PR & Marketing Brainstorming Tips – Part 1

June 21, 2012 Leave a comment

Before you launch a PR, social media or marketing campaign, you want to make sure that you’ve outlined your objectives, reviewed your marketing approaches and thoroughly mined your PR stories.  One of the best ways to do this is to set up a marketing brainstorming session.  To start, sit down and make a list of objectives that you want to achieve before starting the process.  You don’t want to limit your ideas, but you do want to define the objectives you’re setting out to accomplish.  When it comes to brainstorming your PR and marketing strategies, your goal is to come up with a list of the ideas and approaches that will best serve you, including new business concepts, the unique value you offer, important information you offer your clients, and anecdotal stories that illustrate how you  work.  I also suggest spending some time focusing on how and why you can be presented as an expert in your overall field.

This type of brainstorming is generally best done as a group process.  I know that if you’re working on a start up, chances are you’re wearing several hats, but if you have others on your team, bring them in.  For example, set up a marketing- brainstorming session with your PR consultant, or, if you’re doing this in-house, meet with members of your staff.  If you’re a one man, or one woman show, bring together some friends or associates who understand your business.  You want people you can bounce ideas off.  You want feedback, plus you want shared enthusiasm and energy.  Make it fun; make it a game, but one with a purpose.

When you do set up a brainstorming session, allow everyone involved to speak freely.  Set up an agenda but let the information flow.  Think out of the box.  Be creative.  Remember you don’t have to use all of these ideas but the deeper you drill down, the better the chances of mining some real marketing gold, so let the ideas fly.  Let yourself banter about marketing, social media and PR ideas.  Even if these are ideas you might never use.  You never know, those might actually turn out to lead you to some golden PR nuggets.

Make a marketing list and break it down into marketing, public relations and social media.  Now see how many ideas you can place in each list.  For example, when it comes to social media, what are some unique Twitter, Facebook or Google+ approaches that you can take?  How can you present yourself and most successfully engage with others?   In the PR realm what are some different stories that you could pitch to the media?  These ideas can be about your product or service, but they also might be about your journey as an entrepreneur, or they might be stories about how you’ve impacted others.  Each one of those stories can speak to a different target audience.

In the second part of the brainstorming tips I’ll be focusing primarily on social media and traditional media relations, but the brainstorming basics remain the same, step out of the box, let go of any preconceived ideas and let your creativity soar.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

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Why You Should Launch a PR Campaign in a Tough Economy

October 13, 2011 Leave a comment

No one is going to buy your product or services if they don’t know it exists and this is particularly true in tough economic times.  As counter intuitive as it might seem, the slow times are the times that you can’t afford to cut back in your marketing efforts.  It has been documented that companies that increase their marketing efforts during a recession can improve their market share as well as their return on investment at lower costs than they can during good economic times.  This is true because during uncertain times consumers need the reassurance.  They need to see you’re there.  While your competitors are cutting back and going into stealth mode, you should be keeping yourself and your company in front of your target audience.  While the competition is out of sight and out of mind, you should be front and center.

Understandably you don’t want to take on an expensive advertising campaign during lean times, but you do want to market.  You want to be creative.  You want to focus on how to best reach your market at a reasonable cost.  You also want to be realistic and understand that you’re going to need to invest in yourself and your company.  As the old adage says, it takes money to make money; but it needn’t take a lot.

  1. Initially, study your market and define your specific target market.
  2. Next, do some research and find out how to reach that market.  What do they read?  What do the watch?  What social media sites do they use?  What web sites do they visit?  You don’t need to hire a firm to do this market research for you.  Give someone the parameters you’re looking for, put them in front of a computer and get them started.  Twitter and Facebook alone offer a wealth of information on consumers and their likes and dislikes.
  3. Make a list of the media they read, watch, and visit.
  4. Develop a marketing campaign that will speak to your target market.

Because advertising and direct marketing can be expensive, I generally recommend a targeted marketing campaign that combines traditional public relations with an online campaign that includes blogging and social media.  Media relations is so effective because it reaches your target market, establishes you as an expert and offers you the validation of being featured in the news.  It also gives you powerful ammunition for your social media campaign.   The story pitches and press releases that you develop to present to the traditional media can also be modified and used online in your blogs and social media posts.  Always keep in mind that your objective is to present yourself as a problem solver.  Don’t pitch your business or product, explain how you can solve your client’s problems and make their lives easier, more efficient, healthier, etc.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2011

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Build it And They’ll Come? – It Helps to Have Some PR Signposts Along The Way

July 7, 2011 Leave a comment

Build it and they’ll come is a theory quite a few businesses go by.  Heck, it worked in the film “Field of Dreams,” so why shouldn’t it work in real life?  Probably sometimes it does, but that’s generally luck and who wants to leave the success of their business to luck.  You can build the best product in the world and if no one knows it exists, it’s going to be the best product in the world that no on has ever heard about.  And that would be a shame.  Yes, you need to build it, but of equal importance is making sure that your customers and target market know it exists.  You need to make the signposts and build the bridges.

