Megan Licursi Marketing Communications

To Pay or Not to Pay...Bloggers, that is

2011-11-22T09:14:00.000-08:00

Republican or Democrat; Coke or Pepsi; Auburn or Alabama. We live in a world of opposing sides and the blogosphere is no exception: to pay or not to pay for product reviews.

Last night, I received an e-mail from BlogPaws, a network of pet bloggers whose annual conferences I've recommended to clients in the past. The e-mail and blog post can be read entirely here, but here's the part that has me up in arms:

Some [pitches] will make you feel sad because they are about shelters, rescues or a program supporting shelters and rescues, and you want to write about them but... you can't write 10 different posts about 10 different things going on, and still get your own writing done. And, some will make you mad. Because they will assume you're going to cover their product for free... free product, that is. It's not the message, sometimes, it's the assumption that your time if not worth anything.

Here's the skinny on all of this.

Every time you do a free product review, you sell yourself, and your fellow bloggers short. Be selective. No, I am not advising you stop doing free product reviews. I am saying, weigh the free product and your influence carefully. Ask yourself, "Should I get paid for this review? Did the newspaper or major magazine in which an ad was placed for this product, do it for free? Why is my blog any different?" Truth is - your blog has more relevance than a major magazine or newspaper ad.

I do a fair share of social media marketing and consulting. At any given time, I'm running between 5 and 10 blog tours for various CPG companies. I recognize that product reviews on blogs are extremely important. The last statistic I can recall on the subject said that people who read about a product on a blog are 9x more likely to buy that product versus only 3x more likely if they read about it editorially (both metrics are compared to seeing an advertisement).

But to resonate with the consumer, that post needs to be objective. And it's that reason that I do not advocate paying for content.

Why would a blogger do this? Simply put: content drives traffic. It's the same for traditional media and it works for blogs, too. My good friend Tim Wagner at WrightIMC explains it nicely, saying "If you provide good content and do good search marketing, your audience will come. And, with that audience will come advertisers. PR people help you build good, unique content."

So, how can a blogger make money? I buy ad space on blogs on a daily basis. I've sponsored bloggers to attend conferences and other events. I've even been known to pay for an advertorial (or two).

As Jeremy Pepper says, You need the traffic to command and demand a cost structure.

I'm going out on a limb here and I'm sure I'll make some enemies by saying this: It boggles my mind that some bloggers can't see the forest for the trees. They have a money-making mechanism at their disposal. But, it's not in the content. It's in the advertising.

I've sent this link to BlogPaws, fellow bloggers and several people I respect in the PR world for comment.

Blog Relations: Going into the rabbit hole

2011-11-21T10:35:00.000-08:00

Blogger relations is a lot like Alice's ventures!

A few weeks ago, Entreprenette Sarah Shaw called and asked if I would share some tips with her readers on working with bloggers. We did a short call (details here) and then had a follow-up conversation.

We do a lot of blog tours at MLMC (so many, in fact, that I co-founded the Blogger Black Book, an opt-in directory of bloggers who want to talk to marketers, but I digress...)

There was a phrase Sarah kept mentioning: Going into the rabbit hole. This is exactly what it's like to find new bloggers.

The number one question clients ask me about working with bloggers is how to find the *right* one. The answer is fairly simple: the right blogger for your company or product mirrors your target buyer.

You'll need to do research on the Internet (google your target audience and the word "blog" in quotations) and that's when you'll find yourself in the rabbit hole. Even after years of doing these tours, I still get sucked in. Reading a blog is like visiting another world. It's like finding someone's diary and stepping in their shoes for an afternoon. It's fantasy but real. Click on one blog and that leads to another and then another and before I know it, an entire hour is gone!

After you find your first blogger, look around on that blogger's site. You'll often find he or she belongs to a network (or several). Contact those networks for future reviewers--aim for working with 10-15 at a time so you don't get overwhelmed. You'll find that bloggers lead to other bloggers.

In that case, it's more like a trail of breadcrumbs. But that's a whole other fairytale!

~ml

Follow Up is the Key

2011-11-07T07:39:00.000-08:00

Ask most public relations professionals what their least favorite part of PR is and the answer is usually the same: follow-up calls. There is a legitimate reason for the distaste most feel for the follow-up call and it is pretty straightforward: Reporters hate them.

Now I know what you are thinking: “If reporters hate them, then why do them?” It’s simple, really. Reporters are human beings. It may be true that most of the time the reason the reporter never responded to your pitch is because they were just not interested. But, and this is a really big BUT, sometimes they are genuinely happy you called because they: a) never got your email; b) accidentally deleted your e-mail; c) got distracted by some other news bit; d) forgot.

The point is that reporters are very busy people. Our job as public relations professionals is to help reporters. I know reporters don’t always see it that way, but it truly is one of our main priorities. And in case you have forgotten why it’s important to be helpful to reporters, it’s because they remember it. Next time they are looking for a story idea they might just come asking you because they know you are easy to work with.

Another reason it is important to make follow-up calls is because it provides an opportunity for some personal communication. In today’s world, e-mail is the preferred means of communication, and because we are all busy people, it’s understandable. However, taking the time for the occasional conversation is not unwise. It reminds us why we got into this business in the first place: we like people, and we like communicating!

So, while the chances are fairly good that your follow-up calls may annoy or be ignored, there are those occasions where a reporter is glad you called. And those occasions almost ALWAYS lead to an article!! Well worth the effort, I’d say.

And remember, that article is much more valuable than an equivalent ad buy, because of the third party objectivity.

You can’t put a price on that!

Using Facebook for PR

2011-10-26T11:20:00.000-07:00

It seems like a no-brainer. A social media outlet with more than 800 million active users seems like the perfect place for advertising, marketing, and pushing your latest product, but it’s important to remember that Facebook is largely a personal social media outlet. Too much pimping and pushing and you will see your Facebook fans quickly disappearing.

However, public relations is a whole other ballgame. Now, I don’t mean the stalking game that PR tends to become when you are trying to get media coverage for your product or service. While media relations is a crucial part of every public relations campaign, it is not direct communication with your public. Facebook provides a unique opportunity for companies because it allows them direct contact with their customers without any middleman. If we are really talking about the true art of “relating to your public,” then Facebook is a perfect venue.

But, “relating” without annoying is tricky.

Think about it: Depending on your product or service, you must have something going for you if you were able to get people to “like” your company’s Facebook page in the first place. What is it? Is it a really high-quality product? Was it exceptional customer service experiences? Did you offer an opportunity to win a trip to Cancun for every person who liked your page? Whatever it was, it worked. Now you have to keep them, and to do that, you need to offer relevant information or opportunities to your public.

And I’m not talking about announcing that you just changed the color of the label on your product, or that your CEO was recently given some obscure award. Nobody cares. Really. They don’t.

Here are a few examples of relevant information that your fans might like to hear about:

Upcoming contests or sweepstakes your company is offering (everyone likes to win things!)
Recent recalls associated with your product (your fans will appreciate you being more concerned with their safety than your image)
Anything GREEN! The people of the world are turning more Earth-conscious, and if your product is trying to help save the planet, people want to know.
Preservatives and chemicals are so 5-minutes-ago. Is your product becoming healthier in some aspect (all natural, whole wheat, no sugar added)? People want to know.
The Human Fund! Is your company hosting a 5K fundraiser? Are a portion of your proceeds going to help charities? Is there something easy your customers can do (like saying something at the register when they check out) to get funds donated to their child’s school? People want to help others – especially when it requires little effort on their part (sad, but true). If so, let them know.

These are just a few examples, but you get the idea. Relevant information that may affect their lives – that’s what your customers are interested in. Using Facebook to communicate that information to show you care, not only about your customers, but the world in general, is true public relations. That’s a relationship most people would appreciate.

Marketing + Journalism = Marketalism

2011-10-17T13:52:00.000-07:00

Recently, I was having a debate with a colleague about the power of media relations. Every PR consultant can spew the statistics (editorial coverage positively impacts the purchase decision cycle by nearly 300 percent; positive blog reviews do the same by nearly 900 percent, etc). But, it doesn't impact the sales cycle by itself.

Ask yourself this? You've got the clip. Now what do you do with it? Merchandising the clip after it posts is what will ensure the above statistics work for your company.

