Archive for July, 2008
July 30th, 2008
News conferences are great tools to distribute information and gain some publicity and awareness, but you should be conscious of not over-doing them. They aren’t the media’s favorite way to get a story because they are all receiving the same information as other reporters at the same time. News conferences are also not very convenient for them to attend. Also, if the news conferences you plan have no sense of newsworthiness or never start on time, the media will quit coming in the future. Some reasons to hold a news conference are:
- A major product announcement
- An announcement that will have a significant impact on the public
- A complex issue that can’t be explained in a news release
- A major celebrity is involved
When scheduling a news conference you also must consider what time is convenient for the media to attend. The timing of your news conference also can give a good indication of what the tone of the announcement will be. News conferences held in the late-afternoon on Friday usually means that the announcement will contain some bad news
July 25th, 2008
Buying radio advertising can be a challenging (and expensive) experience. But there are ways to squeeze maximum value from a radio buy.
So how do you do this? Most radio stations will allow trade opportunities along with cash buys. For example - a waterpark may place a buy with a station, but will also give an amount of waterpark passes that radio show hosts can use in promotions in which listeners call in to win the tickets. The trade value of this type of promotion is HUGE - it gives the listeners a call to action to either sign up on the radio station to win a prize or call in to the station to win. The radio show hosts are excited to have something of value to give away, and the listeners are excited to win a great prize, and all you had to do was donate some passes to be given away. It also gives a chance for the radio show hosts to act as testimonials for your company, which is great since they are in a position of authority. It’s a win-win situation for all!
Don’t forget to ask your rep about ways to be mentioned on the website and about running PSA’s if you are a nonprofit.
Before you know it you will be a professional negotiator as well as a skilled PR Pro.
July 24th, 2008
As we’ve said before, a big part of marketing is listening to your customers and giving them what they want. But you should also keep in mind that markets can change; and your customers’ minds may change faster than your product can.
Look at Ford. The Detroit giant has coasted for years as maker of the top-selling F-150 pickup truck. In fact, they were just about ready to release a new-fangled version of their gas-guzzling money maker. Bringing a vehicle to the market takes years of development and while Ford was redesigning its truck, oil prices were steadily climbing.
Now the product that Ford has banked on has lost a lot of its appeal in the market. The result has been loss after loss. In fact, much of the American auto industry is feeling the same pains as Ford.
Who can blame them? On paper, they’ve been feeding the public’s hunger for fuel-thirsty trucks and SUVs – and succeeding. People were buying their products. The problem is that everyone kept asking how high gas prices would have to get before people stopped buying big vehicles.
Apparently that number was somewhere around $4 a gallon and now manufacturers are left with big vehicles that aren’t selling and they are hemorrhaging money on a monumental scale.
The moral is that no amount of marketing will overcome anything that outlives its product cycle. If an industry is changing, past successes may not be enough to ensure your future. Keeping a watchful eye on your market and if change looks inevitable, don’t wait until it’s too late to do anything but just react.
July 24th, 2008
We talk a lot about “buzz words” and how to use them to bring attention to your message and organization. Many organizations use popular buzz words to help promote and shape their image as a “green business” or “responsible corporate citizen”, which is great as long as your messaging is consistent with your corporate culture and way of doing business. Basically it comes down to being able to “walk the walk” if you “talk the talk”. A Businessweek article on July 8 addressed the issue that while there has been a surge in paid advertisements about how certain companies are addressing social and environmental issues, there has been a significant drop in corporate charitable contributions. Ethical problems and reputation damage can result when companies ignore their social responsibilities or publicize inaccurate portrayals of their corporate citizenship. According to the article, corporations should pledge 1% of pretax earnings in order to call itself a “good corporate citizen”.
The Frito-Lay product, Sun Chips is a good example of a company that has consistent and accurate messaging regarding its carbon-footprint and charitable contributions. The Sun Chips brand has a solar powered factory and has helped rebuild a town that was almost completely wiped out by a tornado. Being a good corporate citizenship should be something that is ingrained into the company culture instead being treated like a promotion.
July 21st, 2008
Many times “marketeers” are lucky. You pitch a story to the media at exactly the right time or you answer the phone when a reporter is seeking a source for a quick soundbite for a story on deadline.
But how can you turn a timely opportunity into an ongoing relationship with the media to utilize you or your organization’s spokespersons? Here are some tips to help you get into - and remain in - the media’s good graces.
* Always return the media’s phone call. Even if you’ve missed their deadline or if you can’t find a spokesperson. This demonstrates courtesy and credibility.
* Keep your word. If you promise to get back to the reporter with something, do it, and within their necessary timeframe.
