Monday Book Recommendation

I want to start recommending books that I have read and have found helpful in my continuing journey as an entrepreneur. Success doesn’t happen overnight and it doesn’t come easy. While everyone may have advice for you, the best thing I can say is to create your own path. You should learn from others but apply it to your own situation. Don’t copy others because then you’re simply repacking an existing idea.

All this said, my first Monday Book recommendation is called ‘The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future’. I am in NO way affiliated with this book. I don’t know who wrote it nor do I have a relationship with anyone who worked on it. I simply love the content and feel that it can help so many of you, too. Here’s the link to buy it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/100-Startup-Reinvent-Living-Create/dp/0307951529/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1438646501&sr=8-13&keywords=business

It’s over 300 pages and there is a video trailer on the Amazon site for the book. I love this book because it doesn’t present a roadmap as to how you can get rich. Instead, it presents options to really look at yourself, what you want, and how to get yourself in the right mindset to get there… even if it is with only $100!

When you’re doing reading this book, please share your thoughts with me. I am eager to read what you liked and hated about this book.

Until next time,

Velma Trayham

End of Quarter Reports

At the end of each business quarter, the time is upon the marketing and publicity world to provide growth accounts.  I'm going to list the key topics to cover within this report to help new publicity people understand what should be included. The same goes for clients who buy PR services- you too should know what to look for.

1.  The start to finish synopsis. It is always good to refresh your clients as to where they were at prior to hiring your firm.
2. The objectives you met and the objectives you exceeded. This is where you boast about how you exceeded expectations as a publicist.
3. Key message theme reviews followed by the program components you implemented.
4. Media value that includes brand visibility measurements and social media value. Don't forget to convert your followers as media value, as well as any followers you built for the client.
5. Campaign time.  Make sure you show results in stages of goals within a time frame, not just as met or the value they produced.

Again, beautiful demographics are important, but content is key!

Velma Trayham 

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

Reputation Building & PR

A bad PR move can ruin your brand, even with the best public relations teams on board! So, why is it that Tylenol, Charlie Sheen, and others survive scandal where many others (sometimes worse off or not) fail? Well, it is all about reputation.

I know what you're thinking... there's no way I just used the phrase "Charlies Sheen" and "Reputation" in the same sentence and in a positive manner! The truth is that people love him regardless of whatever shenanigans or Tiger Blood he produces. People still take Tylenol in spite of the major scare so many years ago.

Reputation management has to be built long before a crisis ever takes place. Why? So when a crisis does take place, the crisis communication aspect of publicity actually works. This said, there are three rules every publicist follows when working with reputation management. I've listed them below;

1. First, don't assume people care about your press release, media kit, or other collateral.  Guess what, if the media doesn't spin it or it doesn't go viral- people don't really care, and if they do- only until the next breaking news story comes along. Reputation management is about likability and making people care about you, your client, or your brand.

2.  Second, don't assume what you or your client says can't or won't be taken out of context. It will. Some stringer journalist will look to make a name of him or herself. Make sure you have a plan to deal with these types of reporters ahead of time. Know what you can and can't do when responding to this legally and from a PR POV.

3. Play the relationship / favor card. You will have to bite the bullet here. If you have a really green client, reporters may not see their media value. You may have to trade a feature with a major client to get small clippings for the yet-to-be major client.

I hope this information helps you. Contact me, however, if you have any questions.

Until tomorrow,
Velma Trayham

Journalists Wet the Bed!

I was recently asked by a public relations and communications student if having a relationship with a journalist matters. The answer is yes and no. If you ask a journalist, he or she will say - on the record, of course- that it doesn't matter. The journalist will tell you that everything in life is fair and that they treat every single press release with the same consideration.

If you ask someone like me, the answer is 'yes'. Relationships do matter. They matter because it is easier to call up someone you know and get your pitch moved forward vs. a cold call- or worse- a press release via email.

Journalists can't promote something based solely on a relationship. But, they can vet it based on the relationship. A publicist is a sales person. He or she must sell the pitch in spite of the relationship, which is where a journalist may "wet the bed" in industry speak.  If a PR person fails to follow AP style or is pitching something that isn't timely or has media value, then the relationship doesn't matter. If the publicist has something with media value to pitch, then the relationship does matter.

The truth is, media -in general- has more than 50 shades of gray when it comes to rules, policies, and relationships. I saw trust your gut and always be honest.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham

Do You 'Weekend' PR?

The publicity business is a  24/7 business. It is like the media, never stopping and always breaking. This said, I don't believe in 'weekend' pr rates because the public relations process is a continued process.

I know many retainer based firms like to charge double their hourly rate if they have to attend, coordinate, respond to questions, or do anything else starting at 5pm on Friday night until 9am on Monday morning. I can't figure out why a rate would double on a weekend when clients and publicists understand the concept of continued news.

I bring this up because someone recently asked me if they should hire a flat rate firm or a retainer-based firm and if there is a difference in work quality. Well, quality of work differences are usually based on the firm's experience and customer service practices, not rate. I know of some very reasonably priced PR firms that offer top-quality services. I can also provide you with examples of $400 an hour corporate PR firms that delegate their staff more to the golf courses than the client accounts.

Either way, if your PR firm is going to charge extra on the weekend then you have a problem. PR issues don't stop at 5pm on Fridays, especially in the entertainment business. If you are seeking to hire a PR firm, make sure you factor this in when hiring a weekend-driven retainer firm. If you are a publicist just starting out, know that this is where your competitive advantage begins!

