Last month, we told you about “pay for play,” a practice in which news organizations charge sources to appear on their programs. In other words, if you ante up enough cash, these “news” programs will air a puff piece about your company or organization.

But in most cases, these pay for play outfits don’t deliver what they promise. Not only don’t they stand behind their “guarantees” of audience numbers, but the public regards their alleged reporting with skepticism. The public is smart enough to recognize the difference between a news segment and advertising.

Shortly after sending out our article on pay for play last month, PR Week Magazine reported a story on its front page about yet another scheme.

Terry Bradshaw, the former Pittsburgh Steelers hero, is hosting a television program called “The Winners Circle.” The program honors companies for their “forward thinking and consistent principles.” The segments air during commercial time on MSNBC, CNN, CNN Headline News and CNBC.

The problem is this – the companies actually pay the producers of these spots $29,000 for their dubious honor. The producers never say that the alleged winners paid for the honor. Occasionally, they cryptically note that the commercial time was purchased. But in some cases, the spot has aired with no notice to viewers whatsoever that this was just a glorified commercial.

With the practice under increased scrutiny, my advice remains the same as it was last month – in general, walk away from these offers.

There is one disclaimer here. While running the media shop at Conservation International, I received a call from the producers of “The Winners Circle.” Like many pay for play outfits, they were aggressive. They wanted the sale – and I got the sense that they couldn’t care less whether or not the subject of the piece was actually a “winner.”

I went to the producer’s website to see if it listed criteria for what they considered a winner. It listed laughably softball criteria, such as, “What can viewers learn from your satisfied customers?” I suspect their real definition of a “winner” is anyone with $29,000 to burn.

YOUR RESPONSES

Last month, we asked our newsletter subscribers to tell us about their experiences with pay for play outfits. Here’s what you had to say:

Doralisa writes, “We have been approached several times by exactly the same type of pay for play outfit you described in your newsletter. I’ve had experience with those companies at previous jobs, so I knew from the get-go what was coming after the first flowery sales pitch. Besides the obvious reasons for rejecting them (no guarantee of what markets and time slots it would air, and you’d end up with an infomercial of dubious credibility), the finished cost-per-minute was more than twice what it would cost for me to make the same video in-house, and at the end of the day, we still would not have the rights to the raw footage. If it sounds too good to be true ….”

Laura writes, “I think we got the same pitch as you did. As a non-profit with literally zero resources devoted exclusively to broadcast journalism, the idea “sounded” wonderful. But more probing made me nervous; they didn’t really know our organization name, nor what our purpose was, nor what their story was – they expected us to provide the hook and the main storyline! It was these problems that made me realize what the true motivations were. I mean, no true journalist doesn’t know their own story.”

Perhaps there are a few good pay for play operators out there. But watching these groups from both up close and afar has made me wary. My experience has taught me that companies and organizations can almost always invest their $29,000 more effectively. My advice is this – when you get the pitch, take a walk.

Brad Phillips is the founder and president of Phillips Media Relations. He was formerly a journalist for ABC News and CNN, and headed the media relations department for the second largest environmental group in the world.

For more information and to sign up for free monthly media relations and media training e-tips, visit http://www.PhillipsMediaRelations.com

For many of us, the word quality is closely related to our expectations. When we receive the public relations results we planned for, we feel, understandably, that we have generated quality results.

Another interpretation says quality PR may simply be in the eye of the beholder. But yet another take holds that quality public relations occurs when business, non-profit or association managers use public relations to alter individual perception among their target publics, which leads to changed behaviors, thus helping achieve their managerial objectives.

I like that interpretation because, logically in my view, those managers employ their public relations resources to do something positive about the behaviors of those important external audiences of theirs that MOST affect their operations.

Logical yes, but also sensible when managers then take steps to persuade their key outside folks to their way of thinking, then move them to take actions that allow that manager’s department, group, division or subsidiary to succeed.

It happens, of course, due to the reality that people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired- action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

If you are such a manager, keep in mind that your PR effort must demand more than special events, brochures and press releases if you are to come up with the quality public relations results you believe you planned for.

