I'm flattered to be mentioned by Mike Michalowicz, the amazing Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, as one of the top women entrepreneurs making strides! As someone that works hard to get coverage for my clients, it's always fun to get a little recognition once in a while - check out the article at the link below!
http://tinyurl.com/dj94dk
Monday, March 30, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Leveraging Media Exposure
Your efforts are paying off and you're starting to land media coverage for your business. Now what?
Beyond the exposure your coverage will bring , there a few 'extra steps' you can take to best leverage this exposure.
Use National Coverage to Publicize Locally and Local Coverage to Build a Buzz Nationally
Featured in the Wall Street Journal? Your local news source may want to know about this national recognition. Often reporters at larger outlets scour blogs and smaller news sources for story ideas.
Get Copies
If you were featured in print, request a reprint. This gives you a clean, professional copy from the publication and permission to post on your website and give to clients. If you were featured on TV or radio, ask the producer for a DVD copy or mp3 file of the segment. You can easily upload these to your website.
Mention Coverage in your Marketing
Update your website copy, biography, brochure, one-sheet - all of your marketing materials with _______ was featured in....
Show your Clients
Let your clients and followers know about your coverage! Post it on your blog and make a page on your website featuring links to the coverage. Print copies of the articles to include in your handouts. Hang them in your office lobby as a 'wall of fame' or in your store/restaurant/salon, etc
Follow-up for Future Coverage
Always send the media outlet a 'thank you' for covering your business. Brainstorm several new 'angles' that might be of interest to the reporter and pitch yourself as a regular guest or columnist.
Beyond the exposure your coverage will bring , there a few 'extra steps' you can take to best leverage this exposure.
Use National Coverage to Publicize Locally and Local Coverage to Build a Buzz Nationally
Featured in the Wall Street Journal? Your local news source may want to know about this national recognition. Often reporters at larger outlets scour blogs and smaller news sources for story ideas.
Get Copies
If you were featured in print, request a reprint. This gives you a clean, professional copy from the publication and permission to post on your website and give to clients. If you were featured on TV or radio, ask the producer for a DVD copy or mp3 file of the segment. You can easily upload these to your website.
Mention Coverage in your Marketing
Update your website copy, biography, brochure, one-sheet - all of your marketing materials with _______ was featured in....
Show your Clients
Let your clients and followers know about your coverage! Post it on your blog and make a page on your website featuring links to the coverage. Print copies of the articles to include in your handouts. Hang them in your office lobby as a 'wall of fame' or in your store/restaurant/salon, etc
Follow-up for Future Coverage
Always send the media outlet a 'thank you' for covering your business. Brainstorm several new 'angles' that might be of interest to the reporter and pitch yourself as a regular guest or columnist.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
What Topics Should you Pitch to Oprah?
Everyone wants to be on Oprah - and that means the poor producers are inundated with pitches every day on every possible topic imaginable.
So how do you decide if your topic is a good fit? Simple - check her website!
The Oprah show website has a prominent section right on the homepage called 'Be on the Show.' They list all of the hot topics they are covering. After you click on the appropriate topic, you'll be taken to a form where you can contact the show. These submissions are read and passed along to producers if it's a good fit.
If you subscribe to a media database (such as Vocus) that lists producer contact information - don't just pitch any or every producer on the list. Instead read the credits at the end of the show to see which producers are handling which segments (example: fashion, beauty, finance, lifestyle, etc). Then use the topic list on the website as your guide to the topics they are planning to cover and pitch the producer covering your specific 'beat.'
So how do you decide if your topic is a good fit? Simple - check her website!
The Oprah show website has a prominent section right on the homepage called 'Be on the Show.' They list all of the hot topics they are covering. After you click on the appropriate topic, you'll be taken to a form where you can contact the show. These submissions are read and passed along to producers if it's a good fit.
If you subscribe to a media database (such as Vocus) that lists producer contact information - don't just pitch any or every producer on the list. Instead read the credits at the end of the show to see which producers are handling which segments (example: fashion, beauty, finance, lifestyle, etc). Then use the topic list on the website as your guide to the topics they are planning to cover and pitch the producer covering your specific 'beat.'
