You Get More With Honey.....

Publicists don’t have a magic wand in their desk drawer. Their relationships with the media come from a long line of pitching, meeting in person, bugging, sending over holiday cards, repeating this process without feeling rejected, and then repeating it again. It gets easier as time passes and you prove yourself as a publicist, too.

This said, I wanted to share one key thought (or magic want maneuver) today when it comes to breaking the ice with a much sought after member of the press. If you can’t crack a relationship (or even a smile) from a press agent, implement the Tripe R method. This method consists of Respect (1), Reliability (2), and Response (3).

First, you have to respect the demand on journalists today. Many people blog for free and get paid by ads or PPC campaigns- not media resources.  This said, budgets are tight and reporters have more responsibilities along with a skeleton staff due to cutbacks. Traditional media is competing with a heavy freelance community. If you call a reporter once during the day, leave it. Don’t call four or five times. Don’t send emails throughout the day. Don’t trample on their time. Be respected and also make sure what you’re pitching is included in their assignments category, otherwise you’re just being annoying.

Second, be reliable. This means not exaggerating facts or shoving hype when speaking with a reporter. If a member of the press can learn to trust you as a resource, you will have them knocking at your door- not the other way around. So remember, never lie to the media to get press attention. It will backfire.

Finally, be responsive. If you can’t respond to any member of the press within 5 minutes of the day or night (and anytime of the day or night) you can say goodbye to your client’s story / interview and the relationship with the reporter. Most members of the press work long hours and are usually up late finishing stories. They may send you an urgent email at 1am asking you to verify a fact. Do it. Be available at all times to the media as this is part of your job as a publicist.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA

Google's First Page- Your PR Goal

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 Monday,

Velma Trayham

Social Media Refresher

Today, I want to talk about how to use social media like a boss and own the landscape within your industry.

I've compiled a few easy and simple tips to help you quickly become a respected social media peer within your industry- PR related or not.

1.  Don't be initiative based. That's overtly promotion. Instead,be excited about the probabilities about projected outcomes and share that excitement with the world.

2.  Use and track coupon codes, specific created hashtags and client key word searches. Acknowledge what is working directly with your followers. True bosses give credit where credit is due. Not sure what I mean? Follow actor Jared Leto's Twitter account. He is constantly running beta tests and then thanking his fans. He has them engaged 24/7!

3. Build relationships and be serious about it. Most media resources (and all PR peers) are natural 'BS' detectors. If you're constantly pushing your selfies, your clients' initiatives, and "buy now" deals then no one will feel that you have a genuine interest in a real relationship as a media resource. Be on point without overtly promoting when it comes to visuals and content.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA

Branding Sins in PR

I am a branding expert.  My credentials speak for themselves. I was asked a question over the weekend by a peer in the public relations field. The question had to do with the theory that there is never a bad review or such a thing as negative press.  My peer wanted to know if there are, in fact, branding sins. Well, the answer is YES!

There is such a thing as negative press.  It will impact your media value and that is a bad, bad thing.   The first branding sin is constant change. Some of the biggest brands in the world change to keep up with trends and the times but they are subtle and not noticeable.  Constant major changes to your logo, your image, your website – these all look like acts of desperation within the media realm. Avoid these pitfalls if you can.

Another sin is a constant change in PR staff. I know many clients who don’t obtain immediate fame and are on to another “bigger and better” publicity firm every couple of months. Well, why wouldn’t they obtain traction and press? Not only are they going to obtain a reputation as difficult, but they are going to be seen as looking for someone to create fame on their behalf instead of earning it. No respectable PR firm wants a client like this.

Finally, the last branding sin I see far too often is the non-authentic brand.  For example, made pop stars don’t last because they are molded, not born.  People who portray their image through photos but can’t deliver on products or within interviews will never do a well-created brand justice. This is why it is a sin. Your brand should amplify what your product is or who you already are. If you are trying to be something you are not, and build a brand around it, you’re dead in the water. You may obtain a few pieces of press here and there but nothing that will sustain a career!

