The Missing Link Interview on Mind Your Bizness Radio Show

The word is starting to spread.

I was fortunate to be interviewed by Danielle Hampson on the Mind Your Bizness radio show. The interview was focused on my new book The Missing Link and how it can help small business succeed during the most critical time — its first seven years. Both the interview and the book couldn’t come at a more appropriate time — when many who have been laid off due to the economy are starting their businesses and others who have already done so are seeking ways to stay profitable.

 Both Danielle and I are committed to helping those who have made the leap into entrepreneurship, by offering them advice and guidance of experts nationwide.

To listen to the interview, please visit www.mindyourbizness.com.

To download a copy of The Missing Link, please click on the button below.

5 Simple Steps To Public Relations Planning

            In my last entry, I presented my case for public relation and how it benefits business. However, the exception is that a campaign has to planned and done right in order for it to work. Sending out a press release for the sake of sending one out or using social media without a strategy in place is much like going leaving California to go to some other state. You don’t know where you’ll end up or if you will be better off than you were before – much less if the new location will meet any of your requirements.

           
            In business, it isn’t smart to do something without the end in mind. So I’ve created these handy guidelines that can help you plan your public relations campaign with knowledge and with your short-term and long-term goals in mind.

 

       1.  What are the objectives of the campaign (or what is it that you want to get out of it in order to benefit your business)?

• Establish your expertise among your peers, the press, or your potential clients or customers?
• Build goodwill among your customer, supplier, or your community?
• Create and reinforce your brand and professional corporate image?
• Inform and create good perceptions regarding your company and services?
• Assist you in introducing a new service or product to your market?
• Generate sales or leads?
• Mitigate the impact of negative publicity and/or corporate crisis?

       2.  Who is your target audience?

• Who is your campaign geared to? The public? A specific trade? A particular age-group or demographic?
• What influences their personal/professional lives?
• What type of mediums do they gather information from? 

     3.  What tools will you use to implement your plan?

• Press releases
• Articles
• Customer Success Stories
• Letters to the Editor
• Press Conferences, Interview, or Media Tours
• Radio, Television, or Press Interviews
• Seminars or Speaking Engagements
• Event Sponsorships
• Blogs
• Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, other specific ones)

     4.   How can you leverage the time of year or current events to benefit your campaign?

• Can your campaign tie into the season?
• Can it tie into any current events?
• Can you solve any issues affecting your target audience?
• What trends are there on the horizon?

    5.  How did your campaign measure up ? (This step should ALWAYS be completed at the end or at some specific time frame within the campaign. The best bet is to evaluate and then make adjustments to the campaign). 

• Did you meet your objectives
• What kind of challenges did you face? What could be done to avoid these challenges?
• What worked?
• What were your results?

             With these guidelines in mind, you are better equipped to plan your campaign and meet your goals. You have a purpose and can move forward with your vision and mission, instead of just existing aimlessly.

The Case For PR — That Is, When Done Right!

            There’s no doubt that PR is good for business, but individual opinions on how PR can help organizations are varied, mostly because it’s hard to measure how public opinion affects a company’s bottom line. According to Rieva Lesonsky, former senior vice president and editorial director of Entrepreneurmagazine, the past perception of PR was that it was solely for large companies with sizeable budgets. It wasn’t until the rise of the dotcoms in the late ’90s—when technology startups received lots of media attention—that small businesses started realizing the power of PR.

            “Small businesses sort of overlooked PR. They didn’t understand what the concept of public relations is, how it happens, why you need it and how to make it happen,” Lesonsky says. “When people noticed, they thought, ‘Oh, how come I’m reading about that? How can some of that happen to me?’ They realized that if you get noticed, it can help your business.”

            Indeed, public relations not only allows you to communicate with your public, but it also helps you to understand what the public thinks about you, your organization, and your products and services. Public relations, which also includes social media and new media, is the most powerful tool you can use to communicate with your clients and customers because it allows you to:

• Develop long-lasting relationships with your target directly using social media
• Develop long-lasting relationships with the media, who can help spread your message
• Become known as an expert in your industry
• Increase your client base by finding potential customers you may not have been able to reach before
• Tap into the media’s natural influence on the public to market your products or services
• Make a lasting impression
• Make your marketing budget last longer

            Public relations, in essence, allows you to establish direct communication with your audience and use the media as a third-party endorsement that promotes your company, product, or service. Think of it this way: If you wanted to buy the latest tech gadget, wouldn’t you first look at its reviews in the media? Furthermore, if you had some friends or colleagues who had already bought the gadget, wouldn’t you ask them about their experiences before you made a decision?