Let’s say you have the essentials: you love your business, and are passionate about taking it to the next level; you have a basic business plan (it could be just a handwritten page), you believe you can succeed and you have surrounded yourself with supportive people.  Let’s even take it a few steps further, you’ve developed the service, or created the product.  You have your offices.  Everything is packaged and ready to go.  Now what? How do you expect to spread the word about your business?  How is your target market, your prospective clients, or the public at large going to find you?  Remember, reaching your potential customers is as important as creating your business, because without your customers, there is no business.

So, what do you do? Take out ads, make cold calls, send out direct marketing pieces, launch an online marketing campaign?  What are your best choices?  Look around you. Your greatest marketing tools are sitting in your living room or bedroom, lying on the coffee table and resting on your night stand – your TV, magazines, newspapers, radio and the Internet.   How do you utilize those tools?  Effective PR, a campaign that melds traditional public relations, social media and blogging, is the single most effective marketing tool available.

Imagine picking up Newsweek or People or The Wall Street Journal and reading an article about you, your company, or your product, or turning on the Today Show, or CNN and seeing a segment profiling you and your company – that is effective media relations and that is the bridge and the signpost that will bring your customers to you.   Through the media, you can validate your business, establish yourself as an expert in your field and watch your dream grow – that is the magic of effective PR.  Combine that with a social media and blogging campaign and you have a truly effective marketing campaign. 

We all know that the cornerstone of any business is positive referrals, or word-of-mouth. TV appearances and magazine interviews are some of the most amazing forms of referrals available. Hundreds, thousands and potentially millions of people will learn about and talk about you and your business. That type of exposure positions you as an expert in your field.  You can then take that media coverage and post it online via your blog and social media, further magnifying and amplifying the impact.

So by all means build it.  Next launch an effective media relations campaign for you and your business.  Now, they will come.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2011

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4 (more) Secrets to Developing the Perfect PR Pitch

December 21, 2010 Leave a comment

You might have a great story, but if you don’t know how to present it, you’re not going to grab the media’s attention.  Remember what seems like a great story for you might not seem that way to the media.  Building a great pitch for a TV segment or magazine article takes some time, thought and creativity.  Have fun with this process.  Give it some time and you just might uncover some hidden gems that will launch your PR campaign.

Before you approach the media, study and review the press release or pitch you’re going to be using.  Again, simply because it looks good to you doesn’t mean it will resonate with the media.  Keep working on and refining your pitch with the focus on how it will meet the media’s needs.

1. Debunking a myth:

If there are certain preconceived ideas in your industry, or surrounding the topic you’ll be pitching, focus on those and pitch a story around how those myths or preconceived ideas are wrong.  For example, if you’re in the fitness industry, come up with some points that debunk some commonly held misconceptions about working out or losing weight.  Present yourself as the expert who can set the record straight and  educate the public.

2. Comment on a national issue:

If there is a story being covered in the media, or if there is a particular topic that is being discussed that you can comment on do so.  For example, if you are an attorney and there is a particular legal case that is in the news, or if there is an issue or topic that is being discussed that you can address, pitch yourself as an expert in the field who can clarify and explain the topic.  Perhaps take a side and explain why the other side is wrong.  Make sure to explain why you are the expert to address this topic.

3. Seasonal Stories

The media always covers season stories.  It has to.  Whether the story has to do with the Christmas holidays, or summer, these are stories that are covered every year.  Find a way to pitch yourself or your product as a part of one of those stories.  For example if you own a beauty salon, or a cosmetic company, you can pitch a “new look for the new year” New Years story.

4. Your journey.

Often the best and most compelling stories are those that tell the story of your journey.  We’ve worked with a wide range of clients from filmmakers to physicians, and in almost every case the story of how the client developed his or her business, created the product, or started the service, served us well.  The media and people in general gravitate towards human interest stories that show how someone overcame odds to achieve a dream.

