Get The Word Out!
Marketing, Communications & Social Media
Strategies and Tips
ASBA Technical Meeting
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
December 2010
Mary Helen Sprecher
Peter Francesconi
Larry Eder
Within 75 minutes,
you will know:
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How to increase your visibility.
How to manage communications with media.
How to prepare press materials.
The importance of your "brand.”
What "social media" can do for your business.
Should you have a blog?
Easy ways to make your website work for you.
And it all leads to …
More Business!
Who Are We?
Mary Helen Sprecher
• Reporter/writer for The Baltimore Guide, a local weekly paper.
• Writer for ASBA for more than 20 years. Writes press releases, Newsline articles.
• Contributing editor and writer for magazines: Racquet Sports Industry,
American Track & Field, Park & Recreation, Athletic Business,
Sports Destination Management, ASBA’s Newsline.
• Defiant Orioles fan.
Peter Francesconi
• Editor of Racquet Sports Industry and TennisLife magazines.
• Communications for Tennis Industry Association.
• Former managing editor of Tennis magazine and editorial director
for USTA magazine.
• Former Associated Press writer, worked for daily newspapers in Iowa.
• Proud Yankees fan.
Larry Eder (right)
• Group Publisher, Shooting Star Media (9 print titles, 9 websites, 7 twitter/5 FB sites).
• President, Running Network LLC (23 print titles, 28 websites, 16 twitter/FB sites).
• Director, Fortius Media Group LLC (start-up new media).
• Editor, Runblogrun.com.
• Former cross-country & track coach (h.s., community college, college).
• Misguided St. Louis Cardinals fan.
What Media—And
Social Media—Can Do For You
• Provides free advertising
• Spreads the word about your company
and services
• Brings you credibility and makes you the
"expert"
• Enhances, and protects, your brand
• Helps grow your business
Traditional Media
• Print
• Broadcast
• Internet Sites
(yes, it’s now
considered "traditional")
Meet the Press
Preparation = Coverage
Meet the Press
Secrets to Dealing
With the Media
Assume Journalists Are…
• Lazy
• Procrastinate
• Enjoy Freebies
Meet the Press
Make It Easy for Media
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We love "ready-made" stories.
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Complete information is important—
the less “hunting” we do, the better for you.
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Have materials ready to go—often it can fill
an open “hole” in the publication.
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The first sources to respond with info
often will get the coverage.
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When you do the work, you control the message.
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You need to make us aware of what's happening!
Meet the Press
Give Media What They Want,
When They Want It
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We like to run up close to deadlines.
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Respond immediately to a journalist's
email or phone call.
SO ... FOCUS ON:
•Advanced Preparation
•Timely Response
Build Your Media Strategy
1. Research Media Outlets
• Print
Newspapers (local weeklies, dailies)
Magazines (regional, national, special interest)
Newsletters
• Broadcast
Radio
Television (local, cable)
• Internet
Websites (from above publications/stations,
partners/sponsors, town sites such as
chamber of commerce, blogs, social networks)
Build Your Media Strategy
2. What’s Your Story?
• Anything you do can be news and worthy of a
press release or photo + caption.
New or completed jobs
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Staff changes or promotions
New equipment/facilities
Awards/honors
Anniversaries/milestones
• Bigger feature stories, too.
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Generally “query” local media: Often they prefer
to write the bigger stories themselves.
If you already advertise, they'll probably write about you
• Think Beyond the Sports Pages
Build Your Media Strategy
3. Prepare Materials
• Printed Materials
Press release
Other company background material/fact sheets
• Photographs
For print
For websites
• Your Website
An important resource for accurate info
IMPORTANT:
• Consistently BRAND your printed material and website!
Logo/Company info/Contact info
Build Your Media Strategy
The Press Release
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The standard tool for communicating
with the press.
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Provides the facts along with quotes,
graphics and sources.
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Most media like to receive it via email.
Build Your Media Strategy
Use your logo/brand
Build Your Media Strategy
Photographs
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Get a good photographer.
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Think “unique.”
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Include signage in background if applicable.
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Provide a caption with names, places, dates, contact info.
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On press release and website, indicate "photos available."
IMPORTANT:
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Photo requirements are different for print pubs and for web use.
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Printing in newspapers and magazine requires higher resolution
photos than displaying on a website or in emails.
Good color in magazine, generally 500K to 1 MB or more.
For website use, 72K is the standard.
Build Your Media Strategy
4. Make a Pitch
If suggesting a bigger story to a publication:
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Send a tailored message to a specific contact
(email generally is best, rather than a phone call)
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Be clear, concise and brief
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Materials to provide include:
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Press release or other company info
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Photos
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List of sources to interview
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Fact sheets
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Company brochures
Think beyond the sports pages
Build Your Media Strategy
5. Follow Up
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Call or email, but don't harass.
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Remind the person what you're calling about.
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Be considerate of a journalist's time (and
conscious of when they're on deadline).
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Often, the assistant is the gatekeeper.
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We always like thank-you notes.
Your Brand
• Communicates who you are
• Communicates what you do
• Helps others make judgments and
decisions about you and your business
Your Brand
Basic: You Must Have
An Online Presence
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Buy/Register Your Domain Name
- Helps to develop your brand
- Inexpensive
- Can be used for web-hosting and email
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Build a Website
- This is where customers, media and others will find
information on you and your business
- Can start simple—most ISPs provide easy templates
- ISPs can help you turn up in searches
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Get a Real, Domain-Based Email Address
- Helps to further your brand
- Can move to different internet service providers
Your Brand
Make Your Branding Consistent!
