Did I get your attention?

Sweet. So, without further adieu, here is a quote from the man himself:

“If I were down to my last dollar, I’d spend it on PR” – Bill Gates, Founder of Microsoft.

Now you’re probably thinking that was some cheap ploy I just used to get you to buy something. And while I always have something you can buy (and right now have a really, really awesome program that you can sink your teeth into), it’s important to understand why you need PR.

The old adage “build it and they will come” no longer applies (really, I’m not sure that ever did apply). We often put 80% of our time into building a product or perfecting a service, and then maybe 20% on marketing our businesses.

This should actually be the other way around.

First, you need to really learn who your market is. And not just the typical demographic data. Really dig deep into who this person is. What do they eat? What do they read? Watch on TV? What clothes do they wear? Paint a picture of your target customer.

If you don’t know this information, when was the last time you surveyed your customers?

Next, you need a solid strategy to reach that customer. The definition of PR has shifted in recent years with the introduction of social media platforms and other ways we can communicate to our customers. You no longer need the media to tell your story for you. You have the opportunity to tell it yourself. And, as a result, the better you tell your story through these platforms, the more your customers and the media become interested in YOU.

This makes it all the more important to embrace new technologies and truly focus on your marketing and your messaging. Are your customers responding to your current message? What is your call to action (a.k.a. what are you telling them to do)? How are you leveraging the marketing tools at your disposal?

Let me give you a brief example using a fictitious entrepreneur named Sally in two different scenarios:
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SCENARIO #1

Sally is able to score some press coverage for her business in a magazine. The day the magazine comes out, she grabs a copy and shows all of her family and friends. She is delighted that some orders are coming through on her website, though not quite as many as she’d hoped. Once the orders slow down, she’s a little disgruntled that her PR efforts didn’t work as well as she’d hoped. Now she has to rush to try to get more press coverage so she can make more sales.

SCENARIO #2

Sally is able to score some press coverage for her business in a magazine. She starts to build excitement with her audience by blogging about the upcoming coverage. She makes sure her opt-in offer on her website is working properly to capture any visitors that don’t buy on the first visit (which, statistically, is the majority of them). Her opt-in offer is also very enticing, providing people a free gift or special offer that they can’t refuse.

She also has her web designer create a small image on her homepage that mentions the press coverage and welcomes those readers. This image links directly to the product or service they featured in the magazine so people can buy with ease. This goes live the day the magazine hits newsstands.

She then places a copy of the coverage in her press room online, blogs about it, shares it on social media, and sends it to her store accounts so they can share with their customers. She also sends an email newsletter to her customer list linking to the coverage.

Finally, she contacts all of her local press outlets to pitch them a story on her business and mentions this national coverage.
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Now, which scenario do you think will bring more business? I think it’s obvious that the second is the way to go. Yet, many of us still operate within the first scenario.

If you find yourself there, I have a way to help. My colleague Payson Cooper and I have launched a program that makes sure you operate within this second scenario, and HOW to do without taking up more of your time. If you’re struggling at all with your marketing, this program is for you.

And if you feel hesitant about putting more money into a program that doesn’t pay off, we give you a FULL YEAR to get your money back if you’re not satisfied. There is literally zero risk.

And, we are also offering a split payment option.

However, we are closing this program tomorrow, so you must get in NOW. Visit http://www.boostyourfamefactor.com/

If you want to skip all the details and just get right to signing up, CLICK THIS LINK

I hope to see you on the inside!

Congratulations! You've managed to score some sweet publicity coverage. Now that you have a blog review, or a TV appearance, or a magazine write-up, or a newspaper article in your back pocket, will customers come flocking to you in droves?

Not exactly.

While you may see an increased amount of traffic, or even an increased amount of sales, your job doesn't stop here. Check out these 5 simple ways to explode your PR coverage.

