How To Stand Out In a World of Dot.com Gerbils

The internet has not only drastically changed industries, such as music, media and film, it has changed marketing forever.  Let me restate that, it is changing marketing on an ongoing basis.  How we send and receive information is in a constant state of flux.  There is no final destination; no point of arrival, there is only a constant ever evolving journey.   The not-so-long-ago lonesome trails of the net are now overly congested and traffic is bumper-to-bumper.

This is true not only of the number of web sites themselves but of the proliferation of web and dot-com advertisements. The amount has reached critical mass.  Not only has how we receive our information changing from PCs and Macs to pads and smart phones, but the amount of information that is flowing to us seems to be growing exponentionally.

The problem is the more information we receive, the less we actually register.  Every day we are bombarded with emails, pop ups, banners, etc.  It’s bad enough that we’re assaulted online; the offline world offers little escape.  From sponsorship of college football bowl games, to billboard ads, to stickers on produce, companies are trying any and every advertising and marketing avenue available to lure customers to their sites.

The sheer volume is so overwhelming that most of us are left with little more than a memory of countless dot-com companies that offer something – we’re just not sure what.  From traditional ads and commercials, to PR and media relations campaigns, to email marketing and social media campaigns, companies are trying any and everything to get your attention.

In real time the internet has shot from toddler to grown-up overnight, and the marketing strategies of even one or two years ago will no longer suffice.  So, where does that leave the entrepreneur who is looking to successfully market his or her online business?  Advertising, when done adeptly and consistently, is essential, but these days it can only take an internet company so far. To truly establish a company in the public eye, it’s imperative at some point for the message to take that defining, and validating leap from an ad that precedes the evening news to the story featured on the news.

Whether a company’s objective is to obtain more funding or attract more consumers to its site, there is nothing as validating and legitimizing as a well-placed print piece or TV segment.  The trouble is that not that many years ago, garnering Internet-oriented press was relatively easy.  Remember all of those articles and TV segments heralding the emergence of MySpace?   Stories about the launching of new IPOs, teen-aged wunderkinds who became overnight billionaires, and the very novelty of it all commanded reams of print as well as hours of TV and radio coverage. The wanna be Amazon.coms of the world were featured in every magazine and newspaper and on every TV and radio station.

Well, these days not only are consumers inundated with dot.com information, so is the media, and launching a successful media relations campaign is a bit tougher than it once was.  Still, when it comes to launching and implementing a successful marketing campaign for your online company a strategic mix of traditional PR and social media is your best bet.  As to the hows; I’ll be covering that in my follow up article.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

PETERD. “Fish.” Photo. SEOBOOK. 17 Oct 2011. 15 Apr 2012. <http://www.seobook.com/web-publishing-strategies-help-you-stand-out-competition>

2 PR Secrets: Using Statistics & Offering An Exclusive

You want to try various ways to interest the media.  But you want to make sure your approaches are appropriate.  The following are two public relations secrets to try.  One, using data and statistics in your pitch, just about anyone can use, you just have to get creative, the other, offering the media an exclusive,  is a bit more specific, but if and when you can use it can be a powerful public relations tool, as long as you follow the rules.

1) The media loves data, numbers, statistics and anything that will make a story seem weightier and more concrete.   So, your job is to come up with some unique data and statistics and tie it into your pitch (or pitches).  If you can offer the media information and data that is unique, you’ve got a great chance at piquing their interest.  People love statistics and so do the media. Statistics (percentages and numbers) seem real, whether they are or not. Stats are great to offer to producers, writers, editors, bloggers & media outlets. It gives them a hook, something to work with. They can use your stats and then your quotes to come up with interesting, off beat and fun sound-bites, articles, and segments. Using statistics in your pitches is an excellent way to give an editor or producer a good media hook, and garner media coverage for you and your company.

2) If you have information that is truly unique, contact some targeted media outlets and offer to give them an exclusive.  I hesitate to add this, because for that approach to work your story and pitch truly has to be newsworthy.  If you call a top mainstream media editor or producer and offer an exclusive about a new product or service you’re pitching, you’re not only going to be wasting your time and their time, you’re going to alienate them.  Chances are when you try your next pitch; they’re going to ignore it thinking you don’t understand what real news is.

