Name: Guest Blogger
Bio: BurrellesLuce invites marketing and public relations professionals with valuable information and perspectives to share their thoughts.
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- Develop a PR plan that defines measurable goals and objectives
- Choose an event that meets your needs as an organization
- Create a timeline with basic tasks and tactics for accomplishing goals and objectives
- Relationships are key to the success of your event. Make sure to work with the right individuals to help accomplish goals and reach your target audience.
- Team up with the media and establish partnerships to run promotions prior to event.
- Create a budget which includes soft costs, trades and sponsorships.
- Build a team of volunteers and others you can count on to help create your vision for the event
- Evaluate the success/effectiveness of event
- Thank those involved.
- Understand if the journalist thinks like a print journalist, online journalist or MOJO
- KNOW the hot topics/memes and pitch around those themes
- Understand if your “story” is a story or PART of a story
- Have an online newsroom: Executive speeches sources of quotes
- Deconstruct tweets for influencers
- Kids can read! Kidding. But one of the main reasons I joined into this webinar was my absolute kudos that one literary phenomenon could prove that people do still, indeed, have imaginations.
- Who we are and what we’re made of is as much about choices as abilities. Even Dumbledore said so!
- Dumbledore is key. Turns out, almost every single talent is something Dumbledore does, not Harry, as I assumed when I signed up. I love a good twist in my webinars as well as my books.
- Social media is like Harry Potter wizardry (thanks to Johna for asking this question)! Everyone has a voice and has the power to influence and inspire – no wand required.
- Much like the evil Lord Voldemort at Hogwarts, there is a deadly character spreading around businesses – disengagement!
- Acute awareness of self and others. Treat others as creative, trustworthy and responsible just as Harry did so many times with Hermione, and others…
- Challenge perceptions and interpretations – Dumbledore was a great wizard but kept and open mind. Those scared of feedback make mistakes.
- Think like a visionary. Help people see and touch your values. Be clear and concise. For Alan, his PR team shared a vision to make that book a success and saw everything as an opportunity. Gave them ability to constantly move forward
- Creating alignment as it creates a North Star to set compasses by. Let small steps and victories, like winning a Quidditch match, keep you aligned toward the bigger goal.
- Act decisively. Decision making is shared leadership quality. Make sure people have enough information so they can also make decisions. Share decision making!
- Engage others! You do not do it alone. The more you serve the more impact you have on your team. Go deeper. Go under the stairs. Learn about people – you may have a Harry Potter in your midst
- Possess powerful energy. Dumbledore looked about a million years old but was such a force, he was a great leader to all ages. Lord Voldemort had energy too, but it was intimidating and he lost in the end.
- Emotional intelligence. It’s a bigger predictor of success than IQ! Create space between stimulus and response and remain calm as Dumbledore often did. Look at how you react versus how you want to react. Often, you need to just slow down a bit and ensure you are not leading with fear.
- Communicate dynamically! It isn’t just about what you say, but how you say. And, it’s also about actually very much about listening – within and between the lines. Be present. Care. Try to understand. How do you use your words? Seek clarity.
- See patterns and trends. Left brain is where verbal, rational thoughts turn to numbers and words. Right brain is all about the visual. Try using both sides – see the full story!
- Create high-energy teams. You need your Harry’s, Ron’s and Hermione’s. Everyone has a gift. Everyone has weaknesses. Leverage the good stuff to fight the bad!
- Display integrity through consistency and authority.
What Can Retargeting Do For You?
December 10th, 2012
Once a website is set up and gains traction, it can become a targeted marketing sweet spot for companies looking for exposure. Companies or marketing firms analyze shopping habits by demographic and direct efforts accordingly.
When a website reaches a high hit count, it becomes that sought-after spot for displaying retargeting ads. Marketing firms will maximize retargeting strategies on such sites to realize the best percentage per post. Facebook is one such site. Facebook is such a big player it might shift the entire ecommerce and pay-per-click scenes.
First, What Is Retargeting?
Retargeting is all about making a conversion based on someone’s expressed interest in a product or service. Search retargeting takes the keywords that users search for, and delivers relevant ads in a timely manner to a (hopefully) still searching consumer. Site retargeting shows ads to users who leave a site. Ads can show items abandoned in a cart, products that were clicked on, or even just a targeted ad. Retargeting’s main purpose boils down to converting more window shoppers into buyers.
In Front of More People
Retargeting on a venue such as Facebook is a high-profile maneuver for any business. This is because Facebook is at the forefront of the international social media scene. Joining in on the bidding process could potentially put ads before hundreds of thousands of people, not just once but as many times as is advisable.
