Learn PR Tips From Pros Around the Globe This Week

Learn from a group of global PR pros during Global PR Blog Week 2.0, a free week long online event.

What is Global PR Blog Week 2.0? Basically, it's a blog where a group of PR pros will publish 70 articles, podcasts and papers from September 19 to September 23, 2005. The articles are free and anyone can participate via comments, asking questions, etc. Learn more from the Global PR Blog Week 2.0 About page. You can also check out the archives from the first event, held in 2004.

The entire program is available online. Librarians might be especially interested in:

September 21:

• Customer Generated Marketing: from Mayhem to Marketing. Why WOM is back on marketers'’ agenda and how to make it work for their brands by Joël Céré.
  
• Consumer Generated Marketing: The Customer is always right by Kevin Dugan.

September 22:

• Easter Seals & Camping case study - Implementing blogs to engage donors, parents and consumers (campers) by Robert French.
• Blogs for Events - blogs offer a cost-effective solution for non-profits to promote, cover, discuss and wrap-up events by Josh Hallett.

Word of Mouth Marketing That's No Accident

The Library Marketing - Thinking Outside the Book blog points to an interesting article on MarketingProfs.com called How to Create the Accidental Evangelist by Sean D'Souza. I agree that little things done at just the right time can make a big difference.

It's the really simple, yet genuine, things that make a difference to me. The generic birthday card from a company you barely do business with feels pointless and fake. I just got some more of them last week and I thought, what a waste of a stamp!

Today, decent service can sometimes seem remarkable because it's so rare. I don't understand people who can't at least reign in their grumpiness on the job. I mean, sure, everyone has bad days at work. But even when I'm having a bad day, I try not to take it out on the people I work with, or for (i.e. customers). But I don't get that in return often when I'm the customer. I'm usually happy if a salesperson, waiter, etc. is friendly. Not overly gushy, just naturally friendly. It's something that's so simple, but it also makes such a big difference.

Understanding Your Users' Mindset

LISNews recently pointed to Beliot College's Mindset list for the Class of 2009, whose members were born in 1987. I find these lists intriguing. I'm not sure how accurate and helpful they are, but they sure are fun to read. I doubt anyone from the Class of 2009 reads this blog to let me know how true the list is, but if I'm wrong, let me know!

The closest one to when I graduated college is 2002, which is still three years after I graduated. (there goes the mystique about my age). Can people who are just three years longer than me really be so different?

Here's how I differ:
#8 - I vividly remember being in school and watching the Challenger blow up. Very sad.
#10 - Knew what polio is because my best friend's grandpa had it.
#12-#14 - Had records and a record player, maybe that's why I understand the lingo in #13?
#15 - Pac Man - yes, Pong - no.
#21-#25 - Apparently my family is old-school because we had a black and white TV when I was little, no cable, no answering machine, my grandma had a beta, and I WAS the remote.
#32 - I saw Jaws while on vacation in Florida. Not a great idea, mom.
#36 - I remember watching Mork and Mindy.
#41 - So not true.
#42 - No again.

Usability 101

Market research and usability go hand-in-hand, don't you think? I can't remember where I saw this link, but the University of Minnesota Duluth's IT Department created this interesting list of usability resources.

Know What Your Reporter Wants

Chicago Sun-Times reporter Jim Ritter recently discussed what he wants from PR people with Joe King in a PR Newswire article. Even if you're not a full-time PR person, it's worth remembering Ritter's tips. You've probably heard them before, but another reminder never hurts.

Ritter's key points:

• Know what beat(s) your reporter covers.
• Know how the reporter prefers to receive information.
• When e-mailing reporters, use a short and sweet subject line.
• Never, ever e-mail an unsolicited attachment. (This rule isn't just for reporters, think twice before e-mailing a big attachment to anyone. And remember that files size is relative to the speed of the recipient's Internet access).
• As Joan Stewart suggests, find out the best time to call each reporter and the worst time.
• If you put your news releases on the Web, make sure contact information is accurate and easy to find.
  

[Thanks to Joan Stewart's "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week" free ezine for the link. Subscribe at www.PublicityHound.com]

New Month, New Marketing Treasures

The August issue of Chris Olsen's Marketing Treasures e-newsletter is online now.

Writer Says Library Databases Are Useful, But Hard to Find

Check out the positive article on using the library's online databases, "Google Isn't Everything" by Stephen Manes on Forbes.com.

Manes warns of the most common complaint with library databases:

"None of these databases is perfect, since most were initially designed for trained librarians rather than mere flailing mortals, so the user interfaces can be daunting until you get the hang of them."

Manes also calls for libraries to do a better job of promoting their online resources:

My biggest complaint is that some libraries' Web sites don't detail the amazing range of services they offer online until you cough up a card number. Memo to those insular institutions: Put the info in the shop windows out front and I bet you'll see a lot more card-carrying customers walking through the electronic doors.

