October was National Cyber Security Awareness Month
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The Department of Homeland Security established October as National Cyber Security Awareness Month to educate the public and businesses about cyber security.

Stephen Morris, Community Moderator for the Small Business Association’s (SBA) blog recently wrote a blog about this initiative. Below are some of the highlights.

Mr. Morris notes nine (9) steps your business can take to improve your cyber security. He provided great detail for each of the steps which you can read in their entirety by clicking here.

  1. Use the FCC’s Small Biz Cyber Planner to create a cyber security plan and establish cyber-security rules for your employees
  2. Protect against viruses, spyware, and other malicious code
  3. Educate employees about safe social media practices
  4. Manage and assess risk
  5. Download and install software updates when they are available
  6. Make backup copies of important business data and information
  7. Control physical access to computers and network components
  8. Secure Wi-Fi networks

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As we constantly use our computers and the various mobile devices, as well as Wi-Fi connections – we all need to be aware of the risks and how we can protect our identities, our businesses and ourselves.

The SBA provides a lot of useful information for starting and managing your business. The information is free – so there’s no excuse not to visit the site to get the information you need to protect your business investment.

Be More Visible – Create a Video
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Video sharing is becoming increasingly more popular. They’re not just for family sharing anymore, but businesses are using video to sell their products and services. Video can help you introduce yourself and your business to potential customers online via your website, YouTube, Vimeo or even in your email.

Using a video, you can include your staff, provide a walk-through of your offices, show employees working and interacting, share information to potential employees, and much more. You can also show your customers how your product or service is manufactured and/or how it works.

Are you a nonprofit organization? Do you have a story to tell? Be creative. Use video to show potential donors why their money is needed and how the funds will be used.

If you have funds to put towards developing your video, research video production companies in your area. Get links to review videos they have completed before making your decision. Ask for references to contact.

On a tight budget? Think about producing the video yourself. You are not producing a full-fledged movie – but a three to five minute video. Put together a strategy and a script and then figure out who will be the “on-air” person to present your concept. Also, keep your audience in mind and develop your strategy around that.

Need a few ideas? Go to YouTube and do a keyword search to see if others have developed a video similar to what you have in mind. This will help you create yours.

Once you have your video completed, you can use a video editing program to insert text, overlays, even music.  A free program on most PCs is Windows Movie Maker.

When your video is finally ready, you can upload it to Youtube, Vimeo or another video storage website. Most, if not all – come with additional editing functionality such as annotations (text bubbles that are overlaid on the video while it’s playing) and embed codes for embedding the videos on your website.

To take advantage of search engine optimization (SEO), be sure to complete as many fields as possible in the video information such as title, subtitle and/or captions, description, keywords, and category.

Use “share buttons” to share your video to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and  other social networks to which you belong.

Creating a video should be a fun project. Don’t make it too complicated. Do put together your strategy first so you can keep on track. Just don’t forget to have fun with it.

Be More Visible – Be Ever So Helpful
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We covered seven tips on how you can be helpful and gain visibility at the same time. Below are six more “helpful” tips:

  1. Participate. When the question arises, “Who wants to be part of our new initiative to …” make sure your name is on the list. It’s another opportunity to connect and be more visible.
  2. Respond. When you receive a complaint about your product or service, respond to all inquiries. Work hard to correct any insufficiencies or deficiencies.
    • Answer all questions or inquiries when someone calls or writes about your product or service. Don’t ignore it. They will appreciate your responsiveness.
    • Return the phone call or email preferably in less than 24 hours. Even if it’s to leave a voice mail. If you have to call at 3 a.m. to leave a message, do it. Your attention to the matter is what’s important.
  3. Offer your professional advice/assistance. Sign up to be a resource for other small businesses in your area of expertise. Organizations like the Small Business Administration’s SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) and professional associations are always on the lookout for professional assistance.
  4. Do what no one else wants to do. When you hear, “We can’t find anyone else to do it…” find out why (there may be a barrier that’s difficult to overcome). If you can help…do it. It may take work, but you can definitely position yourself as the person who came in and turned a situation around.
  5. Befriend a journalist in your area of expertise. As you read your local or national publication, notice who writes the articles about your industry. Call or email them. Give tips and article suggestions. Writers are always looking for leads and people to interview. Why can’t you be the expert they contact to substantiate their work?
  6. Perform an RAK – Random Act of Kindness. Though most of these tips encourage you to toot your own horn, take time to do something without notice or fanfare. You will still be more visible, trust me.