An array of quality results can occur: politicians and legislators starting to view you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities; welcome bounces in show room visits; fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; capital givers or specifying sources beginning to look your way; prospects starting to do business with you; customers starting to make repeat purchases; membership applications on the rise; and community leaders beginning to seek you out.

Your PR people are already in the perception and behavior business and can be of real use for your new opinion monitoring project. But be certain that your PR staff really accept why it’s SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. And make sure they believe that perceptions almost always result in behaviors that can help or hurt your operation.

Share with them your plans for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions along these lines: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? Are you familiar with our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

The cost benefit of using those PR folks of yours in that monitoring capacity versus the cost of using professional survey firms to do the opinion gathering work, may lead you to the conclusion that it’s a no- brainer. But, whether it’s your people or a survey firm asking the questions, the objective remains the same: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

Now you must set a goal that calls for doing something about the most serious problem areas you uncovered during your key audience perception monitoring. Will it be to straighten out that dangerous misconception? Correct that gross inaccuracy? Or, stop that potentially painful rumor cold?

While setting your PR goal, you must establish a strategy that tells you how to get there. There are just three strategic options available to you when it comes to doing something about perception and opinion. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. The wrong strategy pick will taste like strawberry vinaigrette on your mashed potatoes, so be sure your new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. You wouldn’t want to select “change” when the facts dictate a strategy of reinforcement.

Hard work looms ahead because you must now write a persuasive message that will help move your key audience to your way of thinking. It must be a carefully-written message targeted directly at your key external audience. Your very best writer will be needed because s/he must produce really corrective language. Words that are not merely compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are to shift perception/opinion towards your point of view and lead to the behaviors you have in mind.

Now you must think about the communications tactics most likely to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. There are many available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be certain that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

Because the credibility of any message is fragile and always at stake, how you communicate it is a concern. Thus, you may wish to unveil your corrective message before smaller meetings and presentations rather than using higher-profile news releases.

Conversation about progress reports will give you warning that your PR team should begin a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. You’ll want to use many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session. But now, you will be on strict alert for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

Take comfort, should there be a slowdown in the effort, in the fact that you can always speed things up by adding more communications tactics as well as increasing their frequencies.

One of the certain pathways to quality public relations results is the equally certain reality that good public relations planning really CAN alter individual perception and lead to changed behaviors among key outside audiences.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net.

Robert A. Kelly © 2005

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communi- cations, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University, major in public relations. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net

Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com

Yes? Then do something positive about the behaviors of those important external audiences of yours that MOST affect your operation.

Those embers can leap into flame when business, non- profit or association managers use public relations to alter individual perception among their target publics, leading to changed behaviors and helping to achieve their managerial objectives.

In the process, things can really blaze when managers take steps to persuade their key external folks to their way of thinking, then move them to take actions that allow that manager’s department, group, division or subsidiary to succeed.

The kindling for your new fire is the reality that people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

Let’s assume you are such a manager and that you will keep in mind that your PR effort must demand more than special events, brochures and press releases if you are to achieve the quality public relations results you’re counting on.

And lots of good things CAN happen. Capital givers or specifying sources beginning to look your way; customers starting to make repeat purchases; membership applications on the rise; fresh proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; politicians and legislators starting to view you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities; welcome bounces in show room visits; prospects starting to do business with you; and community leaders beginning to seek you out.

Because your public relations professionals are already in the perception and behavior business, they can be of real use for your new opinion monitoring project. But be certain that the PR staff really accepts why it’s SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. And make sure they believe that perceptions almost always result in behaviors that can help or hurt your operation.

Sit down and review with them your plans for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions along these lines: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? Are you familiar with our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

When you study the benefits of the program, you may conclude it’s a no-brainer as you measure the cost benefit of using those PR folks of yours in that monitoring capacity against the cost of using professional survey firms to do the opinion gathering work. But, whether it’s your people or a survey firm asking the questions, the objective remains the same: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

It’s time to establish a goal calling for action on the most serious problem areas you uncovered during your key audience perception monitoring. Will it be to straighten out that dangerous misconception? Correct that gross inaccuracy? Or, stop that potentially painful rumor cold?

