How to Promote Your Business (or yourself)
Reach customers through free publicity, networking and your public image
Lisa Saunders
Publicity and Internet Marketing Specialist
Copyright Lisa Saunders 2011
Published at Smashwords
Smashwords Edition, License Notes: This free-book may be copied, distributed, reposted, reprinted and shared, provided it appears in its entirety without alteration, and the reader is not charged to access it.
About Lisa Saunders
Lisa Saunders, winner of the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations Gold Medallion Award, helps individuals and organizations promote their work through Internet marketing, speaking, newsletters, networking, and creating news that leads to free advertising. Lisa’s clients include National Field Service Corporation and the State University of New York at Rockland. More information about her work is available at the end of this e-book.
****
Table of Contents: Topics Covered
Where to Post Your Profile or Bio
Your contact information and Signature
FREE Internet Advertising
Were to Network and How to Act at an Event
FREE Newspaper/Magazine/Online Media Coverage
Suggested Newsworthy Events
Press Release Format
Become Known as an Expert
Are You Willing to Speak Publicly?
Internet Marketing: Social Media
Don’t’ have time to Promote Yourself?
Other Books by Author Lisa Saunders
Where to Post your Profile or Bio (or Resume, Curriculum Vitae, etc)
If you are a consultant, author or your store offers your expertise on clothing, jewelry, etc., you will want to post your brief profile (or resume) on several different sites, much like anyone looking for work—and posting on most sites is free. You should also have your principal consultants working for you do the same. I recommend posting your profile on the following sites:
LinkedIn: This is a good site for professionals who want to find each other. Many potential clients/customers will look to see if you are profiled there, so make sure you keep it up to date. There are interest groups that you can join to give and get advice. You can see my site at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lisasaundersbooks
Facebook: This is a good site for non-profits, museums, groups that hold events, and anyone who wants to gather friends or followers. You can set up your profile, or if you are promoting your business, you will set up a “page.” My page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Saunders-Communications/204544489574815
Craigslist.com: Potential customers look for vendors on this popular site (you do risk receiving a lot of spam when you post there, but still might be worth it).
Google: You can let the public know where to find your website by creating a public profile at: google.com/profiles?edit=f
YouTube Video Channel: I just set up a channel on Youtube so people can see what I look and sound like in case they would like me to speak to their group. I am also beginning to showcase other speakers. See my newly created channel at: http://www.youtube.com/user/LisaSaundersCom
Trade Organizations: Join the major trade organizations in your industry. Most have a web page for listing member profiles or resumes.
College Career Service Centers: Your schools probably list the profiles of alumni. Contact your school’s career office in case they have any programs to help their alumni.
Your personal website: You should have one if possible. Show yourself as an expert in your field and when posting your profile there, include as many of the buzzwords your customers are most likely to use when doing Google searches.
Industry-related resume database sites: Do a search to find out what they are and get listed with them.
Your Contact Information and Signature
You will want the name of your business in your e-mail address. If you don’t have a website, or it doesn’t provide specialized e-mail addresses, Google provides ones for most small businesses for $50 per year (as of 4/28/11). See: http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/business/smbs.html (I rarely use my business e-mail address, however, because my “business” is more of a personal one).
E-mail Signatures: Set up automatic signatures for your e-mails. Anyone in your office who will be involved with potential clients should include an automated e-mail signature. This means, anytime you send an e-mail, your name, title, address and links to your website and social media will appear under your name. You can also include a tag line such as, “Providing informative speakers for your group.”
My example (as an author, speaker and publicist, it is more important for me to stress “me” rather than my consulting business):
Lisa Saunders
Coordinator, “How To” Speakers Bureau
Mystic, CT 06355
http://www.youtube.com/user/LisaSaundersCom
“Providing informative speakers for your group”
FREE Internet Advertising
Yellowpages.com: http://listings.yellowpages.com/Services/ServiceClaimSearch.aspx
Yahoo: http://listings.local.yahoo.com/basic.php
Google maps: Google maps will mark your business, which everyone will see when they need a map of the area. Visit: http://maps.google.com
Were to Network and How to Act at an Event
Ways to enlarge your network of contacts is to join organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, Business Associations, and Rotary Clubs—because potential clients and non-profits belong to them. Visit the Chamber of Commerce to find your local chapter and networking events. Rotary Clubs will also be listed when you do an online search for them.
In preparation for attending a gathering, have a business card made up. If possible, have a printer prepare a plain white linen one with raised lettering. A good, high quality card leaves an impression about the quality of the work you perform. In my case, as a consultant who provides a variety of services, my card only lists my name, phone number and e-mail address. I don’t want to pigeon hole myself by listing my occupation on it.
When you meet people at networking events, ask them what they do first before discussing yourself. Ask them how long they have been at their job, current challenges in their industry, etc. Be more interested in them than trying to make them interested in you. Ask them for their card, and when they give it to you, really look at it and comment if possible. View these people as potential friends before considering them as business tools. People can sense whether or not you are genuinely interested in them. When they ask you what you do, don’t merely give them your occupation, but tell them in a sentence or two how you specifically help people or organizations.
Instead of asking them to help you get more clients, ask if they have any advice on where to look, which of your specific services they think you should highlight, or how to stand out among your competitors. Believe me, if you spent time showing an interest in them, they will spend some time considering your work/products for themselves or their friends.
The day after the networking event, e-mail the people you met and say you enjoyed meeting them and that you will be happy to recommend their services to your friends. You can even suggest some free marketing ideas to help them reach more customers. I have a free handout, “How to Get Free Publicity,” available on my website at authorlisasaunders.com. You can send it to them to show that you are thinking of their business. If they told you their child is looking for a job, you can direct them to my free e-book, “How to Get a Job,”(I am a former job recruiter) at: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/50683 If they told you they are working on a book, you can tell them about my free e-book, “How to Get Published,” available at: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/3053
Try to do occasional favors for those in your network by sending them business leads, customers, articles of interest, reporters looking for an expert source, etc.
When you feel ready to ask someone in your network for a favor, you can go beyond just asking them—also ask who they know and whether you can use their name.
FREE Newspaper/Magazine/Online Media Coverage
You can always take out an ad, but they don’t give you the credibility an article by or about you can. Gather the e-mail addresses of editors/producers of newspapers, trade magazines, broadcast media, online publications, and relevant organizations, and send them announcements (called press, media or news releases) whenever you do anything new. If you can attach a digital image of yourself or someone you are highlighting, you dramatically increase the chances of getting your news published (publications need images and many can’t afford to hire photographers anymore).
You can also call reporters and ask them how they like to receive press releases. They will probably tell you to e-mail it to them and hurry you off the phone, but if the reporter needs a break from his or her computer, they may welcome talking to you for a few minutes about your news.
Whether or not you realize it, your organization is a constant source of news (or it can be by considering some of the following suggested newsworthy events). My suggestions on the next page constitute news and are not obviously self-promoting like an ad. You may wonder, “Why would I highlight anything in my organization other than my product or service?” Because when you overly promote your products to the media, a newspaper or magazine will say, “Take out an ad,” which in certain cases you will want to do. But when you highlight personal interest stories, they may get published as an article, giving your organization credibility and keeping your name in the public’s mind, which should eventually lead to clients or sales.
Suggested Newsworthy Events
The following types of news and events can be sent out as press releases, posted to your website, blogs, and social media sites:
You/your employees are performing community service
You are opening a new office.
You are giving a free lecture on how to get a job at the career services center of a local college.
You have developed a new product.
Your company did a fundraiser for a charity
In honor of your company’s 30th anniversary, you will critique resumes free of charge at your office during lunch hour.
A professor from a local college is bringing their business class to your office to learn what it takes to run a business.
Someone in your organization won an award.
Your secretary was promoted to executive secretary.
Press Release Format
A press release (also referred to as a news or media release) is a public relations notice sent to relevant publications/radio/TV stations to let them know of any new developments or events within your organization. If the editors (or producers) feel your news with interest or help their audience, they will either publish a portion of your release or write an entire feature about you.
In addition to using press releases to contact the media, they can also be loaded up onto your website and free press release sites such as http://www.prlog.org/. I was contacted by Fox and Friends and the Associated Press months after a press release was sent out because each was searching online for news on a particular topic and my release popped up from the website of the college I was writing for. Press releases can also be used as content for your blog and linked to Facebook, etc.
Through my years of sending press releases to the media for the State University of New York at Rockland, I have learned there is a particular format that improves your chances of getting news covered.
The media are inundated daily with press releases, so you must learn how to make yours stand out—without using hype. The reason why the public should care about your news must be clearly stated. Also, newspapers and magazines have downsized their staff so you will need to write it in a way that reduces their rewriting work. Therefore, it is important that you send them a release that is short, organized with the most important facts first, and answers the following questions: who, what, when, where, why and how (or how much). You should also try to learn how to write a release according to Associated Press (AP) style (newspapers follow the guidelines set forth in the AP Stylebook—like time is written as a.m., not AM). If possible, send a photograph taken by you or someone on your staff and include a photo credit. This is especially important for weekly newspapers that are notoriously understaffed and can no longer afford to hire a photographer.
The following sample press release highlights an event I held:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: April 8, 2011
CONTACT: Lisa Saunders
[my phone number]
Former Recruiter Presents Workshop on How to Get a Job
Free and open to the public
Mystic, CT—A former recruiter will present information on how to get a job at the Mystic & Noank Library.
Saturday, April 30, 10 a.m. - Noon
Seminar: “How to Get a Job"
Mystic & Noank Library, 40 Library St., Mystic, 860-536-7721
Admission: Free and open to the public.
Lisa Saunders of Mystic, former job recruiter, will discuss
How to locate unadvertised positions
Key words to include in your online resume
Importance of volunteering or interning—even if you are no longer a student
Resume objectives—they can be deadly
How to act at a networking event
For more information, contact Lisa Saunders at saundersbooks@aol.com or visit www.authorlisasaunders.com
###
After writing the release, save it as a 2003 Word document (some editors can’t open 2007) with your company’s address, contact info and website in the header and/or footer.
When you send a release out to the media, blind copy everyone so people don’t see who else you are sending this to, and attach a photograph of yourself or whoever you are highlighting if possible. Also send the information within the e-mail in case someone is afraid to download a document from an unknown sender.
In the subject area of the e-mail, for the above sample press release, I wrote: 4/30 “How To Get a Job” at Mystic & Noank Library. Within the e-mail message, I wrote the first sentence of the release: A former recruiter will present information on how to get a job at the Mystic & Noank Library.
See the attached (or below) press release for more information.
Sincerely,
Lisa Saunders
[my title, etc]
Become Known as an Expert
Authoring newsletters, “Letters to the Editor,” articles, and books gives you credibility in the eyes of the public and provides you with free advertising.
If you would like to learn more about getting published, I have written a free e-book, “How to Get Published,” which is available at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/3053
Write a periodic newsletter listing your new developments as well any developments in your field to mail or e-mail existing and prospective clients. If people find your “new developments” or “how to” information helpful, they will send it to their friends, post it on Facebook, their, etc. Your newsletters can be the same material you post in your blog (more on blogs later) or visa versa.
Aside from trade organizations, you can also submit your newsletter articles to your local weekly newspapers and to the following online sites such as: http://www.ezinearticles.com; http://www.ehow.com/; http://www.articlefield.com; and http://www.articlesbase.com Once it is posted there, it is often republished by several other bloggers and websites.
Send “Letters to the Editor” to local or relevant publications. They are often published and people do actually read them.
Also, make yourself available as a quotable source for writers and reporters by signing up to receive daily online queries at: http://www.helpareporter.com. If you can’t provide an expert quote on a particular topic, send the query onto someone in your network of friends and associates—they will appreciate you thinking of them.
You can self-publish an e-book online (any size) on sites such as: smashwords.com-- books on that site don’t have a minimum length and you can make them available for free if you feel your book will lead customers to your business. For hard copies of a book that you may want to distribute as your “calling card,” you may want to consider “print-on-demand” (POD) sites like lulu.com or createspace.com. POD is good if you don’t need a lot of copies. Traditional printers are usually cheaper per book if you order 1,000 copies or more.
To actually sell your books or e-books, you will need to give lectures and follow the good promotional advice found online at: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/305; publicityhound.com/; and u-publish.com/
Social media is very important when trying to sell books or attract potential customers.
Are You Willing to Speak Publicly?
Offering to share some of your knowledge for free (or for money) is a great way to get media publicity, network and make contacts with potential clients.
Contact women’s clubs, Rotary Clubs, church groups, etc., and offer your services as a speaker on any topic you may know about either through research or personal experience. Give a talk on “How to Use Your Digital Camera”; “How to Apply Make-up”; “Major Historical Events in Your Area”; etc.
I have just started a “How To” Speakers Bureau if you would like help getting your name out there. Contact me at lisasaunders42@gmail.com for more information.
Internet Marketing: Social Media
The key to gathering an audience and friends for your social media sites is to let people know you exist and that your site is either fun or helpful. Once you sign up for your free account, the site provides you with ways to contact associates and locate potential “fans.” To keep people reading your site, don’t be overly self-promotional. Be an online resource about topics of interest to your audience and don’t be afraid to link to someone else’s helpful information (as long as it doesn’t drive your potential employers or clients to them). Be the “go to” site when people have needs. If you develop a following that trusts you, they will recommend you to others.
Among the most popular social networking sites are:
Facebook: This is a good site for non-profits, museums, groups that hold events, and anyone who wants to gather friends or followers. You can set up your profile, or if you are promoting your business, you will set up a “page.” Facebook allows you to make very short comments about what you or your organization is up to and can be set up to send invitations to inboxes. To sign up for your free account, visit facebook.com and follow the directions.
Twitter: This is a good site for news organizations, non-profits, towns and schools. You are given space for very short comments. You can set up Facebook to transfer what you say there to go automatically to your Twitter account, saving you time. To sign up for your free account, visit twitter.com and follow the directions.
Blogs: “Blogging” is good for anyone who can write “how to” articles and stories. The advantage of blogs is anyone can read it without needing their own blog account. Blogs look a lot like a website except they are more of a newspaper with generally only one columnist—you. You can write as many words as you like in each of your articles. They appear in date order, so whenever people visit your site, they will see your most recent thoughts. There is also some interaction on a blog because your readers can post comments on it. You decide if you like their comments enough to publish them on your site. Although a blog can be time consuming, you can always send potential employers/clients to an article you’ve written. You can also eventually gather your blog posts into a book, which can give you credibility in your field. To sign up for a free account, visit sites such as blogspot.com and wordpress.org and follow the directions.
To keep up-to-date on social media developments, see the information provided on each site and read the helpful articles posted on http://mashable.com; http://techcrunch.com; http://readwriteweb.com; www.allfacebook.com; and www.diosacommunications.com
Don’t have time to promote yourself?
You may contact me for my advice and list of services at lisasaunders42@gmail.com. For a reasonable rate, I can write and send out your press releases, initiate and maintain your LinkedIn, Facebook, etc., and help you secure speaking engagements.
About Lisa Saunders
Lisa Saunders lives with her husband and beagle/basset hound in Mystic, CT. A writer and publicist, she gives talks on how to get free publicity; how to get a job, the American Civil War, sightseeing in Mystic; how to prevent the #1 birth defects virus, CMV (cytomegalovirus), and the “back story” to her books, which include:
Anything But a Dog!, Lisa’s memoir that recounts the unusual events that brought a homeless, 100-pound dog to the side of her younger daughter, born disabled by CMV. If purchased through the link to the National Congenital CMV Disease Registry and Research Program, a percentage is donated directly to CMV research and parent support. Visit: http://www.unlimitedpublishing.com/cmv/
Shays’ Rebellion: The Hanging of Captain Henry Gale, a short e-book that details the dramatic events surrounding a Revolutionary War veteran (Lisa’s ancestor), sentenced to hang for treason as a result of his leadership role in Shays’ Rebellion.
Ever True: A Union Private and His Wife, which also appears as a one-act play, is based on the love letters of Lisa’s great-great grandparents during the American Civil War.
Ride a Horse, Not an Elevator, a children’s novel based on Lisa’s childhood as a chubby city girl with a beagle named Donald Dog. Lisa and Donald Dog visit her grandparents’ farm in upstate New York where they find outhouses, charging cows and ornery horses. Includes grandma’s recipes and is a great read-aloud for schools and families.
Lisa’s free e-books, How to Get Published; How to Get a Job and The 7 Wonders of Mystic--Mystic Pizza and Beyond! are available by clicking on their titles or by visiting www.smashwords.com
To see a list of Lisa’s publications, workshops, and latest ideas, visit her at: www.authorlisasaunders.com