Don't wreck your business by not promoting it!

One of the first things to go for many businesses during times of economic troubles or a recession is the marketing budget and the advertising budget.

I first realised the folly of this approach when I worked as the news editor/advertising copywriter for a local news magazine some years ago.

There were two companies which offered similar types of services in our area and they both booked a full page of advertising in every issue of our magazine and they both had a full page of editorial copy, created by me, to accompany it.

When times got a little tight during a recession one of the advertisers withdrew all of his adverts with immediate effect. 

But his rival continued to advertise and, of course, he continued to have his matching full page of advertorial, too.

One day when he was visiting our offices I asked him why he had continued to pay for advertising when his rival hadn't.

He explained it to me like this: "I will always, always scrape together enough money for an advert. Why? Because if you want your business to continue and even prosper, it must continue to be in the eye of the public. In this instance, seen by the readers of your magazine."

I asked him how his rival was doing? He shrugged and said "Well, not too well, to be honest. He's still trading, but I don't know how long for."

I asked him how his own business was doing? "We're doing very well, to be honest. In fact, despite trading conditions not being ideal with the recession, we've noticed an increase in business. Some of them have told us that they thought our rival had gone out of business as they'd not seen their adverts in the magazine for months!"

Eventually his rival did close down. People thought it was due to the recession, but it was due to his refusing to spend any money on advertising.

So, to avoid that fate, remember that spending money on advertising and also on press releases and marketing (even if it might be at a lower level than usual) is important because how will people know that your company is still in business?

(Image courtesy of Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)

PHG adds some Punch to its PR effort

Performance Horizon Group (PHG), a leading provider of performance marketing technology, has appointed Punch Communications to handle its national, trade-specific and online PR.

Established in May 2010, PHG is the latest venture of Malcolm Cowley and Paul Fellows, co-founders of global affiliate network buy.at which was sold to AOL in 2008 for $125m. A high-tech start-up from North East England, over the past year it has expanded its operations to London and New York and brought to market its ExactView technology: a global platform for tracking, reporting, managing and optimising performance partner relationships in affiliate marketing and lead generation, regardless of channel or device.

Since its appointment, leading SEO agency Punch has been responsible for building awareness of the brand and ExactView, sharing corporate news announcements including PHG’s second round of venture capital funding from DN Capital and Greycroft, and raising the profile of senior personnel within the company. Working closely with the team, Punch is also assisting with the delivery of relevant award, events and speaker submissions.

Malcolm Cowley, CEO of PHG, said: "We wanted to appoint a PR agency which not only has a good understanding of the sector in which we operate but one that is also creative and has excellent media and blogger contacts. Punch has not only demonstrated that it understands our core business proposition but that the team is enthused to meet our company vision.”

Georgina Dunkley, account director at Punch Communications, added: "The growth of PHG over the past few years has been phenomenal and we are thrilled to be appointed by the brand as it embarks on an action-packed 2012 including the growth of its operations in the UK and US.”

As one of the UK’s foremost social media agencies, Punch Communications also handles PR and SEO services for its clients. For further information visit www.punchcomms.com.

Do not give up on marketing and PR

Just because times might be a little tougher than we would like is not a reason or an excuse to stop marketing or promoting your business.

It's  always the first to go when a recession looms. The marketing budget is slashed, the PR spend is cut to ribbons. And everyone just waits for the next customer to waltz through the doors, pockets bulging with orders.

Here's some news for you. That will not happen. Because if you do not tell potential customers that you are still in business, if you do not get a Public Relations firm to help you blow your own trumpet, nobody else will!

Here is a story related to me by a friend who is an advertising manager for a small local publication: She had two clients, both in the same line of business. At the start of the recession one of the clients (Client A) listened to the siren call that he must stop spending money on advertising and marketing. And this is what he did.

The other client (Client B) continued to advertise, always managing to get just enough money together for an advert. Even if it might not always be the usual size, his advert was always there in the publication.

Client A met one of his customers in the street. He asked his customer if he required his services. His customer said: "Oh! Sorry! I gave my business to Client B. When I noticed you weren't advertising in the paper any more and I saw that he was still advertising, I assumed you'd gone out of business, so I went to him, instead."

There's an old adage in marketing. It says: "The man who beats the biggest drum makes the most noise and draws the most attention to his business."

So, what will you do? Put your drum away and hope that, almost by magic, people might find their way to your business? Or will you beat the drum and draw attention and customers to your business?

For ideas on how to promote your business you can visit www.responsesource.com  and it will not cost as much as you might think.

Press release wire service streamlined to help PRs and businesses reach more media

Submitting press releases to Daryl Willcox Publishing's Response Source and SourceWire services has been simplified and as a result PR professionals can now reach more journalists.

Stories posted will now appear on both the Response Source and SourceWire websites, so PRs do not have to choose which site to post on as they did previously. This means press releases will be exposed to more members of the media as both sites are established resources used daily by thousands of journalists, and are well-indexed by search engines.

The service has also been renamed SourceWire News Distribution to better differentiate the press release distribution service from the Response Source Journalist Enquiries System.

The press release submission form contains all 25 journalist subject categories spanning business and finance to media and marketing, travel, sport, health and technology. It is easier to follow, with clearer steps to submitting a story and adding tools such as images and videos.