Naturally, setting your PR goal requires an equally specific strategy that tells you how to get there. There are just three strategic options available to you when it comes to doing something about perception and opinion. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. The wrong strategy pick will taste like onion gravy on your deep dish apple pie, so be sure your new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. You wouldn’t want to select “change” when the facts dictate a strategy of reinforcement.

Now comes the hard work. You must prepare a persuasive message that will help move your key audience to your way of thinking. It must be a carefully-written message targeted directly at your key external audience. Your very best writer will be needed because s/he must produce really corrective language. Words that are not merely compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are to shift perception/opinion towards your point of view and lead to the behaviors you have in mind.

At last you come to the fun part of the program. Selecting the communications tactics most likely to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. There are many available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be certain that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

How you communicate is a concern since the credibility of any message is fragile and always up for grabs. Which is why you may wish to unveil your corrective message before smaller meetings and presentations rather than using higher-profile news releases.

You and your PR team will inevitably view any suggestions about progress reports as an alert to begin a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. You’ll want to use many of the same questions used in the benchmark session. But now, you will be on strict alert for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

The fact that you can always speed things up by adding more communications tactics as well as increasing their frequencies, will be a source of comfort for you should program momentum slow.

The fastest way for managers to light a fire under their public relations efforts is to persuade those key external audiences of theirs to his or her way of thinking, thus moving those publics to take actions that allow the managers’ business, non-profit or association to succeed.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net. Word count is 1085 including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2005.

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communi- cations, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University, major in public relations. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com

Redevelopment is replacing new construction throughout the Greater Boston area, as construction costs climb and the commercial/retail vacancy rate reaches new (and alarming) levels.

Redevelopment of highly visible, publicly owned or historic properties~ such as shipyards, air bases, and historic mills ~ involves all the usual steps of Federal and State permitting and approvals, and the additional layer of permitting involving historic, archeological and cultural review and approvals.

At every one of these steps, community or political opposition can bog a project down, and that means lost time, lost revenues, and significant expenses while people and equipment sit idle, as developers go back to the designers, planners, and lawyers for revisions. Just as important is the potential negative public relations impact on development plans: once opposition becomes vocal and reaches the media, it can spread like wildfire, creating additional challenges and expenses for the developer.

Redevelopment projects can displace people and create opposition, and develop a negative momentum that’s hard to turn around. But, with longer-term planning and community involvement, redevelopment can help communities feel a sense of investment, involvement and continuity by engaging the community in celebrating its past to build its future.

Engaging the Community Proactively

The Hingham Shipyard project developed by Paul Trendowicz, President of Sea Chain, Inc. is a case in point of positively and proactively engaging the community around redevelopment. The former Bethlehem Steel Shipyard was built in 1942 to support the war effort. The shipyard produced 277 ships, and employed 30,000 people. It was closed in 1986, and bought in 1997 by Sea Chain, Inc., as the site for a $250 million redevelopment project for mixed use; high end condominium residential units, some affordable housing, and 200,000 square feet of retail and commercial space.

Public relations and community relations were part of Sea Chain’s strategy from the beginning, to win community support for the project throughout the planning, construction and marketing phases. The development was to be called Hingham Shipyard and the history of the place and its community would be part of its cachet.

As part of the community relations project, public relations counsel The Cohn Group proposed the creation of a foundation on site to preserve the history of the Hingham Shipyard and integrate it into the community’s awareness of the project as it progressed. Sea Chain helped create and fund the Hingham Shipyard Historical Foundation, a nonprofit organization that would acquire and make available historic and archival information and memorabilia.

The Foundation in turn funded the lynchpin of the community relations program: creation of a thirty minute, broadcast quality video, in which the people who had worked in the shipyard told its story through their own recollections of the war years and the shipyard’s contribution to a growing community.

An advisory group of prominent local citizens was created, and helped to identify the individuals, stories, archives, and private and public archives of mementos from the shipyard’s peak production years of building ships.

