|
In
This Issue
1.
Public Relations Principle: Be Intentional / Proactive
2.
2004 Conference for Entrepreneurs
3. Networking Tip: Database
4. Are
you missing opportunities?
5. Pioneer
News
6.
Client News
7. How
to subscribe to this newsletter
Click
here for a listing of previous editions of this newsletter
"Neither
a wise man nor a brave man lies down on the tracks of history to wait
for the train of the future to run over him."
-
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Public
Relations Principle: Be Intentional / Proactive
The
January
2004 edition of this newsletter provided an overview of the
principles of effective Public Relations. These principles are the
fundamentals; they are as important to your Public Relations effort as
dribbling and passing are to a good basketball team. In this
edition we will explore one of those key principles: being
intentional, or proactive.
Be
Intentional / Proactive:
Good Public Relations doesn’t just happen; it requires a
proactive, intentional effort on your part.
Put another way, you can’t wait for your ship to come in; you
must swim out to it. An effective Public Relations program doesn't
simply respond to events; it sets the agenda.
So
how do you ensure that your Public Relations program is functioning in a
proactive, intentional way? Here are a few keys:
1.
Plan ahead. Develop a comprehensive Public Relations plan.
Put it in writing.
2.
Set clear goals. In your plan, clearly define your Public
Relations goals. Clarify who your target groups are and how you
wish to be perceived by them. Prioritize your goals. This
will help you keep your eye on the ball as distractions come your way.
3.
Anticipate opportunities. Identify all potential PR
opportunities that may come your way and prepare for them in advance.
4.
Create opportunities. Organize activities and programs whose
purpose is to generate exposure and create goodwill for your company.
Examples include seminars, public speaking opportunities, special events
such as grand openings, and the like.
5.
Don't just respond to crises; work to head them off.
Anticipate PR crises and challenges that may arise; prepare for them
ahead of time. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Draw
attention to your strengths, and strategically work to offset your
weaknesses.
6.
Establish credibility before you need it. Be proactive in
working to define your organization and establish credibility in the
eyes of key target groups.
7.
Review your plan regularly. A well thought out Public
Relations plan is no good unless you use it. However, if you are
like most small businesspeople you get so caught up in the nuts and
bolts of running your business that things like PR slip through the
cracks. Schedule a time every week or two to review your Public
Relations plan and see how you're doing. This simple step will
dramatically improve your effectiveness and ability to proactively
manage your organization's reputation.
Proactivity
is a fundamental key to your Public Relations success. Very rarely
will good PR fall into your lap; you must be intentional and make it
happen.
---
Public
Relations Seminars for Small Businesses
Would
you be interested in an interactive, hands-on seminar designed to help
you develop a strategic plan to build a name for your small business?
If so, click
here and let us know.
2004
Conference for Entrepreneurs
Business
Leader Magazine is hosting its 2004 Conference for Entrepreneurs
this Saturday, March 6th at the Capital City Club in Raleigh.
The conference features a number of
sessions, each led by an entrepreneur who is actually implementing that
session's topic in their own line of work. A panel of experts will
follow the entrepreneurial presentation to evaluate and elaborate upon
the topic and presentation and provide additional information. For
more information or to register, visit: www.businessleader.com/conference.
Please
note that the early bird registration deadline is Wednesday, March 3!
Networking
Tip: Database
The
purpose of professional networking is to establish and maintain
trust-based relationships with key people. As a result, many
people mistakenly believe that networking is nothing more than meeting
and getting to know people. While making contacts is certainly one
of the essential components of an effective networking program, it is by
no means the only one.
Good
networkers are also organized networkers. They do more than
meet people -- they keep track of the people they meet. Almost
every effective networker maintains a comprehensive contact database.
Such a database will help ensure that you don't lose track of important
people you've met. Follow-through is key, and a solid database
will help you follow up with the contacts you've made.
This
month's networking tip: develop and maintain a thorough
contact database.
---
Networking
Seminars for Small Businesses
Would
you be interested in an interactive, hands-on seminar designed to help
you develop a strategic plan to build a strong network of business
contacts? If so, click
here and let us know.
Are
you missing opportunities?
The
press release is the public relations tool used to communicate
your organization's accomplishments and activities to the media.
The purpose of a press release is to generate positive news coverage for
your organization -- coverage which builds your name and enhances your
credibility far more than a paid advertisement or company brochure.
Below
are a few newsworthy opportunities for your company to distribute a
press release:
-
Hiring a new employee;
-
Opening a new location;
-
Completing a major project;
-
Signing a new client;
-
Your company or a key employee wins an award;
-
A company representative gives a speech or teaches a class;
-
Hosting a seminar or other special event;
-
Launching a new product line; or
-
An employee receives a promotion.
Are
you missing out? If your company has done any of these
things and has not sent out a press release, you've missed
opportunities!
Stop
missing opportunities! Pioneer's Small
Business PR Packages provide companies like yours with an affordable
way to distribute press releases to appropriate media outlets in your
community.
Get
started today -- contact us by responding to this e-mail,
call 919-833-4345, or click
here and fill out our online form.
Pioneer
News
-
Pioneer has been contracted to handle Public Relations activities for WindChannel
Communications, a broadband wireless solutions provider based in
Raleigh.
Client
News
-
Carolina Web
Consultants has been contracted to develop and maintain two web
sites for Vermicycle Organics.
-
The Triangle Community Coalition
(TCC) is holding its next Lunch & Learn on Monday, March 29.
The speaker will discuss how growth management regulations impact local
economies.
How
to subscribe to this newsletter
If
you are receiving a forwarded copy of this newsletter and would like to
subscribe, click
here.
This
newsletter and all content and information contained herein are the
property of Pioneer Strategies, Inc. and may not be reproduced in any
form without the express written consent of the publisher.
|
