What to do with all that press

There I was, minding my own business, cleaning out the inbox, when a new message popped up.

It was from Andy Fraser. I don't know Andy, but I still opened his email. Why? I'm not sure.

But I'm glad I did because it was the perfect example of a quick and easy way companies can (and definitely should) push the press.

What do I mean by "push the press?"

It's the act of making sure your clients and prospects actually read your hard-earned and well-deserved news coverage. Here's Andy's message:

We’re delighted to share some great news.  Curves International, the world’s largest franchise of fitness clubs, will use Engage121 to improve their social media communication. You can read the story here: http://reut.rs/cxDHoX
 
This news follows last week’s announcement that Learning Express, the largest specialty toy franchise, also signed with Engage121: http://bit.ly/9NwEhu
 
And if you missed it, here’s what appeared in The New York Times online: http://nyti.ms/cYcQmN  
 
I’d like to discuss how Engage121 can help your business.  If it’s convenient, please reply with a time and date that works for you. 
 
I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by Engage121.

Bravo, Andy. I may not know you, but I know this tactic. It's simple, smart, cheap and effective.

What the heck is SERM and why do I care?

By Guest Blogger Louis Venter, CEO of Media Vision, a search marketing company based in London.

Most business owners are very conscious about their Google performance, specifically the search results for their brand, and they should be.

All offline and online PR efforts serve to boost navigational search, and while it’s very important to come up first in search results, it is even more important to control the entire first page of results.

The cost of a negative review entering the front page is more than your reputation. It can seriously affect your revenue.

Search Engine Reputation Management (SERM) is the process of influencing the entire first page to contain positive content about your brand. The best time to undertake this type of activity is before you are in a crisis situation and are trying to remove any negative content. Prevention is far better than cure.

Where can you start?

Well, if you want to dip your toe in the water, its best to think about content. Anything you do offline from a PR perspective needs content, and this content, correctly titled and tagged, can work wonders online too.

Esure that every time you generate content, you think about where it can be distributed online.

If you are currently in a crisis situation, seek out a specialist in SERM, as your approach needs to be very sensitive and appear natural.

Don't Be a Media Snob

Picture this: You're sitting at your desk, working feverishly on a project due yesterday. You've closed your office door, turned off the iPod and closed down your email software.

Just as you're beginning to hit your stride, the phone rings. It's a reporter from some rinky dink trade magazine you've never heard of. She wants 15 minutes of your time to get gain industry insight. You're tempted to tell her no.

But then you remember your PR expert's adamant warning -- Don't be a media snob!

It can be tempting, particularly if you regularly are sourced by major media outlets, to deny smaller media their fair share of you.

So, here's three good reasons to take that interview with the lesser-known.

1. 'Cause you never know. Smaller media outlets have a tendency to work with freelance writers. Freelancers get paid when their articles are published. So, they have motivation to shop you around. There's a good possibility your article will appear in more than one outlet.

2. It's all about the links. Does the outlet calling have an online presence? Chances are pretty darn good they do. Chances are also good that the story will include a link back to your Website. And what do links lead to? Higher search engine rankings!

3. Who cares if your prospects don't read her stuff. You can make sure they do. News coverage of any kind provides an implied third-party endorsement. Share the news the same way you would a reference letter or a case study. Be sure to ask the reporter when the story will run, capture it and put it in front of your stakeholders. Blog it. Email it. Digg it. (And for the old-school: Mail it!)

There's no telling where this interview could take you. A client of mine recently wound up on ABC World News after doing an interview with a small, regional construction magazine. It happens!

So, take those calls. Do those interviews. Enjoy the fame and fortune to follow.

Don't Dismiss Print Just Yet

Yesterday, a former client pointed me to a blog about where PR is headed. It basically suggested that chasing down coverage in mainstream media is an outdated practice and one that will never yield a "viral" result.

I agree. Online coverage increases the chances that the reader will click through to a Website; it bumps the client and their brand up in the search engine findings; it creates buzz. And, lucky for us PR pros, there are plenty of new media sources to pitch, creating more opportunity for our news to be blogged, Tweeted or Dugg.

That said, I don't think we can turn our noses up at print media coverage just yet.

Yesterday, my experience proved that readers of print media are quite capable of taking their new found offline knowledge online without a link.

A Kids Eat Free page on a Website I run for Des Moines-area parents was discussed in a front-section article on family budgeting in the the Des Moines Register. As a result, my site saw a 500 percent increase in traffic as compared to all previous Wednesdays in the month of February.

