Fernald Business Association

Archive for the ‘Networking’ Category

Fifteen years in a newsroom and two years studying communications arts hit taught me this: Public relations grouping could goodness from a few weeks behindhand an editor’s desk.

With the manpower and editorial space at papers and publications dwindling, and the need for web content on the rise, the importance of complete information and a beatific working relationship between public relations professionals and publications is key to the success of any PR effort.

As a reporter, I hit looked at thousands and thousands of press releases. I hit thrown thousands of them away without a second glance because they didn’t include complete information, they would take too much time and effort to format into something usable, or the content was not targeted to my audience,.

So, from the newsroom perspective, here are some do’s and don’t for a successful press release:

Do offer content and context. You hit a product, you want a mention. One of the best press releases I ever got was from a candy company at Valentines Day. Did they hit grave breaking programme from the world of candy? No. But they did hit a great fact and tip sheet about candy – not just their own, but categorically. I lifted the whole thing, plugged in some quotes and it ran – with their company mentions. They could hit sent a release that read, This Valentines Day, buy our candy for that special someone  and I would hit chucked it. But they wrapped their message and self-promotion in germane content, and reaped the rewards.
Keep it quick. On the other hand, we are not interested in 1,500 words of prose waxing poetic about your festival or product. Space and attention span are at a premium, so think about how you crapper offer a hurried programme bite, a bulleted list, or 150-word brief that sums up your release. It’s all about plug-and-play.

Don’t beam me info on a product acquirable exclusively at a store I don’t have. Or an event that is 800 miles – or six months – away. You may think it’s a beatific idea to beam it out to everyone in the world, but after I open a few irrelevant releases from you, I’m going to demote you to junk mail.

Do ingest a go box. Different publications call it different things, but a go box is the bare bones of what you are trying to promote, as such:

· What: (Name of event)

· Where: (Name of venue, street address, city and state)

· When: (Dates, times)

· Cost: (Admission prices, convenience charges, where tickets are available)

· Details/Contact: (Phone number for publishing, web site)

Decide whether to tender or not.

Duplicate the required number of copies.

Produce a tender timescale diary.

Safely store two copies for the tender response.

Read the tender document and send off for any relevant reference documents stated in the document.

Log the date of request for this documentation and ensure its speedy receipt.

Decide what team of experts in required to complete the tender.

Circulate reference documentation on receipt.

Call an initial meeting of the tender team.

Formation of Tender Team

This may include input from your design, production, finance, legal, commercial and sales personnel. It is important to include any sales personnel who have knowledge of the client; they are likely to appreciate from their past contact, any requirements the client feels are important. These may not be obvious from, or even stated in, the tender document, but when addressed in your tender are likely to be positively considered. This sets your bid above those of your competitors.

First Tender Team Meeting

The initial meeting agenda:

Read through the tender documents.

Reconsider decision to tender.

Assign different aspects of the tender to appropriate personnel present.

Denote clearly on each copy who is responsible for each item.

The prospects for sales are high, you’ve undergone Sales Training, you’ve memorized all of the skills needed to close the deal, and on top of it all, your product is exactly what your customer needs, yet your sales at the end of the day are still minimal. This is the perfect time to sit back and rethink what is going wrong? What are the characteristics and work habits that separate you from your peers? Why are they earning above average and in many cases high incomes from selling?

Many sales training talk about how to talk to a client, what to say and how to respond when it is the other way around. Being a salesperson, one should be able to make the clients respond first not to what they are selling but to whom they are and the company they are representing. When one has closed this first deal, then sale is sure to come.

PERSONALITY is the first thing that a salesperson must develop.

CHARACTER must be developed at the early stage of an aspiring professional salesperson.

POSITIVE ATTITUDE can be your strongest asset if you learn how to reach within for the strength to overcome the obstacles and pain to succeed.

FRIENDLINESS AND WARMTH are weapons most cared by the professional sales person.

SENSIBILITY is combining all the positive qualities which have been mentioned.

EXPERTISE is the soul of the professional sales person.