One of the most common dilemmas I encounter with many clients is the preconceived notions of what it takes to make sales. The problem with these preconceived notions is that they often misdirect people into thinking there is empirical evidence that lays out the sales cycle in absolutes. But, that just doesn’t exist.

So, what IS real? Exposure is a real tangible element in a marketing and sales cycle, because without it, you can’t sell a thing. Just as a candle under a bucket yields no light, a product or service that no one knows about will yield no sales. People have to know about you to do business with you.

Whether you are selling a book, a product or a service – exposure is the first and primary goal of marketing. While exposure doesn’t guarantee sales, any hope of generating sales can only result from getting in front of your potential consumer. But, when your product receives that coveted exposure to the masses, the X-factors in play become whether or not consumers will like what they see. Your product will either be exactly what the consumer is looking for, or it won’t. Read more →

You know what hard work is. You’ve put in the long hours, worked late into the night, done more working than eating during the lunch hour—all to ensure the success of your business.

You may be thinking about what else you can do to get the news of your products or services more broadly known within your target market. Or, you might be brainstorming future steps to expand your business and make it even more successful. Read more →

Are Consumer News Publications Better Than Trade Publications For Reaching Your Target Market?

I’ll admit that sometimes they make me feel guilty.

They sit in the corner of my desk, ignored, orphaned and gathering dust.  They arrive on time, every month, and I push them aside in favor of more mission-critical tasks.  I really don’t throw them away until they start piling too high for me to see over them, but I feel guilty when I discard them without looking at them. Read more →

If So, Don’t Miss This Window of Opportunity for Media Coverage

I know, I know…the holidays are upon us. And we are all scrambling to get everything done at this busy time of year – professionally and personally. Read more →

One of the universal truths of PR is that it can help anyone, any company, any business in any industry. There is not a single commercial enterprise that cannot benefit from the power of public relations, and the scope of PR is limited only by the scope of the media.

Advertising is constantly changing, and what works today will likely not work tomorrow. Advertising resides in the realm of paid space, and so its only purpose is to serve the needs of the advertiser. Read more →

The Value of Web-Based Press Shines As Newspaper Readership Declines

If you’re an old newspaper hound, it’s not a pretty sight.

The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC), the standard-bearer of newspaper and print publication circulation reporting, just reported a couple of weeks ago that newspaper circulation for the six months ending Sept. 30 dropped 10.6 percent from the same period in 2008, with a 7.5 percent dip on Sundays. Read more →

Zen and the Art of PR For Consultants and Small Businesses

Public relations is by far the most affordable and effective marketing tool available for small businesses and consultants. That’s a bold statement, but perfectly reasonable when you know the facts. I can’t tell you how many times I am approached by entrepreneurs who ask me, “Can I afford to do PR?” I always answer the same way: “You can’t afford NOT to do PR.” Read more →

This is the third in the 3-part series of my interview with David Meerman Scott. As you know by now, David is the author of the number-one bestseller “The New Rules of Marketing and PR” (Wiley…published in 22 languages) and his hit new book “World Wide Rave” (Wiley).

David is an internationally recognized viral marketing strategist and speaker at conferences and corporate events around the world. Read more →

Last week I shared Part 1 of my interview with David Meerman Scott. As a recap, David is the author of the number-one bestseller “The New Rules of Marketing and PR” (Wiley…published in 22 languages) and his hit new book “World Wide Rave” (Wiley). David is an internationally recognized viral marketing strategist and speaker at conferences and corporate events around the world. Read more →

A short while ago I interviewed David Meerman Scott, author of the number-one bestseller “The New Rules of Marketing and PR” (Wiley…published in 22 languages) and his hit new book “World Wide Rave” (Wiley). David is an internationally recognized viral marketing strategist and speaker at conferences and corporate events around the world. Read more →