Alliance Communications

Whoooosh!

2011-01-24T13:35:00.004-05:00

That's the noise of me blowing the dust off this blog!! Hello there! It's been a while, huh? Well, thanks to Dr. Burns' Social Media class I'm taking for grad school, this blog will see some real action! And now, for the action ....

What's the worst punishment you can think of for a human being? According to Shirky in his book, "Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing without Organizations,"it's solitary confinement. I know, you might have been thinking death by monkeys or some sort of water torture but it's really quite simple. Humans are social creatures. A lot of tasks we take on might seem like individual tasks but we work with one another to get things done. We actively seek out others who think, act and believe like we do. Since the dawn of time, this has been true.

So it's really no surprise that we've come to embrace social media the way we have. What easier way to connect with one another than using technology? There are no meetings to attend or RSVPs to make, just log on and communicate, 24/7/365/from anywhere on the globe (with Internet access, of course!)

A good definition of social media comes from Boyd and Ellison's 2007 article, Social Network Sites: Definition, History and Scholarship:

"We define social network sites as web-based services that allow individuals to (1) construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system, (2) articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and (3) view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system. The nature and nomenclature of these connections may vary from site to site."

You might think that social network sites came into existence very recently, but that's not the case. Thirteen years ago, in 1997, SixDegrees.com emerged as the first. Although profiles (such as on dating sites), friend lists and instant messaging already existed, this site was the first to put them all in one place (Boyd and Ellison). What happened to SixDegrees? Well, according to Boyd and Ellison, it "failed to become a sustainable business" and closed in 2000. Some said that it was just before its time.

I think back to that time and we still had telephone cords running up and down our hallways and everyone used AOL. It's no wonder it didn't catch on. We were all "newbies" to the internet and really didn't know where to look for such a thing!

And now that we've figured it out and have spawned such giants as Facebook, YouTube, MySpace and other social network sites, the next logical step comes from the advertising world -- how can we use these groups to sell more products! According to Pete Cashmore of Mashable.com in the Social Marketing Playbook, Brands are becoming our "friends" and therefore, they need to become good at storytelling. This is what gives the Brand a voice very much like any other person you might talk to, and is necessary for success.

You might notice a lot of ads on tv now integrating their facebook page or even directing viewers to the page. Just when you thought social media would replace traditional media, this is not the case. Just like when TV came out and radio shivered in its boots, there's plenty of room for social media. As Jeff Pulver of Pulver.com points out in the Social Marketing Playbook, "Old Media and New Media need each other, and have for a long time...When Old Media and New Media become catalysts for each other, amazing things can and will happen."

Shirky says in his book, "When we change the way we communicate, we change society." Nothing could be closer to the truth. We are living it right now. Email, cell phones, smart phones, Internet tv, social networking sites, instant messaging, text messaging ... they are definitely changing the way we communicate. Society, look out!

I love Facebook Fan Pages ... And here's Why:

2010-04-29T08:08:00.004-05:00

As a PR Consultant, I "sell" social media management and SEO Content packages to companies. In most cases, they look at me like I have two heads and proclaim, "Why would I want a Facebook fan page?" Seriously, imagine this same conversation about 10 years ago but replace Facebook fan page with website. Same people.

But here's why I encourage Facebook Fan Pages and why I push companies to get on board:

1 - Ego. Gosh darn, it feels good to see people hit the "like" button and become a fan of your page! It's like running for class president and getting all the votes! It feels good! If not for any other reason, have a fan page just to walk around saying, "They like me! They really like me!"

2 - Customer Feedback. Want to ask your customers/prospects what they think of something? Don't have time/money/staff to do a statistical survey or focus group? Oh, I'd say you could have a pretty good indicator in about 2 hours on Facebook. Yesterday, the TV show Glee asked its fans what they thought of the previous night's episode. In about 2 hours, there were over 1000 responses. Some loved it, some hated it. Some thought it was just ok. Some thought it was the best episode ever. But here's the key, they all said WHY. You can't beat that for instant feedback.

3 - Awareness. I have a client that holds regular electronics recycling collection events. I know this. Yet, it wasn't until I saw their post about their collection the coming weekend that I went around collecting my electronics and made a plan to attend the event. Yeah, I could have thought about it and checked their website but I didn't. People are lazy. If you put it out there to remind them and it's less work for them, they're happy (note: I'm not saying I'm lazy, right?)

4 - It's FREE! Hello, I said FREE! If I told you I had this great publication that literally hundreds of thousands of people read EVERY DAY, several times a day and you could find people directly interested in your product or service -- no matter what that is -- you'd beg me to let you PAY to be in it. But no, this is a freebie, friends. Take advantage of 400% growth every 6 months. GET ON BOARD! It's FREE!

5 - Foward-thinking. Maybe you say that your audience isn't social media saavy. Maybe you think they'll never join a fan page. Think about this. The FASTEST growing segment on Facebook is the 35+ market. The younger generation is already online. They expect to find everyone and everything on social media. And if they don't, they forget about you pretty darn quick. Prep for the future generation. You gotta be in it to win it.

And that's just my top 5. There's no reason WHY you shouldn't be online. If you say "Oh, I'll do it as soon as I have someone to manage it." Then you need to hire me. I'll write your social media plan and execute it, building your fan base and interacting with your audience. But if you don't, that's ok. Your competition will.

