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Your supporters and partners are one of the most productive marketing channels you have, and one of the least expensive. But I see so few orgs that ask supporters to spread the word on vital asks, and even fewer who make it easy (and far more likely) for them to do so.

This “spreading the word” strategy has been top of mind lately for, as it’s core to the program launch we’re marketing for a huge and complex New England human services org. I was  surprised to learn that these folks had NEVER asked supporters to serve as marketing messengers. A huge opportunity missed but one to be harnessed a.s.a.p., and we’re doing just that.

So the pump was primed when I received an email from Aaron Bramley, CEO and Co-Founder of Lights.Camera.Help.

Aaron’s warm, brief email (full email here, with my annotations) covers all the bases, as he asks me to get the word out on the submission deadline for the Lights.Camera.Help Film Festival. He:

1. Rekindles our connection in a flash, by referencing a digital storytelling contest we’re both judging. If you don’t have an established connection, make one!
2. Reminds me about the subject at hand—the submission deadline for the Lights. Camera. Help. Film Festival which I’ve previously spread the word on—and current goal (to boost submissions by COB today).
3. Asks—clearly and directly—for my help in spreading the word to generate more submissions.
4. Makes it easy for me to spread the word by providing cut-and-paste content for tweets, facebook and LinkedIn posts and a full press release.
5. Thanks me!

So go ahead and ask your donors, volunteers, friends, colleague organizations, even staff and freelancers/firms. People like to help, especially when it’s easy. And when you ask right, you’ll exponentially expand your reach AND your supporters and partners will feel great about helping you do so. Win-win!

Take a close look at Aaron’s email to me, and use it as a model for your ask to spread the word. Please let me know how it goes.

What works best for you in asking your network to spread the word, and what doesn’t? Please share your experiences and guidance here. Thanks!

To be honest, I was there for the SEO (search engine optimization) tips. And boy did Erica deliver!

Key tips for getting your press release online recognition:

1.)    Write for people first, robots second. You do not want your release so keyword heavy and full of sales jargon that nobody wants to read it. Remember: entice and inform.

2.)    Pick two to three keywords or phrases. Think like your reader. What would they search for if trying to find the subject of your release online? Place these words in the title and early in the release (within the first two paragraphs).

3.)    Keep your headline short. Industry standards recommend a title length between 2 to 22 words (65-70 characters). Google results will display the first 63 characters of each headline.

4.)    Bold and italicize important text and use bullet points for emphasis. This will help your main points standout and help search engines find them.

5.)    Link back to your website and owned content.  Choose relevant links to drive readers back to your website and use as a tracking device. Be careful not to overload your release with links or it will be considered spam and kicked out of search rankings. A link to text ratio of 1 link for every 100 words is recommended. Note that it’s best to link within your website, but if appropriate to your release, you can link to partner sites.

6.)    Include links to social sites. Don’t forget to include links to your LinkedIn, Facebook Twitter and/or YouTube channels, as well as your website, in your “For More Information” section.

7.)    Publish to your website AND social channels.

Our client Thanx Media just wrote an optimized press release announcing a client adoption of their product. Check it out as a great example of how it’s done. We also encourage you to look at their press room while you are there. Having both an optimized release and press room not only makes you look good with the press, it helps them find you as well!

Instead of “telling” you how to make one, PR Newsire decided to create their own video to illustrate how it works. Their creative team huddled with their producers to find a way to make a complex business like PR more understandable.  We believe this is also a simple way of explaining what to expect when you hire a PR or communications team to craft and amplify your message; and this can be especially effective when combined with an electronic press release that includes a video.

If you like, you can keep checking in with them, because this video is just the first of a series they’ve produced to address various facets of telling your story, and how. (Hint: Video is one of the best tools PR professionals can use to make your brand strong.)

Here at PR Soup (and Andris Media Group) we respect the information PR Newswire shares, as they are one of the top news wire services out there. So thanks, PR Newswire.

Do you feel like you learned something from this post, and does it bring up any questions or ideas? Let us know! We’re here to help.

Monday Evening Twitter Chat (#HAPPO) Kicks Off 2013 Nationwide Grassroots Effort to Match PR Pros with Local Jobs.

This spring, boosting a PR career (or finding great job candidates) in Austin, Texas, has gotten easier. I’ve been knighted by Minnesota digital PR superstar Arik Hanson as an Austin Champ for the re-launch of the Help a PR Pro Out (HAPPO) movement, a nationwide grassroots effort to match PR pros with local jobs. With unemployment at a 4-year low, it’s a great time to be working in Austin, TX. It’s an even better time to climb the corporate ladder…with employers becoming increasingly competitive. And, if you’re an employer yourself, now’s the time to step up your game and look for star employees where others aren’t looking.

Enter HAPPO.

Austin joins other HAPPO-friendly cities around the country to host virtual and networking events for the sole purpose of matching local employers with employees in the PR arena. Other cities involved in the HAPPO movement include Atlanta, Boston, St. Louis, Las Vegas, Milwaukee, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Dallas/Ft. Worth and many others.

Join us this Monday evening as we kick off 2013 with a:
#HAPPO Twitter Chat: Monday, Feb 18, 8pm CT

Join PR pros across the nation in this #HAPPO Twitter Chat featuring a discussion on how to build and sustain a mentor relationship.

To participate:
1. Set up a #HAPPO hash tag-specific stream in your Twitter feed of choice. I use as HootSuite as my dashboard, but others use very specific dashboards for chats alone, like TweetChat.
2. Be sure to include #HAPPO in your responses. If your advice is very Austin-specific, or you would like to share a posting for a job in the Austin area, include the additional hash tag: #ATXPR
If this will be your very first Twitter chat, don’t fret. We were all newbies at some point. Here’s some great tips from Social Media Coach Janet Fouts. Know that the conversation moves fast. It’s OK to simply absorb – take it all in – without joining the conversation. But, of course, I would encourage as much #ATXPR participation as possible.
If you have any questions about participating in Twitter chats – or in this chat specifically – feel free to ask me. We plan on holding these #HAPPO chats quarterly, so stay tuned to that hash tag for updates.
Not a fan of Twitter? No problem. We plan on holding an in-person HAPPO Hour event in April. And you can join the LinkedIn Group here. Connect with me on Twitter, LinkedIn or by using this form and I’ll keep you updated on future dates.
PR agencies and other employers: contact me or use the #HAPPO #AXTPR hash tags throughout the year to publicize your opportunities.

Let’s get working, Austin!

LuAnn Glowacz is a public relations consultant, business writer and principal at WordCove in Austin, TX,  and a founder of PR Soup.

Image credit: tupungato / 123RF Stock Photo

An initiative created at the Austin area simulcast of the highly-lauded Mashable Social Good Summit in New York City on September 24, 2012 inspired a group of community activists, leaders, and socially conscious entrepreneurs gathered to discuss ways to create a sustainable impact on U.S. communities. The leading resolution passed by the Austin team supports the creation of a citywide “Work From Home (WHF)” initiative that will contribute to reducing air pollution by lowering ozone and carbon emissions.

City Councilman Mike Martinez was instrumental in getting the resolution passed by the City Council.  ”Environmental issues continue to be at the forefront of our priorities in the City of Austin,” said the councilman.  “These values are reflected in the Work From Home initiative. I was happy to sponsor a resolution that passed unanimously to have the City participate in the pilot program to make strides toward reducing emissions and improving our air quality in Austin.”

Additionally, Travis County has just announced  its endorsement and will get many of its government employees to WFH on the 8^th, and the Governor of Texas, Rick Perry, is also expected to give his stamp of approval this week.

Fostering clean air was among the most urgent of needs for Austin

The local summit group decided during Austin’s simulcast of the event that the focus on fostering clean air was among the most urgent of needs for Austin; hence, a self-imposed tight working timeline. “We wanted to see the fruits of our ‘good’ produce results within six months,” says Ruben Cantu of CORE Media Enterprises, one of the effort’s leaders. “It’s an ambitious timeline, but we’re an ambitious bunch in a city that likes to push harder for change than most!” In fact, Austin is the first city to actually begin implementing its commitment to the summit.

