes for the elderly free at certain churches twice per year. A little giving back to the community really goes a long way and it is surprising how much your business will thank you when you are thanking the community for doing business with you. Consider all this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

Which Pr Judge For Yourself

2008-12-11T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Robert A. Kelly

You are a senior business, non-profit or association manager. So, chances are you call the shots for your department, division or subsidiary.

Which means you can make your decisions stick.

Like deciding whether a publicity placement is more important to you than creating external stakeholder behavior change leading directly to achieving your managerial objectives.

Like deciding to do something positive about the behaviors of those important outside audiences of yours that MOST affect your operation instead of concentrating on tactics like videos and brochures.

Or even to persuade those key outside folks to your way of thinking, and move them to take actions that allow your department, division or subsidiary to succeed.

Might be time to expand your view of public relations to emphasize the behaviors of your unit's key outside audiences rather than publicity placements.

Why? For the simple reason that the people with whom you interact every day behave like everyone else they act upon their perceptions of the facts they hear about you and your operation. Leaving you little choice but to deal promptly and effectively with those perceptions (and their follow-on behaviors) by doing what is necessary to reach and move those key external audiences to action.

Fact is, your very own PR blueprint can make the job a lot easier. For example, people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving- to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

Consider the possible result of such activity. Rising membership applications, community leaders beginning to seek you out; customers starting to make repeat purchases, and even prospects starting to do business with you; fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; welcome bounces in show room visits; and new approaches by capital givers and specifying sources not to mention politicians and legislators viewing you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities.

But who's available to handle the assignment? Your own full-time public relations staff? A few folks assigned by Corporate to your unit? An outside PR agency team? Regardless where they come from, they need to be committed to you, to the PR blueprint and to its implementation, starting with key audience perception monitoring.

By the way, when someone describes him/herself as a public relations person you have no guarantee they've bought the blueprint. Assure yourself that the PR people assigned to your unit really believe why it's SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Make sure they accept the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.

Review the PR blueprint with them, especially your plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. For instance, how much do you know about our chief executive? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

Use professional survey firms in the perception monitoring phases of your program, if your budget will bear the pain. But keep in mind that your PR people are also in the perception and behavior business and can pursue the same objective: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

If you set the right PR goal, you stand a good chance of effectively dealing with the most serious distortions you discovered during your key audience perception monitoring. It could be to straighten out that dangerous misconception, or correct that gross inaccuracy, or stop that potentially fatal rumor dead in its tracks.

Here you select the right strategy, one that tells you how to proceed. Please remember that there are only three strategic options available to you when it comes to handling a perception and opinion challenge. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. Since the wrong strategy pick will taste like eggs benedict on your pumpkin pie, be certain the new strategy fits comfortably with your new public relations goal. You don't want to select "change" when the facts dictate a "reinforce" strategy.

Writing tight and strong is seldom easy. Still, you must write such a strong message and aim it at members of your target audience. Because crafting action-forcing language to persuade an audience to your way of thinking is tough work, you need your first-string varsity writer because s/he must create some very special, corrective language. Words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are to correct something and shift perception/opinion towards your point of view leading to the behaviors you are targeting.

After you run the draft by your PR colleagues for impact and persuasiveness, select the communications tactics most likely to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. There are dozens available to you. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be sure that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

As we know, the credibility of a message can depend on how you deliver it. Which is why you may decide to unveil it before smaller meetings and presentations rather than using higher- profile news releases.

You'll recognize calls for progress reports as signals to you and your PR team to get busy on a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. You'll want to use many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session. Difference this time is that you will be watching very carefully for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

Should momentum slow, you can always accelerate matters by adding more communications tactics as well as increasing their frequencies?

So, what you really want the new PR plan to accomplish is to persuade your most important outside stakeholders to your way of thinking, then move them to behave in a way that leads to the success of your department, division or subsidiary.

So your choice between public relations that delivers a print or broadcast pickup, and public relations that creates the kind of external stakeholder behavior change leading directly to achieving your managerial objectives, isn't really a choice at all.

Especially now that you realize you need public relations that really CAN change individual perception and lead to equally changed key outside audience behaviors that help you get your PR money's worth.

end

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net. Word count is 1250 including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2005.

