Rembrandt’s Blog

Yesterday afternoon, I received another call from a small business owner who hired a publicist and received little to no results. And another entrepreneur e-mailed me to tell me that his press release didn’t capture any media attention…so with this in mind, what happened?

What Makes Public Relations Work?

If your PR activities are not working, ask yourself these questions:

1. Am I just sending out press releases and waiting for the phone to ring?

Obtaining media attention is much more than announcing a press release. After all, reporters receive hundreds of these each day. To obtain media coverage, it takes time and effort. You need to pursue specific media members with targeted story ideas they will care about.

Now, you can still use press releases, but think of them as ways to boost search engine optimization (SEO) online and stay current in front of your key customers.

2. Is my story idea interesting and newsworthy?

Does your news or story angle revolve around your products and service features? If so, not many people are going to care.

It’s essential to talk about what your business can do for others and the BENEFITS you offer. How do you help others? What problems does your business solve? How do your products and services relate to a current industry trend or news item?

3. What are my goals?

Have you set overall goals for your PR campaign, or are you just sending out messages hoping to get results? Before starting, it’s essential to set your goals and the tactics you are going to use to meet those goals. Then, you can follow a set schedule, monitor results and make changes as needed.

As you can see, for PR to work, it takes time and effort. And if your current activities aren’t producing results, it’s time for a full stop. Look at your processes and see what’s working and what’s not.

And if you are still bewildered at what’s happening, conduct some research and find an experienced expert to help you. It may cost some money, but a good publicist can obtain third-party credibility that you cannot purchase any other way.

Do you need help with your public relations and SEO copywriting to boost sales, awareness and credibility? Please see my free newsletter and information at www.rembrandtwrites.com, or feel free to contact me directly. I’d love to hear from you! Thanks.

For the last few weeks, I’ve been getting up at 4:00 a.m. and working well into the evening. Why?

I’m writing a book with an aggressive deadline schedule from my publisher. And with my regular, public relations and SEO copywriting activities for my clients, and all of my blogs, this was the only time available to write.

At first, it was a bear to get up that early. But now, my system is used to it, and I am able to wake up and get started fairly easily.

The big problem is that I get tired early in the day. In fact, yesterday I thought, “Why am I so tired at 11:30 a.m.?” Duh. I had already been working for seven hours! And on the weekends, I’m up bright and early out of habit.

But when it comes right down to it, I get a lot done at this early hour. I am now accustomed to pushing myself to meet deadlines and finish projects quickly.

How about you?

I’m a morning person, and this may not work for you. But what about the late, evening hours when it’s quiet? Or perhaps an egg timer will help you get motivated during your normal, business hours? Just set it for a certain amount of minutes, and try to get a specific task done within that time. (See http://www.mindtools.com/pages/main/newMN_HTE.htm for time management tips)

There will probably never be enough hours in the day to do all the things you want to do. But with a few extra hours in the a.m. or p.m., or a timer, you just may be able to set a new schedule, fit in a few more tasks and relax a little bit more on the weekend!

Got small business public relations and SEO questions? Drop me a line here or at www.rembrandtwrites.com. I’d love to hear from you!

It’s early in the morning, and I’m trying to get myself going with some Vitamin C and yogurt.

With all of the depressing news about the wars, the economy and the status of many U.S. businesses, it can be easy just to give up and complain. Maybe you already have?

Well, I’ve decided to work even harder during these tough times. My clients will get more of time to help them boost awareness, sales and credibility via SEO copywriting and public relations activites.

And I’m going to attack my marketing “To Do” list as well. Why?

If I don’t give that extra effort, someone else will. While many are concentrating on all the negativity out there, I’m going to be positive.

How about you?

You can use these tough times as a driving force to accomplish more, set new goals and start a new life.

I don’t know about you, but I like a challenge. And taking action in a positive direction is much better than sitting around moping. Just imagine what would happen if everyone did a little something extra today to make their lives more positive?

Of course, this takes effort and time. But if you just sit on the sidelines, competitors will surpass you, laws will pass you don’t agree with, your income will not increase, and things won’t get better.

This is not the time to feel sorry for yourself. It’s time for change. Start with baby steps towards a goal, and you just might amaze yourself with the outcome!

Need help with your PR and SEO copywriting? Please let me know below or at www.rembrandtwrites.com. I’m happy to help!