institute of public relations

Studies have shown that companies that stop all marketing during a recession are those that fair the poorest not only during the recession, but in the long run. Tough economic times are precisely the times that you want to reach out to and stay in front of your target market. They are also challenging times marketing-wise because you also need to be frugal and savvy with your marketing budget.

Tough economic times are precisely the times that you want to reach out to and stay in front of your target market . They are also challenging times marketing-wise because you also need to be frugal and savvy with your marketing budget. Studies have shown that companies that stop all marketing during a recession are those that fair the poorest not only during the recession, but in the long run. So, there is your dilemma, you need to promote your company, reach your market and not overly-strain your budget.

You have a number of choices to consider from advertising and direct marketing to public relations and online marketing. All forms of promotion have their upsides, but your job is to find the marketing avenue that is the most advantageous for you and your company. During rough times consumers and clients are particularly focused on companies that they can trust. Sure cost savings is a big deciding factor, but credibility becomes more important than ever.

That is where public relations becomes such an important marketing tool. Through it, you reach your target market and gain the validation and credibility of being featured in the news. Also cost-wise, PR can be much more cost effective than a concerted advertising campaign. Both require consistency. You can’t run one ad or send out one press release and expect to really benefit from either, but going the PR route offers you a number of different avenues. You can pitch the local, regional and national media. You can develop a number of different story ideas, from a product or service-based story, to a local human interest story, to a national trend story. You can present yourself as an expert in your field. You can tailor make pitches for radio, TV and print. You have the entire media world that you can pitch your story to. Then, as you garner media placement, you can feature your media hits on your website, on your blog and on various social media sites. Touch economic times are times that call for you to be both proactive and creative. So, take a deep breath, and move forward. Study the various media outlets; see what stories they run with. Now, come up with effective story ideas that meet both the media’s needs and yours. Even in the toughest of times, one well-placed story on you and your company can make all the difference.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2009

About the Author

Anthony Mora
President & CEO

Anthony Mora Communications, Inc. is a Los Angeles-based public relations company that has placed clients in: Time, Newsweek, 60 Minutes, CNN, USA Today, Oprah, The New York Times, Vogue, and other media. Anthony has been featured in: USA Today, Newsweek, The New York Times,, The Wall Street Journal, The BBC, CNN, Fox News, and other media outlets.

The internet really has changed the world of business marketing. If you don’t know you need to do to effectively market to your customers and prospective clients online, it (web marketing) may seem like a major undertaking and you might be dreading it because you don’t know very much about how web-based advertising works. But many believe internet marketing is actually easier — once you get the hang of it.

The best news is that unlike offline marketing, when you market online, you can finally begin to market with laser-targeted accuracy and effectiveness and much more easily measure your success as well as determine new / effective strategies. It costs less, you can reach more people, and you can easily measure the efficacy so you can tweak and alter your strategy based on what works and what doesn’t. No need to do a post-mortem months after something has bled money and failed when you can get real-time reporting.

The old marketing methods work to a degree for the offline world but even those are changing with the evolution of the consumer. Things in a traditional campaign might not have worked as well as you’d hoped and it could take months to figure out what went wrong. The great thing about web-based business marketing is that it’s easily measurable. You can launch campaigns quickly and then just as quickly ascertain whether or not they are working well and providing results. Print, radio, and television campaigns can take months to organise before launch but web-based campaigns can be launched almost immediately. Results can take ages to tabulate for traditional marketing methods but the ease of measuring an online campaign means that your spend is reduced and you can easily tweak your approach when something isn’t working.

The biggest challenge in generating interest and business through the web is learning how to do it and how to target your desired demographic. There are free promotional tools and low-cost tools that can provide you with excellent results. But not all tools are equal and there are secrets to utilising some of those tools that could make a massive difference. For many companies and entrepreneurs who want to learn how to market online, they don’t have the cycles to learn the hard way (trial and error). Many will seek assistance of an online business consultancy firm who will either teach them to use these tools or who will take on the outsourced marketing for them.

When you delve into the new methods of relationship building, advertising, and PR and various methods of business marketing, you’ll see that where the web is concerned, it’s all good news. It costs less than offline, it’s easier to measure, and the world of online consumers is ever-expanding — presenting you with growth opportunities that are very exciting.

About the Author

A marketing consultant for many years, Chris Jenkinson specialises in 21st century business marketing services. He provides further advice about consulting services on the GizTheBiz blog.