The Importance of Customer Relations

2010-04-27T08:56:00.002-05:00

Slick ads and fancy press kits mean NOTHING if the person you're dealing with doesn't have a clue. Sadly, I'm about to break up with PetSmart today over that very problem. Here's what happened:

Me: Hi, I'm calling to confirm my dog's hair cut today. I can't remember what time. I think it's 2:30, 3 or 3:30 pm today.

PetSmart: OK, what's your last name?

Me: Luongo - L-U-O-N-G-O.

PetSmart: L-O-N, what?

Me: No, L- U - O - N - G - O

PetSmart: What's the dog's name?

Me: Trooper.

PetSmart: Pinker?

Me: No, Trooper. I think the appointment is sometime around 2:30 or 3 pm today.

PetSmart: Hold on.

<10 minutes of hold music>

PetSmart: Ms. Luongo? Has your dog been here before?

Me: Yes, many times. I think I called on Thursday to set up this appointment. I'm sure it's in the afternoon.

PetSmart: What kind of dog is he?

Me: Havanese.

PetSmart: I'm looking at the entire week and I can't find him. I see a Tanner but that's a collie.

Me: Can you look in his records to see if they noted the appointment time there?

PetSmart: That's just it, I can't find a record for him ever being here. How do you spell your last name again?

Me: L-U-O ... N-G-O.

PetSmart: I'm just not finding anything that even looks Chinese here.

Me: WHAT? CHINESE?

PetSmart: Or Japanese, whatever.

Me: Um, my dog is a HAVANESE. It's a breed of dog. My name is Italian, if that's what you're guessing.

PetSmart: Oh, here it is. 3:30pm today.

Me: Really? REALLY? Thanks so much.

Friends, it doesn't end there. I get a voice mail a few minutes later.

PetSmart: Ms. Luongo, I show that Trooper's rabies expired last year. Please call me back. The phone number is ... (voice in background telling the number)...

Now, I know his shots are up to date so I call the vet and confirm. Yep, sure enough, he's all up to date. So, I call back.

Me: Yes, I'm returning your call about Trooper's shots. He's all up to date. Doesn't expire until May 22nd.

PetSmart: Oh, really? OK. Just bring the paperwork with you.

Me: Well, PetSmart always just calls the vet and confirms and they said that if you wanted to confirm you could call.

PetSmart: Ok, what's the phone number?

Me: Really? Is this your first day or something?

PetSmart: (pause) um, no.

Me: Wow, ok here's the number.

IN the 3 years I've had this bundle of fur, I've never once had to bring in anything from my vet. They have ALWAYS called and confirmed any questions directly with the vet. Also, his records ARE up to date because I just had him in there not too long ago for boarding. I'm sure of it. I'm not sure what this rocket scientist of a clerk thought she was reading but it wasn't anything about my dog. The Chinese, Japanese Whatever dog breed.

So, here's the point. Make your fancy ads and hire your big gun PR and Ad agencies. Make your stores pretty and have some fun with social media but please, don't hire idiots. Spend some time getting everyone -- even the brand new person in the dog grooming salon -- on board with corporate policies, philosophies and messaging. This experience today couldn't have been more of a trainwreck and in the hour that it has happened, I've put it on Facebook, Twitter and now this blog. You can bet, I'll tell at least 5 friends today at some point too.

Poor PetSmart. One person, one clueless person who was allowed to answer the phone, is giving them all the negative publicity they just don't want. Sad part is, when I tell my friends, they'll inevitably share a story of their own. To think, all of this could have been avoided simply by TRAINING this person. Take a lesson from PetSmart's mistake. Make sure everyone in your company lives and breathes your mission, goals and messaging. If not, they're not worth having on your team.

Are Blogs a PR Tool?

2010-04-26T08:49:00.003-05:00

I got a new computer last week and transferred all of my files to the new computer. I was a bit surprised to see that I had 14 GIGS of email. What?? Who the heck saves that much email? I'm afraid I do. I'm an admitted Email Pack Rat.

So I started cleaning it out by going into those vague folders that you put stuff you want to read "later." Guess what? If 5 years pass by and you still haven't read it, it's not only old, it's OBSOLETE! Yes, friends, I have email going back to 2004 in my email archives. Surely, it'll come in handy someday, right?

So what caught my eye was an email titled, "Could Blogs Be a PR Tool?" I had to laugh out loud! What the heck year was this written? Turns out, 2005. My how much has changed in just five short years! But if you're still wondering, the answer is a resounding YES! Blogs are an EXCELLENT PR Tool! Here's five reasons why:

1) Journalists search the web for information. They find your blog, or blogs written about your company/product/service, and they have more information than a press kit can possibly cover at 2 a.m., the morning of a deadline.

2) People search the web before they buy. More than 85% of all purchases -- personal and business -- begin with a search on the web. Sure, your website could be found and browsed but a blog gives you a chance to address many different topics in one forum, giving people more information in one place.

3) Blogs build keywords. OK so this might not be a true PR tactic but PR is assuming the role of SEO content builder. The more keywords, the better you rank. So write away and build that content!

4) Blogs create a forum. If you don't create a place for your consumers to voice their concerns, complaints or praise, they'll find a place to do so and it'll be harder for you to find it and address it. A lot of complaints are simply poor information but end up on sites like "BIGGESTSCAM.COM" or something similar. Don't tarnish your name with bad PR like that -- blogs give people a chance to interact with you.

