The Internet has changed our entire conversation about promotion and legitimate avenues to success. While everyone has his or her own definition of success, all business owners would agree that more sales translate into more business wins.
Information is power. The way we retrieve data today is very different from our parents' approach. Even the way we speak has radically changed, thanks to the Internet. We don't cross-reference anymore. Today, we google.*
Tip #2: Subscribe to Google Alerts to track the latest trends in your business.
Self-googling, or signing up to receive Google alerts about yourself, may seem rather self-centered. The fact is it is a highly effective method for locating who's saying what about you. Use Google Alerts to augment your clipping service.
Once you have assembled several great clips about you and your business, scan the hard copies into PDF or JPEG files to upload to your online press kit.
What? You don't have an online press kit? You're going to need one. In it, you'll need images, press releases, a one-pager with background, and story ideas.
Tip #3: Being an expert isn't reserved for Ph.D.s.
Everyone has expertise in one or more areas that the media would love for him or her to share. Add yourself to expert databases such as www.Presskit247.com. When you sign up for an online press kit there, you'll not only bump up your visibility but also tap into a vast network of news makers looking for people just like you.
Websites have not lost their importance. But in today's fast-paced economy, you've got to realize hard-copy press kits are auxiliary, costly items you can virtually eliminate. Instead of spending thousands of dollars on slick marketing materials, concentrate your resources where you'll get the most bang for your buck.
Presskit247.com allows you to upload multimedia files such as movies, audio recordings, Word documents, JPEGs, and more. It's so easy even a second grader can do it. So fire your webmaster and streamline your processes by leveraging the power this type of technology brings.
Tip #4: Give the media a multisensory experience representing who you and your company are.
Grab your website visitor's ear with a snappy audio recording. Impress radio producers with your articulate speech. Catch a TV producer's eye with a snazzy 90-second B-roll clip of what you are up to.
A simple webcam from Logitech, for instance, allows you to record brief clips instantly. Audacity from SourceForge.net is a no-cost voice-recording software that is easy to use. Remember to upload all documents to your online press kit for immediate media access.
You don't need a PR professional to form a solid online presence. Be your own publicist while saving time and money in the process.
* The verb "to google" was officially added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary in 2006.
About the Author:
Christine Louise Hohlbaum works as a freelancing PR consultant for Wasabi Publicity and other clients. Featured in many major publications, including Boston Globe Magazine, First for Women, and Better Homes and Gardens, Christine has authored several books, including the following titles available in CD-ROM format: The Author's Companion: A Self-Guided Course in Book Promotion, Diary of a Mother, and SAHM I AM: Tales of a Stay-at-Home Mom in Europe. To subscribe to her biweekly PR postcard newsletter, visit www.authorscompanion.com. For more information about Christine's books, visit www.diaryofamother.com.
