Info on New Webinars

Just some housekeeping reminders before you head into the holiday weekend:

The Get Splendid webinar on How to Get Powerful (and Free) Publicity Through Social Media is next Tuesday, September 7th. I'll be sharing strategies on how to get featured and quoted in both traditional and online media, how the media really works, and more. Much of this is the same strategy I've used to be featured and quoted in over 100 media outlets, including The New York Times and CNN. Registration closes this Friday at midnight pacific time. Because of the way the webinar software is set up, space is limited. If you're interested in attending this one (and it is the most popular so far), be sure to sign up soon!

Early bird registration for the webinar on Writing for Results ends this Friday at midnight Pacific. After that the price increases. This webinar will focus on how to improve the most critical skill you can have in business: your writing. You can register for Writing for Results here.

I will be taking the holiday weekend off to spend time with my adorable nephew who is turning three (already?! crazy.), so please make sure to register by the deadlines on Friday as I won't be able to accommodate any latecomers.

PR Opportunities: Small vs Large

by Julianne Smith

With the searchability of the Internet, no publicity mention is a small mention. Your company could be featured on the smallest blog or the biggest TV show and there is no guarantee that one will be more effective than the other. Treat all publicity opportunities, regardless of perceived size, as you would any client: like they are the most important thing to you at that moment.

Sometimes the smallest mention can turn into a bigger deal than you ever anticipated because of the Internet. Internet search engines and archives ensure that things posted online live forever and can pop up at anytime. Because of this, you should respond to all requests and be consistent in your message to everyone.

If an editor, any editor, wants to take time out of their day and feature your company, be flattered. Respond to their requests quickly and efficiently. Get them what they ask for and then some. You don’t want to overwhelm them, but be helpful and whatever you provide should be relevant to the request.

As a general public relations rule, I’m an advocate of strategically going after those media targets that will bring you a return on your time investment and that will help you achieve your publicity goals. However, from time to time, and especially the more that you put your company out there, both large and small media opportunities that you didn’t seek out will come your way.

Regardless of the size of the publication, if you have your PR materials together, you should be able to quickly respond to any request without too much trouble.

Splendid Sundays Volume 52

A handful of splendid finds and interesting news from around the worldwide web:

*Omni Hotels acquires popular destination wedding resort, Amelia Island Plantation.

*You are not Seth Godin.

*Advice for graphic design students (applies to so many more fields).

*5 myths about Philadelphia's blogging tax.

*Quotable: "Good design can't fix broken business models." - Jeffrey Veen

Do you have any splendid finds to share?

Writing for Results

The ability to write well is a critical skill in business, yet one that most people struggle with. This next webinar in the Get Splendid series will focus on how to improve your writing ability so that you can communicate in a clear and concise way. Better writing leads to better profits.

Who: Any wedding or special events professional who wants to learn how to improve their business writing skills in order to get better results.
When: Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm EST - The webinar will last for 90 minutes, with 60 minutes of instruction and up to 30 minutes of Q and A.
Place: Your computer.

This webinar is open to any wedding or special events professional. Space is limited and will be filled on a first come, first served basis so reserve your spot now!

Topics covered will include:

*How to write effectively for the web (blog posts, website copy, email, etc)
*How to quickly edit your writing for clarity.
*How to identify issues in tone before you hit publish.
*How to get to the point through appropriate use of structure.
*How to write in a personal yet professional manner.
*And more!

If you're on Twitter, the official hashtag for the event is #getsplendid

Can't attend at this date and time? Recordings will be made available to people who are pre-registered.

Questions? Please send an email to hello[at]thinksplendid.com. You can register for the Writing for Results webinar here. Early bird pricing ends next week.

The Legalities of Free and Discounted Services

Earlier tonight, celebrity wedding planner, Marcy Blum, twittered about her frustration with bloggers and editors getting married and then writing about and promoting all the services they received, but without disclosing that any of the services were free or discounted. Frankly, I don't know who Marcy was referring to. I haven't asked her yet because I wanted to write this post in as unbiased a way as possible.

Several people replied to Marcy saying they thought promoting the free goods without disclosing it was unethical. More than being unethical, it is illegal. Here is what the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) regulations and U.S federal law have to say about the matter:

*If you are receiving a wedding service for free or at a deep discount, and you post about that vendor anywhere online, you have to disclose that you received the service for free or at a discount. The fine for failing to do so can be up to $11,000 per infraction.

*If you are a vendor who provided the service for free or a deep discount and it is not disclosed in the posts written about you, you can ALSO be fined up to $11,000 per infraction. The onus does not just rest with the recipient. The FTC can fine one or both of you; you are NOT off the hook just because you did not post about it yourself.

*You must also disclose "material connections" or free products you may receive or give, not just services.

*These regulations apply not just to blogs, but to Facebook and Twitter updates, and other social media platforms as well. 

*The FTC regulations are retroactive to October 5, 2009 when they took effect and anyone can report a violation. You may think you can get away with it, but if you have a competitor or anyone with something to gain by you being reported, you could be in trouble.

The FTC implemented these regulations to bring more transparency to business interactions and the consumer. You can read the full guidelines here. If you're thinking about giving someone a free or discounted service or product because it could result in great a great press opportunity for you, make sure that both you and the recipient are committed to disclosing that fact before you donate your time and service so that you can avoid any legal issues.

