PATRON SAINT PRODUCTIONS, INC. ~ CHAT TRANSCRIPT ~ Patron Saint Productions, Inc. Online Publicity Chat Series Topic: Session #1: Campaign Planning and Themes Guests: Steve O'Keefe, author of Complete Guide to Internet Publicity Date: September 10, 2002 Ray, welcome! We'll be starting in a few minutes. NOTICE: To ask a question, please type in an exclamation point (!) and I will call on you in order. Thanks! Welcome to the online publicity chat series. We're using new software today, hoping it works out. Let me start with some comments about today's topic: Campaign Planning. Good planning leads to a good campaign. The two essential elements of a good plan are 1) a deep understanding of the product or service being promoted and 2) a deep understanding of the target audience. If you have those, you "look for the lightning" -- which is some sort of hook that captures the spirit of the product or service and resonates with the target audience. Let me go ahead and start taking questions, and I'll come back to some general principles during a lull. Ray, you're up first. Where does one find the deep understanding of the target audience? Ray, by a deep understanding of the target audience, I mean a clear picture of who you're trying to reach: How old are they, what gender, what education level, and deeper still, what do they look like, think like, SMELL like? If you can picture them clearly, you'll find a way to push their buttons. I think in terms of general audience, but where do you get the particulars? Ray, I think it's a mistake to think in terms of a general audience -- it leads to goals like, "I want more traffic at my web site." WHY do you want more traffic? Usually, it's because you want prospects or sales. Now we're getting to a level deeper than a general audience; now we want people who are likely to become customers. Also, when you think of a general audience, you tend to waste time, effort, and money with messages going to people who are never going to become customers. I'll give an example. The national guard wanted to do a web site launch. They knew their target audience was mostly people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Their initial idea was to have some sort of flight simulator game on the site. The problem is, the game required high- speed internet access to enjoy -- something the target audience did not, by and large, possess. Instead, I suggested they focus a campaign on teachers and guidance counselors and try to get those people to essentially force the kids to check out the site. By going to schools, government agencies, and social agencies that had computers, we could reached through them to the target audience. Does anyone have a question, or should I talk about planning a little more? When developing a plan, I start with those two pillars: the product and the target audience. I write down as many characteristics of both as I can, then look for something to bridge them. That bridge often becomes my theme or hook. ! Go ahead Shirley. My target market encompasses individuals who visit craft magazine sites such as Better Homes & Gardens. If I want to work with such a magazine, which is very big in the market, is there a certain way I should go about getting them to be my partner? Shirley, absolutely. You've identified BH&G as a media outlet serving the target market. Now BH&G needs content to serve that market. That content can be articles, or access to experts. You can offer them both. First, I would prepare an article I know their audience would want to see. Then I would pitch it on both sides of the company: to the print publication, and to the web site. Sometimes, you can get in on the web site, and get the attention of the print editors, then work backwards into the magazine. If your expertise is something like needlepoint, you can keep after them. Offer to write about a new stitch every month. If you're successful breaking in on the web site, you can sometimes turn it into a monthly column. Finally, you can offer yourself as a chat guest if they have facilities. Thanks so much, Steve. Shirley, there are detailed instructions in my book for pitching yourself as a chat guest or expert to a site. ! Go ahead Jennifer. This is my first time entering a chat with patron saint and I'm a little confused over format. Will there be a lecture or people just asking questions? Jennifer, this is a hosted chat, done with protocol - which means all the guests are welcome to ask questions. Please simply type in an exclamation point (!) to be put in the question queue. In between questions, I'll lecture, Jennifer. The subject of the chat today is campaign planning and themes. Shirley, This is an example of reaching out to the target audience with something of value. Giving away an article or advice. But that article or advice must be prepared well in advance. And it has to be something that illustrates the benefits of the product or service you're selling, and that resonates with the target audience. Thank you. Okay, back into the principles of planning. So you have an understanding of the product and audience. Now you're looking for a theme. Themes are such things as Nike's "Just Do It," or Coke's "The Real Thing." These are very short hand slogans, but themes are often this simple. I recently did a book promotion for an art book about cats. The theme was "art with a heart," because the stories that accompanied the pictures were so touching. The author really cared, and it showed. If it were a medical book, I'd have a different approach. ! Go ahead Leslie. I find it hard to condense like that. Should I do it to get my own head organized, or take make things more accessible to my potential audience? Leslie, you mean condensing to a theme? Yes. It's not that difficult. I just vomit ideas until something clicks. You have to disable the critical part of your brain and just spew. Do you do that with a friend? I do it with pencil and paper, Leslie, but