Making a Case for YouTube

Chances are if you do your own PR, you already know that social media is an important, even essential, component of your toolbox. You probably have the usual suspects in your arsenal- Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn- but what about YouTube? If you’re not already taking advantage of this video sharing site, these are a few reasons you should think about using it:

• YouTube gets 790 million unique viewers per month and 100 billion page views per month. That’s a huge audience that may end up viewing your videos, visiting your website and calling to hire you for your services.
• Social media is first and foremost about showing the human side of your business. When it comes to the online world, nothing is more human and personal than video.
• It’s a unique and, again, more human way to connect with journalists and introduce them to your company, new services, etc.

I’m guilty of underutilizing this channel myself, but with stats like these, the power of YouTube definitely can’t be denied.

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Stand Out and Get Liked Online

In past social media workshops I’ve taught, the most popular questions I get are usually along these lines:

How do I get more followers?

How do I get more people to like me?

What can I do to get more eyes watching my videos?

While there isn’t really a magic formula to getting “liked” online, it’s important to never forget that just because more business is being done virtually doesn’t mean that the old rules of marketing and selling no longer apply.

I look at my newsfeeds and see too many people who just push out information robotically, expecting this to be enough to get them liked. Now more than ever, you should never underestimate the power of human touch in engaging people.

Think about it this way: Read more

Why Bill Schweber @AnalogBill at @ee_times is #FollowFriday Worthy

An Analog Master and Mind in a Digital World

Our #FollowFriday worthy recommendation this week is Bill Schweber, site editor and print manager for EE Times’ Planet Analog.  Years ago, when I was looking for the analog guru at EE Times, the first few calls I made were to friends who understood analog technology.  The first person each mentioned was Bill. Then, I checked with media veterans and industry analyst friends. They also recommended the same guy – Bill Schweber, analog mastermind at EE Times.

Bill has written hundreds of opinion pieces (some have won industry awards) as well as in-depth design and application articles.  He is also an author of three engineering textbooks. Without a doubt, Bill’s background as an electrical engineer (BSEE/MSEE) at various technology companies and as EDN’s first analog-beat editor then executive editor has definitely honed his craft.  Read more

10 Ways to Leverage a Company Win

I talked previously about the different ways you can repurpose your media coverage, but what about your company “wins”? Think about the last time something great happened to your company – like signing a big client. How did you leverage this win to boost your PR efforts? If all you did was write a press release and pitch it to the media, then you’re not taking full advantage of the different ways this one win can be used over and over again in your PR and marketing.

For example, let’s say Apple has just contracted you to provide them with a service for one month. There are ten ways you can leverage this win to get more publicity over time: Read more

Getting Over Overwhelm: Relief from the Wonder Woman Syndrome

Today’s guest post is by Monique Wells – enjoy!

Not so long ago, I took on the responsibility for the PR and marketing for my husband’s book, Paris Insights – An Anthology.  Though I willingly stepped up to the challenge and followed Elena’s teachings and sage advice, I rapidly found myself in a state of overwhelm.

Why?

Because I was also running two home businesses and a small non-profit organization, and did not realize that I had just volunteered for a responsibility that would break the proverbial camel’s back. I imagined myself to be Wonder Woman – the invincible female force that was going to do everything for everyone and get it all right the first time!

I learned the hard way that it doesn’t matter how well you do things or how passionate you are about them if you have too many things to do.  I developed a stress-related illness and came dangerously close to burnout before I was forced to admit that I had to change my work habits and more importantly, my view of myself. Read more

The Advantage of Twitter Lists

A Twitter List is a great tool for relationship building that allows you to group together people you follow, so that you can easily track what they’re up to. You can also choose to keep your list private or public, with the latter option allowing others to follow your list.

The number one advantage of creating a Twitter List is convenience. Imagine getting to follow all your favorite bloggers in one stream without having to sift through the tweets of all the other people you follow!

However, not many people are taking advantage of this convenience to build up their public relations efforts. Here are a few ways that Twitter Lists can help you: Read more

Why James Temple @jtemple at San Francisco Chronicle/SFGate.com is #FollowFriday Worthy

Always uncovering the realities of technology business and baggage

Our #FollowFriday Worthy recommendation this week is James Temple, who writes the Dot.commentary column for the San Francisco Chronicle and SFGate.com.  On Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays you will always find something new out of James’ column to chew on. He usually comments on the controversial technology issues that affect us and while it IS a commentary, James’ view on technology and its sensitive issues that come along with it are always delivered in an informative manner.  He expresses angles on the selected topics of the day that urge you to think on things as you read through his exposés.

I learn something new and useful each time I visit his column. A month ago, he wrote something about getting serious about fake fees on phone bills. It made me start reading the bills in the mail more closely. Since then, I have managed to save a buck or two after going over my bill with the customer service rep on the vendor side. Likewise, as a “technology power consumer,” I found the article regarding flash cookies both fascinating and alarming, so much so that my use and browsing of the Internet has become more conscious and guarded.

