Spreading the Word

Do you have an upcoming event or seminar planned and you need to get the word out? It can be a challenge to get the news of your event in front of folks who might be interested in attending. This is especially true if your budget is limited! So, what are some options for garnering attention?

1.      Good old-fashioned press releases can still be very effective – if the media happens to pick yours up. Some newspapers do have event calendars and will include your event there. Note that some papers will only publish free events at no charge; expect to pay if you want your fee-based event included.

2.      Online PRs geared toward SEO are also an option—though these generally have a price attached to them based on the topic and distribution.

3.      Add the seminar to your Events page on Facebook and post about it (free). Ask fans to tell their friends. If you have the budget, run ads in Facebook targeted at the demographic you are trying to reach.

4.      Include your event on your website with the appropriate keywords and make it easy to register. Then include a link to the page in your e-newsletter in a short article with details about the session.

5.      Find a group whose members would have interest in the topic and ask them to promote it to their members. (LinkedIn is a good place to search for groups.) Optionally, partner with someone else whose interests are similar.

6.       Add the event to meetup.com.

We know how hard it can be to get news of your event in front of the right people, but keep trying! You may have to test several channels to find what works best for you. If you have found a great solution, we'd love to hear from you. Good luck!

Mission MidTown Postscript

From Guest Blogger Doug Austin of WKIX AM-FM after the Raleigh Rescue Mission Radiothon on November 10, 2011.

I don't know why I woke up at 2 in the morning and had to send you this email....but I know I did.

I don't know if my feet have ever hurt this bad after standing for 16 hours on concrete...but I smile when I think about why they do.

I don't know if any number of variables could have changed the success of yesterday Radiothon...but I know I could not be more proud of each of your efforts to pull off what we did.

I don't know know if this group will get a chance to do this again, to change a life....but I know I hope we can.

I don't know if the crazy world we live in, that we see, hear and read about daily will ever settle down...but I know I came home to a loving Family, a warm bed, and a safe place many will not tonight.

I know we did some good for some needy folks, I know we made a difference, I know I'm lucky to be surrounded by people with good hearts that worked very hard, without complaining, and came together with a common goal in mind.

I know that any sacrifice anyone of us made was well worth it when my little girl tucked ME in to bed and read me a story and asked why Daddy had to work so late - and I said that I was helping the homeless, and she said "well,. that's good" 

I know at times as we put this together I felt like the "Our Gang" kids from old TV "puttin' on a show" in the backyard, and I know that all of us together are stronger than any us of individually and we built a team.

From Leslie at Raleigh Rescue Mission.....

Just to give you an idea of what you all helped accomplish today…we raised enough money  to provide 871 meals, or to look at it  another way, we raised enough to provide 69 days of life changing care to an individual.

I know I'm a better person for it, and I know I couldn't have done any of it with you.....Thanks.

Humbly Yours~

Doug

Handling Bad Press

I recently read an article by Philadelphia attorney Neil Murray about the recall of a product that I personally have used. Here’s a portion of the article:

“On January 6, 2011, the United States Food and Drug Administration announced that the Triad Group notified doctors and patients that alcohol swabs, alcohol pads and alcohol swab sticks, which were sold under a variety of brand names, were being recalled. These products were recalled after it was discovered that they were contaminated by a bacteria, Bacillus cereus, which can cause serious and potentially life-threatening infections.” [read more]

From my perspective as a consumer, I was shaken that this medical product was unsafe. As a marketer, I started thinking about the challenges businesses face when they must address recalls and similar issues in this age of rapid dissemination of information.

At some point in their lives, almost all business owners or managers will have to deal with negative publicity. This might come in the form of a product recall that hits the national news or it could be an unhappy client posting a review on Google Places, Facebook or any number of other sites. Whatever form it comes in, reputation management should be part of your plan.

In today’s information-based world, bad press stays out there on the Internet. The wider the original net was cast, the harder it can be to counter the after-effects. The level of response depends on the type and severity of the negative publicity. Here are a few things to consider when you put together your response plan:

1. You absolutely must have a plan ahead of time. If one of your products is recalled, you will have very little time to consider options before the news spreads and you are forced to respond. A timely and proactive response will allow consumers to see that you “get it” and are working toward a resolution.
2. Respond, you must. Ignoring the problem will not make it go away and can make it significantly worse.
3. Attempts to cover errors can be much worse than admitting the error and announcing your firm’s action plan to deal with the problem.
4. Your response should match the scope of the original issue. As an example, for a major national product recall, your firm’s survival may be at stake and this should be an “all hands on deck” response. For a negative online review, you might respond directly to the reviewer with a public commitment to resolve their complaint (i.e., we’re sorry you didn’t like the product, here’s your money back).
5. Be proactive – don’t wait for the complaints to come in. Invite all customers to post reviews and let them know you value their opinions. Build your community now. The folks who love you and your product/service will frequently step up and defend your firm if someone does post a negative comment. Most consumers are savvy enough to recognize that one or two extremely high or low reviews are probably outliers and should be ignored.

