Google Penalties 101

I was asked about Google penalties the other day. Well, that is a broad topic. If you are a content writer or a tech designer, Google penalties and white hat marketing are like second nature. If you’re like us (the rest of the world), then you probably have no idea that Google can punish your website for certain reasons / actions.

First, Google doesn’t want to be mean. Google has a  great purpose in creating the penalty program- checks and balances. The company wants to give its users access to accurate information, not SPAM or  trolling websites. Google continually tweaks and improves its algorithms (how it ranks your website, etc.) so that the best of the web gets the exposure it deserves.

There are 5 very popular reasons why your website may not be ranking well on Google- almost all of them have to do with content, some of them with design and/or marketing. If you have purchased a template website without quality, original content and marketing-  be warned, you are probably being penalized by Google!

Now, here are the 5 most popular reasons why your website is being penalized by Google;

1. Keyword stuffed content. SEO is important but shouldn’t be abused. If Google detects a high number of keywords in a page, you will get a penalty.

2. Footer links. Not sure what this is? Ask your designer. You see, some web designers use footer links as a navigational aid. Most do it to impress clients with a great search engine ranking once the job is done. However, the longer the link stays there, the bigger the penalty.

3. Hidden links. All of the links on your site should be visible and useful to users. Anything that’s hidden (backlinks or transparent colored/coded) is considered suspicious.

4. Stolen (um, borrowed?) content. If you are using someone else’s web content, maybe even changing it a bit to make it your own, Google knows. CopyScape and other sites help identify plagiarism. Not only does Google see this as pointless duplication and will penalize your for it, they can turn you in for the duplication. Yikes!

5. Affiliate links all over the place. A high number of affiliate links is a red flag that your content may not be up to par. Although it’s possible to mask affiliate links with redirects, Google is wise on to this too. You shouldn’t be hosting more than two affiliate links on your webpage. Period.

Until next time,

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 

Increase Your PR Revenue in 2015

Today I want to offer some basic tips that can help your PR company generate major dollars. First, don’t keep firing and hiring employees. Turnover costs more money than training or retraining an employee. It is actually more beneficial to invest in educating your current employees versus hiring and firing over and over again. Unless an employee committed and employment “sin”, try to work with him or her to help your own bottom line.

Don’t wanted 15% of your work week, which is the national average, on social media. You can delegate this work to an intern or a freelancer.  15% of your work week can be focused on seeking out and proposing new business leads versus working on social media. Writing blog posts and updating social media is important but a huge time water. Invest in someone else to do this for you so you can go after bigger business.

Finally, reward your customers. Find a way to give customers a reason to stay with you. Repeat business is important and easier to obtain than finding new business. If you have to give away a free Starbucks to a customer every month or pay for their business cards to be printed, do it. Do whatever it takes to keep old business- even if it comes to discounting a service or a product. In the end, you will make more money using this system.

Money is why we work.  If you are not making as much as you can each day then what is it that you are doing?

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham

Emails & The Press... What You're Doing WRONG!

I ran into a friend who started to chew my ear off about media response. She said hardly anyone from the press replies to her emails, and- if they do - it usually is negative. You asked me what I thought she was doing wrong. Well, it isn't about what her or you are doing wrong, it is about what you're not doing right.

Contacting the press is tricky. You should follow AP standards but you shouldn't cookie-cut pitches, advisories, etc. Remember, PR is about relationships- not press releases! This said, I have 3 tips for you when it comes to writing and sending emails to the media.

1.  Your focus should be on the subject line. Press members are busy! They are pitched by people they do know and don't know 100 times a day. Plus, they receive emails from peers, their boss, publicists responding to story requests, friends, family, SPAM... their email boxes are flooded. If the email header reads "press release" or "media advisory"... don't bother sending it. You need a subject line that will stop traffic.

2.  Don't BS a reporter. They hate hype. They can spot hype a mile away. If you use any type of promotional verbs or nouns, they will not only NOT cover you- many will put you on blast via social media. Reporters like quick facts and credible resources.

3. Attach this. Reporters are not going to open an attachment. Forget it. If they're interested, they will follow a link. Yes, you need to provide two links in your email. One that goes to the media advisory or press release with more information and one that goes to the online media kit.