If you are a businessperson or an entrepreneur, you will also find James’ column enlightening. He often discusses the many trends and shifts in the technology world, where business is heading and how technology is making our lives more complicated or even overly consumed.  Whatever it is, James will tap into these sensitive tech issues with a curious poke and dissect it for his readers to ponder on deeply.

James’s style comes from being a business reporter in the San Francisco Bay Area for over a decade.  He has covered advertising, banking, real estate and retail for the San Francisco Business Times, Contra Costa Times and Bloomberg.  He also writes about food and travel and occasionally produces video for SFGate.com.

James shared a personal side of him in our questionnaire which I found endearing (I also crack my knuckles!).

Here’s his take on things:

Laughs at: Modern Family and the Winklevi, for slightly different reasons.

Hopes: That journalism finds its financial footing in the digital age (given the choice, I’d prefer to be paid).

Thinks: That robots will soon take over … our hearts.

Reveals: I crack my knuckles. There I said it.

Is Inspired By: Clever writing, deep reporting and beautiful time-lapse photography.

Dream Coffee Date: Bill Bryson or Natalie Portman, for slightly different reasons.

Three times a week, you will get a smart dose of tech biz and controversy. Daily, you will find him on Twitter sharing information and definitely always a clever comment on things. (Even the article about the grandma downloading porn made me think twice about my WiFi connection!)

Follow James Temple on Twitter: @jtemple

Read him at the San Francisco Chronicle (SFGate.com): http://www.sfgate.com/columns/dotcommentary/archive/

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Liz Estrella-Basilio is Elena Verlee’s San Francisco partner at Cross Border Communications. Together they work with start-up to multi-million dollar technology companies who want to get their story heard in traditional, digital and social media.

She recently revived her Twitter account and will be out on the prowl to find those who are truly #FollowFriday-worthy on Twitter. Follow her at @lizestrellab.

 

The Entrepreneur Time Out

It’s been a very busy summer for me. My PR company signed a bunch of new clients, ran several big campaigns and completely redesigned our website. Also, my 2 little kiddos have summer off from school so, in addition to running my company, it’s been a whirlwind of summer camps, soccer games and playdates.

Needless to say, I’ve been stressed out more than a few times since summer began.

I think one of the traits that all entrepreneurs share is the desire to accomplish as much as possible in one day. I know that I try to do as much as I can to make my family and my clients happy, but there does come a point where you need to step back before you burnout. I call this the “Entrepreneur Time Out.” Read more

Pitch Writing Lessons from Movie Blockbusters

I love to watch movies and this summer I noticed a lot of highly anticipated films. I find it amazing whenever a “summer blockbuster” not only breaks box office records, but also generates a huge buzz that gets people talking- sometimes months before the movie’s opening!

There are definitely more than a few PR and marketing lessons to be learned from the movies, but when it comes to writing your next media pitch, take special note of these ones:

Timing

Releasing a movie during the summer almost always guarantees more box office sales for that movie than any other time of year. Why? Because people have more free time during the summer to watch movies. Read more

Five Ways Newsletters Up Your PR Game

Newsletters not only help you attract new clients, but they can also help attract media to your business.

Think about it. You probably subscribe to someone’s newsletter because you want to receive their insider tips and be updated about any news on a regular basis. You want the latest scoop before everyone else who isn’t on their subscriber list.

The media are just like you: searching for the next big news item and trying to get it down in print before someone else does. When filled with the right content, your newsletter can be just the thing that a journalist needs to write their next article, or consider you as a source for their next story – leading to a possible media hit for you.

Here are five ways that newsletters can be used to your PR advantage:

1. Become the expert

Most newsletters have a “letter” section where you can talk to your subscribers about anything- insider tips, a hot button topic, etc. Use this section to talk about something that shows off your industry knowledge and establishes you as an expert in your niche.

2. Pitch the media…without pitching the media

Newsletters let you share company news on a regular basis without having to write a formal press release or pitch.

3. The long reach

You never really know who’s subscribed to your newsletter. It may be a journalist, a blogger or even a friend of a niche influencer who decides to pass on your newsletter one day.  A company I co-founded several years ago was included in someone else’s newsletter and a reporter from Maclean’s Magazine (a national magazine like the “Newsweek” of Canada) was subscribed.  The reporter then called us for a story and after the story appeared – we attracted a buyer and then sold the company!

4. Follow up, follow up

Newsletters are a great way to follow up with a reporter you’ve met and keep in touch with them. Send them an e-mail following your meeting, share with them your latest newsletter as a way to give them more information about you and mention why you’d think they’d find it handy.

5. Increase the number of eyes on your website

You always want to get more people looking at your website, which increases your chances of a sales or PR conversion. Pepper your newsletter with a few “go to my company site to learn more” links and get those eyeballs there.

 

How do you use your newsletter in your marketing or PR efforts? I’d love to hear your suggestions and experiences in the comments below or send me a message via Twitter or Facebook

Photo Credit: DTM Software

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