* Know their deadlines/crunch times. Calling a television station reporter (unless it’s breaking news) 30 minutes before they go on the air is not good timing.
* Help the media do their jobs. Provide background materials or other information that may be helpful to the story.
* Be available. Often deadlines come on the weekend or after regular work hours, so provide the media with a cell or after-hours number to be able to contact you.
These simple points can help ensure a long and positive relationship with the media.
July 18th, 2008
An easily overlooked way of getting your company’s name in the media is to act as a source. Reporters are always looking for an expert to interview for their stories, and you could be that person. Check media that relate to your business religiously to see what their reporters are writing about. If you’re in the printing business and you saw an article run on the rising cost of ink, you can contact that writer and let him or her know that your company could quote on how the rising cost of ink will affect the printing industry. And once you’ve built a relationship with that reporter, he or she may return again to do another story.
Establishing yourself as a source also confirms you as an expert. If the media asks you to quote on an issue that affects your industry, you can be looked at as the go-to person within your group of peers. This could lead to speaking engagements at industry conferences and additional opportunities.
Allow your company to lead the competition by establishing yourself as the expert, and the respect and opportunities will follow.
July 17th, 2008
From the onset, any marketing campaign should have defined goals. Whether it’s increased sales or visibility, you should know what you want out of your marketing campaign.
You should always be evaluating your marketing strategy and, if necessary, be prepared to make necessary adjustments.
Sometimes, it might not take much to make your message hit. Or maybe the problem isn’t your message at all and you’re just not reaching your target market. Monitor your campaign’s effectiveness and be poised to modify it if need be. It wouldn’t even be a bad idea to have a contingency plan or two in the works.
Remember that big firms often rely on focus groups and test markets to fine tune their campaigns.
Don’t settle for poor results. Be flexible and learn from your successes and disappointments.
July 16th, 2008
Any business industry has to be able to adapt to changing markets, technology or consumer demands. We also have to adapt to changing regulations and laws that affect our industry. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America announced on Thursday that after January 1, 2009 drug company sales representatives will not be allowed to give health care professionals free meals, knickknacks, golf games or vacations. This change to the industry’s conduct code is a result of their growing concern that interactions between sales representatives and doctors are focused on education as opposed to entertainment or bribery. Now that patients won’t see products featuring a drug company’s logo scattered on their doctor’s desk, pharmaceutical marketing has become increasingly focused on targeting consumers directly through advertising and always encouraging patients to “ask their doctor” about their product.
Marketers may also have to deal with new restrictions regarding product placement in television shows. The FCC is considering a regulation that requires networks to fully disclose any product placement deals during the show in which they appear. This regulation is supported by certain consumer groups who believe that product placement has too much influence over programming.
Business is constantly changing and it is your responsibility to understand the rules and regulations of your industry and constantly monitor any changes or updates.
July 14th, 2008
Ever read through the latest magazine or trade publication only to see the focus of that month’s issue to be the exact topic you’ve been trying to get coverage on for your product or service? Wonder how to get ahead of the competition to gain that coverage yourself next time?
Contrary to popular belief, there’s no secret agenda by editors. Rather there’s a resource for each publication and it’s readily available to you to tap into: an editorial calendar, which provides an overview on the topics and trends a publication will cover in each issue.
One of the first activities we conduct for new clients seeking media coverage is research what their target publications plan to write about in the upcoming weeks and months. If you have the time or resources available, creating your own editorial calendar is one of the most effective initiatives you can undertake. And, with the Internet, all editorial calendars are now at your fingertips through the publications’ web sites.
Publications update their editorial calendars on an annual basis and post them on their site by late fall. In some cases, they are posted on their home page; other times you might have to link into their advertising page.
Taking the time to research editorial calendars today can save you from missed opportunities and aggravation in the long run.
July 11th, 2008
Having goals for your PR strategy is extremely important, but balancing all of your business’s success on one goal can be tricky. We recently read an advice column online where a business owner said he was thinking of firing his PR firm because they could not get him on the Oprah show. He said appearing on the Oprah show would save his fledgling business, and he had the firm put all of their strategy into that one goal.
Using tunnel vision to propel you toward that one achievement that can make or break your success is never the way to go. Think of all the varieties of media your company could reach, whether it be business-to-business publications within your industry, national consumer magazines, radio segments or tv shows. Your business’s story could take on several angles to reach several audiences - and therefore give you an array of results. Think of all the audiences your company works with - your customers, your vendors, your industry peers. The possibilities are endless, and so are the impressions you could make on the marketplace.
We’re not saying Oprah couldn’t save your business – but a back-up plan should be set up just in case.
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