5) Blogs give your company/product/service a personality and a step into the social media age. No longer are we operating on the traditional PR model of Business-Message-Journalist-Media-Consumer. In fact, it's all completely jumbled. It's now Consumer-Message-Business. The Consumer owns the message. Businesses and the media strive to keep up with what is on top of the consumers mind.

So yes, 2005, Blogs are a PR tool and if you're not blogging by now, then I should tell you that 2005 called and wants their press kit back. (LOL!) If you don't know how the best way to implement this PR tool, give me a call.

Are you getting ready for 2010?

2009-10-06T12:13:00.003-05:00

If you're not, what are you waiting for? It'll be here sooner than you think and you want to get out of the gate on January 2nd running at full steam! What should you be doing? Here's a good list:

1 - Customer surveys and reviews. Now is the perfect time to ask your customers what they think of you, your product/service, etc. Let them give you a review. Also, use this time to ask them questions about how you can market better. For example, what publications do they read; where do they get info on the product/service you're selling; are they online and if so, where... etc.

2 - Marketing results review. Yeah, remember those goals you set last year? Well, how'd you do? Did you meet them? Exceed them? Fall short? Here's a chance to analyze what worked and what didn't and WHY. It's also a chance to oust projects that aren't measured, or make them measurable. In other words, if you always send a newsletter twice a year but never ask for any response, you need to find out if the effort is worth the return. Could time/money/staff be better spent in other areas? If you don't know the results of a project, it could get killed.

3 - Investigate the market. With this economy, things are changing every day. What are your competitors doing? What are the trends in the industry? How have the players and offerings changed? What is the consumer demanding of the industry? What's the forecast for the industry? What can you do to become/stay a leader?

4 - Making a plan. After you've completed steps 1-3, it's time to start finding out where to invest your time and money to keep the pipeline filled. This inevitably involves more research but this time into publications, reporters' beats, trade shows, associations, speaking opportunities, editorial calendars, etc. etc! This will take the bulk of your time but hopefully, you will have gotten some good clues by talking to your customers and investigating your industry and competitors.

5 - Create a timeline and budget. Make sure you don't just come up with a lot of great ideas but that you also put it into a schedule that makes sense financially and resource-wise. You can't do all of it in January, nor would it make sense to do so. Plan it out and make sure that you put regular evaluations into your schedule. There's no sense executing three direct mail programs if the first one failed miserably.

If you aren't jumping on this now, you really won't be ready, come January. There are way too many distractions in your daily work life as it is and the next two months are ripe with holidays and vacations. Just remember, if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten.... maybe.

More on Branding....

2009-10-01T12:20:00.003-05:00

Continuing on my last post, branding is not so much about your company name or your logo, it's all about POSITIONING. In other words, you want to be known for something. What is it?

How do you determine your positioning? Ask yourself (your company leaders, board, etc) a few key questions:
• Who are we
• What do we provide
• What do we do that our competitors don't
• If we want our customers to remember one thing about us, it is.....
• What do we hope to become, and what do we need to get there

The answers to these questions can help you determine how you want to present yourself to your audiences. The ultimate goal is to find a unique niche for your company and build your entire platform around it, leaving yourself in a stand-alone position from your competitors.

Once you've come up with your positioning, write 5-7 brand promises that define this position. Use these statements, verbatim if possible, in all press releases, interviews, client interactions, printed materials, websites, sales materials, etc. You get the picture. Consistency is KING when it comes to branding.

Remember, a good brand isn't built over night. Spend some time working on your interior messages, brand your company with your employees first, then blow your own horn and tell the world.

What's in a name?

2009-09-24T10:47:00.003-05:00

I just got an email from a salesman at a very respected vendor in our industry. The salesman, apparently, goes by the name Bobby. His message was brief, "Jan, do you have time to talk about our product and what it can do for you at Alliance Communications....Sincerely, Bobby." You know what, Bobby? I just can't take you seriously. If you think your mom will let you, could you use "Bob" just for the sake of business purposes?

Maybe I'm being harsh on ol' Bobby. Maybe he's one of 17 Bob Somethings that works at this particular company and doesn't want to be confused with one of the other Bobs. Or, maybe he's 12 and got this job because he was the lowest bidder. It doesn't matter. It screams "I'm Not Serious About This."

Which brings me to my thought for the day -- what's in a name anyway. Well, when it comes to your business, here's a few rules to keep in mind:

1. Keep it simple. You want your business name to be something that is memorable and easy to pronounce. While 'Je ne sais pas' is eloquent (ok, it's "I don't know" in French), it's not all that easy to remember (unless it's ALL you remember from French class like me), and it's not all that easy to pronounce if you're reading it for the first time. Think of some great brands -- General Motors, AT&T, Apple, Betty Crocker, Staples -- I could go on and on. They are simple, easy to remember, easy to pronounce.

2. Unique, memorable. Just because you are a pool cleaning service, your name doesn't have to be Joey's Pool Cleaning Service. Go a little wild while keeping the first rule in mind. How about Aquatic Pool Cleaning, Aqua Pools; Crystal Clear Pool Cleaning, etc. At the same time, let's forget the Red this and the Blue that. It's so dot com. Think about what you want to convey to your prospect. Example -- inexpensive might equate to Budget Car Rental; Exclusive might equate to Premier Limousine; Your service area might equate to Southwest Airlines. Get it?

3. Say what you do. If you sell widgets, be the widget company. If you walk dogs, be the dog walking company. It doesn't have to be your entire name but make it so people know what you do. Example: Geico Insurance -- um, it's insurance. Payless Shoes -- they sell shoes.

