May 24, 2003
In Honor Of Those Who Died...
I was out tonight watering my newly planted flowerbed when I came across the lilac bush that I planted two years ago in memory of my Grandmother, who loved lilacs. All of a sudden, the import of this Memorial Day weekend crashed into my mind, and I hearkened back to a day 22 years ago.
That day started at 4:00 am with a drive through the narrow streets of Manila, Philippines to the gates of the World War II Cemetery and Memorial. I remember to this day, the surge of pride, sorrow and wonderment, as the rays of sunrise sliced through the mist to kiss the tops of the 17,204 crosses there, marking the graves of boys my age and younger who had died in the Philippines and New Guinea so that freedom could live.
But the most powerful part of that morning came 30 minutes later as we walked among the graves.
Posted at 08:42 PM
May 21, 2003
Big Brother Really Is Watching?
Incredible - less than 2 hours after writing about SBC's huge profits from last night's American Idol show, who shows up in front of my house? A SBC truck!
Do you think that SBC reads blogs?
Are they going to disconnect me for writing about them?
Maybe there really is a big brother and he lives inside my phone lines...
Help! Click. Silence...
Posted at 01:00 PM
And The American Idol Winner Is...The Phone Company!
As most everyone in America seems to know, last night was the final voting session for American Idol, with the winner being announced tonight.
But here's what's really interesting - in the two hours following the airing of the show, SBC, our regional Bell company, reported that 9.6 million calls were placed by Wisconsin residents, 84% more than an average Tuesday evening.
Grabbing my calculator, that means that 7.1 million incremental calls were placed last night (an average of 3.4 incremental calls per Wisconsin household). Since in Wisconsin most of us pay 6 cents per call, SBC pocketed $426,000 more last night than normal. Not bad for 2 hours of sitting around watching the call tracking screens... Multiply that by 50 states, and there's a tidy sum.
And I spent the whole evening at my wife's wonderful recital for all of her violin students - so someone else placed my 3.4 calls too. And without my permission!
More importantly, as one who has never watched American Idol, I'm very interested in understanding this phenomena - as its success could be valuable for all PR people to understand.
What, in your opinion, is driving this, and what lessons can we learn from it?
To weigh in, hit the comments button below and let us know what you think!
I look forward to seeing your thoughts...
Posted at 09:58 AM
May 16, 2003
The Death Of Spin
Isn’t it interesting how many business lessons can be gained by watching politics.
Take, for example, the huge amount of political backpedaling that we’re currently seeing amongst those who vigorously spoke out against Bush just before we went to war with Iraq.
Remember our vaunted Senate Minority Leader, Tom Daschle’s comments, taking one last swipe just before the war at Bush’s diplomatic capabilities and his unwillingness to kowtow to the UN? It seems that the good (and wise) citizens of South Dakota didn’t take kindly to those comments and if the election was held today, just about anyone stands a good chance of defeating Mr. Daschle in an election. So right now Mr. Daschle’s teams are out polling, focus grouping, and spinning, trying to come up with some way of convincing his constituents that he really didn’t mean what he said. Good luck, Mr. Daschle – it’s awfully hard to be a leader in the Senate if you can’t get re-elected!
Or Russ Feingold, whom I’m embarrassed to say is from my state of Wisconsin, who stood on the floor of the Senate two days ago to “talk about global terrorism – an effort that is surely our highest national security priority.” Really, Mr. Feingold? Aren’t you the Senator who cast the sole vote against the Patriot Bill? The one who voted against funding the military’s efforts in Afghanistan and against war in Iraq and the one who parades the specter of 9/11 in front of us on a regular basis, but who votes against almost every anti-terrorism measure that is placed before him? Try putting your vote where your mouth is!
Remember, esteemed politicians, that your voters aren’t stupid and (as was pointed out in one of my favorite Covey-isms) “You can’t talk your way out of a situation you behaved yourself into.”