This isn't the first time we've heard this (see advice from Gary Price in this article) and it won't be the last. Even if you have a link on your home page about your library's electronic resources, you still need to repeat your promotional messages seven times for users to start noticing. [Thanks to ResourceShelf for the tip]

ALA Announces 2006 National Library Week Grant

ALA recently announced the 2006 Scholastic Library Publishing National Library Week Grant. The $5,000 grant will be awarded to the single library with the best public awareness campaign incorporating the official campaign theme 'Change Your World @ your library' during NLW 2006 (April 2-8, 2006).

All types of libraries and library organizations are welcome to apply. See ALA's press release for complete details.

Merchandising the Library In NJ

Interested about incorporating merchandising tactics in the library? Learn from the experiences of Mount Laurel Library, New Jersey. (Thanks to ALA's PRTALK list for the tip).

Also see the article "Retail Interior Layout for Libraries" by Christie Koontz in Marketing Library Services (January/February 2005).

Speaking the Same Language

Podcasting, RSS, and phishing. What do these terms have in common? According to a July 2005 Pew Internet & American Life Project report, most people have no idea what any of these terms mean. The fact that podcasting and RSS are not understood doesn't come as a surprise, but with all the media attention the topic of identity theft is getting, I was surprised that only 29% of American Internet users "have a good idea" of the meaning of phishing.

How do you think library jargon would fare in a similar study?

Need ideas? Check out the gallery!

Need ideas for fall promotions? Want to see marketing tactics from other academic libraries? Then the OhioLINK Idea Gallery is the place for you. Now the Gallery has even more ideas and inspiration. We (meaning the OhioLINK Marketing Task Force) recently added a ton of new pieces including bookmarks, flyers, posters, brochures, promotional products and more.

I'm especially fond of the large array of Research posters that many OhioLINK libraries have created and produced themselves. You can see some of them here. If only ALA Graphics would offer posters that feature celebrities and a message thats relevant for academic libraries, like research. Wouldn't that interest academic libraries nationwide more than the current Read posters? Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the Read posters, they're well done. But academic libraries need a different message than "Read."

Resource Round-Up

I know I've been quiet lately, but I've still been collecting the interesting things I've found online and offline. Here's a resource-roundup so I can finally catch up:

• Find Out About Helsinki's Information To Go Station Library Journal. June 15, 2005) According to the Library Journal the barrel iGS (Information Gas Station) has been placed in train stations to conferences. The LJ article also states that the Helsinki Library was the first to win Bill and Melinda Gates annual $1 million award. And I'm not just mentioning this because I think Finns rock. Though they do of course.


• The latest issue of Ragan's Grapevine (a free e-newsletter from Ragan Communications) includes Please Release Me a reminder of press release basics. You can view and sign up for all of Ragan's free newsletters here.


• If you haven't heard, the June 2005 issue of Chris Olson's Marketing Treasures newsletter is out. There's some good articles in this issue.

• Looking for a unique fundraiser, take a trick from the University of Tennessee Libraries and have a fun run. More than 130 runners participated in the run this February. (from C&RL News).

• The Loose Wire blog lists some dos and don't of dealing with journalists online (thanks to PR Opinions for the link).

• How do you get men to join a book club? Make it about sports. The Smithtown Public Library, NY, is hosting what it believes to be the first all-male book club. (via Library Hotline, March 16, 2005).
  

Ok, that's all the catching up I can handle for tonight.

Rev Up Your Readership

Ann Wylie's free e-newsletter, Revving Up Readership, contains tips and advice on improving your writing. You can subscribe and read it yourself online. To get a taste of Ann's tips visit her online article archive. Some articles to check out:

• Cut Through the Clutter: Four Ways to Make Your Copy Easier to Read and Understand
• Position Your Information Into Your Reader's Best Interest
• Creativity Toolbox: Jump-Start the Creativity Process and Come Up with Out-of-the-Box Ideas
  

The Art of Good Writing

I'm hesitating a moment before writing this because I know people that live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. And when it comes to writing, I certainly live in a glass house. However, writing is such a fundamental part of public relations and marketing that improving that skill is well worth the effort. So here's a few sources of writing tips that I felt were good reminders.

• "Does Your Writing Suck?" Expert PR Newsletter. May 2005.
• This short article describes e-mail no-nos, but the tips apply to any medium. My favorite tips: 1. Lose the all caps. Figure you get one word in all caps per day. 2. No exclamation points - ever.
  

Number one is a cinch for me because I absolutely, positively hate all caps. Oh, it's fine for emphasizing the rare single word but anything beyond that is just annoying. As far as never using exclamation points, well that may be a little harsh. I happen to have a strong fondness for the exclamation point. It's my favorite piece of punctuation. I agree, however, that a little e.p. goes a long way. Using too many exclamation points makes me think someone is either on uppers or is trying too hard.

• Plain English Campaign Site - Your messages won't be received if the audience can't understand them, so keep it simple. Best tips:
• Keep your sentences short
• Use active verbs
• Choose appropriate words for your audience
• Use positive language

These are all great tips to keep in mind when writing for any purpose.

Using Brand Colors Consistently is a Tip to Treasure

The May edition of Marketing Library Treasures by Chris Olson is now online. I've mentioned this resource before but I'm mentioning it again in case (1) you don't read my archives (nah, I'm sure that can't be...) and (2) there's a good article about "The Role of Color in Branding."

Some of Chris' color branding tips are:

-Make sure the color supports your brand’s attributes.
-Select a color that can be relevant to your primary audiences.
-Maintain the same shade and hue in your brand color.
-Display your brand color to all members of your community, inside and outside the organization.
-Ensure that color branding is consistently applied at every turn.
-Make sure all materials and items carry the brand color

When it comes to branding using all your branding elements consistenly is key. This includes color, font, logo, etc.

Usability Testing On a Budget

Chris Nagele's article, "Practical (and Cheap) Usability Testing," on MarketingProfs.com explains how you can conduct your own usability testing without a big budget.

Nagele breaks usability testing down to four steps:

1. Define tasks and location
2. Identify and schedule participants
3. Conduct the tests
4. Review your findings

Nagele reminds us that

...you don't need a large budget for simple usability testing. Make the participant comfortable, ask open-ended questions and learn from the [participants'] confusion.

Do Your PR Materials Need a Makeover?

LAMA's Swap-N-Shop committee is sponsoring an interesting contest at ALA this year. You could win a brochure makeover by noted library communicators Linda Wallace and Peggy Barber from Library Communication Strategies.

The PR Makeover is a new addition to the Swap-N-Shop at ALA's Annual Conference and is sponsored by the Swap & Shop Committee, from the Public Relations and Marketing Section of the Library Administration Management Association division of the American Library Association.

To be eligible for the PR Makeover contest, send two copies of your library brochure to librarycomm@librarycomm.com or LAMA PRMS PR Makeover, 5109 Ravenswood Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60640.

Three entries will be chosen for a makeover. Makeovers, including the before-and-after brochures will be on display during the ALA Conference on Sunday, June 26, 2005 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

See the official announcement for complete details.

Two Interesting Library Marketing Articles

In case you missed it, Gary Price's ResourceShelf pointed out two articles that might be of interest:

1. Manager Educates Library Patrons by Greg DeLong (NYU NewsNet)

Favorite quote: "Call him a library communications guru. Call him a manager of communications and public relations. Just don’t call him a librarian."

2. Marketing an Online Library Service by news staff (Government Technology)
Explains how staff marketed L-net, a 24 hour online chat reference service. Be sure to check out the L-net marketing wiki!

Jazzy PR Materials Wanted for Conference Swap-N-Shop

The Library Administration and Management Association (LAMA) Public Relations and Marketing Section is inviting libraries of all types to send 150-200 copies of their Swap & Shop display and give-away featuring the best library public relations materials of 2004. This year's program, entitled "Hit the Right Note with Jazzy PR," will be held on Sunday, June 26, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the American Library Association (ALA) Conference in Chicago.

Swap & Shop submissions must have been created in 2004. To have your materials included, ship 150-200 copies of each item to: Swap & Shop, c/o Dollester Thorn, LAMA, 50 E. Huron Street, Chicago, IL, 60611, 1800-4-2433, ext. 5032. Materials must be postmarked no later than Friday, June 3, 2005 [via PRTalk dicussion list]

Silverman Asks: Do Journalists Read Press Releases?

Ben Silverman, from PR Fuel, surveyed journalists at daily newspapers in order to find out what they think about certain aspects of PR.

The purpose of the survey was simple - to gather some quick insight into how journalists receive press releases, whether and where they read them, and how journalists view weblogs and online press rooms.

Some of the same old mistakes PR people and anyone seeking publicity make were mentioned again. Tips:

• Don't send press releases as attachments - EVER
• Do use a relevant, attention grabbing headline
• Do ask the media representatives you contact how they prefer to receive your news. Some, but not all, prefer to receive news by e-mail. Others still rely on faxes or mail. Find out!
  
• Don't send media news on a topic they don't cover
• Do post your press releases and contact information on your Web site
• Don't expect the media to use a "contact us" form

[Thanks to Tom Murphy at PR Opinions for the link]

And now LibTalk will be on hiatus while I'm on vacation. See you next week!