Pricing is largely unchanged but is now based on how many categories are chosen, instead of which wire a release is posted on.

“We’ve overhauled the press wire service based on feedback from our users and it is now simpler for PR professionals to submit a story and reach more journalists,” said Daryl Willcox, chairman of Daryl Willcox Publishing. ”It’s another step in our quest to get news out in the most straightforward and effective way.”

Also, Press Association press release distribution has been added to the wire options to allow PRs additional reach to national, regional and broadcast media in the UK.

Willcox continued: “SourceWire News Distribution is now easier to use and even more effective.”

FACTFILE:

Daryl Willcox Publishing (www.dwpub.com) provides information services for journalists and public relations companies. Launched in 1997, the company connects media professionals to create opportunities for timely, relevant press coverage. Products include the Response Source Journalist Enquiries System, SourceWire News Distribution, the Freelance Journalist Directory and the FeaturesExec Media Database. Over 2,500 companies use Daryl Willcox Publishing's media relations services, including around 120 of the top 150 PR Companies.


(EDITOR: If you do not use SourceWire, you are not keeping ahead.)

Sweet appointment for Punch Communications

Jealous, a new manufacturer of high end sweet-gifts made from natural ingredients and suitable for people with dietary or ethical considerations and requirements, has appointed Punch Communications to handle its PR, SEO and social media.

For the initial launch activity over July and August, Punch has been handling Jealous’ consumer and business media and blogger relations, social media, social search and SEO activity.

Following the launch, Punch is being retained as Jealous’ SEO agency and will be providing consultancy services to the brand with its ongoing PR and social media activity. (EDITOR: A wise choice!)

Commenting on the appointment, joint managing directors Tahzeen Basunia and Imran Ali Merza, points out: “Punch’s enthusiasm for the Jealous product combined with its technical understanding, creative flair and impressive track record made the agency the most compelling proposition for us. We have been impressed with the team and really see them as an extension of our operation.”

Georgina Dunkley, who is the account director at Punch charged with the job of who overseeing the Jealous account, added: “Through this initial burst of activity we have seen some fantastic results including a continuously high level of engagement on the social media channels and some standout pieces of secured press and blogger coverage. The sweets have been extremely well-received by both consumers and the media.”

The sweets, which boast no artificial colours or flavours, are also suitable for vegetarians and contain no alcohol or gelatine. Presented in 400g gift boxes, the selection which is now available in Selfridges’ flagship Oxford Street store, includes Sinfully Sour, Gummy Heaven and Paradise Lost, all of which retail at £13.99.

In addition, the Enchanted Eden selection, which is produced using purely organic products, completes the initial range and is priced at £14.99. In addition to purchasing from Selfridges, the sweets can be bought directly online at www.thejealouslife.com.

Punch is one of the UK’s leading social media agencies working with big brand clients including Sony Ericcson. In addition it works on a number of integrated briefs in both the UK and oversees. For more information about Punch Communications visit www.punchcomms.com, or you can follow Punch on Twitter @punchcomms or like them on www.facebook.com/punchcommunications.

How to write and submit press releases that will get published as stories

The second in its series of free PR case-studies titled “The Biggest PR Mistakes of All Time” has been published by The PR Training Centre and can be downloaded free of charge at www.theprtrainingcentre.com/pr-mistakes.html.

Publication of this new PR Mistakes study has been timed to coincide with a Creative Writing for Public Relations Workshop to be held on Monday 27th of June in Covent Garden, London.

‘The press release is the basic tool of communication for PR people,’ says co-founder and principal presenter at The PR Training Centre Jacqui Green. ‘But ask any journalist what they think of the releases that cross their desktop every day and most will roll their eyes in despair.

“Now Richard Milton, an experienced professional journalist has provided some clear tips for PR people on how to write a press release – and Milton’s advice is not just the usually recycled banal tips – in fact I think even some seasoned PR pro’s may be surprised. The new case study can be downloaded from our website at www.theprtrainingcentre.com/releases.htm”

The Biggest PR Mistakes series will cover some of the most memorable PR disasters of recent years including Coke and Dasani Water, the McDonalds libel case, Bennetton’s designer advertisements, Perrier’s purity problems and Polaroid’s failure to come to terms with digital photography.

Says Jacqui Green, “Publication of ‘Five Common Mistakes in press release writing’ has been timed to coincide with our Creative Writing for Public Relations Workshop, which will next be presented in our Covent Garden centre on Monday 27th of June when we will be reviewing best practice not just for writing press releases but for every form of marketing and PR communication from writing website copy to brochures and case studies through to producing compelling editorial features and pay-per-click ads.”

Author of the Biggest PR Mistakes series, Richard Milton is a co-founder of The PR Training Centre and is the author of six books including 'Bad Company', which was chosen by The Sunday Times as its Business Book of the Week, and the management handbook 'Do Your Own PR'.

Over the past seven years, PR experts at The PR Training Centre have trained delegates from companies that include; Carlton TV, Morgan Stanley, Associated Newspapers, British Red Cross, EMAP, Institute of Directors, Merril Lynch, BBC World Service, AstraZeneca, Wilkinsons, British Holidays, Southwest Trains, Campaign for Real Ale, Konica-Minolta, Arena Leisure, World Television, Oyezstraker, BOSE, Lichtenstein Lottery, Which? and Virgin Money.