Until next time,

Velma Trayham

Top Ways You're Killing Time!

Ever feel as if there isn’t enough time in the day? You are not alone, especially if you own a company.  Well, there are some things we as people do daily that really lead to time crunches and task bottlenecks. I’ve listed them below to help you identify where you are wasting time and recover it to become more productive.

1.     Administrative work. If you are a business owner then this is your largest waste of time. Many business owners don’t want to relinquish control over these tasks. Why? You should waste an hour or more a day consolidating reports, reviewing specific documents, etc.  Your administrative team should do this for you.  You only need to review report synopsis, considering details as needed- not in general and all of the time.
2.     You place value on quick tasks. Don’t do this. You are wasting time. If you put off schedule appointments for simple haircuts, responding to short emails, etc. – then you are adding items to your task list and building pressure upon yourself that isn’t needed. If it takes under 2 minutes to do – do it immediately.
3.     Finally, don’t repeat things. If you have customers who ask you the same thing over and over again, or want you to send them the same document over and over again, put it on your website.  They can find these answers and documents on the website or your administrative team can help.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham

The Top 3 Ways to Improve Your PR Business

People ask me all the time about staying on your game in business. Who has time to really go focus on networking when you have a business to run, right?! Wrong! Here are my three tips to staying on your game.

1. Try to meet one new person every single day. Yes, you never know who you are going to meet so make sure to introduce yourself to one new person at your local coffee store or in your office complex daily.

2. Spend 15 minutes each and every day doing something you hate. Why? It helps you grow your problem solving skills when faced with a challenge.

3. Share photos of your goals on social networks. Yes, your goals. Working for retirement? Share photos of places you want to retire. Working on becoming famous? Share your writing, music, etc. on these mediums. 

Why? Sure, the posts tell people about you but, more importantly, they work as self-affirmation and keep you on track towards these goals.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham 

More PR Mistakes.. What NOT To Do

I give a lot of advice when it comes to marketing, publicity and branding. Hey, they go hand-in-hand. I recently was asked what are the biggest mistakes one could make when working in the PR field or as a PR client.  I’ve listed them below for you as this was a GREAT question.

1. Photos, photo and more photos. Don’t rely on photos to make a brand. They have models for that.  People want substance, especially reporters. No one is simply going to cover you or your client because they have nice photos. PR doesn’t work this way. Yes, you need a photo to go with your media kit, etc. but these photos shouldn’t be the cornerstone of your campaign- even if you are an entertainer.

2.  Responding to the media via text.  This is a huge no-no, even if the media rep sent you a text. It is always better to call. Even if you get a VM, put a voice to the name and leave a message and then respond via text. 

3. Never, ever say anything bad about anyone to the media.  This will be the first thing quoted out of context at a later date. It is the same rule as liquor. If you are photographed with liquor and arrested years later, guess what photo the media will run. So, stay away from anything negative- even when responding in crisis communication mode.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham 

Don't Kill Your Own PR

I was recently speaking with a client who had a terrible idea. I had to break the news and that is always hard. So, what was the idea? Sending gift bags to the local media. Not only is this a huge waste of money and time, it violates many ethical boundaries on the journalist’s end and the publicist’s end.  The intention was never to bribe the media with the gift bags, just get their attention. So, when does a gift turn into a bribe and a bad PR move? Well, anything over $25 dollars defines the line.

Yes, professionally, the IRS allows “gifts” to be under $25 if directly related to your specific industry. You can buy gifts for clients if the presents are under twenty-five dollars.  The PRSA seems to agree with the IRS. So, gift cards for coffee or lunch are ok, but expensive gift bags aren’t. Let’s say a journalist accepts the gift bag. Let’s say the journalist honestly likes your story- and covers it. Let’s say that a competitor finds this out. He or she can single handily ruin the reporter’s career, the media outlet’s brand and your reputation as a publicist. Now, was that media get worth it? Of course not!