People in the United States are becoming more and more aware of the influence of the automobile on their lives. The automobile has an influence on social life, on the economy, and on the environment. It is particularly its influence on the environment that people are increasingly worrying about. It has become obvious that the automobile contributes to air and noise pollution, traffic congestion, urban decay, and suburban sprawl, and that it has kept mass transit systems from developing.

People are not so aware, however, of the relation between the automobile-and energy problems. In the past few years the country has had energy problems Tag Heuer Carrera Replica such as brownouts arid blackouts, fuel shortages, rising fuel prices, and bad effects on the environment caused by producing energy and converting it from one form to another.

These energy problems are in fact closely related to the automobile. An enormous amount of energy, supplied mainly by- petroleum, is required by the automobile. In fact, the automobile is responsible for 25 percent of the total energy consumption in the United States.

Gasoline is only part of the energy required. It also takes energy to manufacture the automobile in the first place. Then it must be transported to dealers who advertise and sell it, all of which takes energy. Energy is also; required to make replacement parts for automobile repair. Once the car is on the road, energy still must go into; producing gasoline for it. Oil fields must be discovered. Oil must be pumped to the surface and refined. And think of the energy required annually to build and maintain highways and roads.

All together the energy requirements of a car are about 50 percent for gasoline and 50 percent for all these other needs that we have just mentioned. The question is, what can we do about all this? What can we do to lower this figure, to conserve energy resources so as to reduce air pollution and help solve both our energy and automobile problems? -

The most important thing we can do is to promote changes in passenger transportation. Bicycles are 22 times as energy-efficient as cars, walking 18 times, buses almost 4 times, and railroads 2.5 times. Only airplanes are less energy-efficient Tag Heuer Replica than cars. If we promote such changes, we won’t only conserve energy. We will also reduce the crowding and noise in the cities and we can use land for parks instead of for parking lots.

It will take time for such changes to come about. Fortunately the sale of bicycles is increasing. And one thing we can do immediately is to increase the energy-efficiency of cars by using smaller cars and carrying more passengers.

About the Author

Fashion-replica.com is one unique site on the net which launched the new collection of Replica Watches to the delight of its customers.

Crises can be divided into three categories:

1. Creeping Crises – foreshadowed by a series of events that decision makers don’t view as part of a pattern.

2. Slow-Burn Crises – some advance warning, before the situation has caused any actual damage.

3. Sudden Crises – damage has already occurred and will get worse the longer it takes to respond.

It is not uncommon for what seems to be a sudden crisis to have actually, first, been a creeping crisis that was not detected. Appropriate measures, early in the process, can often prevent or, at least, minimize the damage from slow-burn and sudden crises.

Below are some examples from the healthcare industry. From this, readers in other industries should be able to develop comparable lists.

1. Creeping Crises

* Lack of a rumor-control system, resulting in damaging rumors.

* Inadequate preparation for partial or complete business interruption.

* Inadequate steps to protect life and property in the event of emergencies.

* Inadequate two-way communication with all audiences, internal and external.

2. Slow-Burn Crises

* Internet activism

* Most lawsuits.

* Most discrimination complaints.

* Company reputation

* Lack of regulatory compliance – safety, immigration, environment, hiring, permits, etc.

* Major operational decisions that may distress any important audience, internal or external.

* Local/state/national governmental actions that negatively impact operations.

* Official/governmental investigations involving your healthcare organization and/or any of its employees.

* Labor unrest.

* Sudden management changes – voluntary or involuntary.

* Marketing misrepresentation.

3. Sudden Crises

* Patient death – Your healthcare organization perceived to be liable in some way.

* Patient condition worsened – Your healthcare organization perceived to be liable in some way.

* Serious on-site accident.

* Insane/dangerous behavior by anyone at a location controlled by your healthcare organization.

* Criminal activity at a company site and/or committed by company employees.

* Lawsuits with no advance notice or clue whatsoever.

* Natural disasters.

* Loss of workplace/business interruption (for any reason).

* Fires.

* Perceptions of significant impropriety that damage reputation and/or result in legal liability, e.g., publicized involvement of company employee in a group or activity perceived to be a threat to the U.S. government or society; inappropriate comments by a “loose cannon;” business activities not officially authorized by management.

Typically, reviewing a list like this triggers thoughts of other situations that need to be addressed during the crisis planning process.

About the Author

Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc. (BCM), http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com, providing crisis prevention, response, planning and training services. The BCM website has more than 500 articles on crisis management available free to visitors.

