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When Bad Things Happen to Good Customers
Customers don’t expect you to be perfect. They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong. - Donald Porter V.P., British AirwaysMARK is a local celebrity in his city. When his “big sister” and her husband visit, Mark likes to treat them to dinner in a fancy, lavish five star restaurant. On one occasion, upon arriving at the restaurant of choice, Mark and his family learned there were no reservations in his name. He calmly asked, “Well, what are we going to do fix this? I’m sure there’s something your manager c

rt. Otherwise, your pitch may fall on deaf ears.

Prepare a few thoughtful and engaging paragraphs that sell the “who, what, why, when, where and how” behind your story. Share the information with the right reporter in the context of today’s news. Be prepared to offer timely access to the experts, deal makers or decision makers to lend context and commentary to the news at hand.

When interviews take place, make sure spokespeo

Looks Matter: For You and Your Marketing
Like it or not, people draw conclusions about you and your business by the way you look and the quality of your marketing materials. If you cut corners in the image department, your business will suffer.We Live In a DIY WorldAs a small business owner or solo-professional, you're probably working on a tight budget. And, it's pretty easy these days to do everything yourself.It's definitely not like it was when I started out in the advertising business 21 years ago! That was before desktop publishing

The value of your company’s brand and reputation can grow as a result of favorable media coverage captured over time. However, securing good coverage can prove challenging if you don’t know how to work with the media. To pack a punch into your media relations results, consider these tips.

If you want the media to take interest in your business success story, take interest in the media. Writers and editors want to be first with news and great stories. They review mounds of mail, e-mail and faxes each day. In addition, they scan competitive media and wire service stories to select news to share. With all this competition, how can you make sure your story gets the attention it deserves?

Monitor the media outlets that you think are right for your story. Read the stories of reporters who cover your industry. Most importantly, take time to prepare concise, clear and compelling pitches that show why your story is timely, newsworthy and relevant. Have some fun, be creative in your approach and give the reporters something they won’t find elsewhere.

Many factors determine whether or not your story captures the coverage. These two questions top the list:

Does your story fit within the coverage area and editorial profile and plans of each particular media outlet?

What else is making news today?

Local newspapers want local stories. National magazines cover broad trends. Customize your stories whenever possible to demonstrate your understanding of each media outlet. Make clear that you’ve been following the reporter’s coverage of a particular news event as a way to position your story as a great follow-up. By demonstrating interest in the reporter’s work, you increase the chances that you can establish rapport. Otherwise, your pitch may fall on deaf ears.

When interviews take place, make sure spokespeop

MADE TO ORDER - 5 Ways to Add Value
A recent American Demographics survey concluded that 75 percent of American adults crave more customizable products and services, and 85 percent of 18 to 24 year olds feel the same way.THE TEST: When you come in contact with one of your customers or colleagues, in what ways can you 'personalize' the experience?1. SHARE A LAUGH: Laughing releases even more endorphins than smiling. It also releases enkephalins, which are natural pain suppressors.2. PAY SOMEONE A COMPLIMENT: Praise stimulates the brai

s and great stories. They review mounds of mail, e-mail and faxes each day. In addition, they scan competitive media and wire service stories to select news to share. With all this competition, how can you make sure your story gets the attention it deserves?

Many factors determine whether or not your story captures the coverage. These two questions top the list:

Does your story fit within the coverage area and editorial profile and plans of each particular media outlet?

What else is making news today?

When interviews take place, make sure spokespeo

Advertising and Service Company Business Models Considered
Not all Business Service Companies should invest in advertising to promote their companies. But I thought all businesses must advertise to stay in business? Well not all of them and let me tell you why. Once you have a secured number of customers you may not wish to advertise because you cannot take anymore work or you do not want any more work.Take a mobile oil change business or a mobile fleet washing business as an example. One thing of note is that most of their business comes from Fleet Business Accounts and maybe

and compelling pitches that show why your story is timely, newsworthy and relevant. Have some fun, be creative in your approach and give the reporters something they won’t find elsewhere.

Many factors determine whether or not your story captures the coverage. These two questions top the list:

Does your story fit within the coverage area and editorial profile and plans of each particular media outlet?

What else is making news today?

When interviews take place, make sure spokespeo

What Is In That Storage Container?
Every business stores items in boxes or drawers. Most businesses have a plethora of storage containers stacked on shelves and, perhaps seldom have to locate these stored items. But when an employee needs to locate one of the items in storage, can it be found quickly? After all, time is money.Usually, the employee stands in front of a stack of storage containers wondering, "What is in the storage container…or the one underneath?" Time is wasted pulling down containers only to find that the critical object is not in that

ng news today?

When interviews take place, make sure spokespeo

When Networking, Little Things Can Count as Big Things, Too
With networking, you don’t always have to help people in a significant way (like finding them a job or helping them make a sale). In reality, people also appreciate little acts of kindness (like making them feel good about themselves, opening doors and paying for meals).While these details may seem trivial to you, they are important factors on how people perceive you and your networking style. Pay attention to how you interact with others because you want to make a good impression. Over time, these acts of good behavior

rt. Otherwise, your pitch may fall on deaf ears.

When interviews take place, make sure spokespeople are clear about the three key points they want the reporter to remember. Share comments in concise, credible and quotable terms to help put the story in proper perspective. Avoid the dreaded “blah, blah, blah” quotes from top executives that add words without adding story impact. Say something memorable that differentiates your company’s story and leaves a lasting and favorable impression.

One more thing — timing is everything. If it is a slow news day, anything is possible. If, however, today’s news is focused on a calamity, the results of a widely contested election, or the death, marriage or divorce of world leaders, news of lesser magnitude is likely to fall to the round file.

When you demonstrate a pattern of delivering customized and compelling story pitches and timely access to decision makers, you’ll earn a reputation as a quality media source. This can pay dividends. You’ll likely get calls for your perspective the next time a relevant story breaks.

Media momentum is a powerful thing. One day your story is told within the pages of the local business journal. The next, it can land on the pages of USA Today. Each media placement lends additional credibility to your story while reaching a new audience of potential customers and decision influencers.

Once you secure favorable media coverage, don’t stop there. Order article reprints to support your new business development efforts. Frame and display the coverage in your lobby or conference room. Spread the good news via e-mail to your clients, referral partners and colleagues. Finally, post the story link to your Web site. In doing so, you’ll expand the audience as you fan the flames of awareness with the credibility that editorial coverage provides.

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Learn the insider secrets about how companies like to fill jobs that will allow you to get hired faster than the normal five month job search.

Most people in business realize that their businesses evolve and they often find their old customers do not fit their new business model. They find that these old customers take more time to service and therefore are less desirable from a profit standpoint. Even considering all the loyalty of the past these long-time customers are often slighted by expanding businesses, but why?

Each organization adopts its own concepts which help it develop rapidly, effectively and easily.

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