Managers Pr Do You Really Understand It

2008-12-10T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Robert A. Kelly

Like many human resource, finance, distribution or manufacturing managers, do you simply view PR as able to create some publicity by moving a message from one point to another using tactics like brochures, broadcast plugs and press releases?

Or, are you a business, non-profit, government agency or association manager who needs the kind of public relations effort that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives? That would tell me that you no longer wish to be denied the best public relations has to offer, and that you want to pursue the quality public relations results you believe you deserve.

If that sounds like you, but you feel the need to understand a little more about public relations, let's take a quick look at a high-impact action plan designed to do something meaningful about the behaviors of those important outside audiences that MOST affect the departmental, divisional or subsidiary unit you manage.

What the plan does, is create the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving those managerial objectives of yours; in this case by persuading those key outside folks to your way of thinking by helping move audience members to take actions that help your unit succeed.

It will soon become apparent that the good news implicit in PR's underlying premise is the reality that good public relations planning really CAN alter individual perception and result in changed behaviors among key outside audiences.

What about that underlying premise? Take it for a spin and see if it makes sense. People act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is usually accomplished.

This kind of public relations can deliver the results you want: community leaders begin to seek you out; customers begin to make repeat purchases; new prospects actually start to do business with you; politicians and legislators begin looking at you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities; capital givers or specifying sources begin to look your way; welcome bounces in show room visits occur; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures start showing up; and membership applications start to rise.

Be sure to spend some quality time with your PR people analyzing your plans for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Suggest queries along these lines: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the exchange? Are you familiar with our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

Happily for all, your PR staff is already in the perception and behavior business whether they come from an agency, parent company or are direct hires. So, while looking first to them to manage your data gathering activity, be certain that they really accept why it's SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. In a word or two, be sure they believe that perceptions almost always result in behaviors that can help or hurt your operation.

At the same time, be aware that asking professional survey firms to do the opinion gathering work, can be very costly when compared to using those PR folks of yours in that monitoring capacity. But whether it's your people or a survey firm asking the questions, the objective remains the same: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

A clearcut and realistic PR goal is an absolute necessity. It must call for action on the most serious problem areas you uncovered during your key audience perception monitoring. You may decide to straighten out that dangerous misconception, bring to an end that potentially painful rumor, or correct that awful inaccuracy.

In like manner, establishing the right action-oriented strategy will show you how to get to where you're going. Truth is, you have just three strategic options available to you when it comes to doing something about perception and opinion: change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. Needless to say, the wrong strategy pick will taste like beef gravy on your red snapper. So be sure your new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. You certainly don't want to select "change" when the facts dictate a strategy of reinforcement.

Because you're going to have to prepare a persuasive message that will help move your key audience to your way of thinking, ask the best writer on your team to get ready to prepare a carefully-written message targeted directly at your key external audience. The writer must produce some really corrective language that is not merely compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are to shift perception/ opinion towards your point of view and lead to the behaviors you have in mind.

Carefully selected communications tactics will carry your message to the attention of your target audience, and there are many such tactics available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be certain that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

By the way, you may wish initially to unveil your corrective message before smaller meetings rather than using higher profile news releases. Reason is, a message's credibility is always fragile and often suspect depending on the method by which it was delivered.

In due course, you'll be demonstrating, in the form of periodic progress reports, how the monies spent on public relations can pay off. But it's also an alert to start a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. Here, you'll use many of the same questions used in the benchmark interviews. Only difference now is, you will be on strict alert for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

As is often the case with programmatic activity, there could be a slowdown. But keep in mind that adding more communications tactics, and/or increasing their frequencies, should adequately address that problem.

Thus, understanding public relations and how it can best be used by managers, requires that such managers move well beyond communications tactics. They must create a high-impact PR action plan focused on key external audiences, and designed to deliver the very best public relations has to offer.

end

How To Create Your Own Small Business Press Kit

2008-12-09T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Eve Jackson

In last week's article, we talked about why your small business needs a press kit. Because they're not just for the press, I prefer to call them small business information package. To recap, you need a small business information package to augment your business card, which has only limited information about you and your company.