The risk in investing in this, on the part of Facebook, is volume. Whether or not enough traffic goes through Facebook cannot be determined outside of assumption. However, the assumption is that there are perhaps millions of Facebook unique visitors on a daily basis. Facebook will regularly have upwards of over 150 million unique visitors per month. That tallies to just over 5,000,000 per day. That’s potential.
Retargeting and Pay-Per-Click
Watch groups claim that the shift from per-click prominence on search engines to high-hit volume sites like Facebook will have drastic effects on the pay-per-click game. Their logic is that search engine optimization (SEO) is limited to those searching for a particular item, whereas random visibility on a Facebook page will target others. And further, this will retarget one-time window shoppers and lure them back. The interest is there and the product is there; the assumption is that this will more likely lead to a sale.
Whether or not this new strategy by Facebook will drive pay-per-click or SEO strategies to the outer brink of advertising competition has yet to be seen. But it will be an important game-changer as Facebook and other companies continue to develop this strategy.
Some Shaky Ground
Facebook will reap more than just money. As advertisers “follow” more users around Facebook, it runs the risk of having too much access to personal information and behaviors. Facebook has already had to face the scrutiny of conspiratorial thinkers. Concerned users, competitors and governments demanded answers for such an infringement (at least as it is perceived) on personal privacy.
Assumptions can be made for similar attacks on Facebook Exchange, the network’s retargeting interface. Historically, however, Facebook has not shown much compliance to countries or individuals asking them to augment their operations, and there is nothing that says they’ll start now. The way in which this plays out and shapes the world of retargeting will be interesting as Facebook continues to grow.
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Felicia Savage is a freelance writer, designer and internet marketer living in Indianapolis, IN. As a contributor to technected.com, she loves to discuss her adventures in public relations and marketing.
HMA Public Relations: A Tip for Tuesday- Plan an Awesome Event
September 19th, 2012This post first appeared on HMA Public Relations blog 9.18.12 by Katie Snyder and is cross-posted with permission.
Events- groundbreakings, grand openings, festivals, fiestas…. while we all can agree we enjoy attending events, we don’t often think about what it takes to create an event. From creating a budget to deciding a theme and venue, events are notoriously difficult to plan and produce
Recently I had the opportunity to attend a webinar taught by none other than Abbie S. Fink, the queen of event planning.
How do I know this? Well, not only was I a student of Abbie’s in one of her online event classes but I also happen to know Abbie started her career in the events industry which made her the perfect person to teach the tips and tricks for planning events.
In the webinar hosted by BurrellesLuce (can be downloaded here) and moderated by Johna Burke, Abbie gave great insight on ways for PR professionals to use their communications tools to effectively promote events on all levels.
So here, take a tip or two from her webinar:
Events are an important aspect of any business. Whether a company party or creating a community get-together, it’s a great way to generate excitement and enthusiasm about your company, grow a business and strengthen the relationships between employees, clients and the community.
PRSA-NCC Members Told Social Media is ‘Where We Live Today’
May 11th, 2012This post first appeared on Capitol Communicator 5.11.12 and is cross-posted with permission.
Shown in the picture, (l to r) Chris Brooks, Julie A. Weckerlein, Cappy Surette, Jennifer Mitchell and Gloria Huang. The session was moderated by Debbie Friez, vice president, BurrellesLuce.)
Five communicators made the case that social media is “where we live today” during a May 10 professional development session conducted by the Public Relations Society of America’s National Capital Chapter (PRSA-NCC).
The session at the Navy Memorial, “Social Media Tips and Success Stories for PR Pros,” featured Cappy Surette, director of public relations at U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery; Chris Brooks, manager of social engagement at Hilton Worldwide; Julie A. Weckerlein, public affairs specialist at U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Gloria Huang, senior social engagement specialist at the American Red Cross; and, Jennifer Mitchell, director of social media at BRG Communications. The session was moderated by Debbie Friez, vice president, BurrellesLuce.
Social media allows you to reach “a wider and more diverse audience than we can through the use of traditional media alone,” said Surrette. He and the other panelists said social media provides a great opportunity to attract advocates you may never have considered. These advocates, it was noted, can come to your aid when your organization is being challenged.
Brooks, who said his job at Hilton Worldwide is to put “heads in beds,” added social media allows you to build up a “community of supporters” in advance of a problem. He added , to be successful, you should consider multiple channels – such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Flickr. During his presentation, Brooks also offered these two observations: Approach social media in an organized manner and remember that “measurement is key.”
