Live Events & PR

People often believe that because they host a special event that the media will flock to it and blanket it with coverage. This statement couldn’t be further from the truth. Hosting an event means you have to work harder to obtain pre-press efforts and actually get the media to attend the event.

Here are a few pointers on obtaining actual media coverage for your next event;

1. Promote your keynote speaker. Make sure the press knows who is going to speak, what the overall message is, and then send soundbites after the event is over (within 24 hours).

2. Be clear about a theme. When promoting the event (pre and post production), make sure you explain why it is newsworthy and beneficial to the business industry or community at hand.

3. Don’t have a self-interest. Reporters will see through awards and acknowledgements in exchange for actual media coverage. Instead, invite them for their expertise on a panel and make sure you include social media interaction as part of the event and conversation.

4. Take an outside perspective on the event. Sure, it is important to you, but why would it be important to someone who doesn’t know you? The answer to this question will mean the difference between media attendance and media coverage.

I hope this information helps you secure actual media coverage for your next big event.

Until Monday,

Velma Trayham

These Words Will Kill Your Business

There are three words that can kill your reputation and your business. Why? Well, the following three phrases are generic as generic can be. What they say / signal is that you are not a problem solver or a go-getter, rather someone who follows the trends vs. making them.

“Innovative.” –  Don’t say it. Prove it. It’s as simple as this. Period.

“Driven.” –  I hate this word because it states that you are motivated to make money. Who isn’t? It doesn’t tell anyone why you or your services / products are special.

“Guru.” –  Self-proclamation is the worst thing you can do for your brand. Don’t self-state, instead show. Tell people about your awards, about your results, have your clients talk on your behalf, push your media clippings- but stating that you are a “guru” is as good as saying that you’re trying way too hard to impress other people–or yourself.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham

Speaking About Your Brand.....

Here’s the thing, you will have to talk with people to help grow your brand. One of the most misunderstood parts of running an online or in-person business is communication. Ideas are great. Goals are important. Communication, however, delivers dollars into your bank account.

Many online marketers are switching from automatic products and services, to experience-based platforms. This means those of you who are solely banking on online sales with little interaction may have to kick things up a notch over the next two years. If this is you, don’t panic. Online sales aren’t going away- they are just becoming more personal. If you aren’t that well-versed in how to speak with potential clients, vendors…. or people in general when it comes to your business, keep reading- I’m here to help!

Here are my Monday Tips on speaking to anyone about anything. If you can master these tips / tools, you will be just fine in the new media of tomorrow’s business culture.

1.  Start with a positive comment followed by a question you already know the answer to. This is your ice-breaker.  It is a way to introduce yourself and get the other person engaged with you. For example, “I see you’re calling me from California. I love the weather there. How long is your summer season?”  This tactic takes the focus off of the sale and helps you create a personal relationship that feels / seems experience-based.

2. Ask for an opinion. This is not only a great way to build brand loyalty, it is a great way to learn what opportunities and income you’re missing. For example, “I’m glad you came by today to purchase this yoga mat. By the way, did you buy this because of online reviews or price point?”

3. Pretend the other party is a celebrity. I know this sounds crazy, but it works. Potential clients often seem like celebrities in the way that they can be unavailable, intimidating, and hard to start a conversation with. So, practice your introduction and your 2 caveats- the first one being a genuine compliment, the second one being not to use a negative or past reference to gain something. For example, “Hi Velma, I’m a big fan of your blog. I really liked the way you position all of your writing to talk to the mass audience but make each reader feel like the post was written just for them. By the way, I’m a blogger myself……”

Still have questions? Let's connect..... 

Velma Trayham

Can You REALLY Make A Profit?

I recently received a request to write about testing business ideas. While we can prepare for and plan our businesses around concepts and data, there is no real way to test if we're going to be successful or not.

There are some ways to double check if you are or are not on the right path when it comes to business. Here are my top three tips to see if you are on the right path to projected success;

#1. Focus on goals, don't just have them.

I know many people who write goals down. They have a goal for every part of their life. What they're missing is a plan. You need to have a goal followed by a plan and work at it daily.

#2. Be reasonable with your time frames.

Don't plan to be a millionaire at the end of two years. If only life were this easy. Make sure you have a realistic timeline to compliment your goals and your plans.

#3. Make profit your number one goal.

Don't think about expansion, second offices, etc. until you actually have a solid profit coming in. You can't just think big, you have to grow a profit to get big.

I hope these three pointers give you something to chew on over the weekend. There is no set answer to if you will make a profit. There is always possibility. It's how you navigate that possibility that counts!

Until Monday,

Velma Trayham

Why "The Money Talk" Can Ruin A Client Relationship

The moment you start negotiating with your clients is the same moment they stop respecting you.  You’re willing to lower your price, which must mean that you are either 1) desperate for business or 2) you like sending a message that even you don’t value your services enough to stand by the price point.

Don’t ever negotiate your pricing. It reflects poorly upon you. You can run specials, but negotiating is something different. It says “yard sale” when people think of your service. Let’s say you go to the grocery store to buy a pound of shrimp. You can’t say to the fish monger or grocer that even though the price says $14.99 a pound, you’re only willing to pay $7.99 a pound. It doesn't work that way. The store might have a sale and lower the price either because of a miscalculated order or because it is a slow season- but the store will never directly negotiate pricing. You shouldn't either.

If a current client starts to complain about your price- stand your ground. Show your value to him or her. If they have to leave you for a while to discover just how valuable your time and attention is- then let it be. You don’t have to devalue yourself because someone else is broke. And you certainly don’t want to open up Pandora’s box to working around their budget situation. Hey, we all have bills!

Stick to your guns and honor your pricing.  If others don’t, find new clients.

