Hidden
Elements of Marketing and PR
By
Kathleen Gage
Ask
people what marketing means and many have no idea at all. Still
others believe that marketing is simply about flyers, posters, ad
campaigns, press releases and brochures. Although all of these
elements are a part of your marketing strategy, truth be told,
there is so much more to marketing.
Marketing is absolutely everything you do in your business.
It definitely includes things such as advertising, developing
marketing collateral, a corporate identity, knowing how to write a
good press release (or having one written), direct mail campaigns,
newsletters, and promotional products to name just a few elements.
However, marketing reaches far beyond any of the obvious aspects.
Key to the success of your marketing is how you take care of your
employees, your customers, and what you and your staff are saying
about your product or service outside of work. Additionally, it
ties into what your employees say about you when on and off the
job. Also, it includes how you treat vendors.
Most
people have heard that the best advertising is word of mouth. This
is very true and yet, many companies miss key opportunities by
failing to do all they can to have great word of mouth
advertising.
It
never ceases to amaze me how many organizations will spend small,
and sometimes large, fortunes promoting their business, and yet
don’t take the time to consider what people experience when they
enter the establishment or call the business for the first time.
Think about it. How often have you gone into a place of business
due to a promotional campaign only to be treated with indifference
or downright rudeness by an employee? Or maybe the employee was
very polite and made you feel welcome, but they didn’t know
squat about the product or service?
Recently I went
into a store to buy some needed supplies. I was greeted nicely,
assisted in what I was purchasing and made to feel like a valued
customer. Good experience until I was paying for my purchase and
the clerk began badmouthing the fact that her boss, the owner,
took the afternoon off. The clerk seemed to feel obligated to tell
me how much better she could run the business if she had the
authority and the owner really didn’t know what she was doing. I
simply smiled secretly wishing for the experience to be over as
quickly as possible.
I considered
this to be an isolated case and dismissed it as the clerk having a
bad day. That is until I went in on another occasion and had a
similar experience with another clerk. However, this time the
other clerk didn’t seem to care if I bought anything or not.
I haven’t
been back since the second experience, nor do I feel comfortable
referring anyone to the store. There are a number of factors that could have contributed to
this type of experience. First, the people the owner hired were
simply not a good fit for the environment. Second, perhaps the
owner indicated that the employees would have more input in the
direction of the store than they really do and when staff found
out they had very little input they became frustrated and
resentful and had no qualms about letting people know how inept
the owner is. (Regardless if the owner is skilled or not is not
the issue. Perception is). Whatever the reason, I will likely not
be back and I am sure I am not the only person who feels this way.
What an amazing marketing opportunity is being lost due to a major
disconnect in this business.
The key to the
success of any business is to take a holistic approach to
marketing and PR. Holistic simply means a complete approach. It
means finding those hidden opportunities that are often missed.
With many businesses floundering due to the current economic
conditions, now is a great time to look at the overall experience
and impression people have of your business. Anything you do will
impact that impression. Are you carefully and honestly looking at
all aspects of your marketing and PR? If not, now is the time to
begin. If you are unsure of areas to consider I invite you to
visit my web site for overviews of many aspects to consider. Click
here
and review each link on that page.
To learn yet another aspect of
marketing, I invite you join Dian Thomas and myself on Thursday,
March 6, 2003 for a complimentary, 2-hour presentation entitled
“How to Get a Million Dollars Worth of FREE Publicity.”
Seating is limited, make your reservation today. Click
here for more information on registration.
Are
You Ready for Media?
By Dian Thomas
TV personality, professional speaker,
author
So
you’re trying to promote yourself, your company or your
product—you can advertise (at considerable cost), or you can
get some free publicity. But
where can you get this publicity and what will make a media
outlet choose you? Do
you have the hook, skills and tools necessary to have TV, radio,
newspapers or magazines interested in you?
These six steps will help you get ready for media.
1.
Evaluate What You Have to Offer
First of all, these
media outlets actually need good stories and information, so
they are looking for you! Just
give them something they will be excited about.
You can get publicity if you’ve written a book, become
an expert, developed a unique product, built a dynamic company,
planned an event or tie into a timely news item.
2.
Determine Your Marketing Angle
A marketing angle is
your strongest information tailored for a specific audience.
Analyze your book, expertise, product, company, event or
news tie-in and decide what’s promotable.
