by Justin Grensing, Esq., MBA
In recent weeks there have been multiple high-profile instances of company policies garnering unwanted national attention. Continue reading “Best Practice Insights: Include PR Implications in Decision-Making Processes”
Category: PR and Media Relations
Delta and Coke Valentines Blunder a Good Lesson for Others
by Justin Grensing, Esq., MBA
The marketing world can be fickle. Marketers and advertisers are lauded as geniuses when their bold or creative plans pan out. But they’re derided as fools or worse when their plans fall flat. Often, it’s just the benefit of hindsight that makes a great idea turn out to be idiotic.
Well, in hindsight, a Valentines-themed gimmick looks like a pretty bad idea. Continue reading “Delta and Coke Valentines Blunder a Good Lesson for Others”
They Call It Public RELATIONS for a Reason
(excerpted from 21st Century Secrets to Effective PR: Tips and Best Practices for Gaining Media Exposure)
What’s the most important thing that any business person should know about working with the media? Relationships matter! I’ve been working with the media for a number of years — both as one of them in my role as a business journalist and on the other side of the relationship as a PR professional. Because I’ve had a foot in both camps for so long, I don’t have the same level of fear or anxiety about working with the media as many often do. I don’t view the media as “the enemy,” but as an ally in most cases. I need the media to help me get important messages out to various audiences. The goal: Continue reading “They Call It Public RELATIONS for a Reason”
How Social Media is Changing Advertising and PR
(excerpted from 21st Century Secrets to Effective PR: Tips and Best Practices for Gaining Media Exposure)
In the “old days,” there was advertising and there was PR. Advertising was paid communication that we created about ourselves. PR was communication that we earned through creating relationships and clever pitches to the media gatekeepers who would then share information about us on our behalf. Social media represents a new communication option that has had, and will continue to have, a marked impact on both advertising and PR. Continue reading “How Social Media is Changing Advertising and PR”
The Potential Perils of Tying Your Brand to a Real Person
There are numerous examples of company names tied directly to an individual. That person is often the founder but could also be a key personality. Even our current president achieved a great amount of fame by attaching his name to everything from hotels and golf courses to steaks and an online university. Naming a company after an individual can add some personality to the brand and make potential customers feel a more personal connection to that brand. We know who the frontperson is; we know what they look like; and we know a bit about their personality and character.
But that isn’t always a good thing. Continue reading “The Potential Perils of Tying Your Brand to a Real Person”
Companies Need to Make Sure Everyone, from the CEO on Down, Recognizes the Impact of Their Words
In a highly publicized conference call, first reported by Forbes, Papa John’s founder John Schnatter used the “N-word” during a discussion between Papa John’s executives and marketing agency Laundry Service. What followed was weeks of turmoil where Schnatter first stepped down as chairman of the Papa John’s board of directors, then said his decision to step down was a mistake, and then filed a lawsuit against the company he founded for what he describes as the “heavy-handed” way he was treated. The company’s stock has Continue reading “Companies Need to Make Sure Everyone, from the CEO on Down, Recognizes the Impact of Their Words”
How Negative Reviews Can Help Boost Your Business: If You Handle Them Effectively
Sales professionals will be quick to tell you that a positive customer review goes a long way toward converting prospects into eventual customers. What better way to convince the market that you can walk the walk than to have satisfied customers tell your story for you? Conversely, negative reviews can be quite damaging. Data suggests that positive reviews influence the purchase decisions of 90 percent of respondents, while negative reviews influence around 86 percent.
But negative reviews and customer complaints can actually be good for business. Let’s look at some potentially counter-intuitive reasons why. Continue reading “How Negative Reviews Can Help Boost Your Business: If You Handle Them Effectively”
Thought Leadership Through Content Marketing for Business Professionals
Most small business owners are heavily focused on their core skillset. They are bakers, event planners, lawyers – insert job – first, and accountants and marketers second. As Pamela Slim writes for Entrepreneur, “Most small business owners aren’t marketers by trade, but almost all (95 percent) do some form of marketing for themselves, and many need to master what can feel like a very steep learning curve quickly. Most entrepreneurs and small business owners (64 percent) are self-taught and less than half (46 percent) consider themselves ‘marketing savvy.’” Continue reading “Thought Leadership Through Content Marketing for Business Professionals”
How Even Very Small Businesses Can Gain Media Exposure
For any business, getting your name out there in the marketplace and in front of potential customers is crucial for bringing in revenue. This is particularly true for new or small businesses that don’t have much, if any, name recognition. This is where public relations, or “PR,” can be extremely beneficial; it’s a low-cost, high-impact means of generating awareness, preference and driving business to your doorstep or website.
Here are some important things to know about PR and how you can put it to work for you. Continue reading “How Even Very Small Businesses Can Gain Media Exposure”
Why You Might NOT Want to Become a Thought Leader
Thought leadership is something we talk about a lot, and for good reason: it can be a great marketing vehicle—if done correctly.Because content marketing is so prevalent these days, creating and disseminating content across a wide range of channels (traditional and digital) is more cost-effective than ever before. And people are hungry for useful, relevant content.
Continue reading “Why You Might NOT Want to Become a Thought Leader”