How to Position Yourself as "The Brand" – Hear CPN Member & "Celebrate PR Strategist" Karen Taylor Bass
My dear friend, Karen Taylor Bass has launched her new book! I’m so proud of her – and I’m glad I could contribute a chapter to it on book publicity. This book is the “nuts and bolts” of how to run your own PR campaign – on a budget.
Positioning Yourself for an Opportunity
By Karen Taylor Bass www.taylormademediapr.com
The economy is bad, however, now is the BEST time to become an entrepreneur. Build your brand, know your niche, have a plan and most importantly, know how to get FREE PR to build a successful brand and get noticed.
Here are a several signature steps to separate your BRAND and MISSION from the COMPETITION.
You want it so bad – you can taste, drink, and see your success. Are you ready for success? Is your team in place? Many times people are not prepared for the avalanche of blessings when they occur, please be ready. Here are a few tips to get you started:
1) Be prepared. Success can smell success. Have that look about you, dress appropriately, and have your message on hand to deliver the pitch and close the deal. If you believe in your product others will come to the party in a matter of time.
2) Reputation is everything. Let you work and rep speak for you. If you give your word, honor it. Don’t commit if you cannot meet deadline – people always remember the screw up.
3) Be outspoken. If you don’t agree with someone’s agenda or how they are positioning your product speak up. Being amenable to everything will not garner fans, only enemies down the line.
4) Be well rounded. Make certain that you are always briefed on current events; this will empower you to have a conversation with any CEO, mogul or average Joe.
5) Be proactive. If there is someone that you want to get in contact with – reach out. Write a letter, send an email, and make a call, look within your circle for a connection. Work in that order and you will get results.
6) Never too busy. Time is a premium and you are a priority. Make certain that you treat yourself and others that way. If someone is reaching out to you, then you must respond in a timely fashion. Karma is everything.
7) Get to know the “team.” Don’t be an elitist and ignore the administrative assistant, reception, mailroom clerks, etc. They are the ones really running the company and are privy to information. Say hello to everyone and become allies with those in the “know” don’t get confused with office trappings (corner office, title, expense account).
Be Wacky to stand out. Make your own rules. Send Christmas/Holiday cards in June; Valentine Cards in December. Set your own tone and be noticed.
9) Stay out of gossip. Don’t get caught up not minding your business, which means not taking care of your money. If you have an opinion, speak directly to the respective party you have an “issue” with.
10) Dream vampires. I would not advise you to share your dream with people unless they are like – minded and posses the same energy as you. Record your dreams in a journal and talk with God.
11) Network and utilize your connections. I don’t know why we always forget to tap into our database and circle. Join organizations to widen your networking base and utilize your friends/co-workers/affiliation to make the introduction for you.
12) Empower yourself and others. Real simple – give back to others from a sacred space and be counted. You can volunteer, make a contribution or just be there for someone in need.
13) Be consistent. If you provide service a certain way – continue to provide it that same way, only BETTER.
14) Be Viral. The Internet is a force and you must participate. For companies to prosper they must register with an online social network for connections (LINKEDIN, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter); blog; e-blast newsletters; webinars; and podcast.
15) Smile and look engaging.
Hear Karen on the Chocolate Pages Show:
Caviar Moment: Get out there and be counted. Be purposeful, be poised, and be consistent.
Excerpt taken from the book – ©You Want Caviar But Have Money For Chitlins – A Smart Do-It-Yourself- PR Guide For Those On A Budget. www.taylormademediapr.com; www.karentaylorbass.com.
(reprinted from an article which appeared in the November 2008 issue of
The Network Journal)“
See http://theprdistinction.blogspot.com & www.PamPerryPRCoach.com too and www.ChocolatePagesNetwork.com!
Research is KEY. Other than Google, where can a Writer Go to Find Information?
I just finished my monthly Chocolate Pages Network PR Coaching call. The authors are off to a great start. Those who show up, go up!
After I got off the call, I realized that a lot of what makes an author successful is getting the right resources they need and knowing where to find information.
One of my favorite scriptures is Hosea 4:6″…My people are destroy for lack of knowledge…” Well, I don’t want to see Christian authors destroy, so it is my mission and assignment to help feed them with knowledge. If I can’t answer the question, I make it my business to know who to ask or where to go to get the information.
So here is a list I got from the Christian Writer’s Market Guide (my favorite tool, available on my website. The 2008 edition is 1/2 off – only $20 bucks):
Where to find INFORMATION:
ABOUT.COM. When you don’t know anything about a topic, search: www.about.com for hundreds of information links.
AREA CODES. For a numerical listing of telephone area codes, go to: http://bennetyee.org/ucsd-pages/area.html.
ASK-AN-EXPERT SITES. (1) Website: www.K12Science.org/askanexpert.html. (2) www.askanexpert.com; (3) www.askjeeves.com. (4) The Yearbook of Experts, Authorities, and Spokespersons: www.yearbook.com.
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION. (1) Website: www.biography.com. Short biographies on 25,000+ personalities. (2) This biographical dictionary covers more than 28,000 notable men and women who have shaped our world from ancient times to the present day: http://s9.com/biography.
+BRITANNICA. Website: www.britannica.com. The Encyclopedia Britannica’s Website. Includes the Britannica blog, all of the articles in the Encyclopedia Britannica, a newsletter, and more.
COUNTRIES. These sites give information on various countries of the world: (1) CIA’s World Factbook: www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook; (2) Library of Congress’s Portals to the World: www.loc.gov/rr/international/portals.html; (3) Country Reports: www.countryreports.org; (4) www.economist.com/countries.
EXPERTS. (1) Website: www.experts.com. A diverse source of experts, academic and otherwise. (2) Directory that lists expertise of more than 1,000 University of Southern California scientists/scholars/administrators/physicians as a service to editors/reporters/
producers can be found at www.usc.edu/uscnews/newsroom/. (3) Also, check out: www.profnet.com. Site contains 14,000 expert profiles.
FACT PORTAL. Colin Powell’s favorite site links to sources of information on a multitude of topics. Website: www.refdesk.com.
FEDERAL CITIZEN INFORMATION CENTER SITES. (1) www.info.gov. Brochures on just about any subject. News, links, topics, resources, fun stuff, and more; (2) www.pueblo.gsa.gov. Information about anything and everything one could need. Free and low-cost booklets.
HOLIDAYS/FESTIVALS. (1) To find information on holidays/festivals worldwide, visit: www.holidays.net, or (2)www.wilstar.com/holidays.
HOW STUFF WORKS. (1) Website: www.howstuffworks.com. Explains how things work from vacuum cleaners to earthquakes, using text/pictures/animation. (2) See also: www.ehow.com.
INFORMATION PLEASE. Website: www.InfoPlease.com. This 50-year-old print resource now available on the Internet.
LOOKUPS. Amazing site with 30 databases for the demographic seeker: www.melissadata.com/Lookups.
MAG PORTAL. Website: www.MagPortal.com. Lets you search for articles online simultaneously, without having to visit each magazine’s Website individually.
PHONE BOOK SEARCH USA. Websites: (1) www.switchboard.com; (2) www.infobel.com/teldir.
PUBLIC RECORDS. (1) To find public records online, go to: www.oatis.com. (2) To find financial information/background checks/birthdays/occupations of people, go to: www.pretrieve.com.
REFERENCE SITES. List of free reference sites useful to writers and anyone looking for free information: www.writers-free-reference.com.
+STINK LIT. Find books that reveal in graphic detail the underbelly of a particular locale, time period, or culture, such as poverty/dyspepsia/general squalor. (1) A Journal of the Plague Year by Daniel Defoe; (2) The Jungle by Upton Sinclair; (3) Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell.
WRITERS’ KNOWLEDGE SWAP. Website: http://groups.yahoo
.com/group/writerswap. An information-exchange mailing list for writers doing research.
See www.PamPerryPRCoach.com too and www.ChocolatePagesNetwork.com!