PR and Thanksgiving

Well, this is my last blog for November! I will be back with you on December 1^st. For now, however, I’m taking the next four days off as a way to be Thankful for all my hard work and that of my amazing staff! It can be very hard to unplug from the PR business. We live in a 24/7 social media culture and non-stopping news media community.

If you feel that you are going to have a hard time unplugging and rebooting this Thanksgiving, please follow these 3 simple tips. I promise you will be more productive when you do return to work and your family and friends will enjoy your focused attention.

1.       Leave your phone at home. What? I know, right! If you are going out shopping with your family, someone is bound to have their cell phone in case of a true emergency. Announce that you are leaving your phone at home and truly do this. I promise you that your business and clients will not fall off the face of the Earth as a result. And you will be surprised what a real conversation feels like without the distraction of all your cell phone and social media alerts.

2.       Repeat step 1. I’m serious about it.

3.       Don’t watch the news. It may be tempting with all the events going on right now – especially surrounding the Mike Brown case. Instead, focus on holiday movies or the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade. This will allow your brain a much needed rest from the news cycle most publicists work in the midst of.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving,

Velma Trayham

Ferguson- From A PR Perspective

I know this is a touchy subject. I was so hurt- on many levels- after watching the events in Ferguson unfold last night via CNN. The way the media, people, and police handled (or lack thereof) each milestone was crass. From a PR perspective, last night was a disaster!

So, what could have been done? Well, it depends on who one would be representing in the case of last night's events. From the police standpoint, their Public Communications Officer should have pushed a Standards Guide and contact guide via social media hours before any announcement was made. Business owners should have been provided with a separate line to report looting and security incidents to. Police officers should have been assigned to protect businesses too.

Michael Brown's family should have had a publicist to help their attorney enforce statements so the 4.5 minutes of silence could have- and should have- taken place. The attorney, while he did a good job, needed to have more of a PR voice with the  media to push his initiative.

CNN- oh boy. CNN knew better and should have practiced more responsible journalism, not just covering crime. They took the concept of "if it bleeds - it leads" to a whole new level last night and in the name of ratings- not justice.

I could go on and on and on.... but I won't. We as a country need to practice how we deliver our messages and beliefs to one another in a more constructive manner.  Remember, it isn't what you say as much as how you say it. What happened last night speaks volumes but I'm not sure if the message was actually heard.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham

PR Presentations... What Are You Missing

I love when I see all bells and whistles on a competitor's presentation. It helps me a lot! While anyone can hire a cheap graphic designer off of ODesk.com, not to many know about the psychology behind design and marketing. This, my friends, is very important when pitching potential clients.

A beautiful design doesn't mean anything in business. Sure, it is nice to have but decisions are made on cost vs. experience vs. if a client feels comfortable (or not) working with you. When competing companies only invest in a design that looks good, it leaves an opening for me to follow the presentation with "what are they missing" when talking to the client.

If you are pitching clients based on visuals only, know that you are making a major mistake! First, you have to make sure you have the right visuals- not just ones that you like. You have to align your thinking and presentations with the temperature of your potential client's current look and feel. Next, you have to use the AMA's set of psychologically invoking marketing concepts. Then you have to follow this with real references, solid numbers, milestones and guarantee, and a work plan. This is the part where many PR professionals fail - the numbers and the data.

This said, as we head into a week of Thanksliving, check your pitches and your presentations. Give thanks for the business you earned in the past and think about how you can polish up your presentations in the future!

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA 

Is Your Logo Failing?

Here is a thought for the weekend- "What has your logo done for you?" Think about it. Think about it for you and your clients. Is your logo really a point of visibility  or an eyesore? Most think it is visibility and in reality- it is an eyesore!

A logo has to serve a purpose. It can't just "look cool". The branding has to have a short and concise title and the colors have to appeal to the masses. Plus, it has to be immediately identifiable. Think Starbucks... without the lettering, we still know the woman in green means great coffee that is over priced!