Is it too late if you already have a name? Nope -- you can always add a tag line. If you've been known as ABC2 for 20 years, now you could say ABC2, Insurance for Business since 1990. Or a slogan, The Asset Protector (haha - I wouldn't really do that but it was funny at the time of writing this!)

I've ranted enough all because of Bobby in my email box. I'll continue this thought in tomorrow's post and talk about the logo and branding.

Do you really think Dunkin' Donuts has the best coffee?

2009-09-22T10:08:00.005-05:00

I'm not a coffee drinker so maybe I'm not an authority but let's go ahead and take up the debate -- is Dunkin' Donuts coffee really the best coffee? Or, did Dunkin' Donuts create an image, a brand, as THE best coffee? Did they see a market of coffee drinkers who would pay $5 for a 50¢ cup of coffee and then offered the same experience to this audience at a mere $2.50? Do you think that's what got coffee drinkers to flock to the donut shop and declare its brew the best?

Branding has a lot of power. It'll make you open your wallet -- wide -- and it'll make you go out of your way to insist on that brand. So, how do you do it?

First think you have to do is KNOW WHO YOU ARE. Dunkin' Donuts took a look at their SWOT and you know what they found? No one buys donuts much past noon on any given day. So maybe they added sandwiches and ice cream to their stores. Hmmm... still just moving the regulars around the clock, not really driving in new customers. Then, imagine in their strengths, they noticed that hey, our coffee's not all that bad. Perhaps under opportunities, they said, wow, coffee drinkers are spending millions at boutique and franchise coffee shops. We could do that!

But instead of jumping into the pot with perhaps a cheaper latte, they said, let's tell people that we have the best coffee. Not cheaper, not better. The best.

So who are you? What is it you do better than your competitors? Why should someone go out of their way to buy from you and you only?

While the economy RIGHT NOW dictates lower price is the winner, is this a winning strategy for you, long term?

Base your BRAND on tangible differences, not just price. What is it about your company, your brand, that makes you the better choice for whatever it is your sell?

Spend some time creating your BRANDING PROMISES. This should be 5-7 statements about your company, product or service that sums up everything you do. These branding promises then dictate every ad, tweet, post, email, presentation, RFP, etc. You must live these branding promises and so must every employee, from the intern to the president.

Do you want to be the best in your industry? Maybe you already are. Now it's time to tell someone.

Public Relations is more than just a press release

2009-09-08T12:46:00.005-05:00

If you're delving into the world of public relations, it's not all about a press release every few weeks. PR is a whole lot more. It's about branding, image, a personality. Did you see the movie, "Hancock"? It's about a superhero (Will Smith) who's a cranky, unlovable drunk. He happens to save a PR professional (Jason Bateman) who then decides to help Hancock's image.

You watch the flick and sure enough, after a press conference, carefully executed events and a costume change, Hancock's approval with the public changes dramatically. The whole time, I never once saw a press release go out....

Sure, things in movies never happen that way in real life but you have to admit, it has some merit. Think about the way things APPEAR to the public. Think about what you can do to change/enhance/improve your IMAGE in the eyes of your publics. What do you want them to see?

My son started middle school this year and for the first time since Kindergarten, had to interact with kids he didn't know. One day, on the walk to the bus stop, I mentioned to him that he should be saying hello to all the kids at the bus stop. He said, why, they aren't in my class or even my grade. My response was: someday, someone's going to ask one of these kids if they know you simply because you live in the same neighborhood. You want them to say, "Oh yeah! He lives in my neighborhood; nice kid. Always says 'hi'."

THAT is public relations ... Think about it. It doesn't start and end with a press release ... it all starts with a smile and a hello.

Putting the Public back in Public Relations....

2009-09-08T12:35:00.003-05:00

So I'm leaving the grocery store and the clerk hands me my receipt, to which I reply, "Thank you." She says, "You're welcome."

Now, from a preschool point of view, this is an accurate display of properly executed manners. Someone says thank you, and someone says you're welcome. It's polite.

But as I'm walking out, pushing $100 of groceries to my car, I can't help but think SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN THANKING ME! I mean, I could have spent that $100 in restaurants over the next week... I could've shopped at a different store... I could've spent just $10... But I spent $100 on merchandise purchased in that store. I made the choice to do so and in turn, provided that store with a sale that further keeps that very clerk employed!

My point is this: In today's tough economy, everyone is competing for the same dollar. Wouldn't it simply make sense if someone chose to give you one of their dollars, that the least you could do is say THANK YOU?

I point this out because as marketers, we spend so much time focusing on reaching our customers and finding new customers that we so often FORGET our current customer. We're all still human beings and every transaction is still personal. Put Customer Service into your next PR plan and let PR start at home.

The more things change.....

2009-08-22T23:10:00.003-05:00

You know this saying: the more things change, the more they stay the same. You'd think with all of the technology available at our fingertips that this wouldn't be true, but it is. I'm asked all the time, "How do I write a strategy for social media?" And the answer is simply the same way you'd write your PR strategy -- with Goals Objectives Strategies and Tactics (and don't forget Evaluation, too!)

The key to understanding new forms of communication is to remember the basics. If you want to know which social media sites are used by your customers, ASK them. I know, it sounds too simple to be true but try it.

We go day by day thinking that things are going to be different but they're really not. We need to remember to keep the social in social media (it's a conversation) and keep the public in public relations (we're talking to the public). The most important in both is relationships. Wouldn't you agree?

