Note: Some Links may be out of date.

Blitz Ezine # 187 November 4, 2002

Note: This is an archived issue. Some links and/or content may be outdated

The Blitz-Promotions News Letter.
Issue no. 187, Nov. 4, 2002

************ In This Issue **************
Comments
Food for thought
Articles
The Classifieds
Next Issues
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Blitz Comments
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Google Dances - Google did it's dance again last week, early reports show some changes from the big update.

No matter what your political affiliation, make sure to take advantage of one of the benefits of living in our free country and vote on Tuesday.

Something funny happened this week when I was checking my traffic logs... someone reached my site by typing in "How can I fit everything in my bathroom".... I almost fell in the floor laughing. What is the funniest search terms used to find your site, send me a note and I'll post it here so we can all get a chuckle.

Some of the best things in life are still f r e e. Five ebooks to get your creative juices flowing or put some power back into your business.

http://freetrial.sitesell.com/blitzpromotions.html

+++++++++++++++++
Food for thought
+++++++++++++++++

True wealth is not having the ability to buy whatever you want. It is having the ability to ALWAYS buy what you NEED.

+++++++++++++++++++

Smashing the Myth of the Press Release
Bill Stoller, Publisher Free Publicity,
The Newsletter for PR-Hungry Businesses
http://www.PublicityInsider.com/freepub.asp

A musician spends years honing his craft. He writes world-class songs and performs them in a manner that moves his listeners to tears. He records a demo tape and sends it to record labels. He gets a contract and becomes rich, famous and adored.

The lesson: demo tapes are the secret of becoming a famous musician.

Wait, you say, the demo tape was just a tool, just his way of conveying his talent. It's his ability as a musician that got him the contract and made him famous.

You're right, of course. He could have become just as famous if a record executive saw him in person, or heard about him from a friend, or as a result of a variety of other events.

Which brings us to the press release.

Somehow, the press release has taken on a magical reputation as the alpha and omega of publicity. Wanna become rich? Send out a press release. Wanna become famous? Press release. Wanna get on the cover of Newsweek? Press release.

Publicity "gurus" are springing up all over the Internet touting the press release as the answer to all marketing ills. Just knock out a release, mass e-mail it to journalists, sit back and wait for Oprah to call.

It's a cruel joke.

Here's the reality: the press release is no more important to your potential of scoring free publicity than the demo tape was to our musician friend. If he had no talent, if his songs sounded like garbage, the best recorded demo tape in the world wouldn't get him signed. Ditto for the publicity seeker. If you don't have a story to tell, your press release is utterly worthless.

I'm not knocking the press release -- it's an important tool. But it's just that: a tool. It's not the first thing you need to think about when it comes time to seek publicity. In fact, it's one of the last. And it's not even absolutely necessary (I've gotten plenty of publicity with just a pitch letter, a quick e- mail or a phone call).

If you worship at the shrine of the press release, it's time to rearrange your priorities. Here, then, are the things that are MORE important than a press release in generating publicity:

1. A newsworthy story. This is the equivalent of our musician's talent. It's the very basis for your publicity efforts. Without it, your press release means nothing. To learn about how to develop a newsworthy story, take a look at
http://www.publicityinsider.com/questions.asp
and scroll down to "Is my company/website/life really newsworthy?"

2. Learning to think like an editor. Oh, what an edge you'll have in scoring publicity over all those press release worshippers once you learn how to get inside the head of an editor. Give an editor what he wants in the way he wants it and you'll do great. I've got an entire article on the subject at
http://www.publicityinsider.com/freesecret.asp
Go there now and absorb it all. Trust me, it will make a world of difference.

3. Relevance. Tie in with a news event, make yourself part of a trend, piggyback on a larger competitor's story, but, by all means, make your story part of a picture that's bigger than just your company. Stories that exist in a vacuum quickly run out of oxygen.

4. Persistence. Sending out a press release and waiting for results is lazy and ineffective. If you really believe in your story, and you believe that it's right for a particular media outlet, you need to fight to make it happen. Call or e-mail the editor to pitch your story BEFORE sending the release. If one editor says no, try somebody else. If they all say no, come back at them with a different story angle.

Getting publicity involves so much more than just sending out a press release. Treat it as seriously and with as much respect as our newly minted rock star treats his craft and you'll be well on your way to success.