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Use a consistent user name or website URL
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Will make it easier for customers to find you
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Helps to better promote your brand
Your Brand
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Google Yourself
Google becomes your “business card.”
Customers will find you on Google (and other
search engines)
Make sure you show up early in searches
Your Brand
Website Essentials
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Keep It Up to Date
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Websites are often the first thing people go to
when researching a product or service
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Media use the website for information,
background, fact-checking.
Basic information
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Office hours, location, directions, staff email links,
projects/portfolio, staff bios
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Newsworthy content: products, photos, jobs
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Testimonials
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Media Page: Press Clips/Awards/Honors
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Sponsor/partner logos, links and blurb
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Newsletter sign-up, if applicable
Your Brand
Basic Website Design
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Get a web designer to help you
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Clear branding
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Consistent, easy navigation
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Menu at left or horizontally across top
Vital information should be one click away
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Logo should be top left, and mimic your offline ID.
Contact info, operation details, anything
you think is important.
Scale down the colors
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Minimize confusion, strengthen brand, use white space.
Your Brand
Link to Other Sites
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Publications
- Local weeklies, daily papers, community newsletters
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Civic groups
- Chamber, town website, civic organizations
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Schools, organizations and groups
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Related businesses/partners
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Local divisions of national groups
SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)
A web designer or SEO company can help your website
come up on consumer searches.
Links to and from other sites help your website to be found.
Social Media Basics
• Media based on conversation and
interaction online
• Allows new ways to create and communicate
with others who share similar interests
• A business resource—Keep on top of the
trends, concerns, ideas, and topics being
discussed in your industry
Social Media
Popular Social Networks
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Over 1 billion posts/day
500 million+ users
Median age: 38
61% of FB users 35+
• 50 million tweets/day
• 64% of users 35+
• 46% college-educated
• Over 2 billion views/day
• Second largest search engine after
Google
• 24 hrs of video uploaded every minute
• New video uploaded every second
• 65 million+ users
Social Media
Why Use Social Media?
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Increases your potential customer base; provides a new
way to search for sales leads and biz relationships
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Builds customer loyalty and gives your business
a "personality"
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Gives you a web-presence on an interactive basis,
rather than just informative
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Allows you to post updates, share ideas, and get
feedback from customers quickly and cheaply
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Builds and generates interest in your brand
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Customer service
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New marketing channels
Social Media
Survey Says . . .
According to a survey by the Yankee Group:
•70% of consumers want to interact via social media, and
only 30% of companies are ready for it.
•80% believe that companies should monitor social media
sites to see what they are saying about them.
•58% indicate regular communications via social
networking improves brand/company loyalty.
•50% use social media daily.
•67% of employees are looking for new and better tools to
track and manage social media for business.
Social Media
Social Media Myths
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It is only for young people who want to stay in touch
with friends.
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It is a fad and is not worth the time or effort for my
company.
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There is no use for social media in my line of work.
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It has no real value to organizations.
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Social media is “free”
- In fact, it’s not free—it takes time to use and interact
Social Media
Social Media Tips
• USE IT — Learn how it can benefit your organization.
• Converse — Don’t simply pitch your products or promote your
ideas to those you interact with—make it seem like personal
conversation at least a third of the time. This helps develop
relationships.
• Be aware of social media sites your clients/customers are
using. Get on those networks and interact.
Social Media
Reasons to Start a Blog
• Express your thoughts and opinions
• Market or promote your business, a product or service
• To make money
• Establish yourself as an expert
• Stay active or knowledgeable in a field or topic
• Connect with others like you
• Help people
• To make a difference
• Say connected with friends and family
• To have fun and be creative
Social Media
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Tips for Blogging
Define your goals—know what you hope to accomplish
Know your audience
Stay on topic
Be consistent—your blog is a brand
Be persistent & write often—a busy blog is a useful blog
Be inviting and make sure readers can comment
Market your blog
Be visible—leave comments on other blogs and use
links to help drive traffic to your blog
• Keep learning—stay on top of new tools available to
bloggers
• Be yourself
• Spell-check and proofread
Social Media
Why Use Social Networks
• Inexpensive advertising and communications tool for
your business. Most of them are free
• Millions of users on FB and Twitter. 50% of active FB
users log on every day.
• New video uploaded on YouTube every second
• Advertising is relatively inexpensive
• Ability to target your market is easy to do, can drill it way
down
• Everybody’s doing it, including your customers
• A good way to gather customer feedback
• Good way to build brand loyalty and awareness
• Platform to engage and interact with clients, customers,
market, competitors
• Good way to check up on competitors to see what
they’re doing on social networks
Social Media
How to Use Social Networks
• Don’t ignore negative feedback. If you only see positive
things, you may think it’s rigged
• You do want to interact even if feedback isn’t positive
• Want to engage with audience and personalize your
business, so they see the human element
• Don’t just promote your product
• On FB, have a fan page, not a personal profile, for your
biz.
• For Twitter, you want to have a business account, but
also want to have a personal account for yourself.
• Keep them updated with fresh and relevant content
Summary
Don’t Forget Traditional Media
• Print, broadcast, your website are all important
to your business
• Make it easy for the media
Develop Your Brand
• Communicates who you are and what
you do—consistently
Embrace Social Media
• Establish, maintain & monitor your brand
• Service your customers
• Reach new customers
Thank you,
and good luck!