The article also appeared in the online version of the Des Moines Register, but it did not provide a direct link to DesMoinesFamilies.com — evidence that my new visitors had to either Google the site or punch it into their address bars.

So, while a click-through is definitely aces, print coverage is nothing to scoff at… at least not yet.

JUICY NEWS: Kelly Moore Consulting Turns a Shade of Purple

Today marks the first day of our alliance with Purple Wren, a Des Moines-based Web development group. Working together, we're now able to expand the services offered to our communications clients.

After collaborating on a Web and blog development project for a southwest Iowa biodiesel producer, Purple Wren president Sandy Renshaw and I saw an opportunity to repeat the success for more clients.

Purple Wren creates affordable and simple-to-update Web sites for companies with a need for dynamic content, such as news, photos, documents and blog posts. The set up is ideal for clients looking to find their brands higher up in search engine results.

With a team of expert writers and new media consultants, Kelly Moore Consulting brings editorial skills to Web development projects. The team helps organize information, writes copy and edits existing documents for online publication. 

Tweetin' with the best of 'em

I've been on Twitter for some time and am an absolute fan. The benefits to business are beyond immeasurable, and now with all the new tools, it's super easy to use it (psst... even if you're busy).

I've been tweeting under the handle @jandqsmom since July 2007. However, I've since come to realize that one handle was not enough. Some of my followers were interested in PR; others wanted to learn about my life as a mom; still others were excited to follow my pursuits as the moderator of DesMoinesFamilies.com.

In an effort to create more targeted lists of followers, I've decided to Tweet at three accounts instead of one. I added a handle for the PR and business-related Tweets: @kellymoorepr. And one for the Des Moines parenting news: @DMFamiliescom.

Social and new media are areas you can't afford to ignore, even in the B2B environment. My team and I can help you navigate these evolving modes of communication. Just give us a call.

We're on Elance

If you're a fan of Elance, good news, we're now on board. The database of independent specialists connects clients and consultants.

You can find us at http://kellymooreconsulting.elance.com.

New Orleans or Bust!

The perfect place to put my clients together with the media they need to know, tradeshows are a must-attend for me.

But this week's show, the Golf Industry Show in New Orleans, will be a wildly different because I'm going clientless. In fact, I'm going on a client hunt.

Because people are so busy at these shows, I'm realistic that I'll be lucky to get a few moments with them to hock my wares.

As such, I've prepared a DVD with work samples and a little hello from me (huge thanks to createWOWmedia for helping me pull this together so quickly!).

Follow this link to see the DVD's intro video staring yours truly...

If you have plans to be at the show, send me an email or DM me on Twitter @jandqsmom and perhaps we can get together.

Why NOT to DIY

By Guest Blogger Elizabeth Grace Saunders, trainer, speaker and coach on "Time Strategies to Create a Brilliant Life in a Burnt-Out World" 

Depending on your strengths, your business and your team, PR may be a good item to add to your to-delegate list.

Here are some questions to ask yourself to see if you should move PR off your plate to open up your schedule and strengthen your business:

1. Am I working more hours than I would prefer to work because I am doing PR, marketing, etc.?

2. Do I have a PR plan? (If not, do I have time to make one?)

3. Am I implementing that plan on a consistent basis? (If not, is it due to lack of time?)

4. If I don’t have media contacts, do I have time to develop them?

5. Is spending time doing PR the best use of my time? of my staff members’ time?

6. If I hear from the media, am I able to promptly meet their needs?

If your work schedule is already overloaded, PR (or other specialized business development activities) might be a great thing to move to your “to contract” list. Hiring outside help can decrease your work load, alleviate psychological pressure if you haven’t been doing what you feel you “should” do, and give you the benefit of working with industry experts who already have the systems, contacts and tools to complete the work efficiently.

Reveal your true business brilliance by deciding not to DIY.

PR for My Peeps

With budgets in my niche (construction, equipment, industrial, turf/ornamental) squeezing up into a shriveled little ball, I've gotten the opportunity to expand my client list to include a few local companies.

I'm so excited to have added three Des Moines-based clients this week:

Metropolis P.A., a personal assistant and concierge service

Storied Gifts, a personal history book publishing group

Sweet Binney's, a French-style pastry bakery serving both the wholesale and retail markets

What fun!

Don't get me wrong, I love writing about hydraulics and turf paint (truly, I'm not being sarcastic), but it's refreshing to be back in the mix with local reporters and editors, encouraging them to look the way of these three fantastic women-owned businesses. 

Psst: The Des Moines skyline art work was done by Alan Lampe... go check him out if you're into Iowa landscapes... great stuff...