Tag Archive for: public relations

Headshot of Julia Scott, Founder of ICM, who talked to NIM about the in's and out's of public relations and what you need to do in order to get noticed online.

A Pro’s Secrets to DIY your PR

Want attention from traditional and online media outlets like the Projo, the Rhode Show, or Boston.com? Don’t miss this essential #NIMRI talk, not just about how to pitch media, but WHAT to pitch to get your business covered.

Following a proven step-by-step process, learn the secrets of a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who now regularly gets her clients noticed by top media outlets.

“It’s all about relentlessly honing in on what aspect of your story is meaningful to media.” – Julia Scott, @icm_pr

Giving her second #NIMRI talk, Julia will reveal a PR process THAT WORKS. (A process that her clients pay thousands for!)

Hear and ask:

  • What stories are reporters and editors interested in?
  • Do I really need a press release?
  • Where do I start?

Whether you’re a small business owner, graphic designer, or a marketer, this talk will be chockfull of practical steps to pursue media coverage.

Headshot of Julia Scott, Founder of ICM, who talked to NIM about the in's and out's of public relations and what you need to do in order to get noticed online. Meet Julia Scott

Julia Scott, founder of Integrated Communications + Marketing (ICM), is a seasoned communications and marketing expert who is passionate about success. Julia grew up in California and moved across the country three times before settling in Newport. Additionally, She received her B.A. from Barnard College and her M.A. from Rutgers University.

After six years as a newspaper reporter, including a stint at the Star-Ledger where she contributed to a Pulitzer Prize, Julia started a website to help people save money. She turned herself into a national brand through persistence, dedication, and passion. Her features include the Wall Street Journal, Good Morning America, NPR, and dozens of more national media outlets.

Nowadays, Julia combines her passion for integrated communications and marketing with her love of solving what a business needs to experience rapid growth.

Missed this great talk? Learn more about video & visuals and more via the NIM media library!

Become a NIM $upporting member for access to the vast video library of past presentations and watch at your convenience.

Travel Bloggers’ Secrets You Can Use: Part 2

 

As promised here is Part 2 of our “Travel Blogger’s Secrets You Can Use” blog post! If you missed Part 1 be sure to click here and check out all the amazing blogging tips we covered in last week’s post. This week we’re talking about the best marketing, monetizing, and travel tips our lovely panelists, Tamara Gruber of We3Travel, Lillie Marshall of Around the World “L”, and Priscilla Pilon of The Weekend in Paris, shared at our August #NIMRI event. So let’s get started!

Top 8 Marketing/Monetizing Tips

1. Soliciting Sponsors: The emphasis should always be on the content you’re creating. “Write it, and they will come,” said Priscilla sagely, “Produce high-quality content, and they will come.”

The Work With Me Section of the We3Travel Website

The Official “Work with Me” section of We3Travel’s About Page

2. Doing Business With Brands: There are a few ways a blogger can work with a brand: being contacted by people to place ads, contacting people to place ads, sponsored posts, or, if you’re lucky, a sponsored trip.“If I work with a brand or do a sponsored post, it has to be something I believe in. Once your audience doesn’t believe you, you’re done,” Priscilla warned.

“Native Advertising, which is when you have content that is already successful and then work with advertisers who would complement that content, can work very well,” said Lillie.

3. Navigating Negativity: It can be very difficult to figure out what to do when you have a bad experience as a blogger, particularly if the trip is a sponsored one. It is especially tricky because, depending on the country’s laws, you could potentially be sued for a negative review. “Contact the PR people and be sure to start with the positive things and then talk about the disappointments,” advised Priscilla, “I always give them a chance to fix it. If they do, I won’t write a bad review. If they don’t, I will offer to not write about it.”

“Steer away from negative content, even though it can be very effective. Everyone gets fired up over a bad review and they like to share it, but it doesn’t reflect very well on you and can get you into trouble,” offered Lillie.

4. Create a Community: “Facebook has become a pay-to-play platform. You can pay $5 to promote a post (and I do that sometimes), but you won’t see a big difference in your analytics. What’s really powerful is to form alliances and private Facebook groups, not just with other travel bloggers. People who like wine, food, lifestyle, even interior design share readers. The cross-pollenization that happens helps everyone grow,” Priscilla said.