I ran across an interesting article on Hubspot today, written by Anum Hussain entitled 4 Content Creation Lessons Marketers Can Learn from Journalists.

The opening paragraph brought me back to that debate:

Because content creation is core to inbound marketing, part of being a marketer now means being some form of a journalist. Therefore, to find success in inbound marketing, marketers must now master the art of marketalism.

Marketing + Journalism = Marketalism.

Marketalism [mar-keht-uh-liz-em] noun, verb:

1. the merge between the rudiments of traditional journalism and using content for marketing

2. to create content that is relevant and timely for professionals in a specified industry

Hussain goes on to explain four lessons to take from journalists: frequency, research, beat organization and audience needs.

The comments also add some additional lessons, like how to adhere to a deadline. Sadly, promotion is not one of the lessons.

Here are my tips for promoting a media hit after it posts.

At minimum, do these three things.

Post the URL to your online newsroom. Don't have an online newsroom? Get one. And include somebody's actual contact information, not just a form.
Send the link to all of your fans and followers on Facebook and Twitter.
Post the clip to your intranet

Want to go above and beyond? Include the news item in your customer newsletter. And, my favorite: Order reprints and arm your sales force with them for better customer presentations.

How do you merchandise your media hits?

Can Self-Employed People Still Rise the Corporate Ladder?

2011-10-04T06:04:00.000-07:00

I think the answer to the above question is an emphatic yes.

So, imagine my suprise when I read an article in the latest issue of Real Simple Magazine, "Five work rules you should break". According to the article, the second rule made to be broken is Climb the Career Ladder.

First some background: Real Simple is almost like a Life Handbook for me. I have dog-eared copies going back to the very first issue that was published. I'm a working mom and nearly every article resonates with me. Also, I'm a media relations ~~guru~~ consultant, and I recommend pitching Real Simple to nearly all of my consumer clients. A hit in the magazine is a sure way to drive awareness.

The author quotes Michelle Goodman, the author of the Anti 9-5 Guide. Michelle is also a career columnist for ABCNews.com. Here's the answer verbatim:

There’s pressure in our culture to earn more money and to have important titles. But not everyone wants more responsibility and power. And what we don’t hear often enough is that it’s OK not to want a promotion. So move laterally, or choose self-employment if you think that will make you happy. It won’t hold you back; on the contrary, having a nonlinear career path can make you more intriguing to bosses in the future, not less. They’ll view you as having broader experience.

I saw the "choose self-employment" line and nearly choked.

If you don't want more responsibility, self-employment is not the right fit for you. As CEO of this tiny agency, I do everything from make the coffee to prospecting to billing. Not to mention the work, managing the employees, etc.

I'd love to hear feedback from other self-employed entrepreneurs out there. Call it a gut check!

MLMC Names Shannon N. Herbon Director, Media Relations

2011-06-21T07:47:00.000-07:00

Even though she's a Gator (ugh), I'm pleased to announce Shannon Herbon as MLMC's newest director of media relations. Shannon's fearless when it comes to working with the media and we've already seen an uptick in placements since she joined us a few weeks ago.

Please join me in welcoming Shannon to the MLMC team. Oh, and War Eagle :)

MLMC announces Director of Media Relations

TAMPA, Fla. (June 10, 2011) – MLMC, a marketing communications and public relations agency based in Tampa, Fla., announced Shannon Herbon as its new director of media relations on Friday, June 10. As director, Herbon will develop and implement the company’s overall strategic media relations programs and maintain relationships, while dispensing newsworthy information to the media.

“I am looking forward to joining such a dynamic and results-driven team,” said Herbon. “As director, I will be aiding in the extraordinary exchange of ideas between our clients and the media, while providing knowledgeable and strategic guidance.”
Herbon has more than 12 years of progressive experience managing and implementing public relations and marketing strategies, resulting in millions of dollars of publicity and profit for her clients. With a variety of experience in communications, public relations, graphic design and marketing, Herbon has worked with institutions such as Metropolitan Ministries, a homeless shelter in the Tampa Bay area; the People's Princess Charitable Foundation, a global tour of the royal gowns once owned by the late Diana, Princess of Wales; Brock Communications, a full service public relations and marketing firm based in Tampa, Florida; and the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, frequently ranked as one of the top 10 performing arts venues in the world.

A graduate of the University of Florida, she received her Bachelor of Science in Public Relations with a concentration on Business Administration. She resides in Wesley Chapel, Florida with her husband Andy and their two children, Ainsley and Max.
About MLMC
MLMC is a communications firm with deep roots in trade and general media relations and specialties in social media, event marketing and corporate communications. Founder Megan Licursi and her team have crafted and executed results-driven campaigns for a wide range of clients, from business-to-business stalwarts like AK Steel, CONTECH Construction Products and National City to consumer powers such as Dryel, Downy, Fazoli's and the funky with Evolution Robotics and Haunted Attraction Magazine.

# # #

MTV: Social Media is the Telephone, Content is the Conversation

2011-06-15T07:27:00.000-07:00

The new president of MTV, Stephen Friedman, was AdWeek's First Mover last week. During the simple Q&A, Mr. Friedman provided a glipmse into MTV's firm placehold among America's Millennials.

One comment that stood out for me was Friedman's position on social media. "Social media is the telephone and our content is the conversation. I think it’s as simple as that. We need to be everywhere they are." Friedman goes on to tout MTV's surge in Facebook fans over the last few years, rising from 5 to 68 million fans.

With 27,000,000 pieces of content posted through social media venues (according to a recent AOL/Nielsen study), it's only a matter of time before that telephone call will result in a busy signal.

It's clear that some clutter-cutting methods need to be designed to ensure the messages are reaching their audiences.

The best way to cut through the clutter is to be an engaged participant. It's not a one-way street and the quickest way to turn a customer off is to talk AT them rather than WITH them.

This is something that Friedman agrees with: "It’s not just about putting marketing messages out. It’s making sure our talent is talking and engaging, that our staff is talking and engaging. That two-way dialogue creates a sense of cultural home."

Forbes thinks I'm an expert (Alternate Headline: Oooh! I'm famous)

2011-05-24T13:50:00.000-07:00

Media relations pros are kinda like photographers: we're very rarely in front of the cameras. So, I was tickled pink to be included in this article about the Oprah Effect.

I've been fortunate to have three clients appear in the last few years on Oprah. I'm truly going to miss the thrill of the hunt. But, confession: I'm not going to miss the prospective clients whose first question is inevitably, "Can you get me on Oprah?".

Now, I'm off to pitch OWN...and try to ID the next Oprah (I think it's Ellen!)

Social Media Experts: Friend or Foe

2011-05-24T13:26:00.000-07:00

Peter Shankman once again caused a ruckus with his latest post on Social Media Experts. In a nutshell, Peter says that he would never hire someone who claims to be a "social media expert" comparing that person to a bread-taker-outer.

I actually bought this shirt for a good friend.
Hi, Serena!

An interesting anaology, certainly.

I agree--and disagree--with Peter, hence this blog post.

When I'm looking to make a hire, either for MLMC or one of our clients, I always want a well-rounded individual. Much like I look for cross-industry experience, I look for candidates who have dabbled in a variety of tactics, be it media relations or social media.

I, myself, started in the b-to-b world and would never have imagined that my current client roster would be comprised of so many CPG companies. But, without the b-to-b stuff, I wouldn't be the same media relations gal.

In other words, the right marketing candidate is an expert in all things marketing, not just social media. To that end, Peter's point is solid: companies do themselves a disservice when they hire in silos.

So, do I want a social media expert? Yes. Will that be their sole responsibility? Heck no. We're all hands-on here :)

Housewares Media Update

2011-03-07T04:34:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the opening day of the International Home & Housewares Show. We have two clients here, Evolution Robotics and The oneCARE Company.

We had a very successful media day with The Rachel Ray Show and New York Times stopping by the Mint Booth and WGN and a few more came by oneCARE's booth at N6109.

The Rachel Ray Show stopped by The Mint Cleaner booth
to see the Mint's dancing.

oneCARE's President demonstrating a new product
for the cameras

Now we're looking forward to day two!