Be More Visible – Be Informative
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Whether it’s a blog, Facebook message, tweet on Twitter or an update on LinkedIn, always be truthful and avoid overkill.

  1. Write a blog or an article. Start with a trade magazine. Send a tweet. Inform your clients and potential clients about what your company is doing, the latest advancements in your industry and general information. Comment on blogs. Search your industry or area of expertise and read what others are saying. Post your comments and links to your blog site.
  2. Post it. Always put the information in your blog and on your business Facebook page. Remember to tweet your followers and let your connections on LinkedIn know about it.
  3. Conduct a seminar or demonstration. If you know, what you know, what you know… then share it. It’s one of the best ways to boost your credibility. Not sure of where to begin? Start with your local community. Many offer a variety of classes to residents and non-residents, such as computer literacy, tax tips, retirement strategies, cooking, health and fitness and, “how to start a business.”
  4. Produce a video. Make it short and to the point. Post it on your website, YouTube or make a DVD to sell or give away.
  5. Send a press release to the media. Are you offering a new product or service? Are you proud of an accomplishment? Is a special event planned? Do you have a great human-interest story that involves your product or service? Let the media know. They are always looking for positive stories.
  6. Write a book(let). Pass along your knowledge and pay it forward. Speak about your book. Mention that you are an author on your email page, business card or website. When you meet someone, tell them about your book. Now is not the time to be shy. Have a book signing. These can be held at coffee shops, in bookstores (obvious), out of your car (not so obvious). Always carry books with you and always be ready to talk about it. People are thirsty for knowledge and will be happy to take a drink from you.
  7. Write a white paper (or whitepaper). These are authoritative reports or guided that often addresses issues and how to solve them. White papers are not as costly as books (many are downloadable from websites), yet they can be very useful to the end user.
  8. Pick up the phone. Call a former client. Call a potential client. Just call. Remind them that you are still around and available for business.

Be More Visible – Be Helpful – Part I
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If the Beatles can, “get by with a little help from my friends,” so can strangers.

  1. Volunteer. You can begin at your child’s or neighborhood school. Do more than attend a neighborhood event.
    • Help. Many companies have service days where they choose a charity to help for the day. Volunteer your business. Your company is now more visible to the community since the event is often written in community papers and newsletters. It’s a win-win.
    • Community organizations and non-profits can use your assistance. Choose your favorite charity(ies) and offer to help with a fundraising campaign, event or daily task. Help from caring friends is always welcome.
  2. Be a mentor. Offer to help someone new to your field. You cannot be at the top of your game forever. Everyone needs someone to help get him or her to the next level. Think about the people who helped you.  Take a new college graduate or business owner under your wings. Contact them on a regular basis. Take them to lunch or dinner as time permits. We are never too far ahead in our careers to help along someone else.
  3. Serve on a non-profit or professional organization’s board. Many non-profit organizations can use your help. Boards are the people who set the policies for these organizations. Many non-profits cannot operate without board members. Volunteer your expertise to an organization for which you have passion. Many large non-profits (like hospitals) and for-profit businesses pay board members for their time and expertise.
    • Become the president. When asked to assume leadership of an organization, accept the challenge. It always looks good on your resume and shows your leadership initiative.
    • Not yet ready for the presidency? Serve in other leadership capacities such as vice-president, secretary or treasurer. Your service is always needed.
  4. Speak. Professional organizations are always searching for speakers to present at their monthly or weekly meetings. Search your industry for local opportunities with colleges and universities, Kiwanis Clubs, and business and human services organizations.
  5. Teach. Those who know, teach. With many junior and community colleges, you may need a bachelors or masters degree to teach a class in your field. It’s a great way to be more visible, and an opportunity for you to continue to stay current        in your industry.
  6. Give something away. Everyone likes a sale. However, they love that four-letter word “free” even better. Give away items that have your company logo, website and phone number. Be creative. Step beyond the cup and pen. Can you think of other items?
    • Offer to give items as “bag stuffers” at events. Call your local visitors and convention bureau and find out what convention is scheduled.
    • Mail them to potential customers.
  7. Criticize. Constructively. When you have an opportunity to help someone (instead of tearing them down), your comments or suggestions are often appreciated.

Customer Satisfaction and Negative Social Media Don’t Mix
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One bad customer experience + One Tweet = Disaster

Immediately after contact, many companies offer customer satisfaction surveys to their customers both online and by phone. For example, some surveys may ask, how well the representative handled the call or if the problem was resolved. Or, you may visit a website and within a few seconds a “pop up” window asks you to participate in an online survey. It asks you to rate the website, if navigation was easy, if the information was easy to locate and how quickly the information was found. Hospitals and healthcare facilities are offering patient surveys that inquire about patient wait times, how patients were greeted, how the doctors performed and the overall satisfaction of health care.

