Category Archives: Best Practices

How to work with journalists effectively

Posted by: | May 15, 2013 | Best Practices, Featured, General Business Practices

Conceptual sign of sucess in business and lifeThe foundation of public relations is relationships — specifically, forming, developing and maintaining them. Our relationships with journalists are as important as they are delicate. But whether you work with journalists or clients, you must conduct yourself as a business professional.

First and foremost, be relevant and stand out. No one wants to pass along information that is considered outdated. Your customers and clients want to share content that makes them sound like thought leaders. Update your audience with new data, share your community relations efforts or discuss what’s happening in your industry and how it affects your customers. Share anything else that positions you as a leader.

Before sending anything to the media, follow these simple tips:

  • Do lots of research. Be clear about what a reporter covers before contacting one.
  • Check out media websites. Review titles and departments so that you call the right person. When in doubt, speak with the department manager or secretary and ask who your point of contact should be. This shows you did your homework and that you respect the journalist’s time.
  • Be courteous. During each and every conversation you have with a journalist, thank the individual for taking time to speak with you. Everyone likes to feel appreciated and you will appreciate the publicity you snagged for your business.

How have you been able to build strong relationships with the media? Share your success stories in the comments below.

Inject your marketing with personality in 4 easy steps

Posted by: | May 2, 2013 | Best Practices, Blogging, Branding

fishCompanies are giving their customers a more personal touch. Why? It’s simple: People want personal connections with the companies they do business with. Here are four ways to kick-start your efforts:

  1. Write a blog. Blogs give you the freedom to communicate directly with your target audience. Use an informal tone and write in first person, incorporating “I,” “me,” “you” and “your” throughout your posts. Give your staff a voice by letting them contribute to the blog. Your team will appreciate it and it will allow your customers to get to know your business on a deeper level. Online video, animated graphics and slide shows are another great way to show a human face. Bonus: Regular updates will boost your site’s ranking.
  2. Include employee profiles. Professional bios engage readers. In addition to featuring your employees’ expertise, allow the staff to have some fun and share their personalities. Customers love finding out what makes your people tick!
  3. Use real pictures. Many companies use stock photos on their websites. Although this is not a bad thing, using genuine pictures of your products and employees allows you to connect with your customers on a more personal level. Ultimately, your customers want to do business with people they like and trust. It’s easier to do this when your website contains real images.
  4. Add testimonials. Testimonials are a great way to show potential customers how satisfied past clients are. Make sure they express how clients benefited from your products and services. Try to distinguish results from before they used your products and services and after they became clients. Earn extra credibility by including a picture or video of each person who provides a testimonial.

How are you making your business more personal and human? What do you want to try next? Let us know in the comments below.

Hold the fluff – ‘Just tell me what you do’

Posted by: | April 24, 2013 | Best Practices, Copywriting, Marketing Trends

FluffIs your marketing converting into leads and sales? If not, crummy copywriting may be to blame. As a frustrated friend recently noted about her organization’s product literature, “I don’t want to read a bunch of gobbledygook. Just tell me what you do.”

So how do you deliver the goods? I’m going to give you a few simple solutions you can use starting right now:

  1. Laser focus on your prospects and customers. Make the copy about them – not you. At the end of the day, they don’t care that your employees have 150 years of combined experience and that your plant is centrally located. They want to know what you’re going to do for them.
  2. Solve problems – even the ones they don’t know about (yet). The most successful companies anticipate the challenges that keep prospects and customers up at night and then share concrete, actionable solutions. If you don’t know their pain points, you need to do some serious intel.
  3. Show (don’t tell). Provide specific examples of what you’ve achieved for customers and the results. Don’t just say you deliver on time, on target and under budget. Explain who, what, why, when, where and how. The more details you can provide, the more business you’ll reel in.
  4. Share product benefits – not features. Benefits reveal what we all want to know: What’s in it for me if I use your products and services? Benefits are the secret sauce for persuasive copy. Features distinguish your products and services from those of your competitors. For example, let’s say your company makes corrugated boxes. Features could include that they come in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors and are crush-proof. Meanwhile, the benefits are that customers will be able to order boxes that fit their unique specifications and that they’ll save money because their products will arrive intact.
  5. Show some personality. Make your copy sound like you rather than a robot. Most prospects and customers appreciate seeing the human side of your business. You don’t need to reveal your warts, but they’ll engage with you if let your guard down a bit.
  6. Dump drivel. Omit clichés, jargon and hackneyed adjectives such as “innovative,” “cutting-edge,” “advanced,” “best of breed” and “world class.” They’re meaningless and cause readers’ eyes to glaze over. Be clear and concise and sell solutions and benefits – not fluff.
  7. Facilitate skim reading. Intriguing headlines, subheads and short, action-oriented bulleted points break up copy so it’s easier to read and helps lead readers to the end.
  8. Write a strong call to action. A call to action is a simple and compelling offer that persuades readers to take the action you want. You worked so hard to write excellent copy; don’t forget to ask for the sale.

What are some of the obstacles to writing benefits-oriented copy? Have you overcome them? Share your experience in the comments below.

Did you catch that? The difference between hearing and listening

Posted by: | April 18, 2013 | Best Practices, General Business Practices, Public Relations

hearingIf someone tells you a story, will you remember most of it in an hour? In a day? A big part of public relations is listening to what your client has to say and not just hearing them. A recent article in The New York Times said, “The difference between the sense of hearing and the skill of listening is attention.” Today’s world is full of distractions that pull us every which way. Now, more than ever, we need to hone our listening skills.