Keeping it Personal in a time of online everything

2009-06-10T14:22:00.002-05:00

So last post, I talked about my adventures with online dating and how it was similar to search engine optimization of a press release. I told you that I worked on my profile to add in some good keywords, just like you do with optimizing your press release. So I know... you all want to know what happened. In a word -- nothing.

Now, you could say that this is where the similarities end, that the factors in online dating is so much more than just what you say. And, that the media picking up your release or getting lots of clicks is surely less commitment than even a wink or an email from a stranger.

But not so! I think the valuable lesson learned and can be applied to the PR world is this -- we can not exist fully online. We have to communicate to get what we want. Don't rely solely on putting your press releases online or emailing them out to get pick up. You have to communicate with journalists, bloggers, and even citizen journalists.

I mentioned to a friend the other day that she could easily find people in the right demographics through Meetup.com. If you're familiar with this site, you know that people join groups by their interests and hold occasional "meetups". They're very localized. She went online, found the perfect groups (based on interest)and began emailing each member. She was surprised when she got very little response. Lesson here: You can't dominate the conversation in social media -- you can only participate in social media. What she should have done was join the groups, participate in their board discussions, maybe post a few questions, get involved in their conversations. THEN, she would have been received as a member of the group, and not someone who joined simply to target the members with an offer.

Point from this blog: You have to keep it personal, participate and communicate. Continue to pitch to journalists, participate with online social media, and be personal. As for the online dating, eh, it's not social media...it's a billboard. But, we learned from that experience, huh?

How Online Dating is So Very Much Like Search Engine Optimizing your Press Release

2009-05-20T11:41:00.002-05:00

So, I recently became single after a million years and found out, no one goes to bars anymore to meet each other! They sit at home on their computers and lay their entire life out on a profile page, complete with pictures of your favorite place, motorcycle and dog!

I'm cool with it. I'm a social media type of gal. Bring it on.

It hasn't been going so well. Sure, I may not be Heather Locklear, but I at least shower daily, comb my hair and make my own money (the last one alone is usually enough for most guys, I've found). Then, one day, I was told that I "didn't write much" in my profile. Now, come on! Any of you who knows me knows I talk up a storm and I'm a writer! How is it possible that I didn't write much??

I pull up my profile and it reads like an autobiography of Lincoln on Wikipedia. Yeah. It's dry and boring. I don't think he dated much either.

I add to it and then start attracting guys who like to camp, scuba, skydive, hike. That is so opposite me that I realize my vague copy isn't getting my point across. Plus, I hate bugs, sitting in a wet suit all day, I'm afraid of heights and I get leg cramps. (Before you judge me, I think Heather Locklear's the same way though!)

What to do? Ha! Let's use our PR Fundamentals and see what we can do about this profile! First, I did some RESEARCH -- you remember that word, right? It's the thing you NEVER do before you start a PR campaign cuz you just didn't have -- (fill in the blank) -- time, money, resources. Yeah, yeah. I've judged enough of your PR awards to know what you're going to say here. But I went online, and I looked at what others were saying. This is research!

I jotted down some key phrases and thoughts, which got me to thinking about SEO for press releases. When I write an optimized release, I start with a key focus and work out 3 keyword phrases that I work into my release. (Free tip -- write the release first with the focus in mind, then go back and edit in the keyword phrases). I started thinking: how is this profile of me any different from a press release? I'm trying to get the attention of an audience and I want to get some key points across. AHA! I work on determining my focus (golf partner wanted!); then my key phrases (golfing partner, golf fanatic) and I work them into my profile.

I want to tell you that the hits were so fantastic that I'm getting married on the 18th green next week but I just changed my profile 15 minutes before I started this article. You'll just have to stay tuned and see! If you're going to get into SEO for Press Releases, you might want to check out my webinar schedule, coming soon! See www.alliancecommunications.net/webinars.html. If it's not live yet, keep checking back or sign up for my emails on the home page.

Emergence of the Digital Consumer

2009-03-24T08:23:00.002-05:00

IBM just released its Media Study and guess what? The emergence of the digital consumer is happening a lot faster than originally predicted. According to the survey, several trends have emerged:

1. Consumers are accelerating their adoption of new distribution formats. Participation on Twitter, YouTube, FaceBook, etc. is soaring.

2. There's an obvious shift in advertising spending. Most marketers expect to increase interactive/online marketing spend while 65% expect to decrease traditional advertising.

3. Shift to “Brands-Actional” Advertising. Advertisers can focus on ROI-driven and brand marketing simultaneously.

4. Agencies Can’t Meet Demand. 80% of advertising industry participants interviewed for the study expect the industry to be at least five years away from being able to deliver true cross-platform advertising.

If you're a PR or Marketing professional, you MUST learn how to take advantage of social media and online opportunities because this is where the money will be in the very, very near future.

Where smart companies are spending their money today

2009-03-23T09:17:00.003-05:00

I read this article this morning, Where do Marketers Spend their Money during a Downturn, and it states something readers of my blog are already aware of: Smart companies are cutting traditional media (advertising, tv, radio), and putting their money into infrastructure and technology to enable social media, email campaigns, online promotions, search engine marketing, and mobile marketing.

Why the move away from traditional advertising? Online marketing activities allow for customer behavior tracking and concrete metrics. We've even seen a shift in PR from clips to clicks -- what is your target audience reading, posting and blogging about you ONLINE??