The modern era is a cut-throat competition and every single business owner wants to get the best from the rest. In order to excel in such a scenario and keeping yourself abreast with others, it is necessary to use some kind of promotional strategies. These promotional gifts allow a business to increase its existing clientele, attracts new clients thus resulting into revenue maximization. The promotional products such as promotional gifts and business gifts can be the best idea to achieve this aim. These gifts are not only justifies the generosity but reflect the idea of giving extra benefits to their clients also.

A business cannot sustain without profits but sometimes or you may say most of the times the company needs something beyond the normal profits. This can be achieved through the sales only. With a view to boost up your existing sale quotas and increasing the sales revenue, the businesses generally opt for sales promotion. Sales promotion is a way to give some lucrative offers to the existing as well as prospective customers so as to increase their customer satisfaction level. There are number of ways used for promoting the sales but offering promotional products like promotional gifts and business gifts is something really good as well as effective.

Promotional gifts allow a business to build positive rapport amongst the customer base and it gives fair chances to lure the prospects. Offering promotional products to the present customers helps in securing referral business. A new buyer or a client will definitely consider these gifts as a reason to choose a particular product. For a customer the promotional gifts are the add-ons on the services or the products which they are buying. Similarly, the business gifts are also a kind of strategy to improve the clientele. You must have seen the medical representative presenting the doctors some gifts.

It is a way to show your regards for your customers and in other terms it is a marketing strategy to promote sales. A business can witness significant profits by introducing the promotional gifts as a part of their sales process. The company and the big corporate houses are offering the business gifts with a view to brand building and thus creating a timeless brand image on the minds of the customers. Based on specific requirements and budget the companies select the best suitable promotional gifts from the wide array of promotional products.

There are numerous promotional gifts which can be offered to the clients in the name of business gifts. However the gifts offered to the customers are known as promotional gifts. Some companies manufacture their own promotional products while a few contact other companies to place their orders. Nowadays the markets are flooded with such companies which not only supply the variety of gifts but suggest the innovative ideas as well as products related to gifting also. Any business can rely on this excellent way of customer augmentation. So are you ready to gear up your existing sales figures, give these promotional gifts a shot!

Visit the following links to find attractive promotional products and ideas for promotional gifts.

About the Author

Visit the following links to find attractive promotional products and ideas for promotional gifts.

It’s 10.15am, you’re in your office and the phone rings. You pick up and a voice says: “Hi, this is John Davis from the BBC, we’d like to ask you a few questions….” By now, your heart is racing and your mind is whirling. So what do you do?

Here are three steps to ensure you don’t end up on the wrong end of a media encounter.

1) Assess the situation

Remember you do not have to give the interview – there may be no benefit to your company in doing so. In order to decide whether or not to give the interview you need more information. You also need to know how much time you have to prepare.

2) Buy time

Never be tempted to give the interview right there and then. Explain that you are about to go into a meeting or board a train or join a conference call – anything to avoid falling into the worst trap of all, conducting an interview without any planning.

3) Establish the context

In order to assess the opportunity and plan your response, you need facts. So ask the reporter:

* Which media they are working for (TV, radio, print and which specific programme or publication) and their contact details – this is essential information in order to prepare for the interview (and ensure that the person on the end of the line really is a journalist, not a competitor or some other interested party)

* The subject of the interview and their angle – don’t assume the journalist’s mind is working in the same direction as yours

* Who else the journalist is speaking to – the journalist might also be interviewing a pressure group or one of your main competitors. If so you can predict and plan for likely questions.

* If TV or radio, whether the interview will be live or recorded. A live interview can be nerve-wracking, but at least you know that everything you say will be broadcast: you have less control over a pre-recorded interview where your words will be edited

* When their deadline is – this provides a timescale for your preparation

The answers to these questions will help you decide whether you should give the interview or not. If you decide that there is benefit in doing so, you now have the information and timescale in which to do your preparation which is essential for a successful performance.

Research has shown that conducting a TV interview is less popular than a visit to the dentist for a filling! But following this approach to a media enquiry provides you with the platform to succeed in this most challenging environment.

About the Author

Jonathan Hemus is the founder of Insignia Communications – http://www.insigniacomms.com/ -a consultancy specialising in corporate reputation management and crisis communication. His experience in crisis management for a range of global corporations and public sector organisations has helped to protect and preserve many reputations.

A very good way to announce that your offline business has joined the internet is through a press release. It is important however to take a few things into consideration before you jump in. When executed properly an effective press release can work to increase visibility and interest in your business, but if you don’t plan properly they can also be an unfortunate waste of effort.

When writing a press release or hiring someone to do it for you, it is important to remember that it should read like a newspaper article would. This means that it should be factual and informative but also contain elements that hold the readers interest.