Forbes Asks About The "B" Word

2011-01-13T10:52:00.000-08:00

A Forbes reporter is working on a story about women at work. Specifically, she's writing about what tips the scales to make an "assertive woman" into a Bitch.

There it is. The B Word. In all its glory.

My gut reaction upon seeing this query was along the lines of a bumper sticker I once saw, "I'm a Bitch And Proud of it." But, my second thought was an exasperated sigh. Why are we still having this conversation?

Is it because we lead a double life in the workplace? We use our feminine wiles when it's useful--and it *is* useful (which to any woman who's ever been to a b-to-b tradeshow can testify). We can use our emotions to our advantage (though I'm still learning how not to take things personally).

It's neither of these points, though, that tip the scale from assertion to bitch-dom. We become bitches when we throw our business sense to the wayside. When we take a my-way-or-the-highway approach. When we're not open to outside ideas.

But that's not a trait that's unique to women. I just wish I could think of the male-equivalent to the B-Word.

National Media Relations: A peek behind the curtain

2011-01-05T05:54:00.000-08:00

I had a phone conversation with a colleague of mine who's making the switch from brand manager to PR director. Instead of tracking which shelves her product is sold on, she's going to be directing people to those shelves. She asked me to share with her some tips on how to get national media coverage for her products.

The first question I asked was if her products had national distribution, the one black and white criteria necessary to get national attention. When her answer was yes, I moved on.

Media relations is all about...the relations. It's knowing who's covering what. So, with that:

Tip #1: Read/Follow/Interact with outlets you're pursuing.

I will always hear an old boss' words echoing in my ears, "You've got to know the news to be the news." That's about the only think I took from him, but that's for another post ;)

Tip #2: Get in with the freelancers

Freelancers, in my opinion, make the media world go round. Whereas a relationswhip with an editor housed at the magazine might end up in a one-time hit, the right relationship with a freelancer could result in opportunities with multiple outlets.

Tip #3: Operate a season ahead

Long lead magazines like Better Homes & Gardens, Good Housekeeping, Real Simple, etc. operate on a 3-month lead time (or more). So, be pitch your story ideas well in advance. A client of mine has a new product line coming out in May. We started pitching this week.

Tip #4: Be patient.

It will take some time to see the result of your efforts. The blog posts below show hits on Good Morning America and Ellen. We started those pitches in May of 2010. Nearly 8 months ago.

Feel free to contact me with any questions you might have. I'm happy to give my two cents :)

Good Housekeeping and Good Morning America

2011-01-04T10:40:00.000-08:00

2011 is off to a roaring start--and I hope I can keep up the pace! After meeting with the Good Housekeeping Research Institute in October, the fruits of our labors are finally paying off! Good Housekeeping named the Mint Robotic Floor Cleaner to its 2010 VIP (Very Innovative Product) List.

This morning, Good Housekeeping's editor, Rosemary Ellis, was featured on Good Morning America unveiling the complete list of winners. Mint can be seen at about 3 minutes in on the above video.

For a complete list of the products or more information, visit the GMA site.

Starting 2011 off right with Ellen Clip(s)

2011-01-03T06:04:00.000-08:00

My bucket list has long included meeting Ellen DeGeneres. That can almost be crossed off the list as we worked with two clients to get some Ellen love.

The most recent aired today. The Mint Robotic Floor Cleaner was part of Ellen's bonus 13th Day of Giveaways. The pitch process was 8 weeks long and intense in terms of competition. And it proved to be a logistical challenge once we found out we had made the final cut. 400 Mint Cleaners had to be delivered (via cargo ship!) prior to the taping.

This hit really was the cherry on top of a very succesful holiday campaign that resulted in a complete sell-out of the Mint's in every Bed, Bath & Beyond. I'm working on a new clip book on the main MLMC site and will share those hits in the near future. In the meantime, here's the Mint's debut on the Ellen Show:

In October of 2010, MLMC negotiated for Dryel to be the title sponsor of Ellen's October breast cancer campaign. Dryel sponsored the Dunk Tank and we flew out with the client for the Big Check Presentation. It was my first time on-site at the Ellen show--and I got to see all of the back-stage production action!

Media Campaign: Dark Jeans Dark

2010-09-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

It's always tough to get the ear of a fashion reporter, especially if you're not considered "high fashion."

And, let's face it, laundry detergents aren't really considered high fashion, right?

It was with that in mind that we created the Dark Jeans Dark campaign for Dryel.

Dryel, an in-home drycleaning kit, is known for its colorfast quality...colors simply don't fade with its use.

We're capitalizing on a fashion trend of dark jeans, knowing that most fashion reporters and outlets will do at least one story on them.

We designed and distributed a postcard mailer that touts the advantages of Dryel and sent them to top fashion reporters and bloggers.

The results, so far, have been great! Several blog posts have already been written and we're starting to see the pitch take hold in the traditional media, too.

We take pride in elevating brands to high-fashion status!

Media Relations Basics for Non-Profits

2010-09-06T10:15:00.000-07:00

Media relations can be tricky. Even more so for non-profits who often face smaller staffs, budgets and board members. For the past few years, I've taught a workshop on media relations basics to Cincinnati-area non-profits as part of the workshop series offered by the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati.

We recently decided to put together this brief FAQ to further help non-profits navigate the sometimes-treacherous waters of the media.

Q: Who is the media?
A: For our purposes, this FAQ refers to the media not only as the traditional news outlets – newspapers, radio, and TV, but also much more, including online outlets like blogs.

Q: What’s the first step in media relations?
A: Taking a cue from the relations side of media relations, the first step is to develop relationships with your key media. Identify who covers your target area and get to know them on a first name basis. Follow the stories they cover.

Q: Where do I find contact information for the reporters I want to contact?
A: Many of the websites list contact information for its reporters. You can also call the newsrooms and ask to be directed. There are also several companies that offer media databases like Cision, Vocus and others.

Q: Is there any way to determine what stories reporters are working on currently?
A: Besides having that personal relationship with a reporter, there are two services that connect reporters to sources. The first is Help A Reporter Out. This is a free service. You can sign up at http://www.helpareporter.com/. The second is a paid service called ProfNet. For more details, www.profnet.com.

Q: What is a media policy and do I need one?
A: A media policy is a document that explains how each person in your organization can interact with the media. It answers such questions as who can respond (usually just one or two people); what types of information can be shared; what must remain confidential, etc. BoardSource.org offers samples.

Q: Who is an appropriate spokesperson for my organization?
A: Typically this is either someone from the leadership team (CEO, Board member, etc.) or someone in the PR/marketing function (like you!).

Q: What is a press release?
A: A press release (also called a news release) is a document that announces a newsworthy topic about your organization. This could be a personnel announcement, funding issue, milestone or anything else of significance to your organization. It is written like a news article in what is called “reverse pyramid” style, meaning the important information is in the first paragraph followed by supporting points.

Q: Is there a typical format for my press release?
A: Yes. Here's a good one from PR Newswire.

Q: How often should I send out a press release?
A: As often as you have news. But you don’t want to be the Little Boy who Cried Wolf, either. So, make sure your release passes the newsworthy test.

Q: How do I send out a press release?
A: For your first “touch” of the media, e-mail is a good bet.

Q: What are some tips to ensure reporters are opening my e-mail?
A: A compelling subject line, personalized pitch (each e-mail should be customized to the reporter/outlet you are submitting to) and NO attachments—copy your press release into the body of the e-mail.

Q: I’ve got a large media list. How can I possibly personalize each one in a fair amount of time?
A: Microsoft Word allows you to create a mail merge to e-mail. Instructions can be found here: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/use-mail-merge-to-distribute-merged-e-mail-messages-HP005187257.aspx

Q: How do I follow-up with the media?
A: That happens in the form of a pitch call. The following is an excerpt from the Communications Handbook for Non-Profits:

There are three types of calls:

• Spray and pray. The term "spray and pray" is used when you simply blast out a press release and hope for the best. It's a technique used for routine press releases such as calendar listings, etc. In this case, in your follow-up calls, you just want to confirm that the person received a press release that you sent. Very often they will say they did not (even when they did). So tell them (don't ask) that you will re-send. Get their fax and/or e-mail. Resend. Also, update your database with their name and fax/e-mail if you don't already have it. Capture any useful feedback they volunteer, i.e. "We don't accept press releases because we only print ads" (like a penny saver publication).