So, on a Tuesday, ask yourself what your worst PR move has been and hopefully it doesn’t include well-intended bribes.  If so, don’t make this mistake again. Get your media obtained by actually earning it, not buying it.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham

Cold Pitching The Press 101

Publicists don’t have a magic wand in their desk drawer. Their relationships with the media come from a long line of pitching, meeting in person, bugging, sending over holiday cards, repeating this process without feeling rejected, and then repeating it again. It gets easier as time passes and you prove yourself as a publicist, too.  

This said, I wanted to share one key thought (or magic want maneuver) today when it comes to breaking the ice with a much sought after member of the press. If you can’t crack a relationship (or even a smile) from a press agent, implement the Tripe R method. This method consists of Respect (1), Reliability (2), and Response (3).  

First, you have to respect the demand on journalists today. Many people blog for free and get paid by ads or PPC campaigns- not media resources.  This said, budgets are tight and reporters have more responsibilities along with a skeleton staff due to cutbacks. Traditional media is competing with a heavy freelance community. If you call a reporter once during the day, leave it. Don’t call four or five times. Don’t send emails throughout the day. Don’t trample on their time. Be respected and also make sure what you’re pitching is included in their assignments category, otherwise you’re just being annoying.

Second, be reliable. This means not exaggerating facts or shoving hype when speaking with a reporter. If a member of the press can learn to trust you as a resource, you will have them knocking at your door- not the other way around. So remember, never lie to the media to get press attention. It will backfire.

Finally, be responsive. If you can’t respond to any member of the press within 5 minutes of the day or night (and anytime of the day or night) you can say goodbye to your client’s story / interview and the relationship with the reporter. Most members of the press work long hours and are usually up late finishing stories. They may send you an urgent email at 1am asking you to verify a fact. Do it. Be available at all times to the media as this is part of your job as a publicist.

Until Monday,

Velma Trayham 

Your life as a publicist, how to get the most from it.

Being a publicist means you will have very little time to attend to yourself, but you need to.  I wanted to cover starting the day out to nurture yourself before you head to work to go to bat for others. So, here it goes!

First, you need to wake up 15 minutes earlier tomorrow than you did today. Why? To workout. Even if you already head to the gym at a different point in the day, wake up early and do 15 minutes (no more, no less) of jogging or walking around the neighborhood - whatever. Make sure you add this to your routine because it shakes off any extra glasses of wine from the night before, as well as helps to get the creative juices flowing.

Second, say two things out loud that you will get accomplished today. Why? Self affirmation is very powerful. People will screw up your schedule to be quite frank about things, just ask any PR employee. If you say two things out loud in the morning that you need and will get down, chances are they will be accomplished regardless of any schedule interruptions.

Finally, knock off any phone or in-person meetings that don't need to happen. People tend to spend more time talking about doing things vs. actually doing them. Meetings are a huge distraction in many cases. If a meeting isn't going to accomplish a decision during its capacity, skip it or cancel it. You should only call or attend meetings that 1.) stay within the time frame scheduled and 2.) will accomplish something by the end of the meeting. Discussion meetings are not needed. You can shoot a short email to a group of people and read their feedback in less time then it takes to actually walk to a meeting or call into one.

I hope this information helps you get ahead on what can be a great career.

Velma Trayham 

Create Better Client Relationships

You don't want to seem fake or phony when contacting clients who you haven't been in touch with for a while or who you no longer do business with. So, how do you create or re-establish valued relationships that could turn into long-term business? Easy, just use my 3 surefire tactics!

#1. Set up a Google alert. People tend to over complicate things. Every single time you pitch a potential client or do business with a client- setup a Google alert in his or her name and one in their company's name. The first thing you should do every single day is scan your Google alerts and then send an appropriate email or make a phone call on this subject. I would do this once a week. It avoids being generic and shows the customer you do care.

