Beanstalk Marketing - Growing the Beanstalk
September 2009 
Greetings! Heidi Elliott

I hope you enjoy this issue of Growing the Beanstalk, the newsletter of Beanstalk Marketing. Today I talk about the "public" side of public relations and how to track what people are saying about you with Google Alerts. You can also read past issues on topics such as using Facebook for business, social media 101 and marketing in today's economy. Happy reading!                    
Heidi Elliott 
P.S. Don't forget to become a fan of my new Facebook page!  
In This Issue
Putting "Public" Back in PR
Google Alerts
Client Success
Quick Links
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Putting "Public" Back in PR

PR used to mean pitching reporters on your business and hoping they write about you. Today we can put "Public" back into Public Relations because you don't need reporters to get noticed. The Internet changed all of that.
 
When you post your press release online or distribute it through a wire, you are no longer talking just to reporters, you are talking directly to your customers, along with influencers, bloggers, and Internet writers. Anyone can read your release today, and probably do. Media sections of web sites usually have high traffic because of the updated content.
 
So, how can you reach your customers through PR? Start by writing a release or two or three. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
 
- landing a new client
- hiring or promoting an employee
- using or developing new technology
- solving a problem in a new way
- serving a unique market
- speaking at a conference
- winning an award
- adding a product feature
- working with a new partner
- employees completing certifications/trainings
- employees elected to boards
- tie in with a trend in the industry
- expanding the business or starting a new department
- increasing sales or revenue despite economic conditions
 
For more ideas, check out The New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott.
 
Future issues of Growing the Beanstalk will feature steps on writing your press release and how to get it noticed.
Do You Know What They Are Saying About You?
Yes, your customers are talking about you. Do you know what they are saying?  Do you know what the press are writing about you? Your competition? There is an easy way to find out - Google Alerts. 
 
Google AlertsGoogle Alerts is a free service that scans the Internet for mentions of keywords you select. It finds mentions in mainstream media, Internet press, blogs, and some social media. Here is how to get started:
  • Visit Google.com/alerts
  • Put in search terms and choose when you want to receive alerts in your in box
  • Set up multiple alerts - one for your company name and any variations in spelling, as well as competitor names, industry terms and special programs or events in which your business is involved
  • If you have a phrase that goes together, put it in quotes
  • Start keeping track of the media outlets, reporters and bloggers who follow your industry - this becomes your press list
  • You will start receiving emails when your search terms are found. Simply click through to read the article or blog post
  • Now create an area on your web site to post the links you would like your potential customers to read
That's it. Now you can listen in.
Client Success: Barney Fife Trade Show Campaign
911 Barney Fife posterOne of the best things about PR is it's practically free. An example is the online PR campaign we recently put together for a new client, 911-Inc. Instead of a traditional media campaign targeting reporters, the objective was to create buzz and get prospects to visit a booth at a trade show.

911-Inc. was planning to bring a Barney Fife impersonator as entertainment to a major industry trade show. We worked with the staff and the impersonator to create a script for the appearances that would incorporate his stand-up comedy with a demo of the product. Then we developed a multiple-touch email campaign to their current and prospective customer base about the appearances. We wrote a press release that went out to trade media and on an Internet wire. The impersonator also created a video welcoming attendees which was promoted in the press release and through social media. Then we created a poster to promote the special appearances at the show. All of these elements worked together to create buzz, without much of a price tag.
 
"Everyone was talking about Barney at the show," said Jill Bill, Customer Relationship Manager for 911-Inc. "People came right up to us and asked about him. It was an easy way to start a conversation with a prospective customer."
                   
BeanstalkPlant Your Beans Today for Years of Growth

Beanstalk Marketing is the Anti-Agency - a strategic partner and comprehensive marketing department - without the agency price tag or management headaches.
 
Fueled by Heidi Elliott's 15 years of experience, Beanstalk Marketing develops a strategy that integrates all of your small business branding and marketing efforts into a single, powerful plan, then hand picks the team of experts needed to implement it on time and on budget. Learn more at Beanstalk Marketing.