• Pitch calls. These are a higher level of call. You want to interest the reporter in a specific story; a sample script is below. You need not reference the release right at the outset. Begin by getting the right person for the story you are pitching. Have a 15-second presentation ready as to why their readers/viewers/listeners would be interested in your news. Make it newsy! The script below offers more guidance.

• Exclusives or advanced pitches. Here you are calling a media outlet to offer them something no one else will get. Be careful with these, and use them sparingly. This requires some management analysis to determine whether/when an exclusive is appropriate.

SAMPLE SCRIPT for spray and pray: "Hi, I'm Steve Cebalt, calling for the ACME Health Nonprofit. We sent a press release on a health care news item, and I'm calling to make sure it got there and that we sent it to the right person..." That's pretty much it – ad lib from there. All you want to do is ascertain that your list has the name of the right person. If your list lacks a name, this is a good time to get one, i.e. "We sent that to the newsroom– is there a specific person who should receive this type of news information?" Then you can update your database.

SAMPLE SCRIPT for pitch calls: "Hi, I'm Steve Cebalt, calling for ACME Health Nonprofit. I have a news item that is likely to interest a large part of your (readership) (viewing audience) (audience). Our area has been chosen as a test market for a new nonprofit public health campaign focusing on arthritis. New statistics show that 1 in 3 people in our community has arthritis, so this information is likely to be of interest to a lot of (readers) (viewers) (listeners). This new public-health campaign uses TV and print announcements in your hometown to educate consumers about arthritis of the knee. People can call a special phone number 24 hours a day and speak with a qualified nurse, and take an arthritis assessment quiz. It is the first time the health field has waged a public campaign of this nature. We think this would make a good business or health story. I can put you in touch with a local surgeon to discuss the arthritis aspects of the campaign, or I can put you in touch with ACME Health Nonprofit executives if you want to focus more on the business aspects of this pilot program. I can send you a press release with more details."

Q: What about voicemails?

A: More often than not, you will be forced to leave a voicemail. The number one trick is to leave your phone number immediately after your name, prior to giving the reporter your pitch. This forces the reporter to write your number down (after all, they don’t know if you’re the President’s new press secretary or another important source). That’s step one in getting a reporter to call you back: they’ve got your phone number.

Q: Do reporters want to hear from me?

A: Reporters need sources as much as we need them for coverage. However, it is only natural that you prepare for some negativity from reporters. Many reporters say they don't need follow-up calls on releases, for example. Yet experience shows time and again that making these calls drives up results by as much as 100 percent. Even reporters who respond negatively may go on to do a story. So don't take negativity personally; it's just part of the process and it's a numbers game. The more calls you make, the better your results. Be sure to always track and document everything from the call. All the information they offer may be important.

Q: The reporter bit on my story! Now what?
A: Celebrate! Then prepare. Follow the tips in the interview guide, attached.

Q: The article appeared. What should I do with it now?
A: Don’t assume that all of your intended audiences saw the article in the media. You need to merchandise the article. Post it to your social media networks; send a copy to your board members and other constituents, include summaries in your newsletters, etc.

Dream Clients

2010-07-09T08:24:00.000-07:00

We all have our dream clients. Mine include etsy.com, Gorilla Glue and a strong desire to get back to some of my b-to-b roots.

What are yours?

Customer Service is Dead. Can Social Media Revive it?

2010-06-28T05:34:00.001-07:00

During my recent move to Tampa, I've been lamenting--loudly--on the death of customer service. It's difficult to get calls returned from vendors and contractors, and forget about retail or the service industry.

Case in point: A recent trip to a national sandwich chain where I intended to purchase 4 sandwiches in the lunch hour. After giving my order to the sandwich maker, I was asked if I had submitted my order ahead of time. I hadn't because this was not a planned luncheon, more of an on-the-go occasion. He told me he'd "go ahead and make my sandwiches *this* time" but next time I would need to submit my order via fax. (Side note: do we even have fax machines anymore?!)

How do we fix this? In last week's AdAge, several articles were devoted to social media's role within customer service. The first article grabbed my attention, "Are major marketers training John Q. Public to whine on the web?" In this article, different instances of resolved customer service issues are highlighted including a disgruntled JetBlue passenger upset about his baggage fee. After posting on a blog about his experience and that post getting picked up on Twitter, JetBlue reversed the fee.

The article states that social media is by far a more efficient and effective way of delivering customer service. I don't doubt it. Who wants to call the 1-800 number and try and navigate to the phone menu? Getting good customer service on the phone often involves crossing your fingers, holding your breath and saying small prayers. If complaints can be resolved online more quickly, then the answer that the article asks is, Yes. Marketers are training the public to complain online.

But why wait until someone complains? Sadly, it's becoming such a novelty to receive good customer service that it gets my attention more so than poor service. Last week, on Twitter, I posted about some troubles I was having dropping my son off at his new daycare. I received a reply from @GoddardSchool with a link to an article about handling separation anxiety. Did I mention my son doesn't attend a Goddard School location? This was just simple helpfulness.

And, let's not forget live customer service. In fact, AdAge's cover story focused on Ritz Carlton's efforts at in-person service.

I went into a local branch of a 5/3 bank last week to change my address. The teller asked me about my recent relocation and asked me a few benign questions. A few days later, he called me on my cell to ask how everything was going. Yes, he wanted me to open a new account with him, but the personal service prompted me to at least listen to the pitch.

I opened the account.

And, a few days after that, I received a HANDWRITTEN note in the mail.

Talk about customer service. The Goddard School and 5/3 have my vote.

Check out last week's AdAge for some additional articles on social media's role in customer service, including a great case study on AT&T's new model.

MLMC to-do week of 5/10

2010-05-10T05:14:00.000-07:00

We're gearing up for a busy week at MLMC.

Early this week, we'll be making final confirmation calls for our New York media tour for the Mint Cleaner, Evolution Robotics GPS-enabled robotic floor cleaner. We'll be in New York Wednesday-Friday of this week. Look us up!

Tomorrow, I'm teaching media relations basics at the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati. A group of about 20 non-profits will be in attendance. Here's hoping I can leave them with at least one nugget of wisdom!

We're continuing our work on the social media front for Haunted Attraction Magazine. Join us on Facebook and Twitter. We're up to 743 fans as of this morning. We're well on our way to our goal of 1,000 fans by month's end. Not bad for a fan site that's only 2 weeks old, eh? This week, we're working on an editorial calendar for the rest of the summer and gearing up for Halloween 2010.

We're also starting our blog outreach for OneCare this week. Bloggers around the country will receive samples of Dryel and Downy Wrinkle Releaser later this month.

Whew! And, of course, there's the mundane accounting and status reporting. But, that's what makes the world go round, right?

Social Media for the B-to-B world

2010-04-28T06:19:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows social media is the next big marketing tactic. But, what is its role in the b-to-b sector? I recently read a statistic that said there are 3 times as many b-to-b companies on Facebook as consumer companies. WHAT?! That boggles my mind as I don't see the immediate results...immediately.

So, I posted a query to my fellow b-to-b PR colleagues on Twitter and Facebook. @donnahedgeburns replied: Improved Google search ranking. That's the main reason @Cincom does it. Plus another outlet for content distribution.

And, on Facebook, Greg Brooks had this to say:

In B2C, the path from "we're having a conversation:" to "we're selling you something" is usually shorter and more direct than in a significant B2B sale. So if all this conversation making isn't leading to a sale, then what's it leading to? I think there are lots of smart answers that validate the use of socmed in B2B. But I also feel like a lot of people are doing a lot of dumb stuff out there.

Sharon Bond, owner of Bond Communications, also commented. She recently attended a program, "Integrating Social Media into B2B Marketing," sponsored by the Chicago Chapter of the Business Marketing Association.

Tomorrow, we'll be posting a recap of what she learned.

In a New York Minute

2010-04-22T11:17:00.001-07:00

A good friend of mine, Greg Brooks, is trying to win a new HTC Evo Phone. The contest, a good one in my opinion, asks entrants to write about their special "one-minute skills."