Brag About It

Come on, you know you want to! Don't be shy about sharing your coverage with customers, family, friends – really anyone who will listen! At the very least, you should post the coverage somewhere on your website. If you want to be an A+ student, then for each new piece of press you get you should:

• Blog about your coverage
• Send an email newsletter with links to the coverage
• Post it in your online press room
• Use the logos of your press coverage on your homepage with an "As Featured In" blurb
• Share it on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn
• Hang it on the wall or display (if you have a physical store location)
• Include it in your email signature

Send it to Retailers

If you have a product-based company, send a copy of the coverage to your retailers so they can share it with their customers. This works especially well if you have a magazine placement. You can send the actual page you were featured on in a clear plastic frame so they can put it next to your product on the shelf. Also send electronic versions in case they want to post it on an e-commerce site next to the image of your product. This is important to help your retail accounts boost sales, and increase your wholesale orders!

Ask for Comments

If your coverage is online (and most things are posted online these days) there will likely be a comments section underneath where folks can post feedback. Encourage your 'peeps' to go and post a comment under the coverage. Remember, the media is looking for an audience just as much as you are. If your blog post or newspaper article generates a lot of comments and feedback, they may be more apt to cover your business again in the future!

Testimonials

Use quotes from the coverage you have and use it in your offline and online marketing. How cool would that be to have the back of your business card read "The best skincare I've ever used – Glamour Magazine."

Welcome the Audience

When you get a press mention, you will likely have at least one person visit your website or come to your store to inquire about your business. Make them feel welcome! If you know you're going to be featured in a major outlet, like Redbook Magazine or the New York Times, post a welcome note on your homepage:

"Welcome <media outlet name> readers!"

Then include a call to action depending on what the coverage was.

"To purchase the product featured in the article, click here"

"If you enjoyed our tips, contact us to set up a consultation"

You get the drill. Make it easy for customers to buy from you and you'll be much more satisfied at the results of your press coverage!

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You pitch a magazine here. Send a sample to a blog there. Get a call to do a radio interview.

Before you know it, you have a jumble of notes on tiny scraps of paper, important information contained within emails that – OOPS – you forgot to save, and your whole publicity system has turned into a big, hot mess.

Try this organization system that's so simple and easy-to-use, it will have you weeping with joy.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A SAMPLE SPREADSHEET
**this sample spreadsheet is in Excel format

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Start with a blank Excel file (or other spreadsheet program that you prefer)
• Add a column for "Outlet Name" – name of the outlet you are pitching
• Add a column for "Contact Name" – name of the person at the outlet you'll be contacting
• Add a column for "Contact Title" – job title of the person you are contacting (important because there may be multiple producers for one show, or multiple editors at a magazine)
• Add a column for "Email Address" – email of the person you are contacting
• Add a column for "Phone" – phone number of the person you are contacting
• Add a column for "Address" – address of the person you are contacting (important if samples are requested)
• Add a column for "Website" – website of the outlet you are contacting, great for keeping on top of their latest news
• Add a column for "Pitch" – this is where you will write the date and title of your pitch. For example: 1/26: Valentine Gift that Makes Hearts Pitter Patter
• Add a column for "Sample" – for product businesses, this is where you can note the date the sample was requested and sent (those without a product can leave off this column)
• Add a column for "Follow Up" – this is where you will note all of your follow up, phone calls, emails, etc so you can keep track of how often you are following up and what happened during your last contact
• Add a column for "Placement" – if you're lucky enough to score a placement, make sure to write the date and description of the coverage here!

Keeping all of your press outreach organized into one simple spreadsheet makes your life easy, and you'll quickly feel like a bona fide PR pro!

How do you organize your press efforts? Was this spreadsheet helpful? Leave comment below!

Are you already sweating about how to market your business in the New Year?

Wondering which marketing strategies really work?

You’re not alone. Over the years I’ve tried a lot of things that worked, and even more that didn’t. This trial and error method meant lots of time and money spent before I wised up to what works. Now I’m closing out 2010 as my most successful year to date!