Before social media, most people called or wrote a company to share their frustration and dissatisfaction with a product or service. The chances that someone at the company called or wrote back were slim to none. Now, we have Facebook and Twitter – two powerful resources for immediately venting frustrations out to the universe. One tweet on Twitter could end up as a “Retweet” or be “Retweeted” five times or 100 times. It could then be “Liked” and “Shared” on Facebook. Before you know it, the information has gone viral and everyone is sharing how awful the company’s product or customer experience was.

The 2012 American Express® Global Customer Service Barometer was conducted in the U.S. and ten other countries, exploring consumer attitudes and preferences toward customer service.  The results found that the greatest amount of influence came from customers who have used social media for customer service.  They also indicated that those customers will tell approximately 53 people about a bad customer experience.  Forty-six percent were found to vent their frustration about a poor service experience.

In the 2012 survey, eight in ten (79%) Americans cited the following Big Four Service Gripes as their reason for switching brands:

1)      Rudeness:  An insensitive or unresponsive customer service representative – 33%

2)      Passing the Buck:  Being shuffled around with no resolution of the issue – 26%

3)      The Waiting Game:  Waiting too long to have an issue resolved – 10%

4)      Being Boomeranged:  Forced to continually follow up on an issue – 10%

In addition to having a well-trained customer service staff, someone should monitor customer satisfaction from a social media perspective. This person can watch satisfaction keywords on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, as they are associated with the company name, product and brand.  If your company does not have a way to survey customers, this is a definite plus to consider for strategic planning, as surveys are a key ingredient to maintaining a positive brand.

To read more on the results of The 2012 American Express® Global Customer Service – visit this article on American Express – “Social Media Raises the Stakes for Customer Service”

More Elements of an Effective Press Release
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Press releases are still important methods for disseminating information to key target audiences. Though social media has evolved into viable methods to reach desired audiences, the press release is not dead.

The Release Date

This is the date your release is distributed. Many feel the date is important because it can indicate whether the release is current or newsworthy. Many media outlets want to be the first to report on what is newsworthy.

The Body – Who, What, When, Where and Why

Media outlets are very busy and don’t have time to research additional information on the release topic. The body of the press release is going to have the important information they need when deciding to share the story. The more information provided, the less work will be required and the happier they will be.

The lead-in paragraph should briefly detail the press release purpose. It should include the five W’s – Who, What, When, Where, and Why.

  • Who or What is the press release about?
  • If it’s about an event, When does it take place?
  • Where does it take place?
  • Why is this newsworthy or why is it happening?

When sending your release, stick to the facts. You don’t want to overdo it with technical or industry jargon. If the information is difficult to understand, it may wind up in the “circular” file.

The second paragraph should provide additional supporting information, such as details about the people, products, services related to this news item.

If the press release is not about you and your business, but about your client – make sure the company name, contact information, address, telephone numbers, website URL, and any other information that will help the reader if there are questions.

Important tips:

  • Proofread, proofread, proofread… and get someone else to proofread your release. I once worked at a newspaper. We were required to have our coworkers read our information. Our biggest fear? To type pubic instead of public.
  • Always use correct grammar and punctuation.
  • Even though the information has been proofread, still spell check the entire document.
  • Never type UPPERCASE letters.
  • If you can accomplish the press release in two pages … great. A one page release is even better.
  • If available, use pictures and captions. If emailing the press release, be sure to attach the image in the appropriate sized JPG format so the media does not have to contact you later for it. You should include a statement giving them publishing approval and photo credit.
  • Do not add into the body or attach any HTML, embedded codes or MP3 audio files. Most will not open the files for fear of computer viruses.  If a journalist needs this information, they will contact you. You may include important links that will provide pertinent information.
  • As often as necessary, do not attach the press release to the email. For the same reason above, include the release in the “body” of the email.

Always know why YOU are sending the press release.  Remember, press releases are for the press or  other information distributors, to inform them of an event, new product or service that you want shared with their audience…which is ultimately YOUR audience.

Need to Be More Visible? Eight Ways to Start Now
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Tips from VMI’s Pocket Book “Be More Visible – Create More Interest in Your, Your Product or Service”

1.    Get out.  Attend an event. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as you meet someone new, learn something, enjoy yourself and you’re visible.

