Writing Copy for the Media

I was thinking about the conference the other day when I came across a poorly composed press release.  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.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham

Rules For DIY Publicity

I want to talk today, a bit more than usual, about DIY publicity. 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

Your Image- Why It's SOOO Important

I was recently speaking with a friend about his business and he said that while business is slow, he loved the fact that he could wear jeans everywhere and anywhere. Well, just because you can be casual doesn’t mean you should be casual. Different situations mean there are different expectations. Knowing how to dress and when to dress is very important to the success of your business… even if you want to be casual.

According to research from Princeton University, people assess your competence, trustworthiness, and likeability in just a tenth of a second, solely based on the way you look. That is a fact! So, while you may like being casual, it could be something that works against you on a sub-conscious level. Thus if you want to be respected, casual may not be the way to go. In fact, flashy may not be the way to go either.

Whatever image we present is magnified by social-media services like LinkedIn. Chances are, your headshots are seen much more often now than a decade or two ago. Millennials, it seems, face the paradox of being the least formal generation yet the most conscious of style and personal branding. It can be confusing but be consistent.”

I suggest you change your profile photos every six months to grab attention, stay relative, and reflect where you are presently in business. If you can be comfortable yet professional and you need to make sure your photos and your content are consistent.  Ask yourself, “would you hire you?” If the answer is ‘no’ then there is a bigger problem below the image thing on social media.

Also, understand there is an underlining context to what is within your photo, including backgrounds and even the title of books that may be in the background. If you seemed more focused on you the brand, how can you be focused on clients? If you seem more focused on drinking, where are your clients? Know your clients and their expectations and then make sure your profile photos and social media images coincide with this brand expectation.

Until next time,

Velma Trayham

Knowing How & When To Exit

Not having an exit strategy is always a mistake. I think people fail to think about and plan for an exit strategy because they have the mindset that failure isn’t an option. Um, no. Failure is always an option and avoiding it as a thought process may be setting yourself up failure! The good news is people, like myself, can learn from their failures.

Even with the best training and the most experience, you should always plan an exit strategy in business. In fact, you should always plan an exit strategy when entering into any contract or committed situation. Knowing the worst case scenario up front can help you navigate your future endeavors. So, yes- I recommend making an exit strategy for your business. But how?

1. Write your business plan and write your exit strategy back-to-back.

2. Succession Planning vs. Selling to an Outside Party- which one is right for you? Should things go wrong, how will you sell your company? Will you sell your company? What if things go right? Will you sell your company? If so, to who?

3. Don’t assume your family wants to takeover the business in the middle of your crisis. Talk with your family about handling your business should a medical or other life emergency arise. Would they be able to (and would they want to) take over your company?

4. Consult with advisers now about your exit strategy (either selling because it’s failing or selling because it’s succeeding). If you don’t hire the right financial, legal, tax and business advisers to help shepherd any sale or consult on an exit strategy from the get-go, you’re doing yourself a great disservice.

Exit strategies are needed. It’s difficult to address when launching a business, but I promise you its even harder to address when going through a time of great wealth or difficulty.

Until Monday,

Velma Trayham

How to be a great leader and female!

I was asked recently how a woman could become or be defined as a great leader. Hmm. What does being a woman have to do with leading? No one ever asks a man how he can become a great leader. Why are we women singled out? 

The truth is there are plenty of great women leaders out there and there are plenty of great male leaders out there. 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

Why Being Busy Costs You Money

Recently I spoke with a woman who wanted to expand her business. We talked about her goals. Then we talked about what she had tried and what hasn’t worked. I found out she was barely making an effort to market herself online. This said, I offered her several recommendations to improve her visibility online and boost her autopilot moneymaker programs.

She  declined all of my recommendations. She cited that she was “too busy” with her current clients to implement my recommended ideas. I guess you can bring a horse to water but you can’t force it to either drink or make more of a profit!

Busy is the worst excuse for not marketing yourself. You are basically saying “No” to money. Why? If you’re busier- you can hire more help to support yourself while still making a profit.  First, it takes money to make money. I can’t understand why someone would pay for me to review their past mistakes and then make profitable recommendations for their future only to say they are “too busy” to do anything about it.  This makes no sense and is a real waste of money.

You have the ability to make more money. This said, there is NO magic wand. I can provide insight, evidence and recommendations for your business, but if you don’t want to take the time to help it grow then it won’t. You need to make the time to invest in yourself in order to see results. No one can do this for you as a business owner.

