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Press releases don’t work, so try an approach that does

Guest post by Andreea Ayers

It’s exciting to see your product on the glossy pages of a magazine, and provides great brand exposure to new customers. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs don’t know how to get featured. I used to be one of them, but I’ve learned how to get my products the press they deserve and you can too. Here’s my story:

When I started my inspirational t-shirt company, Tees For Change, I spent nearly $500 on an online service to write and distribute a press release. They said I’d reach “tens of thousands of journalists,” but no one called.

I thought my timing was off, so I tried again the next month. This time, I hired someone to write the release, and distributed it via a very popular PR service. It cost me another $500, I received only one response, from a journalist who wanted a free sample. I sent her a shirt that day – and never heard from her again, despite my follow-up calls and emails.

This probably sounds all too familiar to you. The problem isn’t your product – it’s that press releases just don’t work!

What I learned from my experience is that I was competing with thousands of other businesses for space in the inboxes of those tens of thousands of journalists. To earn their attention and interest, I tried something new.

I purchased a media list, and created my own list of journalists and editors who were working on holiday gift guides for their publications. By reading past issues of the magazines, I learned that each one approached their gift guides with an angle:

• gifts for teens
• green gifts
• gifts under $50
• gifts for moms
• last-minute gifts

To earn the attention of the editors and journalists on my list, I wrote a pitch about my t-shirts being “gifts that give back.” My pitch told a story about my shirts that stood out from the crowd and hooked the journalists I sent it to. Over 20 editors wrote back asking for photos, samples and more information on my shirts! While not all of them ended up featuring my shirts, I made over $20,000 in sales from mentions in holiday gift guides that year. Some of the magazines that didn’t use my shirts for their gift guides contacted me later to feature them in another issue and I received even more press.

The next year I did it again, and received even more buzz. Unlike my attempts at press releases, this time journalists were calling me. I realized this was a PR strategy I could employ all year round.

Press releases can be useful, but usually only after the media is interested in your story. Busy journalists are looking for stories to tell every day, and you can help them by offering specific story ideas. Launching your Spring clothing line doesn’t make for very interesting copy, but the story of how your product gives back to your community does. I planted a tree for each tee I sold, and the story of how many trees I planted was one the media loved to tell.

If you’re ready to stop wasting money on press releases and invest time in telling your product’s story, here’s how to get started today:

1. Make a list of 10-15 magazines/blogs/TV shows you want to see your product on this year.
2. Flip through each magazine (you can do this for free at Barnes and Noble), read each blog and watch each TV show and make a list of the topics they cover so you can target your pitch to their audience.
3. Find and download each magazine’s editorial calendar, which is usually found in the advertising section of the magazine’s website. Or Google search the magazine’s name + Editorial Calendar. Find upcoming issue themes that fit your product.
4. Make a list of the contact information for each editor you want to reach. You can often find their email addresses in the masthead of the magazine, on the website’s contact us page, in the editorial calendar, or by calling the magazine directly.
5. Write a story idea for each individual magazine. For example: Your sports product for women could be great in a women’s health magazine, or for the fitness issue of a magazine for moms, but each will need their own approach.
6. Email each of your contacts with your story idea, and don’t forget to follow up one week later, and again 2 weeks later if you haven’t heard back.

Remember that magazines work 4 – 6 months in advance of the issue release date, so you should pitch products for December gift guides in the summer. And don’t forget that the winter holidays aren’t the only time for gift guides! Many magazines feature guides for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, grad gifts, Valentine’s Day and Earth Day.

By following the steps above you’ll be on your way to getting more press and better buzz than any press release can provide.

Andreea Ayers works with product-based entrepreneurs to help them grow their product line. She provides game-changing tips and strategies for wholesale, retail, publicity and marketing at www.AndreeaAyers.com and www.ProductMarketingBreakthrough.com.

The problem with your web designer: why hiring out your site could be your biggest biz mistake

Guest post by Amanda Aitken

Tell me if this sounds familiar.

You’re in the shower, lathering up with your fave shampoo, when suddenly, it hits you like a lightning bolt. A brilliant idea. An idea for a business that’s sure to change the world as we know it (or at least your little corner of it), and that you know you must act on NOW, or it will never happen.

Lit up like a Christmas tree, you jump out of the shower with your hair full of suds so you can scrawl down your genius thought before it vanishes into the ether.

As you skid back into the bathroom, your mind goes into overdrive dreaming up your branding for the new pursuit. You can’t remember the last time you were so excited. Fame, fortune, and that splashy trip to Paris are surely just around the corner!

But then you have another thought: “Crap. I’m going to need a website.”

The smile fades from your lips as the water goes cold.

