Marketing & Media Relations

Whether you call them key stakeholders, ideal clients, or your target audience, you need to be clear about who you’re trying to reach. We all know that you can’t please everyone, so “everyone” should not be your target audience.

Who are you best suited to help? Why? How?

If you have clear answers to those messages, you are well on your way to developing a communication strategy that will attract the right people for your service or product.

When I begin working with a new client, I ask, “Who, precisely, are you hoping to communicate with and what do you want them to do as a result of this communication?” Goals can be big or small, short-term or long-term, but they cannot be vague if they are to be useful.

Are you better suited to work with men or women? Young or old? Rich or poor? Socially conservative or liberal? Active or sedentary? Are they parents or grandparents? Twenty-somethings or teens? Are they college educated? Are they white collar or blue collar? Are they building their future or thinking about their legacy?

Depending on the answers to these questions, your approach should vary widely. A message that will strike gold with a rebellious teenager probably won’t impress his or her conservative grandparents.

Of course, a single organization can serve more than one audience. Just be clear about your communication goals each time you communicate, whether you’re writing a blog post, publishing a press release, placing a paid advertisement, or hosting a booth at a community outreach event.

I work with a philanthropic foundation focused on helping people extend their legacies in perpetuity through charitable giving. That same foundation wants those looking for grants to apply. The messages to these two audiences are quite different, yet completely consistent with the overall goal of “offering people effective ways to engage in advancing the well-being of our communities.”

Now, I know there are those of you out there saying, “But I really do want to reach everyone. My (fill-in-the-blank-with-your-product-or-service) can help everyone.” While that may be true, your messages won’t hit their mark if you don’t narrow your approach, so pick a few audiences you most want to work with and develop messages for them. It’s okay if those messages don’t resonate with everyone. They’re not meant to.

Want to hone your messages? Let’s chat.

Public relations is about building a relationship with your public, and relationships are built on trust. What builds trust? Consistency.

As you consider how to promote your product or service, think about what your work means to your clients. If you’re a banker, people want you to be extremely reliable. If you represent a fashion brand, they want you to be stylish. If you’re a graphic designer, they expect you to be creative. If you’re in the tech industry, embrace your inner nerd–the more tape on your glasses the better.

Ask yourself, how does my  product or service benefit my client? What do they want from me? What problem do I solve for them? Then look at your advertising and other promotional efforts–do they address your clients’ core needs?

We all have biases, and when someone behaves in an unexpected way, it can make us feel uncomfortable. That’s not to say you can’t bust out of your industry’s box–but be aware of the effect it may have on your business. When you think about your branding, be clear and consistent. Help your clients understand what they should expect from you, and then deliver it over and over.

Making a good first impression in a relationship-based business can mean the difference between getting a new account or not. Your bio serves as an online interview, so it’s worth spending a little time to get it right.

Tips for Writing a Good Bio

It’s pretty easy to write a boring bio that turns people off because it sounds self-aggrandizing. Here are some tips to help you share your best qualities without sounding like a braggart.

• Focus on the clients’ needs – who is your audience, what do they want?
• Choose the top three traits that differentiate you from your peers
  (ask friends to chime in if you can’t come up with any)
• Choose your tone (e.g. professional, friendly, folksy, humorous, no-nonsense)
• Highlight your specialty – within your industry, what sets you apart?
• Write in the third person (“He” or “she” instead of “I”)
• Explain why you do what you do
• Share some personal details about who you are
• Let others brag for you (brief testimonials can work here)
• Keep it short (about 300 words)
• Use a professional head shot/portrait, not an iPhone selfie

How to Avoid Common Mistakes

• Do not share a laundry list of accomplishments
• Do not try to be something you’re not—celebrate your genuine and authentic self
• Do not be boring (unless that’s your personal brand – see below)

“I’m a ‘no-surprises’ Realtor. You might want sexy and exciting, but nope—that’s not me. I will get every disclosure signed, every inspection scheduled, and every detail attended to with plenty of time to spare. If you’re looking for that thrill of the unknown, that last-minute rush, that fingernail-biting, edge-of-your-seat experience, I’m not the Realtor for you.”

Although this breaks the “third-person rule,” I think it’s an approach that could work for some.

If you’d like help writing your bio, feel free to get in touch.

So you’ve written a press release. Now what? Press releases don’t do you any good unless you share them with all sorts of people. Before you send the press release anywhere, make sure you’ve written it well and had someone proof read it for you. Once it’s compellingly written and error free, it’s ready to publish. Time to share it far and wide.

Stakeholders: Internal and External

Before publishing press releases publicly, first share the information with internal audiences–or at least publish the information simultaneously by sending the press release to employees when you send it to the media. Most people don’t like to hear big news regarding their company after everyone else has already heard it. The advantage to sending the information internally before it goes to the media is that you can provide talking points so everyone understands (and hopefully adopts) the company line.

Media: Print, Radio, TV, Online

When it comes to sharing information with the media, it’s best if you have a relationship with the reporters/bloggers who cover your beat. If you’re in health care, develop a relationship with health care reporters. If you’re in education, figure out which bloggers cover education stories. You get the idea.