This may change depending on the media type.
For television, use something visual.
For radio, newspapers and magazines, your words need to
paint great pictures.
3.
Write a Pitch Letter
Hook them in the first paragraph, or in the trash
you’ll go. Whether
you mail, fax or email your information, it must have a
captivating opener. Use bullet points to show your best stuff.
The shorter the better and no more than one page, ever.
4.
Prepare a Media Release
Conform to the
industry standard for media releases.
Use company letterhead and include the phrase “For
Immediate Release,” as well as the name of your contact person
and phone number. Catch
interest in the body and say who, what, why, when and where.
This information should read like a news story not
advertising copy and should not exceed two pages.
5.
Qualify Media
Use phone books or
media guide books to gather information and make your efforts
more successful. Bacon’s
is the best known, but states usually publish their own
directories. Directories are often expensive, so try the SBA’s Small
Business Development Center, which is a great resource.
To be most effective, know who you want to reach in terms
of geographic area, age group, gender, business association or
income bracket. Then
know the audience the TV or radio show, newspaper or magazine is
focused toward.
6.
Mail, Fax or Email and Follow Up
After you’ve sent
the information, always follow up with a phone call.
Be ready with a one- or two- line pitch to remind them of
what you have to offer. The publicity you create will start the
spark to ignite a great promotion. It spreads your gifts and
shares your ideas with others.
You can capture the dollars when publicity spreads the
word about you!
Dian
Thomas is a media veteran with over 25 years of experience and
5,000 media appearances. She
is also the author of 9 books including a New York Times
bestseller. Dian’s seminars on “How to Get a Million
Dollars’ Worth of FREE Publicity!” will help you become
media savvy and drive sales with effective television, radio,
newspaper and magazine exposure.
This seminar will tell you how to get media attention
while avoiding costly pitfalls. You will learn how to discover
key contacts and create a successful interview.
Join
Dian Thomas and Kathleen Gage on Thursday, March 6, 2003 for a
complimentary, 1.5-hour presentation entitled How to get a
Million Dollars worth of FREE Publicity.
Click
here for more information on registration
Singing Cricket Café
“Angels on my tongue!” Sue Borg, It’s
a Miracle Center.
“Such an amazingly full plate for such a
reasonable price.”
“We’ll be back soon.”
The kind of place I feel good taking a
client out to lunch or visiting with friends,” Kathleen Gage.
Looking for a unique place for a business
lunch or a romantic getaway for dinner? Try the Singing
Cricket Café at 673 East Simpson Avenue (2240 South) in
Salt Lake City. For that special place to take clients, family
and friends, the Singing Cricket is sure to please.
Singing Cricket Café is located inside of
the Dancing Crane Import store. During the month of January buy
one dinner entrée at the regular price and receive the second FREE
on any Monday through Thursday from 5 P.M. to 9 P.M. Click
here for the attached coupon.
Raw
Energy, Unlock The Power in Your Food for more Energy and
Efficiency
by
Karen Curinga © January, 2003
It’s that time of year
again when we re-examine our past year’s actions and
resolutions. In our
high-paced world, more often than not those resolutions include
gaining a higher level of energy and efficiency, finding a way
to live life more simply and reducing our level of stress. They
also probably include losing a few pounds.
Last year’s unattained resolutions become this year’s
“absolute” goals.
We make yet another determined effort. Only this time we
REALLY mean it.
This year truly can be the year to change your life forever.
These things are all attainable.
These goals and even more, such as a high level of mental
clarity, are all attainable through the type of food you eat. One of the most important keys to unlocking this power is
through eating a diet that is made up of predominantly living,
plant-based foods. One
of the greatest benefits of consuming raw plant-based foods is
the cleansing of toxins and wastes from the body that allows us
to release the incredible energy source within.
Fruits are natural cleansers.
Vegetables are natural restorers and builders. Living
foods are those foods that contain enzymes.
These living foods provide us with everything that our
bodies need to run at their most efficient level because they
are full of living enzymes.
Live enzyme action is one key to unlocking the great power in
food. Enzymes are
essential to every chemical function in our bodies.
These enzymes can only be found in “living” foods.
When we cook foods at approximately 118 degrees F and
above, we destroy the enzymes that are found in live, fresh
foods. The life or energy giving force is gone.