Speaking of green, what colors are you using? Certain colors mean different things from a psychological standpoint. Did you know, for example,  that the color yellow equates to childhood memories within people? If someone had a poor childhood, they will not be buying your services if you have a yellow logo. If they had a great childhood- they will be buying for life!

Uniqueness has to play a part too. Compel the viewer, don't hit him or her over the head with the obvious. AT&T doesn't have a logo as part of its logo. Instead, it has a globe. Why? Most people think of phones when the hear about AT&T.  Well, the communication company offers services all over the globe, which compels the logo viewer.

So, all this said- look at your logo this weekend. Look at the logos of your clients. Are you being too obvious? Too generic? Using the wrong colors? Chances are- all of the above is true.  And if you need a brand overhaul, don't be afraid to reach out to me.

Until Monday,

Velma Trayham

PR Co-Chairing

I was recently asked about public relations and co-chairing. Basically, this is when two PR companies share a vested interest or a client account with two different purposes.  I am neither for or against co-chairing. It happens often and the relationship aspect of working with other PR professionals can be beneficial.

So, what are the negative components? Well, client stealing. There I said... what every public relations pro. fears the most. Well, here's the thing.... client stealing happens. You shouldn't worry about client stealing because you should be working with your clients and providing results good enough that they will not and can not be stolen away. Those who worry about client stealing are the ones who know they don't have what it takes to fulfill the contract.

Co-chairing is beneficial to all involved. I can learn from the other public relations firm and they can learn from me. Most importantly, however, is the double benefit our shared client receives- which is something to think about this Thursday evening.

Until next time,

Velma Trayham

The Tip 3 WORST PR Tactics of All Time!

I recently had a discussion with a peer in the PR world who was upset at Generation Y’s PR tactics. My peer said he was seeing more and more seasoned PR reps get rejected on new client accounts because someone from Generation Y broke the trust of hiring a PR professional through their ill-fated efforts. I agree.

I can’t say how many times I have lost a potential lead because a newbie messed up an account and now the potential client is scared of hiring anyone. It doesn’t make sense. If I receive a bad haircut, it doesn’t mean I never step foot into a salon again, that would be silly.  Yet when it comes to PR, this is the current thought process.

So, with the hopes that the next PR generation can learn how NOT to burn a client- here are my top 3 WORST PR Tactics of ALL TIME;

1.       Bait and Switching Accounts.  The owner of the PR firm- you know, the one with the experience- pitches a client account. After the client signs on the dotted line and deposits are paid- the client is assigned to a Junior AR who is fresh out of college with no contacts and no experience.

2.       Hitting the “viral campaign” market right out of the gate. I still don’t understand the thought process behind this.  You need to develop relationships with journalists before the public will ever care about your client. So, why do so many newbies spend time tossing Instagram memes and viral releases at consumers? Don’t they know these efforts are a waste of time and not the first item of business?

3.       Email is your only friend.  People don’t talk anymore- except for journalists. They make phone calls, so why do PR people rely upon email to pitch a reporter? If you’re sending blast emails to reporters, your client will be blackballed from coverage. Pick up the phone and develop or further your relationship with journalists.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham

Google Ranking & PR

I wanted to give you a mid-week tip to help you get your clients' website ranked better. We can spend so much time working on content development and media pushes, that we often forget to advise our clients on simple SEO and website ranking tactics.

Here are my top 3 ways to help get your clients noticed on Google!

1. Research key words that your clients' competitors are using. You want to let their clients know there is an alternative choice. It is a marketing 101 tactic- go to where the business is. So, don't bank on words you or your clients feel are important, instead- use what works!

2.  Make sure you are using these words not just in content development, but as meta-tags within your websites and social media postings (such as blogs). If you're not adding in meta-tags, you're content development is lacking!

3. Don't use high-resolution images for your website. Google actually penalizes users for doing this and will drop the ranking of your website as a result. Make sure your design falls within Google's guidelines- otherwise you are left with a pretty website that no one can find!

