PR and the 4th of July!

With the 4^th of July coming up, I wanted to dedicate some time on today’s blog to the holiday. If you are an aspiring publicist, or an existing professional, you have to consider the holidays and make a communication plan. Many of your clients will be on vacation during the 4^th of July – but what if someone wants an interview? Will you be able to reach your client on vacation?

Many PR professionals already have their qualified media and unqualified media communication plans in existence. If you’re reading this and you don’t have a plan as of right now, you’re late and you need to come up with one.

I tell my PR apprentices to consider media value during the weekend and only qualify press outlets with national reach. Bloggers, local papers, FM radio – they can all wait for a response.  If CNN comes knocking at your door, let them in and make sure you can get a hold of your client asap. Thus, tell your client if he or she sees your number, they need to answer it because it is the national news calling. Otherwise, they’re good to go for a vacation.

Speaking of which, I will be on vacation starting Wednesday and until next Monday. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday.

Coco the CEO 

PR on the Weekend

As a publicist, you are like a doctor. You are always on call- even on your “off” days. Client emergencies come up, news doesn’t stop, etc. So, how do you step away from your role as a publicist until you get that crisis communication call?

Well, I have a few tips for stepping outside the publicist role until you do get that phone call.

1.       Shut your phone off when you go out with family and friends. They need your attention. Shutting your phone off for an hour or three will not end the world- I promise. So, shut the phone off and cut yourself off from email, text messages, social media updates and enjoy some “me” time.

2.       Make sure you never respond to a client when it isn’t an emergency during your days off. If you start responding on your days off to minor issues, etc.-  your clients will always expect you to do this. You are setting yourself up to work 24/7 which isn’t great because this actually lowers productivity levels.

3.       Don’t offer advice to friends in the business during days off.  PR people tend to hang out together. Don’t talk shop when at the movies, etc. It will be hard, but plan those conversations for coffee work dates during the week. A) You can write off the coffee expense and B) You are at work when it is appropriate to talk shop. Talking about work with PR friends on off time brings stress to the forefront of your mind and, in this case, you should just go sit in your office the rest of the day!

Try to use these tips and enjoy your time off this weekend.

I will be back blogging on Monday and Tuesday next week and then enjoying some “me time” away from the blog until July 7^th.

Coco the CEO

Public Relations Boom Booms

Ever get a work boom boom? Not sure what this is? It is a minor mistake that isn’t going to get you fired by a client, but it will lessen your reputation with them. Well, as publicist this can happen to us- even though we spend the majority of our time preventing and even recovering our clients from the exact same thing. So, how as publicists do we use our own tools and take our own advice?

First, treat the situation as a minor hiccup. Don’t make a bigger deal than it is worth. Step away from the problem for 24 hours so you can think of the recovery plan from an objective point of view.

Second, know you don’t have to respond right away, if at all. We have to respond quickly on behalf of our clients. There is now rule, however, stating we owe ourselves or anyone else an immediate explanation for a minor hiccup. Again, the first step will help you evaluate if you need to address the issue and if so, how.

Last, move on. This is the hardest step of all for us PR people. We tend to harp on details. Let small mistakes go as we are all human. Let’s say you had a spelling error in a press release. It happens. Move on. If you totally put in another client’s name on that same release- well, that’s more than a hiccup. So address yourself, potentially address the situation and then move on with dignity.

We all make mistakes. Boom booms happen. Recovery is what keeps real PR professionals moving forward.

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO

PR Protocol

I wanted to talk a bit today about PR protocol. I am finding, more and more, that many publicists these days hit the ground running simply to obtain clients – with no real plan or standard for quality control. The main goal is money and growth, leaving protocol policies on the back burner.

Well, this is a bad idea. There are many, many reasons why you need to have protocols set up and signed for when you go to contract with any client.  Levels of conversation needs vs. actual needs should be defined in a protocol or Terms of Service statement.

I find many PR people are grabbing the client, going to contract, and figuring out the big things later.  While this may work for a while, it will not work for long. My advice to anyone aspiring to be a publicist is to obtain an attorney-approved protocol defined contract, this way you kill two birds with one stone.

Protocols make it easier for you to define goals and expectations to clients and it helps keep clients in-line when things are not moving fast enough for them or they request work outside of the contract.

If you hold a PRSA account, and you should when starting off in the PR field, check out this B2B video: http://www.prsa.org/Learning/Calendar/playback/5962/Best_Practices_for_B2B_Public_Relations  It helps define Best Practices and protocols.