Processed food products are also void of live enzymes.
Our bodies only produce a limited number of enzymes
during a lifetime. These
enzymes were built into raw, plant based foods by Nature as a
means of providing proper and complete digestion.
When these enzymes are no longer available due to cooking
or processing, enzymes have to be “borrowed” from other
activities in our bodies, such as the healing process, in order
to digest these lifeless foods.
Vitamins, minerals and hormones cannot do their work
without these enzymes. As
these metabolic enzymes become depleted, we set in motion the aging
process and the body begins to deteriorate.
When enzymes must work on processed or cooked foods, it takes
longer to pass through the body.
This causes fermentation and creation of toxins.
Many people just aren’t aware of or don’t connect the
fact that the toxins lurking in their systems for extended
periods of time are contributing significantly to:
- Arthritis
- Allergies
- Irritability
- Skin
problems
- Headaches
- Nervousness
- Intestinal
discomfort
- Fatigue
- Irregularity
- Recurring
infections
Fresh fruits and fresh vegetables are packed with
life-giving enzymes. Papayas,
pineapples, sprouts and chlorophyll (plentiful in sprouts and
dark, leafy greens) are rich food sources of enzymes. Take a
moment to look at your average daily diet. What do you eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks?
How much of it is empty of energy-giving, life-giving
enzymes? It may
astound you. Our
cells work tirelessly, night and day, in an attempt to provide
us with a healthy, disease-free body.
But they can only work with what we provide them.
Resolve, today, to evolve to a better you.
Do it for you. Do it for those that love you.
Do it to serve as mentor to those kids growing up in a
world where “dead, possessed, fast foods” are the standard
for every meal. Start
your new year by increasing the number of fresh, raw fruits and
vegetables and decreasing the number of cooked and processed
foods in your diet. You
will be very pleasantly surprised at the power you begin to
unlock – in your body and in your life
To learn more about the power of
living foods, read Karen Curinga’s newly released book The
Greatest Diet On Earth – Nature’s Lessons In Fulfilling Your
Life’s Desires. Contact
Karen through her web site www.karencuringa.com
or www.thegreatestdiet.com
or by email at karencuringa@yahoo.com.
Ms.
Curinga will be presenting detailed information on living with
more energy through healthy eating at Wild Oats on January 9 at
6p.m. at the 4th South location in Salt Lake City and on
February 20 at P.M. at the Sugarhouse location also in Salt Lake
City.
Upcoming
Events
open to the public
***************************************************************************************
January
8, 2993
Sweet Smell of Success - Leaving a Legacy
Kathleen Gage & Lori Giovannoni
National Association of Women Business Owners
Dinner meeting 6 p.m.
office@nawboslc.org
For full details on
any of these events click
here
***************************************************************************************
January
15, 2003
Professional
Connecting
Presented
by Kathleen Gage
Women's
Network For Entrepreneurial Training
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
801-328-5051
to register
Salt Lake Chamber
175 E 400 S. Suite 600
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
***************************************************************************************
January 16,
2003
Secrets of Gaining High Levels
of Visibility and PR
Presented
by Kathleen Gage
ChamberWest
Lunch meeting
***************************************************************************************
February 8, 2003
Achieving Your Fullest Potential
Keynote Presentation by Kathleen
Gage
WAMS (Women Against Multiple
Sclerosis) Brunch
Hosted by NMSS Utah
WAMS is an annual "champagne
brunch" fundraiser for women in Utah who want to be
enlightened, entertained and at the same time help a great cause.
Information (801)
493-0113
***************************************************************************************
February
11, 2003
Spirit
and Integrity in the Workplace
Presented
by Kathleen Gage, Laura Arellano, Phyllis LeFevre and Phyllis
Hilleman
***************************************************************************************
February 25, 2003
Secrets of Gaining High Levels of
Visibility and PR
Presented
by Kathleen Gage
ChamberWest Business Women’s
Forum
Lunch meeting
***************************************************************************************
May 7, 2003
East Bay Women’s Group
Lunch meeting presentation
By Kathleen Gage
San
Leandro, California
***************************************************************************************
Turning Point is dedicated to helping
companies and organizations achieve higher profits, increased
productivity, better quality and lower costs through customer loyalty
and employee retention. We achieve this through customized training and
consulting programs.
Services
provided by Turning Point, Inc
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