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham

Facebook's PR Tools

Facebook dropped the bomb on digital ad agencies everywhere last week. The company announced that they’d be tinkering with their super-secret algorithm, giving unpaid promotional posts even less of a presence in users’ respective news feeds. "So what," may be what you're thinking. Well, here's why this is BIG news....

Digital ad agencies started to cramp the space of the PR and marketing world. Ad agencies were approaching clients, offer big social media "bang" for the buck. Essentially, one good spend $500 a month with a digital agency and see the same results- social media wise- as they would spending $2k with a marketing / pr firm to do the same thing. The problem is the marketing / pr firms write better, write more, and have different connections to provide a multi-use platform for the content. Clients, however, often don't value relationships as they do when it comes to immediate ROI.

Facebook essentially is helping the publicity and marketing firms by requiring boosted posts from essential sources and changing feeds and pricing so that digital ad agencies couldn't broker the space from Facebook- only a true PR or marketing firm would be able to boost posts (or the clients themselves) from the inside of a campaign and out.

So, as we head into this week- consider your social media posts and what value your clients may see in your ability to now navigate the waters on their behalf.

Until tomorrow,
Velma Trayham

The Dr. Oz Disaster

Here's a terrible media morning... you wake up as Dr. Oz's publicist - insert punchline here. In case you don't know what I'm referencing, Dr. Oz took to Twitter stating he was doing an open Q&A session and would respond to his favorite questions. Seems like harmless branding, right?

Well, Dr. Oz set up the hashtag #DrOzsInBox so everyone was able to see the questions being asked. He didn't get to vet the questions through DM. And then this happened;

If you have a celebrity client, or any client, in the midst of a recent scandal- a live Q&A with a public hashtag probably isn't the best idea! It's kinda PR 101!  So, as we head into the weekend, spend some time thinking about how much control you have over your clients' social media accounts. It may be time for a conversation about branding backfire.

Until Monday,

Velma Trayham

"That's Not My Job".....

Here's my "what what" moment for the day. I was recently asked to do some booking / manager stuff for a PR client. Now, if I say 'no' then I am not a team player. I'm also not paid if I say 'yes' and I am a PR person- not a booking manager. There is so much risk in me saying 'yes' or 'no' that I often don't want to make these decisions.

I don't have an exact answer for you. I can say, however, that you should use your best judgement when making these decisions. Obviously, you don't want to say 'no' and have a client cut out on you. But you don't want to offer sub-par service or cheat yourself out of money, either.

What I would tell you to do is to set-up boundaries with your clients right before they sign with you. Don't allow yourself to be put into this position right off the bat. Note in all contracts that you are setting up the Scope of Work "as is" and anything else will either be charged at a certain rate or will be referred out to a partnering company better equipped to handle the request.

I wish everything was black and white when it comes to PR services, but it isn't. These things come up and they do so often. So, set boundaries ahead of time and visit each scenario on a case-by-case basis.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham

Client Rewards & Publicity

I recently spoke to a client who asked why she wasn't rewarded with gift cards and so forth. Hmmm. It is an interesting marketing concept and a lot of retailers use this tactic. I put some thought into it and then decided to write my response here.

Here's the deal, rewards are not really rewards when it comes to services. Most of the time, clients are paying extra money for their own rewards. For example, I know one real estate provider who gives his clients a free iPad Air every time they buy a house through him. Wow, what a deal, right? Wrong.

You see, in my real estate friend's contract, he adds a $1,500 "marketing fee"- even on sales. So, essentially, his clients are buying a home, an iPad Air, and giving him a few extra hundred dollars profit. Is this really a customer reward or customer appreciate gift? No. It's a warm and fuzzy self-funded way for customers to feel good about selecting the Realtor to do his job.

Sure, I will send clients a gift-card for coffee here and there, but never out of their own contract and never as an expected gift. I believe in providing results and customer services that exceeds expectations as a real reward for my clients. It has worked, as they keep coming back.