Until Monday,

COCO the CEO

Things to look for in a business partner.

Yesterday I talked about the potential hazards that come with a business partner who refused to communicate.   Today, I want to offer 3 big tips to help you find the RIGHT business partner. These tips will prevent you from going into business with someone who isn’t as dedicated to the concept as you.

1.       Ask your potential business partner what his or her major goal for the company is in the upcoming year- then shut up. Don’t lead with what your goal is. Instead, let him or her talk about their version so you can get an idea about what similarities and differences you have going into the partnership.

2.       Exit plan. You need to ask the potential partner what he or she feels would be a good exit plan in case the partnership doesn’t workout. This is a major mistake for business owners who jump into the business bed together. They tend not to have an exit plan because they feel discussing this isn’t positive. It is, however, needed. If you have an exit plan in place then the stress of a failing partnership will not weigh upon the business.

3.       Ask the partner about three past challenges they faced and how they dealt with them. Business is challenging. You will have obstacles along the road. Asking this question will give you some insight as to your potential partner’s communication style with clients and peers, moral aptitude, and overall facilitation of the work environment’s culture.

If you go into a business relationship asking these three questions, you will be better off and so will be your company.

Coco the CEO

Partnered PR

One of the biggest pitfalls of being in business for yourself is having a business partner. While it can be a very beneficial joint venture, a partnership can bring challenges not found if you were to go into business by yourself.

While a joint venture lessens your own liability, it can also increase liability. For example, if business partners are not communicating (or not communicating often), the brand and the customers will feel it. The professional tension will pour over onto your clients, potential clients, and within your industry. A business can’t be built if there is a lack of communication. Even if both partners disagree on certain issues, not talking at all can be detrimental for all involved.

Business partners have to treat one another like they are their most important client.  I have one great example of how this strategy went very wrong. I knew two women who were best friends.  In 2007, when the Bottle Service business was booming in Vegas, they had enough capital and connections between the two of them to launch their own VIP business. This is when a bottle of vodka would sell for $5k in Vegas.  So, one handled the marketing and meetings and one handled hosting the clients at the events. Seemed simple enough, right? After all, it was very easy money.

The problem with the two women ended up being communication. The marketing woman would sell packages and book groups. The hosting woman would confirm the groups and make changes to the reservation. She wouldn’t tell the marketing person or the nightclubs. What do you think happened? There were misbooked and upset clients, the women bickered back and forth as each problem arose, and their  $14k weekly profit margin quickly sank. That’s over 40k a month lost to miscommunications. Never mind the damage it did to their brand.

The point is, business partners have to talk. They have to work through the difficult times and the good times.  They should be in constant contact with one another to discuss visions, options, concerns – what ever. The second communication fails, the business is dead.

If you are considering bringing a partner into your company, be careful. You truly have to know the other person. Even if he or she is a friend, consider what they are like at their day job before they come aboard to your business. I also recommend setting up strict contracts where communication is mandatory or the other party is out of the company-period.

Until tomorrow,

COCO the Ceo 

Your Social Media Accounts

It happens to the best of us, we see something online that is funny (but not PC) and then we share it.  No biggie, right? It's your personal account and you are entitled to your opinion. Well, I'm here to tell you that yes, you are entitled to your opinion. However, your opinion can get you into trouble and it can cause you to lose clients!

I've taken selfies before that I later had to go an delete because, while they were harmless, it isn't good branding business.  I tell all my corporate clientele to watch their personal social media accounts, even if they are private. It takes a second to snap a screen shot of something and friends today may not be friends tomorrow. So, instead of sharing or writing that questionable content, refrain from reposting!

I think this small piece of advice is the best advice I can offer.  Who we are in today's culture is a direct reflection of our personal social media accounts.  Case in point, check out this article on celebrity fails via social media. While the posts didn't damage their brands, think about how these brands could have been squashed if the same posts went out from a corporate CEO's account. http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/12/12/10-worst-social-media-screw-ups-2012/

Remember, if you wouldn't want your mom, the front page news, or your clients to see the post or the share, refrain from putting it on either your professional or personal social media accounts!

Until tomorrow,
Coco the CEO

Media Control and Michael Brown

This is a really sensitive subject for me as a black woman in the public relations world. Regardless of what you think happened to Michael Brown in Ferguson, the center issue at hand is his death is very tragic. I’ve spent the weekend watch CNN and monitoring the related hashtags on social media.  The main stream media isn’t translating the images and thoughts from social media onto their networks.

As a publicist, this tactic infuriates me but I understand it at the same time. The main stream media has to think about their shareholders, their advertisers, liability issues, and the danger of being charged with inciting a riot using the power of the press. So, they are very careful as to who they are interviewing and as to what images they are showing.

Social media, on the other hand, doesn’t have to worry about liability issues or advertisers. Posts are unedited, raw, and opinionated. These types of posts also offer a real perspective as to what people are seeing, feeling, and planning.

Since the audiences for these two types of media are very different, the emotions of the people are very different too! There is no consistent messages going out right now. The corporate communication people for the police department seem to be missing in action. The protesters aren’t aware of how to handle the media so mistakes are being made. The national media is scared to reflect what social media is showing.  Interviews with random sources are being allowed on air without being vetted. And as this media frenzy builds without any crisis communications plan, Michael Brown’s funeral is being planned.

I can only hope that reporters show both sides of the story in a respectful way. I can only hope that people giving interviews tell the truth- whatever it may be. I can only hope that when this boy’s funeral happens, the media handles it with integrity.

Saddened,
Coco the CEO