The video includes historic news footage, photographs and interviews with employees who stayed on in Hingham and built their families after the war.

The video, “Remembering Hingham Shipyard,” was edited to a format suitable for airing on WGBH, which accepted it not only for broadcast but for repeat showing during pledge weeks, and for use, by the Social Studies Department of Hingham Schools. It was shown for the first time at a community gala at the shipyard’s main building, and was attended by some 500 local Hingham residents, including town and regional officials. Throughout the process, the video and the Sea Chain plan were covered consistently, favorably and from a variety of perspectives by local daily and weekly papers, reinforcing a groundswell of community support.

Positive Media Coverage Sustained

Throughout the process, the local media, especially daily and weekly papers, were invited to meet with the developers, advisers and featured residents, to learn more about the shipyard’s history and the redevelopment project. Outreach resulted in a steady drumbeat of positive coverage, as individual storylines created multiple opportunities for news and feature articles. Most articles and editorials mentioned Sea Chain and credited it for underwriting the Foundation and the video, praising the developer’s commitment to the community.

In March 2001, The Patriot Ledger’s Carrie Levine wrote, “If all goes according to plan, the Hingham shipyard will soon resemble an upscale shopping center rather than a former military installation. But those nostalgic for the shipyard’s glory days- when workers built destroyers during WWII- are in for a treat … Sea Chain, which plans to develop the site with condominiums and thousands of feet of retail space, funded the video, and has said they plan to include a historical center in the new plans. The redevelopment proposal is scheduled to be heard before town boards next month.”

James Kirkcaldy, Director, K-12 Hingham Social Studies Department, wrote that “The Hingham Shipyard Project is a great teaching tool… a lasting legacy… and a unique example of a redevelopment project with care and patriotic spirit making a difference in a community’s identity.”

Ultimately, the Planning Board’s approval of the plan cited the video and the foundation as a major influence in approving the permits throughout the pr ocess, as evidenced by commentary of many local leaders in the community, the conservation commission, the Planning Board itself, and the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Lessons Learned

Even though the developer and the Planning Board did not agree on all requests, a positive and mutually respectful relationship continues. Sea Chain’s Paul Trendowicz told The Hingham Journal, "The (Board’s) contributions have resulted in numerous improvements to the redevelopment plan for the shipyard. The board’s attention to design and legal issues and to defense of community values should be appreciated by the town, as they are by Sea Chain and its consultants."

Community relations that acknowledge the importance of the history of a place and how its community connects to it can greatly improve the chances of a smooth development and permitting process, as the Hingham Shipyard did in several specific ways:

• The early development of a foundation to anchor the program as a nonprofit project established credibility and public interest

• Building a community advisory board brought in respected community opinion leaders as a source of ideas, and these early adopters became constructive critics and champions of the overall project.

• Engaging the community in telling its story created a deep investment throughout the community in seeing the project through, and appreciation for the Foundation that would preserve its history and their stories for future generation.

• Sea Chain built up a reserve of good will by proving itself a good corporate neighbor, and learned in the process what problems would arise, and what compromises would be workable for all concerned.

• The permitting process was completed in a smooth process and in good time, with the constant interest and support of local papers and people.

Sea Chain has created a cachet about the Hingham Shipyard which will give it prestige and interest in the marketing phase: it’s a property people will be glad to own and lease, in part, because of its intelligent use of history in creating a new future for the community.

In The Hingham Journal, editor Mary Ford wrote, “… thanks to the developers and the Hingham Shipyard Historical Foundation, area citizens who will someday occupy the shipyard condominiums won’t forget how local members of what Tom Brokaw calls “The greatest Generation” made a contribution on that same piece of waterfront property that helped turn the tide of war.”

“Redevelopment projects take a substantial commitment of time and resources”, says Trendowicz, “and we wanted the community to know we respected its history enough to honor it, and make it part of the distinctive nature of the project. It was a win-win approach.”

