Tag Archives: Public Relations

Fishing is a lot like PR

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A big catch always makes your Day in PR.

While watching Discovery’s “Deadliest Catch” it dawned on me how fishing for king crab is a lot like pitching for media coverage. The similarities are astounding so much so–that I’m wondering now if I should start calling myself a fisher-person instead of a publicist. I’m not talking about sport fishing here. I’m talking about those individuals whose livelihood is bringing in big catches. Like us publicists, we receive our earnings too by the success of our takes.

THIS IS NOT ANOTHER FISH STORY

Think this is a laughing matter (wink, wink), just take a look at these occupational comparisons.

  • Fishermen use charts to find fish; publicists use media plans
  • Fishermen often go off of instinct to find fish; so do publicists as to who might like the story.
  • Fishermen need the right bait to catch particular fish; publicist must make sure that their pitch is news-worthy and right for that publication.
  • Fishermen can go through spurts without big hauls; the same is true for publicists.
  • Sometimes fisherman must play a waiting game for the fish to surface; ditto in the publicity realm.
  • Fisherman have to release smaller fish at times: publicists sometimes have to do they same in order to gain a keeper-a larger hit.

I could go on and on with the comparisons, and I did! Just take a look at this tongue in cheek PR fishing video below that I filmed last night.  (Note to self: Don’t ever use a magnet when fishing out of a metal pail. Boy that was dumb! lol)

Also, I must warn you – if you are ever trying to reach me and I’d don’t answer – now you’ll know why. I’ve gone PR fishing!

[youtube width="640" height="360"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUOEsviVeLM[/youtube]


I couldn't resist including this photo of me when I hiked Beverly Hills' Franklin Canyon Park. Behind me is the shooting location for the opening of "The Andy Griffith Show."

 

Yes You Can Start A Blog

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Blogger Cindy Ronzoni says, "I can't help but smile every time I finish a piece. Still can't believe we can have personal voices on the web." - goofy self portrait

When I was in between permanent work positions a few years ago, I had the urge to try out blogging.  As a PR pro, I had worked with bloggers, and thus, had some semblance as to what they did.  I really had no idea how to start one and what it was all about…that was in 2008. Now, four years later I’m thriving as a blogger and can’t envision a day when I won’t have an active blog or two.

I love blogging! I can’t begin to tell you about the personal freedom it has given me. At first, I didn’t know what to write. I mean, prior to 2008, all my writing and voice had been exhibited through corporate communication efforts like statements, press releases and/or pitches. I had never been able to interject my personal opinion or beliefs in anything I had ever done except diaries and journals. I always represented the company with anything I had ever written.

Thanks to a friend who got me all set up with my first WordPress blog, I was ready to start exploring who I was and what I stood for. It was hard to start and I found myself often staring at a black screen. I felt like so “naked.” I didn’t know what I could write and was scared about having a voice. Some of  the thoughts I had were these questions:  Would I write something that would cause controversy? Would anyone care what I had to say? Could I even do this?

Bloggging is Alive and Well in Colleges Credit: Cindy Ronzoni

I fumbled a bit at the start, but now I have hit my stride transforming and refining my content over time. For you see, the more you practice at something the better you get.

JUST DO IT

I love having my own voice on the web.  And that’s my wish for you too. I want to encourage you start blogging today. Put those fears aside and just do it. If you don’t know how to begin…send me a note or check out WordPress.com or Blogger.com or heck, even tumblr.com is a fantastic place to start. It’s so much easier now setting up websites…you can do it!

BLOGGING IS THRIVING

Recently, I experienced the perfect trifecta. I was absolutely in my glory for I was able to mix my thirst for news, my love of blogging and passion for teaching college-aged students in one full swoop. I taught a college journalism class where the students blogged for their homework. At first I wondered how they were doing finding “their voice” on the web.  I also was curious about what that age group had to say…what drove them and where their passions lie.  I let them write about something that they were interested in…they had full reign to write whatever they wanted. The only thing I required was that they would email me their posts. I was blown away by the “voices” I heard back.

They covered non-profits. Several told me about their favorite hockey teams and how they hoped they’d make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Some moved me when they spoke about how dance affects their lives. Others shared their souls about being confused about their future. And most wanted to make things “right” in this world.  They had deep and heart-felt suggestions. They care and they have voices that need to be heard.

And the same is true for you.

Start blogging today, but be careful – for it does become addicting.

Let me know how it goes for you – please send me your first post so I can congratulate you properly and keep encouraging you to write on!

Happy Blogging,

Cindy

 

 

 

HOW TO SET UP A TWITTER ACCOUNT

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Twitter was one of the most valuable sources of communication immediately after the earthquake and tsunami struck Japan recently. Those affected by the quake and tsunami were able to send out tweets even though they were not able to make cell phone calls.  These tweets meant the world to their loved ones for they could physically see that their family member was alive and/or needed rescuing.  Twitter literally saved lives.

TWITTER TO THE RESCUE

With that being the case, I recently wrote about the importance of having a Twitter account in the case of emergency.  You don’t have to use it, but you should understand how to when needed.  To help show you how easy it is to set up an account I’ve produced this brief screen cast.

If you have any further questions, please just let me know. Enjoy and be sure to set up that account! You mean too much to me not to have one at your finger tips!

The #1 Reason You Should Be on Twitter-It Could Save Your Life

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Sign up for a Twitter Account Today!

Last week’s devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan proved how valuable the micro-blogging platform Twitter has become.  Japan’s catastrophe proved that Twitter can literally save your life. No kidding.

If you have people in your life that you hold dear, you need to make sure that they are on Twitter. They don’t need to tweet regularly or often or ever. They just need to know how to use it on their mobile phones in case of an emergency when phone lines and cell towers and the Internet are failing around them.

Although this is an utter travesty, good is coming out of this crisis in Japan.  From it, we are learning a great deal about how to communicate effectively in emergencies and how to build structures that will withstand large scale earthquakes.

The good that I am taking out of this is the fact that moments after the giant temblor hit, Twitter was the first means of communication that broke through. When cell phones were not able to connect and when the Internet was down…those on Twitter were able to send out messages that they were alive and/or trapped and needed assistance.  Twitter is the new cry for help! It’s absolutely amazing.

VALUABLE HASHTAGS

I previously mentioned that Twitter is the new customer service, but now, it is the new life-saving service.  To see for yourself type this in your browser:  search.twitter.com and search  #Fukushima to find out the status of the nuclear explosions there. Or this hashtag # J_j_helpme to see tweets from survivors requiring help. Or # Jishin for general information.  You will have trouble reading these tweets for they are in Japanese, but thanks to Google Translate you can read their messages. It’s like having your own news service at your finger tips.

CLOSE TO HOME

I live in Southern California and as a life-long resident I am well aware of our famous nuclear power plant in San Onfre. Thanks to the swift thinking of a fellow Corporate Media Strategist  @darinrmcclure we now have a means to receive updates via twitter regarding that particular plant.  Darin advised them to start using its twitter account to update residents on information they are receiving about Japan’s nuclear power facility and also to use to send residents news associated with that facility. And thanks to Darin’s suggestion, Southern California Edison is doing just that on the twitter handle SCE_SONGS (Songs stands for San Onfre Nuclear Generating Station). I highly suggest you follow @SCE_Songs and @darinrmcclure.

SCE's San Onfre Power Plant Now is Offering Twitter Updates @SCE_SONGS

TWITTER IS SIMPLE

Some of you may think that Twitter is a marvelous tool, but you just can’t see yourself ever using it.  There are probably two reasons you are thinking this way – the first being you think it’s too difficult to learn and secondly, you might not have a mobile phone that is Twitter-ready.

My blog is called Honestly and therefore, I make a point of it to never lie, so believe me when I say to you that Twitter is super easy to learn. And I promise to show you how in a later post this week. I’m hoping I can use my Mom as my example for I need to teach her how to tweet. If she can learn it, so can you.

Regarding not having a smart phone that can tweet, I do understand that point. However, if you have access to the Internet via a desktop or laptop or iPad…then I want you to start on Twitter that way.  You don’t have to have a mobile phone to tweet, you can do it for free over the Internet.

I highly recommend you set up a Twitter account now and that you should use your real name. Your name may be taken so you might have to add a middle name or something like that.  But, let’s say you have a loved one who is on Twitter and they were in Japan near the earthquake.  You would be able to see what their last tweets were and even message them that way by using Twitter on your computer.  It’s just good common sense for you to be on Twitter.

I am really passionate about this cause because I care about you too much. I don’t want one of your relatives ever to worry about you if a flood comes into your town, or a hurricane, or a tornado, or an earthquake or mine explosion.  I promise I’ll teach you how to use Twitter, so please stay tuned for help is on the way.

You can follow me on twitter @cindyronzoni and my PR company @socialspread.

My heart and prayers go out to those affected by the devastation in Japan.

Cindy

Favor or Gifts?

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Moving Friends is One of the Most Common Favors

Marketing Genius Seth Godin presented two very interesting thoughts regarding favor and gifts. His last two blog posts have dealt with each respectively and I’ve been puzzled every since I’ve read them.  For upon further reflection, both are extremely complex in how you use them in business.  They also say much about the personality of your company and brand.

FAVOR VS. GIFTS

So let me ask you a few questions about this issue.

Do you provide favors? And if so, do you expect something in return?

And if you answer no, that you don’t normally expect anything in return, then is that a gift?

These questions are perplexing for I believe that one good deed does deserve another.  I also am a woman of deep faith and believe that doing good things in the world is what I should always try and do. For instance, last year I provided resume writing services to homeless individuals.  I did this service as a volunteer fully knowing that I wouldn’t get anything in return. In fact, I didn’t want anything in return.  It was a personal gift to them and an honor that they let me help them.

That instance was an easy one for me.  It gets personally harder when I decide to help a professional, who has money, and provide a service as a favor. To be honest, my motives for those favors is the hope that they would recommend me for future business.  But, that’s not a solid guarantee.  So as I’m writing this, I’m asking myself – should I provide less business favors and only do so if I can ask for a tangible favor back? My business side says yes. My Christian heart says no.

THE PRESSURES OF FAVORS

The problem with favors is the fact that they do “one up you” to the recipient. Although, the words are never stated, the sentiment is there that I’m helping you with this, but at a later date, I’m going to ask you for a favor.  That sentiment is understood without words and is what Seth calls the “social contract.”

I personally do not ask for many favors – I probably should ask for more. So I think I will be a bit wiser now regarding each instance. If a business associate is asking me for a business favor, I might be a bit bolder and ask them how they could provide me with some extra help.  I’ve never done that.

I will treat each instance separately and decide whether or not I am willing to provide a gift or favor.

I am so thankful for these timely blog posts by Mr. Godin.  If he never penned this idea, I don’t think I would have ever changed my business tactics.

THE ANSWER COULD BE NO

And again, sometimes, the best answer to a favor is “no.”

Therefore, in conclusion, you control when you give a gift or not.  And when you bestow favor.

How do you dole out favor?

Please comment, I’d love to hear how you handle this sensitive subject.  LOL – You’d be doing me a favor by sharing your thoughts on this business approach.

 

Cindy

 

 

 

5 Online Must Have’s – My Valentine For You

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In celebration of Valentine’s Day, I wish I could personally give you, my kind readers, each a box of delicious chocolates. Since I’m not able to do that, I thought the best way I could show you my “appreciation” and “love” is by letting you in on some of my favorite social media secrets and tips. Thereby, this post is my Valentine for you.

MY FIVE ONLINE FAVES

Last Pass is the last Password You'll Ever Need to Remember

1. My number tool that literally changed by life is the free password manager LastPass.com. With this product you never have to worry about forgetting your passwords again.  When my Facebook and other online accounts were hacked into last spring, it was a nightmare untangling all of my passwords.  Every online account that I had ever set up in my online life had to be changed for they were compromised. Now, I just need to remember the main login password to Last Pass and that’s is. It remembers the rest. Last Pass remembers all of the accounts that require passwords and even generates passwords for you. It’s easy to use and works well for both Macs and PCs. This application has made my life so much easier. I highly recommend it for you as well.

Hootsuite has a scheduled tweet function

2. Hootsuite -  Hootsuite is a twitter application that allows you to post tweets to multiple twitter handles and follow streams. The best reason I like this app over some of the other twitter programs like Tweet Deck is the fact that it allows you to schedule tweets. I love that I don’t have to be in front of my computer to send tweets.  This tool too has been a life-saver.  There is a free version and a paid premium service associated with this product.

3.  Social Media Examiner – I am often asked where I learn most of my social media ninja tricks.  I often

A Great Resource for Social Media Instruction

check in on the blog posts by Social Media Examiner and I purchase their webinars on Facebook and blogging. I find the information presented by this online resource as being top-notch, ahead of the curve and extremely practical. Michael Stelzner has put together a terrific educational resource.

THE WORLD IS ONLY A CLICK AWAY

There's Always Something Interesting Going on at Meetup.com

4. Meetup – If you want to find a group that meets together regarding one of your passions and/or hobbies, I highly recommend you check out Meetup.com.  There are dozens of groups gathering near you that discuss interesting subjects or provide fun activities. I belong to several. My favorites are my weekly social media club and my monthly WordPress group. These meetups for me are like going to school. It’s free education. They are a great networking resource and they help me get out of the house and mingle with others.

5. Seth Godin – You are what you read, I always say. And one person who truly inspires me with every thought he

Seth Godin is a Must Read Everyday

writes is Seth Godin. I have written about him before and my admiration still remains the same.  This dear, wise, intelligent marketer and seer of life imparts common sense ideas toward how we view every day business.  He is a prolific writer who often posts thoughts more than once a day. I promise that once you review his work, you’ll continue to come back for more.  He makes the world a better place.

And while we’re talking about people making a difference in the world, I would be remiss not to include you in that category as well.  Never forget that you make a difference in my life. You cause me to remain honest and true. And to share my thoughts and move forward. You cheer me on. Provide valuable feedback and encouragement when I need it the most.

Thank you all for being my Valentine.

Hugs,

Cindy

Current TV’S Olbermann Hire is a Game-Changer

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Current TV hits a home run with Olbermann.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Current TV will become more successful with the hire of left-wing political journalist Keith Olbermann. This type of business move, bringing a large brand or entity to a smaller one, is a tried and true formula that has worked for a number of similar situations and companies.

BIG FISH IN SMALL POND WORKS

Television and cable networks have employed this philosophy numerous times to raise ratings and profiles and to gain subscribers. That’s why NBC invests in the Olympics. CBS, FOX and ESPN the NFL.  ABC and the Academy Awards.  NBC with the Golden Globes.  Exclusive events such as these always draw massive crowds (i.e., Super Bowl 45 broke ratings records as the most-watched television program of all time, averaging 111 million viewers on the Fox network..)

The above are franchises, but this also applies to people with big profiles and followings.  CBS News lured Katie Couric to its network.  TBS nabbed Conan O’Brien.  And now Keith Olbermann switches to Current TV.  These transaction occurred for the same reason – to increase subscribers and ratings. This exchange also is reminiscent of when Howard Stern jumped from traditional radio to satellite.  Sometimes this big-to-small ploy does not work.  But, in this case, it makes total sense.  It’s like putting a lemon in water. One enhances the taste of the other.  Whereas, while Olbermann was at MSNBC, his views and MSNBC’s views became more like oil and water.  The two just separate.

PREDICTIONS

Will Olbermann bring more viewers to Current TV? Yes.

Will the audience stay with him? Yes and No. It all depends on the quality of the content.

Will Olbermann have more freedom to express his views? Definitely yes.

Will Current TV provide Olbermann with a platform to express his big ideas without corporate pressure? Yes.

Olbermann will make Current TV exciting and as such, this move is a real game changer that the network desperately needed.

This was a great strategic business move by both parties.

I can hardly wait until the Spring.

PR Campaign Series – Part 4 – Special K Challenge

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Having put on a few extra pounds during the holidays, I decided to try Kellogg’s Special K Challenge. The Special K Challenge is a diet created to help you lose up to six pounds in two weeks.  Since I love cereal, I thought I would give it a try.

DIET WORKED BUT IT IS A BIT SWEET

Not only did I lose 5 pounds in three weeks, but I became a big fan of how they marketed this campaign.  Whoever conceived this concept was astute in recognizing that they needed to regularly update its message.  A great take-away for marketers is to remember that long-running campaigns need to be refreshed in order to stay vibrant.

The campaign became interactive after its first month – that’s when the cereal packaging changed asking us to upload photos.  As a result, they also provided a custom video that included my photo.  Click here to see that video. (The video is still in process – if my photo doesn’t appear at the end yet, that means that it is still waiting for an approval by someone at Kellogg’s).

The Special K Challenge is a smart campaign.  It touched consumers in a spot that causes personal pain and as such, provided a solution.

Grade: A+

PR Campaign Series – Part 3 – Empowered

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The Empowered Message Was a Bit Fuzzy

Yesterday I raved about the free health screenings that The National Urban League and Walgreens are sponsoring in neighborhoods across America.   I applaud their efforts and wish more companies wanted to make a difference like these do in people’s lives.  Everything about the promotion was impressive from the staff to collateral to the end results, except one piece of its branding.  The Empowered Piece.

HOW CLEAR IS YOUR MESSAGE?

