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Category: PR

Reality Show PR: Marketing Tickets to Success Stories

Take your prospects behind the scenes with a ticket to see client success stories:
all ready and made for marketing by Barbara Rozgonyi, founder of CoryWest Media and Public Relations Expert, updated and first published in May 2007.

When clients want to know what you do, invite them into a behind-the-scenes reality show. Giving them a play-by-play of how your business impacts lives gives them a better appreciation of how to work with you. Talking about how you make your client’s lives or businesses better is much easier when you can use a case study. And, having a format makes it even easier.
Here’s how to make your product or service come alive using the S-A-R method.

S=Situation
What are your prospects looking for when they find you? What needs to be changed? Why do they come to you? What are their common needs? How do you relieve their pain?
Looking at the situation or starting point from a prospect’s perspective gives you insights you can use not only in your case studies, but in your marketing messages. Using a before picture helps prospects relate to the need for your services and supports the need to change.

A=Approach
How does the client fit into the project approach? Who best benefits from your company or product? What did you do, specifically? When did the project take place? Where is the client located? Why did you decide to take this approach?
In describing your approach, include common elements plus individual design components. That way, prospects know you have a proven system that includes their input and they can see themselves.

R=Results
What was the payoff – higher profits, better results, a new lifestyle?
Many times the value goes beyond just one measurement. For example, an article we placed in a leading trade publication resulted in higher employee satisfaction, a greater awareness in the industry, improved investor relations and yes, more sales. Let your client talk about the results in a quote, video or audio testimonial. And, check back every six months for an update. After images can be graphs, charts, the client’s logo and photos.

Once you have these three elements, you can package them into a white paper, special report or include them as ongoing studies in a newsletter or blog. Before and after pictures with photo captions makes a quick case study for fast readers. Test out a few formats to see which one appeals to your prospects. An mp3 recording of a client interview works for those who like to learn on the go while a printed and first-class mailed formal publication appeals to luxury buyers.

Photo credit goes to Shutterstock.com Disclosure: images provided in exchange for credit and source link.

What client success stories do you share?

Monthly and Weekly Special Events Lists

One way to get media attention is to tie your news into special days, weeks or months. Sure, you can make up your own -that’s a good strategy. But, why not build on a celebration that’s already going to be going on? For example . . .

What’s so special about today?

May 11,2010

Eat What You Want Day

1858, Minnesota becomes state 32
1862 Confederate navy destroys their ironclad Merrimac to prevent Union capture
1910 Glacier National Park in Montana

Birthdays include Irving Berlin, Salvador Dali and Martha Graham.

What’s coming up in June?

Monthly and Weekly Special Events

June
Accordion Awareness Month, Natl
Adopt-A-Shelter-Cat Month
Aphasia Awareness Month, Natl
Bathroom Reading Month, Natl
Cancer from the Sun Month
Candy Month, Natl
Child Vision Awareness Month
Childhood Cancer Campaign Month, Intl
Children’s Awareness Month
Dairy Alternatives Month
Effective Communications Month
Entrepreneurs “Do It Yourself” Marketing Month
Fireworks Safety Months
Gay and Lesbian Pride Month
GLBT Book Month, Natl
Great Outdoors Month
June Dairy Month
June Is Perennial Gardening Month
Men’s Month, Intl
Pharmacists Declare War on Alcoholism
Potty Training Awareness Month
Professional Wellness Month
Rebuild Your Life Month
Rivers Month, Natl
Rose Month, Natl
Safety Month, Natl
Skyscraper Month
Soul Food Month, Natl
Sports America Kids Month
Steakhouse Month, Natl
Student Safety Month
Surf Music Month, Intl
Vision Research Month

Source for all: Chase’s Calendar of Events

Monthly and Weekly 2010 Special Events
About Chase’s Calendar of Events. . . from the site
Chase’s Calendar of Events today is the most comprehensive and authoritative reference available on special events, holidays, federal and state observances, historic anniversaries and more. Each spring, thousands of new entries are submitted to join the more than 12,000 items that make up each year’s book. Each event listing (where applicable) contains contact and mailing information. There is no charge to be listed in Chase’s. Each new edition appears in late September preceding the year in question.

Submit a date for 2012 edition starting in October 2010.

Thanks to Felicia Slattery, who’s planning an online event for Effective Communications Month, for bringing up this reference on our mastermind call this morning.

Calendars

Monthly Calendar of Events and Monthly Special Days to Celebrate Calendars from the Family Crafts Section at about.com

2010 Calendar of Events, Observations and Special Days
Up-to-date, accurate, validated + fun, serious and traditional holidays, theme days, awarenes observances in the US + Moon Phases.

What celebrations do you include on your media calendar?

Image Source and Credit in Exchange for Usage goes to Shutterstock.com

Mother’s Day Anniversary

Happy Mother’s Day 2010

Twenty years ago today I woke up in a hotel room in St. Louis and made a decision that would change my life.

It was my first Mother’s Day.

I had a beautiful baby girl.

And, I was alone.

I was at a conference that, professionally, meant a lot to me. But, the career woman with the power suits, high profile projects and success stories wasn’t who I was in those moments.

I was a mother without my child. And that wouldn’t do.

I missed Phoebe Caroline so much that I promised myself I would never spend another Mother’s Day away from my family.