Greg's write-up made me remember how long--and short--a minute really is.

Eh, we can probably chalk my reaction up to the pregnancy hormones :)

Here's Greg's write-up:

In a minute? I can close a deal, make a sandwich, touch base with a client and politelysignal an upcoming lane change.

It's not much time, but it's enough to comfort the afflicted, rail atinjustice, make a baby smile and give a dog a bone. It's the perfect amountof time to make people laugh at a party or make them think when I'm at thehead of the table. I have been known to do both simultaneously.

A minute is long enough for a good first kiss and far too short for a lastone. It's time enough to tweet, to update, to shout out and to holla back.It is too long to spend regretting and not nearly enough time to dream.

That's what I'm doing with my minutes these days - think how much more I'lldo with 4G.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2010-04-13T06:37:00.000-07:00

You might notice that it's been quite a while since my last post. That's because it's been a banner two weeks at MLMC. We signed 2 new clients: Evolution Robotics' new Mint Cleaner, Compass Point Counseling Services and re-signed an oldie but goodie: OneCare and its line of Dryel and Downy Wrinkle Releaser products.

I had a meeting with a few other independent practitioners yesterday and one of them asked me how it was going. I replied with the good news above and told him I thought it was a good sign of a potential swing of the economy.

Let me repeat that: this is a good sign of a potential swing of the economy.

Companies are beginning to spend money on marketing again and that's a great thing.

During the last financial downturn in the early 2000's, an old boss of mine taught me a lesson on the cyclical nature of the economy. This was a b-to-b firm where most of our revenue came from manufacturing companies. He told me that manufacturing firms are the first to slow down and the first to pick back up.

I don't know if this is true, but I do believe that marketing is often the first to get cut.

And, I, for one, am happy--thrilled--to see it coming back.

The Devil is in the Detales...err...Details

2010-03-15T17:58:00.000-07:00

Rewind 15 years...The first class you take as a journalism or corporate journalism student at Auburn University was a class called JRNL 1100. In my day, the professor gave four tests and if you scored below an 83 on any of them, you repeated the entire class. The four tests were spelling, word usage, Associated Press style and a combo test. It's such a nightmare there's a Facebook page devoted to it.

Luckily, spelling has always been my forte. And the class taught me to be an excellent proofreader. It also gave me some new pet peeves: over vs. more than being at the top.

On Twitter, there's a group of folks who post about PR mishaps. Christiane Truelove, the editor-in-chief of Med Ad News and R&D Directions, recently tweeted:

Here's a tip: when e-mailing me inquiring about editorial opportunities, don't spell it "editoriol." #PRfail

Now, I'm not saying that I never make mistakes, that's hardly the case. But, e-mails to reporters, clients and prospects probably deserve a second look. It could cost you the pitch or the job.

The Twittercooler and media relations

2010-03-14T11:45:00.000-07:00

I just read an article in Time magazine about how social media is positively affecting traditional media. The reporter cited a few examples: this year's Superbowl was the most-watched U.S. TV show ever, the Olympics surpassed the 2006 viewership numbers, all the awards shows grew, et al.

This article gives the accolades to Twitter and Facebook.

The other day I didn't have an hour to devote to the American Idol results show. I tuned into Twitter after the fact and saw a minute-by-minute recap of the show. In seconds.

But it doesn't just help with TV shows. Many print publications post links to their stories--even those found only in their print-editions--and have seen an intense rise in readership.

My specialty is media relations and Twitter has become my go-to source. Because Twitter is an API-haven and updates cross platforms (mine go to my Facebook page and my LinkedIn account), I find that Twitter is the easiest way to keep my clients, friends and the world informed about my goings on.

On Twitter, I follow a lot of the media (both outlets and the journalists themselves) to keep track of what they're writing. There's an astounding number of journalists online and several PR people have teamed up to keep an updated list at here.

I also follow a lot of PR industry talent to keep up with the Joneses.

All in all, I find Twitter to be a valuable resource and not the time-suck that I thought it would be when I first signed up :)

University of Florida SID has mad media contacts

2009-10-20T12:25:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit late commenting on the Tim Tebow fiasco of a few weeks ago. If you've got your head buried in the sand, you might not know that the University of Florida quarterback was knocked unconscious and suffered a concussion during the game against the University of Kentucky a few weeks ago.

After the game, I was watching the College Gameday recap on ESPN. Kirk Herbstreit explained that he had received a text message from the Sports Information Director at the University of Florida updating him on Tebow's condition.

While my husband, and I'm sure fans and non-fans around the country proceeded to listen to hear his prognosis, I sat in amazement of the PR coup that had just occurred.

A PR pro had used text messaging to get urgent news out to the media.

And, not just any media, but Kirk Herbstreit.

Sometimes in media relations, we tend to forget the relationship portion of the game. The most successful media pitchers get that way because they develop relationships (sometimes even friendships) with the media and consistently provide them with good story ideas and leads.

An old boss of mine asked in a meeting why we shouldn't just hire a telemarketing firm to do the initial calls.

He didn't get it.

Right now, MLMC is pitching 8 clients to local and national media. I often joke that my day is spent smiling and dialing, and cold calls are certainly part of my day. The goal of those calls is two-fold: land the client in a story and develop a rapport with the reporter

If I'm going to have continued success, the rapport development must be viewed
as my number one goal.

Well, after I get access to Kirk Herbstreit's cell phone number!

Mad About Tie-ins

2009-10-09T09:40:00.000-07:00

I think it's fair to call Mad Men a phenomenon.

Mad Men's Season 3 premiered at 2.8 million viewers, up 33% from last year's season. Of course, a lot of this success is due to word-of-mouth. Or word-of-facebook-updates, anyway. Though I'm sure that all AMC efforts to perpetuate pre-season buzz factored in, there is one that stood out to me:

The partnership of Mad Men and Banana Republic.

Banana Republic's tie-in collection embodied a modern take on Mad Men's 1950/60's fashions. They emulated the bold, sans-serif font and placed signage around the store that proclaimed "MAD ABOUT ______." (Skirts, ties, you name it.)

In turn, AMC hosted a "casting call" for a walk-on role in the show. The challenge is to submit a photo of yourself in Mad Men-worthy attire. The caveat? Your individual code required to enter is available only at Banana Republic. Also, linked immediately from the contest is a "Style Guide" which shows Banana Republic outfits that would be appropriate for different Mad Men characters.

You can view the semi-finalists here.

So here's what I want to know:

Who's benefiting more from this partnership?

Mad Men advertises for Banana Republic on their website. Banana Republic advertises Mad Men in their stores. In theory, Mad Men viewers will shop at Banana Republic, but also, Banana Republic shoppers / fashionistas may take up the show because of the tie-ins. Although I'm sure that it's Banana Republic who ponied up some cash for a piece of Mad Men's already-huge viewership, I can see both parties benefiting in quantitative ways.

But I wonder if the price-tag for the Banana Republic-Mad Men merger was very high, since it was likely mutually beneficial. It makes me wonder if we will see more of these tactics as we ride out the recession. The use of product-symbiosis is something to look for in the future, and in the meantime, you can dress like Joan Holloway while watching the show, Sundays at 10.

Social Media Faceoff

2009-10-08T07:32:00.000-07:00

On Monday, Megan and I were chatting about what it takes for social media forums to succeed. Specifically, why did Facebook edge Myspace into near-obscurity? Okay, not obscurity, perhaps, but honestly..in the Myspace vs. Facebook debate (circa 2005), Facebook wins.

But what about round two, Facebook vs. Twitter? Are the two comparable or is it more intuitive to use both, even in conjunction with each other?

We also talked about which major social media outlets are most sustainable. Megan finds Twitter to be more useful from a business perspective, while I have always appreciated the way the Facebook helps me keep up with family and friends from different points in my life. Of course, both forums can be seen as a venues for DIY-publicity.

Via Facebook: Fan pages, groups, and status updates are all ways to tout a product, service or persona.
Via Twitter: updates, linking blog posts, referencing other Tweeters can do the same thing.

On the one hand, Facebook is more vast, with opportunities to upload hundreds of pictures and say more than 140 charcters. But a single tweet from Taylor Swift or Miley Cyrus- who each have millions of "followers?" I would be impressed to see the impact that had on the tween world.

