Gaining Control Over Social Media!

Tonight I want to address an issue I am seeing on an continued basis. Your personal online content. I read a terrible Facebook rant over the weekend and I’m sickened that a publicist would put her hateful opinions for clients and peers to read on her personal Facebook page.

Now, some of you might say that it is her personal page. Sure it is, it is just archived onto Google’s search engine for the world to read. She is entitled to her hateful opinion but she is going to have business lost to it. Peers will soon catch on and stop referring her too. I will not repeat what she said, only that it is filled with hate and aimed at a certain demographic of sexually orientated people.

I can’t stress enough that nothing you write is personal anymore. Friends can quickly become enemies and take screen shots of your “private” social media accounts for all the world to see.  Don’t ever write anything on your personal pages that you wouldn’t want to proudly read- out-loud- in front of a client or potential client.

As a publicist, you don’t have a personal life. Your clients’ lives are your obligation- both personally and professionally when it comes to branding and visibility. Voicing your own opinions online (even via a personal account) will harm your own reputation- right or wrong, this is the culture we live in.

Keep it professional and keep those negative or opinionated posts off of social media!

Velma Trayham

3 Easy PR Tips

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. BTW – There was no Whopper until Burger King branded it this way…..

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

Hiring the RIGHT Teanm

We live and operate in a virtual world. In this world, we usually have to interview employees or contractors through Skype of through over the phone. Well, I have one question that will help you pick the right person to hire for your next ‘new hire’ quest – regardless of the position.

So, what is the question? “How is who you are now consistent or inconsistent with the person you were at 10 years old?” Now, look at how they answer the question more than the answer itself. Here’s why; the journey they are on is important. If someone where to say, “When I was 10 I thought I’d be an attorney but I ended up being a computer programmer”- you can ask what happened, get more insight as to thought process, ability to follow through on goals, ability to be distracted easily, schooling for computer programming, accomplishments, etc.

If you pay attention to the journey, the self-descriptions, and what they feel are ‘life events’ of importance between 10 and now- you will discover a lot about the potential new hire and their ability to mesh well within your company’s culture.

Trust me, this question works. A great way to see how effective it is is to simply use it on someone close to you before you use it in an interview. Ask your kids, parents, friends the same question. You will see how much information you gain and learn about them within the scope of their answer(s).

Until tomorrow,

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 

PR Tip!!!!

I was brainstorming with some of my peers and we all started discussing the issue of meetings and phone calls. Sometimes you are just busy. Back to back to back to back meetings, online meetings, phone meetings…. it can get to be too much. It causes stress and you have no chance to step back and think about  what you need to do. Well, here is the secret- go to the bathroom.

No, I am not joking. No one will bother you in the bathroom. You have a moment to just sit down- even if you don’t have to go- inhale and decompress. This snags you 2-5 min. to simply stay sit, absorb info., and think about what just happened in the last meeting while you prepare for the next meeting.  This does save you time. How? Easy. Notes!

When I don’t have to go to the bathroom between meetings, I still head for the bathroom. I sit down, I type out a quick email to myself and I use the subject line as follows ; ‘Recap meeting 10am.’ This way, later on, I have all my details and thoughts and can start planning execution vs. having to rethink about details, send follow up emails, or dropping the ball and having to do something over again.

So, next time you are too busy- take a second to visit the bathroom to regroup and save yourself time in the long-run.

Velma Trayham

Customer Service - No Matter What Business You're In!

Maintaining your customers is easy to do – that is, if you have amazing customer service strategies. Yes, strategies. Customer service isn’t a one-size fits all game. Some customers need a little bit of help while other customers need hand holding- and that is OK.

I’ve put together some great customer service ideas for you to implement today. These will help you win challenges with customers and maintain happiness among the already pleases… oh, and your brand loyalty will sky rocket.

1. Copy Starbucks. Yep, copy them. Starbucks has a really ridiculous customer service policy. They make you think you’re getting something for free when you’re not. Their slogan is “We will make it right.” Basically, if you’re drink isn’t right, they will remake it for free. Um, for $5 a cup- if it isn’t right- of course they are going to have to remake the drink. The only difference is now they will officially “make it right” and customers feel like they are getting something for nothing.  If you make a mistake, you will correct it (hopefully) with your clients. So, why not advertise this as a guarantee?

2. Be random. Who doesn’t love random attention from a business? I scan my social media accounts and send personalized specials via DM (direct message) on Twitter or free trials of products I’m launching. I know some companies mail out personalized letters with Starbucks gift cards. The surprise element really does work! Try it.

3. Handle problems directly and quickly. As a business owner you will have challenges. Don’t run from them. Don’t cover them up. Customer service starts with ownership. If you can’t say “sorry” and mean it,  you shouldn’t be in business. No one is perfect.  And after you’ve corrected a problem quickly, ask if there is anything further you can do for that client. Schedule an eCard a week later thanking them for allowing you to correct the problem. Yes, this small gesture does work.

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

Marketing VS. PR- What's the better value?

Marketing people have to shop products and services and pay attention to statistics and ad buys. PR people work with media outlets to help the public understand and spread a "word of mouth" campaign to promote products and services. Yes, this is the difference and yes- these two fields / industries have to work together but also as separate entities. 

Recently, there has been a mesh of these two industries. And while I agree that there are now four segments of publicity (paid, perceived, social, and traditional), there are also four segments of marketing (paid, perceived, social, and statistical). 

The problem I see with new PR people seeking my help is a "one size fits all" attitude.  You can't do it all. You need to stick to one side of the field and work closely with either your publicist or marketing counterpart-especially if you have multiple clients!

Spreading yourself too thin is becoming a big problem, especially in the publicity and marketing industries. So, as you head into this week- make sure you are not spreading yourself too thin. Make sure you are staying on your side of the field in order to best serve your clients.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham 

Contacting The Media Via Email

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 

My Fav PR Apps for 2015!

Let's face it... apps help keep us BUSY PR professionals on target and in the loop. I'm starting the second month of 2015 off with a list of my three favorite apps to keep business and PR pitches as organized as possible and without looking automated or unprofessional.

I'm listing my "Favs" below. Please connect with me by leaving a comment below this blog as to if you use any or all of these apps or what your favorite apps are.

1. PitchRate. This free service connects journalists with topic experts – such as small business owners – for free media coverage. HARO is good, but PitchRate delivers results!

2. Zemanta. Basically, this is a blog service on steroids. The service will index your marketing content for multiple Content Ad formats. It saves you tons of time and is worth signing up for.

3. Aminstitute.com. This clever website helps you develop the perfect headline for your next release or ad campaign. Oh, it is free too! You want to write in AP style, but you want to capture emotion- this website tool helps you do both.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham 

Leadership Test... Do You Have What It Takes?

The test of leadership isn’t found within your DNA and birth sex, but defined by the following skills. Do you have them? If so, you’re a great leader.

1)      You don’t care what people say, you have your vision and you are moving forward.  This stands true only if your vision is positive, lifts others up and you’ve done research to have such a provocative opinion about your vision. 

2)      You collaborate, you don’t delegate.  Anyone can delegate. Not everyone is humble enough to collaborate. You need collaboration with other people to build your brand, grow your business and improve your networking (in person and online) circle.

3)      You are a life-long learner. If you didn’t throw your degree on the wall and announce “I’m done” then you are a life-long learned. Continued education is the key to being able to pivot your company when new technologies or methodologies are introduced. 

You don’t have to be one sex or another to lead. You simply have to follow the three steps noted above to success.

Until tomorrow,
Velma Trayham 

Graphic Design & Branding

Today I would like to discuss the importance of branding and graphic design when it comes to the psychology of color. The American Marketing Association has published study after study dedicated to this subject. While many people are able to create stunning graphic design using home-based software programs, like Adobe Photoshop, not all people are well – versed ineffective graphic design. There is a significant and underlining strategy when it comes to graphic design and appealing to existing and potential customers. All of these items come into play when utilizing an experienced, and creative graphic designer.

