PR and marketing

Over the Christmas holidays I became addicted to two things: Angry Birds and Mad Men. My addiction to Mad Men is continuing. And frankly it has saved me from dreadful summer television.

I managed to kick my Angry Birds habit. Only because I finished them all. Every level. The end was like eating the last M&M in the packet without realising it was the last one. You may have heard me scream.

I did learn one thing. Angry Birds is like PR.

It’s all about strategy
So you have four red birds and one “bomb” black bird. You are faced with a structure made of stone, wood and glass. The laughing pigs are hidden under all of this. How are you possibly going to get them? Just like a PR scenario, doing a mass email out of media releases, or firing off the birds hoping for a direct hit isn’t going to work. Think carefully about it. What is the outcome? How can you best approach it? What is going to have the most impact?

It takes perseverance
You have been on the same level for hours. You have tried every strategy you can think of, “bombing” high, low and right on target. Red birds, egg birds and blue triple birds. Want to give up? No! Take a step away and think about another angle. In PR, one angle (or pitch) may not work, in fact, several may not work. But if you persevere, think laterally, keep going, then you get results - and move to the next level.

Share the joy
My father downloaded Angry Birds on my iPod, his knee surgeon told him about it and I have successfully got many friends addicted. Share the joy! If you love something, or are an expert – share your joy and knowledge. PR tactics are the perfect medium to share your experience and expertise to make other people’s lives better in some way. Even if it’s how to write a better website, or fill in your tax return or tips on parenting. The experience doesn’t have to be monumental; just the act of sharing is enough.

DOUBLE PASS GIVEAWAY – ME Bank Starlight Cinema is on again at North Sydney Oval! This is a fun, relaxed outdoor cinema screening a mixture of new releases and old favourites. To win a double pass to a film of your choice at ME Bank Starlight Cinema, be the third person to email me!

LEARN HOW TO DO PR – My next one day workshop on PR and media releases that get results is on 17 February. Learn how to construct a PR strategy including how to develop media angles, pitches, media releases, articles, case studies and editorials. You will also learn how to strategically use these tools to maximise your chance of achieving your PR objectives. Sydney Writers’ Centre. Book now!

I hope you enjoy reading this newsletter. 

________________________________________

Social media and the Queensland floods

Social media has played a big role in the Queensland floods from being a useful source of information for those dealing with the floods first hand to letting people in other areas of Australia know how they can help.

When Queensland Police saw the widespread use of the hashtag #qldfloods on Twitter, they adopted the trend and used it as a primary information source. The Brisbane City Council, the ABC and tens of thousands of people then did the same.

Information about road closures, flood warnings, offers of assistance and ways to donate were all delivered through Twitter and Facebook. Social media became an important communication tool, particularly for people whose power or telephone lines had been cut off by the floods but who still had access to their smart phones.

When social media peaked
How social media was being used was measured and it was found that peak periods of tweeting often coincided with flood peaks, making it a vital news source alongside newspapers, television and radio. The research by the ARC Centre for Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation found that when the flooding reached its peak in Brisbane, up to 1200 tweets every hour were recorded.

In this situation social media proved to be just as essential for providing information as newspapers and television and is a great example of how using social media in conjunction with traditional media means your messages will reach more people and have greater impact.

Read the whole article at Public Relations Sydney blog.

________________________________________

Is the media release dead?

Media releases are often the first thing that come to mind when discussing public relations. They are a tried and true method, and are often very successful. However there is much more to public relations than the media release.

Next time you start writing a media release, stop and think about what you want to achieve and decide whether a media release is definitely the right way to go.

While media releases are still often used, there are many more ways of building your brand.

• Writing a case study: a case study demonstrates your experience and knowledge by telling people about your company’s projects and achievements. Many magazines feature case studies in every issue, and often these have been pitched in. Case studies can also be used to illustrate a pitch or media release, bringing life to the story you are telling.
• Contributing an article: an article that shares your expert knowledge can be a great story. A great way of doing this is to write a ‘how to’ article that is relevant to the audience of the publication.
• Pitching an idea for a story or interview: a newsworthy topic for an upcoming feature in a publication is often a very successful technique to tell your news, establish yourself as a leader in the field, and strengthen your brand. Just make sure that you have a designated spokesperson for the brand who is comfortable giving interviews.