Share the press release with newspapers, news magazines, bloggers, TV news programs, radio news programs, and any organizations who may find the information of interest. Compile an email list (with an opt-out, of course) and cultivate it over time.

When we feel strongly about something or we’re deeply invested in getting someone’s attention, many of us fall into the exaggeration trap: we overstate our case. We use absolutes like “always” or “never.” We reach for superlatives like “best” or “worst.”

When we do this, we weaken our argument. For discerning listeners, these melodramatic words are like neon signs that say, “I’m using imprecise language, so think twice before believing this information.”

Note the difference between these two statements:

1. Everyone thinks this toothpaste is the best ever. Thanks to this product, I never get cavities and my teeth are the whitest ever.
2. In a survey of 500 dentists, 495 chose this toothpaste because of it ability to reduce cavities and whiten teeth.

See what I mean? Sentence #2 wins. Specific language that speaks directly to the benefits of your product or service is far more effective than over-the-top claims. It might be that your toothpaste really is the best ever, but that argument is hard to verify. I find that advertisements, blogs, and op-eds that use credible language and appeal to my sense of reason as well as my emotions tend to sway my opinions.

The age of the Internet has supported the promulgation of hyperbole, as people have less and less time to grab the attention of prospective customers. I understand the temptation to say, “OMG! This is the best ever!” But it probably won’t work as you hope.

Now, I’m not saying there’s no place for hyperbole. It’s ineffective when you’re trying to make a serious argument and you overdo it, but if you’re using it for the delightfully crazy or funny effect it can have, it can be brilliant. Ben Huberman wrote a GREAT piece on having fun with hyperbole in 2014. Colorful, well-designed exaggerations can grab attention and illustrate points beautifully. As Huberman writes, you can also mix and match understatement with hyperbole to great effect, like JFK did when addressing a room full of Nobel laureates at the White House. He said, “I think this is the most extraordinary collection of human talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House — with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.”

If you exaggerate, go big! Go for effect. Otherwise, craft a compelling argument without absolutes or superlatives.

Isn’t it amazing how easy it is to promote services and products you believe in, and yet, feel completely awkward promoting your own work?

The first thing to understand is that this is completely normal. The second thing to do is take action to overcome the awkwardness and promote yourself like a star.

Before you can do so, you need to be REALLY clear on why people should choose you to solve their problem. (Do you know what problems you solve? Start there.) Why are you better than your competitors? Who can you help the most (which target audience)? Have you developed your key messages?

I try to put myself in my clients’ position. What do they need? How can I help? Am I the best person to help them? If so, why? If not, why not?

If you struggle to answer these questions and you have clients you trust, it’s okay to ask for input. Ask them questions like, “What do you value most about our work together?” Or, “How does my product or service help you achieve your goals?” Let your clients know you want to continually improve, and gathering feedback is part of this process. I’ve yet to meet a client who reacted poorly to this type of inquiry.

If you’re just getting started (and don’t have many clients) or if the idea of asking your clients for input makes you want to close up shop and become a barista at Starbucks, there’s another option: pretend you’re someone else.

Yep, you read that right. Think of someone, a friend or colleague you really admire and respect. What is it about them–their personal traits, their professional skills–that engender such positive feelings? That was pretty easy, right? Now, imagine you are your own friend or colleague, and do your best to describe yourself in the third person. For the sake of convenience, let’s say your name is Jaden.

What are Jaden’s best skills? What makes Jaden stand out among peers? Why would someone want to work with Jaden? How would Jaden’s friends describe him/her?

As unorthodox as this sounds, I highly recommend giving it a go. As long as you’re honest with yourself, this type of self-exploration can lead to some insightful realizations.

When it’s time to promote yourself, the most successful way to do so is to focus on what others need, and how you help meet that need. How do you feel when someone tells you all about a valuable product or service? Most of us are grateful. Imagine that’s what you’re doing when you promote yourself, because hopefully, you are.

As you think about your marketing and promotion for the coming year, consider who else serves your clients. I’m not talking about your direct competitors, but rather organizations or individuals who provide a related or complementary product or service.

If you are aware of a something that you genuinely believe would benefit your clients, why not publicly promote it? Promoting someone else says to your clients, “I’m looking out for you.” And I guarantee the folks who provide the product or service you promote will see you favorably.

In my line of work, I help with clients on public relations and communication strategy. This often spills into related areas like marketing and advertising that require graphic design, photography, and web design. It helps my clients when I say, “I know a great graphic designer. Her name is Karen Adair, and she owns DG Creative. Or, “For commercial photography, I think Cat Vibert can really help you tell your story. And, “If you need a web design that is both functional and visually appealing, I always call Marc Carson.” (I really do recommend these three people. They are amazing at what they do.)

You can informally promote a related business, or you can team up and agree to a mutually beneficial cross promotion plan. Be aware that you’re putting your reputation on the line when you promote someone else’s stuff, so be discerning. But as long as you choose well, you can actually enhance your own reputation when you enhance someone else’s.