            However, there is a HUGE caveat in order —  it’s important that to be effect, public relations be done right. How many times do you see a company or individual with no understanding of how marketing works blast promotional messages via Twitter or Facebook constantly, often times scheduling the message to be displayed over and over again?  How many times to you block these individuals who have nothing valuable to offer you? There are certain characteristics that can make or break a PR campaign, so every detail is important.

PR isn’t a quick marketing fix and does not happen overnight. It’s an ongoing process, much like relationship building and nurturing. Sure, you could get an article in a newspaper or an interview fairly quickly. And it could boost sales for a while. But moving forward with a good campaign takes time and effort. The results are cumulative. It must be well planned, well executed, and evaluated often in light of expectations and results. If results are disappointing, then the campaign needs to be modified in order to get back on track. This is why I don’t recommend that business owners handle their own public relations unless they can commit to implementing the campaign correctly. Oftentimes, however, they do not have the expertise or time to do it right. This is where PR planning steps in.

My next blog entry will examine the 5 step to a proper PR plan.

Vanessa’s book The Missing Link , 

Vanessa Besack’s The Missing Link , which explores the obstacles small business face in each stage of the Business Development Cycle and how to avoid them, will be available for download next month. For pre-order information, please contact info@democomm.com.

Rollercoaster Marketing — There Is A Better Way For Small Businesses

I regularly speak to groups of business owners about how public relations can help them. I like to open with this question:

“How many of you think public relations is only for large corporations with big budgets?”

About half the crowd raises their hands. Then I ask:

“How many of you would like to implement a public relations program but don’t think you can afford it?”

This time, approximately three-quarters of the crowd raises their hands. I end by asking:

“How many of you are planning to wait a couple of years, when you have more cash flow, before starting a PR program?”

By this time, those who want to grow their business but are not generating enough revenues raise their hands—which amounts to the majority of the room!

“Well, I have some disturbing news for you. If your business isn’t generating more than a 2 percent increase each year, then your business is about to hit the wall. You are on your way to becoming another Small Business Administration (SBA)statistic of businesses that fail within the first five years.”

The room falls silent.

I’ve just confirmed to many business owners what they already suspected but were afraid to admit. Yet they are unsure of which steps to take to ensure their future success.

That’s when I explain how PR can work for them.

A Closer Look at Small Business

Starting a business is an opportunity to provide a better product or service than what is already available in the marketplace. Many people leave their jobs to do just that—and to afford themselves the freedom to work from home or create their own schedule. Starting a business offers them the chance to liberate themselves and control their earning potential. The sky is the limit, and with a little ingenuity and a lot of hard work, they can achieve great things.

At the same time, many would-be entrepreneurs are not aware that they will have to wear many hats for their business to succeed. Aside from doing what they do best, these business owners will also need to handle everyday operations, including technical issues and administrative duties. They’ll have to implement an accounting system to track the money coming in and out, and employ marketing strategies. They’ll also need to make their company dynamic and handle change. The reality of owning a business can quickly become overwhelming.

According to the SBA, roughly half of new startups fail within the first five years. Reasons for failure include:

• Lack of experience
• Insufficient capital
• Poor location
• Over-investment in fixed assets
• Poor handling of finances
• Competition
• Low sales

The SBA’s studies are useful, but I like to simplify things. Small businesses fail for three main reasons: improper planning, financial or otherwise; improper management; and improper marketing. Lack of experience, insufficient capital, and poor location all fall under improper planning; while over-investment in fixed assets and poor handling of finances fall under improper management.
Competition and low sales fall under improper marketing, which I’ll deal with in this book. Both can result in any business closing its doors. But with the proper structure in place and a well-planned public relations campaign, a business can overcome these obstacles by:

1. Differentiating itself from the competition
2. Branding
3. Ensuring that products and services exceed customers’ needs and expectations

Despite the potentially powerful effects of a public relations campaign, few small businesses create one, and many don’t even understand the benefits of implementing one. According to an SBA report conducted by an independent firm, small business owners tend to budget only for their sales revenue, cost of goods, overhead, salaries, and gross profit. Only if there is money available will funds be used for marketing. This neglect leads to failure time and time again.

Most of the entrepreneurs I meet fall under this category. During startup, many of them say they were apt to spend money on website creation; joining and attending meetings of networking groups and professional organizations; promotional flyers; and, for some, experimental advertising. Only about 1 percent budget for public relations, with or without the assistance of a professional. In those rare cases, the majority did PR on their own, yielding disappointing results. Eventually, they find that:

• Networking and promotional flyers do a good job, but the exposure is limited. Many have to network for a while with different groups before they find one or two effective contacts. Once they do find the right groups, they have to network for a while before obtaining a lead, and then they have to continue networking to keep their company prominent. Those who are introverted or shy usually have a hard time.

• The time and effort of creating a website does not create new business for them. Many are disappointed when they get only a few hits a day. Furthermore, many are frustrated when even the most probing search engines fail to find their websites.

• Advertising seldom yields a good return on investment. Many times, advertising doesn’t even conjure enough business to pay for the cost of producing and placing the ad.

For the most part, these businesses aren’t doing anything wrong, but after a while, their ability to get new clients becomes a tedious second job that doesn’t produce the expected results. When things get busy, its seems like the marketing stops, and when things begin to slow down, an alarm reminds them that they better start marketing again if they want to keep sales up.

After a few years of this rollercoaster marketing, many conclude, “There’s got to be a better way.”

Economic Crisis — A Blog Geared At Helping Small Business Weather The Storm.

When I first began networking with entrepreneurs, the response I got when I first told them what I did for a living was always the same.
I’d say, “My name is Vanessa Besack, and I am the founder and CEO of Besack & Associates, a public relations and strategic marketing firm geared toward raising the profile of small businesses and increasing their bottom line.”
Everyone in the room would smile politely at me, nod their heads, and look over to the next speaker for his or her 30-second spiel. I didn’t quite understand why I wasn’t getting a response—or, at the very least, even one person coming to me to ask how I could help them. In my mind, these were the very people who needed more visibility for their businesses, yet none of them seemed interested.
What I didn’t realize back then was that they didn’t understand what public relations was or how it could help them as small business owners with a limited budget. So, after a lot of thought and deliberation, I changed my elevator pitch to:
“How many of you have turned on the TV or flipped through the paper and seen one of your colleagues being quoted? How many of you have wondered how that person got the interview and how you could get the media to interview you instead? My name is Vanessa Besack, and that’s exactly what I do: I get my clients media attention, and I could do the same for you.”
I got my message across in a way that people could understand. But what I wasn’t telling them was what one simple TV interview, newspaper clip, or mention in a magazine could do for their business and their bottom line. Media exposure like that costs businesses, on average, thousands of dollars monthly if done through traditional advertising. But media coverage is free. There is an initial investment to purchase a few books or find an expert to create a public relations campaign for you, but the cost is still well worth the return and a lot less than most people think.
Despite how affordable it really is and how much it can help launch or move a business forward, many entrepreneurs still believe that public relations is really only for large corporations. Small businesses are the ones who have the most to gain from public relations, yet are the least likely to include public relations in their marketing plans. Instead, many experiment with other, more expensive items such as direct mail, advertising, or pay-per-click banners.
As someone who interacts with small businesses consistently, and as a small business owner myself, I decided long ago that I was going to do my best to set the record straight and educate entrepreneurs nationally on tactics and techniques that could help them make their businesses profitable. To a large extent, I’ve already begun doing this in Southern California, speaking to organizations and small business owners directly about the benefits of public relations and how to create wide exposure on limited budgets. But even with those speaking engagements, I was still reaching only a small fraction of the 51 percent of small businesses that comprise our nation’s economy. As a result, I decided to write a book—one that could help spread my message to more people and give small business owners the knowledge and empowerment needed to take their businesses to the next level.
However, due to the economic crisis we are facing at the moment, I realized I needed to get the information out quicker. Many people today are losing their jobs and will attempt to start their own business as a way to make ends meet, while others, who already have formed their own business are struggling to make ends meet. Thus, this blog.
With that said, this blog isn’t a “how to” guide. There are already plenty of great books available that describe how to write a press release or how to approach the media correctly. Instead, my goal is to help you create a campaign with your overall goals and objectives in mind and to teach you how to use the different public relations tools available to help you reach those goals more quickly. Through this blog (and later with my book) you should have a clear idea of how public relations fits into the big picture—and how it can help you to overcome or even avoid the most common challenges faced throughout the first seven years of the business development cycle.
And please, as you read this blog, send me your success stories and the adjustments you had to make. I will use these as case studies in my book. I don’t want this blog to be one-sided, instead, I want it to be interactive — a community of like-minded individuals helping each other succeed.
Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” This blog is written to help all small businesses, from startups to those already generating millions of dollars in revenues, use what they have to attain more profits and reach higher levels of success. If I can help just one business do that through public relations, then I will have been successful in my own right.
Here’s to your success.

Citizen Journalism — Fact or Fiction?