Marty Cohn and Ann Getman are senior level public relations practitioners and frequent collaborators, with over 20 years experience each. They can be reached at http://www.cohnpr.com or http://www.getmanpr.com< /a>

It sounds too simple to be true, but it really is… A well targeted and timely PRESS RELEASE to the media is the most powerful form of marketing and advertising on the planet! A high quality press release, with the proper targeting and distribution to reach the correct media members, could have many businesses sailing on a sea of new sales and profits. Just one feature or a mention in a popular or targeted business publication has the potential to cause some business’s phones to literally be ringing off the hook!

The next big question that arises, "How do you go about writing a quality press release that will grab the attention of the media and your particular audience? Here are some tips to help you succeed:

- Pick a "Newsworthy" Angle. Press releases are not an advertisement. Do not try to sell your product or service. Do not use "hype" in press releases. Instead give the media what they want and they will give you what you want… Now, what the press and media really want is a story! Just provide: the Who, What, When, Where and How with regards to the uses of your products and or services in a story format. Show examples of ways that people have used your products and services to their benefit. If you can include some emotions in your story all the better. Think to yourself: Would this be something that I might read in a newspaper?

- Get a Good Start. The headline and the first few sentences of the first paragraph are the absolute most important part of the press release. If you don’t catch the readers interest here you will lose your audience. The best way to do this is to use your most hard hitting infomation FIRST rather than build to a climax. This may be opposite to what you would normally do when writing other material - but it does work! What follows in your press release are the details that SUPPORT your story or theme.

- Write to the Media. Remember your press release is being read by a journalist, editor or reporter, not necessarily a client. It’s not your job to sell them your product or service. It IS your job to give them an interesting story or piece of news that they will be happy to share and announce to their audience.

- Keep Your Release Short and to the Point. It should contain no more than about 500 words and no more than two pages.

- Include Your Contact Information. Provide full contact name, company name, full address, phone number, email address and Web site URL. The contact name should be someone who is knowledgeable and available to answer any questions by media members such as editors, reporters and journalists.

Targeted press releases to the media have helped thousands of companies succeed. They are the most powerful form of marketing and advertising on the planet! Remember: One article is all it takes!

For more information on how you can get a quality targeted press release written or have your press release distributed to the targeted media contacts in our 600,0000 press and media contact database, please visit our Advanced PR department at Majon International.

About the Author

Matthew Hesser is President and CEO of Majon International, one of the most popular internet marketing and advertising companies on the internet located at: http://www.majon.com

To get a high quality targeted press release written and/or distributed to the press and media, as well as get GUARANTEED media and press coverage for your business please visit: http://www.advanced-pr.com

What do you do with junk mail? Are you like me? I toss this stuff without opening it – unless I see some benefit. Publication editors do the same. They toss news releases that don’t demonstrate a benefit to their audience.

What’s the difference between a release that gets used and one that hits the editor’s circular file? Here are seven easy tips for writing releases that get picked up rather than thrown out.

1. Make sure it’s newsworthy. What’s newsworthy, you ask. To be newsworthy your topic needs to be timely, of interest to the publication’s audience, benefit-oriented, and substantive (that is, not self-serving, hype or fluff.)

2. Write a powerful headline. The headline is what will pull in the editor or leave her/him cold. Keep it short and descriptive, but make it interesting.

3. Use journalist style. Editors are looking for the facts, not fluff. Be sure to include the essentials: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How.

4. Keep it brief. Editors are pressed for time and inundated with releases. Keep yours to one page, 300-800 words. The headline and first two paragraphs are the most important parts of your release.

5. Avoid jargon. Even if you’re sending a release on a technical topic to a technical journal, resist the temptation to use acronyms. Spell it out! Use common language. It will make your releases more readable and accessible.

6. Proof it. The accuracy of your release – including spelling and grammar – reflects on your company. If you aren’t good at proofreading your own stuff, enlist someone else to do it.

7. Include a photo. Okay. This isn’t a writing tip, but it’s good advice anyway. Publications are looking for good quality visuals, so including a photo, illustration, chart or graph (with a caption, please) increases your chance of getting picked up.

