MarketingMel

Christmas background image by Yana Ray

This week I get to participate in the 3six5 project. It is an international blogging project written in the style of  daily journal entries from 365 different people. 365 days, 365 points of view.  Each person telling the story of their day with a 365 word limit of course. I am eagerly looking forward to writing since the day that was assigned to me will coincidentally be a very special and important day. More on that as the day, the project and my family (hint) arrive!

P.S. The day has arrived and here is my post! By the way as I look at some of the other authors I am particularly honored to have been invited to take part in this writing project!

Continue Reading

P.R. pro's are welcome in a Crisis. Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When I worked in marketing for a large law firm I remember my husband’s response to all of the lawyer jokes and kidding. “Just try going into court without one.” The same could be said for a C.E.O. turned loose in a crisis storm without a good Public Relations consultant to provide guidance. Major crises are in the news daily. Behind those giant companies and institutions are the P.R. firms consulting with them.

Crisis communications is a specific niche within the public relations field. Ideally every company should have a crisis communications plan in place prior to the crisis occurring (it’s not just a matter of if one will occur, it is when!)  I remember routinely rehearsing crises at one large defense company where I was employed as a communications specialist. Look at most of our schools today. Drilling and preparedness is routine for these students.

A good P.R. pro will weigh the pro’s and con’s of given media strategies and help to formulate an overall communications plan to deal with a crisis. This year I was called in to handle a client crisis involving a potential hostile takeover attempt. On very short notice I was working with the board chair, the chief executive, the general counsel and the media! A good P.R. Pro knows how to handle the top business executives and how to speak their language. I read with interest Stacy Blackman’s article in U.S. News and World Report, “Why B-Schools need to teach P.R.”  While the language of business is key, it’s the well strategized and crafted communications message that forms the bridge from business to the receiver. It’s ultimately this ability to speak “bilingually” when needed that gives a P.R. pro a seat at the corporate table. In my client’s case the self-described “white knight” was turned away thanks to a sound communications strategy that took into account the client’s business and communications needs. It would behoove M.B.A.’s to learn public relations in school as eventually most CEO’s will end up working with a Public Relations professional. Does your company have a crisis communications plan for 2012? These days social media must be an integral part of any plan. Here are some excellent resources to get you thinking.

Continue Reading

Christmas Giving photo credit Julie Campbell on Flickr

This morning I had the occasion to hear one of our local radio car gurus, Lennie Lawson, discussing “The Five Laws of Stratospheric Success” on his morning talk show, My Car Guru, on WJCW Radio. Based on the book The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann, the concept espouses the belief that it is indeed better to give than to receive. It is great food for thought as we begin thinking of the changes we’ll make in the new year ahead. I think all of these laws apply well to the world of social media because there, as “in real life,” in order to succeed, it is always better to give first! Here are the laws: Which one will you live by in 2012?
“The Law of Value
Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.
The Law of Compensation
Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.
The Law of Influence
Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people’s interests first.
The Law of Authenticity
The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself.
The Law of Receptivity
The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.”

Continue Reading

This week I will wrap up the fourth and final part of my twitter 101 guest series with Maria Peagler of Social Media Online Classes. Maria just unveiled a terrific twitter infographic as part of an excellent article called 64 ways to improve your twitter marketing. It provides easy to understand information for those still baffled by twitter. In this, my fourth and final guest appearance on Maria’s twitter courses, we talk about ways to market your business on twitter. From free product offerings to regular participation in twitter industry chats with like-minded business professionals, you can grow your reach and business presence by using twitter in a professional manner.

Continue Reading