Remember, you can mess up on AP style, you can pitch the wrong reporter (who will send it to the right reporter almost always),  and you can accidentally toss in a spelling error or two- and still get your story covered. Journalists can forgive bad style if the story is good. But, if you're not doing the basics right (see above), they will never even open the pitch.

Until tomorrow,
Velma Trayham

PR & Emails

I promise you there isn't a day that goes by you, as a publicist, will not book a media event via email. Gone are the days of setting up conference calls and shared faxes with event planners to work out junket credentials.

This said, media confirmation emails need to be treated differently than regular emails. So, I am providing my top two tips on emailing the media to confirm media bookings.

First, be brief but provide information. We tend to believe people can read our minds... they can't. Press emails shouldn't be longer than five sentences and they should include the who, what, where, why, and how information- always.

Second, follow up. Journalists and publicists are busy people. Sending your email and then re-forwarding it within the same 24 hour period gets under the skin of many professionals. They are not sitting at their desks waiting to respond to you..... so, if it has been longer than 24 hours- make a phone call to follow up. Be polite. If you're aggressive, kiss your media opportunity goodbye.

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO

Velma Trayham's Top 3 Website App Picks

As a publicist, you will be expected to help rebrand the visual representations for your clients. Many clients do their own websites and have their vision in mind, not what clients are attracted to- or may even expect.  This is why I am listing my top 3 website development apps that will help both you and your client find common ground when developing a website.

1. NameMesh.  Your clients may want their names to be their domain. This is great if your clients are famous. If your clients aren't famous, this will kill their searchablity and SEO. So, if you have a new client who is a corporate speaker named Jill Ann Smith, setting up a a domain that is 'JillAnnSmith.com' or 'JillAnnSmithSpeaker.com' is going to kill the client's web presence. NameMesh can help you put in key terms and develop an SEO friendly domain name. In Jill's case, I would suggest 'topworldspeaker.com'.

2. Asana. I love this app because you can start using it for free! This is a task management app that works for both teams and for individuals, Asana not only allows you to stay connected with those who you are working with, but allows you to stay connected to the things you are working on. This is perfect for working on creative ideas together with your clients, and your design team, to develop a great website!

3. Bliss Control.  If your client has tons of social media accounts with misc. branding on each one, don't panic. Bliss Control allows you to update, delete, navigate through, and design all of your clients' social media accounts at once!

I hope these app suggestions truly helps you to design an amazing website for your clients.

Until Monday,

Velma "Coco the CEO" Trayham

When PR Companies Forget They're PR Companies

I had to deal with a PR company recently that really upset me. It isn't uncommon for PR companies to work together on a shared interest. Many movie companies have a PR team and then the actors in the movies have different PR people... the finance people, ad companies, music contributors- they all have their own PR people. All these different PR agencies and publicists have to work together for the movie. Scenarios like this play out across different industries on a daily basis. No biggie right? You'd think so, but the answer is 'no'.

My recent and upsetting encounter was for a celebrity chef. I co-manage the chef's business dealings. He is on TV. He gives plenty of interviews for the program he is staring on. The production company for the major network brought in a subsidiary agency to help with the TV part of the PR efforts. Of course, as the main co-manager, ultimately the branding decisions on the final credential and story request lists are screened and approved (or disapproved) by me.

The new agency had two women working for them that obviously were not only new to the PR world, they were trying to make a name of themselves on the back of my client. This client could make their company. Quickly, they started to move in and try to discredit my recommendations to my client and overruled some of my decisions on media interviews. My client, who loves me, knew better and laughed them off. In fact, the agency was let go at his request. What's my point?

Publicists aren't the talent. They have an obligation to put their clients first with the media, not make the media cover their own accolades as a result of the client.  They have an obligation to work for the better goal of the client, not try to discredit or interrupt the other agencies or publicists on the contracted team.

You will run up against PR agencies that want to make a name of themselves on the backs of their clients. They will undercut efforts, steal copy, borrow ideas, and chat up media outlets for self-influenced coverage. If you feel you are dealing with one of these types of contracting agencies, address the concern with the main client and whomever is also paying the bills (which is often two different outlets). Set up a mediation and a contracted "expectancy" sheet in order to move forward.