And beyond Twitter, what is the next frontier? If we've already whittled it down to 140 characters- quick bursts of information, often in rapid succession- what's next?

Ugh, Another MJ Post?

2009-07-08T10:51:00.000-07:00

Kind of.

When I [Erin] first heard the news of Michael Jackson's alleged passing, it was on TMZ. I rolled my eyes. The first thought through my mind was- yeah, right. Leave that poor man alone.

I didn't believe until it was reported by CNN, which I consider to be a legitimate news outlet.

But you know what? TMZ was right. They broke the story. It was unbiased. It was accurate.
[original post: http://www.tmz.com/2009/06/25/michael-jackson-dies-death-dead-cardiac-arrest]

But will it make me take them more seriously next time?
Probably not.

As communications professionals, it is our responsibility to seek out various news outlets. Televised, print, online- the more variety, the better, in my opinion. We almost have to because it is in our nature to doubt:

Who is behind this story? How are they spinning this?
We think- This is for publicity, for attention, for blog hits, for a mention. And, often, it is.

I consider some media outlets on both sides of the political spectrum [Fox, The New York Times] to be so wildly unbiased that I take in their news with enough grains of salt to season a salmon fillet. But, I figure, the best I can do is read/watch as many sources as I can and walk away with my own opinion.

What media outlets do you consider the most reliable and why?
Which media outlets would you most want to pick up your client's product?

Oprah?
Favorite Things episode?
Yeah, us too.

Bing! We have a winner.

2009-06-29T07:54:00.000-07:00

Intern Erin here...

After four years of studying communication strategy, I often fancy myself immune to advertising. As I take in billboards, email promotions or commercials during the occasional TV shows that I watch, I quickly label what methods they seem to be employing and then ignore them. A testimonial? I think. How obvious. Or- could their keyword advertising be more transparent? Com professionals, don't you roll your eyes at 90% of commercials that you see? It's easy to undercut the ads when you feel you could have done something better yourself.

I wasn't really paying attention to the commercials in between watching a rerun of one of my favorite shows, How I Met Your Mother. But some phrase, some manner of speaking caught my attention, and I looked up in time to see this across the screen:
I thought absolutely nothing of it and went back to working on the "Happy Birthday" banner I was constructing. But, during the next commercial break, a similar commercial caught my attention right away:

It amused me.I mean, the writers of the commercial perfectly captured information-highway-overload and managed to portray it verbally. I mentally gave them props, but thought nothing more of it.

Near the end of my show, my boyfriend pointed at the screen.
"Who is that girl?" he asked. "We've seen her in something. Recently."
"Umm," it was on the tip of my tongue. I snapped my fingers. She was so familiar. "I don't know. That's going to drive me crazy."

My boyfriend quickly opened up his laptop and went to IMDB.com. He plugged in How I Met Your Mother, but it wasn't the random actress's name that got my attention. It was the sidebar on the page. You guessed it:
Alright, that's it, I thought. I typed into my search bar: bing.com They got me.

I'm not sure exactly how IMDB sells their advertising space, but how brilliant is that? Buying up IMDB ads for the shows that you air commercials in between? You can get two impressions from your audience in an instinctive way. Since then, I've seen bing.com several other places and each time, I have mentally congratulated them on expansive and thorough campaigning.

Today's Matchup: AOR vs. Roster Agencies

2009-06-27T09:28:00.000-07:00

A recent ProfNet indicated that PRWeek is doing a story on agencies from a client-side perspective. The question asks clients whether they prefer to have an agency-of-record (AOR)or roster agencies.

What is the preference is neither?

Since the ProfNet post limited the responses to clients, I thought I'd post my opinion here.

First, a definition. You could google it, bing it or find it's wiki, but let's go simple. If a company employs only one agency, they have an Agency of Record; If a company employs several agencies, they are all Roster Agencies.

After polling some colleagues, I found that agencies swing both ways. Some of the larger ones (and the smaller ones for that matter) prefer AOR status and seek out only those opportunities. Other agencies, particularly those that have some sort of category-specific experience (food, fashion, et al) or those that specialize in one particular function of PR, investor relations, say, play fine in the sandbox as a roster agency.

I think the perfect scenario is a compromise. Let's call it Lead
Agency.

The Lead Agency acts as AOR in most cases, but when client needs excede its knowledge-base or overtask it's employees, the Lead Agency then hires a roster agency but manages it.

Why does this work? It gives the client the benefit of a deep bench without having to manage multiple companies. The Lead Agency is still the client's only point of contact.

MLMC is a rather small agency in terms of full-time staff. I represent MLMC full-time and have three business partners (one manages strategy; one PR; and one graphic design) along with Erin, my superstar intern.

But, when projects call for it, our numbers are infinite. For a recent press conference/community event, extra manpower was a definite need, and we pulled in two other agencies to help with social media and content-development.

Simplicity Sells

2009-06-24T10:52:00.000-07:00

The other day, I received an e-mail with a brilliant marketing idea that reminded me: marketing doesn't have to be hard, kitschy, or particularly creative to work.

My local salon sent me a very vanilla e-mail that listed available appointments for the week. In a time when folks are cutting back on the non-necessities, hair salons and spas are probably suffering along with the rest of us. But, this gentle reminder--certainly not an in-your-face effort--provided great results for the salon.

How do I know? Because as soon as I got the e-mail, I thought to myself, "Hmm...a pedicure would be nice after my race this weekend. Let me call and schedule."

And, the salon was sold out.

Lesson learned: Simplicity still sells.

Show us your Wheres

2009-06-23T09:57:00.000-07:00

As any good journalist knows, the lead sentence of any story is meant for covering at least a few of the W's: who, what, when, where. The why and how can make up the rest of the article, but that first sentence is for cramming in those W's and catching a reader/viewer's attention.

With media placements as a primary goal of public relations, it is good sense to give members of the media as many interesting W's as you can manage. For press conferences or events, chances are that your Who and What are already decided. The formula would be something like this:

Who: Your client

What: Your client's announcement

When: ?

Where: ?

The When, of course, can be limiting. This is based on your client's timelines and the preexisting schedules of all the people involved.

But as for the Where? Well, that's fair game.

Fountain Square is quintessential Cincinnati. In the heart of downtown, this space has run the gamut of event-hosting even in just the past few months, from big-screen election night results to winter ice skating to salsa dance. Fountain Square is home base for the annual coney-eating contest, Taste of Cincinnati and Oktoberfest, and is positioned near Fifth Third and The Arnoff Center, just a stone's throw from the stadium and the river. The only way that Fountain Square could be more "Cincinnati" would be if Nick Lachey opened up a combination Skyline and LaRosa's franchise on The Square [with financial backing from P&G and Kroger]. Nick would then host a special brunch for Flying Pig runners, complete with a dish he invented called "Who Dey Waffles." [Nick Lachey, if you're reading this, you may act on this idea... call me]

Our agency chose Fountain Square as the intuitive Where for a major announcement from the Cincinnati USA Convention and Visitor's Bureau. In 2012, Cincinnati will be the host city for the World Choir Games, which includes tens of thousands of vocal competitors from over 90 countries. The World Choir Games is major-- the choral Olympics, as it is often called- and 2012 marks the first time that the competition is hosted in the US.

For many competitors, this may be the first they are seeing of the US- and what they will see is the Queen City.

So it is only fitting that this announcement was celebrated in Fountain Square, center of Cincinnati goings-on. Complete with appearances from the mayor Mark Mallory, various Cincinnati team mascots and several local choral groups, the event was a Cincy celebration. We hope that the 2012 World Choir Games will feel the same.

So PR gurus, how do you choose your Wheres?

Cincinnati professionals, name your favorite Wheres!

Are blogs passé?

2009-04-29T14:25:00.001-07:00

I was having lunch with an old colleague (and dear friend) a few weeks ago and the subject of social media came up. He asked me, "Are blogs passé?"

My immediate response was, "Heck no! My mom knows what a blog is!"

You see, to this day, I dictate how successful I am based on if my mom's knowledge of an industry or client. A new client is a huge deal is she's heard of them; I've been successful in elevating a client's awareness in the media if she sends me an article regarding their industry, etc.