What's in your marketing plan? If social media, search engine marketing and online activities aren't a major part of your plan, it's time to follow the leaders and reconstruct your marketing plan for a very different economy.

Death to the Yellow Pages

2009-03-17T09:14:00.002-05:00

Let's talk about dentists and social media. What?? Yeah, keep reading. It gets better.

So, back in the old days, how'd you find a dentist? Why, you went to the only one in town! Times, changed, towns turned into cities, more dentists, how'd you know which one to go to? You looked in the phone book and/or checked your insurance book.

Times changed. There are thousands of listings for dentists in your area; you're not even sure if they are dentists; You no longer have dental insurance, etc. You turn to your co-workers and friends -- on Facebook.

Yep, I just witnessed the most awesome dental referral and social media yesterday. A friend of mine asked on Facebook if anyone knew of a good dentist in Lakeland. Several of her friends began responding. Within minutes, she had not only names but phone numbers and addresses for several dentists in the area, complete with cute stories ("I've known Dr. Brown since I was a toddler...").

You know how Facebook works... her friends responded, and being one of her friends, I could see the responses. When I responded, MY friends could see her post and actually, they too could have posted. What happens is all of the sudden, hundreds of people can "help out" via Facebook. Do you think she looked in the phonebook when all was said and done, or do you think she took her list of 9 dentists and sought more information for her particular needs? You got it... the latter.

How cool is social media? For a whole lot of dentists in Lakeland, pretty dang cool for the free pub they got yesterday!

Strategize your New Media

2009-03-11T11:02:00.003-05:00

OMG! Can you believe I'm posting something to my blog two days in a row?? Is this a fad or have I turned over a new leaf??? Only time will tell!

After reflecting on the questions I received after yesterday's presentation on New Media for the contemporary PR professional, I thought I'd talk a bit about PLANNING your online strategy.

No longer is it enough of an online presence to have a website. Now, you have blogs to watch, participate in and host. You have RSS feeds to publish. You have message boards to host, monitor and respond to. You have social media to contend with too -- facebook and twitter. While it's cool to reach your target audiences online, couldn't you just spend endless hours on this stuff?

The way to make sure you are covering your online presence appropriately is through one word -- PLANNING. Yep, my PR friends, just like what you're supposed to do with your traditional PR campaigns -- make a plan first.

And guess what? It's not much different from your traditional PR planning -- think RPIE!! But before I dive into that, set your objectives. Why are you engaging in new media? What do you hope to gain from it? You shouldn't do it to do it... you need to have a measurable goal in mind.

Research -- where is your audience online? Are they on facebook? Myspace? Twitter? Blogs, message boards? Industry sites??? Find out.... Then, watch and listen. Decide Where is the best place to be online to reach my audience. Ask your known audience (clients/donors) about their online habits -- what keywords they used to find you, what sites they frequent (that are relative), etc. You want to find people just like them.

Planning -- Once you've done some research, decide which sites you are going to spend your time on. Then, make a plan for each (Update Twitter once a day; Update Facebook twice a day, etc.). Decide on some topics in advance of what you're going to focus on in these posts. You can always participate in and respond to topics your audience is bringing up but have a plan for when things are quiet. Is it national take your pet to work week and you sell pet food? Would be a good topic.... This phase should answer Who - What - Where - When - and How.... (we already know why)

Implementation -- get to it. This is the part where you will actually execute the strategies and tasks you identified.

Evaluation -- how are you going to know it works? Think about ways you will evaluate this plan. If you wrote out your objectives, you will know what you need to prove. If you can't prove it, better change your objective to be something you can measure!

Not sure you can do it? Call me and I'll write a strategy for you and then you can implement it in house. Yeah, I know, I don't come cheap but then again, is wasting your time cheap?

What good is a blog if you don't post anything?

2009-03-10T11:01:00.002-05:00

So, I talked about blogs this morning in a speech to PR professionals at the FPRA Polk County chapter and it dawned on me, I violate all of the good rules of blogging!

First of all, and most importantly, you need to stay up to date. If you peruse my blog, you'll see, I haven't done that. In fact, I didn't post a single item in 2008. That's not cool and no one will think my blog is very important.

Speaking of which, the next rule of a good blog is relevance! SAY something important to at least someone, besides yourself of course. I'm thinking that as people go to download today's presentation, they'll look at this blog and shoot, I'd better have something relevant to say! Since we talked about new media this morning, why the heck not discuss it further in this blog?

Don't get me wrong -- I have plenty of things to say, and I say them. I like to write and I write a lot. I just can't remember the log in and password to this blog to get it all down for others to read!

Lastly, a good blog is short and to the point so I will end this blog with that!

Marketing Resolutions for Smart Businesses

2007-12-29T19:30:00.001-05:00

The new year is time to get off on the right foot. So, here's a few resolutions that, if you follow, you will find yourself in a much better position come 2009.

1 - Take care of your existing customers.
Send them newsletters, direct mail, emails, special offers, etc. Why? Because it's easier to sell more to a current customer than it is to get a new customer. I know, you're nodding your head and saying OK but most companies ignore this rule and cry all year round that they need new customers. No, you need more sales and they can come from your existing customers. Seriously -- it's true. Resolve to follow this one. Make a plan for regular communication with your past/current customers and stick to it.

