Promote U Guru Blog

Posts Tagged ‘personal branding’

Cool Online Tools to Reach Targeted Media Interested in Your News

November 01st, 2010

Hi All!

I wanted to share some very cool tools that can help you reach TARGETED media and industry influencers; who are specifically interested in YOUR news and expertise. By using these tools, you can attract media interviews and get mass media coverage to build your personal or business branding platform, increase your income, and increase the sales of your products (i.e. your book if you wrote one!).

AND, I don’t care whether you’re a one-person company, small business, self-published book author, etc. The media (print, broadcast and online) is on the hunt for interesting news and topics 24/7, 365-days a year. So you don’t have to be famous or have earth-shattering news to get their attention! They just want interesting news or segment ideas that will appeal to their audiences.

I recently helped an author-client land a featured interview on a popular talk show on Lifetime! And she is a self-published author who just started working with me…getting media exposure rolling CAN happen fast if you make some effort!

SO…go for it!

1.) PitchEngine.com

Overview:

Unlike traditional wire services, PitchEngine enabled users to openly create and share their own content, while including images, videos and attachments at no cost. In 2009, more than 70,000 pitches were shared by 27,000 organizations looking to get the word out to not just journalists, but to bloggers, consumers and other influencers as well. PitchEngine’s “Co-op SEO” concept enables brands big and small to experience exceptional indexing in major search engines.

2.) MediaSyncOnline.com (FREE!)

Overview:

MediaSync is a free Web-based service from mBLAST that allows Marketers to easily research and use detailed, up-to-date media intelligence on print and online publications, their staff and their areas of coverage.

With MediaSync, you can find:

  • Detailed profiles for relevant editors, reporters, analysts and bloggers, including contact information, contact preferences, and latest articles and topics of coverage.
  • Detailed publication profiles, including industry classification, traffic statistics, staff lists, and more for thousands of print and online publications, newspapers, blogs and social media sites.
  • Detailed editorial calendar information, including topic, editorial and advertising close dates, and more.

MediaSync allows users to search for the information they need (on their companies, clients OR the competition), refine the results, save their search and receive alerts when new information is available that matches their criteria. They can also upload existing media lists and/or create and maintain new ones, and export it all into a contact list or briefing book.

3.) Special Learning Guide: “Promote U Thru PR – How to Get Mass Media Coverage to Build Your Brand & Income”

Overview:

Check-out my info-packed Learning Guide that outlines the PR & Publicity strategies I help my clients with, and the ones I personally use (which have landed me over 100 media interviews!). This special guide typically sales for $37, but for a limited time I’m offering it for $27.

I charge a lot more than $37, let alone $27, for the seminars, workshops and webinars I conduct on this topic…and the info in this Learning Guide is the same as I share in those more expensive events.

It covers everything you need to know about attracting the media, pitching the media, writing a killer Press Release, online tools and resources, and MUCH MORE. Simply CLICK HERE for the details of what you’ll learn…it’s on the Products Page of my website.

So there you have it…3 very cool tools that can help you reach the media YOU want to reach, and who are interested in YOUR news.

Cheers & Happy Marketing!

Lisa

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Queen of Twitter Shares Social Media Tips for Small Business Owners

August 01st, 2010

Hi All!

Are you curious to know what it takes to get 70,000 (yes, I wrote 70,000) followers on Twitter? Are you interested in knowing basic tips that can potentially generate an increase in traffic to your website of over 5000%? Then you need to know about the fabulous Jessica Northey! She is pushing 70k followers and she has helped some of her clients see an increase in their web traffic by that gigantic percentage using Twitter as the driver.

Jessica recently wrote a quick-hit list of around 30 tips that can help small business owners, entrepreneurs and solopreneurs (such as: coaches, consultants, trainers, speakers and authors) have more success using Social Media in their overall Marketing Plan. And she gave me the thumbs-up to share 15 of those tips here…and, sure, you may already know some of them. But, you may not. And unless you’re totally content with the amount of followers you have, and you’re totally happy with your web traffic numbers, keep reading!

But before we jump into the tips, just who IS this Queen of Twitter on the verge of hitting a mega amount of 70k followers? Well, aside from being a Social Media Expert who is contributing a chapter to my new book due out this fall, “The Promote U Guru Guide to Branding and Marketing”, Jessica has 20 years of experience in the Media industry, including Television, Radio, Internet and Print sales, as well as being an on-air personality.

Now, as The SocialMediologist, she is known for being able to create complete successful marketing campaigns and bridge partnerships. Plus, she is the Associate Editor and Social Media Expert for the popular entertainment industry blog, FullThrottleCountry.com. In her weekly column, Finger Candy Friday, she offers advice and opinions on social media trends and topics.

