So You Think You Can Write . . . A Speech?

One of the toughest skills to master is the art and science of crafting a memorable speech. Penning a persuasive prose takes lots of blood, sweat and tears. For many of us though, the appeal of writing a speech falls somewhere between getting a speeding ticket and filing your tax returns.

Still nervous?  Speech writing can do that to you.  Perhaps you’ve lived with the idea that you were never good with words, and worse, you feared being judged or ridiculed – we’ve all been there at some point in our lives.

Writing a speech is as straightforward as learning to read out loud. The key to writing good speeches lies in using a theme.  It is important to decide who will make up your audience. Your perception of the audience shapes the tone of your speech. Speech writing is very personal, as the writer talks about his views, thoughts and emotions. The writer and/or the presenter should capture an audience’s interest with the first or second sentence of the introduction.

A good speechwriter has to envision a goal that he wants to reach with his speech.  Being clear and being able to communicate in words that transition easily from one thought to the next will go a long way to impress your audience.

Like anyone who has been involved with crafting a speech, I have had moments when I was at a loss when it came to finding that perfect phrase that “made” my speech. Writing a speech is by no means for the faint-hearted, the shy or the meek. Speeches are all about clarity, structure and seizing the moment.

While speech writing may seem daunting, its rewards make up for all the uncertainties of the writing process.

Here are some tips to help you along:

Know your subject matter. – Ask yourself these questions. Have you done your research? Do you know what you are talking about, and does it have a purpose to the end matter?

Who’s listening?  Who will the speaker be addressing? What are the concerns and cares of the people listening? Is there an “elephant in the room” that you need to consider? You must know who your audience is in order to best decide how to affect your message on them.

Keep it short.  Since the attention span of most people is rather short, a long speech can take your audience on a one-way ticket to snoozeland.  You will lose your listeners if your speech is too long and monotonous sounding.  Keep it short and succinct with an added punch.

Use imagery.  People remember things when they see images. Using imagery helps to retain the content of your speech and the message you want to get across.  Imagery will also keep the audience entertained.

Use famous lines.  Reference brings with it many ideas and emotions associated with famous people or life-changing events.  You can quote famous lines that reference the Shakespeare, poetry, songs, books, and other speeches. These references bring a lot more with them than just the phrase or quote you use, especially if your audience is familiar with it.

No bombs, please!  Keep it simple – don’t use bombastic words. A great example is President Obama’s speeches.  His speeches are always written in simple English. When messages are made simple, they cut deeper and have more impact.

End strong.  The final impression you make on the audience is the one they will remember. Conclude well. End with a line people will remember, or one that contains the message you want them to remember. Aside from the opening, the ending is the most important line.

Skillful speech-makers are familiar with their written content.  The principles for writing effective speeches are the same, whether for a personal speech at a wedding or a high-powered presentation by a politician or celebrity.  A well-written speech can drive sales, deepen commitment, motivate hearts and minds, and even change the world.   

Public Relations – Back To Basics

Great PR professionals can change opinions, affect decisions and connect people with the world around them.

Public Relations (PR) professionals are skilled publicists. They are able to present a company or individual in the best light possible – in essence, they are “reputation protectors.” Sadly though, the PR profession is sometimes misunderstood and perceived to be that of “bending” the truth, manipulating even,  or just plain brown-nosing.

Unfortunately, none of the above aptly describes the PR profession!

Although PR pros are often associated with glamourous events – attended by the Who’s Who of high society, this comes with the territory.  But it is only one component of the job.  The reality? Long hours, managing clients’ expectations, and keeping editors happy – and it’s no easy feat. To become a PR pro requires a very high level of communication skills (written and verbal), as well as effective multitasking,  management, organisational and planning skills, and a whole lot of confidence – and sometimes you have to be a little thick-skinned.

So what is PR and why do many businesses today find themselves in a lurch – especially when it comes to crisis management, or dealing with the media? Well, let me first state the obvious. PR is an extremely important business tool. Every organisation, no matter how large or small, ultimately depends on its reputation for survival and success. Customers, suppliers, employees, investors, journalists and regulators can all have a powerful impact. They have an opinion about the organisations they come into contact with – whether good or bad, right or wrong.