So, today, as we hit the midweek point- ask yourself how you are really rewarding your clients. Are you buying their affection using their own money? Or are you setting the bar and then exceeding their expectations?

Until next time,

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA 

Writing Fails

I went to a PR conference in NYC recently. I was thinking about the conference the other day when I came across a poorly composed press release. I bowed my head and immediately thought of all of my peers at the conference who would laugh at this.  You see, writing separates the stringers from the professionals. No matter how many connections you have, if you can't write- you will fail. Period!

This said, I wanted to share the top 3 writing mistakes YOU need to avoid. If you don't, your peers will look at you like a stringer and you will not obtain any respect within the media relations field.

1. "At the end of the day"  - Do not ever use this. You should be able to write your point without having to point it out. If you have to write a "look at me" tag, the rest of your writing is fluff and journalists will hate it and laugh at it.

2. "I know you're busy" - If you're using this in a pitch or  a sales letter, slap yourself on the wrist. Everyone is busy. Writing this phrase just wastes more of the reader's time and it sounds corny. Avoid using this phrase at all costs.

3. "In this day in age" - Ok, first- we all assume that you are writing about the present. If not, why are you writing at all. The goal is to be media savvy and relevant. This phrase is ad copy and doesn't have a place in the PR world.

I hope this info helps you become a better writer and understand what separates the true professional from the wannabe.

I'm off tomorrow for the Federal holiday. The blog will return on Wednesday.

Until then,

Velma Trayham

The Networking Event... Is It A Waste of Time?

I blurted out laughing in line at my favorite coffee house today. Why? Well, I heard someone discussing how terrible they felt about heading to a marketing conference next week. He didn't want to do the "go team" thing during any conference activities because - frankly- "that stuff doesn't apply in my day-to-day operations."  His honestly was brutal, his candor made me laugh, and he was 100% right!

Here's the thing, conferences don't have to be a waste of time. Networking events can benefit you. The trick is to know how to navigate these activities.

If you don;t head into a conference thinking about what you will not learn, chances are you will capitalize on the extra time (yes, away from your desk and your clients) to do the following;

Meet new people and potential new employees
Hear amazing speakers and generate ideas for your firm
Crystallize strategies you may have been considering
Forge partnerships with other co-managing PR firms
Learn about new technologies and figure out how to be ahead of your competition
Un-learn bad habits - which happens
Create a notebook full of smart tactics to take back to the office and implement

I think life is all about attitude. Sure, the things learned at conferences will not always fit into your day-to-day operations' plan. But, if you implement them correctly, they can elevate your business overall.

Until Monday,

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA

3 PR Secrets EVERYONE Should Know

Someone asked me recently if I had a super tip that would blast them into PR wonderland. Well, I have 3 tips that everyone should know about PR and practice, but they aren't going to "blast you into wonderland." Publicity is a layered approach and it requires practice and the development of relationships. There is no such thing as overnight success- unless you're only looking for 15 minutes of fame.

So, here are my 3 PR tips;

1. You need to be your own brand. Don't let an interview, introduction, or any other opportunity go by without telling someone who you are, how you can help, and what your tag line is.

2. Your tag line should be a phrase that explains what you do and why you're better! For example, Burger Kind's is "Home of the Whopper". They sell Whoppers. They are the only company that sells Whoppers. Period.

3. Don't stop selling - it's not shameless to plug yourself, as long as you do it honorably. If you meet a radio show host, talk yourself up but do so in a way that he or she would see how having you would benefit the audience- not yourself. Remember, you have to solve a problem for someone in order to present media value. Often, this problem solving comes in the way of providing expertise or industry insight.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA 

Overexposure.... it happens

Overexposure is a very real thing. Publicists often have to walk a fine line when working with co-PR management (film, music, cross generational brands, etc.) to ensure that messaging and promotion is effective and not so heavy that fans or customers feel sickened by it.

