Harry Potter Just Made $476 Million – And How is YOUR Business Doing?

Three Reasons Why Summer is NOT the Time to Slow Down Promotion

Call it what you will – the summer doldrums, the dog days of summer, the summertime blues. It really doesn’t matter what you call it, but most all of the statistics show that businesses slow down during the summertime.

Now, if you’re content to follow the crowd, by all means, feel free to follow suit. But, I certainly can’t run my business based on seasons of the year – and as a marketer and CEO, I can’t understand why other businesses would, unless they’re seasonal in nature. So, if you’re able to disagree with the crowd logic (or as I see it, “illogic”), then while everyone else is following the trend, you could be spending your time and energy transcending it. Read more on how your business is doing →

Getting Results: How Timing and Creativity Can Get You Booked

Just last week, I showed you an interview I did with Lisa Hess, our TV campaign manager, about a typical day in her life here at EMSI. In it, we learned a lot of the different things she does in order to get our clients booked. Although I can always count on Lisa to arrange good TV bookings each week, last week she outdid herself with 4 national TV appearances and 5 local TV appearances on network affiliate stations. So I thought it might be helpful as a follow-up to share with you how she got these bookings.

In her world, there are two kinds of pitches that she uses to garner the interest of national TV producers. While national news programs and talk shows tend to follow the news cycle and seasons, they also sometimes respond to a pitch that is more evergreen, a message that’s not tied to the news but is one that’s timeless. However, in order to generate interest on the evergreen pitch, it has to be creative and really offer the viewers some serious added value. Read more on getting results →

Why You Need To Use Social Networking?

Did you know that Sarah Palin hasn’t given a media interview in months?

It’s true. She doesn’t talk to reporters at all. Outside of her commentary stints on Fox News, she has no direct contact with any journalists in print, on radio or on TV. So how is it she constantly stays in the headlines? One word: Twitter.

Palin lets the world know what she thinks through Twitter feeds and then comments on them through other social networks, like her Facebook page. She is still mentioned as a potential presidential candidate and her name appears in the news almost every week.

Is there any better evidence that social networking is not a fad? [Read more...]

Who Do They Trust? New Study Reveals Bloggers Drive Consumers More Than Celebrities

One of the key paradigms that is shifting in today’s PR world is the influence of bloggers.

Keeping in mind there are hundreds of thousands of bloggers on the Internet today, there are some who drive opinions far better than even celebrity endorsements. According to the 2011 Social Media Matters study by BlogHer.com, women who read blogs routinely trust implicitly the advice and recommendations they receive, especially if it is from a blogger they follow on a regular basis. [Read more...]

Why Can’t I Just Talk About My Book On The Air? Why Using the Media to Sell Books is a Finesse Play

Unless you’re Oprah, a former president or a major celebrity, there is one question you will likely never be asked by the media when promoting a book.

“So why did you write your book?”

They won’t ask it, not because they don’t know you’re an author nor because they’re being rude. They won’t ask because the media doesn’t exist to help authors sell books. The media exists to create content that informs and entertains its audience, so that their audience stays tuned in. The more audience they have, the more advertising dollars they can charge for their print space and air time. Audiences are what make them money.

This is one of the most common disconnects we usually see with those who are new to the game of PR. Authors expect they can use the media as a venue to talk about their books, while the media is only interested in them for their expertise and the information or entertainment they can offer their audiences. Read more on why you can't just talk about your book on the air →

So, Where Are Your Sales?

One of the most common dilemmas I encounter with many clients is the preconceived notions of what it takes to make sales. The problem with these preconceived notions is that they often misdirect people into thinking there is empirical evidence that lays out the sales cycle in absolutes. But, that just doesn’t exist.

So, what IS real? Exposure is a real tangible element in a marketing and sales cycle, because without it, you can’t sell a thing. Just as a candle under a bucket yields no light, a product or service that no one knows about will yield no sales. People have to know about you to do business with you.

Whether you are selling a book, a product or a service – exposure is the first and primary goal of marketing. While exposure doesn’t guarantee sales, any hope of generating sales can only result from getting in front of your potential consumer. But, when your product receives that coveted exposure to the masses, the X-factors in play become whether or not consumers will like what they see. Your product will either be exactly what the consumer is looking for, or it won’t. Read more on where are your sales →

Hollywood Screenwriter, Pen Densham, Shares His Insights on Writing and Winning

How a high-school dropout became a Hollywood success with Back Draft, Moll Flanders and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

One of the things I love about my business is I get to meet the most interesting people who are luminaries in their industries. One person who fits that bill to a “T” is Pen Densham. You may not recognize his name, but I guarantee you’ve seen his work. Read more on Pen Densham, Hollywood screenwriter →

How Do I Know When To Hire a PR Pro? Three Ways To Tell Your Campaign Has Stalled

It’s always easy to figure out when to hire the plumber. When there’s no water coming out of the faucet, or your basement looks like the kiddie pool at Busch Gardens, it’s time to hit the yellow pages. Same thing with your car – if it doesn’t start in the morning, it’s time to call a mechanic.

Your public relations campaign, however, is a bit more art than science, so it’s a bit more difficult to tell when it needs the eye of a pro. Here are a few tips that can help you determine when your own efforts have run their course. Read more on three ways to tell your campaign has stalled →

Marketers Should Not Ignore the She-Conomy: Women Make Key Buying Decisions at Home and at Work

I have never really been a card-carrying feminist, nor has my gender been a barrier to my success in the public relations industry. But I’ve not been blind to the fact that a lot has changed in the last few decades, and I think Gloria Steinem was spot-on when she wrote years ago that we’d never solve the feminization of power until we solve the masculinity of wealth.

Well, I’d say we’re just about there, because women are controlling the use of more money than at any point in U.S. history. Read more on Marketers Should Not Ignore the She-Conomy →

Why You Should Market MORE – Not Less – When Times Are Tough

Whenever times get tough for businesses, CEOs talk about “tightening their belts” as a way to signify cutting back on essentials in order to ride out the rough patch. And cutting back is a correct strategy. It’s definitely not the time to dole out generous bonuses, arrange extravagant company trips or find new company perks to buy into! Instead, it’s the time to review every expense and ensure that only those affecting your bottom line are kept in tact. It’s also the time to evaluate personnel or positions that may no longer be as necessary in slower sales times. Read more on Why You Should Market MORE – Not Less – When Times Are Tough →

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