#2. Be a giver. I know so many people who refuse to spend actual money buying noteworthy gifts. Hey, they work. Why would you skimp on this? If I don't hear from a former client in over two months, I send them a $25 Starbucks gift-card. Yes, I do this every two months regardless if I hear from him or her. Why? Because in the long run, it works! Rewarding clients for doing business with you, beyond giving them a stress ball with your logo on it, is a proven ROI generator.

#3. Keep a secret note stash. Yes, if a client is talking to you about one thing and says, "Excuse me, my daughter Trish just called. Let me call you back," then excuse the call but write down that this client has a daughter named Trish. Next, schedule yourself to send your client something for Trish the following week.  Again, tie in the giver step.  If your client had a death in the family, send flowers. If your client mentions trying to lose weight, send something that compliments this goal. Be personal without being obvious. Remember, the devil is in the details.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham 

Three Poor PR Practices

I'm asked all the time what a publicist shouldn't do. Well,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 

Are You Posting Yet?

I ran into a woman the other day who said her brand was going nowhere. Hmm. I asked her, out of curiosity, why she thought this was.  She said there are too many PR people online and it seemed like white noise.  Well, that's true. There are a lot of PR people online.

However, PR people online isn't the problem. The problem, after speaking with this woman, was her posting. She wasn't posting anything news worthy on social media accounts to engage her industry peers. She was posting Selfies and Memes and the occasional press release. She wasn't reposting what her peers were writing or promoting.  We all know PR is a two-way street....

If you're going to have a social media account that is truly engaging, you have to engage other people. Don't push only your news... Comment on industry news and approach the PR people. We are all not the enemy. Competitive, yes! The enemy, no. We know relationships are important and are willing to engage.

If you're a publicist, you need to start posting and engaging with others. This is the best way to boost your reputation.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham

Does Your Client Understand ROI vs. ROAI?

The problem I always face with new clients is a lack of understanding as to what media results are and how they factor into sales.  For example, if I have a client who sells cars and we book him as a car sales expert on every local show available, that same client is going to expect his car sales to jump through the roof in the next few weeks. The truth, however, is that this isn't going to happen.  One interview, or ten interviews, will not impact immediate and direct sales. And there is a difference between ROI (earned PR) and ROAI (paid efforts, not earned). 

Given the example above, what will happen is a buyer will start to hear of our client through all the media channels. Plus, these media channels are picking up the client without paid advertising, which makes the client more creditable to consumers.  When, and only when, the client is ready to buy a new car will he or she remember and then consider our client. 

Immediate results for publicity by way of clippings and appearances do not often equate to immediate sales. This is an important fact that many new publicists fail to council their clients on.  As we head into the end of the week, consider what you accomplished this past five days. Did you send out major pitches and campaign pushes? Did you call media outlet after media outlet? Did you get results? Chances are no. We who are in the industry know things take longer than often planned, but do our clients?

Results are crucial but making sure your customer understands the value in those results... well, that's your reputation.

Velma Trayham

Social Media Promotions & Growth

For those who know me, you know that my social media accounts are part personal and part promotional. Once in a while I put up a MEME that I shouldn't or a selfie, but hey- that's me and people love my brand. There is a business side, however, to social media promotions that I want to address.

If you're going to run a social media promotion, make sure to use and track coupon codes, specific created hashtags and client key word searches. Acknowledge what is working directly with your followers. True bosses give credit where credit is due. Not sure what I mean? Follow actor Jared Leto's Twitter account. He is constantly running beta tests and then thanking his fans. He has them engaged 24/7!

Second, if you want a promotion to work- build relationships and be serious about it. Most media resources (and all PR peers) are natural 'BS' detectors. If you're constantly pushing your selfies, your clients' initiatives, and "buy now" deals then no one will feel that you have a genuine interest in a real relationship as a media resource. Be on point without overtly promoting when it comes to visuals and content. Oh, and don't buy followers. Smart PR people and journalists can easily embarrass you with this. Yes, the buy-ins are trackable.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham