Check it out – SBS pen!

Here’s a sample of what we’ve done with promotional materials in 2009.  Pretty nice….you want one, don’t you!

Takeaways from recent attendance at PR seminar

On Sept 1st, I attended a panel discussion hosted by Richmond BizSense.  The topic focused on how the business media finds its sources, scoops and compelling stories.  I thought it would be worth my time to attend because as a business owner, I’m always looking for ways to promote my business.  I think most would agree that a brief mention, or article, in a local newspaper or website would be invaluable exposure – and more than likely lead to increased sales.

Here are a few of the key highlights I took away from the discussion:

1. Writers  & editors said they are looking for “trend stories”.  How does your company fit in or relate to current business trends?
2. Develop relationships with one or more local reporters.  Don’t just blindly send them your story and expect them to follow up.
3. Ask reporters & writers what types of stories they’re working on now.
4. Comment on stories that have already been written – suggest different angles or simply say “nice story”.
5. Email is the preferred method of communication.  Try to avoid cold calls – they don’t like those.
6. When sending emails, put something descriptive in the subject line – don’t leave it blank.
7. Put all your text in the body of your email.  Don’t put one or two sentences in the body and attach a word document.  This will help when the editor does a keyword search when going through all their emails.
8. Press releases need to be short and concise – one, maybe two paragraphs.  Again – load it up with keywords.

Hope this was helpful!

Dan

Update on social networking

I knew going into this that it would be a struggle for me to grasp this “new century” tool.  I’ve been able to set up the basics….adding friends, uploading photos, and a couple of wall posts.  Meanwhile I’ve been watching the more advanced users in my friends network do all sorts of cool things to their profiles.  I feel like I’m the kid in the corner at the school dance!  To be honest, I’m still a bit intimidated by all the gadgets and applications that are available.  I just don’t have the time or patience to sift through all these pages and applications to figure out which ones I like or want to add to my profile.  The cynical side of me also has a trust issue with these applications.  Before the application is downloaded, you get this warning message that by doing this “you allow this application to view your profile information, your photos, your friends information, etc.”  Hmmmm…..now I’m not so sure I want to do this.  Will this application download some sort of computer virus that will corrupt my computer or extract sensitive and confidential information?  Maybe the only thing corrupted is my opinion of the world I live in.  Identity theft is a reality and potential nightmare for all of us.  Just a couple of days ago my business website was hacked.  I don’t know who did it or why, but it was a malicious act nonetheless.

I realize that thousands of other members are using these fun gadgets and applications, and the majority of them are safe, but at this point my fears are winning the battle.  I’m sure as I get more exposure and time on these sites, my fears will diminish and I’ll begin to experiment a bit more.  Until then, I’ll be in the corner while the cool kids are dancing.

Social Networking

I’m trying my hand now at “social networking”.  I’ve been reading a lot about this new phenomena and thought I’d give it a shot.  To put this in perspective and give it a touch of amusement, you must realize that I wasn’t even introduced to computers until I got to college.  Most of the people hanging around in these sites have been playing with computers since they were 5 years old!  When I had to use a computer in college, I went to something called a “computer lab”.  The majority of college students now have a personal laptop in their rooms!  I’m moving slowly, but moving none the less…….

As a small business owner, I’m simply looking for exposure.  Media today (print and tv) is very expensive and cost prohibitive.  With social networking sites, I’m getting additional exposure for Steiner Business Solutions at no cost to my business.  If you’ve read my previous posts, you know that I’m a big believer in the power of networking.  Meeting and interacting with people in all circles can only help grow your business.

So if you see me on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Meetup.com…….make sure to say “Hello”, but don’t expect me to know how to “buzz you” or send you a “beer gift”.