Getting The Attention Of The Media

Excerpted From McCauley's Marketing Manifesto
http://www.freepublicitygroup.com/marketing_manifesto.html

There has been a great deal of talk lately regarding whether it even makes sense to approach traditional journalists anymore when attempting to create publicity for you, your product or your service. The answer to that question is found in the client profiles you create. That being said, if you find that you must necessarily pursue this as part of your marketing strategy, I offer the following from McCauley's Marketing Manifesto, Section H, Media - Traditional Journalists:

MEDIA – TRADITIONAL JOURNALISTS

1. The media does not care about your product or your service

a. This is because the media is interested in news

2. The media really has no reason to care about your product or your service

a. This is because the people in the media are paid to report news. A sales pitch does not qualify as news.

3. The media WILL begin to care about you, your product or your service ONLY if you present something that has real news value

a. Real news value can mean many things at different times. Even if your message has real news value, it is always up to THEM to decide how this will be judged and how important it might be to their slice of the mind of the public. It is not up to you. Don’t bug them. Feed them quality information instead and be patient. Demonstrate that you know your subject and that you are a real professional. Don't call us, we'll call you is a good rule to keep in mind.

b. You will be forced to jump through their particular hoops if you hope to get coverage. Every one of these will have a different set of hoops. However, media people are accustomed to getting ‘pitches’ so, learn how to pitch effectively.

c. That being said, a 'pitch' to a journalist is NOT the same as a 'sales pitch'. They are two completely different things. This too is an art form with a huge learning curve. If you do not know the difference, don't even attempt it. I will say it again - traditional journalists are not paid to listen to sales pitches; they are paid to report news that is important to the public.

4. Traditional journalists, though still important, are not AS important as they once were.

a. If your potential buying profiles are still watching TV, listening to radio or reading newspapers and magazines, then you will need to learn to pitch well as you will necessarily need to get coverage in tv, radio, newspapers and magazines. If your potential buyer is using the Internet exclusively, concentrate your efforts there instead. Due to the move by journalists to the Internet, (and if placed properly), your message will be picked up by default. Remember that it is always best to create relationships with the media and not to be perceived as a huckster. (See 'The End Of An Era' located in the articles section of this site"

b. 'THE MEDIA' is not a thing. The media is a group that is comprised of real, live human beings. Remember that always. Treat them with courtesy, dignity and respect as you would anyone else. They are busy people and you must respect their time.

5. A media release is a one time, very directed news communication tool with a time limit

a. Never use a cookie cutter release. Never use someone else's release as a model. You will be seen to be like that guy in the bar - you know the one - the guy that goes from table to table saying exactly the same thing to every girl in the place, hoping to get lucky with someone - anyone. Using someone else's release as a model is like asking someone if you can read a letter they wrote to their girlfriend, copying it and then sending it to YOUR girlfriend. The results will be pretty much the same.

b. A media release may or may not directly create sales. Usually not. The purpose of the media release is to help create the 'buzz'. The buzz creates the sales. The media release is a vital component of the strategy and should be treated as such. If anyone tells you anything different, run away, run away.

6. The Internet is fast replacing traditional media (duhh)

a. There are two types of improvement models:

Constructive: This is where a new idea improves upon an existing model in some way, leaving the existing model in place

Destructive: This is where a new idea completely replaces the old model, rendering it obsolete.

The Internet could be said to be a destructive form when applied to traditional media. Though this will not happen immediately, the Internet will eventually most likely completely replace tradtional media. Newspapers are really feeling the heat now. Radio is not far behind.

For now, depending upon your target profiles, you may need to use both the Internet and traditional media. Don't ignore either. It is your specific profiles that will determine which should be used and in what ratios.

Posted by Don at Free Publicity Focus Group

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Social Marketing And Blogging - Thoughts

The following thoughts are excerpted from McCauley's Marketing Manifesto. Note: Social marketing at the corporate level, a relatively recent development, is far too broad a topic for inclusion here. That being said, for the rest of the world . . .

1. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social sites are not social marketing.

a. These are social marketing message delivery tools. Social marketing is a completely different subject. Remember that tools are just tools - they are not the strategy.

2. Engaging in social marketing is the Internet equivalent of doing referral marketing, only a lot bigger.

a. Social marketing is not 'new'. As a matter of fact, social marketing was the first form of marketing to exist. Back before we had newspapers, radio, tv, magazines and other forms of media, the only way to get the word out was to tell other people - your friends - their friends - and the word was simply passed from person to person. Media and the Internet made this far easier to do without paying for advertising.

b. If people like you, they will pass the word along to their friends. Those friends will then bypass every other option available to get to you, because their friend recommended you. This is the power of social marketing. (See 'What Successful Marketers Know . . . That Most Don't' located in the articles section of this site)

3. As a tool, Twitter can be used for marketing but should not be used as a sales pitch machine.

a, Social marketing involves creating trust, developing real relationships and providing value at a level that will cause another to pass the word regarding you, your product or your service. Therefore you should strive to provide that trust and that value. Try not to bore everyone with never-ending sales pitches or frankly boring posts. An informal study has shown that there are basically three types of tweeters:

Type A
9 am – ‘Buy my stuff’
11 am – ‘Buy my stuff’
1 pm – ‘Buy my stuff’
3 pm – ‘Buy my stuff’
5 pm – ‘Buy my stuff’
7 pm – ‘Buy my stuff’

This gets old fast and becomes an unfollow. This is like saying ‘Look at me! Look at me! Look at me!’. This is tweeting up the wong twee.

