How to Focus While Growing a Business

As entrepreneurs, we often want to do everything - start more businesses, develop more products, write more blogs and books, create more keynote presentations. I find myself thinking every Friday morning "where did the week go?" and wishing that it was Wednesday again so I'd have two more days to get things done.

So here I am again - Friday morning with coffee in hand. I've been working since 7:30am and can't name one tangible thing I've completed. I have about five excel spreadsheets open, about 45 open tasks in Outlook and a list of messages on my notepad that need to be returned or dealt with today.

I made a pact with myself to make this weekend a 'weekend of organization.' I will go back to my old ways of scheduling and prioritizing so I don't fall out of the loop when I'm overwhelmed with too many things to accomplish. Here's my plan:

Schedule Tasks by the Time of Day I do them Best
I can't write creatively during the day. There are too many distractions. I know that my writing needs to be completed after 8pm at night when my mind is free and there are no distractions by phone and email.

Schedule Social Media Breaks
Many people do this for email as well. As a publicist, I can't risk missing an email from a reporter that needs a source within one hour, so email is a MUST all day. Social media is a different story. I need to start checking Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn/Savor the Success/Speakersite once per day.

Schedule Time for Business Growth
I spend the majority of my time working for my clients - which is a necessity since they are so wonderful to pay me to get things accomplished! In addition, I'm also developing products and trying to develop the infrastructure to actually sell those products.

Schedule Columns and Blogs
I currently write a regular column for the Newark Examiner and write a blog for Savor the Success as well as this blog. My column and Savor blog should technically be updated 3-4x per week and this blog should be updated 4-5x. Where do I get all of this content or have time to write it all? I keep an idea file for blogs and columns that I refer to frequently. I also post queries on HARO and Profnet for my column to help with content for stories. These should all be scheduled or even written ahead of time for posting throughout the week.

What are your favorite organization and time management strategies?

Google Alerts

Do you track what others are saying about you and your company?

The best way to automate this process is to set up Google Alerts on your name and company name. They can be delivered daily or weekly, depending on your preference.

But don't stop there.

Set up Google Alerts on keywords in your industry. If you're an organization expert, find out who is positioned as this title in the media. This is a great way to build a media list by seeing who is covering your field.

You can also set up Google Alerts for your competition. Who is covering their story and how can you also contribute as someone in the field?

Google Alerts are an excellent way to build a media list of contacts already covering your industry. They also provide an excellent (and free!) way to track your coverage and easily monitor your brand in the public eye.

Web Cam Interview on CBS

Earlier this week I pitched my client, Fashion expert Lilliana Vazquez, to a CBS affiliate in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Lilliana is originally from Dallas, but currently is in NYC. Typically these remote interviews are performed via satellite or done in-person when she travels back into town. Instead, the producer suggested we do the interview via webcam through Skype.

This aired tonight at 8:20pm on the evening news and I think this is a great alternative for getting coverage on local affiliates, even when you're out of town! It also brings a slew of new experts and features to the news station to work with people across the world without the hassle of satellite.

http://cbs11tv.com/fuel-for-thought/Look.For.Less.2.938388.html

Official Newark Small Business Examiner!

I'm excited to announce that I am the new columnist for the Newark Small Business Examiner. I'll be writing plenty of publicity and marketing articles but will also write about the following:

- Low cost small business marketing strategies that work (case studies)
- Social media strategizing
- Interviews with small businesses doing amazing things (limited to Newark/North Jersey area)
- Interviews with top industry experts on various small business topics

If you have a specific topic you'd like me to cover, please leave a comment!

http://tinyurl.com/bwavuq

PR 101 - Basic Publicity Questions Answered

For those of us who haven't embarked on a PR campaign - here's a little background on what to expect:

What is Publicity?

Publicity is spreading the word about you and your product/service through the media. The goal of your campaign is to land media coverage on TV, radio, print or online in the form of an interview, profile, commentary, anecdote, book excerpt or by-line writing opportunity.

Why do some people refer to it as Public Relations?

Public Relations includes more elements than just publicity. It is comprised of crisis communications, event planning, annual reports, etc

What is a Press Release?

Wikipedia defines this as a written or recorded communication directed at members of the news media for the purpose of announcing something claimed as having news value. I can't say it any better!

Why Can't I Just Post my Press Release on a Wire Service like PR Newswire?

Because it's passive - and journalists don't just rely on newswires to get stories. Journalists are pitched stories hundreds, if not thousands, of times each day. Your success rate for coverage will be low if you only rely just on newswires. However; these sources are useful for helping your search engine ranking. If a journalist is assigned a story on empowering women through the workplace one of the first things they do is search Google or another engine for 'Empowering women in the workplace.' If you posted a press release on the newswire with these keywords - you may come up as one of the first results in that Google search.

