Events Offer Three Bites at the Publicity Apple

Stories that are event-based--with a specific time and a specific place--offer three bites at the publicity apple.

If you're settling for anything less, then you need to work on growing your PR appetite. Not to get too technical, but I like to refer to these bites (or "phases") as:


1. Before. 2. During. 3. After.

Before: This is a preview that promotes the event, to encourage attendance by media and/or interested individuals. It also lays the groundwork for a follow-up.

Here is an example from this week's media outreach by Inside Edge PR, on behalf of DivorceIllinois and its Feb. 4 meeting in Oak Brook.

During: This is when you can secure coverage of the event itself, via the presence of one or more media representatives. Serving as an "In-House Journalist," Inside Edge PR often plays the role of pool reporter for those media outelts unable, or uninterested, in attending.

After: This is typically a news release, often accompanied by video and photographs, that highlights significant developments at the event. It represents an opportunity to break new ground, so should go beyond a re-hash of the preview with a mere revision of verb tenses.

All along the way, too, you should be buzzing things up on social media, through communication portals such as YouTube and Facebook.

Inside Edge PR's website has a bevy of other resources to help you secure media coverage, including "To Get the PR You Want, Focus First on The Media's Need.'

Bad News-to-Good News: Income-Tax Hike in Illinois Presents PR Opportunity for Businesses

Yesterday, the Illinois legislature approved an income-tax increase for individuals and corporations.

What do you suppose that has to do with life insurance salesmen, sports marketers, a wealth advisory consultant and restaurateurs?

At minimum, two things:

1. All are affected by it.

2. All can--and should--parlay our lawmakers' lazy and gutless (yeah, I'm steamed) decision into news that turns the spotlight on their business and their industry expertise.

An op-ed piece,a news release, a pitch about the impact of the change on their field--all are fair game as responses to the governmental money grab.

I mention those four business categories because over the past three days, I've met with prospective clients in each of them. To each, I've sung this same tune.

It's one way to turn the legislature's lemon into lemonade. There's no law (at least not yet) against parlaying really bad news into good profits that flow from raising an organization's profile in the media, social media and via any other platform.

Search Engine Optimiziation, that holy grail of online attention-getting, flows more abundantly when your content is current and relevant. In another word: news.

So what are you doing right now to ride the coattails of the state's income-tax grab and offer up actual newsworthy material to the media? The clock is ticking, and the media spotlight usually shines most brightly on those who make the first move.

Driving Home the Lesson of the Red Sports Car: Command Attention with Your Next "Top 10" List

Can you picture a sports car?

How about a red sports car?

With that little, colorful adjective, the image becomes much more vivid. It catches your attention in a way that a generalized statement did not.

It's the same with "Top 5" or "Top 10" lists, which were everywhere we turned as 2010 drew to a close (year-end reviews of this, that and every other thing). Compilations along those lines should be in decent abundance as 2011 gets rolling here, too, as we learn how to get smarter, thinner, wealthier, safer and savvier.

So if you're in the attention-getting business and are thinking about developing a "Top" list, remember the lesson of the red sports car. Be different, be flashy, be memorable--or risk winding up in someone's "Top 10 List of Hum-Drum Top 10 Lists."

Anyone can come up with a "Top 10 Weight Loss Tips." Be someone who goes the extra half-ounce, steps out on an edgy ledge and offers counsel on "10 Steps to Quit Being A Fat American."

My favorite recent "red sports car" example is from Dave Ramsey's financial e-newsletter: "11 Ways to Be Weird in 2011."

Resist Tunnel Vision About Your Value, Heed Market Feedback & Turn Failure into Success

In today's rapidly shifting strategic marketing and public relations landscape, being willing to change is only one part of the equation.

You've also got to be continually alert to those ways in which you must embrace change--or invite extinction.

That truth comes to mind as 2010 draws to a close and I reflect on what was happening in my professional life five years ago.

In the January 2006 issue of North Shore magazine, I bought an advertisement for Your Front Page. It was part of my big promotional push for a personalized writing service that until that point had been a fun sidelight to my journalism career.

I hoped the ad would trigger a deluge of business from folks in places like Winnetka, Northbrook and communities all throughout the Chicago area who wanted a distinctive way to commemmorate birthdays, wedding anniversaries and other celebrations.

