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This past December, I got one of my clients featured in O (Oprah) Magazine’s gift guide.  The client was able to attribute well over $10,000 in sales in December to that one placement.  One business owner I know attributed over a million dollars in sales from an O Magazine gift guide placement.

You may not know that May is when we start our active pitching for holiday gift guide placements, because many top magazines have six or seven month lead times, and stop accepting submissions at the end of May.

On May 20, 2009, at 2 p.m. Eastern, Gift Guide Editors, Amy Bates Stumpf of the Gift List, and I will be sharing tips on how to get great holiday gift guide placements in top media outlets. If you can’t attend it live, I will be taping it for audio download, and creating an electronic transcript.

Gift Guide and Product Editors from top media outlets including Good Housekeeping, Woman’s World and more will be sharing tips and answering your questions (note:  these media folks have confirmed, but occasionally drop out at the last minute due to the demands of the media). 

While this teleseminar can be worth thousands of dollars to you, you can get the Early Bird price of only $49, if you register by 5 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, May 13, 2009.  After that, the price goes up to $99. Sign up here: http://tinyurl.com/ckoowv.

Today one of my colleagues grumbled to me about one of her clients. It seems that my colleague had helped her client grow immeasurably through her P.R. efforts, and the client had won an award.

Sounds good, right?  Well the client had the award committee send an invitation to my colleague, asking her to pay for the fancy lunch and awards ceremony.  I told her that she should recommend, as a P.R. effort, that her client buy a table and invite people who have helped her get so successful, including my colleague.  After all, what better way to thank those who have helped you than to have them participate in an event honoring you (without them footing the bill)?

Then I started thinking.  I was recently invited to a luncheon honoring a former client, who I had helped put on the map.  Granted, this client has achieved much in recent years, and probably would think that I’m overestimating my role here, but I was the one who got him his first national publicity placements, which led to bigger things soon after.  Now I’m not looking for a free lunch, but I really think that this client should have thought about inviting me as his guest.  And he should buy a table, too, for others who have supported him (maybe he already did, and I wasn’t invited).

So I’m going to let him know about this post.  And hope he doesn’t get mad, and know that I think he’s awesome and wish him the best always.

What do you think?

This past December, I got one of my clients featured in O (Oprah) Magazine’s gift guide.  The client was able to attribute well over $10,000 in sales in December to that one placement. 

You probably already realize that getting publicity in top media outlets can lead to terrific sales.

That’s why I’d like to give you a free teleseminar on getting publicity for your products.

This offer ends shortly, and you can get this $49 teleseminar as a free gift with purchase of the publication every Woman Business Owner needs, WBO Digest. We offer a 30-day money-back satisfaction guarantee on WBO Digest, but you’ll get to attend the teleseminar free of charge, no matter what your decision.

Plus, you’ll get another incredible bonus:  a free month of the WBO American Dream program (a $39 value), with discounts on great products and services, a library of teleseminars that will help you grow your  business, free business coaching, and much more!

You can choose the newsletter payment in a monthly or annual option.

To sign up for the monthly option ($9.95): http://tinyurl.com/dd2pvf

To sign up for the annual option:  $99: http://tinyurl.com/chcsge

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Try WBO Digest, and Get a Free Teleseminar To Learn How to Get Publicity for Your Products, Plus a Free Month’s Membership in the WBO American Dream Program
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As I mentioned, this past December, I got one of my clients featured in O (Oprah) Magazine’s gift guide. 

You may not know that May is when we start our active pitching for holiday gift guide placements, because many top magazines have six or seven month lead times, and stop accepting submissions at the end of May.

On May 20, 2009, at 2 p.m. Eastern, I will be sharing tips on how to get great holiday gift guide placements in top media outlets, along with my guest Amy Bates Stumpf, of the Gift List. If you can’t attend it live, I will be taping it for audio download, and creating an electronic transcript.

While the teleseminar is priced at $49, I am offering it to you for free. In addition, you can get a free month of the Women Business Owners (WBO) American Dream program, including our monthly teleseminars, discounts, and community, with the purchase of our monthly print newsletter.

What is the value of a free month’s membership in WBO American Dream?

• Teleseminar – value $49 – on a different topic of interest each month – previous transcripts in our library (which you can access) include how to grow your business with Facebook, using video in your business, hiring great independent contractors, and more
• Discounts – hundreds of dollars of discounts, from attorney fees to gifts, including 50% off my DIY P.R. products
• Fr.e.e business coaching – over a $1,000 value
• Networking with other women business owners, to get sales and ideas – priceless!
• P.R. Opportunities from my and my team’s media contacts – priceless!

Our monthly full-color print newsletter, WBO Digest, is unlike anything out there, and was created to provide Women Business Owners with quick, useful information to save them time and money.  It’s light enough to take with you when you’re on the go, and hole-punched so you can keep it in a binder for future reference.

You can view a sample of the newsletter here: http://tinyurl.com/d7q6lq

Here are some comments about the newsletter:

“What a great newsletter, Margie! Each article is informative and to the point. As a busy entrepreneur, it’s helpful to have so much useful information right at my fingertips. And, it’s also a terrific way to bring our community of female business owners closer together. Thank you!”
- Debra M. Cohen, Home Remedies of NY®, Inc., Hewlett, NY, www.HRNbiz.com

“I love the look of the newsletter. It’s easy to read and fun, also nicely laid out, not busy like some.”
- Donna Maria Coles Johnson, Indie Beauty Network, Charlotte, NC, www.indiebusinessblog.com

“I sat down with my first issue of WBO Digest and read it cover to cover — and loved it. And that’s saying a lot because I usually skim things. So, thanks, it really is a great read and I’m looking forward to more!”
- Carrie Bell, Madcapz, Larchmont, NY, www.madcapz.net

“This newsletter is amazing! Margie, you’ve done it again! There was more interesting, useful, actionable information in the first issue than other newsletters give in a whole year. Anyone looking for brilliant ideas from a super-savvy business owner needs to sign up today!”
- Wendy Guarisco,  The Guarisco Group, Atlanta, GA,  www.guariscogroup.com

So, if you’d like to get the newsletter, for a year, plus the free teleseminar and fr.e.e month of the WBO American Dream program, you have until midnight, on April 30, 2009, to sign up.

You can choose the newsletter payment in a monthly or annual option.

To sign up for the monthly option ($9.95): http://tinyurl.com/dd2pvf

To sign up for the annual option:  $99: http://tinyurl.com/chcsge

P.S. – Make sure to get your free teleseminar and month of membership in the WBO American Dream program by signing up by midnight on April 30, 2009.

 Great offer from my friend JoAnn Hines, the Packaging Diva:

 How would you like 6 leading industry experts to evaluate and critique your packaging at no charge? Yes, you heard right!
 
I’m the Packaging Diva the “go to” person in packaging. I’m one of the most connected packaging people you will ever meet.
3,500 + follow my packaging tweets on Twitter @
http://Twitter.com/packagingdiva
1,600 + follow me on LinkedIn  @ http://linkedin.com/packagingdiva and thousands read my newsletter Packaging News You Can Use.

I’m launching a new web site that’s perfect for your product packaging. I’m looking for great products and their packaging to showcase in the initial launch. The premise is simple, you post your product JPEG and description including a link back to your site and I provide the network.
 
I need your new product packaging now for my new packaging blog launch and for an EXTREMELY limited time you can have an evaluation done at no charge for the premier launch. This offer is limited to the 1st 15 respondees only.
 
Please respond via email for more details to joann@packagingdiva.com
 
Happy Packaging!
JoAnn Hines
Packaging Diva
Packaging for people and products

Personal Website: http://packagingdiva.com/

If I could do anything in the world for no pay, I would probably choose brainstorming. Yes, I love brainstorming. And I am always on the lookout for ways to make brainstorming more effective.

As more and more of us are considering or doing brainstorming over the phone, instead of in person, I wanted to share some great telephone brainstorming tips from www.effectivemeetings.com.

This is what the participants on today’s Speed Brainstorming call will use as a guideline for the session.

1. Send all attendees tips on effective listening and communicating skills, including “ask questions,” “don’t interrupt” and “don’t change the subject.”
 
2. Send all attendees a list of participants so they may address one another by name.
 
3. Before the session starts have attendees agree to recognize a sound you make – such as a whistle or knock on a table – as the sign to stop talking and allow you to take over.
 
4. Assign a scribe to record ideas and decisions. After the session send the notes to all attendees.
 
5. Make sure attendees from all locations are involved in the discussion.
 
6. Have all attendees choose a quiet location from which to participate. They shouldn’t meet from their desks unless they have a private office and won’t be disturbed.
 
7. Don’t allow anyone to speak for too long. Attendees will stop paying attention to rambling speakers, especially in a teleconference.
 
8. Attendees won’t see the scribe’s notes, so remind them throughout the session’s focus.
 
9. Take a few minutes halfway through the session to have the scribe read aloud the ideas and decisions recorded to that point. Attendees can then let you know if they agree with the decisions or if something’s been missed.
 

What is the value of a good idea?

For those of you who have attended any of my workshops or had consultations with me, you know I think fast, and love to help others with their challenges. Since this will be a group session that I will host and others can participate in, the price is really low. No challenge is too big or small. Participation is limited, to make sure that everyone gets a chance to be helped.

The date is Wednesday, April 15, 2009, at 2 p.m.

It’s $49, or free for WBO American Dream members. WBO members can sign up in the WBO American Dream community, or find out about the program at www.wboamericandream.com.  Non-members can sign up here: http://tinyurl.com/c6d26q.

While many of us (myself included) might be intimidated by the thought of using video, I can tell you from first-hand experience that it is easy.

The key is to use easy equipment (Flip Video, in my case), and to have specific uses for your business video.

My guest this month is Donna Maria Coles Johnson, who is not only a good friend and great businesswoman, but an expert in using video in business. She also recently launched an online shopping network that uses video.