These perceptions drive their decisions – who they want to work with, shop with, and/or support. In today’s competitive marketplace, reputation can be a company’s biggest asset – one that makes you stand out from the crowd and gives you that competitive edge. Effective PR can help manage reputation by communicating and building good relationships with all the stakeholders involved.

So, we are all about reputation, reputation, reputation!

It is the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you. You will find that our aim is always to earn understanding and support while influencing opinion and behavior. Sounds complicated? It isn’t, really. Simply put, PR is about planning and sustaining efforts to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics!

To illustrate the power of PR, here are a couple of points to note:

PR is a strategic tool – PR is only part of a marketing strategy, it is not marketing. When it is deployed correctly, public relations can build tremendous excitement anticipation and validation of an event or product. For instance, Apple mastered the art of strategic public relations in support of and in sync with marketing initiatives. This year, they rolled out the iPad as an example of a wildly successful, well-integrated campaign, where information and images of the product ‘leaked’ out to the media. People were talking about the iPad way before Steve Jobs unveiled it on stage.

PR seeds positive (and negative) ideas – It generates third party validation of what is being sold. Ideas can spread when we introduce them to influencers long before the public gets wind of trends, controversies and products. Public opinion can be altered and people can be positively predisposed to an idea or a desire for a product or service may be ignited. Who wouldn’t want people talking about their product way before it’s launch in the market?

PR keeps audiences involved and engaged – This is about creating opportunities for people to become emotionally vested in what you want to convey. It is difficult to capture the attention of consumers today – who live  fast-paced lifestyles. While advertising is something we see all the time, PR ensures that the message is subtly caught by today’s busy-bees while advertising attempts to catch a consumer’s attention upfront.

The bottom line is to get the word out about you, your company, your products and services to those who could potentially buy from you. PR is just one part of marketing, as marketing is made up of many things. The good news about PR is the cost and the effectiveness when it’s in front of your target market.

By Danielle Rajaratnam, PR Associate at Corporate Media Services

This week’s PR News Highlights: 

Brian Carter from PR Daily shares why content is more important than conversation.

The  20 essentials for every employee communicator are explained by Paul Barter.

In light of the recent Super Bowl, Andrew Worob shares 10 social media lessons from the New York Giants.

Are Communication Barriers Holding You Back?

Barriers interrupt the flow of communication from the sender to the receiver – making communication ineffective.

As it turns out, effective communication can be surprisingly fickle. It’s also a highly underestimated business tool.  Done right, communication can make you seem authoritative and professional; done wrong, you risk seeming unreliable, insecure or impersonal.

Good communication practices have always been important in the workplace, not just for maintaining the ease at which messages may flow, but for bolstering productivity as well. When a message is misinterpreted or not sent across effectively, it results in misunderstandings, causing miscommunication to become a time consuming predicament.

Here, we list four communication barriers and how we can effectively overcome them:

The sin of omission – Let’s face it. When we don’t tell the whole truth and miss out on providing full, concrete information about anything, it ultimately results in miscommunication, with one party not fully understanding what the other wants. Scrimping on information, not giving full details and holding back information are fool-proof methods to welcoming communication breakdowns and a myriad of misunderstandings in the workplace. Never leave a colleague or client in the lurch by leaving out important bits of information in your email, text message or even when communicating face-to-face. Always remember to be detailed.

Beating around the bush – Speaking your mind is one of the simplest rules of communication and also one of the most difficult to enact. Most of the time, being direct becomes cumbersome due to the complexity of language –  in this case, the English language, where we often find ourselves using euphemisms and innuendos. Being direct is of utmost importance in any profession. But of course, being direct in this context does include dishing out severities to one another! It also means being tactful with what you say.

Inattention – Listening is an important part of communication. At times, we may only hear, instead of listen.  As PR professionals, we have to listen carefully to our clients’ key messaging, and at the same time, pay attention to what is required by the media.  Failure to do so can result in  misrepresentation and in some cases; it may not be possible to reverse the damage.  Always look out for thoughts: major ideas, details, and their meanings. Try to seek a broader understanding of what someone is trying to communicate, rather than the individual’s words or terms they use to express themselves.