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO  

Business PR 101

There is a difference between celebrity PR, branding PR and corporate / business PR. Most people don’t understand how important corporate / business PR is.  Many believe a press release should only go out when a new product / service is launched. Well, that is true but it shouldn’t be the cornerstone of your PR campaign.

Internal PR relations is often overlooked when companies hire a PR firm. There are crisis communication needs, Board of Director and investor relations that have to be properly navigated, and there is employee morale via company newsletters, email statements, etc.  This component of company / business PR is expensive, needed and continuous. So, why do many companies overlook it?

Simple. Ignorance. When you launch a company – don’t always bank on the media to be your best advocate. Your employees are. They talk about the company and their employment experience to others as much as any member of the media. So, it is important to accurately communicate with your team. There are also legal issues as to what and how things are communicated. Thus, many of us PR professionals work on a day-to-day basis with legal team, a fact often not known by the general business community.

If you are seeking to open up a business, or improve your company’s standing, anytime soon- think about this area of public relations and then call me! I am happy to provide a quote on my services.

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO

AP Style Writing

Happy Monday! Today I want to share an interesting read shared via another PR Rep I know.  We were having a discussion about AP formatting and how many new publicists either don’t know what this is or they simply don’t care.

In his words, “The Associated Press Stylebook has been the gold standard for arbitrating style for journalists and other professional writers for decades. The wire service guide recently made some changes to the time-honored bible for writers. The AP changed its rule to allow use of “over” to also mean “more than.”  More recently, AP has decided to spell out states completely (when used with a city, town, village or military base). Previously, the AP had its own unique manner of abbreviating states’ names — unique in that it was a third way — neither completely spelled out nor abbreviated with two capital letters in accordance with U.S. Postal Service practices. Hence, Arizona was known to AP initiates as “Ariz.”, which wasn’t a consistency issue as much as it was a formality issue.”

I do believe the AP standard shouldn’t be ignored. There is something to be said for the practice of true public relations efforts versus the enormous amount of “fake it til’ you make it” practitioners opening up companies everywhere these days.  Seeing an AP styled release is a breath of fresh air in today’s industry. It helps true PR professionals identify one another.

Why am I saying all of this? If you are looking to jump into the PR game, please make sure you are learning the practice of AP writing and wiring. This alone will amplify your status as a true PR professional within the industry!

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO

Classic PR Gaffs

It’s Friday and time to have a little fun. I wanted to talk about the top three “gaffs” in the PR world that even the most seasoned professional still, at times, commits.

The first one is the assumed interview.  We all know what the word “assumption” makes out of you… well, it often happens within the PR world. You build a relationship with a reporter and then think the press release will be picked up without a pitch. Wrong.  Many PR people have relationships with reporters, so don’t assume your press release will be picked up – let alone viewed- by a busy reporter. You still have to make the pitch.

The second one is the lack of a follow up call. We all know reporters are busy. You should still leave a voice mail for the ones you are pitching if you don’t hear back. Again, they are busy people and are inundated daily with press releases from agencies, entrepreneurs and other wires. Things can be overlooked and a simple phone call can quickly fix an oversight.

The third “gaff” is giving your client the impression of a magic wand. PR people are not, and do not have, magic wands. If you sell your client a one-shot fix (booking agent, marketing services, personal assistant, counselor, career couch, etc.) then your client will be mad at you in the long run.  This is one area where you don’t want to be proactive in customer service. Stick to the contract. If you deviate even the slightest to help your client, you will assume the added responsibilities of the position and then fall short later. It is ok to tell your clients ‘no’ when they are asking for services outside of the PR contract.

Until Monday,

Coco the CEO

The Many Faces of PR

There are many faces of an AM in the PR world. Ok, if you’re thinking “what the heck does this mean”, keep reading. An AM is an account manager. In the PR world, it’s a big deal to be an AM.  PR means public relations.

Many people believe the main focus of an AM’s job is to write press releases that grab media pick-up. Well, this is a tiny aspect when you consider all that encompasses an AM’s job. If you are thinking about getting into the PR game, I hope you’re a multi-tasker. Why? Well, below are some of the many responsibilities associated with being an AM.

• Email marketing and communications
• Digital marketing and technology audits
• Integrated marketing strategy (quarterly)
• ROI analysis in response to marketing vs. PR a/b split tests
•  Media relations
• Event coordination and credential approvals
• Crisis communication 
• New branding integration
• Company message management 
• Speaking program integration
• Award program integration
• Creative design and development
• Paid advertising management 
• Message development
• And more.

