Niche Marketing and The Naked Cowboy
You don’t have to be very familiar with New York City but you may have heard that “The Naked Cowboy” is running for mayor. That’s right, the 39-year-old man who spends his days at one of the busiest corners in Times Square with his hat, cowboy boots, briefs and guitar (strategically placed so it looks like he’s naked), is entering politics. (Yes, that’s me and The Naked Cowboy last September. My kids were mortified. ) And sure, I paid $2 to have my son take the picture. But I digress.
Now that The Naked Cowboy, born Jack Burck in Ohio, has announced his mayoral campaign against incumbent Mike Bloomberg, he has developed a slogan or tag line.
“Nobody has done more with less.”
I love that line and after giving it some thought, I’ve come to realize there are a few wise lessons I have learned from The Naked Cowboy. We can apply them to our own organizations and lives:
1. Go deep. Find your niche and market the hell out of it. Don’t be a jack of all trades. Differentiate yourself from others with your own personal brand.
2. Dress the part.
3. Create a buzz. Chances are The Naked Cowboy won’t come close to winning the election. If his only goal is to increase his visibility and get people talking, mission accomplished.
4. Have the courage to be yourself. You can’t make a mistake when you are authentic. You can only trip yourself up when you are trying to be someone else.
5. Balance fun and professional. The Naked Cowboy is an ace at customer service. He smiles, makes people feel comfortable and is polite. He’s got charisma. He only wanted $2 for the ”photo op” but he was so nice, I may have paid him $5. He provided an “experience”, not simply a picture. As crowded as Times Square was, he made me feel like it was just the two of us. No distractions.
This all happened on a crowded street corner in Manhattan. After that, it was over to Juniors for cheesecake. Only in New York.
Proactive Blogs Lead to Business Growth
Being proactive in your public relations, marketing and online networking is critical to your business growth, relationships and revenues. I’m hearing great feedback on my free webinars next week from people who are also beginning to understand the concept of how quality blogs are building online relationships and showing value. Your presence affects your prosperity.
Check out the free webinars on August 5 & 6. I promise the 30 minutes will be packed with amazing story ideas and nuggets to help you grow your organization. Join me on either August 5th or 6th (different content and story ideas for you each day! ) at 12:00 pm Central, for an opportunity to learn how to create compelling, consistent and timely blogs that directly connect back to your organization, customers and prospects.
Professionals are “tweeting” about my concept and programs. They are spreading the word..they are registering for the preview webinars on “Building the Buzz that Builds Your Businesss” because they know they have to be proactive. The world and technology are leaving too many of us behind. Social Media is not a fad. We have to learn and grow with the new tools we have available. It’s all here for you. Commit to learning and using them, one at a time. If you don’t, your competition wins.
Your blog is an untapped vehicle to drive traffic to your website. Learn how to use it as an integral part of your business development.
I invite you to register for the preview call now and spread the news!
Grow Your Sales Based on Value
If you have business cards, it’s likely that you have your job title emblazoned in a very prominent place. When you meet people and network, you probably mention your title in the first few minutes of the conversation. Titles offer people validation of our self-worth. Titles may reflect our achievements. But they do little to show prospects and clients the value we offer them so they can achieve and be successful.
In order to grow your business, you must be able to communicate the return on investment and value you offer to people. Why should someone take their hard-earned money and give it to you? How will you and your business/expertise make their lives easier and help them reach their goals?
The bottom line and harsh reality: no one cares about you. They care about themselves. They have no regard for your job title.
That is why you must position yourself by concept and not title.
This is a very powerful approach to business and sales. I learned it from a small, 75-page gem-of-a-book by Mark LeBlanc. It’s titled “Growing Your Business!” LeBlanc writes, “Titles are hard-earned…but focus on the outcomes of your work and what happens when customers use your products and services. That should be your primary strategy for differentiation in the marketplace.”
Every time I write a marketing piece for my public relations and communications training company, I flip the switch. Shift the focus off of yourself and onto the customer. Show them value.