For years now people have complained about the objectivity of the media, claiming it is one-side and only reports the bad news. And as a former member of the media I have seen reporters with chips on their shoulders dig long and deep for information that harmed the reputation of others. I’ve also seen many hide their opinions into their pieces with the tone they use.  While few and far between, they do exist.  

So when I started hearing about “citizen journalism,” I was skeptical, but ultimately thought, “Ok, let the people be heard and if they can provide news in a fashion that is more appealing than professional journalists, so be it.”

 

But when I saw a brief in Monday’s Los Angeles Times entitle “Ask a Reporter” inquiring if it was true that gas prices were cheaper on Tuesdays than any other day of the week, I nearly choked on my drink.

 

There’s no doubt that the Internet is a vast wealth of information. And with more and more bloggers internationally providing their input, there is more information out there on any random subject than can be digested by any individual. The problem is, how much of this information is fact, interpretation, information taken out of context or plain old fiction?

 

That is for the reader to research and find out themselves.

 

As innovative as an idea of having regular people on the streets provide information and their own take on the news at a global level, there also is the risk that this information is skewed, missing facts or based on rumor.

 

While journalists are supposed to abide by a code of ethics and integrity, there is no such code or accountability for citizen journalists.  So for now it is the readers’ responsibility to verify any information obtained on blogs, social networks and other “new media.”

 

In a business sense, this can be disturbing. Can information be taken so out of context that it ruins the reputation of a company? How can customer testimonials, good or bad, be substantiated and if it can’t, how do we control the dissemination of this information? For many public relations professionals such as myself, this will be an area we will have to keep a close watch on and incorporate into any client’s crisis communications plan.

 

There are alot of questions that citizen journalism leaves unanswered. And it is my opinion that there will be many new legal cases arising that might answer these questions in the long run. All we can do is wait and watch. ,

 

However, there is something fascinating about getting information first hand, such as live, up-to-the-date feedback on the Olympics from the Chinese themselves or other such news as told by those who are experiencing it. 

 

So be warned. Yet sit back and enjoy citizen journalism for what it is — history being made.

ABC’s Debate — How the Internet Has Helped Viewers Keep the Network Accountable

Talk about reputation management.

 

Now I don’t usually like writing about politics, because the truth is, I don’t feel like I should get involved in discussing my views. First of all they are MY views, second of all, I’ll be the first to admit that I have limited information and that I don’t usually have the time to gather more. I don’t know everything.

 

With that said, I do have a political story that is a perfect example of why organizations need to become more accountable for their actions or risk being called out online.

 

The news story is one you all have undoubtedly heard about – the Democratic debate held over a week ago in Philadelphia, moderated by ABC’s George Stephanopoulos and Charles Gibson. Apparently, the moderators grilled Sen. Barack Obama about his past, focusing less on relevant national issues. The questioning resulted in more than 20,000 comments posted on ABCnews.com, the majority of them questioning the network’s journalistic integrity and vowing to no longer watch news from that station.

 

When it comes to political debates, there are always going to be those who are unhappy with the coverage and questions asked. But when you get 20,000 comments on your website, and more posted on other places online, you’ve got a problem on your hands. Especially, when there are so many ways the get up-to-the-minute news nowadays. Given so many other choices, Rick Kaplan, executive producer of CBS Evening News, said it best when he was quoted in a Los Angeles Times article as saying “It’s never a good idea to irritate the audience.”

 

While I could go into my spiel about the state of today’s media and how journalistic integrity is being compromised, I won’t. That’s a different entry and one written solely from my own experience as a reporter. There’s a better lesson to be learned here and one that businesses of any size should take note of — organizations can no longer hide under a curtain of privacy. They will be held accountable for what they do, whether good or bad, and will be called upon it by the very people they serve.

 

Remember that old customer service adage that says that an unhappy customer tells 10 people about his bad experience. In today’s age, it’s more like one bad experience can be shared with thousands online. And those who do talk about their experience online will usually receive sympathy and support from others who have shared similar experiences and are willing to share their story. And because of how the Internet works, these are left online forever more to be seen by those who are likely to buy from you in the future.

 

Don’t believe me? Check out the letter received by author and expert Steve Strauss

for his “Ask the Expert” column published on USAToday.com. One complaint caused a whole group of people to blog negatively about this individual’s business. It was a mess the business owner hadn’t anticipated.

 

A former client of mine experienced a similar situation when a positive article was published about her in a regional newspaper. While the article was extremely positive, some of those who had bad experiences with her posted negative comments online. The positive article became a crisis situation quickly.

 

So what should an organization do about it? Well first of all, keep track of what is being said. Sometimes minor complaints can lead to modifications that can make products or services the best in the market.