If you’d like to learn more about how to do this, let me know.

As you contemplate goals for next year, why not create a whole year’s worth of social media content at the same time? This will actually save you time and likely result in better posts. Rather than trying to come up with brilliant social media posts when you’re too busy or too tired, you can create a year’s worth of posts and get them scheduled in a single afternoon.

If your social media marketing efforts are a collaborative endeavor, create a Google Docs spreadsheet and invite contributors to add organizational events/promotions. When you’ve collected this information, you’re ready to start. You can either schedule posts right in the social media platform or create a spreadsheet with planned posts.

I usually begin with the easiest posts: those related to major holidays. While you’re wishing everyone Merry Christmas, you can also include information about when you’ll be closed. For example, you could post: “Merry Christmas! We wish you a happy, healthy holiday with family and friends. We’ll be closed December 25-26 and December 31-January 1. We look forward to serving you again in the new year.” That same afternoon, you could plan the post for the first week in July: “Happy Fourth of July! We’ll be closed July 3-4. Enjoy your Independence Day celebration.”

You get the idea.

Next, take a look at your organizational calendar. Does your business have seasonal promotions? Plan the posts for them now. If you’re in the health care industry, you can provide useful information about flu shots in the fall and immunizations in August. Each month has different health observances, so piggy-back on those to share timely, relevant messages. If you’re in education, the school year offers plenty of opportunities for pre-planned posts, from back-to-school nights to parent-teacher conferences to school board meetings. If you’re in real estate, you can recommend seasonal home maintenance tips.

Regardless of your industry, always post information from the consumer’s perspective. Instead of describing your services, your posts should explain how you meet consumer needs–share information about how much better your consumers’ lives will be once they use your service, attend your event, or take your advice. Describe the problem you’re solving and then demonstrate how you solve it.

I highly recommend using engaging photos or images with each post. Most of us are attracted to interesting visuals. Even if your text contains the funniest, most heart-warming, or most profound message, without a picture it will often get missed.

Bing.com  has a great way of allowing you to share images without running afoul of copyrights. Once you enter a keyword image search, a little menu across the top of the images (under the first image bar) appears. It includes image size, color, type…and license. If you click on license, you’ll see options like, “Free to share and use.” These filters help assure you don’t inadvertently steal someone’s image.

Like I said earlier, you can create a spreadsheet with planned posts and enter those posts at the beginning of each week (or each month), or you can go ahead and schedule a year’s worth of posts so they populate on the predetermined date in the social media platform of your choice. Then, when you’re feeling inspired, you can add posts to augment what you’ve already planned.

By creating a social media calendar ahead of time, you don’t have to come up with witty remarks and engaging posts under pressure. And because the pressure’s off, you are far more likely to come up with those witty, engaging posts. If you need help getting started, let me know.

Most journalists pride themselves on checking their facts and informing the public about all manner of information. However, mistakes happen and in the world of digital media, the old proverb holds truer than ever: a lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is still getting its pants on.

So what can you do?

First, stay cool. While it can be frustrating and expensive to correct misinformation, attacking the person who made the mistake rarely has the desired effect. When was the last time you bent over backwards to help someone who yelled at you or embarrassed you in front of others? So, take a deep breath and be polite.

The nature of the mistake and the public response should guide your next move. Mediabugs.org categorizes journalistic mistakes as follows:

• Error of Omission
• Ethical Issue
• Fabrication
• Faulty Statistics or Math
• Headline Problem
• Misquotation
• Mistaken Identity
• Other
• Photo/Illustration Error
• Simple Factual Error
• Typo, Spelling, Grammar

Clearly, some of these are more damaging than others.

If a story includes a factual error, a typo, or some other black-and-white mistake that’s relatively easy to correct, most reputable media outlets will print a retraction and correct the online version of the story. To facilitate this, call or email the journalist and outline the error. If you have documentation supporting your position, share it.

If a story misses a critical fact, it’s still important to share this with the journalist, but it’s less certain as to whether the media outlet will print a correction. As journalists scramble to keep up with a 24-hour news cycle, they sometimes go to press before they’ve collected all the salient facts. The hope is that by bringing the omission to the journalist’s attention, he or she will, at the very least, use the new information if the story continues to develop.

Almost regardless of the mistake, it’s important to get the corrected information out as soon as possible. Depending on the severity of the mistake, informing the journalist is only the first step. If the mistake threatens your reputation, get in touch with your stakeholders directly to share the facts (see my article on how to develop clear, concise messages). Consider using social media, advertising and other media outlets to tell your side of the story. Hold press conferences. Schedule radio interviews. Make a YouTube video. Find reputable surrogates who will share the truth for you, and who will strongly defend your integrity.

Please note that I said, “Almost regardless of the mistake… ” Before you go completely nuts, pounding your chest and excoriating the folks who got the story wrong, make sure it is not your bruised ego making a mountain out of a molehill. Sometimes, it’s best to let a little correction run and leave it at that. You don’t want to draw more attention to the mistake than would have occurred otherwise.