5. Know Your Worth: “It depends on your reach and your demographic,” reasoned Tamara, “I have a group of travel blogger friends, and we share that information.”

“This is why you need the group mentality!” proclaimed Priscilla, “Building your blogging network is key. Whatever you do, don’t write a post for someone for free – it brings the rate for everyone down to $0. You’re time is worth something.

“I would argue that there is a value in giving content to high-traffic sites, so it can be OK to do something like that for free as long as there is some ROI. It’s a value to your resume,” Lillie said.

One of We3Travel's Pinterest boards

We3Travel on Pinterest © Photos by Tamara Gruber

6. A Photo’s Worth a Thousand Shares (nope, still not right): “For me, Pinterest is very important. It drives traffic to my site, often more than google,” Tamara shared.

“Be sure to link all of your photos: photos on Google and Pinterest should link to your website and have descriptions,” Priscilla said.

“Selling your photos can also be another source of income,” Lillie pointed out.

The Newport Interactive Marketers' Hootsuite dashboard

Here’s a look at the Newport Interactive Marketers’ Hootsuite dashboard

7. Tally Your Toolbox:  “Don’t be afraid to automate! Hootsuite can schedule your posts at the best time for your demographic. You could write the best blog post ever, but if no one ever reads it, it won’t matter,” explained Lillie. To find out when the ideal time for your demographic is, be sure to check out Tweepi. 

“The Tail Wind app is great for automating Pinterest,” shared Tamara, “Paying a little for the right tools can be worth it.”

“Google trends is an invaluable SEO tool,” said Priscilla, “In WordPress there is a feature where you can try a bunch of different options and put them in Google Trends to see where you are in searches.”

Snapchat logo

Snapchat! If you want to learn more about using Snapchat as a blogger, check out AdventurousKate

8. Socialize, Socialize, Socialize (your media, that is):  “Learn and get busy on all social media sites and thank everyone who follows (NOT by direct message),” Priscilla advised.

“The biggest mistake people make is to just stop for an extended period of time on social media,” Lille said, “Be consistent and don’t be afraid to self promote!

“Snapchat is the newest thing people must be on, although it does appeal to a younger demographic,” said Tamara, “Its important to know who your audience is and where to find them.”

 

Top 3 Travel Tips

“Use Trivago or another trip-cost comparison site to look for the lowest fare. Then, take a screenshot and call the hotel. They will always match it, and it’s always better to book through the hotel because they tend to have a better cancellation policy and you also will be eligible for upgrades,” advised Priscilla.

“Tuesday is the best day to book airlines usually,” shared Tamara.

“People would pay a lot of money to stay in your home in beautiful Newport so rent it out on Airbnb to get money for travel and also find places to stay in yourself!” Lillie suggested.

All-Time Favorite Hotel

The Phoenix Resort in Belize

Balcony view from the Phoenix Resort in Belize © Photo by Lillie Marshall

Lillie’s Pick: The Phoenix in Belize “No better place for a babymoon!” 

Kona Village Resort in Hawaii at Sunrise

The now closed Kona Village Resort in Hawaii © Photo by Tamara Grub

Tamara’s Pick: Kona Village Resort in Hawaii “Unfortunately, after 45 years, this resort was forced to permanently close their doors after the March 2011 tsunami.”

A hammock overlooking the ocean at The Bitter End Resort in BVI

The gorgeous Bitter End Resort in BVI © Photo by Priscilla Pilon

Priscilla’s Pick: The Bitter End in the British Virgin Islands “I’ve never been sponsored to stay at this hotel, but I visit every year!”  

And, of course, we had to ask about their favorite place in Newport! 

Castle Hill Inn from the sea

Castle Hill Inn from the sea © Photo by Priscilla Pilon

Priscilla’s Pick: Castle Hill Inn “They have the best lunch and the best views!” 

hotel viking

The beautiful Hotel Viking (#NIMRI venue sponsor for our annual networking event!) © Photo by Lillie Marshall

Lillie’s Pick: Hotel Viking “This is the place to go to feel like royalty!” 

Here’s what #NIMRI members were saying on Instagram and Twitter: 

 

Great turnout at #NIMRI! A photo posted by Suzanne McDonald (@newportinteract) on

 

 

Learning about travel blogging at #NIMRI at @ParlorNewport. #NewportRI A photo posted by The Newport Blast (@thenewportblast) on

Many thanks to our venue sponsor Parlor Kitchen & Bar

Register for the next #NIMRI event now! 

2nd Annual Social Media Social: Through the Eyes of the Professional

Newport Interactive Marketers attended the University of Rhode Island Public Relations Society’s 2nd Annual Social Media Social. The event began with a panel of professionals, who discussed the topic in the agency setting–how to manage campaigns, how to build a strategy for paying clients, and how to track ROI–followed by networking.

Panelists:

Moderator: Adam David Roth, Assistant Professor in Communication Studies at URI

Sponsored by the Harrington School of Communications and Media and the URI Communication Studies Department

Missed this great talk? Learn more about video & visuals and more via the NIM media library!

Become a NIM $upporting member, if you aren’t already, for access to the vast video library of past presentations and watch from your device at your convenience.

Record Turnout for 100% Networking!

Thanks to all of you, NIM boasts the biggest turnout so far! 100% Networking saw 150 signups plus some walk-ins – lots of new faces. Raindrops were avoided, connections were made, views were enjoyed, drinks were downed.

Beautiful views of Newport from the Hotel Viking rooftop

 

Ruth Bazine of PRSA chats with former colleagues from Roger Williams University

Was it the venue (who doesn’t enjoy a view of Newport from a rooftop?) or is the word being spread?

 

Coming in August … NIM is pleased to feature “Search & Social Marketing” with global expert Eric Enge. Details are forthcoming.

 

Revenue Expert Shares Proven Strategies on How to Increase Sales

Do you know why people buy from you? What about those who don’t?

Find out with Revenue Coach and author Kristin Zhivago at Newport Interactive Marketers on March 1 in Newport, RI.

Revenue Coach Kristin Zhivago is an expert at aligning buyers’ perceptions with sellers’ assumptions. Zhivago has interviewed hundreds of business owners and their customers to determine what attracts people and what makes them come back.

Join Newport Interactive Marketers on March 1, 2012, to learn from Revenue Coach and author Kristin Zhivago at 41 North, 351 Thames St., Newport, R.I. Offering Southern New England’s best networking and learning, Newport Interactive Marketers gather monthly to help area businesses and professionals leverage social media, online marketing, websites, and more. The March 1 event is free and open to the public.

Sellers, Zhivago says, do not know these crucial components: “What you think is important about your business may not be important at all, and what they think is important may be something you never even talk about.”

Her main goal is to help her customers understand the relationship they have with their own clients. And on Thursday March 1, Zhivago will help Newport Interactive Marketers attendees do the same.

“With that knowledge, all of your messaging – everything from your signage to your emails – will be relevant to new customers looking for the same experience,” Zhivago says.

The biggest mistake small businesses and local retailers make: They never find out why someone chose them in the first place – nor why they keep coming back.

It is possible to rectify these mistakes: Interview current and past customers by phone, using the guide Zhivago outlines in her book, Roadmap to Revenue. While online surveys may be more convenient, Zhivago advises using the telephone.

“These interviews work best because people talk freely when they are engaged in a private conversation,” she says. Using the information acquired from the interviews, businesses can make relevant changes to attract new clients.

It only takes about seven customer interviews for the business to see profitable trends. These interviews will show the company exactly what customers’ value about their business.

“The differences are sometimes subtle but always significant. Words matter. Sellers always talk to buyers in one kind of language, and buyers talk to other buyers in another kind of language. Until you actually interview your buyers, you won’t know what those exact words and phrases are,” Zhivago warns.

“And your words and phrases will not resonate with potential customers. And, by the way, you won’t get this data from social media discussions, interesting as they are,” she said.

Social Media and the Revenue Coach’s Perspective

In today’s modern age where every company seems to have a social media site, it can be difficult to “stand out” in the crowd.

“The trick, is to be helpful in a relevant way (interviews help with this also – you’ll know what is relevant).”

Zhivago advises companies to set up a content production system and work on it daily, whether it’s creating content from scratch or curating for your audience.

“Social media is the most resource-hungry marketing method ever invented. You can’t be lazy about it.”

Learn what to say to your customers, via social media and offline

Don’t miss Revenue Coach and author Kristin Zhivago and Newport Interactive Marketers on March 1, 2012. Free registration.

Register for Optimize Online Marketing With Secrets of a Revenue Coach in Newport, RI on Eventbrite