The days when “spin” worked are over for politicians and businesspeople, replaced by a world shaped by Enron, CEO scandals and a President who couldn’t define what “is” is.
Americans are now looking for leadership based on courage, and principles, not the stance du jour, based on focus groups, polling and the clever machinations of back-room speech writers. The effectiveness of spin is rapidly dying and the days where you could say one thing, then have people actually believe that you meant the opposite are dead.
Posted at 01:11 PM
May 11, 2003
A Tribute To Mothers
I'm the oldest of 8, so I decided to beat the Mother's Day rush and call my mother yesterday instead. It was great - I had almost an hour of conversation with her without having to worry about all my other siblings not being able to get through.
But today, I'm finding my mind filled with other things that I wish I would have said to my mother in our call yesterday. So, I write a few of those thoughts as a tribute to my own mother, the mother of my three children, and to all of the mothers everywhere:
"She broke the bread into two fragments and gave them to her children, who ate with eagerness. 'She hath kept none for herself,' grumbled the sergeant.
"'Because she is not hungry,' said a soldier.
"'No,' said the sergeant, 'because she is a mother.'"
Victor Hugo
I remember now how many times my mother suddenly lost her appetite when dessert was placed upon the table, when there was just enough money to buy one package of fries, or when someone really wanted seconds.
I honor her for that, just as I see my wife do the same thing.
My mind goes back to a mother I met many years ago in the little town of Laoag, almost at the northern tip of the Philippines.
She was a widow, raising her family of several children, her siblings, several neices and nephews and her crippled parents, all from the few cents she was able to earn each day selling fried noodles in the marketplace.
I came to know her at a time of crisis in her life - her husband has just passed away, she had moved in with her siblings (who seemed to have no other means of support) and business was not doing well enough to support the large household. Over the next two months, I watched her growing thin, then emaciated. Eventually she acquired the charateristic stretched facial skin and extended belly that those of us who have spent time around true starvation know to fear.
She was literally starving herself to feed her family.
My heart was ripped to shreds. I gave her all of the money I could, but it didn't seem to help. I worked with her to encourage the extended family to provide more of their own support, which they eventually did, but things had degraded to the point where the situation was on the cusp of hopelessness. Could we keep her alive long enough to turn things around?
Eventually, I gave her the last of my precious supply of multi-vitamins, hoping that the nutrients they carried would keep her alive long enough.
Though it all I kept hearing the words going through my mind, "greater love hath no man than this, that he will give his life for his friends."
Several weeks later I returned home to the US. Since this lovely mother had no money to write, I quickly lost track of her.
It wasn't until several years later that I received a letter from her oldest daughter. The mother, thankfully, had survived, though her health will never be the same.
As it turned out, the mother had sold the vitamins to pay for a doctor's visit for a child.
Here was a mother who took the only route she knew to save the children she loved. And though I wished she would have handled some of her extended family issues differently, I will always honor and love her for that great example.
I heard a quotation today which reminded me of the mothers I respect most in my life:
"Motherhood is more than bearing children, though it is certainly that. It is the essence of who they are as women. It defines their very identity, their divine stature and nature, and the unique traits our Heavenly Father gave them.
"God planted within women something divine. That something is the gift and gifts of motherhood... They are born with an inherent right, an inherent authority, to be saviors of human souls and the regenerating force in the lives of God's children.
"A mother's calling... is to love and help lead the rising generation through the dangerous streets of mortality. Mothers... are the Lord's secret weapons."
Sheri L. Dew
My mother exemplifies these traits, as does my beloved wife and so many of the other wonderful mothers I know. As a son and husband, I thank my mother and my wife (let's face it, half of my wife's challenge is to mother her husband) for making me what I am. I will be eternally grateful.
And to all of the mothers who read this - thank you, from all of us, for making the world a better place. You truly are the Lord's secret weapons.
