Flacks get a lot of, well, FLACK. Some of it deserved and some of it not. If you’re a new product, new author, small business or otherwise lower profile brand it can take a long time to establish a media footprint, digital or otherwise. Getting placements right away isn’t always the best measurement as things can take a long time.
It’s time to give new buyers of public relations services a checklist for separating the rock stars from the ones with rocks in their head.
Filed under: Public Relations, Social Media by Bonnie
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For news stories, and particularly for talk shows and feature ‘packages’ the back story is often more important than the actual product or service. Lance Armstrong is perhaps the best example of a great back story.
Filed under: News on Media by Bonnie
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Wax is an integrated marketing firm – the only other “Wax” I’ve found in the U.S. Of course they’re in Miami so I imagine it’s a little different corporate culture (if I actually have one) than here in Minnesota.
Filed under: Marketing, Social Media by Bonnie
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A product, service or book is probably the greatest thing in the world – to its creator. But when an editor or producers says “pass” it’s the publicist who has to tell the client .Sometimes ZERO media are interested. And for anyone who has written a book, started a business or provided a service, that can be a pretty personally hurtful message no matter how carefully it’s couched. For me, it’s the equivalent of having to tell clients “your baby is ugly” 95% of the time, without hurting their feelings. Nearly impossible.
Filed under: News, Public Relations by Bonnie
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Since I recently listed several of my favorite PR sites – I thought it would be a good idea to post some of my favorite sites on the marketing side here too. I love RSS feeds – not only is it easy to stay up to date it shows me how prolific and smart many of my colleagues are in this business. Here are some of the blogs I’m following right now – and why. If you don’t mind, take a minute and list your own favorites in the comments section.
Filed under: News by Bonnie
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As a publicist, it is my job to present my clients in the best light possible to ALL their “publics” – whether it’s the media, the customer, the government, whomever. What strikes me as ridiculous is that most of the people who bash PR (like Ms. Brown) don’t seem to have any understanding of what it is exactly that we do.
Filed under: Marketing, Public Relations by Bonnie
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I just got yet another invitation to join a company’s Facebook “fan” page. Heavy sigh. Another company Facebook fan page in which they beat their chest with pride at their AMAZING business accomplishments and expect us all to chuckle with fond affection at photos of their zany antics. (OMG, food fight!)
Filed under: News, Public Relations, Social Media by Bonnie
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“…it’s the biggest mistake I see small business owners make, including me. We have no patience.”
Filed under: Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media by Bonnie
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Even if your product is consumer-based, you still have to be able to sell – whether it’s getting the next book advance, attracting valuable new partners or even selling your company!I carried a bag for years and it’s given me a set of skills that have been invaluable in every job I’ve ever done, from the boardroom to the green room.
Filed under: Marketing, Sales by Bonnie
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I agree, there are many, many people out there doing public relations because they think it’s easy. And there are a lot of really bad publicists I know it’s true. And media is definitely under pressure these days even more than before. But we don’t have to do their job to understand. We just need a little bit more patience from the media. It’s not all sunshine and roses on this side of the fence either.
Filed under: News, Public Relations by Bonnie
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