How to Email the Press

People often ask me how do they get the attention of journalists via email. There are a few professional tactics you need to use in order to grab the reader's attention, but relationships are always key to getting your email read vs. going in cold.

The first tactic is to ensure your subject line is accurate, newsworthy, and concise. Journalists HATE fluff when it is pitched to them.  So, make their job easier by getting to the point right away without any subjective point of views applied to your subject line.

Next, don't send attachments. Journalists will not open them. If a journalist wants an EPK, he or she will either ask for it or can visit your website to download it.

Don't put a press release inside an email. Journalists hate this. Instead, send a media-relevant pitch that quickly links to the release should the reporter require further information.Make sure it is AP style or it will get tossed. 

These simple tactics can elevate your email to a viewable level with many press agents.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham

The 3 Key Content Types for PR

Reporters love content that is easy to pull from and process a full story. This said, there are three different types of content that many journalists look for when seeking to cover a pitch. What are they? I'm glad you asked, lol! They are listed below with an explanation.

#1. Supportive facts. Nothing else makes a press release more valuable then to tie in numbers and stats that are current. It shows how relevant your news is and it helps the reporter with his or her workload.

#2. Supportive multimedia. Reporters love eZines, brochures, videos, and soundbites that can support online web editions of their newscasts or publications. If you included these items as a zip file (only upon request), it will set you up for a great relationship with the requesting reporter.

#3. Breaking news that is relevant. Too often, publicists send media releases out anytime their client makes a move. This tactic is like the boy who cried wolf. Eventually, the media will start ignoring your press releases. Make sure you only send out breaking news when it is actually breaking! This type of content continues to be the top content type requested by journalists.

Remember, content is still king as long as you know how to utilize it!

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO

Sins of the Entrepreneur

 Not everyone is going to make it in business- no matter how hard one tries. Why? Well, either you are born with the entrepreneur spirit or you’re not. It is this simple! Below are 5 Sins of “entrepreneurs” that real business leaders use to identify the wanna-bes from the real deals.

1.       They aren’t trying to be something they aren’t. Yes, real business leaders have faith in their own ideas. They don’t spend their time copying the ideas of others.  They either take a concept and make it better or they promote their own vision.

2.       Money is an afterthought. Real business people know money will be a point of stress forever, regardless of how much is in the bank.  Business owners focus on growth, often working under their value, to create a customer base and then keep it.

3.       They have no day job. No one can run a business while working for someone else- at least not effectively. If a business owner has a day job, they’re fake. They aren’t making it and they have no idea how to make it.

4.       They don’t care about fear. Sure, they may be afraid at times but they don’t let fear stand between them and success.

5.       Mentors- Yeah Right.  Business owners will seek our professional advice. Hey, we don’t know it all. However, mentors are not for the mighty or the visionary. Mentors help people find their way out of the maze when they can’t see the exit in front of their faces. Business owners know where there is no exit- that one must be created.

Until next time,

Coco the CEO 

Are You A Business Diva?

Here it is, the moment of truth…. Are you a business diva? I wanted to write this blog after dealing with so many women in the workplace today. People say men can be hard to do business with. Maybe. But nothing compares to a diva woman in the workplace, especially if she is the boss. How can I say this? Well, I own several companies and guess what… I am a woman!

I deal with other women day in and day out and I am sad to say there is an ignorant demographic of women business owners out there that I deem as divas. These are women who are not successful but holding on. They have an attitude that stumps their ability to grow as a woman and a business owner because they are too busy not helping others or leading with grace. 

How do you know if you are a business diva? I’ve listed some signs below;

1. You complain.  Life is imperfect. People can’t read your mind. If you are not providing tools or constructive criticism to help others, you are setting them up for failure and your complaints only validate this to yourself. Complaints never helped anyone grow.  Learn from your complaints in order to help your own company grow and correct a fellow woman or peer. 

2. Your verbiage is ‘off the chain’. Ever notice how some women help themselves look stupid by not having a grasp on the basic English language? I once spoke with a woman who used “irregardless” over and over when putting someone else down. This isn’t even a word! Years later, frustrated employees mocked their boss by putting up a voicemail with animation on YouTube with an “irregardless” remix. Don’t let your ignorance come back to bite you. Speak elegantly and know the meaning of words. Otherwise, you are a diva and not a true business owner. 

3. Don’t make friends with employees. I say this because I see women do this. They make friends with their employees, or worse- clients, and then when it comes time to play the role of the boss they bring up personal situations. This is terrible and classifies you as a diva.  You shouldn’t be friends with your employees or your clients in the first place. More so, you shouldn’t throw personal situations or occurrences up to them when dealing with a business matter.

Until next time, 

Coco the CEO 

4 Facebook Tricks for Companies that WORK!

Many people and businesses use Facebook wrong. They put up a post here and there and then wonder why they don’t see traction or ROI. Well, usually the posts are not vetted with marketing tests and that is why there is no real ROI or brand engagement.

Here are my top four tricks for Facebook use in direct relation to business ROI and brand engagement;

1. Test the time of day you post. Test engagement means posting the same message at different hours of the day for a week. This test is standard in the marketing area and help you navigate the impact of your Facebook feed during different times throughout the day (and night). The only way to ensure optimal engagement is through old-fashioned trial and error because every company has a different target demographic.

2. Ask for input. This helps your demographic not only take ownership of your brand in a way, but it can help you from spending money where it doesn’t need to be spent! Whether you customers to vote on a new logo or product color, use their input to reasonably guide the direction of your next business decision.

3. Pictures are shared more than content. This is a fact. Your pictures are worth more than a million words so make sure you include a photo or graphic with your content to help your post stand out.

4. Be your own biggest fan. Facebook is where you want to promote yourself without limits. Be bold, talk yourself up, and post relevant information and graphics. Your customers will engage with you more often when you are confident about your services and products.

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO

How to Stay On Your Game!

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,

Coco the CEO

Failure - A Way to Win!

Failure is going to happen in business. From failing to meet a customer’s expectations to failing at your overall operations, on some scale- you will fail. It is where you go after the failure, and what you do, that really counts.

I’ve failed countless times. Some of my greatest business lessons came out of this failure and not out of my college classes. While failure can be expensive, learning from it always possesses value.

Here’s how you can turn your failures into a ‘win’;

1. Accept responsibility for your mistakes instead of making excuses.

2. Apologize. Many thinks in life are easy to accept once an apology is offered. Refusing to say “I’m sorry” is what adds salt into your customers’ wounds. In fact, examine the apology Starbucks offers to clients when mistakes are made by clicking here: http://starbuckspassion.tumblr.com/post/925449418/the-importance-of-good-customer-service

3. Don’t repeat the mistakes once you acknowledge them.

Being humble is a part of business. You will not please all of the people all of the time. We are not, as humans, perfect. However, taking ownership of our being human and making mistakes can help you learn from failure and prevent further missteps.

Until next time,

Coco the CEO