Read the whole article at CP Communications blog.

________________________________________

Upcoming events

Here are some events coming up that we thought you might be interested in:

How to create a powerful LinkedIn profile
Social Media Women’s February event features Karalyn Brown, Director of InterviewIQ who will reveal the possibilities of a well constructed LinkedIn profile. The session will cover how to find jobs and win business using a powerful LinkedIn profile.
8 February 2011

AANA Congress: Window on 2011
The AANA Congress tackles issues facing the advertising, marketing and communications’ industry nationally. A round table of industry leaders will reveal how the economy, marketing, media and consumer spending are shaping up for 2011.
10 February 2011

PR and Media Releases that Get Results with Catriona Pollard
Catriona Pollard will teach you how to construct a PR strategy that gets results. By the end of this workshop you will understand how to come up with a media angle, write a pitch, media release, article, case study and editorial. You will also learn how to strategically use these tools to maximise your chance of achieving your PR objectives.
17 February 2011

Social Innovation BarCamp
A day of free workshops which are described as ‘Unconferences’, where anyone can present on issues that are important to them. Everyone is encouraged to have an open conversation within the workshops. It’s always a great day with very interesting people and topics.
26 February 2011

ad:tech Sydney
Come along to ad:tech, the leading annual event for the digital marketing and advertising community. The two-day event features panel debates and keynote addresses about social media strategy, digital media, mobile marketing and more.
9-10 March 2011

Click here to sign up to receive the CP Communications newsletter in your inbox.

Ten women selected by UBS will also participate in the program.

While you are enjoying the end of year celebrations it might be worth taking the time to think about what you achieved this year and what your business New Year resolutions might be.
 
Every year for CP Communications seems to be exhilarating – and a touch exhausting! Totally my own fault – I like to have lots of things on the go! This year we have had the opportunity to work with amazing and lovely clients.

One of my favourite projects was the Macquarie University’s Women, Management and Work Conference where we used the collision of PR and social media to get amazing results.

We finally launched our YouTube Channel – PR and Social Media Tips TV. That was a goal for this year, and with my presentation from Social Media Women we finally had content to upload! So check it out! There are more tips to come.

On a personal note, I “got sick of myself” not taking up speaking opportunities, so I went from refusing to do public speaking to teaching a one day PR course and a 45 minute presentation in front 70 people! I’ve really enjoyed sharing my experience and expertise.

Thank you for reading our newsletter this year. It’s been lovely sharing our stories with you. We wish you a very merry Christmas and happy New Year! I am going to go lie under an umbrella on the beach for a couple of weeks and catch up on my reading, day dreaming and thinking about my New Year resolutions.

I hope you enjoy reading this newsletter. 
 
_____________________________________________________________________

Exclusives: Are they worth it?

If there is one thing a journalist loves, it’s a big, juicy exclusive, but before you go offering everything to one publication, it’s important to weigh up whether an exclusive will offer you the best results possible.

The argument for exclusives:

• Exclusives are a clever way of building a relationship with a specific journalist. By giving the story to only one publication, you can build up a good rapport with a journalist that will definitely help you with future pitches.
• You might get a better placement of the story in the publication by offering an exclusive. 
• It’s not terribly common, but you will find some editors who only want a story if it is an exclusive. 

The argument against exclusives:

• Journalists don’t make any promises. So offering an exclusive will not guarantee that the story will run.
• It might be more effective to have a number of stories in a variety of publications.
• Do exclusives even exist anymore? In the age of social media, anyone can break news and share stories online before a journalist has even had the chance to ask Who, What, Where, When, How? How often have you read a tweet, or a Facebook page update before hearing about a story on the news? Perhaps exclusives have had their day?

There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to exclusives, it’s up to you and should be judged on a case by case basis. As long as you know all the pros and cons, you’re set to make the best decision for your business.

Read the full story on Public Relations Sydney.

_____________________________________________________________________

How to connect on LinkedIn without fear

Is LinkedIn still a mystery for you? I still find it hard to figure out how to use it for lead generation so I asked Social Media Lead Generation expert, Tom Skotidas for his hot tips.

