The next time you want publicity, do two things that 99 percent of the other people who want publicity fail to do. First, vow that you won’t use the “spray and pray” technique. That is, spraying the same one-size-fits-all pitch or press release to dozens or even hundreds of journalists, and then praying they’ll… Read More
Social Media Productivity
No time for social media, but lots of time to waste on email
One of our customers who bought and took Social Media Rx, our social media assessment, told me this morning how frustrated she is that she doesn’t have enough time to spend on social media. I suggested that she set aside a block of time twice a day, say as soon as she starts work in… Read More
3 of 4 LinkedIn invitations include this big mistake
When a business associate told me last week that she couldn’t understand why LinkedIn froze her account, especially because she invited only a few dozen people to connect within several months, I had a pretty good idea how that happened. Three out of four of the people who invite me to connect with them on… Read More
Meet Jeanne Hurlbert, my new (and unlikely) business partner
If you asked me to describe my ideal business partner, never in a million years would I envision someone with a PhD in sociology. Such degrees, I always believed, are expensive pieces of paper printed by the diploma factories otherwise known as universities. They seldom lead to “real world” jobs outside of academia. I certainly wouldn’t want a Phi Beta… Read More
How to create an effective strategy on LinkedIn
By Joan Stewart If you’ve just started networking on LinkedIn, the site can be a little intimidating. And you might be stumped about how to create an effective strategy on a site that’s so big. The best place to start is with LinkedIn’s three-step New User Starter Guide. It gives a quick summary, with links, to the… Read More
Can't write? Can't blog? Use a recorder & transcriber
By Joan Stewart If you’re still not blogging because you’re not a very good writer, or you don’t have time to write, here’s an easy solution. Dictate your thoughts about a topic into a hand-held recorder. Then, find an assistant to transcribe what you’ve recorded and—voila!—you’ve got a blog post. I was talking to one… Read More
Social media ROI includes free advice you get in a pinch
When people try to measure the return on investment at social media sites, they use the typical yardsticks—things like how much traffic they pull to their websites, how many people buy, and how many sign-ups they get for their ezines. One factor they frequently foget is how much time and money they can save using social… Read More
Twitter app helps promote Tweetups and other live events
If you’re promoting a Tweetup, an event where people who Twitter come together to meet in person, or an event that’s open to anyone regardless of whether they tweet—like a class, a book-signing, a fund-raiser, or a fashion show at a department store—check out Twtvite. Just fill in the blanks on the screen (event name, where,… Read More
Am I stingy by not answering a LinkedIn question? You decide
When I checked my email this morning, somebody who I know invited me to answer a question she had posted at LinkedIn. She was asking for suggestions on how to promote something. Just as I started to answer it, I noticed that she was asking for a private answer, not a public one. I stopped in mid-sentence, left… Read More
How to use Twitter hashtags for promotion, publicity
If you’re planning a special event like an industry convention or a speaking engagement, even a teleseminar, invite the Twitter community to buzz about it. At the opening session, announce from the stage or your teleseminar call that participants who tweet about the event should use a hashtag, and then tell them what tag you want… Read More