Still not convinced that video is right for your business? Did you know that using video can dramatically improve your conversion rate? Take a look at these statistics:

• Of the people viewing your product or service, over half will take action, and 12% will buy (vs. ½-2% normally)
• 65% of online surfers will view a video to completion; 68% who watch online videos will pass links on to friends
• More than 65% of those watching are between 35-64; 67% have middle to high incomes

In this fast-paced, 90-minute call, we will be joined by our featured guest, Donna Maria Coles Johnson, of the Indie Beauty Network.

You will learn how to:

• Use a Webcam and/or Flip Video to take your own video
• How to use your existing software to add a few key items to your video
• Ways you can find inexpensive video production houses
• Examples of businesses using video on YouTube, and how you can, too
• Examples of businesses using video on Web sites, and how you can, too
• Examples of businesses using video on Facebook and other social networking sites
• And much more!

How Do I Sign Up?

The teleseminar is free for members of the WBO American Dream program, and $49 if purchased separately.

Seats are limited, so please sign up now. We will close the sign-ups when the seats are filled.

To sign up for the teleseminar only, please visit http://zfpr.com/public_relations_products.htm.

To learn more about the WBO American Dream program, please visit www.wboamericandream.com.

Facebook is the #1 social networking site in terms of users, surpassing MySpace in April, 2008. As of November, 2008, there are more than 200 million Facebook users, more than 50% of whom are past college.

Originally set up as a consumer social networking site, Facebook is being used increasingly by people to grow their businesses.

In this fast-paced, 60-minute call, we will be joined by our featured guest, Aliza Sherman, of Conversify.

You will learn how to:

• Set up an effective personal Facebook account/profile and business page

• Use Facebook to drive traffic to your Website

• Connect with people you would normally not be able to have access to

• Strategically participate on Facebook to drive business

• Decide who to invite and accept as Friends

• Manage the amount of time you spend on Facebook

• And much more!

How Do I Sign Up?

The teleseminar is free for members of the WBO American Dream program, and $49 if purchased separately.

By signing up, you can listen in live and ask questions. If you can’t make the date, you can still sign up and you’ll receive the audio that you can download or listen to from our Web site.

The date of the live teleseminar is February 17, 2009, at 2 p.m. Eastern.

Seats are limited, so please sign up now. We will close the sign-ups when the seats are filled.

To sign up for the teleseminar only, please visit http://zfpr.com/public_relations_products.htm.

To learn more about the WBO American Dream program, please visit http://www.wboamericandream.com/.

Refunds are available until February 15, 2009.

Linda Lopeke, member of the WBO American Dream program, has made a very generous offer.  Thanks, Linda! If you are one of the first 100 members to join the WBO American Dream program, your membership will include enrollment in the award-winning SMARTSTART Business Success mentoring program at no additional charge! (The annual fee for a seat in this business program is $1,188.) And, as long as you stay continuously enrolled in SMARTSTART, that will be your fee for life… $0. To learn more, visit www.wboamericandream.com.

Lately I have posted several queries for sources and information on Help a Reporter Out (HARO) – www.helpareporter.com – for articles I’m writing for WBO Digest (www.wboamericandream.com).   So, I’ve been on the reporter side of the fence, instead of the P.R. side.

I got many responses, some great, some not so great. I thought providing you with reasons why I didn’t use certain sources might be helpful to you in understanding why your media pitches (to any media outlet) might not be used – and, of course, how to make them better:

1. No Information – You told me you had “great information” to share, and to contact you.  I don’t have time for that, and instead used sources who provided that information to me.

2. Partial Information – You give me part of a great story, and say you’ll provide more if I contact you. I don’t have time for that either.

3. Contact Information – You didn’t provide me with all of your contact information, including full name, city, state/country, business name, phone number.  I didn’t have time to go digging around for it.

4. Attachments – You sent me your response in an attachment, which clogs up my Inbox or gets sent to my spam folder.  You needed to cut and paste your response and include it in your email. 

5. Geography – I had too many sources from your city, state, country, and I wanted more geographic diversity.

6. Presentation – You sent me tons of great info, but it’s not sent in a way I can quickly read. Here are some of the best ways to send the information:

•  Q&A – Include my questions and your answers 

•   Provide answers with bullet points or numbers

•  Offer more details at the bottom, in case I want the “long version”  

7. Deadline – You sent in your information after the deadline, and I already got 50 responses, so I don’t have time to look at yours.

8. Typos – You sent me a response with many spelling errors.  One spelling error I can usually overlook; several start to bother me. And I’m probably more lenient than most reporters out there.

9. Selling – You give me information on your business, but don’t answer my question, hoping that I’ll just write a profile on you.  Not happening – just irritating!

10. Uniqueness – You gave me information, but it wasn’t interesting, unique or different enough for me to include.

 If getting great P.R. is your goal, spend some time making sure your pitches work.  You’ll have more success getting placements and growing your business!