All this said, are you using the busy excuse as a way to dodge being the best version of yourself?

Are you afraid of success?

Are you afraid of having to pay more for marketing and support staff because you will be making more money?

Ask yourself these questions today and really assess the answers.

Busy isn’t a valid excuse. People with major disabilities overcome significant odds each and every day and go on to do great things. They aren’t familiar with the phrases “can’t” or “busy”. They are in a constant “can do” mindset- and you should be too- unless, that is, you’re afraid of success and busy is your crutch to staying complacent.

You can always make time for more business and money. Period!

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA

Another Word on PR & Social Media

Every remove someone from your social media accounts because they are stalking every post you write? You know the type- they “like” or “retweet” everything you say. Even worse, their own posts are nothing more than selfies, rude memes and, of course, status updates from the gym! You want followers, but you want the RIGHT followers.

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.

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 

Getting Clients to Trust Your Direction...

Clients new to the PR game are often the most difficult. I say this in a positive way.They haven't learned the power of PR yet so it is understandable when they have trust issues in what we, as PR people, actually do.  Some new clients want to be on The Today Show - like tomorrow. Well, we all know things don't work this way. Sadly, if you don't deliver- like tomorrow- the trust they don't already have with you turns into resentment and more distrust.  

There are ways to help build trust among new clients. In fact, below are three ways you can help promote trust between yourself and another party. I’ve tried and tested all of these steps and they do work!

1.       Eliminate the cell phone check at a meeting. No one can trust another person who isn’t present at a meeting. If you are going to lunch or a meeting with someone, leave the cell phone in the car. I’m serious. If you have someone’s attention for a whole hour without showing them there is something better on the end of your phone- you will easily gain their trust.

2.       Truly listen. This is hard for many people to do as we all want to share experiences and speak about ourselves.  Listening and then repeating what we hear to others is a cue that we are trustworthy because we are interested.  Paraphrase what you heard at any meeting back to the key people involved to ensure that you are a listener and you are willing to communicate. This practice builds trust!

3.       Close the door. Yes, close the door for every meeting you have with a person if you have an office. This shows that you are putting them first and setting the outside world apart. I even like to say “I know this meeting isn’t going to address confidential information but I like to keep my conversations private. It helps me confide in important people, like yourself, should a situation arise.”

Learning to trust and learning to be trustworthy are two different things. As a business owner, you have to be trustworthy in a world that doesn’t reflect this message. Start implementing the three tips above and you will be on your way.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham

Instagram Leads 2015 for PR Clients

I can’t tell you how many of my PR clients are lost when they show up in my office. They have either been burned by a bad publicist or they have been trying to DIY it.  While a pro, like me, has to reign things in and rebuild or brand from the bottom up, there is one app that I tell my clients to use and to use frequently. It’s Instagram.

Now, people seem to be hooked on Pinterest and not Instagram. The opposite should be true.  Pinterest works great as an intention book or a quick recipe share with a deep link. It is popular for hairdressers and retailers as a way to engage with their clients. From a personal branding perspective, Instagram is better for converting a fan base that TRULY follows you.  You can have all the social media accounts in the world but if you’re not using them properly, and you’re not converting ‘Likes’ to business, why bother?

Instagram means brand loyalty and brand loyalty means business, maybe not as immediate ROI- but it will cultivate leads that eventually turn to business. Pinterest, however, is for sharing pretty pictures and recipes.  Many tech savvy journalists agree with me. Instagram is still beating Pinterest as one of the top phone apps to use for business in 2015. If you don’t already have Instagram, and you’re not actively using it, you’re already that far behind. The good news it is isn’t too late to join the game.

You can’t outsource Instagram either. I take that back, you can- but it defeats the point. Content and marketing can be outsourced for Google+, Yelp, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Instagram demands more of your time because it is a social engagement app. Your followers want a peak into your life, not a marketing update!

So, ask yourself if you’re active on Instagram. If not, download the app right now and start posting!

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA

Hype or Spin?

I want to talk about the power of hype. It is a funny thing because it can be a double-edged sword. Public relations is about spin, but there is more to it. A great publicist will create spin that leads to actual press and then results in long-term ROI. A poor publicist will send out chopped flyers, create copy with vested interest, and develop hype that doesn’t lead to more than 15 minutes of fame and no ROI. So, yes there is a difference between hype and spin.

Here are two examples of hype. I’m hopeful these examples will help you think of your long-term strategies before moving forward with a client initiative.