The message of your graphic should do more than just tell a story for exposed compelling content. Your design needs to incorporate colors that provoke an action from the desired demographic. For example; the color blue will not sell products. Using blue and product sales has been proven to be ineffective. However, using shades of blue and graphic design when trying to build a brand that is identifiable with people seeking advice, or self-help services, is highly-effective. That is why you see many religious figures, dating websites, and self-help groups incorporating elements of blue and their branding and graphic design efforts. Using red and yellow as the primary colors for sales buttons or menu boxes is more effective than using blue. In fact, red is considered an action color and automatically considered as a tool when seeking for individuals to take notice.

While this is just the tip of the graphic design – psychology of color iceberg; it is important for you to understand the subject matter when moving forward with your own branding opportunities in order to execute not only a stunning graphic design, but what is effective and can drive business. If you need help with your branding efforts, I am available to consult and even have my own team draft of compelling designs backed by proven studies on the color of psychology.

Until tomorrow,
Velma Trayham

Pitching Media via Twitter

To continue my piece from yesterday, I want to talk about pitching the press via Twitter. For some occasions, this works. However, not all members of the media like to get pitched via Twitter. You truly have to decipher each member of the media’s pitch preference before sending out any pitches. Blast pitches never work, either. Sure, they highlight your news but these efforts will not result in actually capturing any true interviews or media mentions.

So, if you want to pitch the press via Twitter, and you know the targeted journalist accept social media pitches, follow these tips;

1. Make sure your Twitter profile is complete and professional. Photos of you drinking with clients or partying with other publicists isn’t professional and should be kept to your own private accounts, not your company account.
2. Make sure that your Twitter feed is active with industry news and valuable information for your sector. Remember, members are the press are professional BS trackers. They will call you on not knowing your stuff or being too self-promotive.
3. Follow up with a phone call. If the press agent hasn’t responded to your Tweet pitch, make sure you plan a 3 day follow up via a phone call. If they still don’t respond, don’t bug him or her. Try again later and with a different angle.

Until Monday,

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA

"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

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 

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

What Would Velma Do?

I want to start a series called "WWVD?" - basically, What Would Velma Do!  I get many, many questions throughout the day on branding and publicity. I want to reserve this series to every Friday. So, let's jump right into it!

Today's question is as follows, "Hey Velma, What do you do when your clients don't understand how to navigate Twitter?"

Answer- simple, education. Many publicists assume their clients know as much, or at least 50%, of them. This isn't true and you have to remember this. Unfortunately, many publicist don't educate their clients on what they are doing and why. First, you should always do this so your clients know your value. Second, you should do this so your clients know what they shouldn't do. I recently had a client who would post on Twitter about their services.... over and over again. This isn't going to get any traction as far as the brand itself and there is no ROI coming from these types of posts. So, I called the client and educated him on how to use Twitter and why.

So, today's thought is aimed at education. When you educate your clients on how to do certain things, or why you're doing certain things a certain way, you prove your value.

Until Monday,

Velma Trayham

Selling PR - What You NEED to Know

When people don't see the value in public relations, they don't see the dollars they are missing out on. Publicity is a long-term, layered process. You need to build a relationship to be in the game, not just send out a few releases and Tweets over the period of a couple of months.

So, how do you get a client to realize all that you do for him, her, or them when it comes to publicity? Simple, you simply say "yes" followed by "and then."  This tactic has been used for years by Wolves of Wall Street.  It is pretty effective because it tells clients what they are missing out on and helps you upsell all at the same time.

For example,  if a client says to you "I'm not seeing results. It's been four months and I could have done this myself," don't argue with them. For the most part, they COULD have called the media and wrote their own press releases.  Instead, using the 'Yes' tactic will put more into perspective for them.

Your response should be more like this; "Yes, and I can see your frustrations. I'm not doubting your ability to do what I do, but do you really have the time to dedicate to these tasks or  the ready-to-go resources? Results do take time, but let me list what we have accomplished in such as short time....."

The same goes for an upsell situation. For example, if your client states "I love the new Google wire you are working with." Your response should be, "Yes, and I love it too. Did you know we also can run an analytics report and send a follow-up newsletter? It is part of our blanket special right now, which is only an additional $75 dollars per month." 

So, as you head into the week, ask yourself if you are saying "yes" enough when clients are happy, sad, or unsure.

Until next time,

Coco the CEO