So, if you want to get in on the ground level of the AM game in the PR world, know it will take a lot of time, dedication and multi-tasking!

Want more info? Contact me! I am always available to work with new AMs as a consultant.

Coco the CEO

Celebrity PR Defined

I handle many high-end clients. I know some publicists who believe that because they handle high-end clients, they too are famous and high-end branding figures. First, if you’re more in the spotlight then your clients- there is a problem. Second, a celebrity publicist’s job is to promote the celebrity and ensure brand matches are made or declined daily.

Trade shows and fashion deals with other high-end publicists are part of the daily PR field for a celebrity client base.  After all, our business is about relationships and looking great. If you upset the wrong publicist with some random little thing, you blow your career and can block that of your client. So, be careful when you are dealing with other high-end PR people and make sure you know the protocol for ever situation before making a move or opening your mouth.

For example, those of you who want to start off in the celebrity PR world- know that you will be expected to know (or know of) the major industry trade show pros and emerging designers. You’re expected to attend virtual and offline tradeshows to make deals and connections and you have to know the industry rates for your clients when it comes to costs, consideration and visual collateral value. And this is only one aspect of the day-to-day grind.

If you’re scratching your head right now with the word “huh” in your mind, don’t panic. I’m here to help. I offer group or one-on-one consulting that will walk you through this process and help you get to the next level of your high-end publicist career! Simply contact me on social media or via my website and we can start the conversation then the process.

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO 

Public Relations – Common Mistakes

June has been the month of PR and branding news here on my blog. I’ve talked about what to do and what not to do. Well, I did receive a great question over the weekend that I wanted to address. The question was with regards to when and how to send out a press release or media advisory.

A press release is a formal announcement or crisis communication response related specifically to your brand or your company. This is a release that may be seen by the public and is often used to excite media with the hopes of obtaining either republishing or gaining a full interview.

A media advisory is an direct-to-media piece of collateral that is short, sweet and to the point of response, event or community invitation.

As far as the “how” and “when” portion of the question, my answer is that these areas depends on what is going out.  Press releases can be placed on high-market wires, free wires, blogs, internal collateral, etc.  The truth is, it doesn’t matter how the release goes out (for news purposes anyway) as long as it contains something viable. Putting out a news release for the sake of putting out a news release or because you feel the story is worthy is a waste of time. You need to have a product or event to promote or a response to a current story.

Media advisories need to go out via email and without attachments. These should not be mass emails but personalized emails and you should call the journalist(s) ahead of time so you don’t obtain a fine for breaking the CANSPAM law. Again, you have to have something to promote or a press conference / event that you are inviting the media to.

I am hopeful this answers the question.

Until next time,
Coco the CEO

Branding – What It Isn’t!

I wanted to cover what branding isn’t within tonight’s blog. People think branding means placing your logo on every piece of collateral possible or adding a logo to a non-profit event. Sure, these are components, but branding isn’t about simply being visible. Branding is about the emotions people feel about the products or services you sell when they see your logo.

Last night I talked about Target.  If you see a Target logo now, chances are you think security breach over savings.  People think of a big, white bobble head now when they think of Jack in the Box. In the late 90’s, they associated the brand with a deadly meat scandal. The Jack in the Box brand effectively changed the perception with several layered marketing and publicity campaigns.  When you associate news or positive feelings with a logo or a company name,  know that business has either a great branding team or a really bad PR team (depending on the feelings).

All this said, I want you to write down five of your most favorite brands (it can be any type of product or service) and why. Next,  write down five of your least favorite brands and why. Think of the emotions that come up when you write down each of the ten names. These feelings are what brand strategists play to. Now, think of your own company. Are you playing to emotions or are you focused on artwork?

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO

Branding 101

I want to move the public relations talk on this blog into branding. For the rest of June, I am going to focus on branding basics because I feel there is a disconnect between the term itself and what it actually entails.

No matter how much effort or money you place into a branding campaign, credibility is going to make or break you. It is important for me to state this because too many people focus on trying to buy their way past the credibility factor.  While this may work at first, the method doesn’t have anything substantial or sustainable to it.

Every time you over-promise and come up short, your credibility takes a hit. I always tell people to be up front with their clients. If you know their brand and PR campaign is going to take a year to start generating press, state that.  You can play up your skills and be realistic at the same time. If the client doesn’t like this, you don’t need that client. They have poor expectations of branding and publicity.