While my recent experience was upsetting, it isn't uncommon for PR people to confuse the celebrity of their clients with their own fame. This said, if you always work to promote your clients - success will follow.

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO

Bad Publicity Can Be Beneficial

There is a saying that any press is good press. This isn’t true. Most of the time bad press has real consequences on a brand or business. Sure, you get a lot of media attention during the bad circumstances, but the attention doesn’t usually equate to dollar signs. In fact, most of the time this measurable type of press hurts your bottom line!

There are exceptions to every rule, and there are times when bad press can benefit you. Caution, these occurrences are very far and few in between.  If you find yourself, or your client, on the receiving end of bad press- here are some pointers to try and ensure you come out on the other side in a positive light and a profitable one, too!

First, address the media head on. Don’t wait to credential everyone. Simply pick up the phone for everyone who calls and answer emails as soon as they hit your InBox. Make sure you keep your story straight, too. Don’t tell one reporter one story and another reporter a different story. Tell the truth and own up to any mistakes you have made.

Focus on your corrective action. How are you going to fix the issue at hand? Write a media advisory about this and place it on all your social media websites (links too).  Don’t simply apologize or offer an explanation, offer action!

Finally, don’t attack the other party if there is one involved. If someone is accusing you of something that isn’t true, attacking the other party or calling their integrity into question can backfire. Simply state they have a right to their opinion but you have a right to tell your side of the story. Then, in a positive manner, tell your side of the story.

Until Monday,

Coco the CEO

Bad PR Moves

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,

Coco the CEO

JustReachOut.com is ruining PR?!

 I recently read an article in TechCrunch about the power of PR and how it is a dying industry. Is it? PR is actually bigger than ever. PR companies are popping up all over the world and tech companies are offering more and more PR services to clients who can’t afford a true PR firm. So, yes – I think businesses like JustReachOut.com are killing business for some PR firms, but not all of them.

JustReachOut.com is a supposed easy way to pitch business to reporters. Well, it can be but there is still work involved. Additionally, these pitches often don’t contain media value. So, while the website gives business owners access to clippings within the same industry, an untrained person will not have the same impact pitching the reporter vs. a true publicist.  While this trend may be fashionable now, with tech companies making DIY PR easy, it isn’t going to sustain itself.

I don’t want aspiring publicists to become discouraged in the middle of this tech meets publicity culture.  You are valued, needed and businesses will always need public relations. If you lose a client to a DIY opportunity, such as JustReachOut.com, the client didn’t have the money to sustain your services long term. It was meant to happen and you need to move on and find better clients who know it takes money to make money are who are truly interested in obtaining press.

I hope you take this information to heart on this Monday,

Coco the CEO 

When clients make PR mistakes.

 I often fear taking on new clients. Why? Well, in our industry we have three different types of clients. First, you have the overly involved clients who want to speak with you daily and know when you are and aren’t working on their accounts. Then you have the “I don’t care” clients who pay on time, barely speak with you, and are busy doing everything but updating their PR team with news. Finally, you have the self-sabotage clients (the third group). While there are many pros and cons associated with the first two groups I mentioned, the third group is the one to look out for.

 Why the third group is dangerous; the "parental-fixation" syndrome. What is it? Parental-fixation syndrome is when you become so focused on your company, product or service that you forget a bigger world exists out there. The third group of clients have this syndrome and, for them, everything in their lives deserves a media release and contains press value. When things don’t get picked up, they want to know where you magic wand is (or worse)! I hate to say this, but there are many publicists who also have this syndrome. How? Well, it can show up when you treat reporters as if their sole purpose is to tell your story. In reality, most of the time the media will be only slightly (if at all) interested in your news or what your clients have to say.

I am writing all of this under the title of “When clients make PR mistakes” because it is important, for us publicists anyway, to inform clients about the realities of day-to-day publicity efforts and what their reasonable expectations need to be. If not, the mistakes your clients make (especially in group three) will leave you with unhappy clients.  Communication is key. Neither group one or two will be a perfect client. You have to let clients know upfront what will be expected of them in the contract for services as far as communication goes. With group three, you need to be extra careful about over promising and under delivering.