Yep – you’ve got a tall order on your hands. This ain’t your first rodeo, and you know from experience how hard it is to find a talented designer who a) “gets” your vision, b) actually returns your emails, and c) is available sometime before 2014. Oh yeah – and you also need to come up with $2,000 for the project. Stat.

And just like that, the bubble bursts. You can already see the finished site in your mind’s eye (it’s gorgeous! flawless! primed to reel in the clients!), but you’re painfully aware that getting there is going to be a real struggle.

I know you’re trying to outsource the stuff that’s outside your zone of genius. That’s a smart strategy. But if you’re a creative solopreneur (especially one who’s a bit of a design snob), hiring out your website can be a massive mistake.

Let’s get very real here: after months of back-and-forth by email, costs that balloon with every revision you ask for, and a low-level migraine you can’t seem to shake, you could STILL end up with a site you don’t adore.

Does outsourcing still seem like the way to go?

—

So what’s a girl (or guy) to do? Why, DIY, of course!

That’s right – I said it! For visually picky solopreneurs, learning to create your own website – coding and all – is the smartest choice you will make this year.

Here’s why:

• Learning to code is easier than you think. There’s this perception that it’s scary and weird, but this is just what “web people” want you to believe. The end result? You end up paying them money to do something they get a real kick out of. Actually, learning HTML and CSS is no different from leaning any other new skill. I taught myself HTML when I was 13, and I’m not even a supernerd.
• Building your own sites saves you serious cash. You know the old proverb: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. If you have ten ideas for new businesses or online projects over the next few years, you could be forking out as much as $50,000 for web design and web development work. That’s $50,000 you could be using to start a bold new movement, a charity, or an impressive shoe collection.
• Coding is what lets you create amazing, non-template-y  visual effects. Putting up a basic WordPress site has its place, but if you care deeply about your branding, you need to know how to code. Paired with graphics (which you can make yourself online, for free), HTML and CSS knowledge is a must-have for getting a gorgeous, customized look for your site. “Cookie-cutter” won’t know what hit it.
• Knowing this stuff makes you super business-nimble. Came up with a great new opt-in offer? If you know HTML and CSS, you can throw it up on your site within minutes of envisioning it. No matter how you slice it, that’s pretty darn awesome.
• If you’re taught the right way, code and web stuff can be fun. Like, not going out on Friday night because you want to stay in with your computer fun.
• Total empowerment. Imagine the feeling of freedom you’d have if you finally knew how to get the ideas out of your head and onto a computer screen – so that your ideal clients and customers can bask in their beauty.

As an entrepreneur, I can’t tell you how valuable it is for me to be able to get a new site online, exactly the way I want it to look, within hours of it popping into my head. You can have that feeling too!

Amanda Aitken is the incurable entrepreneur and longtime web designer behind The Girl’s Guide to Web Design:  the online course that teaches design-minded women to create gorgeous, totally unique WordPress blogs and sites – coding, graphics, and all – in a fun, whimsical video format. Find out which learning track would fit you best (First Class or Jetsetter) at http://girlsguidetowebdesign.com, or  follow her on Twitter at @amandaaitken.

The Sneaky Trick to Score National Press Using your Blog

Guest Post By Melissa Cassera

It happens every day.

You peel open the pages of your favorite magazine and “wham!” Your competitor is staring at you from those glossy pages like a smack in the face.

So how do YOU score national press coverage just like your competition in magazines, newspapers, radio or TV shows?

Hint: it has to do with your blog.

With all the cool social media tools we have available to us, we no longer have to wait for the press to tell our story. Blogging provides the perfect platform for us to share all of our goods as often as we’d like.

Now, writing super juicy blog posts is one thing. Scoring national press from them is a whole different ball game. Follow these tips to turn your blog into a press-generating machine.

Blog Like the Cover of a Magazine

Every media outlet follows an editorial schedule, and I know Laura would second this notion of creating an editorial calendar for your blog. If you want the national press to stand at attention, you have to blog about things that they are actually covering. For example, if you notice almost every outlet will talk about  “spring cleaning” in March or “beating the heat” in July or August. Simply follow those editorial trends and you’re that much closer to engaging the press.

Headline Happiness

A great headline is key. But what if you really suck at writing headlines? Then you need a date with Barnes and Noble.

Get a copy of every single magazine that aligns with your brand. Then make your own headline “swipe file.” Write down words and phrases found on the cover and inside pages of magazines that ‘speak’ your brand. For example, a magazine that fits my brand is SELF (happy, healthy and fun) and some words and phrases include ‘so-simple,’ ‘cheat sheet,’ best summer ever,’ ‘maximum motivation,’ and ‘secrets to a stronger you.’ You’ll see I use variations of these words and phrases in my blog and other marketing materials.

Re-work, Re-use, Recycle

Don’t expect the media to stumble upon your amazing blog. Go to them with this so-simple strategy (see, told you I could use something from my last tip!)