Position yourself by concept, not title.
10 Do’s & Don’ts of Working At Home
Setting up your home office and developing boundaries for productive days are important for entrepreneurs. Working from home demands a strong discipline and mindset. Paying attention to the small details can help you to better manage your time and be more successful.
My public relations and communications training company, Get in Front Communications, is now nine years old. I’ve worked from home with virtual support/assistants and I had an office suite with several employees. I’m offering you some tips to spare you from the frustration I have encountered. Lessons learned:
1- Do have a separate area (preferrably a room with a door) that’s dedicated solely to your work.
2- Do have your own computer so when you log on, “Dora the Explorer” or “Sports Illustrated” don’t pop up.
3- Do guard your time carefully. Avoid taking personal calls or visits from friends or neighbors during work hours.
4- Do have a website and business cards that are professionally designed. Top notch marketing is critical to your success.
5- Do set your work hours and adhere to your schedule. You probably don’t have to be available 24/7. It’s called voicemail.
6- Don’t use your home address. For safety reasons and a professional touch, rent a PO Box or office address.
7- Don’t answer the phone with barking dogs, noisy children in the background and chiming clocks.
8- Don’t invite clients or prospects into your home. Meet at a local coffee shop or restaurant.
9- Don’t create professional video’s with “homey” backgrounds that may be cluttered with family pictures, toys and papers.
10- Don’t schedule repair men or personal appointments in your home while on conference calls or on a client’s watch.
11- BONUS! Don’t turn on the TV for background noise.
These tips can apply to new entrepreneurs as well as seasoned professionals. Look, after nine years, I often have to remind myself of a few of these too, especially #5. Good luck!
Insider Tips to Powerful Public Speaking
I wanted to share a few secrets I’ve discovered about public speaking with you. These go above and beyond the basics that I have written about previously, like organizing your content, snappy openings, and handling stage fright.
These tips are just as important as they build subliminal trust with your audience and help you to polish your presence on the platform.
1- Watch where you stand. If you are using PowerPoint or other technology, stand on the right side of the screen side (assuming your slides are in English, reading left to right). This will make it easier for your audience to read the written words on the slides and then naturally bring their eyes to you. By positioning yourself on the right side, your audience won’t have to shift their eyes. It sounds crazy, but that’s extra work for them! This makes for a nice, easy flow. If the podium is on the left side, either move it or don’t use it.
2-Keep your jacket open. In nonverbal communication, a closed jacket indicates you are hiding something. Send the subliminal message that you are open, honest and revealing.
3- Pass the prizes. If you have a giveaway for someone who volunteers for an activity and the person is seated, hand the item to someone in the front and ask them to pass it back to the winner. Others in the audience will touch it. This is especially effective if you have a product to sell. For instance, I usually have my “Communicating with Confidence” books for sale whenever I speak. I keep a few up front with me to use as give-aways when people volunteer. As the audience members pass the book back to the “winner” or volunteer, I casually mention I have copies in the back for sale. Once people have touched the book, they want to go back and buy a copy. It piques everyone’s curiosity.
These strategies can help you to build rapport and connect with your audience. They also build credibility and trust- two important qualities that speakers and experts need for success in business.
Develop Your Personal Brand for Networking & Business Growth
Whether you’re a business professional, work for a nonprofit or are looking for a job, your personal brand is essential to networking and growing your business (making more money). It helps your self-confidence too.
Consider yourself a special commodity. People who meet you and those who know you should be able to repeat your personal branding statement on your behalf. This leads to word-of-mouth referral network for you. It’s a beautiful thing.
In developing your own branding statement, consider the following points:
1- What makes you special? What do you do better, different, cheaper, faster than your competition?
2- Identify your DNA- dynamic natural ability.
3- What value have you gotten for clients that have helped them to grow and be more successful?
4- Weave in your personality and accomplishments in a charismatic and friendly way without sounding pompous or arrogant.