Alas, the placement sparked a grand total of one phone call. And here's the kicker: it was from a salesperson hoping I'd buy an ad from his publication.


The "Your Front Page" ad
in North Shore magazine

I realize that with advertising, repetition is vital, so I don't in any way fault the magazine (which has recently been assimilated into the burgeoning Make It Better empire). Besides, I made other grassroots marketing efforts to get the service off the ground.

Despite my grand ambitions, Your Front Page has attracted a mere three clients in the past five years. And while enthusiastic responses to the pieces have been gratifying, it's obvious that on a commercial level, my blueprint of how I'd shift from journalism has been a resounding flop.

Fortunately, I wasn't hung up on the exact nature of my value to the marketplace. As a result, YFP's failure has opened the door to the success of what has become Inside Edge PR.

Like a quarterback who spots a coming blitz and calls an audible at the line of scrimmage, I have been open to market feedback and carved a niche as a Chicago-area publicist who uses a journalistic sensibility to help small- and medium-sized companies and organizations.

Over the next five years, where will it all lead? Will I continue along this path of helping mostly Chicago-area businesses connect with, and expand, their market?
Maybe--though I wouldn't bet on it coming via some orderly trajectory. New wrinkles continually emerge: over the past few years, for example, Inside Edge PR has jumped feet-first into the use of videos for PR as well as developing a strong social media presence for clients.

Through it all, one thing is for certain: nobody, least of all me, can afford to stay stuck in any preconceptions about how they can best serve the marketplace.

'It's A Wonderful Life' Flashback: My Chicago Trib Story on Karolyn Grimes, aka ZuZu Bailey

Karolyn Grimes, as a 6-year-old
ZuZu, in Jimmy Stewart's arms

A P.S. here to my post last week about Community Bank of Oak Park River Forest and It's A Wonderful Life.

Exactly four years ago, to the day, I had the privilege of writing a story for the Chicago Tribune about Karolyn Grimes, the actress who played ZuZu more than 60 years earlier.

At the time, I was charmed by the entire experience. How cute, I thought, as people young and old lined up for a chance to meet this woman who had played ZuZu so many years earlier.

A recent photo of Grimes

Of course, I had only seen bits and pieces of the movie at that point, so I didn't really get what all the fuss was about.

In fact, I passed up the opportunity to see the film on the big screen--I was too focused on getting in front of my computer and filing my story. How fortunate to have gotten another chance, this time with my family, earlier this month at the Lake Theater in Oak Park.

One last note: in my recent reading, I was pleased to see that Karolyn remains on the It's A Wonderful Life circuit, appearing again this past weekend at Hollywood Blvd. Cinema in Woodridge.

Rahm Emanuel Residency Brouhaha is Latest in Chicago Area's Storied `Silly Season' History

Rahm Emanuel, (occasional) Chicago resident

The residency flap over Chicago mayoral candidate Rahm Emanuel is just a variation on the "Silly Season" theme in Chicago-area politics.

Six years ago, one of the central characters in the Emanuel controversy, Burt Odelson, was in the midst of a scrum in Cicero that I covered for the Chicago Tribune.

Here is one of the all-too-many stories that I reported in the 2005 Cicero election cycle.

Intriguingly, Larry Dominick was the only person who was not knocked off the ballot in that Silly Season cycle for Cicero. He went on to topple, by a slim margin and to the shock of political observers, Ramiro Gonzalez in the election.

One thing I learned in covering all the technical tussling: the only ones guaranteed to be winners are the attorneys who rack up large hourly billings and, often, the losers are citizens who don't get legitimate challengers to elect since they are bullied off the ballot.

It's a Wonderful PR Opportunity: Oak Park Bank Wins Our Hearts, Then Business, With Screening

The triumphant scene from
 It's A Wonderful Life

Last Saturday, It's A Wonderful Life played at the Lake Theater in downtown Oak Park.

Sponsored by Community Bank of Oak Park River Forest, which is situated directly across the street from the elegant theater, it was a free screening.

It also made for brilliant PR.

Call us sentimental saps, but my wife, Bridgett, and I were deeply moved by the classic film. (We were also shocked to discover that it was the first time either one of us had seen it from start to finish.)