Every single blog you write can easily be re-worked and recycled into a clear, concise, and compelling pitch. You can alert a small list of targeted media outlets each time you blog by emailing them a short, personal pitch letter on the blog topic and provide the link to your post if they’d like to read further. You can also re-use older blog posts to correspond with media deadlines. For example:

Dear xx,

I hope are well and finally enjoying the glimmer of warm weather! With Spring right around the corner and bathing suit season not far behind, I recently wrote a blog post on at-home spa treatments that provide a head-to-toe glow for half the price. These treatments use items that are found in most kitchens – including yogurt, honey, brown sugar, and banana. Please feel free to use all or any parts of this blog for <media outlet name> as long as you cite <your name, your website address> as the source. I am also available for interviews on this topic. I have copied the blog post below and provided a link to the post below for your convenience. Thank you in advance for your consideration!

Bonus hint: if you have seriously no clue how to write a pitch letter, I have an entire eBook that shows you how for FREE.

Watch your Deadlines

If you’re using the recycle method, be aware of media deadlines. While newspapers, TV and radio typically work close to deadline (booking interviews and writing stories anywhere from 1-6 weeks ahead), magazines are quite different. National magazines work about 3-6 months in advance of deadline. So if you’re pitching a national magazine a story on spring in March, they promptly toss your pitch in the trash bin. Magazines work on June, July and August issues in March. This means you may need to dip into last year’s blog posts and see what you can re-work to fit this summer’s trends.

Comments Away

I was chatting with an editor at a major magazine recently about how many pitches she receives from business owners just like you. She said “Do you know how many people pitch me every day? Hundreds. Do you know how many comment on my blog? Maybe one a week.”

How can we expect the media to give us attention when we don’t reciprocate?

Homework for everyone reading this post. If you want national media coverage, go and do some research. Do the magazines, TV shows, newspapers, or radio shows you desire have a blog? If yes, read those blogs regularly and comment often! This is a great way to build relationships with the media and, if your blog posts are relevant, offer a complimentary or conflicting viewpoint, or additional information on the topic, you can often post a link to it in the comments section. A win-win for both parties!

Melissa Cassera helps business owners score millions of dollars in free advertising using the power of publicity. Download her free eBook on how to pitch the media like a pro at www.casseracommunications.com

 

How to Easily Build a Community of Raving Fans In Your Business

Guest post by Wendy Maynard

The most important component of your business is YOU

Most people do pretty well with the technical aspects of setting up a blog, developing a website, creating their email list, and beginning to write informative articles. But there is another component of the success formula that many people are missing or avoiding. And that piece is YOU.

If you aren’t doing something to differentiate your business, you quickly become a commodity. And if your business is a commodity, then you are stuck in a huge dogpile of competitors who basically all look the same to your prospects. You won’t be able to charge a premium price. And you won’t have loyal customers – they’ll simply jump ship at a whim. Yikes! This is not any way to grow your company.

Build a personal brand that is magnetic to your audience

In contrast, anchoring your business around your personal brand will draw people to you, make your business more memorable, and completely differentiate you from your competitors. Your personal brand is what will showcase your unique and authentic self. And when you leverage the brand of YOU, there is no competition.

If you’ve been reading Laura’s blog or attending her amazing Webinars for any amount of time, you’ll know that she is all about Creating Fame. She teaches you how to become famous in your industry and niche. One of Laura’s core concepts is that when you develop a business brand with a clear, passionate vision then a community of fans will rally around you.

So how exactly do you do this?

The first thing is to get really clear on your vision. This is the soul of your brand. I call it your Why. It is the very reason that you do what you do. Your vision always reminds you of where you are going, what you are doing, and why you are doing it. And it will shine through every aspect of your business.

Then begin to write more personal posts on your blog, create videos, give interviews, record podcasts, and share more photographs of your life. Chat informally on Twitter and Facebook. Tell your audience about your successes and your failures. Shout your vision from the rooftops. All of these things will magnetically draw people in to you.

Yes, I know it’s friggin’ scary. I realize that it feels weird to write about why you dance under the full moon and why you hate the color aqua and why you’re scared to launch your next product. I understand that you don’t want to get on video because you’re too old, too young, too boring, too pimply, too awkward, too shy, too brassy, too weird, too whatever your latest story/excuse/fear is yelling inside your head right now.

I get all that. But when you make this leap to fully show up as YOU, you develop a brand that is absolutely unique. People will get really excited about what you are doing. They will spread the word to their friends, they’ll sign up for your services, and they’ll comment on your blog. And best of all – you’ll start having more fun than ever before because you are in absolute alignment with your Why.