Your small business information package is the printed materials to give or send to prospective clients to tell them who you are, where you are, how to contact you, what you do, how to buy, and why to buy from you instead of your competition.

This week, we're going to discuss what you should put inside your information package. For all intents and purposes, anything that promotes your company can go inside it. Some of the more common things include:

Business card
Small business brochure
Letter of introduction
Product or service review
Price list
Press releases
White papers
Recent articles written by you or about your company
Biography of key officers
Flyers, coupons or direct mail pieces
Information pamphlets

So, let's talk a bit about each. And let's start with the big oneyour small business brochure. Your small business brochure can stand alone. If you decide not to have a complete small business information package, at the very least, create a tri-fold brochure so you have detailed printed information to give clients.

If your prospective client reads only one thing in your whole information package, it will most likely be your brochure. Why? Because it captures the reader's attention better than any other item in your information package. Most of your other items will be letters, articles or reviews. They'll look good, and they'll all match because they're on your letterhead, but they won't jump out at your readers like your full color tri-fold brochure will.

So, you want to make sure it's the first thing people see when they open the front cover of your information package. If you can capture their interest with your brochure, they're more likely to read the rest.

The first page of your small business brochure should have your business name and logo, and possibly a photo or some graphics. Make it colorful. Make it interesting. Add a slogan or motto on the front that will make people curious as to what's inside. You don't want them to just look at the front cover and put it aside!

Inside, try to introduce yourself and review your product or service briefly. If you can, keep the introduction and review to the length of the first inside page or so. Adding a few graphics or photos throughout the whole brochure, together with informative text helps keep your readers' interest. And, make good use of your headings, remembering that most readers will scan from left to right, stopping at graphics and headings, and sometimes reading the last paragraph.

Now, this part is important, and is possibly the biggest mistake most small businesses make with their brochureat least some of the other two inside pages could be better used to show prospective buyers how your product or service can benefit them, rather than to describe your product or service features.

I cannot stress this enough. Too many times small business brochures are used simply to talk about you, your company or your product/service. Most of your readers simply won't care who you are, what you do or how you do it. What they really care about is how you can benefit them. How you can save them time or resources. How you can make their lives just a little bit easier.

Often, the last outside page of your brochure summarizes the inside pages, or lists products or services in point form. You could even add a price list, if you have one.

The next several items in your small business information package are all written on your letterhead, and the sky's the limit as to what you can use.

You could put the letter of introduction just behind your brochure, or you could include it outside the information package cover if you're mailing it. Usually this is just a short, one-page letter introducing yourself and your company, and thanking the recipient for taking the time to look at your information package.

Your product or service review could be long or short, depending on what you're offering. This is not the place to stress benefits, but simply to list and describe your services or products. You can combine a product or service review with your price list very effectively.

Include any press releases about your company, and articles written by you or about your company. If you don't have any, don't worry. You can write some specifically for your information kit. Include announcements of your grand opening, for example, or a new line of products, or your new location. Or write an article about one of your products or services.

White papers are becoming increasingly popular. Are you an expert in a particular area? If you are, you might want to write a white paper to include with your information package. A white paper discusses specific business issues, products, technology or other such topics. It usually summarizes information about the topic, and then suggests a proposal for action, referencing research data to justify the reasons for the action. It explains your topic in terms most people can understand, with the goal of educating consumers and marketing your product or service. White papers help establish the writer as an authority.

The biography of your key officers is basically a resume. Include short one-page biographies of key officers to highlight areas of expertise and level of experience in your industry.

Fliers, coupons and direct mail pieces can also be included in your small business information package. Fliers and coupons emphasize current specials or discounts. Here's a few tips. When you're thinking about specials or discounts, try to create a sense of urgency with them by making them time- or quantity-limited. And, consider the 10/10 rule, which theorizes that people are most likely to buy when they see discounts of 10% or $10. Or, better yet, offer something extra free.

Recent direct mail sales letters can also be included. There's simply too much to say about them to really give justice in this short article, but some things to remember are: to stress benefits, create a sense of urgency, the 10/10 rule and a bolded P.S. including a call to action.