1.       Balloon boy. Remember this? It was all over CNN and Fox news. The media value coverage received went well beyond the million dollar mark. With all the “breaking news hype” and media value, balloon boy’s rep. sunk and their 15 minutes of fame soured.

2.       Dumber and Dumber To. This is a recent example of hype. Jim Carey hosted SNL. He appeared on Howard Stern. Millions of PR value was earned and millions of marketing dollars were spent. When people left theaters after the movie’s premier- the hype couldn’t turn them into fans, nor their social media reviews into positive ones.

This week carefully look at how you craft a PR campaign for a client. Are you teetering more on the side of hype or more on the side of spin?

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA

PR and Thanksgiving

Well, this is my last blog for November! I will be back with you on December 1^st. For now, however, I’m taking the next four days off as a way to be Thankful for all my hard work and that of my amazing staff! It can be very hard to unplug from the PR business. We live in a 24/7 social media culture and non-stopping news media community.

If you feel that you are going to have a hard time unplugging and rebooting this Thanksgiving, please follow these 3 simple tips. I promise you will be more productive when you do return to work and your family and friends will enjoy your focused attention.

1.       Leave your phone at home. What? I know, right! If you are going out shopping with your family, someone is bound to have their cell phone in case of a true emergency. Announce that you are leaving your phone at home and truly do this. I promise you that your business and clients will not fall off the face of the Earth as a result. And you will be surprised what a real conversation feels like without the distraction of all your cell phone and social media alerts.

2.       Repeat step 1. I’m serious about it.

3.       Don’t watch the news. It may be tempting with all the events going on right now – especially surrounding the Mike Brown case. Instead, focus on holiday movies or the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade. This will allow your brain a much needed rest from the news cycle most publicists work in the midst of.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving,

Velma Trayham

PR Presentations... What Are You Missing

I love when I see all bells and whistles on a competitor's presentation. It helps me a lot! While anyone can hire a cheap graphic designer off of ODesk.com, not to many know about the psychology behind design and marketing. This, my friends, is very important when pitching potential clients.

A beautiful design doesn't mean anything in business. Sure, it is nice to have but decisions are made on cost vs. experience vs. if a client feels comfortable (or not) working with you. When competing companies only invest in a design that looks good, it leaves an opening for me to follow the presentation with "what are they missing" when talking to the client.

If you are pitching clients based on visuals only, know that you are making a major mistake! First, you have to make sure you have the right visuals- not just ones that you like. You have to align your thinking and presentations with the temperature of your potential client's current look and feel. Next, you have to use the AMA's set of psychologically invoking marketing concepts. Then you have to follow this with real references, solid numbers, milestones and guarantee, and a work plan. This is the part where many PR professionals fail - the numbers and the data.

This said, as we head into a week of Thanksliving, check your pitches and your presentations. Give thanks for the business you earned in the past and think about how you can polish up your presentations in the future!

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA 

Is Your Logo Failing?

Here is a thought for the weekend- "What has your logo done for you?" Think about it. Think about it for you and your clients. Is your logo really a point of visibility  or an eyesore? Most think it is visibility and in reality- it is an eyesore!

A logo has to serve a purpose. It can't just "look cool". The branding has to have a short and concise title and the colors have to appeal to the masses. Plus, it has to be immediately identifiable. Think Starbucks... without the lettering, we still know the woman in green means great coffee that is over priced!

Speaking of green, what colors are you using? Certain colors mean different things from a psychological standpoint. Did you know, for example,  that the color yellow equates to childhood memories within people? If someone had a poor childhood, they will not be buying your services if you have a yellow logo. If they had a great childhood- they will be buying for life!

Uniqueness has to play a part too. Compel the viewer, don't hit him or her over the head with the obvious. AT&T doesn't have a logo as part of its logo. Instead, it has a globe. Why? Most people think of phones when the hear about AT&T.  Well, the communication company offers services all over the globe, which compels the logo viewer.

So, all this said- look at your logo this weekend. Look at the logos of your clients. Are you being too obvious? Too generic? Using the wrong colors? Chances are- all of the above is true.  And if you need a brand overhaul, don't be afraid to reach out to me.

Until Monday,

Velma Trayham

PR Co-Chairing

I was recently asked about public relations and co-chairing. Basically, this is when two PR companies share a vested interest or a client account with two different purposes.  I am neither for or against co-chairing. It happens often and the relationship aspect of working with other PR professionals can be beneficial.