In recent months, we've been mulling the idea of moving our money from JP Morgan Chase (or "Chase" for short) to Community Bank. Our resolve would only increase when, every time we went in with a question, Chase personnel would use the opportunity to try to sell us products we don't need, rather than simply provide fast, attentive customer service.

Located just down the street from Community Bank, Chase is the latest in a series of titanic institutions occupying the northeast corner of Lake and Marion streets in the heart of Oak Park.

For the past 15 years, we had gone along for the ride, whether the sign on the door read First Chicago or Bank One or Chase. We tolerated little "mistakes" such as the time, just in the last year, when Bridgett noticed the bank had more than halved the interest rate on our savings account.

Oops!

Makes you wonder how many other accounts got shorted--and if miscues involving a too-high interest rate ever befall Chase.

Our decision to flee Chase has been made easier by Chase itself. Beyond the prior clumsy efforts to sell, rather than serve, us, an employee two weeks ago linked our debit card to a just-closed account. Three phone calls later, including one on a Sunday to a customer service rep, Bridgett cleaned up that mess.

All of which brings us to this past Saturday afternoon. Moments after we emerged from the Lake Theater, red-eyed from our tears that flowed throughout the movie, Bridgett deposited a check at Community Bank. It was on behalf of an association of which she is treasurer, and we chuckled about wanting to move, that very day, our personal funds there, too.

On Monday, on the heels of It's a Wonderful Life, we began the transition. The movie, including Community Bank's civic-minded role in its screening, has doubtlessly hastened our pace.

To be fair, I am sure that Chase has many wonderful, caring professionals. I wish the bank great success. But, at least in Oak Park, it has a ways to go in seizing opportunities to genuinely nurture relationships and engender trust.

Community Bank, on the other hand, seems to really get it. At a time when monolithic banks, and their greedy, tight-fisted ways, are high atop the list of citizens' Reasons to Get Angry, it's especially powerful to associate your company with a story whose central message teems with community, integrity and love.

Of course, you've got to be able to back it all up with action. The ball--and our money--is now in Community Bank's court.

Cross-Marketing Makes Good Business Sense; But Have You Alerted Prospects To the Details?

Have you created cross-marketing opportunities for your enterprise?

And if so, have you told your customers, and prospects, about this great way to drive traffic in both directions? If not, or if are limiting your exposure (such as telling only those who walk into your business), then you are severely, and needlessly, diminishing your marketing message.

Below you can see a brief video recounting what one Inside Edge PR client, Allstate of Oak Park, has done with a next-door business, the historic and regionally renowned Petersen's Ice Cream shop on Chicago Avenue.

Go Beyond `Testimonial Providers Anonymous': Put Names & Faces With Your Rave Reviews

Would you trust this man's testimonial?

Whether you're a widget salesmen or a world-class motivational speaker, testimonials are central to your persuasive story-telling endeavors.

Alas, some otherwise-credible individuals and organizations haven't taken the time to gather such testimonials (or "success stories" or "endorsements"--whatever term fits into your vocabulary).

Only slightly better are those instances when an organization handles the testimonials as an extension of the Federal Witness Protection Program.

If you're plotting a clandestine drug deal or attending a 12-Step Testimonial Providers Anonymous (TPA) meeting, referring to somebody only by their initials or as "Matt B.", if you are feeling a bit bolder, may make some sense.

(By the way, don't bother Googling that "TPA" organizatione. I just made it up--to make this point: in business, these cloak-and-dagger, veiled references come across as sketchy and needlessly secretive.)


Why reduce a raving fan into a camera-shy type?


And settling for TPA-style sources means barely skimming the surface of the potential good these third-party edifications could do for the person or organization you're seeking to promote.

What follows, then, is the Inside Edge PR checklist for collecting a testimonial:

1. Receive a signed media release form in which the individual agrees to have his/her story shared through various modes of communication at no compensation.

This first step should be no problem if people are genuinely fired up about the great service they've received. In my experience working on scores of testimonials across a variety of industries, collecting willing and eager testimonials has never posed a problem.

2. Do everything in your power to obtain or create testimonials in a variety of forms:

-A video of the individual sharing his or her story about the good that you and/or your product or service provided.