2.    Take a class. There is always room to become well versed in your profession or personal life. It is an opportunity to talk to people about what you do and what you represent. Remember…always have your cards. Don’t give them out unless you’re asked.

3.    Walk. Get out and into the environment. Join a walking club. There’s always an opportunity to meet others with like interests. Many companies and organizations provide the opportunity for their employees to exercise during breaks. Do you have apparel with your logo or company name? Wear it and wear it often.

4.    Run. Move a bit faster. Not only are you more visible (if you’re the only runner, you will stand out), but you’re keeping fit and healthy as well.

5.    Go to the gym/fitness center. Even if you’re at your desired weight, make your heart  pump a little harder. If you need to lose a few pounds, you are in the right place.

6.    Join an organization. Are you interested in horses? Join an equestrian riding club. There are golf, running or ski clubs. It’s an opportunity to meet people with like interests. Professional organizations help you keep abreast of what’s new in your industry.  There are many organizations from which to choose. Some include:

  • BNI. Business Network International is an organization where people make connections and commit to giving others business referrals.
  • Toastmasters International. This is a public speaking organization where members practice giving speeches. Many communities have several chapters. Rid yourself of your fear of speaking and hone your skills. With practice, the butterflies fade and confidence prevails.
  • Greek fraternities and sororities. Many people join Greek organizations in college. If you missed your collegiate opportunity, check for local graduate chapters. The fellowship, camaraderie and networking can be beneficial.
  • Chambers of Commerce. Most cities have them. They often have opportunities to meet and network.
  • Rotary clubs. Rotary International is an organization that brings together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in business.
  • The National Organization of (Your Profession). This is different for every industry.  Most national organizations have local chapters. Seek out yours.

7.    Rent a trade booth. Research conferences/exhibitions in your field. Sometimes it’s a matter of getting in front of people that will eventually need your product or service.

8.    Go to your child’s school.  Let the students, teachers and administrators know you care about your child(ren)’s education.

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~Use a tip two days a week…or more. You may find you like some methods better than others. 

Don’t Hit Send! Your Press Release Headline is Boooring
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If your press release subject line or headline doesn’t reach out and grab the reader, there’s a good chance it won’t get opened. So don’t send it. Do this first:

1) Write for your audience. If you’re sending a “press” release, then your audience is the editor, producer, publisher… the main decision maker for your target audience. I know you want to reach men who wear socks with sandals, women over 35 who still live at home or teens who have never tweeted. However, you have to grab the attention of the gatekeeper so that your real audience will get your message.

2) WIIFT? – It’s that simple. You have to tell the reader, in the headline, how they will benefit from the information. What’s In It For Them?

Write this: SEVEN PLACES TO HIDE YOUR MONEY SO THAT YOU WILL BECOME A MILLIONAIRE

Not this: HOW TO SAVE MONEY

Media professionals read hundreds of releases. You have to get their attention and be honest about it. Don’t use bait and switch tactics by writing a headline that you think will catch the person’s eye only to offend them after they’ve read through it. Delete!

3) List it. Make it easy on the editors and break down your content into lists…if you can. If you’re selling a product, can you list its benefits to fit a list of seven or eight? Maybe nine?

If you’re pitching a story about the latest and greatest most reverent vacuum cleaner, you may write:

SEVEN WAYS TO CLEAN YOUR HO– USE WITHOUT LIFTING A FINGER or

FIVE THINGS THE NEW WACKY VAC WON’T DO

They love lists. It easily spells out the benefits of the product or service and they are easy to process.

4) What’s Trending? If your goal is to get your product or service on a major talk show, then think about how it relates to what’s trending now. Can you tie the Wacky Vac to the latest industry buzz? The economy? You might write:

UNEMPLOYED, CITY MAN TAKES WACKY VAC AND MAKES THOUSANDS IN ONE MONTH

5) Short, to the point, especially for SEO. Keep search engine optimization in mind, i.e, browser searches. Your Internet rankings determine your exposure. When you’re crafting the most awesome headline, keep in mind that Google only recognizes the first 65-70 characters in their search results, Yahoo 72 and Bing 65. These numbers are subject change, so stay on the lower side.

There you have it. A list of five ways to create a not-so-boring headline. Don’t run with the first headline, write, re-write and write it again. Test it out. Ask a few people to read it before sending it out. If your release ends up in the delete file, you’ve wasted your time.

Then you can write a release about how not to waste your time writing boring press release headlines.

Are Bloggers Journalists
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Journalists enjoy certain legal protections. One is the Shield Law.  The Shield Law protects journalists from forced disclosure of confidential sources of information.