In the real world, you’re seldom going to be in a position to offer an exclusive.  Those generally revolve around breaking news, celebrity news, politics, crime, etc.  But if you do hit on a story of that importance and offer an exclusive, you are honor bound to stick to it.  Don’t offer an exclusive to 60 Minutes and then turn around and offer the story to a network morning show.  I use that example, because several years ago, that’s exactly what happened to me.  I offered 60 Minutes an exclusive, they accepted and then unbeknownst to me or the 60 Minutes producer, the client was contacted by a producer at one of the national morning shows, and without letting me know until after the fact, the client went on the program before 60 Minutes had aired its segment.

Needless to say, the 60 Minutes producer and I were livid.  That is not the way media or PR works.  If you break trust, it’s very hard to establish it again.  So, if you ever are in a situation to offer an exclusive, think long and hard about what outlet would be the best one to offer the story to.  Which outlets best meet your objectives via readership and target market?  Once you’ve decided, make the offer.  If it’s accepted, you are duty bound to honor it.  Once the story breaks you can take it to other outlets, but until then, put on the breaks,  Hold back and wait until the story has aired or been published before talking to any other media outlets about it.

As I mentioned at the beginning, nearly anyone can use the data and statistic approach, so get creative and see what type of pitches you can come up with.  As to the exclusive, you only want to use that approach when it’s truly appropriate, a new product or grand opening does not qualify.  But, if and when you do come up with a story that warrants an exclusive, don’t be shy to go that route.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

“Average amount of media used per day.” Photo. BBC. 19 Aug 2010. 13 Apr 2012. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11012356>

Gaskell, Adi. “People don’t use social media at work to talk shop.” Photo. Technorati. 13 Apr 2012. 13 Apr. 2012. <http://technorati.com/social-media/article/people-dont-use-social-media-at/>

Who Benefits Most From PR and Media Relations?

One huge mistake when it comes to PR and media relations is thinking that it only helps those that are already established. For example, in the entertainment industry only George Clooney of Jennifer Aniston need PR, or in the business world only Apple and Google can really benefit from a public relations outreach, or in medical arena, only the Mayo Clinic or Johns Hopkins School of Medicine can take advantage of PR and media coverage.  Whereas it’s true that all those listed can and do take full advantage of concerted PR campaigns, it is perhaps even truer that those actors, companies or physicians who are up-and-coming can benefit even more.

Those that I listed above need PR to keep their image strong, but those that have yet to become known in the media are the ones who truly need the poser of PR.  They’re the ones who need to establish themselves in the market, as experts in their fields, and need to reach their clients and customers.  Apple, or Clooney or the Mayo Clinic don’t need to actively pitch their stories as they did before.  The media know to come to them.  Their job is mainly to screen requests and when they have a new story to tell, to alert the appropriate media contacts and set up stories.  It’s the newer companies, or those who have never utilized PR in the past that need to court the media and actively pitch their stories.

Ever wonder how the Clooney’s, Google’s and others got to where they are?  Hard work, talent, expertise, great products-  and plenty of media exposure.  None of these would be at the top of their fields without hundreds of stories in the media including TV, newspapers, magazines and radio.

PR can be like money; those that need it the least get it the most.  That’s why public relations is so vitally important for companies that want to grow, reach their target market, and land more clients or customers.  PR offers the validation and credibility of being featured in the news.  It presents entrepreneurs and companies as premiere in the field.  It opens doors, builds businesses and establishes brands.