Posted at 07:36 PM
May 09, 2003
How To Hire a Publicist
Remember the days when you could setup a box or two, fill a pitcher with water and lemonade powder, and have an instant business? Five cents would buy a person a glass of overpowering lemonade. You would sit outside for hours and wait for passing motorists to pull up and buy a refreshing beverage. Life was good. Your product cost was zero, because Mom paid for it. You could drink your inventory without repercussions. You were business owner, sales staff, supplier, and janitorial all in one.
Publicity came easy back then. After all, you were local, and just needed a couple of cardboard signs with arrows that said: Lemonade 5 Cents.---> And if business go slow, you could go door to door, and let your customer base know you were actively in business.
Unfortunately, we grew up (at least some of us did - my wife's still wondering about me...)
Now, we have a much larger business to deal with, and it takes a little more than a cardboard sign that says:
Integrated electronic components, $2,594.95 each. --->
Advertising and classic marketing principles are key to succeeding in business. Of course, public relations plays a role in that process. How much of a role depends on many things, especially your time, commitment level, and
past experience.
As you're aware, GreatPR and 101PublicRelations.com are dedicated to giving you the tools you need to perform many public relations activities on your own. But there clearly is a time, place, and need for professional publicists.
Let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of hiring a publicist:
Advantages -
-- Publicists generally have a long list of contacts with news agencies, advertising firms, and others that you don't. This means better access to publicity channels. There are clearly advantages of working with someone who
has a relationship with and who talks with the key reporter for your business several times a month, rather than having you try to cold call that person to pitch your story.
-- A publicist does this sort of stuff all day long. Good ones know what works, what doesn't, and can probably find new and creative ideas that you never thought of.
-- They have time to construct a publicity plan, and implement it. Presumably, you don't. They leave you the time to do the things you do best: run a business, market a business, or lay around on the beach...
-- Chances are that the publicist you hire will have multiple clients. They will probably be able to cross-pollinate to get mass publicity for all. This can help you if your name is even remotely associated with other large, well-known, good companies.
-- The good ones have mounds of examples and/or experience they can draw upon to generate new ideas to help your company get out of its PR comfort zone, to get you attention.
But, unfortunately, there are some disadvantages...
Disadvantages -
-- The first and most obvious disadvantage is the cost. Publicists can be very expensive.
-- By having a publicist do the work, you don't develop the expertise that could have you doing the work yourself.
-- A publicist has little to no inside knowledge of your company. That can present difficulties when your publicity run involves complex information. Making them an expert in your company will cost you, either directly through a billable hour charge or that cost will be embedded in a project's cost so that you won't see it, but it will cost you.
-- The publicist gains all the benefits of the personal relationships with the media instead of you. This can be a problem if you decide to leave the publicist and work with the media directly at some future point.
-- When the media has questions, who do you want them to call, you or the publicist? You can bet they will call the publicist.
-- The quality range of publicists is amazingly diverse. It can be hard to determine how good of a publicist you have hired. A bad publicist is like a dead fish. They stink, badly!
-- Some publicists really love to hold huge publicity events, which can cost tons of money and generate either huge amounts of publicity, or possibly, none at all. Just be careful that any agency you hire focuses on the basics first, turning to major splashy events only once the basics are in place.
-- Lastly, the bigger the agency, the more likely it will be that you are assigned a low ranking publicist. That doesn't mean they are bad. It just means that they have not had the chances to prove themselves. You need to realize that even though you're paying for a big publicist name, you're actually working with a newbie who's ink on their diploma isn't even dry yet.
So, is it a good idea to hire a publicist or not?
The key questions you should consider are:
- What kind of relationships do you currently have with the media? If they're weak, that's a point in the publicist's favor.
- Are you spending as much time as you would like in the area of publicity? As you consider the way you actually use your time, is PR getting prioritized or not? If no, perhaps you need a professional working on it for you.
- How much PR success are you having right now? If little, there's another point in their favor.
Keep in mind also, that it's possible to hire a publicist for a specific project. That work will cost more then the exact same work done as part of a retainer, because they will have to put all of the overhead onto that single project instead of amortizing it over the year, but it's a good way to test the water.