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
How do you Monitor and Measure your Personal Brand?
From my eBook Creating a Winning Personal Brand
As with any marketing or publicity initiative, you want to put a system in place to measure your personal brand. Follow these steps to insure your brand is positioned correctly in the public eye and use the feedback to refine as necessary.
Have a Personal Brand Advisory Board
Form a team of personal brand advisors. This can be made up of colleagues, current customers and non-customers. Ask for honest feedback on your performance, your current brand, your marketing materials and your customer service.
Help Reporters Communicate your Brand
Give them a copy of your biography, full contact information, and even sample interview questions. Ask ahead of time how they will refer to you within the story. A good trick is to use your web address as your business name (example - Omaroma.com instead of Om Aroma). People can then easily find your website for information on you and your products/services.
Set up Google Alerts
Want to know what others are saying about you? Set up a Google alert for your name and your company name. You can also use keywords to search for your competition and where they are being featured and how they are positioned.
Use Social Networking to your Advantage
Social networking lets us become very visible to a broad audience. Your customers and the media are using social media – are you? If your personal brand is to educate on a specific topic, make sure your social networking activities reflect that. Your profiles should have the same biography information coupled with professional photos.
As with any marketing or publicity initiative, you want to put a system in place to measure your personal brand. Follow these steps to insure your brand is positioned correctly in the public eye and use the feedback to refine as necessary.
Have a Personal Brand Advisory Board
Form a team of personal brand advisors. This can be made up of colleagues, current customers and non-customers. Ask for honest feedback on your performance, your current brand, your marketing materials and your customer service.
Help Reporters Communicate your Brand
Give them a copy of your biography, full contact information, and even sample interview questions. Ask ahead of time how they will refer to you within the story. A good trick is to use your web address as your business name (example - Omaroma.com instead of Om Aroma). People can then easily find your website for information on you and your products/services.
Set up Google Alerts
Want to know what others are saying about you? Set up a Google alert for your name and your company name. You can also use keywords to search for your competition and where they are being featured and how they are positioned.
Use Social Networking to your Advantage
Social networking lets us become very visible to a broad audience. Your customers and the media are using social media – are you? If your personal brand is to educate on a specific topic, make sure your social networking activities reflect that. Your profiles should have the same biography information coupled with professional photos.
Reinvention
What a hot topic! Seems every media outlet is covering reinvention these days. MSNBC is actively seeking those that have been laid off and what they are doing to reinvent. If this is you - check out the query here http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29352848
Monday, March 2, 2009
Pitch Ideas
What's going on the media world today? If you're struggling to find pitch ideas, consider one of the following hot topics for this week:
Economy
Yes - it's still hot and probably will be for quite awhile. Plenty of outlets are looking for people that have recently been laid off and what they are doing to cope. Also people that have lost their jobs and started a new business in a completely new direction.
Social Media
Small business and big business - reporters want to know how your business is using social media. Most are in need of real case studies and how you measured your success.
Tax Season
Some short lead outlets are seeking tax tips and tax advice for individuals and business owners
St. Patricks Day
Very short lead outlets (online or newspaper mostly) seeking interesting St. Patrick's Day activities, especially those that are 'green' - meaning 'eco-friendly,' not the color green.
Mother's Day
Long lead outlets are seeking Mother's Day pitches. Many large national magazines are past deadline but you still have time for regional magazines, TV, and online media!
Happy Pitching.
Economy
Yes - it's still hot and probably will be for quite awhile. Plenty of outlets are looking for people that have recently been laid off and what they are doing to cope. Also people that have lost their jobs and started a new business in a completely new direction.
Social Media
Small business and big business - reporters want to know how your business is using social media. Most are in need of real case studies and how you measured your success.
Tax Season
Some short lead outlets are seeking tax tips and tax advice for individuals and business owners
St. Patricks Day
Very short lead outlets (online or newspaper mostly) seeking interesting St. Patrick's Day activities, especially those that are 'green' - meaning 'eco-friendly,' not the color green.
Mother's Day
Long lead outlets are seeking Mother's Day pitches. Many large national magazines are past deadline but you still have time for regional magazines, TV, and online media!
Happy Pitching.
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