Rockstars vs Rock Solid Professionals

My friend and colleague, Sean Low, has a saying, "Some people want the rockstar vendors, most people just want vendors who are solid as a rock."

What does it mean to be solid as a rock? Here's my interpretation of Sean's insight:

You know who you are, and more importantly, you know who and what you are not.

I am an idea girl and I am gifted at strategy. I love helping other people figure out how to do what they do well, in a better way. Currently, this means helping people better communicate their story in order to improve their business.

In contrast, I have wanted to sing on Broadway since I was very young. It has been a lifelong dream. It is never going to happen, for the singular fact that I cannot carry a tune. My love for singing and my ability do not and have never matched up. Believe me when I say there is not enough vodka in Russia to get me to sing karaoke. It is that bad.

Just because something makes you happy (singing), does not mean you should make a career out of it. The sweet spot comes in finding what makes you happy AND what you do well.

You can sleep at night knowing you offer a high-quality product and service.

If you are charging for a service, you should be able to back it up with the knowledge and skill to match. Learning your industry's buzzwords so you can sound knowledgeable on your subject may fool the star-struck for a while, but it won't fool anyone else.

Last night I was working on a project and emailed two graphic designers I work with, Trisha Hay and Kelly Ashworth, to ask them to identify a font for me. They both responded right away with the exact font name. What I had spent an hour and a half trying to figure out prior to asking for their help, they could tell within seconds from just a glance, and on a small-screened iPad, no less. I told them they were amazing and Trisha replied, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, "I paid for all those type classes in college, I better be." Trisha and Kelly's abilities don't just come from being gifted in design (though they are) but from putting in the hours of the tedious work that makes them good at their craft.

If you want to be rock solid, Twitter less and pick up your camera and shoot non-assignments, take an interior design class, learn your region's fire marshal laws for venue capacity and tenting, memorize the Crane's Blue Book of Stationery Etiquette (I had to do this when I ran an invitation shop - annoying at the time, but still invaluable today), study the rules of typography, etc.

You may do 50 weddings per year, but your clients are aiming to have just one wedding over the next 50 years. It is a huge emotional investment on their part, and it needs to be one on yours as well. Respect your clients by truly knowing your craft.

Your identity is made up of more than your career.

If you claim to eat, sleep and breathe weddings, first, change your marketing, and second, get a life. Yes, you should love what you do. You should also love other things as well. Family, friends, sports, knitting groups, book clubs, gardening, cooking . . . having varied interests outside your career allows you to unplug and recharge, which makes you better focused when you return to your work. For a stronger foundation, choose to be a lifeaholic rather than a workaholic.

I am sure I have more opinions on this topic, but that's it for now. What are your thoughts? What do you think makes someone rock solid?

How to Pitch Media and Get Results

by Julianne Smith

Everyone has a particular style and a way of doing things. There isn’t a hard and fast set of rules for how to exactly get your work published because everyone and every publication is different. Editors, reporters, producers and writers are people, too. They all have a different style. With that in mind, here are a few general tips for how to pitch the media and get results:

Be You
The best pitches are authentic. Things that are written by someone else, or too formal if that isn’t your style, aren’t as effective as words that come directly from you.

Skip The Press Release
Editors are more likely to respond favorably to personal, targeted and direct pitches. If you are sending a press release to a bunch of different editors you're essentially saying, “I just want you to know about my news, I don’t want you to actually write about my news.”

Keep It Short
Editors are busy, and while your news is the most important thing to you, your e-mail is probably one of a thousand in their inbox. Keep pitches short and to the point. If an editor opens up an e-mail and it is ten paragraphs long, they will delete it. Pack your pitch with important information and if they like what they see, they will seek out more.

General Outline
Whether it is an email or phone call, here is an outline for a quick pitch: Always start by introducing yourself; give a short description of your company; say what it is that you want; provide your website for more information; and attach pictures so the designs can speak for themselves.

Ask for Something
If you are lucky enough to get an editor’s attention, make the most of it. Why are you reaching out? Just to say hi? If so, that is a waste of time and, frankly, that’s what coffee is for. If you are going to take the time to pitch an editor, be sure to actually ask for something. Don’t be rude, but make sure it is clear what you want so they know how to respond.

Do Your Research
Before you pitch, research the publication. Find out the right person to talk to and the right concept to pitch. Read past publications and think about where your company would fit in so that you can suggest it. Look to see if they have submission guidelines and follow them. Hint: if they just wrote about your topic, they aren’t going to write about it again anytime soon, so think of something different.

Target
Seek out only those editors or publications that would be a good fit for your news. Sometimes it is more about saying your news to the right person or publication than what your actual news is. If it is the right fit, you will see results.

Follow Up
It can take a few contacts to get a response. Don’t give up. If it is a feature on your target list and you really want it, don’t just assume that they don’t want it if you don’t get a response. Keep following up until they say no or yes. You don’t want to pester, but be consistent in your follow up so that they know you are eager.

I could keep this list going on and on with different tips. But, the reality is that everyone needs to find their own style. It might take a few tries to see results, so keep practicing your pitches, fine-tuning your message and working on your delivery. If it didn’t work, ask yourself if it was the message or the messenger.