“It goes without saying” – Doesn’t this sound familiar? Most times, we love to say, “It goes without saying” which implies that the other party knows what we want or what we’re thinking. The truth is, they don’t.  Sometimes when we deal with clients, we adopt a similar mentality, thinking that we either know everything the client wants or that they completely understand what we do. So, learn to be open and express what’s on your mind.

Communication is not always easy and often takes a lot of determination. But making an effort to remove the obstacles – tangible and intangible  - can be the key to building relationships that really work.

By Danielle Rajaratnam, PR Associate at Corporate Media Services

This week’s PR News highlights: 

Need to revamp existing marketing plans for your business? Jeff Bullas identifies 10 steps to a successful social media marketing strategy.

Mike Duerksen lists out a 18-point checklist for proofreaders and writing professionals on PR Daily.

Check out  7 simple ways to track how well-liked your brand is on Facebook, as explained by Dave Kerpen.

Time and Tide Waits For No Man

What is it about being late that is so irksome? People are late most of the time,  for work, school, appointments, dates or even when it comes to replying emails. Nobody likes to be kept waiting and being late is possibly a reflection of unprofessionalism and indifference.

Being on time is highly imperative in PR, since it is, after all a business based on self-presentation and reputation management. Ask any PR professional and they’ll tell you point blank, that tardiness is unacceptable simply because it shows disregard for time, exhibits sloppiness and more.

Going to university taught me several lessons on tardiness;  remembering those days when my time-conscious American professors would refuse to accept assignments or reward attendance and participation points if I were to be even a couple of minutes late. Those were indeed the times when I did more running in school (whenever I was almost late for class) than I would at the park during the weekends, because I was running at top speed to class so that I wouldn’t have to face the music. That was the culture of my university. Tardiness was not an option.

Taking home that lesson has taught me to be a more respectful, responsible and better steward of my time. As a PR professional, being late holds similar implications to that of any other profession. Can you imagine a doctor being late for surgery?  You would inevitably lose your reputation and tarnish your image almost immediately. So, let’s think about this a little.  Are you willing to endure the shame of losing your professional image while coming up with some of the world’s lousiest excuses for being late!  Well then, here are 3 tips on how to handle your tardiness:

1. Identify your problem – Why are you always late? Are you sleeping in too much?  Do you always have to get one last thing done before leaving? What about underestimating your commuting time? Once I took my own sweet time to leave home, expecting my commute to work to be a smooth ride, only having to find myself stuck on the train platform, with 5-6 trains passing and not being able to get on because of overcrowding!  My problem here was two-fold: it seems that everyone was trying to get to work at the same time, and I did not leave my home early enough! So I had to deal with that the next time round.

2.  Get organized – Manage a proper schedule and keep track of your email. Being in PR means constantly having to meet deadlines, meet clients, attend events, etc. Keeping to a schedule ensures that you do not forget your appointments, and also helps you to track the things you need to do. This especially applies to replying emails on time. Every PR professional should know that not responding to an e-mail or message of any form, within a reasonable time frame could lose them a potential business opportunity.

3.  Be a time pessimist – Time waits for no man. Any PR professional would dread being late for a meeting with a client or a potential client, which would ultimately spell disaster. Being a time pessimist always works. Leave early! Very early! The early bird always gets the worm. Of course, I learnt this from my father. Whenever we had family events to attend, he would be the first to get dressed and be ready an hour early. Yes, an hour. It slightly borders on paranoia, but it works. It is better to be early than to be late.  Then again, if you have a tight schedule, you should learn to space the time between your appointments.  Learn to be a time pessimist!

We hope you never run late again (no pun intended) after reading this post. In case you do, be prepared to carry a pair of running shoes– you will need them.

By Danielle Rajaratnam, PR Associate at Corporate Media Services

This week’s PR News Highlights:

David Spark comments on PR Daily about the 13 most annoying communication habits for this year.

The 11 irritating habits that annoy journalists and bloggers by Abbi Whitaker teaches PR professionals how to improve their chance of success with journalists across the nation.

Diane Schawrtz uses the 2012 Italian Cruise Ship Crisis as an example for What the PR Industry Should Be.

Let’s Communicate!: The 4 Essential Traits of Successful Communication

Deborah Tannen, professor of linguistics at Georgetown University, once commented: “Communication is a continual balancing act, juggling the conflicting needs for intimacy and independence. To survive in the world, we have to act in concert with others”.

