Is Any Publicity Good Publicity?
Posted by: Allison in: ● July 19, 2010
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“There is no such thing as bad press.” Everyone has heard that quote, and while some publicists and public relations firms would defend this statement, others would argue against it to the point of hostile debate.
So is any publicity good publicity? it depends largely on if you are simply looking for attention or if you are looking for positive attention and a specifically crafted image for your brand. We are all familiar with parents whp refuse to give a disorderly child any negative attention, by disregarding their tantrums and mischeif while giving positive re-inforcement for proper behavior. If you want your brand to look like a disorderly child to potential clients, customers and the general public then bad press might be of value to you. That is not a joke, but a true statement. Think about rock n’roll bands, eccentric artists, and the like. many of them would indeed fall into this category. Unfortunately, most of us don’t have that kind of freedom to play with our image.
Good public relations is not just about bringing attention to a brand, but about crafting a brand’s image so that when the public thinks of that brand, they associate certain images and ideals with that brand. Sometimes, as tempting as it may be, you cannot accept every media request that comes down the pike. If you look at media coverage and a media image as a secondary career that will boost and bolster your primary career you have to give thought and direction to public relations and media opportunities. Would you take any job that comes your way? Would you work with any client or customer, no matter how inappropriate they might be for you? Public Relations campaigns are similar in that way.
Knowing what your brand stands for and what it does not is a component of your public relations campaign that must be agreed upon with your public relations firm so that you can navigate the media to achieve a certain level of recognition in your market while upholding the integrity of your brand.
Does Public Relations Automatically Lead To More Sales?
Posted by: Allison in: ● June 30, 2010
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Does Public Relations Automatically Lead To More Sales? Thi is a tricky one. A client signs on with a public relations firm in hopes of shining a spotlight on their product or service with the ultiate goal of generating more business. Let’s face it, getting press is nice, but you can’t feed your family with bragging rights. Ultimately, a public relations campaign has to pull its weight in dollars and cents.
The answer is, if the publicity that is achieved is directly in line with the best possible PR outlets for your company and if the press is achieved in a targeted demograhic, you have the best possible chance of turning public relations into sale$. The kind of press that is best for upping a company’s sales is not always what the public relations client wants. There in lies a giant conflict. For instance, if an automotive company had to choose between being featured on Good Morning America or being featured in a popular automotive magazine or blog they might likely choose GMA, but the niche media placement would likely serve them better in instant sales.
If a drugstore cosmetics line had the choice between being featured in a market page of Allure Magazine or a media spotlight column in a CVS or Rite Aid bulluten, they make likely choose Allure, but the glossy image of their product in the high-end beauty magazine is a misfire for reaching their target market.
Vanity public relations has its place when it comes to attracting more press and investors, but an instant sales spike is not as likely, so for this reason when embarking on a public relations campaign, goals and expectations must be sketched out and agreed upon before a company invests that monthly PR retainer.
Beauty PR, Beauty Public Relations
Posted by: Allison in: ● May 10, 2010
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Beauty public relations is probably, truth be told, the most fun for any publicist to do, simply because skin care, color cosmetics, hair care, you name it… makes every woman feel special and pampered. Even something as simple as buying a new scented body lotion can sometimes make you feel almost as though you have had a makeover. Add to that, a great self tanner and a new tinted lip gloss and you feel like a million bucks! Am I lying?
The drawback to purchasing any beauty products or even in publicizing beauty products is in sorting though all of the clutter. How do you do that? Whether you are a PR firm who is handling a beauty account or simply a consumer heading to your local Sephora, CVS pharmacy or department store beauty counter, every brand claims to have the best beauty line on the market and you just don’t know where to begin or where to spend your dollars. It can be overwhleming and turn something fun into a daunting task. So, I break it down as follows. Specifically speaking, my I am handling beauty public relations and promoting a beauty brand or beauty line, I break it down by product. It is not as easy to get an entire beauty or cosmetics brand noticed as it is to get one super star product noticed amongst the clutter. it is all about piece mealing by product. For example, as someone who has done the leg work I can tell you this:
Victoria’s Secret, beleive it or not, makes the best mascara
MAC makes the best lip colors, just in terms of pigmant and texture they are pretty superior
SUN, in my opinion, makes the best, most natural looking self-tanner and I recommend the SUN cream for the face neck and chest areas and their foam for the entire body application.
NARS makes incredible blush (both powder and cream/powder in a stick). And their highlighters make your skin glow. I recommend “Orgasm” powder blush and cream blush in a stick form
Eye color and eye pencils, I am a huge fan of Chanel
For those with sensitive skin look no further than Clinique. Clinique will not steer you wrong and their color cosmetics are pretty good. I actually really like their lip closses, especially berry blush.
So there you have it. I am not brand loyal! I go for the best possible beauty product. When I am doing public relations for a beauty brand I always ask to try to line and I pick out about 3 superstars out of the whole product bunch and we tout the genius of those particular products and why they are a must have in every woman’s makeup bag. If you have a beauty brand think about which product you ar emost proud of and which brand is really the anchor of the entire line. Which product did you really nurture to make it superior in the market? Once identifying your stand out product you are ready to promote it to editors, bloggers, buyers and consumers. Why do women have to have it? What beauty problem does it fix and why or how?
When to Part Ways With a Public Relations Client
Posted by: Allison in: ● March 16, 2010
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So, this can actually apply to any business, not just a public relations agency or ghostwriting agency like mine. In the past I have had to deal with all kinds of personalities when doing public relations work or writing or marketing work for people. Obviously, you cannot love everyone, that is unrealistic. However, once in a blue moon you are bound to run into an abusive client, and if you have already experienced it then you know what I mean. Like I said, this can apply to any industry, not just a public relations agency. My father has experienced it many many times over the years in the tire industry, with one notable exception: he gives them the tires, they give him the money and it’s basically over. In a service oriented business it is different, it is more about relationships; how you relate to people and how they relate to you.
I have been working in the public relations and marketing industry for about a decade and during that time have worked with and for many different kinds of people, and as I said above every so often I have worked for someone who is abusive. In the past I stuck it out because I thought that was what you were supposed to do. Wrong. Now, at the ripe old age of 35 I hear my late grandfather’s words in my ears when he said to me, “Me and my partner made a lot of money in the lighting business, and we never worked with anyone we didn’t want to work with. If they were nasty or a pain in the a** we told them to take a hike.” Bottom line: no one can ever buy you for a buck. Work hard, yes! Be humble, yes! But never allow anyone to bark at you, talk down to you or bully you. Tell them to take their money and have a nice day. I ain’t worth it.
I used to be good friends with comedian Dave Chappelle and one day back in 1999 we had lunch together in LA, and then we were having a heart to heart talk about business, of which at the time I knew nothing. He was complaining that although he was fairly successful and fairly comfortable financially he said he did not have “F*** You money.” Hmmm, interesting. I didn’t have ANY money at that time, so this went right over my head 
. But the concept of f*** you money stuck with me, and when do you have it?
If you can pay your bills, and you are living then you have it. We should all reserve the right to say f*** you; both rich and middle class alike.
Never let anyone own your dignity, at any price or in any business, public relations agency owners included.
xo