Keep all of these approaches in mind when you’re putting together your list of stories to pitch to the media.  Remember this is not a one-size-fits-all type of campaign.  Shift your pitch to match the needs of the particular media you’re going to be contacting.  Let the media know why your story works for them.  Keep your pitch short and to the point.  Present your story as a news segment, not as a pitch.  These tips work, so be prepared.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2010

 

 

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Market First!

August 30, 2010 Leave a comment

So many entrepreneurs, whether they are fashion designers, filmmakers, attorneys, or  diligently working to get everything done and in place so they can then consider launching a marketing campaign.  Bad idea.  Market first.  I know it seems counterintuitive, one of those cart before the horse type of approaches, but if you’re truly set to launch your business or company and it’s not simply a daydream, start generating interest and creating a buzz now.  Your initial steps are to:

Define your business

Define your target market

Develop and launch a marketing campaign. 

Prepare your business launch while your public relations and marketing campaign is in process.

This doesn’t mean you try to land a national TV spot or magazine article before you’re ready, it means you start to generate interest – now.  Over the years I’ve had so many clients come to me who have created and have given no thought as to how they’re going to reach their market.   Too many entrepreneurs get their business in place and then sit and stare with a confused look, wondering what the next step is.  Do not make that mistake. Before you finish your film, or mix your CD, or launch your product line, begin your marketing; design and implement a strategic traditional and online PR campaign.  Starting a buzz via the media and online you can pave your way to success. 

 Generating interest prior to your launch can:

 1) Position you in the marketplace

2) Interest possible investors

3) Start bringing clients and customers your way

4) Help you find new and different distribution channels

5) Begin to establish you as an expert in your field

Make your marketing a strategic approach.  Don’t simply launch a Facebook page, or send out press releases.  Think the process out.  Consider all of the marketing and promotional options including advertising, direct marketing, public relations, email marketing, Adwords, social media, blogging, etc.  Now develop a plan that reaches your market, fits your needs and offers you the most bang for the buck. 

Develop compelling story ideas; come up with photos and video that you can utilize online.  Utilize the tenants of traditional PR and meld those with social media, blogging and online marketing.  Start getting the word out there about you and your product or company.  Don’t wait until you have a warehouse, or even a garage filled with product before you give thought to how you’re going to market.  Do it now.  It is an integral step on the way to success that you owe to your self and your company. 

 Copyright © Anthony Mora 2010

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Six Ways to Market Your Business on A Shoestring

August 3, 2010 Leave a comment

Very few businesses thrive or even survive without marketing.  But it can be an expensive process. There are several options that businesses can utilize that won’t break the bank. Start with the simple stuff.

1) Business cards can be a quick way to introduce your business and pass the information on.  Use your cards wisely, don’t just put your basic information on it.  Come up with a line or two that you can put on the card that explains who you are.  Use it as a way to promote yourself and your business.  Then get the cards out there.  Come up with a gameplan to get your cards in as many hands as possible.  See if there are places where you can have your cards displayed, or boards they can be added to.

2) Network. Join civic and business groups.  Do some homework and find networking groups in your area that you can join.  These are places where you can pass out your business card, but more importantly, these can be great places to make contacts.  If the people you meet at the groups can’t utilize your services or products, they very well may know others who can.  Also develop your verbal business card.

3) Find a way to deliver your pitch in less than a minute.  Ann Convery (www.anncovery.com) is the expert at this.  Utilizing her Speak Your Business in 30 Seconds or Less technique you can develop much more than an elevator pitch; she helps businesses craft their verbal brand.  Once you’ve developed this you have a powerful and effective way to describe your business and give prospects a call to action.

4) Once you developed your 30 second verbal brand, build on that and come up with stories and pitches that you can send to the media.  When pitching the media, position yourself as a resource instead of a sales force. This is particularly important to keep in mind when calling producers or editors to follow up on a PR pitch. When defining your media message, be specific. Sharpen your story. You may have numerous talents, you may have several stories to tell, but don’t try to tell them all at once. You don’t want a one-note campaign, but you do have to play each note individually. If you slam all of the piano keys down at once, you don’t get music, you get noise. What you’re looking for is melody, music. You can tell your various stories, but don’t try to give them to the media all at once, tell them sequentially.  Come up with five or six different topics or hooks that you can comfortably and expertly address. Now put them in order. Prioritize them. Don’t pitch all of our stories to the media at the same time. You want to be targeted and succinct in you media pitches. An effective public relations campaign can be your strongest marketing and branding tool

5) Offer your services as a speaker.  Offer to speak on your topic for free. Your objective is not to make money from the speeches themselves, but to make contacts, establish yourself as an expert and have prospects find you via your speaking engagements.