So, what are the negative components? Well, client stealing. There I said... what every public relations pro. fears the most. Well, here's the thing.... client stealing happens. You shouldn't worry about client stealing because you should be working with your clients and providing results good enough that they will not and can not be stolen away. Those who worry about client stealing are the ones who know they don't have what it takes to fulfill the contract.

Co-chairing is beneficial to all involved. I can learn from the other public relations firm and they can learn from me. Most importantly, however, is the double benefit our shared client receives- which is something to think about this Thursday evening.

Until next time,

Velma Trayham

The Tip 3 WORST PR Tactics of All Time!

I recently had a discussion with a peer in the PR world who was upset at Generation Y’s PR tactics. My peer said he was seeing more and more seasoned PR reps get rejected on new client accounts because someone from Generation Y broke the trust of hiring a PR professional through their ill-fated efforts. I agree.

I can’t say how many times I have lost a potential lead because a newbie messed up an account and now the potential client is scared of hiring anyone. It doesn’t make sense. If I receive a bad haircut, it doesn’t mean I never step foot into a salon again, that would be silly.  Yet when it comes to PR, this is the current thought process.

So, with the hopes that the next PR generation can learn how NOT to burn a client- 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

Google Ranking & PR

I wanted to give you a mid-week tip to help you get your clients' website ranked better. We can spend so much time working on content development and media pushes, that we often forget to advise our clients on simple SEO and website ranking tactics.

Here are my top 3 ways to help get your clients noticed on Google!

1. Research key words that your clients' competitors are using. You want to let their clients know there is an alternative choice. It is a marketing 101 tactic- go to where the business is. So, don't bank on words you or your clients feel are important, instead- use what works!

2.  Make sure you are using these words not just in content development, but as meta-tags within your websites and social media postings (such as blogs). If you're not adding in meta-tags, you're content development is lacking!

3. Don't use high-resolution images for your website. Google actually penalizes users for doing this and will drop the ranking of your website as a result. Make sure your design falls within Google's guidelines- otherwise you are left with a pretty website that no one can find!

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham

Facebook's PR Tools

Facebook dropped the bomb on digital ad agencies everywhere last week. The company announced that they’d be tinkering with their super-secret algorithm, giving unpaid promotional posts even less of a presence in users’ respective news feeds. "So what," may be what you're thinking. Well, here's why this is BIG news....

Digital ad agencies started to cramp the space of the PR and marketing world. Ad agencies were approaching clients, offer big social media "bang" for the buck. Essentially, one good spend $500 a month with a digital agency and see the same results- social media wise- as they would spending $2k with a marketing / pr firm to do the same thing. The problem is the marketing / pr firms write better, write more, and have different connections to provide a multi-use platform for the content. Clients, however, often don't value relationships as they do when it comes to immediate ROI.

Facebook essentially is helping the publicity and marketing firms by requiring boosted posts from essential sources and changing feeds and pricing so that digital ad agencies couldn't broker the space from Facebook- only a true PR or marketing firm would be able to boost posts (or the clients themselves) from the inside of a campaign and out.

So, as we head into this week- consider your social media posts and what value your clients may see in your ability to now navigate the waters on their behalf.

Until tomorrow,
Velma Trayham

Start-Up PR

I'm not sure if I love or loathe new business. I mean this in the most polite way I can. Let me clarify... Start-up companies need a great PR plan, which companies like mine can provide. However, Start-up companies are not typically going to bank tons of press right out of the gate.

The Start-up companies also will not understand this. They don't think in layers as far as press coverage is concerned. They think everyone and anyone will embrace their concept / services and cover them and then they will see an immediate ROI. Well, this isn't true.

Start-up companies should hire PR companies to help brand their message and get them from Point A to the point between Point A and Point B. After the company is established, real media can start pouring in- which takes anywhere from 6 months to 2 years!

A good PR program can gain critical coverage by positioning companies as experts on the bigger picture, which is what Start-ups should be concerned with.

This said, here is what a PR company should be doing for a Start-up during its first year;

• The media look for experts, particularly serial entrepreneurs, who will share their insights on new trends and technologies. A good PR company will take advantage of this.
• Creative and consistent PR tell customers that the business is strong, which is why AP style press releases- even if they aren't picked up- should be cataloged in a media room. 
• Good relationships with the media help Start-ups shape the competitive landscape to their advantage.
• Social media presence.... enough said! 

If you don't sell a Start-up on your PR company within the first four months, ditch them. They are looking for the end of the rainbow when they haven't even started the journey.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA