Photo courtesy of Flickr user martinbowling.

It is, as they say, all in the details.

I recently wrote a new-information sheet for a client. While doing so, I learned that the preferred term for a said new-information sheet is news conference, rather than press conference.

Why does news claim victory over press?

Because, as Mark Chamberlin, our director of marketing and public relations extraordinaire told me, a press (think printing press) is not typically at a conference. Folks who are about to be presented with news are waiting with eager anticipation. Those calling the conference are presenting news that they hope will go seriously viral. And because so many types of media are prevalent today, press is simply too narrow a term. The pièce de résistance is that the AP Stylebook hails news conference as the preferred term. Thus, it is as it should be — news conference.

Does the same thinking govern news release vs. press release?

Alas, there’s no mention in the AP Stylebook of press releases or news releases. But dig a little deeper and you’ll find on the AP Stylebook website a little nugget: a page dedicated to previous press releases. You read it correctly — press releases! It almost jumps off the monitor, it’s so blunt. Press Releases tops the page in a striking sans font.

There it is — news conference and press release. Now get out there and make some happy news worth shouting from the rafters.

We’ve previously written about the exposure that is possible using PR, and more specifically, creative PR efforts. Well, recently hair-stylist Patrick Lomantini of Lomantini The Salon took the idea of creative PR to record-breaking heights … literally.

Lomantini decided to create awareness for his salon by embarking upon a quest for a Guinness World Record. The challenge: 72 straight hours of haircutting. Lomantini took the first step by promoting the event on his Facebook page. Then, a chance sighting by Armstrong|Shank Director of Marketing and Public Relations Mark Chamberlin set off a chain of PR fireworks.

“I contacted Patrick and recommended using online PR tactics to promote the event,” explained Chamberlin. “The idea was to target local and fashion news, fashion and style magazines, as well as salon-related publications. Patrick agreed, and we quickly put together a distribution list.

“Within a week, the news release found its way onto hundreds of websites, and even prompted a news inquiry from AOL News.”

One of the big benefits of event-related PR isn’t just the exposure you can receive at the outset. By creating an event that is unique and intriguing, Lomantini The Salon positioned themselves to receive another flurry of exposure after completing their record-setting endeavor.

A big congratulations to Lomantini The Salon. With the right combination of a fun, newsworthy event, and strategic use of social media and PR, they’ve become a front-page story in the world of hairstyling.

Dear businesses of the world: If you can provide a useful service and minimize the hassle, you, too, can earn new friends. Just consider QuikTrip and Little Ceasars Pizza.

Why I like QuikTrip:

Generally speaking, you pay for the convenience of convenience stores. Motor oil, bottled drinks, food … they’re all marked up. For a lot of products, that’s no different at QuikTrip. But there’s one small thing that keeps me coming back: free air.

Have a tire that’s low? Where I live, you pay 50 cents to $1 at most convenience stores to use their air compressor. If you have a tire with a slow leak, that adds up after awhile. At QuikTrip, it’s free. That means I’m saving money … and I don’t have spend that extra minute or two trudging inside, waiting in line and getting change, either. I get to drive in, air up my tire and get moving.

I’ll bet 80 percent of the time I’ve visited QuikTrip to put air in my tires over the years I haven’t bought anything. But every time I visit, the opportunity to earn a few dollars is there … an opportunity other convenience stores don’t have.

Why I like Little Ceasars Pizza:

When it comes to pizza, low cost and convenience rarely go hand-in-hand. With their recent Hot-and-Ready pizza special, Little Ceasars has seemingly achieved the impossible: They took the biggest benefit of ordering pizza (convenience) to the nth degree … and threw in an unbeatable price to boot.

Here’s how it works: From 4-8 p.m., you can walk into a participating Little Ceasars completely unannounced and immediately pick up a large cheese or pepperoni pizza, an order of crazy bread and a two-liter of pop for $10. They literally have them ready and waiting in the oven, ready for you to head out the door.

No need to fumble with the phone book, no need to call ahead, no need to dig out fliers or coupons, no wait for the pizza to be made or delivered, nothing. That means I get to drive in, pick up my pizza, and get moving.

Clearly, not all retail practices are immediately translatable to the world of B2B. But whether it’s the concept of free air, ready-to-go services or the classic fast-food suggestive selling technique, it never hurts to look there for inspiration. You might just give a boost to your customer’s brand loyalty.

Sites like Yahoo! Local offer opportunities to reach potential customers in your immediate area.

The Sports Business Journal recently featured a story by David Bourne titled “From media to stadiums, the dollars are flowing to youth sports” about the increase in sponsorship of high school sports. In the article, he explains that small businesses like insurance agents use these sponsorships  to form connections with local consumers. Many are taking their support beyond buying in-stadium banners and program ads to actually volunteering.

This highlights a trend that we are seeing in small business marketing: getting local.

This takes many forms and can be a great way to build relationships and micro-target the low-hanging fruit of potential customers in your immediate area. Examples of getting local include:

1. Local search marketing. On the online marketing side, there has been a surge in local search spending. More and more people are turning to search engines like Google and Yahoo! to find information about local businesses. Resources like Google Places and Yahoo! Local help consumers find businesses and give them valuable information like ratings and reviews. Small businesses have begun capitalizing on this by utilizing paid search, paid directory listings and engaging in more proactive management of their online listing presences.
2. Event sponsorships. Charitable events, golf tournaments and business-related seminars are just a few places where businesses can gain valuable exposure. Strategically, it is best to target events that have a natural tie to your products and services. Leveraging these sponsorships to obtain speaking opportunities can build your perceived expertise. Sponsorships that offer lead-collection opportunities, like providing a product for a prize drawing, can fill your prospecting pipeline with local people who have expressed an interest in your product.
3. Public relations. It has long been a tried and true tactic in public relations to try and find a local angle to your pitch. Local news outlets exist primarily to report the news that most impacts their local audience. As your marketing activities become more local, you will start to think local. Furthermore, social media tools like Twitter are becoming prime tools for local reporters to connect with sources. If you want to build relationships with the local reporter covering your industry, Twitter is a great place to start.

How have you begun to think local with your marketing?

One common phrase used in the creative biz to describe the challenge of reaching your target audience is “cut through the clutter.” In a world of flashy, full-color ads, in-your-face “SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!” radio and big-budget TV, getting your message heard is a pretty tall task.

But what about in the Public Relations (PR) world? Everyone knows sending out press releases can be a great buzzbuilder for an upcoming newsworthy event, and between TV, radio and print media, there are plenty of outlets to help spread the word. But talk with Armstrong|Shank Director of Marketing Mark Chamberlin, and you might see that where PR is concerned, “cutting through the clutter” is often more of a literal challenge than a metaphorical one.

“Sometimes the editor’s desk is like a trash dump,” says Chamberlin, who served as assignment editor at KAKE-TV for five years. “Just stacks and stacks of papers and press releases and other leads. You may have crafted the greatest press release ever, but if the editor has 400 others to go through before he gets to yours, you may not get the timeliest of press coverage.”

That’s why Chamberlin recommends taking some of the creative thought that you’re used to putting into your other marketing efforts and applying it to your PR projects. For a desk editor who spends day after day sorting tediously through stacks of black-and-white letter-size printouts, that glow-in-the-dark paper maché octopus with your PR inside of it is not likely to get lost. When presenting at Armstrong|Shank PR seminars, Chamberlin’s favorite analogy is that of a tire in a landfill.

“Throw a tire into a trash dump, and what happens? It may start out buried, but it’s so hardy that amidst the constantly shifting landscape, it always works its way to the top.”

Example: When Wichita Mid-Continent Airport was holding a press conference after the launch of their “It’s A Breeze” campaign to introduce the new Courtesy Crew, Chamberlin and the Armstrong|Shank Advertising creative team wanted to make sure this customer-friendly move got the attention it deserved. They started by designing a colorful invitation, folded it into a paper airplane and inserted it into a plastic tube filled with cottony clouds to create a piece that captured the freedom of flight. They then delivered it to media outlets, along with an updated PR packet. It was a bright, fun piece, and judging by the attendance at the press conference, it successfully garnered attention.

While we encourage you to be a little creative with your PR, remember that the basic rules of PR still apply. The topic of your news release needs to be newsworthy, and there is no substitute for a PR practitioner who has a good and ongoing relationship with the media.

For immediate release

Wichita, KS, June 22, 2009 – Karis Marsh has recently joined Armstrong|Shank Advertising Agency as a graphic designer.

“We’re excited to have Karis join the team,” says Susan Armstrong, President and CEO of Armstrong|Shank. “We know our clients will benefit from her strong design skills and her personality will add to our company’s very special creative culture.”

Marsh graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Wichita State University in May of 2009.

“I look forward to expanding my knowledge of the agency world, and I am excited for the opportunity to work for a company with such a diverse client base,” says Marsh.

While in school, she worked as a graphic design intern at The Strategy Group, LLC, a strategic marketing firm located in Wichita. Marsh was also a design intern at Eastminster Presbyterian Church for two years.

“I believe design is all about communicating effectively, not just looking pretty…although that is always a plus,” she said.

Armstrong|Shank is a full service marketing, advertising, public relations and interactive firm. The company has been in business 28 years.

Contact:
Susan Armstrong
316.522.3000
susan@armstrongshank.com

Everyone is talking about becoming more consumer-centric as we move into the New Year.

Case in point: The Lenox company. Here’s an organization one might categorize as a leader in their industry. They have been around since 1889. You know them — the first American china to be used in the White House?

Turns out they also own Department 56, where Christmas Village collectors go for all the best stuff.

You would think these folks would have the customer service model polished to perfection.

Think again.

A year ago, I broke a small accessory piece for a Village house that came from Department 56. I did what any computer-literate consumer would do — I sent an e-mail, requesting information about the replacement part. There was no response. None.

This year, I received an e-marketing message from Department 56. “Aha,” I thought, “they want me to be their customer.” So, I again became motivated to replace the broken part. Eagerly, I searched the website for the correct number, and I called. A recorded message informed me that the customer service representatives are available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Central Standard Time. That’s right: 11-2. Hmmm.

So, I waited and called back at 11:20. This time, a recorded message informed me that the holidays are a busy time for them. There was no one available to take the call. I was asked to call back another time, when they might not be so busy.

This was becoming more entertaining by the minute.

Since there was no opportunity to leave a message, I e-mailed. (Just like I did last year.)

In the twinkling of an eye, there was a response. Happily, I opened their very Christmassy message. Here’s what it said:

“Tis the season to be busy! Santa’s elves are busy at this time of year and so are the Consumer Services representatives at Department 56. It may take a little longer to respond to your question so we appreciate your patience!
- Department 56 Consumer Services”

Yes! A response. They are way more consumer-centric than they were last Christmas.

Ok, I know it still isn’t an answer, but I still felt all warm and fuzzy inside. I think they really do care about customers like me. I have visions of a further communication from them in the near future … maybe February?

I’ll keep you posted.

How to start getting the kind of press coverage your company deserves

When news comes your company’s way — whether it’s good or bad — reporters have a job to do: get the scoop … which means you could get stuck dealing with a barrage of uncomfortable phone calls. But with a solid PR plan and trained employees, you can maximize your chances at getting positive exposure.

“When dealing with the media, preparation is key, whether you’ve had a groundbreaking success or an unfortunate occurrence,” advises Mark Chamberlin, Director of Marketing for Armstrong|Shank Advertising. “You have to realize that reporters will get their story one way or another. So if you’re ready to cooperate when they call, you can communicate your position and help guide interviews in a direction more beneficial to you.”

Mark’s 30 years of experience in the TV business makes him the perfect resource for leading your company through media coaching workshops that are helpful for every level of employee, from the board of directors to the receptionist. Key elements of the training include:

• Understanding the reporter’s job
• Preparing a company history and bios on all key employees
• Tips on issuing news releases to the media
• Tips on preparing for media interviews
• Training employees to refer media to designated company representatives
• Developing a detailed crisis communication plan

“If you know in advance how to handle that call when it comes, you can calmly and confidently send the message you want to the media,” says Mark. “That improves your perception in the public eye, which is always good for business.”

If you’d like more information about our media coaching workshops, call Mark Chamberlin at (316) 522-3000.