6) Create an attractive, functional website to drive prospects to.  Make sure and have your URL on your card.  Consider creating a blog and position yourself as an expert in your field.  Go on various social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter and post your blogs.  Also post information that would be of help to your clients and prospective clients.

Bonus tip) Post and traditional media coverage that you land on your site, your blog and on the various social media sites.  This is one way you can maximize your media coverage and turn a local story global.

There are countless other ways to market your business.  But these are some good tried and true ways.  Start here and start to build your business.  After awhile review your marketing mix and see what’s working the best for you. Soon you’ll find the right fit for your ultimate marketing campaign.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2010

Filed under Authors, Branding, business, Marketing, Media, PR, PR Campaign, Public Relations, social media, TV Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Experts Solve Your Toughest Business Problems

June 10, 2010 Leave a comment

Want to learn how to attract more clients, make more money, turbo charge your marketing campaign, and have your clients come to you.  Brand builder/communications expert, Ann Convery, best known for her Speak Your Business in Thirty Seconds or Less, has asked me to join with her in her upcoming teleseminar series.  We’re kicking it off with a free one-time teleseminar entitled: Impossible Inquiries—Superb Solutions! Join Ann and me, along with business experts Patrice Barber, President of Taylor Made Small Biz and Beverly Bergman creator of the Money Matrix Hourglass™.  I’ll be addressing how to use traditional PR to build your business, how to meld PR and social media and how to use article marketing to create an inbound marketing machine, which has clients come to you.  Learn more at: http://www.impossibleinquiriessuperbsolutions.com/

Filed under Authors, Branding, Build Your Business, business, internet marketing, Marketing, marketing strategy, Media Relations, PR, small business Tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

Intuitive Marketing Secrets

January 20, 2009 Leave a comment

You know what type of marketing message grabs you.  When you market, give your audience the message that you’d want to hear.  You want a message that makes you feel good, not only about the product or service, but about choosing to buy it.  Sadly that’s not the message many businesses put out there.  They let the politicians and the media take the lead with messages of angst, or they use the archaic “keeping up with the Jones’s” model created by Madison Avenue.  If that’s what you’re comfortable with, I’d suggest you rethink your marketing strategy.  Sure, it’s worked in the past and to some extent will continue to work, but if you want to broaden your market, grow your business and build a loyal clientele, keep your marketing in line with your values.  Go with your gut.  Be more intuitive and less reactive to outside marketing-guru messages.  What makes people feel good about your product or service?  If you’re selling a beauty product, you help people look and feel better, if you’re an attorney, you help your clients though tough situations, you solve problems.   Stay with that mindset, whatever your business is.

The best marketing is feel-good marketing offered through effective storytelling.  Public relations all comes down to telling a compelling story that engages the readers, viewers or listeners and causes them to take action.  So, start thinking of your marketing, advertising and PR in that vein.  Understand that your job is to present your product or service by telling a compelling story with a call to action.  Pull back and see your business from that perspective.  Start to make a list of your most compelling stories.  You’re looking for success stories.  How do you help your clients or customers, how do you impact their lives?  Do you make their lives easier, more enjoyable?  Remember, you’re not selling your product or service, you’re selling a feeling, an emotion. 

If you’re simply marketing a product or service, your target market could just as easily buy from your competitor.  You need to go deeper than that.  You need to let your customers know why they have to buy from you.  If you don’t tell them, they won’t know and the best way to tell them is with your success stories.  If you have a very narrow or specific target audience, say women over fifty, then come up with success stories that show how you meet their needs.  If your target market is broader, say it’s a nutritional supplement that can be used by people of all ages, then break down your target market into segments and come up with specific stories and messages that are designed specifically to meet the needs of those markets.  Don’t think that a one-size-fits all marketing campaign will work.  When setting up your marketing plan, drill down and drill deep.  You want to make your customers feel good about their decision.  You want them to feel they’ve not only made the right decision, they’ve made a smart decision.  Remember, each person who sees your public relations, advertising or marketing campaign has to feel that you’re speaking to him or her specifically.  You want your customers or clients to feel that you designed your product specifically to meet their particular needs.  So, take a look at your current promotional campaign.  Now become your customer.  What would make you feel good about making the purchase? Okay, that’s your starting place. Once you step in the shoes of our target market, you’re on the right path.  See your product or service from their eyes and develop your campaign to meet their needs.

 

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2009

For further information visit:
www.AnthonyMora.com

 

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