Type B
9 am – ‘Just got up’
11 am – ‘Thinking about lunch’
1 pm – ‘I ate too much lunch. Naptime’
3 pm – ‘Just got up’
5 pm – ‘Thinking about dinner’
7 pm – ‘I ate too much dinner. Going to bed’

This also gets old and becomes an unfollow. If you do this, you are in twubble.

Type C
9 am – Great Twitter tools (link)
11 am – Found a great article that will help you (link)
1 pm – Found a whitepaper everyone should read (link)
3 pm – Read this survey
5 pm – Read my article on advertising (link)
7 pm – Found a cool web site (link)

Type C's get the followers. The point is that providing valuable information to others, passing it along, makes for happy followers. They will come to appreciate you and will actually look forward to your tweets (assuming you are attempting to use these types of tools to create awareness). Remember this. Please remember this. It's twue.

4. Be careful what you say

a. Of course, this goes without saying but I said it anyway. One of the worst examples is when you get a post that says 'I found a site that got me 2000 new followers last week!' Then, when you visit their Twitter page, the poster only has 100 followers. What does that say about the person who made that post? Ask yourself - why do you covet those followers in the first place - what is the real goal here?

Always remember that a bad message or a bad impression sent to a lot of people will only cause you to fail faster. First things first. If you don't know what those first things might be, stop here and start at the top of this page again.

5. Treat social marketing tools as you would the watering hole or the golf course.

a. Think of social marketing tools as places to get familiar and casual with your potential buyers outside the restrictions of the marketplace. We know that lots of really great deals are made at the local watering hole or on the golf course. This is because it pays to know people and this is how you get to know them. However, if you as a business owner spend all day in the bar screaming ‘Look at me! Look at me!’ you will most likely be out of business very quickly.

If you are going to attempt to use social marketing, the easy way out is to pretend you are at a casual party filled with potential clients. Don't bore, don't blather on endlessly about yourself or your accomplishments and don't dance in inappropriate ways. You are in front of thousands of potential customers who, depending on the time of day, have not been drinking. Act and speak accordingly.

Posted by Free Publicity Focus Group

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Marketing 'Experts'

Once upon a time a man searched for years to find the greatest Zen Master in the world. After decades, he found a person who everyone said was that master. It took him many days to climb the mountain where the master sat. At last he reached the feet of the Master.

"Oh great master," he said, "for many years I have searched and at last I have found you. Tell me, please tell me how I might become a great master like you . . . "

"Print up some business cards," replied the master.

Anyone can say 'I am an expert'.

Imagine you walk into a hardware store. A man wearing red bib overalls runs up to you and exclaims 'You need a hammer!'

'I do?' you ask.

'Absolutely, yes you do. I am the hammer expert. Come on. Let me show you our hammers. These hammers are cool. They come in different colors and sizes. They are the best hammers money can buy and can be used for just about any purpose . . . .

Ten minutes later you finally manage to get a word in. 'But I am here to buy a tool to change a tire,' you protest.

'Doesn't matter. You can use a hammer. I am a hammer expert and the uses for these hammers are unlimited. Why, just the other day . . . "

The question is this: Would you buy that hammer you really don't need because the hammer expert said you needed the thing? No.

Experts are everywhere these days it seems. Many of these people are not experts - they are tool salesmen. It is an unfortunate fact that most of these experts go about things backward. They first decide upon a tool and then try to retrofit you into their tool profile. Don't allow this to happen. If you do, you will waste a great deal of time and money and will end up with a hammer that will not accomplish your goal. How can you tell you are talking to a real expert?

1. Experts analyze - they don't fantasize

If anyone tells you the answer before asking the questions you are not talking to an expert - you are talking to a salesperson. A real expert will do an analysis of your situation before making any recommendations whatsoever.

Real experts often turn away more clients than they accept.

2. Real experts have real experience.

The first question you should ask should be 'How long have you been an expert at _______?' If the answer does not end with the word 'years', (plural) run away. Even if the answer does end in 'years' you may still wish to back away slowly, especially if the expert is an expert at selling a particular tool only.

3. Real experts know that they do not know everything

A real expert will refer you to other real experts if they do not consider themselves to be an expert on a particular subject. This is why doctors and attorneys refer clients to other doctors and attorneys. There is no such thing as an expert who is an expert in everything. If anyone tells you that they are the expert in everything, cover your pockets, cover your you-know-what and, again, run.

4. Above all else, real experts are realistic

If your expert is promising the moon, that is likely where you will have to look for that expert - after that expert takes your money. Experts do not make promises - they make projections. No one can guarantee the success of anyone else.

The expert might make you angry at times. This is because real experts are known for telling the truth. You may not want to hear the truth. This is because your expectations may be unrealistic. Most marketers do not want to hear bad news - they only want to hear good news. A false expert will be more than happy to tell you all the good news you want to hear - until they get your money. Then, they most likely will not answer the phone, as they are probably out having lunch with their tool-selling buddies.

A real expert will most likely burst a few bubbles. They will be realistic. This is what you want. This is how they developed a reputation as a real expert. Real experts do not deal in hopes or dreams - they deal with reality and facts. This is also why you should use them. Real experts are building a reputation - not making a fast buck. No real expert would gamble a long-term reputation against a few short-term dollars.

Finding a real expert out here can be difficult. It is said that the Buddha, after a lifetime of teaching, in his final words to his disciples, gave the best piece of advice he could muster:

"Just do the best you can."

posted by Free Publicity Focus Group

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