The real key to your success in hiring a publicist is which one you choose. If you choose the right one, and work with them well, you're likely to have success. Choose the wrong one, or work with them poorly, and you're destined to (my daughter's word) "miserability."
Need more help in determining whether a publicist is right for you and advice on how to make the key choice of which one to hire? Our new training manual "How to Hire the Perfect Publicist" gives you great information, checklists, and the tips you need to make the choice. Get more information here: How To Hire The Perfect Publicist
Posted at 01:10 PM
Choosing Between Broadcast Media Sources
If you've been around the public relations world for long, you've probably had an editor point out to you that there are two sides of their operation, editorial and advertising, and that what you're pitching to them is more of an advertisement than news.
And they're absolutely right. Some pieces are more appropriate for advertising. Plus, advertising is a key partner to many, if not most, successful PR programs.
But, when it comes to the broadcast media, typically one is able to afford either television or radio, but not both. Usually this is based on the prices for television advertising...it can be furiously expensive.
How does one choose between them? Here are the strengths of each:
Television:
1. Television presents the opportunity to reach larger audiences with a single ad placement.
2. Typically, TV can be geared to selected audiences by choosing different shows and broadcast times.
3. People are generally able to form a personal identification to television personalities than radio disc jockeys (though some of the radio talk show personalities are an exception to the rule).
4. Television combines video, audio, motion, and a sense of immediacy and involvement in the audience.
5. The advertising methods used on TV give you great flexibility in showing to a certain group of people and their chosen viewing times.
6. It's typically easier to buy a national advertising presence through TV than radio.
7. Television is a great way to demonstrate product superiority through a demo in your ad.
Radio:
1. Because it is only audio, the listener forms an impression based upon their own imagination, which can sometimes be greater than if you had supplied the image.
2. Radio reaches people during more hours than television.
3. Less involvement means that people can do other activities while listening. Most people listen to the radio while driving, working, and get togethers with friends.
4. Because listeners can phone in to speak with the DJ, this gives the impression that the listener is somehow involved.
5. Typically, radio advertising is much less expensive, though it's still possible to spend a ton of money on radio!
6. Radio is ideal for reaching geographically targeted audiences.
Many of these factors also apply to public relations. For example, let's say you were promoting a book about cooking. TV, because of it's visual nature, would be a far more powerful medium for you, because you can show the food being prepared, the beautiful spreads in the book, and the host's obvious delight in sampling the product.
On the other hand, radio wins out in other areas. It's often easier to get on radio, especially if you're content to start out on the small stations in small markets, then to use the power of those tapes to leverage yourself onto larger stations. They're great for book or celebrity tours because the talent can do the shows at home in their jammies, instead of having to physically be in front of a camera. There's also the impact of drivetime, allowing you to reach audiences that simply wouldn't be available during that block of time.
So, we recommend that you consider both of these important media sources, rather than just insisting that TV is the way to go in your next campaign.
Are you trying to find more information about radio and TV public relations? We have what you are looking for.
How to Get Booked on Radio Talk Shows, Give a Great Interview and Get Invited Back
This no-nonsense guide gives you the information you need to get yourself on the radio. Comprehensive in scope, all of the fluff has been removed. This covers the important information to get into the broadcasting circuit fast!
How to Get Onto Drive Time Radio Shows
The radio is heard more often in cars than anywhere else. It makes sense that you would want to be on the radio shows while people are commuting. This CD features Joan Stewart interviewing radio veteran George McKenzie.
How to Get on the Local TV News Tomorrow
Need television publicity fast? Listen to the tips from Joan Stewart on this audio CD, and watch your television campaign get catapulted to the top of its class. Learn the secrets of the big firms and use them to build your company's
status.
Still looking for more products on these topics? Try going to our television or radio subject pages.