While that didn’t mean I had to leave the corporate world, I did. I came home, hatched out a plan to start my own business and resigned a few weeks later.

This fall, I’ll celebrate my twentieth anniversary as a home-based entrepreneur.

Today I’ll be with my three children, now 20, 18 and 15 along with my husband of almost 25 years.

Happy Mother’s Day to you and yours!

When have you made life-changing decisions?

Image thanks to shutterstock.com, provided in exchange for photo credit.

Office Depot Web Cafe LinkedIn Webinar

Update: Thanks to Office Depot WebCafe for featuring me as the LinkedIn PR Expert – listen to the webinar. Sign up for a complimentary 7-day LinkedIn PR ecourse.

Tomorrow I’m presenting a LinkedIn webinar for Office Depot – here’s the registration information. Hope you can join us!


Tuesday, April 27th at 4pm ET
Leveraging LinkedIn: 5 Power Strategies to Stand Out and Be Sought Out (60min)
What You Need To Do To Raise Your Visibility And Influence
Why You Need A Social Media Strategy that Supports Your Business
How to Maximize Your Efforts and Minimize Your Social Networking Time

Leveraging Linkedin: 5 Power Strategies to Stand Out and Be Sought Out

– What You Need To Do To Raise Your Visibility And Influence

– Why You Need A Social Media Strategy that Supports Your Business

– How to Maximize Your Efforts and Minimize Your Social Networking Time

– Where to Find Connections that Get You Closer to Your Goals

– Leadership Strategies that Position You As An Expert

Barbara Rozgonyi
CEO/Founder of CoryWest Media

About Barbara

Barbara Rozgonyi owns CoryWest Media, LLC, a Midwest-based strategic marketing consultancy founded in 1990, whose client list includes Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, nonprofits and small businesses. As the publisher of www.wiredPRworks.com since June 2006, Barbara reports on ways to grow business, build brands, and connect communities with marketing, social media and public relations. Listed on Alltop and AdAge Power 150, Wired PR Works houses over 700 posts. The founder of Chicago’s Social Media Club chapter, Soho Magazine featured Barbara as “Chicago’s Social Media Maven.” Wired PR Works’ best-read post, “How to Quickly Become a Subject Matter Expert Using LinkedIn” was recently selected for inclusion in the “You’re the Expert” section in Larry Weber’s new book “Sticks & Stones: How Digital Reputations are Created over Time and Lost in a Click. Named as one of the top 30 PR experts to follow on twitter by ereleases.com, Barbara is a keynote speaker and an educator on the topics of leadership, communications, marketing and change. Barbara earned her marketing degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and lives in Chicago’s western suburbs.

We’ll cover theses topics in our hour long webinar. Thanks so much to Office Depot for the opportunity to present to their audience. Disclosure: this is a free event for attendees. The speaker receives no monetary compensation, but does benefit from exposure to Office Depot’s web audience who will receive a complimentary LinkedIn personal PR guide and an invitation to subscribe to a LinkedIn and PR newsletter. [Want to sign up for the free ecourse? Email linkedinpr @aweber.com.]

Recommended LinkedIn Reading

Top 10 Ways to Quickly Become a Subject Matter Expert Using LinkedIn








Leverage Your LinkedIn Profile into a Powerfull Business Network

Know it All Expert PR Strategy

People have questions. You have answers. That makes you, to them, an expert. What do you want to be known for? Here’s some help on figuring out how to be the “know it all” go-to resource in your area of expertise.

Today it doesn’t take a website or a blog to connect with a community online, but it does take some strategic planning and effort. Before you begin answering questions on a site, take some time to think about who you want to be known by and for what do you want to be known.

Who Do You Want to Reach?

Answering questions on a site like LinkedIn puts you in front of millions –if they’re searching for your topic. But, maybe smaller is better, especially if having local connections will help you meet your business goals. If you don’t need international influence, then look for smaller centers of influence in forums and LinkedIn groups. Keep in mind that you’ll need a broad reach on a wide platform if writing a book is one of your goals.

Professional Industry or Client-Centered Comments?
Joining in with a professional industry group will keep you up-to-date and allow you to get feedback. Because you are all providing the same professional service, joining a group where your customers are will bring you more business. Look for groups where you can easily rank as one of the five top experts or better yet, own the category. Watch out for forums where you’ll be saying the same thing as dozens of other people. Even in these situations, adding a personal touch such as a reference to website of the person who asked the question or a story from your experience will set you apart.

How Should You Keep Track of Your Answers?
Compose your answers in Word and save a copy to use in your newsletter, blog or file. Drop in the URL or topic so you can go back and track the follow-up conversation. Be on the lookout for partnerships and connect with people you’d like to know better.

How Much Time Should You Spend?
Budget a specific amount of time and don’t go over. It’s easy to get carried away with comments. Resist the urge to become an annoying know-it-all. Even though you may know the answer to every question, give others a turn. Start out by setting aside an hour at the beginning or end of the day to answer comments. Scanning questions takes less time. On some days, you may not have any questions to answer at all.

Question Resources: Places to Find Questions to Answer
HARO – Help A Reporter Out
AllExperts
LinkedIn Answers
LinkedIn Groups
Twitter
Yahoo Groups

So, what are you an expert at?

Image credit Shutterstock . Thanks to shutterstock for the complimentary usage in exchange for a mention.