Comments tell you about the person

Despite years of zip code, demographic and in-depth research on predicting behavior, a person’s reaction tells you as much about them as you.

I am often amused by facebook comments, especially recently.

I posted an item about sleeping on the porch because of out-gassing from an old paint—a perfect match for a touch-up—but alkyd-based.

There were five responses, four facebook comments and one phone call.

• One said it sounded lovely to sleep in the open on the porch.

• Three told me I should use water-based paint.

• One called to offer the guest room.

Family dynamics would tell us:

• A few romantic, child-like ones are going to sail through life, seeing the bright side and enjoying your product or services with few problems.

• Others are going to be “parents”, no matter what their age, quick to point out flaws and make suggestions.

• A few will be activists, offering a solution to the problem and often leading others.

How people respond to you is often as much based on a role they learned as your product or service.

It’s still valid, but it’s only one viewpoint.

For more information, call us at (916) 455-4790 or visit our website at www.dellrichards.com.

The little things make a big difference in customer service

In the past, when someone was unhappy with a business, they told 10 people.

Not anymore. When someone is unhappy now, they post it on facebook, twitter tons of followers, rail about it in a blog and visit a website specially designed for complaints that hundreds, if not thousands, of people see.

If you think that service has to be really bad for someone to get riled up, think again.

A series of little snafus can cause as much anger as a big one--the work order that doesn't go through, so the system crashes almost as soon as it goes up. Or the tech guy who doesn't know there will be downtime during the transition.

Or take doctors. At most offices, you sign your name and wait until called 10-15 minutes later.

The receptionist who doesn't look up, smile or even acknowledge your presence is taken for granted in healthcare.

Nevertheless, I left a dentist who ran late for one who doesn't. Quite frankly, the new dentist may not be as good as the old, but I don't care.

My time is as important as my teeth. When they say it will take 30 minutes, I can plan on spending 30 minutes there--and no more.

In the end, it's the little things that make all the difference.

For more information, please call Dell Richards Publicity at 916-455-4790 or visit our website at http://www.dellrichards.com/.

Press releases need to be targeted

Prospective clients sometimes ask if we do press releases. We do, but we always ask how they want the release used.

Depending on the caller, this sometimes gets a response of “We want it sent everywhere”, the scatter-shot approach.

These days, press releases have to be targeted. Just like any other marketing, the angle has to match the recipient’s demographic and interest.

For example, the business section of daily newspapers is directed to the consumer.

Business weeklies use information business owners and executives want. They want local statistics and local sources.

Trade journals are divided into subcategories. In the restaurant industry, magazines are dedicated to fine dining or quick serve. In healthcare, magazines target executives, nurses or infection control specialists. Trade mags also are specific to geographic regions.

And that’s just the print media and radio. TV is completely different, needing visuals or “action”.

Like all other media, the Internet needs useful information, but, depending on the target audience, it also may serve as a platform for an interactive community.

Which is why there is little point in sending a press release everywhere. It doesn’t work that way anymore—if it ever did.

For more information, please contact Dell Richards Publicity at 916. 455.4790 or visit our website at www.dellrichards.com.

Why you don't need press kits

We often have new clients say they need a press kit.

And I often read columns by public relations professionals saying that one way to get publicity is by having a press kit.

When I read that, I wonder if they are living in the same world I am.

Perhaps we’re missing the boat here. Obviously, we could make more money—lots more money—by insisting our clients have folders with lots of written collateral such as brochures, bios of top people, recent press releases, even photographs.

We certainly wouldn’t spend as many billable hours coming up with newsworthy stories and pitching reporters—the challenging part of the process.

Don’t get me wrong. We write fact sheets and backgrounders.

We insist clients have a website Newsroom page. We also suggest having reprints of currently published articles and video clips, if it helps their marketing to potential clients.

But sending anything through the mail? Especially a glossy folder with a cover letter, a description of the company’s mission or goals and a list of tired, old questions the executives could answer?

Please, no journalist has time for that. The press kit is a major expense that would end up in the trash. Don’t bother unless someone actually asks for it.

For more information, contact Dell Richards Publicity at 916. 455.4790 or visit our website at www.dellrichards.com

How do you get your clients?

You know what works if you track your marketing by asking new clients where they heard of you.

Because we’ve worked hard at satisfying clients in different sectors over the years, we’ve created a network of past clients who send us referrals.

Clients also come from vendor lists and websites that have our information.

Some come from this blog or articles published years ago.

Some find us on the Google, like the look of our website and call us.

A few come from people we actively cultivate and people we have asked for referrals. When business slows, we turn to friends and colleagues.

Enough business usually comes in after making a few calls, there’s rarely time to complete this ongoing list.

Does this mean we should spend more time on growing the business?

Maybe, but not necessarily.

As long as we’re satisfying our clients and doing enough marketing to keep busy, we believe enough work will come to will keep us happy—and sane.