So, don’t make the mistake of thinking that your company or business or career isn’t big or important enough for PR.  In fact it’s the opposite that’s true.  Instead of waiting to become big or successful enough to warrant PR, use a creative public relations campaign to transform your business into that successful company you’ve been dreaming of building.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Getty Images. “George Clooney.” Photo. IndiWo. 25 Feb 2008. 11 Apr 2012. <http://indiwo.in.com/india/features/entertainment-life/in-pics-oscars-2008-hot-men-on-the-red-carpet/30631/0>

“Apple logo.” Photo. Forbes. 13 May 2011. 11 Apr. 2012. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericsavitz/2011/05/13/apple-analyst-says-no-lte-in-iphone-5-to-add-sprint-t-mobile/>

“Google Building.” Photo. The Inquisitr. 11 Nov 2012. 11 Apr. 2012. <http://www.inquisitr.com/89991/google-fires-raise-tipster/>

“Mayo Clinic: Defend Your Corporate Identity.” Photo. Bloomberg Businessweek. 11 Apr 2012. <http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/10/1006_twitterville/17.htm>

Outside the Box PR Tips

If you’re pitching the media, make life easier on yourself, pitch the media stories that it wants.  Develop and pitch good, informative, timely entertaining stories.   Editors and producers want to interest as many readers, viewers, or listeners as possible and if you’re willing to work to help them do that, the media can become your greatest ally.  Help them meet their needs and they in turn will help you build your business, sell your products and establish yourself as one of the experts in your field.  But in order to do that you need to think not like a business owner, but like a journalist.  You have to study the various media outlets, review the different formats and study the types of stories they’ve run in the past.

You’re going to succeed by learning how the media thinks, not by assuming you think you know what they want. You have to prepare, do your homework; study the various media outlets. The bottom line is a good story, but it also has to be a story that the media finds of interest.  Don’t assume because you find your particular story fascinating that the media will like it as well.

Your first job is to develop your stories.  That is step number one.  There are no media relations or PR campaigns without good stories.  Once you have those ready to pitch start thinking out of the box.

The following are two out-of-the-box PR tips to consider:

1) Use your website as a way to offer the media story ideas.  Make your site a media destination; a place where editors, producers and writers can find information and story ideas that have to do with your field and expertise.  Do some research and offer facts, tips, and story ideas that the media can use in your media room.  Make it a fun informative, entertaining and educational page.  Offer resources, insider information, tips, advice, and outline the topics and areas that you’re expert in.

2) Conduct an online survey about something in your field and let the media know the results.  The media loves data, that’s why they’re forever quoting information from various polls and surveys.  So offer them your survey.  Give them insider information that they can find no where else.  Then write and distribute a press release publicizing your data and findings.

These are just a couple of outside-the-box tips.  More will follow in upcoming articles.  But, give them a try.  Be creative.  Have fun with this.  Come up with some outside-of-the-box tips of your own and share them with us.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Easter Season PR Tips

One of the main things to look for when pitching the media is how and when you can pitch your story to an event, a breaking news story, a season, or a holiday.  For example, around New Years is a perfect time to pitch stories about weight loss, exercise and fitness. That’s the time that people, who have overeaten during the holiday season are making their resolutions to get into shape, lose weight and establish new eating habits.  Not that those resolutions often stick, but if you’re a fitness trainer, or are marketing a weight loss supplement, or have written the latest and greatest diet book, this is a perfect season to launch your media relations campaign.

Likewise, if you run a spa or you’re a florist, or you sell designer chocolate, Valentine’s Day is great time to launch a PR outreach campaign.  Valentine’s Day is also your target day if you’re a relationship expert and have a new book on finding that right someone, or if you run a dating website.

But what about Easter?  What are some campaigns that work best during this season?  There is quite a lot you can do.  The following are some Easter PR tips to keep in mind.  Remember these are basically seasonal, so you can launch them a bit before the actual day, but can also keep working the campaign for a few weeks after Easter has passed.

  1.  Easter is about spring renewal, which means flowers.  If you’re a florist, you’ll want to consider coming up with unique Easter floral arrangements, gifts, displays, etc.  Tie a story into your pitch.  How do the flowers specifically illustrate the season?  What makes these displays Easter specific?
  2.  Easter is also about food.  Pitches that offer unique Easter recipes, dishes, and desserts can work.  Try to give the recipes some history.  Where do they come from?  What makes them special?  How do the tie in to the season?  Build a story around the pitch
  3.  Easter is also about fashion.  If you’re a designer of clothes or accessories create a PR pitch that ties the season into your designs.  Come up with creations that are specific to the season.  Present yourself as an expert, explain what colors and fabrics should be worn and why.