Television
Radio
Posted at 12:57 PM
New Public Relations Products
We've been working hard to provide you the tools you need to build your business and have created a number of excellent new products from which everyone on this list could find at least one that would help them to build their business:
Audio CD: Kick Up A Media Storm - How To Get Free or Really Cheap Publicity
Tons of great ideas on this one! The biggest myths about publicity, the single most important thing you can do to get it and much more.
Audio CD: How To Write A Pitch Letter That's More Powerful Than A News Release
This is the best way to upgrade your publicity from "OK, we'll run part of your press release" to getting full-page feature stories!
Audio CD: The Do-It-Yourself Press Release Makeover - How to Turn a So-so Release into a Wildly Successful One
How to kick your press releases into high gear, significantly improving the
probability that they will get run.
Audio CD: Fail-Proof Ways To Follow Up After Sending A News Release or Pitch Letter
This CD solves the problem that plagues us all, answering not only whether to follow up but how to do it in a way that works!
Audio CD: The Dangerous Hidden Secrets of Print and Broadcast Reporters
This CD teaches how to work with the strengths, weaknesses and interests of reporters to get your stories run. It's hard to explain in a sentence - you really should see everything that was discussed by visiting this page.
Audio CD: How To Use Business Journals To Tell Your Story
A story in a business journal is oftentimes worth three to five times that of the same story in the business section of the paper. Learn how to work with the unique needs of the business journals, the types of stories to pitch, and how to develop long-term relationships with this key media outlet.
Audio CD: 77 Streams of Super-Lucrative Income for Authors, Experts and Speakers
Significantly expand your income and diversify your income base with these powerful ideas and techniques.
Audio CD: How To Get Booked On The View
Running in many markets right after Oprah, The View has great viewership numbers and can yield some great results for those who it features. Learn the secrets of pitching to this talk show.
Audio CD: How To Work With The Travel Media
The travel media can be a powerful, yet frequently overlooked source of walk in traffic for tourist attractions, restaurants, hotels, stores, museums, universities and more. Learn what kinds of stories they want and how to pitch to them.
Training Manual: How To Hire The Perfect Publicist
Learn how to decide whether you need, interview, hire and utilize the services of a professional publicist.
Posted at 12:49 PM
Key PR Tools To Build Your Business
Looking to build your business through getting free publicity? Here's a list of our favorite PR resources designed to give you the knowledge you need to gain the public relations successes you need.
Creating Powerful Press Releases
This information-packed report takes you step-by-step through the process of developing a powerful press release, plus you can get it in a special pack that also provides a set of fill-in-the-blank templates for many of the most frequently-needed press releases.
Media Relations Power
199 Ways to Get Free Publicity for Your Company, Cause or Product - 21 special reports that collectively give you most everything you need to know to create, manage and profit from your relationships with the media
Public Relations Disasters
A Dozen Press Releases From Hell and How to Fix Them - teaches principles of how to be successful in today's wired world. It features a dozen examples including nine guaranteed-to-land in-the-trash press releases. Each one is followed by a version rewritten to make it work, so you can learn by example, not theory.
The Ultimate Guide To Getting Booked On Oprah
Literally everything you need to get on The Oprah Show, including detailed success stories, exclusive interviews with prestigious publicists, case histories of famous people, authors, and entrepreneurs like you, insider secrets, hot tips, "off the record" comments, and focused strategies to give you a look at the what it really takes to get on the show and become a media sensation.
Secrets of Effective Press Release Distribution
Teaches you which press release distribution service to use (and which waste your money;) how to create and manage your own media lists more effectively; how to track your Web and offline media results more accurately; and how to write a release that will definitely catch reporters' attention.
Electronic Media Kits - How to Create Them, Deliver Them and See INSTANT Results
Having a powerful electronic media kit is vital to PR success in today's world. This audio CD/tape answers all the key questions and gives you the information you need to create one that will make reporters call you, instead of the other way around.
The Special Report Value Pack
Get all 45 of our special reports, packed with all of the key information you need to build your business using public relations at a special value price that's the equivalent of getting 9 reports absolutely free!
Posted at 12:38 PM