Follow these tips to improve your news release writing. But remember that the keys to a successful news release program are a good list of publications and a regular mailing schedule of newsworthy items. Persistence WILL pay off.

©Copyright 2005 Clairvoyant Communications, Inc.

About the author

Claire Cunningham, president of Clairvoyant Communications, Inc., has 25 years’ experience developing and implementing successful marketing and communications programs. Sign up for Claire’s monthly e-newsletter, Communiqué, at http://www.clairvoyantcommunications.com

Claire can be reached at 763-479-3499 (claire@claircomm.com)

A press kit is an essential press relations tool. While it can be used to support a special event or promotional activity, it is most helpful in strategically positioning an organization or product. On a website, the "press room" is the on-line equivalent of the traditional press kit.

More expansive and educational than a press release, a press kit/room includes a variety of supporting materials from fact sheets to photographs. Their purpose is to provide a media contact with a plentiful source of current and archived information from which stories can be created.

Traditional press kits are usually presented in a custom binder or portfolio with the name, address, phone number and logo of the organization on the cover. On-line press rooms often contains links to pages which may also be reached from other areas of the site. Depending on the industry, most companies use a combination of the two to meet the needs of the press.

It’s important to regularly update press kits.

A press kit can include any or all of the following items:

• "Press releases" are the most common press communication tool. In a press kit, only current releases should be included. On-line you have the luxury of providing a press release archive to assist reporters in developing stories.

• "Backgrounders" may take several different forms and will typically support your position, mission, goals, history and/or track record. Research or article abstracts and fact sheets are two common backgrounder styles.

• A "Fact sheet" provides an "at a glance" bulleted overview of the organization. It is a bullet list of the organization’s activity, key employees, services or products, etc.

• A "Calendar of Events" is self-explanatory.

• "Bio’s" of significant leaders or key players within the organization or, if it’s an event, the celebrity attraction.

• A "Reviewer’s Guide" is important, especially if you are going to have your product included in a round-up with competitive products. It can cover your products strengths and weaknesses against the competition’s in a factual manner. Or it can just cover your company’s technical points.

• Photos can accurately present the impact of your programs and services. Make them interesting, pertinent, and personal. Avoid boring "check passing" events. In a traditional press kit, black and whites can be used in a 3 by 5 or 5 by 7 inch format. Color photos are best provided in a transparency or slide format. For website use, photos should be made available in quickly downloadable compressed .gif, .tiff or .jpeg files.

• Position statements are helpful, particularly if your organization has a political direction.

• A "Quote Sheet" provides five or six significant quotes that are approved for media use. It allows the reporter to flesh out a story without having to interview a lot of people.

• "Brochures and newsletters" provide a reporter with "another look" at your organization. It is typical to include one or more issues of your corporate newsletter in a press kit.

• It is useful to include samples of previously published articles ("clips") organization or programs to provide credibility and demonstrate the news-worthiness of your organization’s activities. With an on-line press room, you can provide links to the media’s own press page or provide a copy of the article on your own site. If you chose to do the latter, you MUST receive permission to reprint the article.

• Media should always be provided with an easy means with which to contact you. Make sure to include a phone number where they can contact you after business hours.

• Annual reports provide valuable background information.

Remember, the purpose of a press kit is to let the outside world into the inner workings of your organization. Paint a picture. Tell your story. And do it all with your audience’s listening in mind. Speak to their listening. Do they want to see your experience? Are they more interested in finding out your credentials? Or how well known you are in your community? When you are clear on what your audience wants to see from you, you can mix and match the above ingredients for maximum media coverage.

Monikah Ogando is President & CEO of Ogando Associates, Inc., a business consulting and coaching firm that works with start up and expanding businesses to implement action driven and results oriented strategies for profitability and a rewarding company culture. You can reach Monikah by email, monikah@ogandoassociates.com.

I don’t know about you but I get really frustrated when I have to deal with anyone in the plumbing, heating, or electrical field. For the most part, the service is horrible, the contractors are unreliable, and the lack of professionalism is rampant.