Many bloggers consider themselves journalists  – individuals who report, write, edit, photograph or broadcasts news.  Are they protected by the Shield Law or, is the law extended only to accredited reporters from news organizations?

Forty states and the District of Columbia uphold the Shield Law which varies from state to state.

In August 2011, TechnoBuffalo.com, an Irvine, California-based website published from an anonymous source, a report that contained photos of Motorola’s new Droid Bionic phone. Legal action was then taken against TechnoBuffalo.com by JohnsByrne, a printing company located in Niles, Illinois. Hired by Motorola, JohnsBryne asked that TechnoBuffalo be ordered to disclose the name of the source that provided the image.

In January 2012, the judge ruled that TechnoBuffalo.com did not meet the standards in the state media privilege law, which protects journalists who refuse to disclose their confidential sources.  TechnoBuffalo.com was ordered to turn over the information.

TechnoBuffalo.com then filed a motion asking the judge to reconsider and in a surprising development, the judge reversed his initial decision.

As social media begins to evolve, there will be more cases similar to that of TechnoBuffalo.com’s.  The courts will continue to receive new media cases.

We are treading on new territory. With it will come opportunities to re-write the law books.

 

Writing a Press Release? Here’s What Not to Do…
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A press release recently entered my inbox with the word “confidential” glaring across the top. My first thought was that the writer knew nothing about press releases. I also noticed that not one of the recipients in the email was a member of the “press.” My second thought was that my first thought was correct.

Before sending out a press release, first know what it is, then know its purpose. Read on…

A press release is written or recorded information sent to media outlets announcing newsworthy information. Media outlets include journalists at traditional news outlets, as well as other individuals who read and report the news. In the new information age, this can include bloggers and other forms of social media.

Press releases typically are used by public relations firms to attract favorable media attention for clients or provide publicity for events, products or services. Some companies have internal public relations and/or marketing specialists who handle this function. There are also non-profit organizations, small businesses and individuals who send media announcements.

Now, knowing the above, the word “confidential” should never be on your press release. An announcement is never confidential. If it is a “press release,” make sure at least one member of the press is a recipient.

It’s also important for the release to include the following:

  1. An attention grabbing headline
  2. The release date
  3. A few paragraphs about the who, what, when, where and why of the press release
  4. An “About” section on the company, organization or individual providing the information
  5. A closing mark such as “###” which indicates there is no more information
  6. The sender’s contact information – name, address, telephone number, email address, website URL and any other information that makes it easy for the recipient to ask questions or get clarification

I will elaborate on the above six points in subsequent blogs. Stay tuned…

Twitter Shortcodes: Making it Simple and Sweet
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If you are just jumping into the Twitter parade, there are a few things you need to know before getting started.

First, you are limited to 140 characters, similar to text messaging. Before you start typing away in that little box, you may want to think about what you want to say or share, then limit it to 140 characters or less. One way to do this is to use “short codes” or abbreviations of commonly used words.

For example, instead of writing “because” you would write “b/c.” Or instead of writing “two” or “to” you would simply type the number “2.”

Some frequently used short codes include:

Hashtag (#) – is a way to organize or categorize your updates. When used, it acts as a search engine to pull all the tweets that have been tweeted with that hashtag, i.e., #bacon would result in anyone talking about bacon.

@reply – means you are replying to a Twitter update that someone else posted. It is directed to the person to whom you are replying, i.e., @reply@BeMoreVisible …

RT – Retweet – you are retweeting someone elses tweet.

MT – Modified Tweet – you are retweeting someone else’s tweet, however you have modified it.

PRT – Partial Retweet – you are retweeting a Tweet but have not included the full original Tweet.

DM – is a direct message to another Twitter user you are following.

#FF or FollowFriday – you write this along with the Twitter accounts of people you would like your Twitter followers to also follow. You can write it with or without the (#) hashtag.

For more short codes and frequently used terms, check out Twitter’s Glossary.

Another way to make sure you fit everything into that little box is to use a URL Shortener that converts a long URL into a shorter length. It still directs the user to the same web location. This is very useful on Twitter, however – URL shorteners are also used to disguise the real URLs to websites that may be harmful to your computer… be cautious using them.

A few URL shortening services include:

Google – http://goo.gl
Bit.ly – http://bit.ly
Tiny Url – http://tinyurl.com
Ow.ly – http://ow.ly/url/shorten-url

If you’ve decided to join the millions that are tweeting and posting – take time to check out Twitter Basics.  Knowing how to navigate within Twitter’s universe will make your Tweeting experience less frustrating and more enjoyable.