 

Second, respond. What a perfect opportunity to open up a line of discussion with those who are dissatisfied and letting them know that their opinion counts.

 

Third, own up to your mistakes. Don’t get defensive, but if you truly made a mistake own up to it and discuss what you are doing to rectify it. The client I spoke about earlier became defensive quickly and began pointing fingers. This was the wrong tactic to take, as it gives the perception that she is at fault or a troublesome person to work with. The best bet is to seek advice from a person with experience in these types of matters and carefully craft a strategic response. Time isn’t of the essence, so don’t feel like you have to respond immediately or risk tainting your reputation.

 

Yes, the Internet is forcing accountability, not only with external audiences, but internally as well, with employees. I like to think this is a positive thing and that, as consumers, are opinions and thoughts will have more impact. But even better, this forces organizations to clean up their acts and become responsible for their actions.

 

 

 

Can the Internet Change A Country?

As a first-generation American from a Cuban family, I find it interesting to see how Raul Castro’s lifting on the ban against computers will affect the island. As a public relations professional, it will be interesting to see how Cubans react to this ban and how soon more restrictions are created as Cubans find new ways to communicate to their families abroad, obtain “unadulterated” news from around the globe and maybe even blog about what life is like in a country where toasters and microwaves are unheard off and the average monthly wage is approximately $17.

 

Then again, things might not change at all.

According to blog by The Economist entitled “Raul’s Cuba – the inalienable right to a toaster, but not quite yet,” the publication explains that Cubans have found imaginative ways to connect to the World Wide Web.

“Doctors and academics with Internet access rent their passwords so that others can use them after office hours. Some entrepreneurs have smuggled in satellite receivers to connect to the Internet; they then sell accounts to their neighbors,” it claims. In fact one extremely sly woman has found a way to blog from tourist locations and the few Internet cafes in the Island, which I’m sure, are located in areas frequented by tourists and where locals are not allowed.

Over the years, I’ve seen what desperate people are capable of doing. I’ve seen my family find ways to smuggle items like pharmaceuticals, vitamins and even toilet paper to family living in Cuba who would live without basic items if it weren’t for us. Where there is a will, there is a way, so the fact that some have already used the limited sources to the Internet is not surprising.

 

What will be interesting is to see how the Internet will be used and whether or not it will become a catalyst for social change. And if so, will Raul’s new government react to these social changes or will it find ways to control Internet usage and incarcerate those individuals who are crying out for help as public examples of traitors and criminals. Who knows, maybe Raul has a different vision for the Country than the more restricted one his brother had.

 

Whatever the case, it will be an interesting evolution to watch and one that could make a great case study as to how influential the Internet can really be.

 

How I’d love to be the one to document these changes for the world to see.

How I’d love to honor my family and provide more chapters to a wonderful history book already begun by my ancestors.

Any ideas?

How Times Have Changed

OK. So I admit it. I used to be on of those pr people that didn’t understand how social media, blogging and all these other “Web 2.0″ thingamajigs could help my clients get any exposure. I was cynical. I was negative. I REFUSED TO CHANGE!!

But the more I started learning about it, the more I rattled that light bulb inside my head that likes to shine dimly every now and then. The truth is new media and Web 2.0 can help companies communicate with their customers in a way they were never able to do before. Not only can they talk to their target audiences about the products and services they offer, but they can also find out what people think of them, what the strengths are and, most importantly, what weaknesses need to be worked on.

This is all very exciting to me, because 100 years or so, when public relations first became an industry, the idea was to open up the lines of communication with stale marketing messages and robotic quotes in them to the media, but it’s about opening the lines of communication and finding out what the public thinks about your company, it’s products or services, it philosophies and its customer service. It keeps organizations accountable and prevents owners or executives from hiding behind the protective and sheltering curtain of ignorance or, worse yet, avoidance.

While I’d like to think that I am one of the first pr people to understand this and put it to good use, I’m not. There have been many peers of mine who have understood this long before I have and have already helped many companies with this knowledge. But I’m not one of the ones lagging behind either. In fact, the more I research and talk to peers, the more I realize how reluctant they are to put social media to work for their clients, either because they don’t understand the significance or they just don’t want to learn something new at this point in their careers. And for those who do understand, there are many who attempt to treat Web 2.0 much like they would treat the regular media – which just makes us pr people look bad as a whole.

 

Which is really too bad, because if people would just take the time to learn and understand how new media works and how to properly communicate with it, it could do such great things.

 

So yes, I understand now. I have changed. I’M A BELIEVER!!! Now if I can just figure out how this all measures up with ROI???