Case in point, we’ve been working on adding a new bathroom at our house. We had a plumber all lined up to do the work. When we were ready for him, we gave him a call only to be told he didn’t have time to do the work. If he had told us that a month before we might have had a chance to line someone else up to do the work. So instead of a bathroom, we had a real nice porch. Fortunately, we were able to find someone else to help us out and the construction project is moving along.

Imagine my delight when I saw this press release: www.clickpress.com/releases/Detailed/2007005cp.shtml

Hub Plumbing and Mechanical in Boston has initiated a program called “Red Carpet Service”. Get this…the technician shows up at your house or business and literally rolls out the red carpet to protect your floors. They wear boot covers, have badges for security, and they actually arrive ON TIME dressed in clean red uniforms.

When you call their offices for an emergency, their phone is answered by a customer service representative who actually works for the company—not an answering service that just takes a message. The customer service rep can dispatch a technician immediately in case of an emergency.

The company also offers consistent pricing for everyone—no extra charges because you live in a fancy house.

I don’t know who the genius was who wrote this press release but it is masterful. It does exactly what you want a press release to do:

*It is newsworthy—the customer service bar is set very low in the trades so a trade company that actually provides good service is, sadly enough, newsworthy.

*It shows why this company is different from its competitors.

*It tells exactly what problems the company solves—they assist “both residential and commercial customers with code violations, sewer/drain clogs, garbage disposals, water heaters…”

*They even specify where they work—Dorchester and Wellesley.

Print this press release and save it. Use it as a model for all your future press releases. It really is brilliant.

Caroline Jordan, MBA helps self employed professionals build successful businesses, attract clients they enjoy working with, improve cash flow, and enhance their reputations. To find out how visit: http://www.TheJordanResult.com

Have you ever noticed that in communities without big universities, high school sports take on an even bigger importance?

That’s what it’s like where I live.

But like everywhere else in the country, our high school sports are always looking for ways to make a few extra bucks. Enter the high school baseball sponsorship program.

For a nominal fee (really nominal) businesses can display a banner around the baseball field for the season.

To me, this is a perfect example of a win-win situation for everyone.

Businesses get to advertise to parents (who are currently purchasing adult products and services) and kids (who soon will be purchasing adult products and services). They are able to control their message because they choose the banner (one of the strengths of advertising). And, because the parents and kids viewing the ads know the proceeds are going to help high school sports, they tend to view those businesses more favorably (one of the strengths of community relations).

Best yet, high school sports benefit from an influx of cash.

See how this works? As a business owner, you get the best of all worlds: Control of your message (advertising), frequency of your message (advertising), affiliation with a good cause (community relations) and the good feeling knowing you’re supporting a worthwhile cause (community relations).

Creativity Exercise — How to find win-win advertising and community relations opportunities

Grab some paper and pens (I’m partial to the fun gel pens) and let’s start with some brainstorming.

First, start by making a list of everything you’re looking for. I would include:

* What advertising opportunities does the association offer? For this purpose, make sure they offer some sort of advertising or sponsorship package.

* Is it a cause near and dear to your heart? (Or even just something you believe in?)

* Does the cause reach your target market? This is important. In the above example, as cool as I think that opportunity is, I’m not racing to sign up. Why? Because chances are, I’m not hitting enough of my target market to make it worth my while. And since there’s a limited number of these opportunities, I could potentially be taking something away from a business that could really benefit from it.

However, here’s something else to think about. Basically when it comes to target markets, this is what you have to decide: Is the cause more important than you getting business out of it? The more closely aligned the cause is to your target market, the more likely you’ll see results from your participation. But again, if this is a cause you’re passionate about and it reaches absolutely no one in your target market, you may still want to participate simply because it is so important to you. (I would still look for ways to get something out of your investment — see (LINK TO) How to Use Community Relations to Grow Your Business for more ideas. There’s nothing wrong with reaping some reward for your time and/or money.)

Now that you know what you’re looking for, start digging around for opportunities. Start by calling the local Chamber of Commerce and networking groups like the Rotary and Kiwanis and other organizations that have their fingers on your community’s pulse. Ask about both high-profile events and ones off the beaten path. Make sure you research them both — high-profile events may seem too pricey on the surface, but dig deeper and you may discover it’s perfect for your business. And you may strike gold with smaller venues.