Your credibility in business is going to be your number one asset. I really want my readers to understand this.  Target lost its credibility when hackers breached the store’s financial data, which left several customers with money missing out of their bank accounts.  Target still has customers, but they don’t have a lot of credibility when it comes to cyber security.

Spend some time this weekend reviewing and then writing down three things that make you credible and two things that breach your credibility. Next, make a plan on how you can amplify your credibility and overcome your challenges.

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO

PR Campaigns with NO Budget

I can’t accept each and every client.  Even more so, I can’t accept clients who have no budget to work with. It sets me up for failureand  them up for disappointment. If you don’t have a budget, however, you shouldn’t shy away from trying to be your own pitch person.

Public relations, when executed properly, is a major part of any brand and marketing campaign.  The first thing you should know when you have no budget is how to define your story line. Everyone thinks they have a great news story. This is rarely true.  You have to really consider why someone should write about you or your product / services.  If you are not promoting anything that truly is newsworthy, don’t bother writing a press release about it. It will fall on deaf ears. So, this said, pick and choose your press release battles wisely.

You also have to consider  ProfNet as a resource. I know, there is a fee. Trust me, this website service is worth the fee. While others are hanging out on freebie or PRWeb’s internal “media connection” resource, real public relations experts are using ProfNet to connect with one another.  I suggest you save up your financial resources and invest in this one PR tool.  http://www.prnewswire.com/profnet/

Finally, don’t keep changing the direction of your campaign / brand and do not rely on who you know, photos of you with celebrities (or a like), or your social media following to boost your brand. You do have to do the work to get results and this will not happen overnight.

I’m hopeful these tips will assist you in developing a promising PR platform.

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO

PR & Photos

I’m often asked about photography branding when building an entertainment campaign. Here’s the thing, photos last forever- especially with today’s social media culture. It is very easy to ruin a political campaign or lose a CEO position if an unfavorable photo surfaces – and they always do. So, how do you avoid odd or inappropriate photos from ruining your career should you do a brand pivot?

First, stay in control at photo shoots. Sometimes it is easy, with all the attention and complements, to lose sight of your brand strategy. Never show skin when this isn’t the plan going into the shoot- even if the photographer promises not to print them. Second, make sure the photos you are taking would be viewed as appropriate by your mom.

Second, don’t take photos endorsing other brands unless you have cash on hand. Having other companies put their logos on your photos is tacky and makes your brand look easily bought. If you are bought, great- make sure you get a lot of money out of it. If not, don’t allow a “freebie” favor of a photo shoot or makeup application ruin your brand. Logos aren’t good, paid endorsements to show them are.

Finally, you shouldn’t ever be photographed with a drink in your hand. Ever! This photo will always come back to haunt you brand wise. Unless you are Kid Rock and sponsored by Jim Beam, there is no reason to be photographed with as much as a glass of wine in your hand.

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO 

Mastering Branding

Branding is a major part of public relations. You have to have a consistent brand. Sure, pivoting with the times is important, but there should be a common thread or theme with your brand at all times.  People and companies who are constantly changing their objectives or brand identity will never gain traction with the media, their own success or with customer loyalty. Keep this in mind as I notate the top three ways to master your branding efforts below.

1.       Don’t try to impress people out of the gate.  Instead, watch people and mold your brand to what they like.

2.       Put your brand identity over money. If you spend your professional career chasing money, you will never truly capture. However, if you spend your career promoting your brand and explaining why your products / services are the best, money will come to you. Prioritize your brand over money and the money will come.

3.       Don’t rely on gimmicks.  Sham-WOW was great as a brand. Key word ‘was’. You don’t want to keep chasing success with trending brand gimmicks. McDonald’s doesn’t. Apple doesn’t.  Cheap products backed by gimmicky brands do. Think about this.

I hope you have a lovely weekend and that you truly take these tips to heart.

Until Monday,

Coco the CEO

PR Writing Tips

Tonight’s blog is dedicated to your Do-It-Yourselfers (DIY).  For those of you attempting to write your own press releases (and I don’t suggest you do unless you know AP formatting), here are a few pointers to get you started in the right direction. Note: I highly recommend you take an AP Formatting class, or obtain a copy of the AP Style Guide.

1.       First, make sure your announcement is  newsworthy. Don’t put a press release out to have a press release out.  Announcing a partnership, award, new product, etc. are all fine.

2.       Your headline shouldn’t read like a used car ad. Most people want to go with shock value. Well, that’s great but it can backfire. Most media outlets want to the point facts and headlines. A flashy headline is like flashing a cop- it’s frowned upon in the media world.

3.       Keep it under 400 words plus your boiler plate. A two page press release is never going to be looked at. Reporters are busy, behind, and understaffed when it comes to support. So, make sure you are clear, concise and under 400 words.

4.       Don’t add a bunch of links.  Add only what is relevant and if you need to add more links or data, refer to the EPK request at the bottom of your release. Yes, you need to have an EPK request byline.

5.       Don’t lie.  People tend to skew the truth in press release. Remember, reporters will vet them and if you are caught in a lie, you will be the attention of unwanted media coverage.

I hope this helps but please contact my company for assistance if you feel you are in over your head.

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO 

PR Basics

I had a reader send me a note stating I was using “pr” terms above her head. I checked with many readers, this isn’t the truth for most. However, this said, I do want to address the basics of PR to accommodate the reader and anyone else out there who may be lost when I mention or blog about public relations (PR).
 PR is defined as “Publicity is more effective than advertising, for several reasons. First, publicity is far more cost-effective than advertising. Even if it is not free, your only expenses are generally phone calls and mailings to the media. Second, publicity has greater longevity than advertising. An article about your business will be remembered far longer than an ad.

Publicity also reaches a far wider audience than advertising generally does. Sometimes, your story might even be picked up by the national media, spreading the word about your business all over the country.

Finally, and most important, publicity has greater credibility with the public than does advertising. Readers feel that if an objective third party-a magazine, newspaper or radio reporter-is featuring your company, you must be doing something worthwhile.”  [Inc.com]

So, if you want to boost your PR efforts consider the following:
1. Remember, not everyone will be interested. If your story idea is turned down, try to find out why and use that information to improve your next pitch. Just keep going, and don't give up. You will succeed eventually.
2. Once you reach the reporter on the telephone, remember that he or she is extremely busy and probably on deadline. Be courteous, and ask if he or she has time to talk. If not, offer to call back at a more convenient time. If the reporter can talk to you, keep your initial pitch to 20 seconds; afterward, offer to send written information to support your story ideas.
3. What you deem as “newsworthy” probably isn’t.  This term needs to be finally tuned when it comes to new PR people using it.  See what is trending online. This is truly seeking newsworthy items and then pitch around or related to the top 5 trending stories, if possible. If you can’t, you’re not newsworthy yet.

Until tomorrow,
Coco the CEO

The cost of PR.

One of the biggest questions I am asked about, when it comes to public relations, are rates. Well, rates differ from client to client.  Based upon the scope of work, crisis communication risk, existing crisis communication or branding concerns / challenges, and the type of PR focus needed,  rates can start at $60 per hour and build to $1,100 hourly.

Retainers are usually billed for high profile clients, while advance month-to-month terms are becoming more popular within the business.  However, I don’t believe a client should have a focus based on rates.  I know expensive PR people who aren’t worth a dime and cheap PR firms who do more than they are paid to do. Your brand is about you, so the focus has to be who matches your vision with the budget issue becoming a secondary concern.

I will state that no budget is a big problem. You do need a full-time publicist. First, on image alone it says something about you when you have an outside pr team representing you. Second, you don’t know what you are doing if you don’t have a pr background and this can hinder you, costing you more in the long run.  Finally, you need to put yourself out there and this costs money. Regardless if you launch an ad campaign or a pr campaign (do the research, ad campaigns are better) – you will have to invest in yourself and your brand.  If you don’t, who will?

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO

3 Stunning DIY Tips for PR

I am often asked how someone can launch their own PR campaign. While I don’t recommend it, people are always going to try their hand at public relations first when they are skeptical about the practice or truly don’t understand its value.

I don’t ever want anyone to be unsuccessful. So, if you are thinking about hiring a public relations team but want to try your hand at it first- keep reading. I’m listing my top three DIY tips for public relations tasks.

#1.  Don’t write your own press release.  You do need special training on AP formatting. Instead, write “how to” articles about your industry or products and send those to major publications for potential re-publishing.

#2.  Launch an e-newsletter that actually has content people want to read. Too many people use newsletters as a way to sell products. Don’t do this, you will lose your readership. Newsletters should promote anything as a “Special”, “sale,” or “buy now” campaign. Simply use a newsletter to convey actual news.

#3.  Host webinars. This is where the media gets to see and hear you vs. read a release or an article you wrote about yourself. They can see if you live up to their expectations and are capable of a television or radio interview.

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO