Ten-Year-Old Public Relations Firm Reinvents to PR 2.0

Pam Perry, PR Coach & Social Media Strategist (www.pamperrypr.com)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

I am often asked by small business owners and entrepreneurs if they should be using Twitter for their business. They seldom like my answer, mainly because I respond with a series of questions.

www.twitter.com/smsperrypr

“What is your goal for using social media?”
“Who are you trying to reach?”
“How much time are you willing to spend each day on social media?”
“Do you want to use Twitter, or feel like you ‘should’ use Twitter?”
“Are you willing to get out of your comfort zone and make a commitment?”

Until these questions can be answered, Twitter and other social media sites would be a waste of time. Chances are, the business owner would get frustrated with the results because of unrealistic expectations, and give up, but not after spending countless hours online without a clear voice or message to promote about themselves or their business. Sometimes sending mixed signals is worse than being silent, and the same holds true when entering the world of social media.

For businesses that are ready to make the commitment to social media, Twitter is a great tool for quickly sharing information, gathering real-time feedback and establishing relationships and building a buzz.

A recent study by Chadwick Martin Bailey and Imoderate Technologies found 67 percent of Twitter followers are more likely to buy at least one brand since becoming a follower and 79 percent of followers are more likely to recommend at least one brand since becoming a follower.

The study also found Twitter followers want to be “Brand Insiders,” with “to receive discounts and promotions” and “to be the first to know information about the brand” as the primary reasons they follow a brand on Twitter.

Followers have shown their loyalty and willingness to spread the word about your business, so it makes sense they want to be rewarded for their support. Who doesn’t want to be considered an insider, receive preferential treatment or save money?

Here are some tips for using Twitter to

create a buzz for your business (or book):

1. Offer inside scoops, special, discounts, coupons and other incentives exclusively to you followers
2. Ask for help or ideas
3. Solicit ideas or solutions to challenges
4. Publish solutions, useful tips and fun facts
5. Comment and retweet to recognize and acknowledge followers
6. Answer tweets, but resist the urge to sell
7. Participate in conversations
8. Thank people for following
9. Join Twitter chats to be seen as a leader in your field and learn from other experts

Incorporating just a few of these tips will greatly increase the amount of buzz generated about your business. Just remember to be consistent and have patience. Most of all, be yourself and have fun.

(c) 2010 Kristina Shands and Authentic Communications

Kristina Shands is the owner of Authentic Communications, a communications and marketing firm specializing in telling stories that move people to action. Authentic Communications collaborates with small businesses and entrepreneurs to spark interest, create a buzz, build connections, increase loyalty and inspire action in order to attract new clients and increase visibility. Download a special report, “Six Questions to Develop Your Business Story (and set yourself apart from the crowd),” at http://authentic-communications.com. Contact Kristina at kristina@authentic-communications.com and follow her on Twitter (@authenticbuzz).

Hear the new radio spot: http://synergyenergy.posterous.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pamperryfanpage

Social networking sites like Facebook are a terrific way to promote your book, but many authors don’t optimize their Facebook profile or venture beyond their profile. Here are six ways to effectively promote your book on Facebook:

1. Take full advantage of the promotional opportunities on your Facebook Profile. Just below your photo is a small box where you can enter a concise description of what you do, including the title of your book.

The About Me box (under Personal Information) is a good place to describe your book and your business. In the Contact Information section you can enter multiple website addresses. Post your book cover in your photo album or another application and display it in the left column of your profile.

Remember, your Facebook profile must be registered in your real name. If you create a profile for your book or business, you risk having your account canceled.

2. Facebook Fan Pages are similar to personal profiles, but they are created for business use. You can create a page to promote your book or your business, or even create a page for one of the characters in your novel. People join a page by becoming a fan.

You may want to offer an incentive to join (or at least visit) your fan page, such as a free download, a coupon for one of your products, or a contest. Another way to attract fans is to set your page up as an information hub, offering links and resources.

3. Facebook Groups are a great place to meet people who share your interests and find new friends. Search for groups by entering keywords in the Search box at the top of the page and then clicking on the Groups tab. You can gain visibility on a group page by introducing yourself on the wall, participating in discussions, and posting your book cover, photos or videos.

Forming your own group is another good way to subtly promote your book. Be sure to encourage discussions and offer valuable information such as free downloads and links to resources. You can send direct messages the entire group.

4. Joining relevant Facebook Events is a good way to get visibility by writing on the event wall and posting photos. In addition, you can subtly promote your book and yourself by promoting your own live or virtual events through a Facebook event.

5. Facebook displays pay-per-click ads on most pages on the site, and ads can be targeted by age, gender, location, education level, relationship status, or keywords in people’s profiles.

6. The Facebook Marketplace is a free classified advertising area where you can post a listing to sell your book. It’s worth an experiment if you have a book on a topic that someone might search for on a classified advertising site.

Dana Lynn Smith is a book marketing coach and author of The Savvy Book Marketer Guides. For in-depth information on how to promote your book through Facebook, see the Facebook Guide for Authors at http:bit.ly/facebookforauthors.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dana_Lynn_Smith

www.pamperrypr.com

Know What Makes Them Tick

This  is a must read for those serious about business today. I know Max and I highly recommend this book!

Book Description Max Siegel started with none of the obvious advantages, yet again and again he built mutually beneficial partnerships—with peers, mentors, supervisors, and industry leaders—that took him to the heights of professional and personal achievement. He’s managed some of the world’s top recording artists, ballplayers, and race-car drivers, and helped run some of the top organizations in sports and entertainment. He’s grown fragmented niche markets into bestselling audiences by tapping into the universal hopes and passions that bring people together. Now he travels the country giving motivational speeches and inspiring professionals of all kinds, sharing his method for connecting with people, whatever their differences. The secret, Siegel says, is to know what makes others tick. For some, it’s financial security; for others, it’s respect, devotion to family, a creative calling, or a vision of a better world. He shows how to encourage people to share these hidden, all-important motivations, and how to partner with them in the most powerful way there is: by finding the overlap between their goals and yours, so that together you can realize the dreams that make you tick. The nine universal rules outlined in Know What Makes Them Tick include: See Where You Want to Be, Not Where You Are Find Your Ambassadors Show What’s in It for Them Readers will learn practical strategies for negotiating the challenges in every part of life, whether motivating colleagues to be more productive, finding a market for their product, uniting a divided family, or building a life of satisfaction in an unpredictable world. It’s an eye-opening guide to a unique and powerful approach that anyone can use.

Author Extras Max Siegel Biography

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Review

“Siegel shows us how to successfully navigate situations that may arise at work, in the home, or in personal relationships. More, he shows how, if the cards are played right, everyone walks away a winner–an empowering feeling if ever there was one.” (Chris Gardner, author of The Pursuit of Happyness and Start Where You Are )

“Max Siegel was part of the inner circle that helped to shape our careers. . . For anyone who’s ever wished for a Siegel to represent him or her, it’s all right here in Know What Makes Them Tick.” (Tony Gwynn, Eight-time National League Batting Champion, Baseball Hall of Fame; and Alicia Gwynn, Philanthropist )

“Who is this book for? Anyone who wants to make a difference.” (Bob Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television, chairman of The RLJ Companies, and owner of the Charlotte Bobcats )

“When Max speaks, people listen … and when Max writes, people read and learn. If you want to grow both personally and professionally, then join the winners and leaders who find wisdom with Max Siegel. (Chuck Wielgus, CEO of USA Swimming )

“Working with Max closely for over a decade, I have benefited personally from the treasures in this book–and I am a walking testimony to its real-life benefits.” (Kirk Franklin, Seven-Time Grammy Award Winner )

“In a world of constant distraction and pointless conflicts, Know What Makes Them Tick shows you how to find the clarity to pursue the vision that matters most, and to share that vision with those who can help make it a reality.” (Ken Mok, television producer, America’s Next Top Model )

See Max on Facebook. Follow him on twitter @max_siegel

One of the first questions you should ask yourself is who are my readers? Once you have identified your target market, your next step is to find ways to tell them what the book is about; what problem it will solve; why it is funny, informative, or moving; who wrote it and why; and, most important, why they want to spend money to own your book. What follows are seven proven book promotion ways to reach your readers with this information:

1. Create a website for your book.

You must have a presence on the Internet for solid book promotion and book marketing. A Website showcases your book, highlights the cover, introduces you as an expert author, delineates the main points, tells where the book may be purchased, and provides a place for testimonials. A Website doesn’t have to be expensive or elaborate, but it should be professionally designed and constructed. Unless you are a Web guru, invest in a professional Website designer.

2. Brainstorm ideas for book promotion and book marketing.

Gather a group of your most creative friends to generate as many ideas as you can (It’s a good idea to feed them). Break your reading audience into subgroups, and list all the places to find them. Where do they hang out? What organizations do they belong to? Where do they shop? What are their passions, hobbies, and vocations? The spreadsheet you create is the beginning of your promotional plan.

3. Send advance readers’ copies (ARCs) to promote your book.

When the book is finished but not yet published, send bound copies of Galley proofs to book reviewers at print and electronic media. Be sure to stamp them “Reader’s Copy” or “Galley Proof.” You want to time the reviews to coincide with the publication and availability of your book. Reviewers want to read it before it hits the shelves. Timing is everything. Ministry Marketing Solutions can help with this.

4. Submit articles to promote your book.

Your book is a goldmine of article ideas. Every major point is an article ready to be excerpted or paraphrased. Once you know what your target audience is reading, you have a list of potential publications, print and electronic. Write a 25- and 50-word author’s blurb to be printed at the end of every article. When you submit to an online article Website, indicate that the article may be reprinted at no charge, as long as it includes the author’s blurb.

5. Take part in book fairs as a great book promotion tool.

Share a table or booth with other writers or with members of an association of which you are a member, if it is relevant to your topic. Book fairs can mean long hours on your feet if you go it alone; but, when you share the workload, the experience can be fun and rewarding. You’ll meet new people, reach readers directly, and become personally involved in selling your book.

6. Share what you know to become an expert in your field.

Offer to give free presentations at bookstores and other venues that carry your book. This is a great way to build your reputation as an expert in your field, provide value to the bookseller and the book buyer, and connect directly with your readers. It’s good for your ego to be asked to sign your own book. One caveat: if you don’t feel comfortable speaking in front of a group, join Toastmasters or hire a speaking coach. Don’t muddle through your presentation.

7. Assemble a book sales package.

(see http://pamperry.posterous.com for an instant press kit package)

Put together a press kit to send to local radio and TV stations. Include a news release with pertinent information about the book and future scheduled appearances, an author’s bio, talking points to use in an on-air interview, a sample book cover, background information, and favorable reviews and testimonials. A press kit is like a resume; it gets you in the door. Once you get there, the rest is up to you.

Promoting your book is an ongoing project. It isn’t something you do once and then move on. As long as your book is available and there are potential readers who could enjoy it and benefit from reading it, you have a job to do. This is, after all, why you wrote it.