Many times, we fail to understand that communication is an art to learn, a road to take, the constant balancing and juggling of needs and wants, in an effort to building stable and long-lasting relationships, be it with friends, colleagues or even clients.  Communication is undeniably the key to life and the foundation of relationship. Here are 4 truths about the art of communication which every communicator should know.

Honesty: Tell the truth! – Lying has become such an integral part of human nature that we rarely realize the little white lies we tell to get ourselves out of trouble. As public relations professionals, we believe in truth-telling. Contrary to popular belief, public relations (PR) professionals are anything but spin doctors. Instead of spinning untruthful stories, PR professionals are in the business of transmitting accurate and truthful information to the public on behalf of clients. When you start thinking that lying may be the last option, always remember that honesty builds the foundation for any form of communication. Lying always damages the delicate and powerful nature of communication.

Paying Attention: Lend a listening ear – Listening has truly become a lost art. Listening always precedes understanding. The next time you find yourself in a feud or any misunderstanding, try pausing for a moment and listening to the other party. Most times, we listen to one another without giving full attention to what our friend, colleague or even client may be trying to communicate. You’d be amazed to find the amount of information you can receive when you decide to listen with unprejudiced attention. Likewise, communication without listening is like an incomplete mathematical equation. As PR professionals, we are always ready to listen to the messages that our clients are communicating to us, after which we can readily and accurately forward to the public.

Being Detail-Oriented: Don’t dodge the details! – Just as we train our ears to pick up details, developing a set of keen observation skills can add to seamless and uninterrupted communication. Whether in speech or in writing, always double- or triple-check everything you do—from making sure you’ve got the right people copied on e-mails to making sure you’ve brought biscuits for that important meeting (Not to mention making sure your copy is clean and sharp).  This attention to detail is what sets apart a great communicator from a good one.

Perseverance: Keep pressing on – Communication is truly an art and for this very reason, it is set apart in terms of the amount and quality of time and effort placed to nurture a strong set of communication skills. As it is most commonly said, communication is two-way and yes, it is complicated and sometimes frustrating to figure out, but giving up is surely not an option. It is imperative to remind ourselves that everyone is a work in progress in learning how to communicate artfully.

By Danielle Rajaratnam, PR Associate at Corporate Media Services

This Week’s PR News Highlights

Social Media tools are meant to be used effectively during a crisis.Steve Yaguer highlights the Dos and Don’ts of using Social Media in Crisis Communications.

Laura Finlayson vice president and director of digital strategy at Beckerman shares the 5 Social Media Rules You Learned in Kindergarten.

5 Takeaways from Papa John’s Debacle by Gil Rudawsky explains the use of social media in the  intricacies of an online crisis.

Content is KING! Part 2: Mind your Language

While it is important to create high-quality original and creative content, fact checking, editing and proof-reading are also crucial to ensure the content’s final quality and intended message.

Writing happens everywhere – in academia, students write reports, papers, theses; and at work – professionals draft memos, emails, reports, amongst other things. More people are also writing personal and professional blogs on various topics. Even if the writing styles may differ, they share the same purpose – to educate and inform the reader (and in the case of social media, it may also encourage interaction).

When it comes to writing, it is important to create high-quality original and creative content, as well as take into consideration three of the following major points: fact-checking, editing and proof-reading.

In our earlier blog on Content is King!, we shared some key elements on the creative aspect of content writing for marketing. This week, we share some tips that you can use, from writing internal memos at work to writing a media pitch.

Fact-checking
Make sure your content is factually accurate. One way to identify the accuracy of a piece of information is to refer to the source. If it is an opinion, state it. If you are quoting, attribute it. Providing inaccurate information lowers the content quality and can even jeopardize your professional reputation.

Editing
Writing does involve creativity and organization. To deliver the intended message, the content drafted has to make sense. For example, a poorly written media pitch can be confusing to the reader if it lacks content organization. Similarly, poor choice of words can affect the meaning of the message. Fact-checking and editing should be done simultaneously.

Proof-reading
As a final step, proof-reading aims to correct any typos, grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors. This can be treated as the finishing touch to any written piece. It is done, even to the simplest of compositions, such as drafting an email to a colleague at work. Remember, the smallest language error can lower the credibility of a writer and subsequently, the organization the writer represents.