You will also want the information within to seem newsworthy so that people will take the information seriously and in turn your company image as well. Another important element of your press release is the length; it should be brief but not so short that people are left wondering what the rest of the information is.

Take heed also not to create content that is too long, if you bombard your reader with every minute detail they may loose interest and not read your information at all. Compelling press releases also get shared throughout the internet and the likelihood of yours being bookmarked or indexed is greater if consideration is given to the content contained within it.

When you are writing your release the most important element is the headline. A good headline will draw the reader into your story and make them want to explore beyond that page. A successful headline will not contain your website address; instead much like a newspaper headline it will contain a hook to grab interest.

Beyond the headline is the body, here is where the specifics are contained. The story unfolds within this area while still holding the interest of the reader and explaining your products or service offerings to them. You will conclude with the resource box, your reader will need to be directed to more information about your website. This information will serve to direct the reader back to your site to purchase your products.

A key component in a successful press release is promotion. You will want to gain as much attention for your company as possible. You can best accomplish this by submitting your press release to several online media outlets. Once the content is approved these outlets will display your press release so that it is easily accessible by searchers. In order to fully benefit from your press release you may want to consult with a search engine optimization specialist.

About the Author

Are you looking to get more out of your website? Contact us at CU Innovative Marketing and let us help you create and implement an internet marketing strategy designed to grow your business.

Flowcrete made the grade when it was called in to provide an attractive finish to external walkways as part of a new build project for the University of East London (UEL).
The leading flooring manufacturer was asked to help out when resin-bound gravel landscaping was needed at the University’s Stratford campus, where a £16.5 million redevelopment scheme is transforming the facilities available in the run-up to the 2012 London Olympics.
Flowcrete approved contractor, Phoenix Specialist Flooring Contracts Ltd, were already on site when Mansell Construction Services Limited, the main contractor for the UEL development, asked if they could provide an external surface to match existing gravel walkways.
Phoenix recommended Flowcrete’s Naturewalk and 1,180 square metres of the impact and abrasion resistant system – consisting of natural gravel scattered over a clear resin seal – were installed at the university.
Flowcrete Naturewalk reduces foot noise, and its anti-slip finish stays looking good in all weathers.
Allan Potter, Sales Manager at Phoenix Specialist Flooring, said: “When the main contractor asked if we could extend the existing outdoor floor, we suggested the Flowcrete product, as it could be matched easily and was competitively priced.
“The job went well and the client is very pleased with the Naturewalk surface.”
Alan Dean, sales director of Flowcrete, said: “Naturewalk looks superb and provides a protective coating capable of standing up to the movement of visitors, and all the general wear and tear you would expect at such a busy location.”

ENDS

Notes To Editors
The University of East London (UEL)
The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with 23,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry
Flowcrete
Flowcrete is a world leader in the supply of specialist flooring for commercial and industrial buildings. With 29 offices and eight manufacturing plants globally, Flowcrete’s aim is to transform environments with its innovative specialist flooring products.
These include decorative seamless resins, waterproof car park decking, resin terrazzo, seamless antimicrobial flooring, corrosion protection, self-levelling cements, underfloor heating and acoustic systems. Flowcrete is using its global expertise to introduce environmentally friendly, hygienic and aesthetically attractive floors to create a better and more sustainable world at our feet.

Flowcrete UK Limited
The Flooring Technology Centre
Booth Lane,
Moston,
Sandbach,
Cheshire
CW11 3QF
Visit us on the web at http://www.flowcrete.com for global details.
In April 2009, Flowcrete secured the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, in the International Trade category.

About the Author

Press release issued by Jane Shepherd, Shepherd PR 01538 308685 mobile 07985 129315.
jane@shepherd-pr.com

For those who are starting a new business, you will find that you will want to get out of your robe and slippers and get into something that looks a bit more professional. You will want to look like you are confident and success. You will want to make sure that you dress the part. When you dress the part you will be able to be seen as a serious business person and you will be able to look successful before you even begin to budget for the business plan.

When approaching a financial institution to present a business plan or ask for money, always look professional. Most men will want to wear dress pants, a dress shirt, tie, and maybe even a full suit.. Only if the meeting is very casual should you consider being less formal than this. For woman, a business suit is also appropriate or a business dress. Make sure that you are well groomed and have a very professional demeanor. You may have a lot of potential with your investors; however, if you aren’t dressed for success then you will not get a penny for your efforts.