The National Urban League celebrated its 100 anniversary last year and with that, they launched the I AM EMPOWERED campaign.  Here’s how it’s defined in the brochure.

“Focused on four aspirational goals for America, in the areas of education, employment, housing and health care, I AM EMPOWERED will galvanize millions of people to take a pledge to commit their time and talent to help achieve the goals by 2025!”

And here are the following four goals of the Pledge.

  • Every American child is ready for college, work or life.
  • Every American has access to jobs with a living  wage and good benefits.
  • Every American lives in safe, decent, affordable and energy-efficient housing on fair terms.
  • Every American has access to quality and affordable health care solutions.

MANAGING EXPECTATIONS

These are nice aspirations…but are they realistic? And why did they choose the date 2025? Why not, ten years from now or five or 50? Why that arbitrary number?

And to help you keep to your EMPOWERED pledge you can receive updates via a mobile app, text message, direct mail or online.

I like the idea of the Pledge…but I feel it’s a bit lofty. I want these goals for every American too, but I recognize that most of it is out of my hands and there’s only so much that the government can do.  But, if more companies sponsored events like the Wellness Tour, then we would have a chance in making these goals somewhat true.

Sorry about the above rant, I diverted off my main subject…I really wanted to say that alongside the Wellness Tour was this secondary messaging about the Empowered Pledge. The National Urban League went to the expense of having it painted on the mobile medical unit, but that’s the only place that the message was seen. I had to ask an attendant what it meant for I didn’t understand how it fit into the medical screenings.  I know you are all astute marketers, and as such, a consumer shouldn’t have to ask what your message is about. It should be clear. When I inquired about the Empowered Pledge, that’s when I was handed a separate brochure.

In summary, so what that the Empowered Pledge wasn’t communicated exactly right.  They could paint anything on the RV and it wouldn’t matter. What really matters is the free health screenings.  Those are priceless.

PR Campaign Series – Introduction Pt. 1

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The Super Bowl is the Oscars of Marketing Campaigns.

Marketing campaigns have always been my favorite piece of business.  They are fun to create. They involve multi-department brainstorming sessions. And they have a start date and more importantly a finish date.  Therefore, you can always see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Another reason why I enjoy marketing campaigns so much is the fact that they are usually innovative and unprecedented.  And there’s nothing more fun as a PR professional than being able to break news.

BEST EXAMPLE OF MARKETING CAMPAIGNS

I thought it would be fitting to concentrate a bit on the subject of campaigns with the Super Bowl of all Marketing Campaigns right around the corner. Yes, I’m referring to the Super Bowl next Sunday.

The Super Bowl is the premier content event for any corporation, product or brand to be a featured product.  With that many eyeballs (106.7 million watched last year’s Super Bowl) fixed on you for a mere 30 seconds, you can easily launch a new concept, company and receive more media attention than any other time.

Just by paying three million for a 30-second spot, your ad will be judged, reviewed and commented on by just about every journalist and/or blogger watching the program. Not bad exposure, but too bad it comes with such a hefty price tag. And the tweeter stream will be on fire.

THREE MIL INVESTMENT

With the evolution of social media you’ll see a change this year in the ads.  I’m sure every car commercial, career advertisement or software developer will include call-to-actions to visit them elsewhere after the commercial.  The campaigns will have more robust offerings than just the single 30-second message – they’ll feature online contests and other further engagement opportunities. These Super Bowl advertisers will try and get as much bang for their buck as they can. And who can blame them.

As reported in the Wall St. Journal, CareerBuilder, who has been a Super Bowl sponsor for the last seven years, is including digital tie-ins with its message.  Apparently, you can upload photos and have the people in the images be transformed into monkeys.  I bet that will get a ton of interest, however, not mine.

The Super Bowl commercials are great case-studies for anyone in the content biz. If you are watching the game with a bunch of friends, you instantly have a focus group at your finger tips.  It’s fun chatting about what commercials stood out from the rest in addition to talking about the actual NFL contest.  And if the game is one-sided…thank goodness we can fall back on the excitement of the commercials.

In addition to the barrage of pre-pre-pre game programs, we also have to endure the endless stream of network promos. So stay tuned for those…they’re coming.

And speaking of what’s coming up….this week I’ll be blogging about specific PR campaigns that have caught my attention.

But my question to you today is….if you had three million dollars to spend advertising during the Super Bowl would you?

Me. My answer is HECK YES and I’d never look back.

So stay tuned.

Best,

Cindy

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