All this said, clients can make mistakes about their involvement and PR assumptions. Not information your clients about the realities of PR is a common publicity mistake. Please take this information and learn from it.

Until next time,

Coco the CEO 

Rewarding Employees – Do You Know How?

People tend to go gift card crazy when it comes to any birthday or corporate gift idea. Gift cards are alright but they are not the best way to reward or thank employees. In fact, studies show employees really like to be patted on the back and a bonus is always nice, too.

So, if you are thinking about getting a gift or a reward for an employee, skip the gift card option. Instead, you want to print up a letter of appreciation. Yes, a freebie act will be embraced by employees more then a gift card. If you want to give money, pay a bonus check versus a gift card. It is more personal and really solidifies how much you care or appreciate that employee.

Think about if you are on the receiving end. Would you want to receive an impersonal gift card to a place you may not like? Or is it better to get a letter of appreciation with a check for cash?

Until Monday,

Coco the CEO

The Shy Sales Person!

If you’re an introvert, sales and public speaking probably aren’t your thing. The truth is, some of the great sales people and public speakers are shy, they’ve just mastered the art of acting comfortable in populated situations. If you need help coming out of your shell to sell something over the phone, pitch a branding opportunity via a media event, or just want to be more assertive- take note because I’m listing my top three secrets to help introverts be more successful!

#1. Be a pest. Yes, a pest. Being persistent will get you noticed- even when you’re shy. So, don’t be afraid to call that editor or sales lead over and over again.

#2. Team up with a mentor. No single person knows everything. There is no shame in admitting you need help. Teaming up with another sales person or publicist will help you develop tools and a comfortable relationship with public speaking and pitching.

#3. Say “hi” to everyone you pass on the street. This is an old trick but it works. Saying hello helps you practice speaking to strangers without a long conversation commitment. Try it for a day, I promise it works!

As we go into the weekend think about your business. Where are failing? Where are succeeding? Why haven’t you opened your doors yet? Ask yourself the hard questions. You know, the ones you have been avoiding. Once you address the elephant in the room- your professional life will improve.

Don’t forget to practice the three tips noted above!

Until Monday,

Coco the CEO

Pitching Investors 101

I was recently asked how to effectively pitch a potential investor. Becoming a bankable brand isn’t easy. Let’s get this fact out of the way. I know of a woman-owned business, with millions in the bank, that didn’t become bankable until five years after her business started. What your business and brand is worth and what investors are willing to invest are two very different things.

Obtaining a bank loan or any investor isn’t possible until you are able to prove your business is not only making money, but capable of growing the profits you do receive. You have to be self-funded for a few years before you can consider any real bankability. Some people are, however, able to find investors early on. While your business is growing, investors who want major stake in your company will find you if you make a profit within the first three years. The problem with this is the investors will eventually take creative control of your company and a heavy piece of your profit portion. In the long run, it is very rare that these early investors are even worth considering for funding purposes.

When you do get to the point where you are able to self-fund the majority of your business and prove sustainability- it is then time to seek out investors who desire less than a 15% stake return for their funding.

CNBC.com recently asked a number of investors to define the elements of a perfect pitch. Here are the top three investor answers for crafting the perfect pitch:

1. Know your audience – don’t talk about how great you are or your sales are. Talk about how your products and services provide a solution for consumer challenges. Do this by talking about who your customer is.

2. Do your homework. You have to know your industry inside and out – not just your business. If you can’t answer a curveball question about a competitor’s product during a pitch meeting- you will appear to be ill-informed and will not be taken seriously.

3. Don’t talk about how much your company is worth or will be worth. Talk about how you accomplished so much with so little and the possibilities if you receive funding. Real business investors can sniff out an exaggeration before an introduction is even made. If you are relying on solid numbers and facts- there isn’t anything to worry about. If you are talking up a big game about what you’re worth- you have everything to worry about.

I hope this helps you when starting to navigate the murky waters of corporate investing.

Best of luck,

Coco the CEO