2 - Stop acting impulsively with every advertising offer that comes your way.
You know what I mean: the phone rings and some sales rep has remnant space in their magazine for half price... there's a new business directory coming out and you can advertise in it for a few hundred dollars ... the local cable station calls and has a great package, designed just for your business category... Please, please, please quit acting on these! Instead, make a plan -- determine your best target audience (from past customer history) and how to reach them. Then, stick to that plan. Grasping at every salesman's offer that comes your way is a surefire way to waste your marketing dollars.

3 - Put equal emphasis on branding as much as promotion.
You need to let your customers know you exist (branding) just as much as you need to give them an incentive to come to you (i.e., a sale). Many companies forget that branding is equally important. Send out a press release, enter an award, put up a billboard -- branding is important because it gives you some name recognition. Then, when you run your "sale" ad, your customers will know who you are.

4 - Don't confuse marketing with sales.
Marketing, advertising and public relations are all means to telling your corporate story -- to getting your message out to your publics, be it the media, your customers or your prospective customers. Sales is the actual transaction of money in exchange for your goods or services. While marketing, advertising and public relations efforts influence sales, they are not directly responsible for sales. There are many other factors involved along the way, including market demand, economic conditions, price point, competition, the skills of your salespeople, and so much more.

5 - Trust marketing professionals
I'm not suggesting that you hire an agency simply because I own one, but if your company is not in the business of providing marketing services, it's better to outsource your marketing efforts to professionals. For the cost of one person's salary ($36k - $50k), you can enlist an agency that has subject matter experts on staff to help you with planning and execution of a marketing, advertising and public relations plan. You can't possibly hire one person to do all of this. You'll benefit from the agency's experience with other similar companies, market expertise, industry knowledge, etc.

Take my advice and make 2008 the year that your marketing works for you!

Rules of Conference Calls

2007-11-20T11:55:00.000-05:00

There should be a rule that if you're supposed to call someone at a specific time, and that person doesn't answer, that you just call them back in 30 seconds or a minute. Just a nice courtesy, I think. Today's voice mail systems get a little excited and pick up after just a few rings.

As good as it is, PR can't stand alone.

2007-07-01T22:04:00.000-05:00

Whether it's PR or Advertising, clients think it's the magic pill that will have their cash registers ringing up new sales. Sorry to say this, but in most cases, neither can stand alone. You have to have a good mix of good ol' fashioned advertising with a strong PR plan if you want to see the sales chart rise higher. (Note: I said in MANY cases. And I'm talking to increase sales, here).

I have many clients who want us only to use PR techniques. While we get great success, they're wondering why their doors aren't breaking down. They expect daily/weekly press coverage from the same media and it's just not going to happen. If you want to be in the same media over and over, you need to buy advertising. Reporters will only repeatedly cover you if you have something substantial going on -- like a crisis -- or something that directly impacts the community. For most companies, this just isn't the case.

My advice to you is to think about what you are willing to dedicate to a PR and Advertising budget. Then, write a plan that makes sense. Use those dollars in a calculated way to meet your goals. If you throw money haphazardly at every advertising offer in sight, you won't get the results you want. Plan, plan, plan and then follow that plan! You will be much happier with the results.

J

What's the quickest way to get sales?

2007-06-19T01:00:00.000-05:00

Sadly, many people still think they can run an ad or two, send out a press release, put up a billboard and it will turn into immediate sales. It just isn't true. It's a lot like losing weight -- one or two runs on the treadmill isn't going to make you a size 4. You have to keep at it, day after day, doing all the right things, building for the reward.

Clients don't like to hear it, just as much as patients don't like to hear the weight loss lecture from their doctor. There really is no quick miracle advertising, marketing or PR solution for quick sales. Like a diet regimen, you have to create a marketing plan that integrates carefully selected activities and initiatives that will build your case for the results you want -- increased sales. Just as you would work out a diet plan with what foods to eat, what exercise to perform in order to reach your fitness goal, a marketing plan is a strategy for achieving your marketing or sales goal. And, just like with weight loss, nothing is guaranteed to succeed for each person/company.

So, if you're searching the Internet for advice on the quick hit for sales, read my advice, and seek help with putting together your roadmap for success. Plan for success and you will not fail.

New Media tools for Non Profits

2006-09-12T18:08:00.000-05:00

For those of you who attended the WEDU event today for Non-Profits, here are some of the tools I promised to tell you about.

Message Boards - We use website toolbox – www.websitetoolbox.com; it's really inexpensive.

Constant Contact - Great tool for collecting and managing emails and sending email communications. It's also great for seeing who opened your emails and clicked through to your website. They offer a discount to non profits.

Meetup.com -- social site that allows people to gather around an interest. this might be a good way to find an audience who are already interested in your topic.

Yahoo has a great article on RSS and how you can publish your own RSS.

GoDaddy.com offers inexpensive web hosting, web templates, email addresses, and even web site registration and renewal.

Blogs -- blogger.com

Surveymonkey.com -- easy to make internet surveys. It's a great tool to get some feedback from your donors, board, etc.

I think that's all that we covered today. If anyone has questions, feel free to contact me!

Jan

How this blog thing works

2006-07-26T15:52:00.000-05:00

Ever since I added "read my blog" at the bottom of my email signature, I've gotten tons of my regular email recipients to take a peek. I realize this is a new thing and all, but you're supposed to leave your comments on the blog, not email me and tell me that you liked the story about the nail salon and you totally agree.... I DO appreciate that you all are reading and you have to jump on the bandwagon!

That's why I'm doing this blog. For the majority of us, this is new stuff. If you're a twenty-something, it's old hat. The research I've done shows that 60% of teens are blogging actively. Well, they're growing up blogging and we, as marketers, need to remember that they are the market of tomorrow. If you don't target teens, remember that they will be tomorrow's adults! While many businesses don't blog (less than 4% do), this number is expected to dramatically increase in the next couple of years. Take a look at GM's blog -- www.fastlane.gmblogs.com. They aren't selling cars here; they're building a community of car lovers. It's called good PR.

If you run a business, think about how you might develop an online community around your product, service or industry. It could pay off nicely in the future!

- Feeling bloggy!

Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation

2006-07-13T13:39:00.000-05:00

I'm proud that I and my company have gotten involved with the Florida Suncoast Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. We're fortunate enough to be providing this wonderful organization with public relations. In the few months that we've been working together, I have been repeatedly humbled and reminded of how fragile life can be. One in seven women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. It's a disease that affects so many.

Tonight, the Affiliate is holding the Pink Martini at the Blue Martini at International Plaza, from 5 pm - 8 pm. Two drink coupons, hors d’oeuvres, and a pink ribbon pin are included in the price of admission ($30 prior to event or $35 at the door), and a silent auction will feature items donated by dozens of local businesses. The event will also include a raffle and more than 100 prize balloons. The event is a kick-off to the activities leading up to the annual Race for the Cure®, to be held this year on October 7th at the Vinoy Park in St. Petersburg. To find out more, to register or make a donation, please visit their website: http://www.KomenSuncoast.com

There's nothing more satisfying than helping a good cause. Let me know if you want to get involved, too.

--
Jan

Woman of the year

2006-07-13T13:38:00.001-05:00

Thanks to those of you who have sent me congrats on the Tampa Bay Business Journal's Business Woman of the Year nomination! I'm excited to be in the honor of so many great women in Tampa Bay. Plus, it's just an honor to be nominated!
See the article at http://tampabay.bizjournals.com/tampabay/event/2527

- Jan

Why do people ignore marketing?

2006-07-13T13:38:00.000-05:00

I read this great article about marketing and had to share some of the points with you (When I find it again, I'll give the author credit):

Marketing planning is a lot like exercise. First of all, everyone knows they should do it but nothing dramatic immediately happens if they don't. So, it's easy to ignore. Then, one day, you wake up and you can't button your pants or you find your competitor has landed the account you wanted and, well, you vow to never let it happen again.

Other reasons (or is that excuses) that people ignore marketing planning -- they already have enough business. In fact, they're afraid they can't handle anymore so why market themselves? Do you think McDonald's or Coke is hurting for business and that's why they advertise? Nope. Because marketing is more about branding and positioning than it is about sales. No matter how sales are going, you need to put a message out to the market about your company's message. Why? So you'll attract high-level, experienced employees. You'll have improved relationships with vendors. People will know who you are and what you do whether they buy from you or not. It's called making a name for yourself. And, it doesn't matter who you are, you need to do it.

Another reason people ignore marketing: they're afraid to commit to a message. They're content putting messages out to appease each prospect. They want to be everything to everyone, even though they swear they don't. There's a cool branding exercise we do that helps companies identify their message. It's worth doing to make sure you are sending the messages that you want your prospects to know. The easier you make that message, the more who will remember it.

What I learned about customer service at the nail salon

2006-07-13T13:15:00.000-05:00

I have to admit. I get my nails done every two weeks without fail. There's something about having nice nails that makes it worth the effort. At my last visit, however, I started making a few observations that I thought were excellent lessons in customer service that we could all learn from.

1 - Make every customer feel like they are the only one in the room. While I was getting my nails done, several people came in. The technician acknowledged them all and told them when they would be served but never stopped working on my nails. He was polite to the new customers, and yet didn't forget that I was sitting in the chair in front of him.

2 - If you can't accomodate someone immediately, tell them when you can. A saturday afternoon is busy in a nail salon. Yet, the technician still calmly let each new customer know when they would be serviced. The rude people darted away -and who wants them as customers - but the majority of people thanked him and sat down, waiting their turn.

3 - Never talk badly about your customer. There are many nail salons where the workers don't speak english and you fear that they are talking about you. In this salon, there were many opportunities to talk about a customer and yet, they all resisted. They were professional in front of all customers. You never get the impression that someone is making fun of your legs or clothing selection.

4 - Hot towels. There's no need for a hot towel after the pedicure but boy, it feels good. Invent something in your business that just makes the customer feel pampered. In fact, we could all paint our own toe nails yet women line up to have someone do it for them. Why? Because it feels good to be pampered. Come up with something in your business that your customers could do but heck, why should they when you have the "hot towel."

5 - Appreciation. A lot of young high school girls frequent the same nail salon. To them, a $2 tip is a big deal, when the norm is $5 - $7. Even though the technician is fully aware that there are only 2 dollar bills being handed to them, they still are extremely thankful and polite to the customer. The customer walks away feeling good about the experience. Sure, the technician deserved more but in all likelihood, retaining a faithful customer who enjoys coming there is more important than a few dollars.

I think I could go on and on. There were many things in the nail salon that made me think, "Wow, why don't all businesses do that?" Think about ways you can use these simple techniques in customer service to enhance the experience your customers have with you.

- Jan Luongo, wearing "All Roads Lead To Rome" hot pink toe nail polish and pink and white fingernails