But, I digress.

The real answer to the question is...kinda.

Mainstream America

Blogs are just hitting their stride with mainstream America. They're becoming, ahem, mainstream.

A new blog is born every 3 seconds and Forrester Research says there has been a 300 percent growth in monthly blog readership over the past four years.

And that growth/customer base is critical to Corporate America. According to the Forrester study, blogs factor in to critical stages of the purchase process. Readers of blogs are 3x more likely to make a purchase based on a blog post. And that's not where a blog's influence stops. A blog is used in every step of the purchasing process:

Decide on a product or service: 21 percent
Refine choices: 19 percent
Get support and answers: 19 percent
Discover products and services: 17 percent
Assure: 14 percent
Inspire a purchase: 13 percent
Execute a purchase: 7 percent

Early Adopters
Now, the flipside of that answer is that, yes, blogs are becoming passé with the early adopters of social media. There are a lot of options to directly--and immediately--interact with our target audiences. Twitter is the latest and greatest social media "experiment." I like to explain it as public instant messaging, but it's really deeper than that...which I'll save for another blog post.

Bottom line: Blogs are still a critical part of a company's social media plan.

Above the Fold: A new definition

2009-03-24T07:05:00.000-07:00

When I was in J-school, we were taught a few of the key industry terms. My favorite then is equally important now as I've gone to the dark side of public relations.

Above the Fold.

It used to refer to the graphical element and physical location of a news story or photograph appearing on the upper half of the front page of a newspaper.

To some extent it still does. But, with papers ceasing publication left and right, I'm inclined to think it will take on a new meaning.

24/7 Wall Street recently ran an article listing the Top 10 publications destined for failure. Some of them were obvious, especially the Chicago Sun-Times and the Philadelphia Daily News. It doesn't seem like any metropolis can support two papers at once.

I was shocked by the Boston Globe and the Miami Herald.

Alas, I think I might be part of the problem. I only get the Sunday edition of my paper, the Cincinnati Enquirer. Otherwise, I read it online.

But, I'm two-faced about this issue (and yes, I just used a term from middle school). For my clients, I couldn't care less about web-only hits. I want them to touch and feel my efforts. I want them to frame something. I want them to file it away. I want to demonstrate success by dropping a half-ton of paper clips on their desks along with the accompanying sound of "Umph."

I want them in the print edition, come hell or high water.

Maybe it's my age? According to the Pew Research Center, young people are less likely to feel an impact from the closure of a community paper.

Is that a shame? I think so.

I need the phone number for the subscription desk at the Enquirer.

Here it is: 1-800-876-4500. Or, you can just go here.

The Zero Press Release Approach

2009-03-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

I was reading my friend/colleague/mentor Kevin Dugan's blog today that discusses how off-base PR pitches can actually offend the recipients.

In this particular situation, a PR firm that represented a chain of funeral homes sent a pitch to the entire PR department at a health organization dedicated to saving lives. OOPS.

The comments from the blog all chastised the PR firm for blasting the news to their media database (Cision, Vocus, whatever). But what really gets me is that I doubt the health organization was listed in that database. Meaning, the PR firm had to manually enter the health organization's information in.

Of course, the morale of this story is not to blast anything to any member of the media. Sure, sometimes it's the quickest way to get your news out there, and a shotgun approach does end up killing the bad guy.

But, does it help your cause any? Does it foster the coveted journalist relationship? No. Or, as Kevin politely puts it, FAIL.

I'm recommending that my clients take the Zero Press Release approach. Instead of taking the time to draft a few paragraphs of news, complete with a quote designed to make your spokesperson appear to be the brilliant person that he is, why not come up with a series of pitches customized to each outlet?

I've done this successfully for years now, taking the time to research the outlet and the reporter. Crafting a strategic distribution plan to maximize the publicity.

Case in point: when I signed on with The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati, I proposed a risky idea for sharing the results of their 110+ question Community Health Status Survey: Skip the press conference.

In the past, they held a press conference, had talking heads share 2-3 key points, and got 1 day of coverage. In general, the Health Foundation was pleased.

The communications department was not. One day of coverage was not enough ROI for their time and effort, and there were so many more topics that they wanted to share with the community.

So I talked their staff into letting us skip the press conference and do it differently. The talking heads balked—they enjoyed their time in the spotlight—but together with the communications team, we got them to give us the chance for that year. If it bombed, we said we’d go back to press conferences.

It didn’t bomb.

Our multi-tier, strategic communications plan got us six front page stories, multiple inside stories, and 5 stories on TV. And this was all in the first 3 weeks of releasing the data.

Beyond that, it fostered those afore-mentioned journalist relationships. The media continues to reference our data still today. All because we made more of it accessible to them in a strategic way.

The Health Foundation now uses this Zero Press Release Approach for other surveys, grant announcements, reports, etc.

The results speak for themselves: they have gone from an average of 5 mentions in the media per month to 8.

PASS.

Blogger Black Book

2009-02-18T11:14:00.000-08:00

My friends and colleagues, Kristi Mendez, Kevin Dugan and I have launched a new partnership: the Blogger Black Book.

As parents, we’ve found ourselves at the convergence of two key groups: mommy bloggers and the advertisers and marketers who realize that bloggers are an important audience to take seriously. And we want to help those two groups talk to one another. While limiting the spam and irrelevant back talk :)

So we’re compiling a list of bloggers into our Blogger Black Book, a directory of mommy bloggers that helps advertisers and marketers know that who's out there and most importantly how they'd like to be contacted-if at all-for everything from product reviews to contests.

Our Blogger Black Book will be offered on a subscription-basis to marketers and PR agencies nationwide. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to a children’s nonprofit each month The bloggers themselves will even have a voice in helping us choose which organization gets these funds.

We’ve put together a survey that will help us make the Blogger Black Book more than just a list. A proprietary ranking system will ensure that thelist will help represent the blogger, their online presence and ensure we, as marketers, have no excuse when contacting them. Hopefully the end result will mean more relevant communication and a better use of the blogger's time.

If you know are a mommy blogger, or know one who should be included, this survey will ensure you’re included if you want to be. You can find the survey here: http://budurl.com/mom1

If you complete the survey, you’ll be entered into a contest to win a $100 gift card from Amazon.com.

If you have any questions, feel free to call me or e-mail me.

Cincinnati PRSA Joins the Social Media Scene

2009-02-11T08:58:00.000-08:00

There are numerous stories every day about the impact of Web 2.0. As PR folks, we know firsthand how effective social media campaigns can be. A startling factoid: Readers are three times more likely to act upon a recommendation seen in a blog as opposed to that same article appearing in traditional media.

I’m pleased to announce that the Cincinnati PRSA has joined Web 2.0 on Facebook and Twitter.

What is Twitter? Well, that’s probably the subject of another newsletter article. Or a luncheon. But, to quote one of our members, Kevin Dugan http://www.twitter.com/prblog w.twitter.com/prblog), Twitter has the immediacy of instant messaging with the permanence of a blog. Twitter is broken down into two groups: Followers and Followees. You choose people to follow based on your personal preferences: relevant postings, industry colleagues, friends, they like the color blue, too, or any other reason, however obscure. People choose to follow you for the same reason.

The media are one of the early-adopters of Twitter. One local reporter, Gregory Korte at the Enquirer http://www.twitter.com/gregorykorte) regularly posts (aka “tweets”) requests for sources. CNN tweets their breaking news. To see the evergrowing list of media on Twitter, check out: http://mediaontwitter.pbwiki.com/United+States+-+NATIONAL. Here’s a list of Ohio reporters on Twitter: http://mediaontwitter.pbwiki.com/United+States%3A+O+-+Z.

Our Young Pros group took the lead, creating a twitter ID, @cinprsanewpros. The rest of the chapter followed suite on Twitter. Come follow us at @CincinnatiPRSA.

On the Facebook front, the Cincinnati PRSA chapter now has a group page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=48730262862. Join us here to see photos from past luncheons, discuss subjects such as luncheon speakers and brown bag topics. And, to talk trash about the Blacksmith’s :)

I'm on twitter, too: @meganlicursi

Tips on Pitching the Community Press

2009-02-03T11:13:00.000-08:00

One of my clients, The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati, retained me for media relations services. I publicize information on their grants, studies and polls. In the 10 years since it was funded, the Health Foundation has awarded more than $11 million in grants.

But, according to the news media, their grant-making efforts aren't news: It's the Health Foundation's job to award grants.

Recently, I sat down with Susan McHugh of the Community Press for some tips on successfully pitching the various Community Press Outlets.

The most important tip Susan provided was that it's not necessarily about where the company or organization is located as it is about the people. If you have an employee or a volunteer to spotlight, that person's residence is key to choosing the right edition.

And, what is the right edition? If you've got a zip code, you can check it against this list to see which edition will cover it.

Also, here's a list of media contact at the Community Press.

If there's a media outlet you'd like information on, please post it in the comments.

Thanks!

Marketing in a Down Economy

2009-01-30T07:00:00.001-08:00

When the New Year began, I had to face reality: several of the projects I had taken on in 2008 were completed and weren't likely to renew. Several retainer clients also reduced their fees. I've been fortunate in the five years since I started MLMC that most of my work has come from referrals.

I've never had to truly chase work.

And that terrifies me.

There I said it.

But, it seems like I'm not alone. It seems like I get e-mails in my inbox daily about marketing in a down economy. How to use your network better. Heck, how to network at all.

And, I realized that I am not fully utilizing my network. So, I've made some late January New Year's Resolutions:

Blog More
Link in to LinkedIn (find me here: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/0/220/501)
Engage Twitter

And, the hardest one for me: Ask For Work.

I'm heading to a board meeting for the Cincinnati chapter of PRSA this afternoon where I'll start putting my resolutions in action.

In the meantime, want to know more about me or MLMC? I think the graphic below says it all (click it to make it bigger):

Managing an "insane" To-Do List

2008-12-11T10:40:00.000-08:00

In an agency environment, "billable hours" reign superior.

But, I often struggle with pitting those billable hours against prospecting, or other work that could potentially grow my little agency. Like, say, blogging :)

On any given day, my to-do list is insane (see photo above). This white board keeps me organized.

Recently, I began holding weekly status calls with my partner and all of our subcontractors.

The key, we've discovered, to managing an insane to-do list boils down to having an organized work-plan.

And strong coffee.

Aiming for perfection in spite of client expectations

2008-10-17T10:55:00.000-07:00

"Don't strive for perfection and lose sight of 'good enough.'"

This is a direct quote from a new client of mine, a steel product manufacturer. They hired MLMC to write a script for an investor roadshow. With a tight turn-around time, less than 10 days, the Chairman of the Board urged the creative team to just "get it done."

He then referred to an old agency of mine with a backhanded compliment: "They created Emmy-award winning work, but it wasn't what I asked for."

The conversation, that I gloated over at the time, reminded me of the golden rule of customer service: The customer is always right.

Too often marketers fail to give the client what they want. And, we justify this by saying:

"Well, they just don't know marketing."
"It's not their thing."
"We know what's right for them."

I see my place as a thought-provoker. I recommend marketing strategies that, when executed, should meet a company's business objectives.

But, they should also meet their business expectations.

This particular video was done in less than 10 days from start to finish. Because it was for an investor roadshow, the finished product does not have that "shiny and new" feel to it that would have begged the question, "Why do they need our money if they could fund this video?"

The end result was a very satisfied client, and one who I hope will call upon MLMC again.

Pitfalls of Political Postcards

2008-10-09T15:29:00.001-07:00

Last week, I got a postcard in the mail from a candidate for county commissioner. Sized at 6x8, this postcard was plenty big enough to stand out and to inform me about the candidate, whom I'm not at all familiar with.

But, the postcard failed to deliver. It failed miserably.

Why? Because instead of using the direct mail piece to educate, this candidate asked for help. The front side of the postcard was devoted to the mailing address, the back listed two bullet points about his campaign. And, attached was a postcard that blew my mind:

Besides the plea for support, the only two bullet points the candidate offered vaguely referenced a committment to providing basic services (what IS a basic service) for every county resident and a committment to seeing the county grow.

Duh.

I've taken the long road to demonstrate a common mistake companies (and politicians) make with direct mail campaigns: a failure to understand and connect with their audience.

In this case, I belive this candidate would have been better served using the entire postcard to explain his campaign platform and save his support messages for those who already knew him.

Just my two cents.

I'm off to go RSVP for my billboard.

Becoming a Certified Woman-Owned Business

2008-10-09T12:53:00.000-07:00

Today I started down the path of becoming a certified Woman-owned business (sometimes referred to as a woman's business enterprise or WBE).

I've been told this is a daunting task, but one that has definite, tangible benefits. According to the National Women Business Owners Corporation,

Obtaining WBE Certification is an important business development strategy
for women business owners for two primary reasons:
First, most local and national government purchasing agencies track and/or have programs for doing business with women business owners. Having WBE Certification is the only way the purchasing agents have confidence that a business representing itself as woman-owned is in fact woman-owned.
Second, in a similar manner many publicly-held corporations, as well as larger private corporations, also track and have programs for doing business with women-owned vendor companies. They, too, rely on WBE Certification.

Two women at National City Bank in Cincinnati have already proven helpful in providing contact information for the NWBOC. And, I found out that the organization offers an application kit that will, theoretically, simplify the process.I took an early peek at the application itself and was startled by the amount of documentation.

I've pitched the Cincinnati Enquirer's small business reporter on following me through the process, but will also be documenting it on this blog.

Business Courier Looks for 3rd Pararaph

2008-10-02T10:17:00.000-07:00

Today, the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati hosted nearly 50 non-profits and a group of local reporters to gain insight on successfully placing stories in the media.

This was offered as part of the Health Foundation's capacity building seminars for non-profits. Classes in marketing, fundraising and evaluations are offered throughout the year.

James Ritchie, the healthcare reporter of the Cincinnati Business Courier presented first.

One of his first statements really struck me, "The reporters at the Business Courier are looking for that third paragraph."

He went on to explain that the third paragraph of a business article usually sounds something like, "Company XYZ grew 27% in 2008 and here's how they did it."

The Business Courier is looking for articles that paint a statistical picture.

They want the numbers.

Currently, the Business Courier has a circulation of roughly 11,000. The average network of their readers is $1M+. A major difference between their publication and others is that their readers are the subject matter, too.

Other tips James offered:

Deadlines for the Business Courier occur on Wednesday at noon. So, Wednesday afternoons are a great time to call about next week's stories.
The Business Courier rarely covers typical media events (aka press conferences, ribbon cuttings, groundbreakings, etc.) because they are a weekly paper. The dailies and TV news stations will have scooped them long before the Business Courier comes out on Friday.
The Business Courier has a segment on WCET on Friday evenings. Publisher Doug Bolton hosts this.

James concluded his segment by urging non-profits to get in the business mind-frame.

"I don't cover non-profits any differently than I would a for-profit company," James said.

You can find archives of James Ritchie's stories here. And, to sign up for the Business Courier's e-mail news, click here.

Stay tuned for similar pitching tips from WVXU, WNKU and the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Welcome to Web 2.0: Practicing what I preach

2008-10-01T07:13:00.001-07:00

Good morning, everyone. Today is October 1, and it's time to start practicing what I preach. I tell clients day in and day out to embrace Web 2.0. To Twitter. To have a Facebook or MySpace page.

To blog.

And, then my clients typically ask the shameful question, "What do you do, Megan?"

Well, I have a Facebook page. I Twitter (follow me: @meganlicursi). I even have an e-mail-based "thinktank" comprised of senior marketing and public relations professionals that I rely on as my sounding board--and sometimes they act as the board of directors for MLMC.

Speaking of MLMC, I started down the path of owning a small agency five years ago come January. Since then, I've led (or co-led) some impressive campaigns for SinuCleanse, The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati. I've also handled projects for the big guys like Valvoline, National City and CONTECH Construction Products.

But, as I set out to grow the business, I find that I need a creative way to showcase my thought leadership and strategy skills. The first agency that hired me prided themselves on strategy. I carry that with me and insist that all marketing objectives be tied to business development goals.

So, with that, I introduce the new MLMC blog.

Watch this space for marketing musings, lessons and general thoughts.