Keep direct mail sales letter simple and relevant. Be enthusiastic, know your product, use your imagination and understand your target audience. Establish trust and credibility. Include testimonials. Give free nuggets of information. And, just like in your brochure, write your direct mail sales letter for how people will read it, scanning left to right, and stopping at graphics and headlines, and the P.S.

Now that you've gotten all your information package items written and printed, it's time to put them all together. You can buy covers in your company colors and have your logo and business name printed on them. Put your business card in the front slot and your information in the inside pockets, making sure your brochure is the first item they'll see. Then send it out, and sit back and wait for responses you're sure to get!

Eve Jackson owns Details Small Business Solutions, a company dedicated to helping small business do big business with communication and image consulting. We write business plans and design corporate identity packages, small business information packages and web sites. We're also copywriters, writing copy for information packages, web sites and direct mail sales letters...

Six Tips For Perfect Email Media Pitches

2008-12-08T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Harry Hoover

Your media pitches can go straight over the plate. With a little forethought, and a few tips, you can throw fewer balls and more media relations strikes.

Brevity is the soul of wit. Shakespeare could have been giving media relations tips when he penned this gem several hundred years ago. If you can't get to the point in your subject line in 10 words or less, you need to work on your message. Keep the subject line short and to the point, and include the time frame if it is important to the pitch. For instance: "Entrepreneurs Storming NC General Assembly Tuesday"

Surprise! If you have a startling or interesting fact, use it as a hook. I am developing a story idea about local home prices. My initial thought for a subject line is: "Average Lake Norman Home Listing Price Spikes To $413,000." Recently I used these subject lines to get coverage: "Interest Rates Hit Six Month Low" and "No Credit Score, No Problem".

Humor Me. Humor is not for everyone. It is best to use it only if you know the reporter has a sense of humor or appreciates quirky items. Maria Stainer, assistant managing editor of the Washington Times, was quoted recently about an email pitch that got her attention and coverage. "Teach Your Dog To Meditate" was the line that hooked her on a story about a new book on animal behavior.

Don't Get Too Attached. Don't ever attach word documents or photos files to an email pitch. Did I mention that you should not send attachments? To get past email filters and to avoid hacking off your media contacts, wait until they ask for additional information before sending photos and documents. And, if you make them mad, your next pitch may be deleted before it is ever read.

Be Cool. You're fired up to fire off that media pitch you have just written. Don't. Let it cool off a bit first. Ask for input from others before you send the pitch to the media, particularly if you are trying to use humor or be quirky. You don't want your pitch to fall flat.

Be Relevant. Friend David Mildenberg, a reporter at the Charlotte Business Journal, has the best tip of all. "I think email pitches can be effective for all the obvious reasons: If they contain news relevant to the publication and its readers, if the pitches are concise and if the pitches are understandable," he says.

Wind up and start pitching.

Public Relations And Real Estate Sales Companies

2008-12-07T15:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

As our real estate market becomes a buyers market more and more realtors are indeed looking for ways to promote community goodwill to increase their buyer base and appease those listings, which are not selling as fast as those customers might like.

Realtors are constantly doing promotions, public relations and involving themselves in the community. They know they must give a little back to stay in the community and receive their share of the business. What innovative things can realtors do for a public relations program? Well, why not join a Neighborhood Mobile Watch Program? Here is why;

REALTORS: Realtors have a pulse on the community; they know the neighborhoods in the town. Some real estate offices grid the town by housing tracts, plus 4 zip code or census blocks and each agent is in charge of a certain area. They often canvass the area and are on a first name basis with many residences. They know the Home Owners Association directors by name. They also refer and are in contact with painters, pool service companies, landscapers, interior decorators, snow removal companies, window washers, contractors, pool companies, and other various residential companies, which can also serve as part of the volunteer neighborhood watch program. They often tour or caravan with other realtors to look at recent listings. In these weekly caravans you might have 4-5 other realtors in the car learning all about the neighborhood mobile watch program. Realtors know lots of people and are constantly involved with things around town, their jobs and success depend on it.

You see it makes a lot of sense to use the synergies of the local business community along with the citizens to keep our cities safe. What better way than to help the realtors to some good old fashion public relations in trade for such a significant win/win situation? Consider all this in 2006.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/