Writing does not have to be daunting – however, it does involve multiple steps to ensure the high-quality, original and creative content of the intended message.

By Fiza Johari, PR Associate at Corporate Media Services

This Week’s Top PR News Highlights:

Writer, editor, and author Daphne Gray-Grant shares the Top 25 Grammar and Language Mistakes, which is one of the things that rots her socks off.

Now That’s An Embarrassing Typo! by Alan Pearcy includes collection of faux pas, amongst other bits of information related to the PR industry.

Josh Gordesky’s 6 Email Mistakes contain a checklist of email mistakes typically made.

2012 – A New Year of Resolutions or Dissolutions?

2012 – A New Year of Resolutions or Dissolutions?

There is something energizing about opening a brand new calendar, and opening our minds with the knowledge that we can start anew.

The New Year always gets everyone thinking about what they want to do, and how they’re going to do things differently.  It’s a time when most people start off with a list – to lose weight, quit smoking, make more money, be kinder. The reality is, how many can really keep up the resolve and see it through?

Resolutions tend to remind ourselves of what’s important and can give us a fresh start to shedding our poor habits.  Perhaps, we should take a step back and evaluate a few ways that we can become better for ourselves, our colleagues, our friends and, more importantly, our clients.

Here’re a couple of reminders to help you stay the course:

1. Get Organized

When I get back to my desk after the holidays – besides having to remember to change the year to 2012 on my cheque book, I need to think about the mess – on my table, my inbox and that pesky “KIV” folder (i.e. the “I’ll get to this later” documents).  Sound familiar?  For 2012, start the year right.  Get organized – get rid of the clutter.  Clear your inbox, review and file away the paperwork (don’t be afraid to bin any you don’t need).  Plan your calendar wisely, and make the extra effort to see this through the year.   It may be one small step, but keep in mind that practice makes perfect and you’ll thank me later!

2.  Your BFF – The Media

We pitch to the media on an almost daily basis for our clients, but do you really know whom you’re talking to at the end of the line?  Do they like hearing from you – do they appreciate hearing from you, are you a reliable source for them?  Building relationships with editors and journalists is an invaluable public relations tool.  Instead of pushing your stories, make it a point to get to know them.   Go beyond that email or phone call.  Follow them on the social media trail, share your thoughts and provide relevant pitches to any given topic of relevance.  Be a reliable source, someone they can count on, and above all, be responsible – keep to deadlines – very important to the media!

3.  Online or Offline

We are all immersed in emails, facebook chatter, twitter verse, blogs – we talk through words to a sometimes invisible crowd – are they really there, are they listening?  When it comes to communication, nothing beats the power of face-to-face interaction.  As engaged as we are in social media, we should think about engaging in real life.  Make an effort – invite your FB friends to a networking event that may interest them.   If nothing else, you’ll make some new friends. And who knows, you may get some interesting referrals down the line.

4.  University of life

How lucky are we, that as PR professionals, we get to learn new things every day – about our clients, their industries, their products, happenings in the news, etc. We live and thrive by staying relevant to our clients and the media, but we should make it a point to try and learn something new every day. Between our meetings, events, and busy schedules, we sometimes forget to appreciate the new things we learn. Don’t just file them away – absorb, make a mental note, or jot them down.  Not only will you benefit from learning, you’ll also get to share the knowledge you’ve built with potential clients – after all – “Knowledge is Power.”

Finally, let me say this. For 2012, we should strive to deliver more results and more of our best work to clients.  Rather than make unachievable resolutions, remind yourself to plan and make progress, one step at a time towards your goals.

We hope 2012 brings you and yours good health, love, success and peace.

Gratitude and the Gift of Giving

Your clients are the foundation of your business. Without them your business would not exist.

Your client base can be the biggest advocate for your company.  Showing your appreciation for their business will not only help to develop goodwill, it will also bring potential referrals for new business.

Customer appreciation is a tool that every business has at its disposal, yet very few choose to utilize it to its full potential. When it comes to investment, there is none better than putting time and money into sincerely appreciating one’s customers.