Can I just email my press release to a bunch of media outlets?

You can...but don't expect much coverage. They receive hundreds of press releases a day by email/fax/mail. You need to stand out above the pack. Every contact with a reporter should be personalized to that reporter.

How do I pitch then?

Do your research! Identify which section of the publication or segment of the TV show your topics could fit within. Make sure they haven't already covered the topic your pitching. Find the appropriate contact for that segment or section. Send them an email with the title of the segment/column/section in the subject line and then a short catchy headline for your topic next to it. Introduce yourself (briefly). Let them know you've read/watched/listened to their work. Tell them exactly how you could fit in with a news story - give them breaking news, a unique angle, an interesting segment. The provide your contact info. You can also copy/paste your press release into the email (no attachments!). If you don't hear back, chances are they weren't interested. Feel free to follow up with a call to pitch (practice a 30-second phone pitch). If they don't bite - come up with a new angle.

You can also just reach out to reporters to let them know you enjoy their work and introduce yourself. Relationship building is key.

I can't think of anything newsworthy

Sit down and brainstorm. Think of all the possible topics you can speak on. Then whittle it down to the most unique or think of how you offer a new opinion or insight into the topic. Then think about which outlets the topics would work for. Have you always wanted to sit down with Bill Maher? What would you talk about? Really visualize the situation.

The best place to start is to think of themes within your speeches, your book, your blog. Think of interesting situations or events over the years. Have you overcome anything? Won any awards? Made a big career switch?

How do I know my Publicity Efforts will Translate to Sales?

This is where you need to prepare before launching your campaign. Just like advertising - there's no guarantee your ad will transate into sales. But with a front page story or a news segment - you're broadening your reach to a whole new audience - an audience that may turn off commercials or flip by ads but will watch/read a news story.

Follow these tips to increase your chances of leveraging media coverage into sales:

• Target media outlets that reach your target audience. Don't waste time on those that don't
• Don't overlook the smaller outlets. Sometimes your hometown weekly newspaper can bring more sales from locals looking to support their neighbor than national coverage
• Make it easy for them to buy and contact you. Often times the only thing you'll get with media coverage is a mention of your web address. Make sure your website is an effective sales tool. If you're selling something, make it easy to buy on your site
• Prepare for interviews ahead. Write sample interview questions and give to reporters beforehand (they won't always use them, but might). Write down the key messages you want to get across in each interview so you don't forget and practice working them in.
• Make sure your personal list of connections knows about your coverage. Send an email newsletter. Create a media page on your website. Mention the coverage on your Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIN profile.

You Know You've Arrived When...

A news station covers your news segment on another network! Check out the little story on my client Lilliana on Philly.com's 2-12-09 Gossip feature

http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/celebrities/

So Tired of Spam

I'm sure you will all agree. We are inundated by spam emails, spam comments and spam 'friending.' But a new breed of spammers has come - those that are disguised as genuine but quickly turn to the online networking darkside.

Let me explain...

I've been a member of many online forums over the years. I'm on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. I also network on two online communities exclusively. The reason I chose these two communities is because the moderators were actually....moderating. They don't accept everyone that fills out the application to join. They have criteria. They knock out spam and blatant self promotion.

I've found there's a fine line between promoting yourself in an online community and coming across as 'spammy.' Online communities are about information sharing and relationship building. Those relationships may turn into a sale down the road, or they may not. There's a growing number of people that are stepping over the line to what is appropriate. They will post a public comment with a sentence or two of valuable information. Then the rest is made up of - 'I can get you the best whatever at a great price - contact us today!' This is not a part of their signature line, but rather a sales pitch tacked on the end of what was formerly an appropriate response.

Here are my personal do's and don'ts for online networking:

Don't:

• Send Facebook messages, LinkedIn messages, Twitter DM's or post in forums that people should contact you to buy your latest product/service
• Answer 'call me for a proposal or call me for help' when someone posts a question in a forum. They are posting in a forum to get an answer there. If they wanted paid services, they would reach out. If they ask specifically for a referral for paid services, then respond.

Do:

• Contact people to make connections (take an interest in what they are doing without a hidden agenda)
• Send information on free classes, products, seminars to your group of connections that opt to receive them
• Answer questions with meaningful responses. You can absolutely include your contact information but do not include a call to action like 'call me and I'll tell you about my products/service

What do you think? Do you think it's OK to infuse sales into our online networking practices? When has someone gone too far?

Just Say Yes to Professional Photos

Last night I taught my first workshop (dubbed PR Booty Camp) for Savor the Success members. The topic was creating a personal brand and the one item that seemed to resonate most with the audience was having professional photos.

