Rembrandt’s Blog

With Halloween here along with economic uncertainty, things can get pretty scary. But instead of letting things get to you, find some support and help online.

In addition to my free articles and small business public relations information at http://www.startupnation.com/steps/77/steps-successful-public-relations.htm, http://www.startupnation.com/blogs/index.php/author/mrembrandt/ and http://pinkmagazine.com/blog/melanie_rembrandt.html, check out these sites for more ways to boost sales and stablize your financial situation:

www.mainstreetmediasavvy.com
In addition to some great PR tips, Nancy Juetten offers Public-Tea™-TO-GO! gift bundles to raise money for women newly diagnosed with breast cancer.  

http://www.score.org/index.html
Here, entrepreneurs get free and confidential business advice.

http://www.betterbudgeting.com/budgeting.htm
Read free budget tips and information.

http://www.suzeorman.com/
Suze Orman offers practical advice to help you with your toughest financial questions.

These are just a few suggestions. Do you have sites to share to help others with their PR and financial needs right now? Please let me know below or at www.rembrandtwrites.com. Thanks and have a Happy Halloween!

At about 8:00 a.m. Saturday morning, I was scuba diving in a fairly shallow kelp bed. Brightly colored fish swam all around me and I took relaxing breaths out of my regulator.

The only thing I had to worry about was getting my equipment wrapped around a long string of kelp…or so I thought.

Just as I swam through some underwater foliage, a dark shadow loomed ahead. My dive buddy pointed in front of us.

I looked down, and there was a 4-5 foot leopard shark gliding along the ocean floor looking for breakfast (great…as long as that’s something other than me!).

Then, it noticed us, and our eyes met. What a strange feeling to share eye contact with a shark!

My heart starting beating faster, but I remained calm and waited to see what would happen next. Before I knew it, the shark was startled by us and darted away!

I knew that the shark wasn’t going to attack us, but it was exciting. And it made me think how this situation relates to the current economy and public relations.

Whether you are anxiously awaiting a call from a media member, or you are worried about what to do with your money in today’s economic turmoil, it’s usually best to take a moment and think before acting.

Not only will you make better, more informed decisions, but just a little extra time can drastically change circumstances so that you know exactly what actions to take, if any.

Just look at my shark encounter. I didn’t do anything, and the situation remedied itself as the shark swam away.

Now, I’m not saying you should be lazy in your public relations activities or in watching your budget. But when things start to go crazy and your blood pressure goes up, take a moment to relax and think.

Try to avoid bugging a reporter with repetitive calls or taking all of your money out of the bank as soon as you hear the latest financial news on television.

Instead, take a moment to calm down. Look at your situation. Get appropriate information. Then, figure out what you need to do. 

Many times, it’s just a matter of waiting.

Maybe the reporter will call you in a few days?
Maybe a friend or financial advisor will give you a great tax tip?

The point is, it can be difficult to remain calm in today’s world. But if you try to relax a little, things will be a lot easier to deal with and you’ll probably see much better results.

I hope this helps, and if you need assistance with your small business public relations and copywriting needs, please let me know! Thanks!

I’ve mentioned this information before, but I think it’s important. If you’re not receiving media calls and you’ve spent the appropriate time researching various venues, preparing your media kit, updating your online newsroom, and pitching reporters accordingly, there may be one key factor you’ve overlooked – Availability.

Their deadlines and you.
Many media members work on very tight deadlines and need information immediately. If you are not available to answer questions, set interviews with company leaders or provide needed information, you will not get the media coverage you’ve worked so hard to obtain.

They may not leave a message.
And please don’t think reporters will just leave a message. If your phone keeps ringing or voicemail picks up, most reporters on a tight deadline will immediately move on to another source.

As a small business owner, I know it can be very difficult to be available at all times. With this in mind, be sure to check your phone and e-mails frequently. Or, have an assistant handle media requests and let you know as soon as a reporter or producer calls. This kind of call should be a priority as it can mean thousands of dollars in free publicity now and in the future.

By taking a few simple steps to provide reporters with the information they need, when they need it, you will have more media-placement opportunities.

More importantly, you will set your reputation as a professional who returns call quickly, provides valuable information and is available to give reporters the data they need during tight deadlines.

This is just a little reminder to help you get more media coverage. If you’d like more information, or have small business public relations questions, feel free to comment below or visit www.rembrandtwrites.com to get my monthly newsletter full of valuable PR and writing tips. Thanks!