When you express gratitude to your clients and potential clients, you are giving to them and taking care of yourself at the same time. This act of giving will lead you towards a more successful business. Gratitude is vital to a thriving business. It creates a feeling of satisfaction and happiness that results in doors opening for your business.

Clients want an enjoyable and productive working relationship. If they know that you appreciate them and their business, it creates a positive working relationship.

Growing your business is tied to your ability to create powerful, strong relationships. Even big companies work on relationship building with everyone who does business with them. While they may not find time to deal with every client on a personal level, they will still find other ways to communicate that gratitude through the act of giving.  Just today, we received a Christmas log cake from the people we work with at the Holiday Inn.  They came around in a van, dressed in t-shirts and jeans to convey a personal thank you. The log cake was a delicious bonus!

Giving doesn’t just apply to huge corporations.  Small companies can benefit too from showing appreciation.  With small companies, you can get even more personal with your clients and customers. This is an important aspect of your business and should not be overlooked. Just a simple card to show your appreciation, written with a heart-felt message will go a long way in building relationships with your clients.  It may be a small touch but it’s still a great way to show a client or customer that they are appreciated.

Clients and customers who feel appreciated are likely to come back. Loyal clients are great clients – your simple gesture can turn them into your number one fan club.  Even if they’re unable to return for repeat business, if they feel appreciated, they are likely to recommend your business and share the kind of good relationship they have with you.

Positive action begets positive attention!

Say Thank You. It’s that simple!  When people do things for you or that you appreciate, say thank you.  Say it often, be specific and relate it to what it is that you’re being thankful for.

Drop a short email. If you can’t tell someone in person, sending a quick note of thanks via email is just as powerful. I always save messages and notes I receive from friends or clients and re-read them when I can.  I guarantee it’ll put a smile on your face – knowing that you are being appreciated.

Share a gift. The festive season is upon us and soon there will be an exchange of business gifts. You may a receive gift basket (like the log cake I received today), wine or invitations to business parties – to thank you for your business. These are meant to be gifts of gratitude. Return the sentiment.

The most wonderful part of giving the gift of gratitude is that when we give with the right spirit and genuinely from the heart, we get as much or more in return for giving the thanks as the receiver.  So be the example you wish to show the world. Do so by being, doing and giving authentically at all times.

So from all of us here at CorpMedia, we’d like to say Thank You to all our clients!  We appreciate your business and we thank you for your support. Here’s wishing you and yours a brand New Year of happiness, good health and continued success!

See you in 2012!

Clash of the Titans: Advertising vs. Public Relations

Advertising and public relations are important marketing tools; knowing the difference can help businesses reach their target market and achieve their objectives.

Advertising and public relations can be exceptionally good at reaching the masses and helping a brand or organisation get the word out. However, before you dive into any advertising or PR campaign, make sure you know enough of each industry’s strengths and weaknesses. Often times, these two industries, although entirely different, are commonly confused as being one and the same.

Considering all the time and energy that has gone into pitching everything under the sun from razor blades, washing detergent and even medical supplies, you would think someone would have answered the age-old question by now – Which is better, advertising or public relations? The answer is entirely dependent on what you want to achieve. Advertising and PR have decidedly different benefits, and each contributes differently to your company’s communication goals.

Some useful tips to help you which way to go:

1.     Review your Budget: A large portion of the budget for an advertising campaign will be spent on ad space. Ad agencies also charge for concept development, copywriting and creative work such as graphic design, filming and editing. On the other hand, a PR agency works to gain free publicity for its client. A PR campaign budget usually goes towards the creation of a compelling story through media pitches, press releases and events and ongoing media liaison.

2.     Creative Control: Ad space is paid for and with the help of an ad agency, companies can take the wheel to maintain full control of an ad’s content and exactly when and where it will appear. With public relations, once a media release or pitch is distributed, PR agencies are limited in the amount of control they have over the way media outlets use the information or if they choose to use it at all. Even the best media release can be bumped off for a bigger story. However, a PR professional can help you navigate through the white noise of news and get your story heard.

3.     Media Exposure: Big budgets allow companies to run ads for as long as they wish. The downside is that seeing the same ad can become repetitive and ineffective, as consumers do not stand to gain any new information. A media release, on the other hand, can be distributed to many different media outlets. Although news has a relatively short shelf life, it is possible for a media release to sit an editor’s file until it can form part of a bigger story. The key takeaway is that consumers may see the same product or service in different context over a period of time.

4.     Reaching your target audience: Consumers know when they’re reading an ad that they are being sold a product or service. It’s very rare for people to actively seek out ads unless they are looking for something in particular. From a PR standpoint, a story covered about a service or product carries more credibility. If presented correctly and in an informative medium, people are more likely to take notice of a company’s key messages, even if it’s only on a subconscious level.

5.     Content Style: Advertising campaigns rely heavily on creativity, catchy slogans and eye catching graphics to attract consumers’ attention while PR campaigns require a nose for news. With a comprehensive understanding of the media, PR agencies exercise creativity by crafting captivating, factually correct stories that educate readers about a product, service or company.

Executing Your Campaign

Compared to advertising, public relations is a more subtle, disciplined approach with the aim of influencing public opinion and behaviour. It is the foundation that builds name recognition and brand trust.  With it, future advertising can succeed to greater heights. Think of your promotional campaign as a pyramid:

Making that Sale!
Raising Brand Awareness
Advertising and Promotion Campaign
Public Relations Public Relations Public Relations

An advertising or public relations campaign doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive. They can and should be used in conjunction with one another to help spread the word about your product or service further.

With proper planning and precise execution, you’ll have no problem in achieving sustained media presence, building credibility and making that sale!

Content is King!

As marketers move more and more away from traditional marketing practices, companies are turning to content creation as a tactic to draw more leads and customers.

Content marketing is very important in today’s world, especially for small businesses. Those who embrace the changing world of marketing are the ones that go on to succeed. Your e-newsletters, social media campaigns, SEO and Public Relations activities are all based on creating and publishing high-quality original content. Having high-quality content associated with your name builds a professional reputation.

The idea is that you create quality content for a targeted audience. The content should educate, entertain, inform, amuse, or encourage interaction (where the social media side comes in). Basically you create content people are actually interested in. And in turn, they’re more likely to share that content, link to it, refer more traffic your way, become a customer, become a regular visitor or reader, become an active member of your network or community, or form some other intended relationship with you or your business.

Repeated and regular exposure builds a relevant relationship that provides multiple opportunities for conversion, rather than a “one-time” sales approach.  However, in this tricky environment we live and work in, it takes more than “content is king” to work. You need to focus your attention on some key elements to make content marketing work for you, and we’re happy to share these with you.

1.     Media pitching to journalists

Include content in personalized pitches to journalists. Here you get to showcase thought leadership and experience in a particular field or subject.  This approach works well especially when pitching to trade publications. With a small editorial team, editors often appreciate prepared content — such as articles or case studies.  The best way to go about this it to request editorial calendars and pitch your content accordingly, so that it aligns with that of the target publication.  Most print publications also carry their stories online – so your story is likely to reach multiple audiences at the same time.

2.     Creating compelling content

Compelling content can generate inbound traffic to your website. When creating compelling content for your site, think about creating content that holds up well over time, rather than news that tend to go out of date quickly.  You can also rework content to suit the appropriate publishing medium to get more mileage. For example, content used in blogs can be reworked for facebook or RSS feeds.

3.     Bear SEO in mind

If you want to rank high search engines, create content with SEO in mind. Study keywords that are most often used to find your site. Try a few different keyword suggestion tools to verify what keyword phrases people really look for, and use those words in your content.

4.   Get on the speaking platform

Identify speaking platforms and offer to share your expertise.  When building your speaking strategy and submitting applications, use content to showcase your credibility and value. Most speaking applications require a speaker bio and details about your expertise on the proposed topic. Beef your submission up with links to helpful, informative content you’ve written on the topic you want to present.

5.   Stick out and get noticed

There are periods when every organization goes through a lull or quiet period.  Use the opportunity to grab media attention with some newsworthy content. For e.g. you may want to comment on a hot topic through a popular community blog – don’t be afraid to share your opinion. You can also use the time to conduct an online survey to seek views for a revolutionary product from focus groups.   In the process, you will get not only get noticed but also stay relevant, and this will drive traffic to your company website.

A final point to remember – when it comes to content marketing, use informative or entertaining content.  This will not only help attract and retain customers, it will position your business as a trusted resource in your marketplace.