-At least one photograph of the testimonial provider.

-Additional photographs that would help tell the story (such as before-and-after images of someone who has lost weight or photos of a house that has received significant upgrades).

-A written narrative that tells the individual's story in a compelling, newsworthy manner.

And don't settle for a meager two-line quote--go for a rich, nuanced story that conveys a powerful story. Out of that story, you can excerpt a quote or two on an as-needed basis.

3. Armed with these key elements, re-purpose the content across many platforms and toward a variety of audiences that are in your target market.

For examples of testimonials, you can check out some videos on the Inside Edge PR video channel.

About three years ago, when Inside Edge PR took testimonials well beyond the Witness Protection Program level, it spurred on positive coverage in The Daily Southtown for Chicago Women's Health, an obstretrics/gynecology practice.

You can see that particular written testimonial on the Chicago Women's Health website, along with a few others.

Storymix Media Gives Nod to Inside Edge PR For Focus on Creating Video Testimonials For Clients

Inside Edge PR received a nice mention from Ariane Fisher of Storymix Media recently on the Chicago firm's blog.

You can see the ditty, which emphasizes the importance of video testimonials in helping attracting customers, at the My Photo Video blog.

Inside Edge PR is "at the forefront of establishing a video presence for the clients they represent," Fisher wrote. As I emphasize with all my clients, it's one thing to establish a video presence and it's quite another to develop it on a more sophisticated level.

That's where Storymix Media comes into play. The company takes raw footage and elevates the final product through its editing, graphical and other technological know-how.

This post wouldn't seem complete without a video testimonial, so below you can find one that Tricia Miller of Serenity Acupuncture graciously provided about a year ago. You can see more at the Inside Edge PR channel.

Inside Edge on Assignment With ULI Chicago: Emerging Trends in Real Estate for 2011

A black cat puts the hex on the Cubbies.

Will the Chicago Cubs ever win another World Series? Who was the genius who decided that there should be a “p” in “raspberry”? And just what are the emerging trends in real estate for 2011?

While I can’t answer the first two questions with any level of confidence, I can at least point you in one direction on the last of those queries.

For the third year in a row, I recently had the opportunity to write the summary of the Urban Land Institute’s Chicago District Council panel discussion on the upcoming year’s emerging trends.

There were a few hundred people in the Hyatt Regency Hotel ballroom, so odds are you weren’t able to be on hand. That’s OK, you can still read the Emerging Trends summary here.

Social Media Backlash is Natural: Steps You Can Take Without Having it Take Over Your Life

Anyone else notice an increased level of backlash against social media in general and Facebook specifically?

Yesterday, it was Garry Meier of WGN Radio, who wasn't so much as trashing it as he was questioning how and why it fits into our media-saturated lives.

This is all a natural (and recurring) response to anything that takes an increasingly prominent place (some might say "invades") in our lives. And it's especially prone to happen when we didn't really see it coming--it just sort of happened incrementally.

We've all heard (or are) the stories of people who scoffed at Facebook, checked it out once to see what the fuss was all about...and got hooked within minutes.

Whether you are born again in social media or a social media sourpuss, the below slideshow, which I first created in March 2009, may be a helpful reminder of the simple step-by-step process that you can take in this realm--without having it take over your life.

(Note: this presentation was geared toward an Oak Park, Ill. audience, so the "Pope" you see with the red ticket is David Pope, our village president. A little inside joke there.)

One last thing: it's still lawful to become a fan of Inside Edge PR.

`While You're Up' PR Like Ice Cream Clean-Up: How Can You Carve Up the Moment Some More?

Like old times: my dad carves up a half gallon of ice cream.

What do empty ice cream bowls and public relations have in common? In my experience, anyway, both revolve around what you might call a "While You're Up" philosophy.

First, a bit of family history will help set the scene. A fond, enduring memory of my dad was his penchant for corralling me or one of my siblings into bringing his empty bowl of ice cream (often coffee-flavored) from the living room into the kitchen.

This would come after he carved a half-gallon of ice cream with a big knife, into evenly distributed slices--a scene that we re-enacted, to my delight, in 2001 (see photo).

Starting in the 1980s, as one of us kids would rise to bring our own bowl to the dishwasher or sink, Dad would say, "While you're up, bring my bowl, too."