Molly Tullis  recently covered overexposure and I feel she captured it perfectly. She said, "In the summer of 2013, the Jennifer Lawrence love affair was at an all-time high. The Hunger Games had come out a year earlier, she won an Oscar for Best Supporting Role in the Silver Linings Playbook, and hit a home-run by saying all the right things about body image and young girls. But by December I was waiting for the imminent backlash. I didn’t have to wait long. Before she could cash her paycheck signed out to Katniss, Jennifer Lawrence was fielding reports that she was obnoxious, ‘everywhere’, and people were incredibly “sick and bored of her.” Ironic that a culture that had obsessively gorged on her girl-next-door charms felt sick soon after. Of course she was everywhere – we put her there. The same phenomenon happened with Reese Witherspoon and Anne Hathaway before her. We loved them, we put them on every cover, we give them sponsorships, and while they’re still walking red carpets, they’re consistently fielding comments such as: “I don’t know why… I just don’t like her.”

Here's the thing- there is no measurement to predict overexposure. It has to be addressed on a case-by-case basis. If you look at Molly's comments above, think about Jared Leto. He won the Oscar. He is in a successful band. He is on every tech magazine's cover right now. He has his own streaming company for entertainers. He is practically everywhere and yet- he has no overexposure risk. I think this is because he is collectively evenly spread out (as a brand) across different mediums that cater to different audiences.

My point tonight is this, pay attention to your measurements and what audiences are saying on social media. The moment whispers start to turn south, pull interviews and reevaluate your publicity plan.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham

Start-Up PR

I'm not sure if I love or loathe new business. I mean this in the most polite way I can. Let me clarify... Start-up companies need a great PR plan, which companies like mine can provide. However, Start-up companies are not typically going to bank tons of press right out of the gate.

The Start-up companies also will not understand this. They don't think in layers as far as press coverage is concerned. They think everyone and anyone will embrace their concept / services and cover them and then they will see an immediate ROI. Well, this isn't true.

Start-up companies should hire PR companies to help brand their message and get them from Point A to the point between Point A and Point B. After the company is established, real media can start pouring in- which takes anywhere from 6 months to 2 years!

A good PR program can gain critical coverage by positioning companies as experts on the bigger picture, which is what Start-ups should be concerned with.

This said, here is what a PR company should be doing for a Start-up during its first year;

• The media look for experts, particularly serial entrepreneurs, who will share their insights on new trends and technologies. A good PR company will take advantage of this.
• Creative and consistent PR tell customers that the business is strong, which is why AP style press releases- even if they aren't picked up- should be cataloged in a media room. 
• Good relationships with the media help Start-ups shape the competitive landscape to their advantage.
• Social media presence.... enough said! 

If you don't sell a Start-up on your PR company within the first four months, ditch them. They are looking for the end of the rainbow when they haven't even started the journey.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA

Writing Content for Google

PR people now have to write for several different audiences, including the public who search Google. But, do you know how to write for Google. Just because you write something for the public and paste it to your blog- or other medium- doesn't mean Google will register it and make it searchable for others to find.

This mean you may have to write a piece three or four different ways to cater to traditional, new media, and Google audiences.  This is the main reason I want to focus today's blog on how to write for Google so your content (or that of your clients) is searchable and visible!

First, develop compelling content. Your content should be relatable to your audience and tell a dynamic story that cannot be found elsewhere. Google likes storytelling! Don't advertise yourself or write about how great your clients are. Advertising content is considered commercial content and Google will kick it out so that you buy an ad.

You also need to be aware of content structure. Google loves images, and it likes embedded links, too.  Make sure you ALT tag your images with title links or key words directly related to the content.

Finally, spend some time thinking about which keywords will give your website and pages better exposure. Test them by typing them directly into Google and see what comes up. Be organic, not over zealous, with your keyword placement and selection.

Need help? You may want to consider co-contracting with ThinkZILLA. I can help you write content that will rank highly on Google!

Until next time,

Velma Trayham