So here are 11 specific strategies to spike your business in 2011.

1. Deliver awesome content

It really doesn’t matter if you write a blog or film a video. Or if you send an email newsletter on a Tuesday or a Wednesday.

What does matter is that you regularly deliver awesome content that benefits your target market.

Great content positions a business as a trusted and valuable resource and entices people to take action. Regularly delivering fabulous content also means those people will come back again and again.

2. Share how you can make life better
Make a list of all the ways your business helps make life better. If you feel stuck about this old features vs. benefits exercise, here’s a trick. Ask your existing customers why they buy from you. Then incorporate that language into your marketing efforts.

3. Have an opt-in offer
People visit your website. But how many of them actually buy? How do you capture these visitors that don’t automatically convert into customers?

Your #1 goal should be to grow your list, and having an opt-in offer that customers can’t refuse is the best way to gain targeted prospective customers.

But asking people to “sign up for your newsletter” isn’t good enough. Who wants another email newsletter junking up their inbox? Give people a reason to want to sign up for your list. For example, my opt-in offer is a free eBook that teaches people my personal method of pitching stories to the media.

This offer should also be prominent on your homepage – above the fold – meaning that customers shouldn’t have to scroll down the page to find it.

4. Network in-person
I love meeting people virtually on the web, but nothing can replace in-person connection. Research conferences, industry events, and offline networking groups where your target market hangs out. Then go and hang out with them!

5. Survey customers
How do you really know what your customers want? Ask them! With easy-to-use (and inexpensive) survey software from companies such as Survey Monkey, you can ask your customers all of the questions you want answers to. Want to know what to write in your next blog or newsletter? What type of service or package your customers like to buy? What changes you can make to your product line to be more appealing? Instead of assuming you know these answers…ask. You may be surprised by the results.

6. Find your groupies
Form a band of fans that help you regularly promote your content to prospective customers. How do you do this? When you have something worth sharing, people will do it organically. Focus on creating good content and then watch your “groupies” promote it like mad.

7. Tell stories
In a recent panel I participated in for the Learning Annex, the recurring theme to run a successful business was to have a killer story and share it with everyone (investors, retail accounts, press, customers – and anyone who will listen!) Your story is what sets you apart, don’t be shy to share it! Tell people why you started your business and how it inspires you.

8. Teach something
A great way to reach prospective customers is to use your expertise to teach them something. If you have a skincare, you might teach how to perform an at-home facial or throw a spa party for friends. Author? Pick a chapter and teach the audience. Crafty? Teach jewelry-making or sewing. People love to learn, and delivering great content will get you fans for life.

And, if the thought of standing in front of a crowd to deliver a speech turns your stomach, don’t fear. You can teach via webinar or teleseminar with easy and inexpensive services such as Go To Webinar or FreeConferenceCalling.com.

9. Tell people what to do
Don’t assume your customers know what to do. Tell them, explicitly. If you want someone to email you to set up a free consultation, tell them. If you want them to purchase an additional item that packages well with the one they are buying, tell them. The clearer you are with your instructions, the more paying customers you will have.

10. Ask for testimonials
Testimonials are powerful proof that what you do totally rocks. Even better, if a person reads a testimonial from someone they know and trust, chances are they will also buy from you. Ask every customer for a testimonial. Make it easy for them by creating a testimonial cheat sheet, including questions (why did you choose our brand, what do you like, how often do you use) and even a sample testimonial. Then use these powerful statements in all of your marketing materials.

11. Create an online media room
The quickest way to become as popular as front page news? Create a page on your website that includes links to all of your media coverage so people can see how amazing you are. Don’t have any media coverage yet? Draft your own press releases and post them on this page so people know you have plenty of cool and current things happening. You can also expand your press page to include photos, a company bio, sample interview questions and topics for the media and, most importantly, your contact information.

So what do you think about these strategies? Do you have others you’d like to add? Questions about how to use these? Speak up by posting a comment below!