About The Author: Bill Stoller, the "Publicity Insider", has spent two decades as one of America's top publicists. Now, through his website, eZine and subscription newsletter, Free Publicity: The Newsletter for PR-Hungry Businesses
http://www.PublicityInsider.com/freepub.asp
he's sharing -- for the very first time -- his secrets of scoring big publicity. For free articles, killer publicity tips and much, much more, visit Bill's exclusive new site:
http://www.PublicityInsider.com

+++++++++++++++++++

+++++++++++++++++
Thanking your Customers Part 1
+++++++++++++++++

How long has it been since you've thanked your customers. We're getting close to the holiday season, we're going to give you some ideas in this issue and next weeks on some ways you can say thanks. This week we'll be talking about getting some cards and / or making them. Next week we'll talk about fillers and gifts.

Just in case you need some reasons to thank your customers, you can find some at the link below.
http://www.amarillonet.com/stories/030101/bus_022601-3.shtml

Some ideas for thanking your employees can be found here -

http://www.faa.gov/asw/awards/informal.html

Some general notes -

--> Thanking your customers doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg.
--> Always personalize anything used as a thank-you.
--> The more creative effort, personal ( ie you do the work), the more it will be appreciated ( ex. A handmade, handwritten note will work much better than a dime store generic card with an address label as your signature).
--> The more useful the item or gift, the better. A calendar would go over better than a pet rock... although they could use the rock as a paper weight....hmmm.
--> You can have different categories for your thank-you gifts. This holiday season we're going to send cards and small fillers to everyone, customers that have spent more, been with us longer will get some additional things.

Buying Cards

Below you'll find some sites that sell cards that are already made.

http://www.greenwoodscollection.com/
Price range (per 100) - (ordering early before 11/23) - $166.50 - $186.50

http://www.brookhollowcards.com/
Price range (per 100) - (ordering early before 12/7) - $142.00 - $186

For those on a budget -
http://www.wdrake.com/shop/cards.cfm
Price range (per 100) - around $40.00.

That is just a sample. Use your favorite search engine to find more.

You can find some really nice handmade cards from several sites at the link below.
May have to cut and paste the link.

http://www.asmallbusinessdirectory.com/Greeting_Cards
___Stationery/greeting_cards___stationery.html

Making your own cards -

For those with a creative spirit and extra time here are some links on making your own -

http://www.ladyangelgraphics.com/graphicfriends/funandevents/fun.html

http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/greetingcards/

http://www.allcrafts.net/cards.htm - below the books for sale.

The card's message -

Make sure however you make the card that you put a personal, handwritten message with your signature.

+++++++++++++++++
Newbie Guide Part 7
Deciding on a Domain name
+++++++++++++++++

If you missed out on the first six lessons - you can find them at the links below.

http://www.blitzpromotions.com/blitz181.htm - Part 1
http://www.blitzpromotions.com/blitz182.htm - Part 2
http://www.blitzpromotions.com/blitz183.htm - Part 3
http://www.blitzpromotions.com/blitz184.htm - Part 4
http://www.blitzpromotions.com/blitz185.htm - Part 5
http://www.blitzpromotions.com/blitz186.htm - Part 6

By now you should have several products and services that you are going to offer. This week we're going to work on choosing a domain name. For this lesson you'll need the list of keywords that we generated in part 2 of our series and your list of products.

1. Look at the keywords / phrases from your list that have a KEI rating of greater than 50.

2. Cross out those that have nothing to do with your product or service.

So from the fishing site example we've been using our list would be -

1 "fly fishing supplies" 185.083== 407== 96== 895
2 "fishing knots" 139.594== 1883== 443== 25400
3 "fly fishing knots" 108.928== 526== 124== 2540
4 "fishing knot tying" 100.125 ==188== 44== 353
5 "fishing lures" 53.851 == 1327 == 312 == 32700

3. Go to Nameboy.com
http://www.nameboy.com/

4. Type in the two words that appear highest in the list. So in our example that would be fly fishing. Check the box next to allow hyphens. Click go name boy go.

5. You'll get a big list of domain names that are available (and many that aren't). You only want domains WITH your keyword in it. If you can't find one in the first list, try again with other keywords. You may use combinations of the words - flyfishing / lures -- flyfishing / knots etc.

6. In our case flyfishinglures.com was available, so if we were going to build that business we would buy it. Once you find the one you want, purchase it. Please note, you do not have to use Nameboy. There are many different companies you can buy domain names from. Don't pay more than $15 / year.

Next week we'll talk about some things you need to do before starting your business "officially".