"My advice is simple: look for human connection points. They are the commonalities you find by reviewing your intended connection’s LinkedIn profile, Twitter posts, personal blog, and other online mentions. There are dozens of human connection points you can use, but here are some of the obvious ones:

• People you know in common (available on their LinkedIn profile)
• LinkedIn groups you share
• Their blog posts or published articles (i.e. the ones you have read and enjoyed so much, as to form an opinion)
• Schools you both attended

Once you have identified your human connection points, you are ready to write your LinkedIn invitation.

Be relevant. Make sure to address your invitee by their first name, and to clearly reference your connection points. Tell them how you found them, and why you want to connect. And make sure to pump up your credentials as well, via a strong LinkedIn profile."

To read the full story click here.

Tom is running a course on LinkedIn for Lead Generation on 7 December 2010 (which I am looking forward to attending!). For more information click here.

_____________________________________________________________________

Upcoming events

Here are some events coming up that we thought you might be interested in:

Internet Marketing & Social Media Fundamentals: A Full Day Practical
This workshop will focus on the fundamentals of internet marketing and social media marketing. It is entirely web-based rather than theory-driven, and uses online demonstrations and case studies to get you up to speed on the latest trends.
7 December 2010

The Future of Digital: Forecasts and Predictions for 2011
AIMIA presents the third annual ‘The Future of Digital-Forecasts and Predictions for 2011’. Industry experts will give an insight into what the New Year will bring and what opportunities and challenges the industry may face.
10 December 2010

Facebook & Twitter for Lead Generation
This course focuses on how to effectively utilise Facebook and Twitter for successful lead generation. Learn from Tom Skotidas, an industry expert who has met and exceeded divisional sales targets for the past four years with the help of social media. Ideal for marketing professionals and sales people.
14 December 2010

Website Management
Many organisations are still facing challenges in how to successfully design their website to enhance collaboration with customers. Learn how to optimise usability and accessibility to maximise the business benefits of your online presence.
19 January 2010

Marketplace Visibility – How to Grab Your Slice of the Action
A Women’s Network Australia luncheon with guest speaker Debra Jacobs, who will teach you how to catch people’s attention and keep it, create relationships with existing and potential clients, and sell your product, without wasting time and money.
10 February 2010

Recently The Australian's editor wrote Twitter is "the dunny door graffiti of the digital age, adding precisely nothing to the sum of human knowledge".

Interestingly, they printed this statement in the newspaper, yet deleted it in the online version of the article. Scared of the Twitter backlash I wonder.

When I tweeted this comment, it caused quite a storm. It was retweeted and commented on throughout the day.

Some of my favourite twitter responses were:
@bradatslice Journos how d'ya feel? Contributing to "the dunny door graffiti of the digital age..." as described by #TheAustralian
@gavincostello Interesting that all their journos are adding so much graffiti to the dunny door then
@bigyahu now who's calling the kettle black? How's The Australian's circulation doing this year? #outoftoucholdmediaass
@ccrichton I'm willing to bet The Australian's editor has never used Twitter. Typical ignorant comment from opinionated non-user.

Many of the people I follow on Twitter are journalists who share very valuable, thoughtful and interesting information.

In fact, most news outlets have Twitter accounts, as Twitter is a very accepted (and important) way of broadcasting news. Ironically, The Australian also has an account (@australian) with 15,600 followers. I’m guessing they're hoping their followers don’t think their tweets are worth flushing!

SPONSOR ME PLEASE – This month I’m doing the Yoga Aid Challenge which is like a marathon - but Yoga style. A nonstop "Salute to the Sun" sequence taking two hours. The charity I am supporting is dotcommob which helps the children living in Papunya, a remote indigenous community of 300 located in Central Australia. The community has an existing computer centre but no ongoing funding for a supervisor to open the wonderful world of the internet and technology to the children. Please support me by making a donation to this great cause. THANK YOU! Sponsor me here.

SPEAKING – I am speaking at two events this month. Social Media Women: The collision of PR & social media - how you can use it to your advantage and a 1 day workshop: PR and Media Strategy that get Results.

___________________________________________________________________

Embargoes: What are they and when to use them?