Regarding social media, Weckerlein told seminar attendees, “don’t be afraid to take calculated risks,” but use the “same voice” and present the “same message.” She also presented a case history from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) showinghow cost effective social media can be for an organization. The real cost of the CDC campaign based on the Zombie Apocalypse preparedness relating it to hurricane preparedness was $87.00, but the campaign generated more than three million dollars in estimated marketing value.
In her presentation, Huang said, “you don’t have a choice on whether to do social media, the question is how well you do it.” She offered the followed social media principles employed by the American Red Cross: Be accurate, be relevant, be considerate, be transparent, be human and be compassionate.
Mitchell stated organizations do well in social media when they look beyond their own organization. As an example, she said that social media allows you to ask questions to your target audience to get them involved with your organization. In short, she said, personal relationships are more important than ever, so encourage your target audiences to interact with you. Content is king, and she reminded the audience, “People spread (share) awesome content. They don’t spread mediocre content. However, Mitchel also offered an observation that put social media into perspective: It’s an addition to, not a replacement for, “old” communications platforms.
The bottom line, according to Surrette, is that “You can’t control the sea of public opinion, but (using social media) you can at least navigate it.”
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Phil Rabin has covered trends in communications for more than two decades for a number of media outlets. Currently, he is editor of Capitol Communicator, www.capitolcommunicator.com, an online resource working to bringing together communications professionals who influence and educate the Mid-Atlantic region by providing news, trends, education and opportunities for networking. Phil also is Vice President of West Glen Communications, www.westglen.com, and is a member of the Public Relations Society of America.
When Click-Thru Rates Are Not Enough: New Strategies in Social Media Measurements
May 24th, 2011This post first appeared on Washington Women in Public Relations (5.23.11) and is cross-posted with permission. Joan Coyle is an Independent Consultant and member of WWPR.
Washington Women in Public Relations Executive Communicators Committee Brown Bag Luncheon with Johna Burke, Senior Vice President, Marketing for BurrellesLuce
Addressing a packed room on May 19 at Golin Harris in Arlington, VA, Johna Burke, Senior Vice President, Marketing, BurrellesLuce, began her presentation by telling the group that according to CNBC.com, the second most stressful job is a public relations executive.
She sang the praises of EVERNOTE, an organizational app that allows the user to take notes from phones, desktops and online. The notes can be text, images, files, audio and more and this app is searchable and cloud-based. Other useful tools to consider: Username Check, Google Labs, Screengrab! (a Firefox plug-in) and twitthat.
“The more things change, the more they say the same,” said Johna when she reminded the attendees that AP was the first viral means of distributing information. Today, hyperlocal is the new trend and includes print, online broadcast and hybrids (think tbd.com and Patch). Hyperlocal initiatives are community – not geographically – based and great for niche targeting.
When building relationships with today’s media, communicators must:
Apply measurement best practices
Although no “fix” exists for overcoming measurement challenges, these helpful tips will help you find a solution that works with your measurement goals: Consistency, Manageable and Outside Expertise.
Johna warned the group about graphic seduction. Although graphics can be very pretty and exciting, never use images you do not understand; sometimes all you need is an Excel spreadsheet. She also stressed the importance of knowing your stakeholders “no matter where they are,” with an example of an inmate in jail.
Barcelona principles
The second European Summit on Measurement met in Barcelona last year, where the participants agreed to basic PR measurement reasearch princples, known as the Barcelona Principles. Currently, a working group has used the principles to devise new, validated metrics. WWPR members will have access to the exciting new system of metrics, as soon it is complete, probably in mid-June.
Kim Ash, WWPR Executive Communicators Chair, Speaker Johna Burke, BurrellesLuce, and Kendra Kojcsich, WWPR President
Hogwarts, Harry, and Leadership
January 10th, 2011This post first appeared on HMA Time (1.7.11) and is cross-posted with permission. Alison Bailin is a senior PR account executive at HMA PR, a full-service marketing and public relations firm in Phoenix, Arizona, where she handles media relations, crisis communications, and event planning.
This week, I (Alison, that is), took part in a BurrellesLuce webinar titled “The 12 Essential Talents of Marketing Communications Leadership… and other Lessons Learned from Harry Potter.”
The program was moderated by Johna Burke and hosted by Alan Cohen, who actually worked on the initial promotion for the Harry Potter books in the United States.
Some key insights I learned as a result:
And, of course, the 12 Essential Talents:
The white paper on the topic is also available by clicking here.
So, is Dumbledore the world’s greatest leader?
And how can you “Potterize” your leadership role among your friends, colleagues and family?