It was an eminently efficient directive. Other than the occasional backtracking of a few steps to retrieve his bowl, he really wasn't putting us to any extra work.

The same efficiency ought to come into play as you approach PR. What can you do to parlay what you've already done and create additional exposure?

An example from the past week: I wrote a biography on Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gloor Realty agent Monica Davidson Klinke. In short order, it was up on the BHG/Gloor Realty website.

So, "while it was up," to paraphrase Dad, it was then a simple matter of making some tweaks and turning it into a profile feature that is now posted on the Oak Park page of Triblocal.com.

Over time, Monica's bio at the BHG/Gloor Realty website will get plenty of visits. But in the short term, the Triblocal placement will do much more to heighten awareness of her, and the firm's, work.

I'd even be willing to bet a pint of ice cream on it.

Getting the Word Out About George Hood's Latest Guinness World Record Achievement

A few weeks ago, I noted the Guinness World Record attempt by George Hood in spin cycling, in support of the Gunnar Hotchkin Memorial Fund.

In the spirit of follow-up--and George Hood is nothing if not the consummate example of persistent follow-up, here's a news release that Inside Edge PR produced in the aftermath of Hood's successful ride: "Two Much: George Hood Wraps Up Spin Cycling Marathon at 222 Hours, 22 Minutes, 22 Seconds.

Along with other volunteers' efforts, Inside Edge PR helped secure coverage for George's feat on WGN Radio (host Greg Jarrett), WBBM Radio (Mike Krauser), NBC 5, and a variety of local newspaper outlets.

Congratulations to George, whose record-setting rides (as well as a few that fell short) I've publicized for nearly four years. And kudos to the volunteer crew that played an integral role in his extraordinary effort.

Below is a video clip, shot by Devyn Bokos of Urban Tri Gear in Burr Ridge, that shows George cruising past the prior record of 200 hours:

Finding the Media's Need and Filling It: Tips on Shining a PR Light Amid the Storms



A J.C. Restoration Large Loss Catastrophe Bus

 "Give the media what they need, and you will get what you want."

I've uttered that so many times to my clients that it's become a mantra.

What the media need: legitimate news.

What clients want: to get their name "out there" in the various media outlets.

So as storms have swept through the Midwest, including northern Illinois, do you work for, or represent, a company that has some logical tie-in to the meteorological repercussions that have flowed?

It's time to consider what your company does that might help the media tell the stories that will follow in the severe weather's wake.

For Inside Edge PR, anyway, it was time to share a message about the expertise of J.C. Restoration, a Rolling Meadows-based disaster restoration firm.

A vital piece of such a communication is to be clear on precisely how you can help the media tell stories that are relevant and helpful to their audiences.


This J.C. Restoration buggie reveals the core of the firm's expertise.


It isn't enough to simply say that ABC Firm is "available to comment."

With J.C. Restoration, then, I told producers, editors and reporters, "Among other facets related to the storms, J.C. Restoration has experts who can provide:

-guidance on how and when homeowners and businesses should file an insurance claim

-advice to business owners and homeowners on steps they can take to minimize further damage to their properties

-insight into the industry as a whole: What does a restoration contractor do? What certifications are involved? Where can consumers go to learn more and ensure they are dealing with a reputable business?

-work-related photos that augment your media coverage

-historical perspective on the storm, compared to previous storms’ impact

-on-site interviews (either at our job sites or at our state-of-the-art 100,000-square-foot building just off I-90 in Rolling Meadows)

-demonstrations on restoration equipment and procedures"
In short, you want to give at least a partial blueprint of how the media should think about coverage. Certainly, you will be restating some angles that have already been developed. But in some instances, it's a safe bet that you will be shining a light on an approach they would not have otherwise pursued.

In the end, it would all be in a (very stormy) day's work of giving the media what they need.

Providing PR Support for Guinness World Record Bid, Hotchkin Family Fundraiser

Much afoot with Inside Edge PR, including a great cause that was oh-so-easy to get behind: raising awareness about an outreach to help the family of Gunnar Hotchkin, a Hinsdale native who was killed in Afghanistan earlier this year.

Starting on Saturday, Oct. 23, the indefatigable George Hood is aiming for another Guinness World Record and using the platform to raise money for the Hotchkins, as noted in this TribLocal piece.