 “While acting as a leader for other communities, we are planning our pilot “10,000 Cars Off the Road Day” for February 8, 2013,” says Stephen Vogelpohl of SocialGoodTV, a cause marketing firm. “On that day, we are asking everyone who possibly can to participate – especially companies that employ a large number of Austinites. This will allow a significant fraction of the work force to Work From Home, thereby causing a dramatic drop in air pollution that day.”

Austin’s leading companies and organizations are joining the Work From Home movement

The group is currently gathering support from as many companies, governmental organizations, not-for-profit organizations and NGO’s as possible, including the region’s air quality improvement organization, the CLEAN AIR Force of Central Texas.   So far, companies like AMD, Dell, and Rackspace have made commitments to get their employees to stay home and work remotely for the day.

“We want to see what this single initiative can do for our air quality,” furthers Cantu. The impact will be measured by looking at miles saved on fuel, the number of surveys signed, and the reduction percentage of emissions. “Looking at all of these factors,” Cantu continues, “will help us establish how our efforts contribute to an improved air quality. Hopefully, the results will inspire businesses around the city to establish WHF days on their own every month, or better yet, every week or more.”

Air quality test results of the pilot day will be presented during the Social Good Summit Austin during SXSW on March 10, 2013 at City Hall, and shared with the community at-large on the Social Good Summit website. The group hopes the initiative will inspire future WFH days in Austin and other cities.

Sign up today! It’s FREE:  Social Good Summit Registration

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Participating companies include (to date): AMD, City of Austin, Dell, Google, GSD&M, RackSpace, and Travis County

Companies/organizations supporting the effort include (to date): ACC, Austin Police Department, Austin Technology Council, CAMPO, CapMetro, Chambers (Greater Hispanic and Young), Clean Air Force, Movability Austin, and St. Edward’s

Everyone wants to have a productive 2013, right? We’ve all got lists, even if they’re only in our heads.

But how do we effectively achieve those goals?

My secret: focus my time and actions on helping those around me.

There’s an old story of a farmer who decided on day to call on his neighboring farmers. He offered to crop dust their properties for free. Why would he do this? He realized that if he only crop dusted his own property, the edges and boundaries of his property still suffered. All the insects from the bordering properties would invade his. By also helping his neighbors, he was bettering the entire farming community.

I’ve heard other versions of this story. I’ve heard of homeowners who help their neighbors with everything from yard work to home improvements knowing it will raise the value of their own property. I know people who lead anti-crime initiatives in their neighborhood to make their own home safer.

JFK is attributed to the saying, “a rising tide lifts all boats.” He meant it in terms of the economy as a whole, but consider it within your own ecosystem. By helping your immediate neighbors, you can be helping yourself.

Consider how you can apply this in a personal networking ecosystem. Rather than going out and finding successful people and trying to be associated with them, why not help make the people around you successful? By helping them you ultimately help yourself. Not only will you be surrounded by successful people, but you will be surrounded by people who want to return a favor.

Helping them may include sharing their blogs and content, promoting them in tweets and posts, or giving away your secrets. Try introducing your connections to your best supporter and encourage that supporter to support them. Your connections may form a stronger bond than you ever did, but don’t worry, that only makes your network all the better.

Helping others can be more powerful than helping yourself. One testimonial from you about someone else has more weight than ten testimonials by a person about themselves. Your skills, when put to work, can create outputs for another person in a fraction of the time it would take for them to do it on their own. We all have our strengths. Why not play to those strengths in your neighborhood of connections?

My secret plan does not mean I do anything for anyone. I will be selective (and tools like Promptivate help me manage on which key connections I focus), but something tells me I will find myself helping more and more people over time as I get into a groove.

As I raise the tide around me, my own success will come. Why not raise the tide around you?

Drew Bixby is a business owner who sees personal networks from a different perspective. He shares what he has learned about promoting yourself and your business. Drew is a co-founder of Promptivate, which coaches individuals to build strong relationships through an easy “prompting” process. 