All of the above are secular ways to pitch, but this is also a great time for churches to do a PR campaign.  What could be a better time to reach out to the public.

You get the idea.  Easter signifies a celebration of spring and renewal.  Find a way to tie your product into those concepts.  Be creative.  Have fun with it.  And – Happy Easter

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Aitch, Travis. “Easter Egg Chocolates.” Photo. Info Barrel. 05 Apr. 2012. <http://www.infobarrel.com/The_Origin_of_The_Easter_Bunny_and_Easter_Eggs>

Art, PR and the Billion Dollar Art Market

The art world is a world of business; really big business.  According to a recent segment on 60 Minutes, the market for this art has outperformed the Standard & Poor’s list of 500 common stocks since 2003.  Just as art is your passion, art is also your work.  Many artists don’t like to concern themselves with the business aspect, but if art is your work. It is also your business.  It’s important to remember that creating your art is only step one.  This is when marketing, PR and media relations need to become part of the picture.

As a good investment, art is bigger than ever. Elite art buyers – many from Russia and China — are so ravenous that in the last year alone, the contemporary art market raked in over $5 billion in auction sales.

Just as art is your passion, art is also your work.  Many artists don’t like to concern themselves with the business aspect, but if art is your work. It is also your business.  It’s important to remember that creating your art is only step one.  In order for your work to become a successful business, you now need to master the art of connecting with your audience, which means it’s time to learn the art of storytelling.  And now, marketing, PR, and media relations enter the picture, no pun intended.

Particularly when it comes to the world of fine art, too many artists and galleries get lost in discussing the specifics that are of interest only to those involved in the art world.  This mistake is not dissimilar to a physician who talks to patients the same way he would speak to a medical peer.  That type of communication is specialized, it is field specific and it generally only works to alienate the public.

Always keep your target audience in mind; remember who your customers are.  If you are targeting art aficionados, fine, use art jargon and art facts, but if you are targeting the general public, beware.  This is particularly true of those who work in or own art galleries.  Often by trying to impress, they end up intimidating a prospective buyer.  Someone might be interested in a particular piece, but by making obscure references that only art insiders will understand, that person ends up intimidated and uncomfortable.  Generally that person will find a quick way to exit and leave -and another one bites the dust.  If that person had been made to feel comfortable and welcomed, if the discussion was about the look and feel of the work, about how and why the work was created, perhaps a story or two about the artist, the opening to the sale would be there.

The same holds true when telling your story to the public and the media.  Effective public relations is effective story telling.  Never lose sight of that.  People don’t want cold facts or jargon.  They want to be engaged, and stories engage.  You’ll want to come up with one overall story and then drill down and find stories that meet the needs of different media outlets.  These stories might be about your art, your journey, your experiences, or your influences.  Make a list of possible stories for example, how and why you became an artist, how you developed your particular style, new projects, shows or exhibits, awards and honors, collaborations with other artists, etc.

Different stories will resonate with different media outlets, so know who your market is, learn which media outlets target those markets, study the media, read or watch, the websites they visit, etc.  Define your message, your market and develop stories and media angles that resonate with your audience.  Launch an effective story-based, PR campaign and you’ll build a bridge between your art and your customers.  Next time 60 minutes does an art story, you can be the example they use.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

“Scrioff Fine Art Gallery.” Photo. Scrioff. 04 Apr 2012. <http://www.stricoff.com/>

“Bully” and the MPAA PR Dilemma

“Bully” opened in a limited release on Friday, leaving theaters to decide whether they should let underage teens in or not.  Harvey Weinstein chose to release the film without a rating after loudly and repeatedly objecting to a controversial decision by the Motion Picture Association of America to give the film an R, which means anyone 17 and under needs an adult with them to get in.