Anyone that says you don't need professional photos for your business is lying to you. There's a reason why models are paid thousands of dollars to be the 'face' of a company. In today's world where so much of our communication is web-based, a photo is a great 'stand in' for human connection.

For publicity purposes, a professional photo is absolutely essential. The media will often ask for photos to accompany articles and something taken on a camera phone or a quick snapshot just won't make the cut.

There are thousands of professional headshot photographers that are excellent at capturing you at your best. But the typical corporate headshot doesn't always communicate your brand. Think about the image you want to portray and let your photos reflect that. Here are some of my favorite examples:

Angela Jia Kim - owner of Om Aroma

Om Aroma is a luxury organic spa and organic skincare line. Angela also launched a new publication titled the Sexy Green Ecozine. She depicts 'sexy' and 'luxury' in the following way:

If your business is 'out of the box,' controversial and unorthodox - your pictures should clearly represent this attitude. Dubbed the 'Toilet Paper Entrepreneur' - author Mike Michalowicz http://www.toiletpaperentrepreneur.com/ infuses his brand through photos:

If you have a family oriented business, I love candid shots that depict happiness and playfulness. Hire a commercial photographer to shoot for your family-oriented business.

And if you're in the market for a 'professional' look - why not get a business portrait with a twist? These shots are by Christopher Gabello http://www.christophergabello.com/

Any Lab Test Now on Fox Philadelphia

My client Any Lab Test Now, which just opened in Springfield, PA was on Fox Philadelphia last night. Check out the segment here:

http://www.myfoxphilly.com/dpp/news/Low_Cost_Health_Options

Lilliana Vazquez on ABC News

My client Lilliana was featured on ABC News last night discussing the latest trends along with Philadelphia's Daily Candy editor Meredith Lindenmon. Check it out!

http://tinyurl.com/bkq7kx

Preparing for a Publicity Campaign

Whether you've hired a publicist or are launching your own publicity campaign, there's a considerable amount of prep work that needs to be accomplished prior to the 'pitching' stage. Follow this checklist and you'll never be scrambling last minute at a reporter's request!

1. Have several hi-resolution photos ready to email. These photos should be professional, and may include a headshot, 3/4 body shot, product photos, book cover, logo, etc. Photos should be at least 300dpi and either in jpeg, tiff, eps or pdf format.

2. Write your biography. Have a brief version (limit to one paragraph) and a longer, more eloquent version. Reporters will need the brief version to include in a piece, or may request the longer version for additional background information. Preparing a bio also increases the chance that reporters will use the information as is.

3. Give the reporter your cell phone number when pitching. Often reporters call on deadline, and may have one hour to finish the story. Don't miss the opportunity - give them the best number and get in the habit of answering the phone. If you're looking for television, expect last minute appearances.

4. Have samples ready to send last minute. If you are publicizing a product or book, it's normal for the media to request samples. Especially if you are pitching apparel and accessories - the larger magazines will often need you to overnight pieces for a photo shoot the next day. Have a few items set aside at all times to send. Make sure to include your press release and/or press kit with the samples and your contact information.

5. Prepare sound bites or talking points for interviews. Have at least 10 prepared and then stories, statistics, information to back up each point.

6. Know how you sound and how you look on camera. Record yourself and play it back. Chances are you will pick up eye-twitching, lip biting, or another quirk that you weren't aware of - all of which will distract from a good interview.

7. Prepare interview questions ahead of time. These can help guide reporters (if they ask) - but more importantly - help you prepare for possible questions and craft clear, concise, natural-sounding answers.

8. Invest in B-Roll. What is B-Roll? B-Roll is video footage (usually without narration) that broadcast media uses to supplement a story. B-Roll can be cuts of press interviews, footage of you speaking or giving a presentation, footage of your store or products, etc. Contact a digital video editing company for information and prices. If you're pitching well-known shows they will often request this footage.

9. Create a media page on your website. Include links to download your bio, hi-resolution photographs, tip sheets and press releases. You can also include links to coverage. A bonus is to include video or audio footage.

10. Most of all - relax, be friendly and professional. Your goal is to become a reporter's 'go-to' expert - they want intelligence, personality and charisma. Go get em!

Welcome and thanks for your patience!

As many of you know - I've hosted my blog on Wordpress for some time. After experiencing several problems with the platform and integrating it with my old website I thought it was time for a change!

I'm now happy to use Blogger and even happier to announce my new website! I listened to many of your suggestions (more photos, products, blog on website) and appreciate all the feedback and patience.

Kudos to www.restored316designs.com for a great layout and for being patient with me during this process.

No more blog worries - I'll be back to regular posting with plenty of publicity and marketing tips! Also, check out my second blog at Savor the Success as I talk about the challenge of becoming a published author and achieving my life goal to become a QVC product host! http://www.savorthesuccess.com/member/melissa-cassera/blog/541