We wonder if this won’t become even more popular in the years to come, as information overload becomes more and more of a factor, and easy ways to process, break down and disseminate information are sought after.

We found two articles worth sharing on the use of graphics to tell stories. One is a ‘romantic’ illustration; the other, more useful for business purposes. Both are effective and, we think, fascinating.

When Ernest Hemingway was in the hospital as a young man of 19 after he was injured in the WWI, his friends sent him this “get well” pictogram. So, really, infographics are not as new to us as we’d like to think. As a matter of fact, people have been using imagery to tell stories since the days of the caveman!

We also think you’ll find this post by Visual.ly called The Five Ingredients of a Great Infographic, interesting, as well. It’s a nice break down about the most important things you need to look for when having an infographic designed as a promotional tool or a way to guide your your customers, clients, colleagues, or readers. We hope you’ll find it helpful, and that in 2013, we all have the opportunity to use infographics to help tell our stories.

STANDING APART

There’s no doubt that it’s a major challenge for exhibitors at any tradeshow to rise above noise (literally and figuratively) and gain the attention of attendees. Every booth has something unique to offer, of course, but imagine trying convey this when you also have a language barrier to overcome!

Here are some of the fun ways I noticed exhibitors were trying to get their product noticed.

Lizbeth Threads

Lizbeth threads are simply gorgeous. Their color palette is like none other. And they very smartly offer their threads in a multitude of sizes to fit just about every form of needle art. Not only was their booth a cornucopia of colors, they had their representatives at the ready with a heavenly sample for you to take home. Of course, it was neatly packaged with an insert on how to contact them. Not a new promotional method by any means, but still as effective as ever.

The Curve Master!

Ask Sandy Chandler  of Just Curves what she does and she will tell you she is an inventor. How cool is that? And the truth of the matter is that she is! Sandy invented a revolutionary presser foot that helps quilter master curves without the difficulty of fitting and pinning. Check her out in the picture giving a demo to a packed crowd. Sandy is engaging, and she knows her stuff. When she speaks, she speaks from the heart, on your level and makes you want to quilt with her tool. So naturally, I had to say hi and tell her how fabulous she was at presenting her product. I asked her if she has made a video of her demo and she told me, “Yes, you can find it on You Tube!”. Wow – You Tube! I was impressed. A quick peek at her site and I also found a blog and Facebook page. Yay Sandy!

Social Media Everywhere!

I saw so many great uses of social media at The Quilt Festival. Even the festival organizers showcased a large screen running live tweets. (Search the hashtag #quiltfest to see how rabid some of these quilters are! )

There were many Facebook promos happening, as well. I saw booths that were offering a discount, free fabric, free patterns for likes, pictures with vendors tagged, etc. Here’s one I found from Fabric Fanatics.

It was pretty awesome to see all of the quilters walking around with smartphones in hand, snapping pictures, updating Facebook statuses, tweeting, etc. Clearly, the world of quilting has made an easy transition in this tech-savvy decade. There were two channels that I didn’t see used a lot – Pinterest and Instagram. I am hopeful this will change soon, because they are the perfect social venue for this group.  However, some of the larger companies were using those sites effectively (The Quilt Festival, Bernina, and a few more) so my hunch is the smaller businesses won’t be too far behind.

Are you a crafter? What are your favorite blog, vendor or social sites for getting inspired? Have you participated in a fun Facebook or Pinterest contest? We are curious! Let us know in the comments below.

This one-of-a-kind meetup is an opportunity for tech startups and established businesses to come ask Grant what he and his fellow editors at Entrepreneur look for when they decide to write about new technology businesses.

For those of you who don’t know, Grant is the contributing tech editor for Entrepreneur and he helps decide which stories get picked for the magazine and which writers are assigned to write the stories.

Grant’s primary area of interest is how tech startups are shaking up the market and the creative ways they fund their business.  Bottom-line: anything tech related in Entrepreneur Magazine runs through Grant, so you won’t want to miss this opportunity to hear what he has to say!

