Tanpola Articles Directory

Chances are that whether you are the owner, manager, or public relations director of a company, you are always looking for ways to be in the public eye. While advertising is important, it doesn’t provide the credibility that PR can. Al Ries, marketing guru and strategist says in his book The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR, “For most companies today, PR is far too important to take a backseat to advertising. In many ways the roles are reversed, PR is in the driver’s seat and should lead and direct a marketing program.”

A smart way to apply Ries’s advice is to secure valuable publicity for your company by appearing as a guest on talk radio. It’s a great vehicle for speaking directly to thousands (and sometimes millions) of listeners tuning in to hear what you have to say! In the enthusiastic words of one of our clients Dr. Cass Ingram, “Our sales have grown into millions per year from talk radio interviews alone! Regular, consistent radio publicity really works!”

Imagine that being your success!

Appearing as a guest on talk radio is a fantastic marketing medium, but if you are not media savvy it is difficult to know where to begin. The first step would be to know how to write a powerful press release for this specific medium.

When it comes to press releases most people believe they just can write one, email it to a list of radio stations and sit back and wait for the avalanche of phone calls. But as time passes and no producers are beating down their door, they make a few phone calls to the producers and hosts only to discover that no one even read the release in the first place. So, all of that time and work goes down the drain bringing you back to square one.

How to Get Started

The most challenging part of writing anything is getting started. Looking at a blank page with a head full of ideas can be frustrating. Which one do I use? Which one will get the response that I need?

The first step is to understand that you’re writing to radio hosts and producers who are inundated with press releases and phone calls every day. They are looking for the hottest show ideas that their listeners will enjoy.

So, come up with a show idea. Easy? Well not necessarily easy, but it is your chance to flex those creative muscles. Think about how you can tie your product, service or message to a newsworthy story that would grab the attention of a producer. Think outside the box a bit: some of the best radio show ideas live there!

Now that you have your show idea there is something else to consider: why should a producer interview ME? The answer is simple: Radio shows need experts, not unqualified guests sharing opinions.

And, you are an expert! Think about it: who knows your product better than you? You can talk about the problems your product solves with more knowledge and enthusiasm than anyone else out there.

With a good show idea that ties your message into the news — combined with your experience and expertise on the subject — you now have the tools to start working on a radio release that will get producers calling you!

For 20 years Marsha Friedman has been a leading authority on public relations as CEO of EMSI. Go to http://www.publicitythatworks.com to claim your free “Power of Public Relations” video today!

To a small business name recognition can mean everything. Often small businesses are built by word of mouth and some business cards but so much more can be done to help your business grow. You need to develop your small businesses image. It needs to become a brand. Even if your company only serves your local market you can still build up its brand name.

So what exactly is branding? Branding is the process of creating a clear, consistent message about your company or product. Branding is about developing an image for your business. It’s about building a name for yourself, and showcasing what sets you apart from other businesses that do what you do. And with all the different forms of media in use today branding is used to send out a consistent message to consumers.

There are many aspects that can be covered when we talk about branding but they all start with one theme. A business must build and display a consistent message for consumers. Branding refers to the concrete symbols that are used such as a name, logo, slogan, design, fonts, color scheme, symbols and sound for easy identification of the product. Building consistency for our brand is the first step in building our image.

Okay so what exactly do we mean by building consistency? Well from the first day your business had its doors open and you made your first business transaction you started sending out your message. The message you decided to send was actually made before you opened your doors. You started making your choices when you ordered your business cards, letterhead, stationary, and signage for vehicles, signage for your storefront, and uniforms for you and your employees. Everything that your customer will see related to your business is a part of the image and brand you are trying to develop.

When someone looks in the phonebook and finds your company they are exposed to your brand because they see your advertising. If they first want to find out more information on your company they might check out your website. This is another opportunity for them to see your brand. When they come to visit your location or you go to see them this is another opportunity for them to see your brand through building or vehicle signage. And then you give them a business card or brochure telling them about your product or service. Once again they are exposed to your brand.

From that first contact your potential customer receives exposure to your brand and then each instance thereafter reinforces that first contact. If you run television or print ads this can further reinforce previous contact with customers. If their experience was good when they dealt with your company then when they need such a product or service again they’ll remember you and be inclined towards doing business with you again. And when they hear of a friend that is interested in the same service they may be inclined to recommend you.

Your business is a brand especially if your business is service oriented and does not have an actual product. And your brand building begins before you even open your doors to the public. It needs to be a part of your marketing plan for your business so that you can begin to imprint it on the consciousness of consumers as soon as you open your doors.

Cash Miller is an experienced entrepreneur and speaker who has spent over a decade as a small business owner. His years of experience in small business cover many topics. For more small business information you can go to http://www.SmallBusinessDelivered.com

Your brand identity is how you see yourself. Your brand perception is how others see you. If you want your brand strategy to be successful, you need to ensure your brand message is consistent.

Your online brand includes a lot more than just your website and logo. It also often includes you and how you behave, your personality and writing style as well as the personality of any community elements within your site will affect your brand.

The brand perception you are trying to create will depend upon the subject matter of your site. For example, a site about insurance will probably aim to come across as professional and serious. Therefore you will want your brand to reflect these attributes. You will need to adopt a serious tone and come across with authority.

As a rule, you have overall control of your website. If you have a community element such as a forum within your website however, you need to be aware that this will affect your brand. You need to understand that you have less editorial control over your website once you introduce community elements. To deal with this, you need to pay attention to your community to ensure it does not damage your brand.

Having an excellent site design and excellent content won’t be enough if your online community is full of bickering and negativity. Similarly, some may doubt your claim to be a popular site and a trusted resource if your community is void of active members. Never add a community element to your website as an afterthought.

A fantastic site design and brilliant content will count for nothing if your community is full of arguments and abuse. Indeed, you may well find that your visitors will stop trusting your brand if you claim to be a popular site yet have a completely empty and unused forum. You need to have a strategy for your online community. Never tack on community elements just for the sake of including them.

You should also be aware that how you behave away from your website can also affect your brand. If you claim to be an expert on a subject but are seen on another site looking for help on this subject, your reputation will be damaged. If you take a strong stance or opinion on a certain subject but are seen on another site (or indeed, in an offline social situation) contradicting this view, again you risk doing damage to your brand.

It is important that you understand you are often just as much of the brand as your website is. You need to strive to ensure you maintain a consistent brand image. As long as you stay truthful to yourself, this should not be a problem.

Martin Reed is the developer and owner of the popular online community at http://www.justchat.co.uk. He also blogs about how to build successful online communities at http://www.communityspark.com.

In today’s image-conscious world, branding has never been more important. If you are able to tap into the Zeitgeist, you will be well on your way to success.

Walk down any high street and take note of ten household brands. What style have they chosen for their logos? What image does the logo project? Your business may never need to appear on the high street, but imagine if your brand is eventually just as powerful and recognisable to the casual onlooker.

Creating a logo and a name for a business are closely connected and should really be decided upon at the same time. Remember, your business name and logo will become your brand.

One important tip: avoid at all costs a logo that looks in any way like male genitals – this is surprisingly easy to do by accident, and it won’t win you many customers!

There’s always a rush associated with launching a new business, often because there has already been a financial outlay and you need to get to market as soon as possible to recoup, or because you fear that someone else might be about to launch a similar business. Either way, you simply cannot rush the creation of your logo.

Do not be tempted to use one of the pre-designed (copyright-free) logos you can find in computer design software. Even if it is only supposed to be a temporary measure, people who see this logo may recognise it as not your own creation; even if they don’t, they will probably think that it looks a little tacky.

Don’t forget, the people you will be meeting during the creation of your business will be people or companies that you are hoping to have a long-term relationship with, such as your suppliers, customers, solicitors, accountants, investors and the bank. Of all the people that you will be dealing with, these should be the most important in terms of creating the right impression. Don’t sell yourself short so early on. Pay the fee and have a designer create your logo; they may not be particularly cheap, but good designers are worth their weight in gold.

When considering a design or briefing a designer it is important not to insist on too many boundaries. Although you might have a very clear idea about how the brand should look and even the colours or fonts to be used, make it clear that you would like to see any other ideas the designer might have. The results will be strange, exciting, worrying and sometimes amusing, but what this exercise shows is how brands elicit powerful reactions in people. Use focus groups and informal market surveys to see how people feel about your logo.

Another consideration when designing your logo should be whether it is suitable for all media. Although you may not intend to launch a website for your business, you should still find out how your logo would look at the top of a webpage. Would the logo work on a TV screen or on an enormous advertising hoarding in a big city? If your staff are going to wear uniforms, or if you plan to issue company T-shirts, is the logo transferable onto clothing? Does the logo work for you when it is very large, or very small?

Ask your designer to work with a range of colours and also to create a version using only black and one other colour. Sometimes simple colours work best and if you use a whole rainbow of colours in your logo it will cost a lot more to reproduce. Full colour letterheads, business cards and adverts are considerably more expensive than two-colour versions. But don’t lose sight of the main goal – you are creating a brand that you want to be stunning, instantly recognisable and with the potential to become synonymous with your business.

Max helps people to understand why franchise businesses fail. He shows them how to look for Best Franchise Opportunities at http://franchises-guide.com/.