Your plan should be developed by a team that includes senior management and your marketing and PR folks. It wouldn’t hurt to have an attorney review the plan and provide suggestions for minimizing liability. Various scenarios/contingencies should be considered.

We’d love to hear how you have dealt with negative publicity. Comment and let us know. If you have additional questions, contact us directly at jfrazer@marketingspeakerauthor.com.

Power of Positive Press

Guest blogger Lauren Black Currin is the President of Lawyers Marketing Agency. While this post talks about law firm marketing, it is relevant to almost all businesses.

Did you know that March 6-12, 2011 is National Consumer Protection Week? So, you run a law firm; why am I telling you about a nationally sponsored campaign run by the U.S. government and various non-profit agencies?



There are hundreds of annual community-focused events just like this one that present a great opportunity to promote your law firm through your participation. These events run the gamut from National Safety Awareness Month to Perennial Gardening Month. Choosing and supporting an event that works for your law firm and staff gives you the opportunity to promote a cause and garner positive publicity for your law firm.

Many of the sponsors of these national “event days” will have press kits that you can utilize to showcase your efforts. For example, National Consumer Protection Week offers press release templates, re-usable social networking content, free flyers and even web buttons and banners you can use on your website to spread the word. In another great example, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides planners, brochures, research data and video clips to help you promote their Share the Road (www.nhtsa.gov/Safety/Motorcycles) motorcycle safety program (a great idea for you PI attorneys out there).

The first thing to do is decide on a cause to support. Get buy-in from everyone to build the “buzz”, and then start planning. Allow 60-90 days to plan and implement, just to be safe. Things to consider:

• Website content and updates
• Publications you might use, i.e., links you can place on your website, a downloadable “tips” PDF or a printed brochure you’ll distribute
• Include information about your event in your newsletter and blog
• Involve your clients and those on your prospect list
• Plan related seminars or other events
• Write one (or more) press releases to be distributed and add them to your website
• Include a link to the event page on your website everywhere possible
• Make it meaningful and have fun

Finally, use your employees and their networks to promote your sponsorship of the event by having them comment on their Facebook and Twitter pages so their friends, family and other contacts all hear about it. If all goes well, this can be an annual event that your staff and clients will look forward to! This type of human interest story and positive press allows people to get to know you and builds that all so important connection. Need more ideas? Just give us a call!

How Sneakers Lead to Free Publicity

Did you know that September 17, 2010 is annual Sneakers at Work day? Seriously! I hadn’t heard of it either, but after doing some research I discovered that this “event” really does exist. Sneakers@Work is a fund-raiser sponsored by the American Prostate Cancer Initiative that runs each year during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

And why am I telling you this? Because there are tons of events that are recognized each year on a national basis that you can use as a tie-in to promote your company. Some of these events are charity-focused, while others promote an interest or lifestyle. The type of business you run and the interests of you and your staff will help you decide which events to support. As an example:

Your Business Type/Options:
If you are an Injury Law Firm, search for National Safety Awareness (June)
If you are a Garden Center, search Perennial Gardening Month (June)
If you are a Conservation Group, search National Rivers Month (June)
If you are an Optometrist, search Eye Injury Prevention Month (July)
If you are a Flag Center, search Flag Day (June)

Let’s use National Safety Awareness Month and our PI Attorneys as an example and come up with a plan:

• Get new content ready ahead of time to post on your website. Include links to any sites (include useful videos) you find valuable.
• Write and publish (downloadable PDF or printed versions) safety tips – you might have a couple of versions: one for parents with small children; one for parents with new teen drivers; and maybe a safety around the home version. Make these available on your website.
• Plan a seminar to talk about safety or set up a booth at an existing event. Give out copies of your tips.
• Involve your employees by allowing them to “buy” a casual Friday dress down day for a contribution to a local burn center or similar.

Finally, you’ll want to make sure to let everyone know what your firm and employees are doing to support the event—put out a press release and add it to the news section of your website. And don’t forget to talk it up to everyone you meet! Make it fun and meaningful to all who participate. If all goes well, it can become an annual event that can generate buzz about your business!