Weinstein has brought his objections along with his army of celebrity supporters to magazines and talkshows, but the MPAA refused to budge and the R rating has stuck, which the Weinstein Co. argued would bar its target audience: teens.

“Bully” is said to have received the R rating because in one scene a bully uses profanity.  If sticking to the letter of the law is its sole purpose, the MPAA is doing its job, but at what cost?  The kids who could most benefit from this film are being locked out.  And why, because of language they hear every day on the playground by those very bullies being documented.  The Hunger Games, a film about kids sent to hunt and eat other kids, ended up with a PG rating.  Go figure.

To quote a recent article by AO Scott in the New York Times: “There is little swearing in the movie, and a lot of upsetting stuff, but while some of it may shock parents, very little of it is likely to surprise their school-age children.” Whose sensitivity does the association suppose it is protecting? The answer is nobody’s. That organization, like the panicked educators in the film itself, holds fast to its rigid, myopic policies to preserve its own authority. The members of the ratings board perform a useful function, but this is not the first time they’ve politicianed us.”

By sticking to this decision, the MPAA is doing irreparable PR damage to its own brand.  It is presenting itself as a dated, archaic system.  “Bully” on the other hand is generating more buzz and PR than it ever could have without this controversy.  Harvey is doing his PR magic.  He and the legion of star power champions of the film are garnering more exposure for the film than any marketing or ad campaign could buy.

Regardless of the rating and the controversy, “Bully” is an important film and one that should be watched by kids and parents.  The problem is how to get the kids to see it.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Allocca, Dave. “Lee Hirsch (left) and Alex Libby.” Photo. People. 02 Apr 2012. 03 Apr 2012. <http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20582921,00.html>

The NFL’s PR Dramas

Last week the NFL was able to muster more PR coverage than it generally does during the height of the playoffs.  Last season not only was Time Tebows’ jersey the number two selling jersey in the league (you’ll have to look up number one); his story captivated a good deal of the season media coverage.  Tebow was covered on nearly every media outlet.  YouTube was filled with videos of people throughout the globe hitting the famed one knee Tebow stance.  For many who had just a passing interest in the sport, Tebow not only was football, he eclipsed football.  He certainly was the main topic of conversation in Denver.  He was their quarterback and was bringing Denver back to its glory days.  Well, what a difference a few months makes.  Tebow is now a backup quarterback in New York and Broncos are Payton Manning’s team.

The Denver quarterback drama wasn’t that hard to figure out.  It would be difficult for a team to pass on one of football’s best quarterbacks for one who is learning the robes and has so many question marks.  The real drama was in San Francisco, where Alex Smith, who nearly took the 49ers to the Super Bowl, discovered that for several days he was in the same position that Tebow was.   Yes, he’s back with the Niners.  But considering how his team was flirting with Peyton Manning, it will be hard to go back to things as usual.  A three year, $24 million deal helps to ease the pain, but still, it can’t be easy to know that the powers that be were that close to letting him go.  True, Smith isn’t Manning, but last season much was made of how, 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh backed Smith at every turn and stated that Smith was their quarterback for the long haul.  At least until a Peyton Manning shows up.  But Manning goes with Denver, Smith stays in San Francisco and who knows what anyone really feels.

The NFL certainly received more than enough media coverage during the Manning frenzy.  It was PR heaven for the league.  A perfect film scripted media relations blitz.  The same can’t be said for the other high profile NFL story that buzzed through the media.  The New Orleans story was more of a PR nightmare than a public relations dream.    On Friday, Saints coach, Sean Payton offered an apology.   In Payton’s first formal statement since the NFL announced his season-long suspension, he explained that he took “full responsibility” for the bounty scandal that led to unprecedented league sanctions against the New Orleans Saints.

Still there are also PR benefits to the Saints bounty story.  Although initially it can be seen as a media relations black eye, the league acted quickly and decisively.  The penalties handed down deliver a clear message that the NFL will not tolerate bounties. The severity of the penalties is unparalleled and media-wise that works in the NFL’s favor.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

“Petyon Manning Tim Tebow.” Photo. Fan IQ. 21 Mar. 2012. 26 Mar 2012. <http://www.faniq.com/blog/Peyton-Manning-and-now-Tim-Tebow-Blog-45962>

The Dictator Victorious Over Oscar?

So only a couple of days after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences warned Sacha Baron Cohen that he would not be allowed into the Oscars if he turned up dressed as his latest creation, Admiral General Aladeen, the Academy seems to have made a 180, or at least a 90.  The program’s co producer, Brian Grazer told Extra that Cohen was indeed planning on showing up at the Award show dressed as the Dictator, Admiral General Aladeen.  That wouldn’t be a surprise considering that was how he promoted  Borat in 2006 and Brüno in 2009 at various events.   “We’re thrilled to have him and he’ll be on the red carpet dressed as ‘The Dictator,’” Brian Grazer told Extra, to which the fictional Admiral proclaimed, “Victory is ours!”.

Whereas Cohen has not definitively said yes or no, he has been making the most of the situation on Twitter, where he posted. “VICTORY IS OURS! Today the Mighty Nation of Wadiya triumphed over the Zionist snakes of Hollywood. Evil and all those who made Satan their protector were vanquished and driven into the Pacific Sea.  He then went on to tweet: “What I am trying to say here is that the Academy have surrendered and sent over two tickets and a parking pass! TODAY OSCAR, TOMORROW OBAMA!”

It’s ironic that the Academy initially threatened to ban Sacha Baron Cohen for using the Awards to promote his upcoming film, considering the entire Award ceremony is created to promote films.  But wait, could this all be a clever ploy? Could said Dictator and the Academy be working in tandem to generate even more media coverage for Oscar?  Could this be a clever media relations ploy, a public relations gambit, a shameless PR stunt?  Of course not, this is Hollywood we’re talking about.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Zutter, Natlie. “Admiral General Aladeen”. Photo. Crushable. 24 Feb. 2012. 25 Feb. 2012. <http://crushable.com/entertainment/admiral-general-aladeen-banned-oscars-response-the-dictator-332/>

How You Can Utilize the Celebrity PR Angle

When it comes to PR, business owners and entrepreneurs generally think of the obvious.  An owner of a hair salon will think of stories that have to do with hair care.  On optician will think of stories that have to do with eyewear, a florist will think of stories that have to do with flowers.  That all makes sense, right?  Yep.  And that’s a start, but if you really want to get your story covered in magazines, newspapers and TV segments, you need to be a bit more creative than that.  For example, if you do own a hair salon, come up with the top ten best celebrity hairstyles and explain why, or maybe give the worst celebrity hairstyles.  You don’t have to be the hairstylist who worked on the celebrities, but you can be the one to comment and position yourself as a hairstyling expert.  If you’re an optician, develop a story on why glasses are really jewelry for the face and then come up with a list of celebrities that illustrate why glasses are a beauty item.  If you’re a florist, come up with a pitch based on flower arrangements used at celebrity events, political events, or any event that is featured in the news.  Comment on why the floral arrangements worked or didn’t work and what you would suggest in the future.

The best way to launch a successful media campaign is to give the press options.  You have a story that you want to tell through the media.  Chances are you have one or two main angles or story ideas that you want covered.  Those are where your focus lies, they are you primary objectives.  But don’t stop there.  Broaden your approach.  For good or bad (and I think I know which one it is) we live in a celebrity-based culture.  The media loves celebrity-oriented stories, so brainstorm a bit and see how you can tie your story into a pitch that offers a celebrity angle.  This might be the furthest thing from your mind and that type of story might very well bore you to tears, but don’t let your personal bias, keep you from presenting a story angle that the media will pick up.  Have fun with it.  Think out of the box.

This celebrity-oriented approach can often be the way to prime the pump and get your media relations campaign off the ground.  From there you can broaden into a more comprehensive campaign.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

James. “Celebrity News”.  Photo. Celebrity Cheeze. 02 Feb 2012. 15 Feb. 2012. <http://celebritycheeze.com/the-history-of-celebrities/>

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