So what are 15 of the 30’ish quick tips she advises? Here you go:

1. Set a strategy for Social Media optimization and be consistent. Nothing looks worse than months without activity!

2. Take advantage of the free applications like ping.fm to streamline your Social Media efforts.

3. Don’t forget the blog! It is such a great way to control your own content & establish yourself as an authority in your industry!

4. Think of Social Media like you were scheduling radio commercials. When is your target audience listening?

5. Don’t spray and pray. Narrow your message to your target audience.

6. Connecting with other people should be your number one goal.

7. Educate yourself and understand how your target audience uses Social Media.

8. Don’t put all your “eggs” in one basket. Diversify your Social Media efforts and use multiple platforms.

9. Add Social Media Platform Participation links to Business cards, letterhead, vehicle wrap, Broadcast and Print Media.

10. On Twitter, register with wefollow.com & twellow.com and use to find people w/similar interests to get social with.

11. Define your goals and manage your own expectations.

12. Don’t get caught up in the Social Media drama & try to stay connected to positive people.

13. Budget at least half an hour a day to Social Media efforts.

14. Download Tweetdeck, Seismic or Twitterific for a better understanding of how to use Social Media platforms to their full potential.

15. Use Social Media to have discussions w/followers. Ask them for feedback and see what they want!

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FINAL 15!

And don’t miss the last 15 tips…she shares names and links to tools to support and improve your social media marketing efforts.

Want even MORE great tips to build your personal brand or business brand awareness, increase traffic to your website, and drive your target audience to your social media communities? Then also be sure to CLICK HERE to access my YouTube Channel! View short “how to” videos loaded with marketing, PR, social media, book marketing, and branding tips.

Thanks for the great info, Jessica 🙂

And to all of you…

Cheers & Happy Marketing!

Lisa

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Why Developing a Personal Brand as an Employee is Important for Career Success

July 11th, 2010

Hi All!

Most people know me as a Branding Expert who works with speakers, authors, solopreneurs (ie: coaches, consultants, trainers, etc.), entertainers, and small business owners. But I also conduct workshops and seminars for employees of corporations on how and why developing a Personal (Leadership) Brand platform for themselves is important to their career growth, success and advancement. And I also discuss this quite a bit in my second book, “Millennials Into Leadership: The Ultimate Guide for Gen Y’s Aspiring to Be Effective, Respected, Young Leaders at Work”.

Here is a brief overview, that I call D.A.C.C., which explains why, even if you’re an employee and not self-employed, developing your own Personal Brand in the workforce is necessary:

DIFFERENTIATION:

  • Makes you stand out in the sea of other employees
  • Communicates who you are to your peers, leadership, employees and clients

AUTHENTICITY:

  • Allows you to speak and act authentically
  • Prevents you from being “fake”
  • Gives you clarity “about you” and what you stand for
  • Great Quote: “To wish you were someone else is to waste the person you are!”

CONSISTENCY:

  • Makes people know how you will act and handle situations, consistently
  • Enables others to know who you are and what they can expect from you, consistently
  • Regardless of who are interacting with, your personality and demeanor, are consistent

CLARITY:

  • You know what you stand for and act accordingly
  • Gives you clarity, and others clarity, on your core values
  • Helps keep you on track: “If I do this or say this, is it supporting or diluting my Personal Brand?”
  • Keeps your moral compass in-check when faced with questionable situations that could tempt you

Take some time to think about your core values, work ethic, personality, and unique attributes that you bring to a work environment, and write your own Personal Brand Positioning Statement. And then once it’s crafted to your liking, proclaim it, live it, and BE your brand!

BTW: I even know some employees who have taken it a step further and added a “visual brand” element to their overall branding. What do I mean by this? One woman I know always wears striped socks at work, and she is known for that (as well as her positive personal attributes); and one young man I know is known for always wearing funny hats to work. Think of this in terms of Donald Trump and his hair…we all may laugh at it, but he is keenly aware that it’s part of his visual brand, he knows it is a topic of conversation, and he loves that the media talks about it.

In the book that I wrote (mentioned above), I have a whole chapter with quotes from senior executives about the importance of personal branding, as it pertains to leadership, in the workforce. One that I love, and that really sticks with me, is: “Be aware that people are watching what you say and what you don’t say, and what you do and what you don’t do. Your next opportunities, and indeed reputation, will be impacted by the actions and decisions you make day-to-day…everyday.”

By determining your personal brand at work, and living it consistently, you are building and creating a “reputation” that can foster career success – faster than the employees who choose not to.

Cheers & Happy Marketing!

Lisa

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