Archive for the ‘Public Relations’ Category
I have telesummits on my mind. I’ve been helping three different clients work on their telesummits this month. (FYI- A telesummit is an online interview series on a specific topic that can be accessed via the internet or telephone.)
I’ll be honest it’s a ton of work and I just work on the content end of things – sales pages, blogs, press releases, tweets etc. But in addition to all that a telesummit requires lining up speakers, setting up sign-up pages, autoresponders and much more.
So what’s the payoff? What are the benefits of hosting your own telesummit? I’ve identified five benefits that I’ve observed:
·        List-building – This works if it’s a free event – you capture email addresses of everyone who signs-up so you can market to them later.
·        Establish your expertise – If you’re trying to position yourself as an expert, providing high-quality content through a telesummit is a great way to do it!
·        Ongoing income – After the telesummit you can easily transform the content into an info-product (MP3s, transcripts, worksheets etc.) that generates ongoing income.
·        Publicity – This is a great opportunity to get some media coverage for your event, especially if you have well-known speakers participating.
·        Establishing relationships with other experts related to your field – Experts are usually happy to participate because they benefit from the list-building and publicity as well. This can be the beginning of great joint-venture partnerships.
If you want to see for yourself how a telesummit works check out the following telesummits (they’re all free):
Going on now:
Career Changer Super Telesummit – Need to change your career? Not only is the event free but anyone who signs up will get a bonus 7 day e-course on career change.
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Coming up soon:
Brand Reinvention Summit will be held on October 1st and 2nd. If you’re an entrepreneur, startup CEO and small business owner you’ll want to learn how to reinvent, revitalize or repackage your brand.
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Scheduled for this fall:
Metromom Prosperity Summit  - Designed for mom entrepreneurs who want to tackle issues surrounding money, mindset and motherhood.
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I know there are additional benefits of hosting a telesummit so please feel free to post them in your comments.
Posted in Internet Marketing, Marketing, Public Relations | 1 Comment »
I’ve noticed that the majority of my new clients are looking for help with press releases. These entrepreneurs and small business owners know that press releases are a good idea but they’re not quite sure where to start.
When a new client calls and asks for help writing a press release this is the first question I ask – “What do you want to accomplish with your press release?” You need to be clear on your objectives so you can implement the most effective strategy when writing and distributing your press release.
1. When You Want to Spread the Word and Boost Traffic to Your Site
This type of press release should be written with SEO in mind so you need to implement the right keywords. Then I recommend utilizing an internet distribution service like www.prweb.com (there are other free services available). This type of distribution is a very effective way of giving your website a traffic boost since these sites rank high on search engines.
Of course, the idea is that when reporters are searching for your particular topic they’ll find your press release. Realistically, this doesn’t happen very often. If you want actual media coverage read on.
2. When You Want to Get Media Coverage in Newspapers, Magazines, Radio and Television
The second type of distribution I recommend is more likely to land you media coverage. You need to build a media list based on location or industry. This does require more work because you need to generate your own list. You’ll need to do your homework and find out who the best person is to send your release to and the best method of contact – email, fax or online form.
Make sure you have the right angle when you’re writing and sending your release to individual reporters. Consider using a “local” angle or an “industry” angle. In fact, you may want to consider sending them a “pitch” instead of a press release. A pitch is written in the form of a letter and specifically addresses the concerns of the reporter and their target audience.
Click here to learn how to go beyond a press release and cultivate a relationship with the media.
Posted in Internet Marketing, Public Relations | 1 Comment »
I’m very pleased that one of my clients recently landed a contract with a book publisher. I enjoyed helping her develop and distribute her book proposal. I’ll tell you right now…it was a lot of work.
 Authors who just focus on writing a great book are going to miss the key to success—your book proposal needs to SELL YOU not just your book. In today’s competitive market publishers are looking for authors that have marketing savvy. They are looking for authors with some national visibility. So before you approach the publisher, you should establish yourself as an “expert” through speaking engagements, seminars, articles, media coverage and a strong Internet presence. Then you have to package you book proposal in a way that will showcase all this expertise!
Need more advice? I recommend Rick Frishman’s newsletter which contains loads of helpful tips for authors. You can sign-up at www.rickfrishman.com. Feel free to contact me with questions or take a look at some of the services I provide for authors at http://www.internetwritingpro.com/services.html.
Posted in Marketing, Public Relations | 1 Comment »
There are two methods of press release distribution that I recommend to my clients. The first is an internet distribution service like www.prweb.com. This type of distribution is a very effective way of giving your website a traffic boost since these sites rank high on search engines. If reporters are searching for a related topic this is a good way of attracting their attention.
The second type of distribution I recommend is more likely to land you media coverage.  You need to build a media list based on location or industry. This does require more work because you need to generate your own list. You’ll need to do your homework and find out who the best person is to send your release to and the best method – email, fax or online form. This is a service I provide to my clients who are too busy to come up with their own list.
Make sure you have the right angle when you’re distributing your release to individual reporters. Consider using a “local” angle or and “industry” angle. An experienced copywriter can help you come up with an angle to make your press release newsworthy – www.internetwritingpro.com/services.
Posted in Copywriting, Internet Marketing, Public Relations | No Comments »
Let’s assume you have a good story and a well written press release. Chances are sending the release to news editors or using an online service to distribute your release won’t get you media coverage. You need to cultivate a relationship with the media if you want their attention. Here are a few suggestions:
- Develop a media database of all the media outlets such as radio, television, and newspapers in your area. Make sure that your release is addressed to a specific name instead of “editor.”
- Study your media by reading, listening, and watching to determine the type of stories each journalist is interested in. You can also find this information on their individual bios posted on their website. Target each release to those reporters who are likely to find it interesting.
- Get to know local journalists. You can ask the journalist to share a coffee with you so you can get to know them personally. Also try sending a personal note volunteering yourself for future interviews on issues related to your field and then give them a list of hot topics.
- When you do get media coverage make sure you follow-up with a phone call or note to thank them.
If you follow these steps your press releases will get noticed. Hopefully, you will achieve the public relations ultimate goal of having journalists initiating contact with you.
Posted in Public Relations | 1 Comment »