 
So what is an embargoed release?
An embargoed release is a media release or announcement that is shared with the media in advance of its publishing date. Unlike ‘off the record’ which is never supposed to be published at all, embargoed information is intended to be published. But it is only meant to be published at the time disclosed by the release distributer.

The release shares confidential information with the journalist, but it is shared with the understanding that it is meant to remain confidential until the stated publishing date. This date is stated very clearly at the beginning of the release.

The crucial part to embargoes is the element of trust. By sending your release out with an embargoed release date you are placing a great deal of trust in the media to respect your wishes. However, by doing this you can help form a stronger relationship and earn the respect of the journalist and more often than not they will abide by your embargoed date. 

What’s the point?
Embargoes allow you to send your information out to journalists prior to the release date to give them notice of the upcoming news. This allows them to prepare their stories in advance. With increased lead time it gives the journalist time to provide additional insight into the issue that might not otherwise be part of a breaking news story.

When to use them
Very few announcements need to be embargoed. You might consider using an embargo if the announcement is complex and needs demonstrating and explaining or if there are commercial reasons why details can’t be shared gradually over time beforehand, such as competitive pressure.

Read the full article
___________________________________________________________________

What's the deal with foursquare?

Before you dismiss foursquare as just another social media application you couldn’t possibly get your head around, we thought we’d give you a run-down of what it’s all about.
 
What’s foursquare?
Foursquare is a mobile application for your smartphone that essentially is a ‘social media game’ but can actually be used to help your marketing efforts, especially if you work in retail or hospitality.
 
The idea is, whenever someone visits a location, like a particular shop or café, they ‘check-in’ to that location. The person, who ‘checks in’ to a certain location the most, becomes the ‘mayor’ of that place.

Why would people use foursquare?
When someone ‘checks in’ to a location they can see if any of their friends have been there before, or are nearby at that time. You can use foursquare to give suggestions like ‘If you’re at X café, try the chocolate milkshakes, they’re amazing.’

It becomes a fun, competitive game to become the ‘mayor’ of the most places possible.  This is where businesses are jumping on board and offering incentives for people to come along to try and become the ‘mayor’ of their business.

Options for businesses
Not only can you encourage people to ‘check in’ to become the ‘mayor’ of your business but you may wish to offer deals to people to get them to ‘check in’ more regularly.

For example, the fifth time someone ‘checks in' to your clothes’ shop they get a free scarf with their purchase, or the third time they buy a sandwich from your takeaway shop they get a free drink.

To get things rolling, you may even offer ‘check in’ deals for people the first time they ‘check in’ to your business on foursquare. There are also wildcard specials that your staff need to verify before the user can claim their prize.

You can tailor these offers and start using foursquare to drive customers to your business and foster customer loyalty.

Read the full article
___________________________________________________________________

Upcoming events

Here are some events coming up that we thought you might be interested in:

ADMA Digital Day 2010
Digital Day will focus on the dynamic and constantly-evolving area of digital marketing. It has been designed for marketing decision-makers, specifically those with an interest in the digital space. The conference will include high-profile speakers from Billabong International, BT Financial Group and Smirnoff.
8 November 2010

The collision of PR & social media - how you can use it to your advantage with Catriona Pollard
Social Media Women’s November event features co-founder Catriona Pollard, director of CP Communications. She will focus on how to combine PR & social media tactics to get your messages to your audiences.
9 November 2010

Email Marketing Summit Australia
EMSA aims to provide a thorough understanding of email marketing strategies and practices. Develop your skills in email marketing to enhance client communications and attain a competitive edge for your business. The one-day event features high-profile speakers from the marketing industry.
11 November 2010

iStrategy 2010
This event is the annual gathering for business, marketing, business development, IT and creative professionals involved in all aspects of online media and strategic management positions. This event will consist of industry-leading keynote speakers, interactive workshop sessions and invaluable panel discussions.
24 - 25 November 2010

PR and Media Strategy that get Results with Catriona Pollard
You'll learn the science behind an effective PR strategy including writing media releases that get results, how to approach journalists, how to write articles and case studies for the media as well as clever online tactics. In one day, you'll discover the secrets to getting good publicity that you can use for your own business.
25 November 2010