If George's name looks familiar, it may be because I have blogged about him before, in addition to providing PR support, either officially or informally, for all five of his GWR bids on the spin bike.

How To Capitalize on Facebook Opening the Door on Personalizing Fan Page Suggestions

Until recently, Facebook had a glaring oversight when it came to Fan Pages: if you wanted to suggest a Fan Page to someone, you were unable to include a personalized note.

But about two weeks ago, there came a welcome change. Now you can jot a note with that suggestion. So the question you may have is should I include a note?

Absolutely--and it ought to go beyond the obvious "Hey, I think you'd like to be a Fan of XYZ Cause or ABC Organization or LMN Business."

Communicate in terms of what's in it for the individual to whom you are making the suggestion. Tell him or her why they should become a Fan.

Here are excerpts from a notes that I sent to friends last week:

"...I am helping with the Facebook Fan Page for BHG/Gloor and giving away $10 gift cards weekly when folks submit song names with real estate related titles (such as "Our House" or "Homeward Bound" etc.). Come play!"

"...I am helping promote Five Seasons Burr Ridge's Facebook Fan Page. Our Fans win prizes, get helpful fitness tips and keep posted on other related news. Come join us!"

"...I am helping with the Facebook Fan Page for McAdam Landscaping. To our Fans, we award gift cards, provide helpful gardening/landscaping tips and generally add value to their FB experience. Want to come join us?"

If you are tempted to get long-winded, you'll soon find Facebook limits the number of words you can write. So you'll have to keep your message succinct, which is as it should be, anyhow.

ULI Assignment: J.C. Nichols Prize Luncheon Honoring Chicago Mayor Richard Daley

A few days ago, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley was named the 2010 laureate for the Urban Land Institute J.C. Nichols Prize for Visionaries in Urban Development.

Through my ongoing writing engagements for the ULI's Chicago District, I had the privilege of being at the Art Institute of Chicago to chronicle the event.

In addition to gathering brief remarks on video from about a dozen prominent business and civic leaders, I wrote this summary that appears on ULI Chicago's website.

A Delightful Dilemma: Scrambling To Keep Pace With Fast-Growing J.C. Restoration

It's a blast working with a company that is clearly on the grow, as is the case with one of Inside Edge PR's newer clients, J.C. Restoration. Among other developments, the company recently hosted Continuing Education courses at its 102,000-square-foot facility in Rolling Meadows.

And company president Warner Cruz is developing this uncanny habit of winning awards left and right. In May, he was named Small Business Person of the Year in Illinois, leading to coverage in publications such as Hoy (click on the image below).

The latest is the Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the Chicago Latino Network.

The flurry of positivity creates a wonderful dilemma, as one of my biggest challenges is prioritizing the company's growing list of accomplishments and outreaches. For instance, when shooting and posting video, do we want to put it first on J.C. Restoration's Facebook Fan Page or do we upload it to the J.C. Restoration YouTube channel?

The answer, of course, is to post the good news in as many spots as possible.

Like Hansel & Gretel, publicists need to keep alert to any way we can drop our marketing bread crumbs for folks to find along their day-to-day paths.

And you may not need to know much about the company know, but if your building is damaged by floor, fire or some other calamity, you're going to want to know more how to reach J.C. Restoration,

Finding Creative Win-Wins To Generate Traffic, Inspire Community on Your Facebook Fan Page

Developing and growing Facebook Fan pages is a contact sport.

If you run a business or organization, have you driven a stake in the Facebook ground yet? And if so, what are you doing to give your fan base a reason to keep coming back--and to suggest your page to those in their spheres of influence?

Develop creative ways to spur on interaction with your peeps--and to explore ways to create win-wins with fellow (non-competing) businesses.

Here's one effort that Inside Edge PR has under way, the Halloween Decoration Declaration contest at Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate Gloor Realty's Facebook Fan page
The contest will reward three people, including one with a $100 gift certificate at Maya Del Sol, a popular Oak Park restaurant. In addition, the goal is to grow BHG/Gloor Realty's presence on Facebook and throughout the community.

Psst...you can visit (and become a Fan of) the Inside Edge PR Fan page here.