Why a personal brand eliminates all of your competition

Remember, you are the only YOU in this whole wide world. Your collection of knowledge, experiences, skills, reading lists and network, are yours. Your audience…your right people want to build a relationship with YOU. They want to learn about YOU. They don’t care about a faceless company…they care about YOU.

So, proudly show your beautiful, brilliant, awesome, unique self with all of your amazing, fabulous, uniquely perfect quirks, imperfections, weird habits, and imperfections. Your audience will fall in love with you. You’ll get noticed by the A-players in your industry. You’ll get interviewed by the media. Oh, and you’ll sell more of your products and services. Authenticity is a great sales tool.

So tell me… What are you doing to build your personal brand? Do you have any strategies you’d like to share with us? And if you’re feeling stuck, do you have any comments or questions? Please share a little about what you’re doing in the comments below…

Wendy Maynard writes MavenDiary.com, a blog about how inspired entrepreneurs can grow our business through personal branding and online marketing. She is a marketing and social media consultant who will help you position your business as a leader in your industry.

If people think you’re strange, they’re right

This is a guest post by Johnny B. Truant

I coined an axiom recently. Not many people get to coin axioms, so I’m pretty happy about it. Coining an axiom isn’t as glamorous as coining a phrase, but it does tend to get more long-term sociological respect.

I call my axiom “Johnny’s Rule,” and it’s this: If you’re the first person in your group to try a given thing, you’re going to look like a total idiot.

As axioms go, it’s not terribly sexy… but it’s dead on.

If you follow Laura, you’re trying to get your own thing going. You’re trying to start a side business, a replacement business, or to build your own social media empire. Maybe you even bought a product. Maybe you took one of Laura’s courses. Maybe you’ve had a bit of success. Maybe you’re even getting kind of excited.

And if you’re like most entrepreneurs, you’ve told someone about it and they’ve totally patronized you. Or they’ve suggested you not get your hopes up, and definitely that you shouldn’t quit your day job. Maybe you even made the mistake of saying you wanted to make money online — with “make money online” being the three dirtiest words you could say to most people — and had someone tell you that you were a sucker, that it’s all a big scam.

Well, remember Johnny’s Rule: If you’re the first person in your group to quit a job, you’re going to look like a total idiot to the people around you.

For that matter, if you’re the first person in your group to run off to New York to be an actor, to start a pet-sitting company, to homeschool your kids, or to attempt to build a new piece of software, people are going to think you’re a complete dope.

So you’re probably thinking: This really is one great, inspirational blog post, Johnny.

But look… remember what a “rule” is. Remember what an axiom is. It’s something that is always true. Always. Meaning that no matter what, if you’re the first, people are always going to think you’re stupid — regardless of the idea’s actual merit.

If your idea is terrible, you’re going to look like an idiot, yes.

But the same goes if your idea is the best idea ever. If what you’re doing will be of revolutionary benefit to you, or change the world, or save lives, or reinvent an industry, you’re going to look like a total idiot to the people in your group if you’re the first one to try it.

Bill Gates, trying to sell an intuitive operating system for an incomprehensible computer without having any great programming know-how? Idiot.

Steve Jobs, challenging the world Gates built? Taking on the PC world? Moron.

Thomas Edison, continuing to experiment with lightbulb filaments after failing nearly ten thousand times? What a total dumbass.

And the Wright Brothers, attempting flight? They were clearly out of their minds — and they knew it, because even after they had successfully flown, people kept telling them that building a flying machine wasn’t possible.

Look, I’ve got news for you: You’re not normal. You have weird ideas. You have a messed-up perception of what you’re “supposed to” do in this world, and how you’re “supposed to” live, and what it’s possible for a person to do. If you weren’t weird, you’d obey the rules. You’d stop doing such stupid things, and having such idiotic ideas.

But so-called “smart” ideas don’t change the world. They perpetuate the status quo. They reinforce the rules that they were born within. If you’re in a situation you don’t like, doing absolutely everything in the sanest, smartest way possible is a great way to guarantee that you stay there.

If people think you’re strange, they’re right. If people think you’re a little out of your mind, they’re right.

It takes unconventional decisions to create change in your life or in others’ lives. Stepping outside of boundaries and comfort zones is the only way to see anything different, and to create new results.

If you keep doing this entrepreneur thing, people are going to think you’re stupid, crazy, reckless, foolhardy, and naive.

And that’s cool. Because the willingness to be all of those things is what it’s going to take if you’re to ever succeed.

About the Author: Johnny B. Truant is one of the creators of Question the Rules: The nonconformist’s punk rock, DIY, nuts-and-bolts guide to creating the business and life you really want, starting with what you already have, which is available now, and stupidly cheap through tomorrow only – Saturday, May 1st

Building a Business Around Your Personal Brand

Mentioned in this video: Clay Collins

I know this can be a controversial topic, and I really want to hear your thoughts on it!

Read the Transcript ▼