Whether speaking with a client, a staff member or a friend, it’s important that we go beyond hearing someone and really internalize what they have to say. So how do you become a better listener? First, remove all distractions. Turn your phone to silent, put your laptop away and be present in the moment. When someone needs your attention, be mindful to not to be consumed by your thoughts — give them your undivided attention.

Another tip is to read between the lines. Often, we say one thing but mean another. Pay attention to body language, facial expressions and word choices: These will give you further insight into what a person means — not just says. To avoid confusion, feel free to ask a lot of questions and clarify what you heard. This way, you can be sure you received the right message.

What do you think makes a good listener? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Detox from bad marketing habits

Posted by: | April 4, 2013 | Best Practices, Creativity, Direct marketing

pencils targetOne of the worst things companies can do is the status quo: doing just enough to get by but not going the extra mile while promoting their organizations. The bare minimum won’t cut it anymore. Your customers have other choices and your competitors are going after them. Are you missing out on potential opportunities?

Don’t let your marketing plan continue in a rut. Old habits are hard to break, but you can do it in small steps. Don’t try to change everything at once – you’ll overwhelm yourself and go back to your old ways.

Do any of these bad habits sound familiar?

The status quo

Many of us feel compelled to continue on the road most traveled and are comfortable doing what everyone else has done. But what if you decided to break away from the pack and venture into uncharted territory? Would you stand out? The answer is yes.

First, you have to have a strong backing – financially and organizationally – for your initiatives to work. Commit to your cause and fight for it. Going outside the norm entails some risk, but the benefits can be huge. Assess whether your return outweighs the risk.

Relying on emails           

Too many times, companies rely solely on generic email campaigns rather than communicating with prospects through personally addressed letters and emails, phone calls, and targeted ads. The average prospect receives too many mass emails and yours are getting lost in the mix.

Using purchased marketing lists

Don’t do it. Purchasing lists increases your bounce and unsubscribe rates. When people are spammed with emails they didn’t sign up for, they’re more likely to reject what you’re selling – even if they’re in the market for your product. It’s better to build your list by generating interest through website and social media channels. Purchased lists are not targeted. The people who are on them don’t know who you are and didn’t ask you to email them.

Inadequate content

Don’t send stale, insufficient content to your prospects. Find out what they’re interested in and highlight those topics. You can do this through trial and error. Look at your analytics for specific topics in your newsletters and e-blasts. If certain topics have high open rates, it’s a good indication your prospects are interested in learning more. Try writing another article related to that topic. If you get stuck, you may want to hire a professional writer.

To summarize, build your contact list with clean, opted-in prospects. Use a combination of targeted e-blasts, newsletters, offers, and/or phone calls to promote your company. Focus on providing quality, insightful content and be creative ways in getting the word out.

Dealing with a tight budget? Make do with what you have: Focus your energy on improving your content and design.

What targeted marketing efforts work for you? Let us know in the comments below.

Keep it short and sweet

Posted by: | March 7, 2013 | Best Practices, Grammar, Marketing Trends

scissorsMarketers are certainly changing things up. Now, more than ever, they’re offering up-to-the-minute news and relevant information for their audiences. Why? Prospects and customers are on the hunt for thought leaders and the need is growing rapidly. Whether on social media, in publications or through blog posts, people want to know what’s happening today, what’s next and how they can achieve their goals quickly.

While demand for relevant content is on the rise, attention spans are shrinking. Be concise when sharing tips, industry news and other information. Studies show that people prefer a less-is-more approach for videos, podcasts, white papers and more.

MindTools.com offers these tips for brevity:

  •  Can you delete any adjectives or “filler” words? Eliminate words and phrases such as “for instance,” “you see,” “definitely,” “kind of,” “literally,” “basically” and “I mean.”
  • Are all the sentences necessary?
  • Have you repeated any points?

Whether you’re writing a blog post, shooting a video or working on a case study, stay focused on the message, prioritize information and summarize.

How do you get to the point quickly in your messaging? Share your tips in the comments below.

The mistake that can ruin your company’s reputation

Posted by: | February 28, 2013 | Best Practices, due diligence, General Business Practices

PinocchioWhen people visit your company’s website, they take it for granted that the content is authentic. If you say that you fill orders in 24 hours, readers believe it. Some embellishment is a given when promoting your business, but don’t take liberty with the facts.

Credibility is crucial to your company’s success. Prospects and clients need to know that your business is legitimate and that you’ll do what you say you’ll do. Similarly, if your site contains glowing customer testimonials, they’d better be real quotes from current or past clients. Assume that prospects will contact every individual for more information. (more…)

Word of mouth 2.0

Posted by: | February 7, 2013 | Advertising Strategy, Best Practices, Branding

TSG139 - lips picSocial media plays an important role today in shaping individual purchasing decisions. Still, many companies resist using Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn at all, or don’t take full advantage of these important marketing tools once they’ve taken the social media plunge.  (more…)

Insider tips for networking like a pro

Posted by: | February 1, 2013 | Best Practices, Events, Featured

TSG-139 1.31Networking is a vital factor in the growth of any company, but it’s difficult to know how to wring the most out of every encounter – especially those that take place at industry events. Here are some helpful networking tips to help you put your best foot forward:

1. Know what you’re looking for. It is important to develop a clear profile of the kind of client you want to attract — be as specific as possible.  (more…)