For more information, call us at 916. 455.4790 or contact us through our website at http://www.dellrichards.com/

Why does journalism have to be so negative?

I often hear the comment “Why does journalism have to be so negative? Journalists never write about the good stuff.”

This can be taken to unbelievable extremes, even given the best publicity.

At one point, we placed a huge, front-page article with two photographs in the business section of the local daily newspaper. Yet, instead of understanding how valuable the publicity was, the client became incensed with one word he didn’t like.

Editors and reporters don’t expect the downside in pitches or press releases, but the public expects it in articles because it shows both sides.

The editorial submission guidelines of Health Management Technologies, written by the publisher Ken Anderberg, puts it this way:

Articles that include ‘warts’—or negatives about the subject—become more believable because the warts provide a dose of realism and truth that says to the reader, "We are presenting the problems associated with this solution, as well as the benefits." The article immediately becomes more believable, as a result.

Clients often are reluctant to do this or to include competitors in articles. Without these, credibility goes by the wayside.

For more information, call us at 916. 455.4790 or check out our website at www.dellrichards.com.

Swamped in information, how do you get your message across

People used to see 10,000 pieces of information daily.

That number has risen exponentially. Now we “consume” 100,000 words outside work daily, according to a recent report by the University of California, San Diego. *

That’s like reading 2/3 of a hardback novel every single day.

In 1960, we spent 7.4 hours of our free time daily on media. Today, we spend nearly 11.8 hours.**

Most of our time, 45 percent, is spent watching television.

Contrary to stereotypes, teens spend less hours a day (4) watching TV than people age 60-65 (7).

Although we talk about the decline of reading (books, newspapers and magazines), that is not the case. When reading on a computer (Internet browsing, reading online papers, texts from friends, etc.) is counted, reading has actually increased.

But, the medium has changed. Who does business with first-class mail or fax now? Very few people.

What does this mean? It means the competition is fierce. Your message must be informative and interesting—or it’ll get lost in the deluge.

For more information, please call Dell Richards Publicity at 916. 455.4790 or visit us at www.dellrichards.com


* "How Much Information? 2009 Report on American Consumers" by Roger E. Bohn and James E. Short.

** By including weekends, work is calculated at only 3 hours a day. When multi-tasking, each medium is counted, doubling the amount of data and hours consumed.

Public relations works because...

Because story ideas go through an editor, reporter or producer before they are used, those news and feature stories become more objective than advertising or marketing.

As a result, people still trust the media. Despite the hoopla about bias and negativity, media publicity is the most credible type of exposure available today.

Because of this, public relations can:

* Gain recognition for you and your firm as an expert in the field—or the best choice in a crowded world of products.

* Introduce, educate and inform people about your experience, your company’s services or products in a more believable manner than other marketing.

* Reinforce relationships with customers, clients and patients through the media’s third-party endorsement.

* Create word-of-mouth. People talk about what they see and hear through the media.

* Maximize your marketing and other networking.

For more information, please call Dell Richards Publicity at 916. 455.4790 or visit our website at www.dellrichards.com.

Use active verbs and simple words in content

You can make your content more effective by following a few simple rules.

Use active verbs. Get rid of the “to be” ones: is, was, will be.

Don’t tell me what is, show me. With specific details. In the simplest language and no jargon.

Let’s see what we can do with a typical mission statement:

“The mission of such-and-such is to foster adult employment development by teaching cooperation in the career environment, necessary efficiency skills, giving leadership-building experiences while ….”

To pare it down, cut the first few words. Don’t bother saying what you’re going to do. Just do it:

“Such-and-such helps adults become productive citizens by teaching them practical career skills such as working in a team, meeting deadlines, learning how to take charge while …. "

To paraphrase the French mathematician and philosopher, Blaise Pascal, “If I’d had more time, I’d have made it shorter.”

For more information, contact Dell Richards Publicity at 916. 455.4790 or visit our website at www.dellrichards.com.

Using "personality" in your PR

I’ve been using “personality PR” for male clients for years because:
• We tend to think men are good at what they do, but we don’t trust them.
• You can only get so many stories on the same practice and services.

At the same time, I tend to push women’s expertise, whenever possible. We trust them, but we aren’t sure they're good what they do.

Unfortunately, women still have to prove themselves. By telling their story, the audience also gets to know them better.

I wasn’t sure about using personality PR for myself until recently. Once I tried it—and got a job from someone I hadn’t worked with in 10 years—I knew it worked.

Publicity has changed. With viral marketing and social networking, we no longer sell or even educate. We connect, create relationships—and invite people into our world.

To do so, we have to make that world as interesting as possible and be willing to share it.

It’s a huge change for professionals who are using to being their expertise. But, even hospitals have created ad campaigns about doctors’ hobbies and interests.

It’s a whole new world—one with less privacy, but a whole lot more fun.

For more information, check out our website at www.dellrichards.com or call us at
916. 455.4790.