5- Come up with a 6-8 word “catch phrase” or one-liner that addresses the above points. You may have to begin with a longer sentence and start editing!
6- Use punchy words and think in “sound bites” like newscasters. Go for the golden nugget that will compel someone to say “tell me more…”
Creating your own special brand that is relevant, distinctive, valuable and memorable can be fun…and it affects your bottom line.
Huge PR Window for You To Get Publicity
News tends to come to a screeching halt over the summer. State legislative sessions have ended, school is out, people are on vacations and the lazy, hazy days of summer prevail. This is an ideal time to develop and pitch stories. Even though business and government may be slower than usual, newspapers are still being printed and TV and radio stations still have on-air programming spots to fill.
You can help.
After spending 10 years in a busy radio newsroom, the summer months always had the same stories. Gas prices, family vacations, sunburn, barbecues, fireworks, pool safety, ideal bathing suits for not-so-ideal bodies, heat waves, and on and on. Do they sound familiar?
Consider this. Many stories that may seem weak or tough to pitch during a busy news cycle can easily grab the attention of a reporter during the slower holiday news cycle. July 4th weekend is upon us, and Labor Day is just around the corner.
Here are 3 quick and easy tips for getting coverage and publicity during long weekends:
1. Look at the calendar. This year, July 4th falls on a Saturday. If you send out your press release or pitch by Wednesday, July 1, the reporters can use it anytime between July 1 and July 7. The media is open 24/7. Your sleeper story on a busy news day could be a big headline over the extended weekend.
2. Keep it undated. If you have an “evergreen story” with no real date attached to it, that’s ideal for coverage over a long weekend and in slow news cycles.
3. Get creative! Stay away from the typical seasonal stories that reporters cover (listed above). Hard news and business stories are ideal for these time periods. Cause-related marketing is another good opportunity to shine. For example, most groups hustle for holiday food drives around Thanksgiving yet there are plenty of hungry people in July. Why not launch a food drive with your local United Way or soup kitchen? How about a summer mentoring program with local kids who can connect with businesses or volunteer programs? Human interest stories are always fun this time of year too. If you like to surf or go kayaking, invite a brave reporter to come along for a first time adventure.
Take advantage of this window of opportunity by planning ahead and getting creative. The reporters will appreciate your efforts and you can build critical relationships with them for future pitching and coverage.
25 Tips for Writing Powerful Press Releases & News Pitches
Here is a quick list of 25 Do’ s and Don’ts of Writing Press Releases. These can easily help you to increase your business or nonprofit to succeed in increasing your visibility, credibility and revenues. I also have Teleseminar recordings available if you’d like to learn more. And you can subscribe to my free PR E-zine The PR Buzz. Good luck!
1. Do have something new to announce (NEWS)
2. Do ask yourself why you are writing your release- the #1 reason
3. Do write a catchy subject line and headline - get their attention!
4. Do include quotes from people directly affected by the news-put a face on the story
5. Do show and tell a compelling story
6. Do write short, punchy and easy to understand sentences
7. Do speak directly to the reader/audience
8. Do help to ease the public’s pain/problem (position yourself as the expert with the solution)
9. Do re-read and re-write your release/pitch before sending it
10. Do include a contact person who is available and knowledgeable
11. Do use present tense and verbs
12. Do include a date for release
13. Do watch the timing on the release
14. Do cite sources/attribution
15. Do include names and titles in photo captions
16. Don’t repeat information
17. Don’t use adjectives
18. Don’t use rhetoric and jargon
19. Don’t use the word “announce”
20. Don’t begin with a name
21. Don’t send out lousy pictures
22. Don’t ask questions
23. Don’t sell anything
24. Don’t say “first annual”
25. Don’t go more than one page
One final tip: Marketing your business or organization with PR and news stories is essential to your growth, revenues and credibility. If you can’t do this yourself, or don’t want to (delegating is a beautiful thing and eases stress), then please contact me so I can help you. Too many mistakes when reaching out to the media will quickly destroy your credibility.