Velma Trayham, ThinkZILLA 

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

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 

The Top Social Media "No Nos"

Here are my tips to navigating your way through your personal social media accounts like a pro;

#1. Don’t overshare. Oversharing photos of yourself, your pets and/or your kids is called annoying. Think of yourself walking down the street and someone stopping you every two seconds with a photo from their wallet to share with you. Annoying! Don’t be this person, especially if you run a company!

#2. Don’t buy “likes”, YouTube views or Twitter followers. We all can tell when “ana zhoisf sdjkdfhss” is a fake profile and you look silly with 10,000 fake followers reading your uninteresting posts. Value who you follow and appreciate those who REALLY follow you!

#3. Have actual conversations. OMG! Yes, don’t send important information via a text or a social media post. That’s classless- especially if it is a welfare check on someone’s emotional or physical health. Be personal, you will intrigue more people to follow you on social media when you show you truly care about others.

Still have questions? Please contact me. I'm always available to provide consulting services.

Velma 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

When It Is Over….

This week I’ve been asked about business partner relationships. I’ve spent the past couple of days dedicated to covering this topic on my blog.  As a result, I received a Tweet request on how to break up with a business partner. Well, first- you have to ensure you can legally do this. Then you have to consider if doing this will harm your company vs. if your feelings are simply hurt. If your feelings are hurt and letting go of the partner will harm the company, then this is a bad move to make. If your feelings are not hurt and keeping the partner on will harm the company, then this is the right move to make. Can you see where I am going with this?

Back to the point….. there are going to be times in life when people either grow apart of have a difference in vision when it comes to business. Below are my top three ways to let a partner go.

1. Make sure you have a contract going into the relationship. When you have to break up- don’t get personal about things, get contractual about them.
2. Never say anything negative about the partner in public or in an email. Be as positive as possible – even if the other person is being negative. Remaining positive will help your mindset and other people will natural gravitate to your side of the matter.
3. Be willing to take a loss, after all- losing a partner is a loss. You will have to prepare yourself for a lot more bumps in the business road. This is going to be hard, but not impossible. You can continue on without a business partner. If someone is harming your company, or your brand, it is time to call it quits. Like any relationship, don’t stay involved with your business partner simply because it is hard to say ‘no’ to them or because you are scared to venture out on your own.

Until tomorrow,

COCO the CEO

PR and Marketing

While marketing and public relations (PR) go hand-in-hand, these two efforts require two different plans. Sure, the plans have to be in sync but the roles and the scalability are very different from one another. 

Below are my top four suggestions for building a marketing plan around your PR plan.

1.       Think about your audience and their concerns. You also have to ask yourself why they should care about your customer’s product / brand. Fame alone or having a bit of credibility isn’t enough. If it was, we wouldn’t have one-hit wonders in the music industry or reality TV shows with former A-list stars. So, when creating your marketing plan consider why people should care.

2.       Develop a tool kit to go with your plan. This is your resource of tools, such as; email newsletters, auto responders, paid advertisements, social media accounts, etc.  Then identify how you are going to execute your marketing plan with each and every tool in the “kit”.

3.       Relationships are key. Who do you know that can help promote your marketing plan? For PR people, this tends to be easy. While you may not get a free radio advertising campaign out of it, you may get a reduced campaign with a live feed at an event. So, dig into your resource bucket and then use it.

4.       Make sure you have a clear and concise message. Don’t market for the sake of marketing. Make sure you have a message that defines both the brand and the purpose.  This step goes along with step 1. Make sure you know what your message is, why your audience should care, and then make sure it isn’t convoluted in any way.

Until tomorrow,

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

Giving Too Much!

Business owners often give way too much of themselves with the intent to do anything and everything to make their business work and then succeed. When, however, are you giving too much of yourself?

First, you have to set boundaries. You need to set office hours and live by those office hours- even if you are in the field on working from home. Working too much or pulling all-nighters will burn you out and crash your business before it has a chance to be successful. So, don’t give up too much of your time. You don’t have to work 24/7!

You are owed the same benefits as your employees. Yes, skipping holidays to work or missing time away from your family isn’t something you would put up with working for someone else. So, why are you putting up with this when working for yourself. Isn’t this the exact opposite of the point when it comes to working for yourself?

You will break your business by giving up too much of yourself.  You have to treat yourself as your number one employee and really reward your work and your efforts. Spreading yourself too thin is a catch twenty-two and you will burn yourself out and harm your company.

Until tomorrow,

Coco the CEO 

Is Your Website Concept Boring?

One of my business ventures is website design. I have clients who have concepts at the start of each relationship as to how their websites should look. Often, these clients are relying upon someone else’s branded design to define their own message. This is a huge no-no. I never understood why a client would want to look like their competition! 1) It shows you’re into stealing (sorry, borrowing) creative concepts and 2) It doesn’t define your own brand.

Another challenge are the clients who don’t understand that what may look nice doesn’t equate to actually being functional. A key element of this is Responsive web design (RWD), a common strategy being used today to accommodate the multiple ways a website may be accessed. It is an experienced based design that looks good on any mobile, desktop or other device.

I recently read “You need a content management system (CMS) to simplify the task of managing a website. In the old days, website content was managed by creating an HTML file on your computer and uploading it to a web server, where it was accessible to the world. The problem was that sites started to get very large, with thousands of pages. When you wanted to update something minor like the copyright date in the footer, you needed to update every file on the site. Enter the CMS.” I agree. CMS is important to every single website out there. You need to have a website that both looks great and feeds into search engines properly. There are plenty of CMS options available, some free and some not. Either way, if you don’t have one- you’re in trouble.

Boring website concepts are often the highest ranked domains on Google and alike search engines. So, ask yourself today do you want to look like your competitor or do you want to blow them away?

Coco the CEO