It is also important to dress in a business-like manner when interviewing new employees. Even if your business does not require formal attire, such as a construction company may not, you want to show your employees that professional attitude is important. You don’t just have to worry about how you dress to work, but outside work as well. The way that you carry yourself at anytime will affect the way that others perceive your company.

For example, if you own a restaurant, will the employees be required to wear a specific uniform? You may also want this uniform for yourself, with a few changes such as the addition of a tie, to set yourself apart from the other employees. Also, consider what you are wearing everyday because you might want to purchase multiple shirts of the same style if that is your set work dress code. It is easy than doing laundry all the time.

You may want to get some extra advertisement in when you aren’t even working. You will want to purchase t-shirts, pins, coats, bumper stickers, and more so that you can displace your company name. You will also find that there are meetings with investors, potential clients, employees and more that you are not going to be able to be dressed in business clothing; however, if you get some polo shirts with the company name, you will be able to always look professional. You will always want to watch your appearance and the way that others will perceive you and the company. You will find that if you look like you were put together correctly, you will be able to dazzle everyone. Dressing right is important and you will want to consider your wardrobe in the costs of starting your new adventure.

About the Author

For more information go to: entrepreneur-magnet.com

The biggest mistake most novelists make when promoting their books is believing that it’s all about book reviews. Wrong. Book reviews are valuable and securing them should be on any author or publisher’s book promotion to-do list, but your novel deserves more widespread, long-term, and ongoing exposure than it can get through reviews alone. It deserves to be talked about month after month – as long as the book is available for purchase.

Here are six tips for helping you see the publicity and promotion value in your fiction so that you generate the ongoing buzz your book deserves:

1. Find the nonfiction nuggets in your manuscript and use them to create newsworthy material for relevant media outlets. Is your heroine a jilted wife starting over in the workforce as – let’s say – an account executive at a high-flying packaging design firm who finds love with her client at a consumer products company? You’ve got publicity opportunities with the packaging and marketing trade magazines. Is she a radio jock? The female morning drive time personalities would love to interview you by phone.

What about locations, products, or services in your novel? A story set in a national park or a convenience store gives you news pegs for exposure in the relevant trade magazines. A character’s obsession with a little known beverage brand could get your book into that company’s employee newsletter. If you’re writing your novel now, work in some nonfiction nuggets you can capitalize on later.

2. Use your content to identify promotion allies. Is your protagonist an athlete in a wheelchair? Connect with groups such as the National Wheelchair Basketball Association or the National Wheelchair Softball Association. What about the professions of the people in your book? Does it feature a secretary? Contact the Association of Executive and Administrative Professionals. There’s an association for just about every profession.

But don’t just send them a note that says, “I’ve written a book your members will love.” Send a copy of the book with a letter outlining promotional possibilities and what’s in it for them. You might offer to speak at their national meeting, do a Q&A for their member publication, or offer a discount to members.

3. Leverage what you uncovered while writing your book. Did you learn about a period in history or a specific region? Use this knowledge as a springboard for publicity. The author of an historical romance novel set in New York’s Hudson River Valley, for example, can write and distribute a news release announcing the top romantic and historical attractions in that region or pitch a local newspaper or regional magazine on an article about the area’s most romantic date destinations. Your goal is to be quoted as an expert source because this would require using your book title as one of your credentials.

4. Support your book with a good Web site designed by a professional. Your Web site has to be as good as your writing. It also has to contain information that convinces us that your books are worth buying and reading. It doesn’t have to be slick, but it does need to be very well-written, attractive, useful, and enticing. We will assess your ability to tell a good story by your ability to communicate on your Web site, so the writing is crucial.

5. Get social. Focus on one or two social networking sites – Facebook now has more users than MySpace – and master the most effective and appropriate ways to use them to promote your book before spreading yourself too thin on several sites. Once you understand how the process works, expand to others and use new technology tools and resources such as those at TweetDeck and Ping.fm to streamline your information sharing across your networks.

6. Share the love. Help us connect with you by blogging about your writing process and experiences. Get excerpts up on your Web site and read portions to us via podcasts so we can get a feel for your writing and decide if the story is appealing. Give us enough online – on your Web site, blog, and through podcast download sites such as iTunes – to convince us we’d like your book.

There’s no question that promoting fiction is harder than promoting nonfiction – but because of that, it’s also more rewarding.

Sign up for Sandra Beckwith’s free book publicity and promotion e-zine, “Build Book Buzz,” at http://www.buildbookbuzz.com.

About the Author

Sandra Beckwith, the author of two publicity books, teaches the online “Build Book Buzz” publicity course for authors. Sign up for her free book publicity e-zine at http://www.buildbookbuzz.com.