I welcome you to follow me on Twitter @sueyoungmedia
Good luck!
Creating A PR and Marketing “Buzz”
Our jobs as Public Relations and marketing professionals (and entrepreneurs) is to create a buzz about our products and services. Whether you work in business, government or nonprofits, we need to get people talking.
I teach many classes, workshops and teleseminars on how to create news and publicity. Thinking and breathing do not constitute a news story. You must actually do something to generate publicity. Get creative because your presence affects your prosperity.
In your PR or marketing plan there should be four words:
Create Curiosity
Become Known
These two goal statements are quite powerful.
First, you can create curiosity in your press releases and pitches; conveying such a compelling, concise and articulate message on paper that reporters rush to call you to find out more and cover your story.
The second goal is to become known. Become ubiquitous. Be everywhere. Promote your local speech to the Rotary Club with a calendar listing in the business section. Speak at a Chamber of Commerce event and send out a press release prior to your speech. Follow-up with a digtal picture or short video snippet with the president and a raffle winner after the program (Offer the video to the Chamber to post it on their website). Be a guest on a public affairs show on radio or TV. Write a bylined article that shows your value as an expert and provides useful information to the public (not a poorly-written, self-serving, fluffy piece). Team up with another company or nonprofit for a community cause. Be proactive and become known. Blog. Use social media. Create online videos. Say something bold. Get out of your own way. Think big.
Create curiosity. Become known.
Market Your Business with Clarity: Avoid an Identity Crisis
While marketing, branding and public relations don’t always tie-in together, the three bring a similar message in promoting and building our organizations, products and services. The key is to avoid an identity crisis, which can be a marketing and PR debacle. It can also be the downfall of your business or nonprofit.
You must be able to separate yourself from the herd of your competition. That’s what branding is. The word and concept of branding is taken from the cattle crowds of years ago, when farmers literally used hot “branding” irons to separate the meat-worthy and good cattle from the weaker animals. The ones that were branded (or tattooed) with hot irons stood out in the crowd and were easy to recognize. Stopping one step short of a hot branding iron, can you say that your company or group stands out from your competition?
If your answer is “no” or you think there’s room for improvement, consider the following ways to end your identity crisis and jump ahead of the crowd.
1. Re-evaluate your job responsibilities, the purpose and goals of your department and the overall mission and objectives of your company. Make a detailed list of projects and initiatives that your department and your organization have completed in the past 6-12 months where you absolutely stood out. What are some of your shining moments and highlights? How do you do business differently than your competition? (hint: study your competitors, look at their websites and watch them in action). What makes you special? What’s compelling about you and your organization? Forget your job title; what results do you deliver?
2. Move away from describing your organization to others with the phrases in your mission statement. It can be equivalent to a sleeping pill. Start to weave in the highlights and tidbits from #1 that will get the attention of people you are talking to. Whether you are introducing yourself at a networking luncheon or you’re being interviewed by a news reporter, you must be able to describe who you are and what you do in “people-friendly language” that the general public can understand. Take it one step further and make sure that the public not only understands what you are saying but remembers your message. A few compelling words spoken with enthusiasm will go a long way. Don’t wing it. Be creative and chose your words carefully, focusing on how you help other people. Always show value.
3. Avoid the “cutesy” approach and industry jargon that can leave people confused. You don’t want to leave anyone puzzled about who you are and what you do. One business owner I recently met at a networking event describes herself as an “agent of change”. But what does that mean? Recently I overheard her explaining to someone she’s an interior decorator. Some people admitted they thought she was a business coach. Others were embarrassed to admit they had no idea what line of work she was in. One person thought she was a travel agent. This entrepreneur lost potential business because of a lack of clarity and her own self-imposed identity crisis. Her idea of cute was actually confusing.
In our competitive and fast-changing world, you must be able to carve out a unique identity (differentiate yourself) or you will blend right in with the herd of your competition.