Join us as Grant shares what Entrepreneur Magazine is about,  and how it differs in its technology approach from Inc. and Fast Company. He will also share his thoughts on how best to approach the Entrepreneur.com team based in NYC.

FYI, we still have 3 sponsorship opportunities! Sponsors will be invited to an after-event gathering for drinks and snacks and an extended conversation with Grant about how to pitch Entrepreneur Magazine.

Email info (at) PRoverCoffee.com if interested.

To reserve your seat for this event, click here. 

Cost is $25 in advance and $30 at the door, and these events are known to sell out.

Beverages and snacks will be provided.

Sponsors for November’s PR over Coffee include:

Triple Shot Sponsor:

Rocksauce Studios: mobile app design and development

Double Shot Sponsors:

Turnstone Furniture: flexible office furniture solutions for nimble companies

Single Shot Sponsors:

Andris Media Group: full-service PR, marketing communications and web design firm for growing companies

Sagepoint: Activity planning and fundraising tool for community organizations of all types and sizes

Startup Secret Sauce: a book series for the modern entrepreneur

Dillawn Clark Public Relations: a full-service PR agency for national and international clients

Acton School of Business: an innovative MBA program for entrepreneurs

Framed Panda Productions: video production for businesses with events and stories to share

Bryant Hill Media: photography, web design and marketing communications for small businesses

A recent research report by Yesmail Interactive shows that many brands haven’t properly aligned their marketing activities (PR and social media included) to meet consumer shopping habits. The result: missed opportunities to gain and convert consumer attention into sales.

Don’t panic. There’s still time to get some cleaver ideas together.

Consumer Holiday Shopping Trends

Yesmail’s survey found that 7 out of 10 consumers will spend the same or more this holiday season than they did in 2011. This statistic should inspire you to take immediate action (or at least read on)!

Here are some key findings from the study:

• One-fifth of consumers say they plan to begin holiday shopping at least three months before the holidays begin
• More than 41% of mobile device owners have made a purchase as a direct result of an email promotion viewed on their device.
• Almost 80 percent of in-store shoppers prefer to make purchases on the weekend
• The survey showed that social media promotions drove 34% of shoppers to make a purchase.
• Almost 60 percent of consumers say they prefer to interact with brands on social media between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m.

How do you translate this to fit YOUR goals?

Get started now. Shoppers are starting to spend earlier and earlier for the holidays. This is evident by stepping into your favorite store any time after Labor Day.

Web
1.) You must make your website mobile friendly. Remember, 41% of consumers are making purchases directly off of a mobile device. Make it easy for them to complete that purchase and not abandon your site before they make it to the shopping cart. And please remove those flash headers that cannot be seen on Apple devices.

2.) Make your site easy for consumers to follow you and your promotions on social media.

3.) Your site must have robust press room for upcoming PR opportunities.

Public Relations

1.) If almost 80% of consumers are shopping in-store on the weekends, then focus on getting coverage  Thurs, Friday or Saturday. Morning TV shows and weekend newspaper supplements are a perfect avenue to pitch a consumer-based story.

2.) Don’t forget the bloggers! The numbers above show how important the Web is in shaping consumer holiday shopping habits. Research the top bloggers in your area or product space and send them a sample for review or a well-thought out pitch for coverage.

3.) Get creative with your story ideas. Think of different, fresh angles for your story. To get the juices flowing, look on websites such as Holiday Insights for listings of the major and unique holidays. This tip goes for the entire year – not just holiday time.

4.) News media works on different lead times. Some national publications require four to six months advance story time, where local magazines work two to three months in advance. TV and daily print works three to four weeks in advance.

Social Media

1.) To be successful this holiday season, a good brand must already be on social media. If you haven’t started yet, I recommend you hire a professional to help get you up and running faster.

2.) Know your consumer and know when they are on social media. There are many social media applications that will let you schedule your updates so they will be seen at the proper times.

3.) Social media is a conversation. You must monitor your channels and interact with your followers to truly be successful.

This is a lot to digest and can be overwhelming. Pick a place to start that makes the most sense to you and your business. Seek out a professional to help you. Ask questions. Start by leaving a comment below!