You can also try calling your local area school sports coaches, band directors and fine arts program teachers — all frequently offer programs that might include sponsorships and/or underwriting and/or various forms of advertising. Ditto non-school run sports programs like dance, gymnastics, Pop Warner football, AYSO soccer, Little League, YBL Basketball, etc.

With any luck, you’ll discover your own win-win situation.

Michele Pariza Wacek is the author of "Got Ideas? Unleash Your Creativity and Make More Money." She offers two free e-zines that help subscribers combine their creativity with hard-hitting marketing and copywriting principles to become more successful at attracting new clients, selling products and services and boosting business. She can be reached at http://www.TheArtistSoul.com

Copyright 2005 Michele Pariza Wacek

Some people just don’t read. Or at least they don’t read very much. And while physical letters to the editor get read, there are some people you just won’t reach using them. But for those who won’t read your letters, here’s a way of reaching these folks who are often more cued into learning by listening.

The way I’m talking about is using audio “letters” to editors. The way this works is that news and talk shows on radio often invite listeners to comment by calling in and recording on a voicemail box they’ve set up. The most prominent example of this is National Public Radio. These audio clips are usually played verbatim, and while you won’t have as much time to make your point than you would if you were writing a letter, you can make the point, and make it well.

I was going to suggest that you check out your speaking voice. And if you know your voice is just terrible, you might want to skip this idea. But on second thought, consider this. First, most of us are far harder on ourselves, and our “weaknesses” than others are. I have found people who have perfectly good singing voices, for example, who just imagine that they can’t sing. And secondly, consider that sometimes a perfect voice can be a liability.

Imagine that. What happens is that the man or woman with a perfectly silky speaking voice can actually fail to stand out with all of the other perfectly silky voices on the radio. You probably remember radio and TV commercials that feature a business owner hawking their products or services, and the reason you remember that particular business owner is because their voice is just so bad.

A local car dealer is like that. She has a lisp, not a terrible one, but noticeable. And probably any consultant would tell her to have someone else do the ads, that her speaking voice is just not “right” for on-air sound.

But the problem with our hypothetical consultant is that I remember this car dealer. And I remember her dealership. And I remember what she sells. Is it because of the “difference” in her voice? I don’t know. But I do remember her.

So I would encourage you to plow on, regardless of how “awful” you imagine your voice to be.

The rules for these audio clips is easy, and fairly straightforward.

First, write out what you’re going to say. While you can do it off-the-cuff, you will get far better results by writing it out. You do have a limited length of time (and this varies from program to program) but even programs that allow a longer time will tend to be more like to play a shorter segment. Writing out what you’re saying also allows you to ensure that your web site URL gets mentioned in the piece. This is crucial: you simply don’t have enough time to say much about what you do, and you must have a URL that listeners can check out later.

Secondly, no hard sell. This is even more important than with a physical letter. Make a tie-in with your work, mention the URL, and leave it at that.

Third, practice, practice, practice. Read through your piece several times. This allows you to catch mistakes before recording the piece. It also gets you more comfortable with what you’ve written.

Fourth, this is a setting in which a corded, landline phone can work wonders. A cell phone or cordless can occasionally have intrusive sounds which are not your fault, but will distract the listener. If you don’t have a corded phone, a cordless is still better than your cell phone.

And finally, make the call in a quiet place. A dog barking, a child crying, someone being paged: depending on where you’re calling from (a regular office or a home office) these sounds might intrude, and that’s not what you’re looking to project. Make sure where you are is quiet, and make sure that no one’s going to interrupt, and you’re set.

Jim Huffman, RN specializes in natural and alternative healing therapies. His first book is ‘Dare to Be Free: How to Get Control of Your Time, Your Life, and Your Nursing Career,’ and is aimed at helping other nurses find satisfying, dynamic careers. His website is http://www.NetworkForNurses.com and his health blog is at http://www.shababa.blogspot.com