In 2007, I wrote a post about the top 10 ways to quickly become a subject matter expert using LinkedIn. I entered a contest and I won a free trip to BlogWorld! Written in 2007, this is one of my most popular posts by far, [thanks for the inspiration and for sponsoring the contest, Scott…
Take a look at this picture I snapped in the Morton Arboretum’s Daffodil Glade last Friday. You can see there is beauty in one flower, but there is pure power in bunches. That’s also true with news releases: write one about you and you get all the attention, or you can gather up a few…
In thinking about how we write and distribute optimized press releases – every time – for our clients, I decided to share the same strategies with you. What Makes Writing Online Press Releases Different One of the big differences between releasing a news story online and sending a press release to your local paper is:…
Liz Strauss is hosting a big event this weekend in Chicago called SOBCon – Biz School for Bloggers. For a few weeks now, the attendees have been talking to each other on twitter, updating statuses on the event wiki, checking out the event’s Facebook site and commenting back and forth on each other’s blogs. So,…
Let’s just say it’s hard, if not impossible, to get into my book group. When we moved to town, it took me three years to get an invitation. It’s not that I didn’t try. I did. There were no openings. But, I did have one qualification in my favor: I live within the four block…
For Caroline*, a young lady I know, getting cast in her first role in a major production was exhilarating. [*names changed, all stories true] How exciting it would be to be act with of a professional cast of characters! Never mind that Caroline’s role called for her to be a courtesan in a house…
Here’s how this blog works best: I write the posts. You read the posts and contribute to the conversation. We test the posts. We report results. Today, I’ll go first. A few days ago I wrote about how to find marketing funding. Thanks to Chris Brown for picking it up and writing a great piece…
It’s seminar season. Isn’t it always? You’re being invited to all kinds of places to learn from experts about how to make “it.” What seminars are your going to in 2008? There was a time – two years ago – when I was so swayed by the promises and offers I couldn’t wait to get…
SOBCon08, the biz school for bloggers brought to you by Liz Strauss, is two weeks from today. Thanks to the SOBCon blog, we’re all getting to know each other ahead of time. I love this idea. Easton Ellsworth of Visionary Blogging, is introducing attendees before we get there! Today, my name came up along with…
Did you know you have money that’s hidden somewhere and could be working for you? That’s the kind of headline that either pulls you in or turns you off. But, it’s true. You do have more money than you think you do. I know that for a fact. Every year when I meet with our…
Do I need to have a blog? What would a blog do for my business? How do you find time to blog? I get these questions – a lot – from my writer friends who don’t blog. Answering the questions takes most of half an hour, sometimes longer. Before I take off on my usual…
One of the biggest benefits to blogging for me is seeing how others use the information they find here. Did you know poets and artists write press releases? Thanks to Adan, a reader who shared his National Poetry Month press release and a report on how his online PR campaign is going. Looking for more…
How do you know when it’s time to stay where you are, forge ahead or turn around? I turned around two times while hiking this week in New Mexico. The prospect of slipping on loose rocks and tumbling down steep inclines made my mind convince me that going up wasn’t worth the risk of falling…
There’s a sign I always look forward to seeing simply because it’s always, always, always outdated. It’s kind of a game to guess how many months will have gone by since the event happened. We get our answer as soon as we alert the stale signage. Driving through this suburb, you’d think that time really does stand still. Thousands…
Yesterday, Gary Vaynerchuk decided that today is Good People Day. If you don’t know Gary, and I didn’t until a few weeks ago, you’ll soon his name somewhere – make that everywhere. According to his blog: Gary Vaynerchuk has captured national attention as a businessman and Internet celebrity. Gary’s fame can be attributed to his…
“If you’re not in sales, you should be. Your persistence is impressive.” one of my many messages to someone I met at a networking event. It took a collective 21 emails to schedule a phone conversation. How easily do you give up on networking follow up? If you’re like me, you send out a “great…
What does it take to write copy that works? For me, it’s knowing who I’m talking to, why my message is important to them, and where they will read/see the information. How about you? The need to write copy on purpose effectively hit home – with a resounding thud – when I took on an…
Looking for a quick-start guide to free seminar publicity? Then you’re in the right place! As seminar marketers and PR pros, Jenny Hamby and I want to share our success secrets. We want YOU to be successful! That’s why Jenny interviewed me, we transcribed our interview and turned it into an ebook you can purchase…
What’s it like for an outsider to peer into our window? Last week when I visited the Art Institute of Chicago’s Edward Hopper exhibit, I was captivated by Hopper’s artistic interpretation of daily life from an outsider’s perspective. When I read Liz Strauss’ post about 10 ways to make your blog compelling, I kept thinking…
Monday means Marketing Sherpa. Today’s Marketing Sherpa PR Interview features Peter Shankman and his new site/service called “If I Can Help a Reporter Out, I Will.” The founder of The Geek Factory Inc., Peter also wrote the book, “Can we do that? Outrageous PR Stunts That Work and Why Your Company Needs Them.” Matchmaking PR…
Every month or so, I meet with a group of people all interested in one thing: growing their business on the Internet. Well, make that two things: the other, as important, is balancing life so it’s enjoyable, livable and rewarding. An informal, loosely-structure network, the group meets for a few hours on a weekend morning….
Let’s get studious. . . stats and results you might enjoy. PR Research Drives Business – How About Yours? IPR, the Institute for Public Relations, reports on ways public relations research drives business results. Download IPR’s report and learn how you can use PR measurement systems in six case studies. From the Institute of Public…
On our PR Parade podcast yesterday, Jenny Hamby reminded me that we first met at a sold-out Writing for the Web conference I put on for the Independent Writers of Chicago about five years ago. It’s been way too long since I produced a major event and if I had to do it today,…
For those of you who missed the PR P-R-I-M-E-R call this morning, here’s a replay. Listen as Jenny Hamby, The Seminar Marketing Pro, interviews me about how to use the power of publicity to promote your blog and your business. You’ll learn: – why you must think like a publisher – how to report on events…
For our call today, we’re taking you behind the scenes. This is the same information my co-host, Jenny Hamby, The Seminar Marketing Pro, gets. Because this is a casual call, I’m asking Jenny to walk us through the PR P-R-I-M-E-R and then open the call for questions and answers. Introductions Tagged as a communications pioneer…
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