a friend is a good idea. Sometimes friends can inhibit you -- fear of being stupid. It's okay to be stupid when you're brainstorming. Can we practice with an example? (Not one of mine.) Here's another example. I did a promotion for a book on alternative cancer therapies. One of the therapies was humor -- and anyone who's been in this situation knows humor is a godsend. So I came up with the line, "Laughing at Cancer." It captured the spirit of the book, and it certainly resonated with the target audience. It got attention, even some anger. But people responded, asked for the excerpt from the book, and appreciated it. I honestly don't think I can come up with catchy themes like that! How long does it usually take you? Themes are a good "hook" to get people's attention, it's not as hard it seems, Leslie. Leslie, I may spew 100 themes before I get a good one. I usually find myself narrowing in on the theme after about 20 stabs at it. It's almost like you can feel it when you hit it. Okay, that helps. Sometimes, the theme comes from what you have to give to the online audience in exchange for their attention. If you are giving away a quiz, that would lead to a puzzling theme. A tip sheet might lead to a "quick take" kind of theme. A chat appearance is a "talking" kind of theme. This is mostly regarding new books, right? Aimee, NO. This theme idea applies to every product or service being marketed. You don't have to come up with an overall theme for the company; it could be for one service or product or season. While I'm waiting for a question, I'm going to take another stab at this. Integrity is another way to think about what you're after. The campaign should have integrity with the product or service being promoted. If the main benefit of the product is speed, you'll want to be prompt handling all requests. If the main benefit is inexpensive, then you'll want to use inexpensive marketing techniques, such as viral marketing. When the way a product is promoted has integrity with the product, it resonates -- people FEEL it. At used bookfairs, there are some people who have their own themes related to the books they are selling. For example my friend Freddie the Bookie, he dresses up in old timey bookie's outfit, with a visor, and garter on his arm and people remember that, there's another guy who dresses up like Abe Lincoln sells civil war books. In a way Freddie is Promoting his product- which is ultimately himself- this can work in many ways to the marketer's benefit. Yes, Aimee. Costuming is part of that trademarking -- and themeing. What is viral marketing? Leslie, viral marketing is getting people to spread your message for you by word of mouth. Viral marketing can be electronic, or phone, or in-person. Sounds better than biological marketing :) ! Go ahead with your question valda. If your market is both libraries/institutions and consumer, would you recommend 2 themes? Valda, good question. Almost all campaigns have multiple target markets, and the most important target market is usually the media that serves those target markets, that's what publicity is all about. If there is a way to economically reach both markets with one message, use it. If you can afford to, or if the markets have very different needs, you might have two related promotions. In the case of selling books to libraries, consumer demand and production quality are important. You need to demonstrate that this is a work that will be popular with their patrons, and won't fall apart. I would make sure that my marketing message to libraries contained language such as Smythe-sewn binding, hardcover, durable jacket, heavy-weight stock. I would make sure that the message said something like, "As a result of an extensive marketing campaign, this title will be in demand with your patrons." The message to consumers would be focused on content, not production standards. Go ahead Shirley. Tell us about the difference between an online publicity campaign versus a general publicity campaign. Online publicity can only do so much. It can't be used to court people who are used to being pampered. For example, in book promotion, you can't court USA Today with an online campaign. You've probably got to take someone to lunch, or get samples to them months ahead of release date, or get an endorsement from someone they respect. You need press kits, for example -- not just virtual press kits. And I've never tasted a pizza over the Internet -- I'm sure it's coming You have to send samples of the products you're promoting to opinion-shapers in the field. Online publicity is really best at reaching a grass roots, end user audience. Hand-selling your product using samples is a really good way -- if you can get one of something into someone's hands they might pass it the around the office, tell their pals, etc. But how to translate the cost of give away goods into your budget? Aimee, the cost of giveaways has to be part of the budget from the start. I've had many authors that want to promote Print on Demand books. Well, they need to print 100 at least, and get them out to opinion shapers. How will anyone find out about your products if you don't send samples? Auto makers give away cars -- hundreds of them -- when introducing new models. I agree, Chat Host! It's got to be in the budget. If you can't afford to market, you can't afford to produce. ! Go Ahead Valda. I'm talking about an instructional video - teaches a skill - both libraries in firmer cases and consumers are potential buyers. Valda, okay, with an instructional video, what are the sales points for a library: They are interested in the durability, the quality, and the level of demand. As for consumers, they're interested in the benefits of using the product. essentially yes - should that be two campaigns - & what about effect of 'free' reviews? So part of your campaign planning has to be to list all the benefits you can think of, for all the target markets, and see if you can't come up with a hook that reaches them. "...for Dummies" was a hook that said, simple, clear, easy to understand. There are a lot places you can 'set' samples, some may think I'm crazy, but some places that have worked for a self published friend are the coffee shop, Laundromat, and some doctor offices instructional videos could go in places that have TV's-hospital waiting rooms, dentist offices.... Aimee, thank you! I hope you'll come back every week. Ditto - Thank you Aimee - I didn't think of that one yet!! Thank you! this is fun, I hope to come back next week Videos are also very conducive to TV media outlets. So you look at other hooks that come from understanding the product. What are the home towns of the people in the video, of the publishing company? A lot of TV coverage starts locally, then gets picked-up nationally. Dateline may decline your pitch -- until they see an affiliate doing the story. More Planning Tips: Once I have the theme set, then I start detailed plans for executing the campaign. What activities will happen when? This sets a schedule. Then there are materials needed to meet that schedule. Lastly, I need a way to measure the results, to see if I'm having an impact. A plan sets out those things: product, audience, theme, activities, timeline, materials, budget, results. I just uploaded a sample plan for my Tulane students here at the web site. You can access it through the Resources section of the site, then go to Tulane Class. You'll see a "sample plan." Is a web site useful for a video - can show clips etc. web is good for a video, but make sure you make it easy for someone to get the right plug in to play it. I see lot of clips I don't follow through on because I have to download another player. Valda, using video on the web is very tricky. The main problem is that the user experience will be much poorer than actually seeing the video. You don't want people to think that their experience online will be anything like the real experience. Sometimes it's better to offer to send a free sample than show a free sample. But if you do use video online, make sure you remind people that the actual quality is much higher. sorry still learning, thoughts come so fast Another resource I just added to the site is an excerpt from Complete Guide to Internet Publicity. It's called "8 Principles of Online Promotion" -- you'll find it in the Resources section of the site. http://www.patronsaintpr.com Okay, more questions? Sorry if I missed any questions. I'm moving very fast. No, I think we're up to date Steve. ! Go ahead Valda. Just want to say Thanks - you have arrived in the nick of time for me!! That's great to hear Valda. Valda, we are delighted to help. Helping people this way actually saves me time, too. ! Go ahead Rachel. Steve, can you talk more about measuring results? Rachel, I'm glad you asked about that. It's the most difficult part of online promotion. There are three basic ways to document a campaign. The first is to document performance: what was done. Such as "messages were posted to 20 groups," or "chats were held at three sites." The second is to document reach: how many people saw those postings or went to those chats? Sometimes, you can find concrete numbers. For example, if you post a message to an online newsletter, and it has 6000 subscribers, that's one way to document reach. Sometimes you can get estimates of how much traffic a web site gets by looking at its "advertise with us" info. The third measure is value: what is that exposure worth? Except for direct response, all forms of advertising, publicity, promotion, and marketing have a hard time calculating value. If your work generates 100 new prospects, and you've got records that show you'll convert one out of ten prospects, and that person will average $150 in sales, then you can start attaching values. But there are grave problems calculating values -- in part, due to lack of information and time constraints. I honestly believe you have to use some form of educated instinct -- enough experience to tell the difference between soap and shinola, no matter what the numbers say. Thanks Steve, the results part for me has been something of a crapshoot :-) Same here. Should be better for me in the future. Thanks again. Results are difficult, except documenting the exposure. I think we're out of time. I want to thank everyone for giving this a try. Next week we'll be discussion Search engine registration - a hot topic! thanks for your time. I hope you saved the log file. Thanks for coming ray! See you next week. Thank you Steve. Good info. Thanks it was interesting. If I get a good transcript, I'll post it at the site. Thank you Steve. See you next week. Thanks Steve. Have a great day everyone! Please feel to come back any time. If people are learning, we'll keep doing this all the time. Thanks Steve and Chat Host Thanks, Steve, we'll be back next week--Katherine Shute __________________________________________________ ABOUT THE GUEST STEVE O'KEEFE wrote the book on Internet publicity Ð- literally. He is the author of the first book ever written about online publicity, the best-selling "Publicity on the Internet" (Wiley, 1997), an award-winning guide considered the Bible of the industry. That obsolete classic was replaced by Steve's newest book, "Complete Guide to Internet Publicity" (Wiley, 2002) -- his long-awaited magnum opus based on over 1000 campaigns. Steve pioneered many online marketing techniques which are now considered standard practice, including: * Web Site Registration Campaigns * Web Site Linkage Campaigns * E-Mail News Releases * Chat Tours STEVE O'KEEFE's writing has appeared in over 100 publications including The Wall Street Journal, Harper's, Internet World, PR News, Outside, Small Press, Salon, Curio, NetWorth, and HotWired. He is a member of the adjunct faculty at Tulane University where he teaches online publicity and public relations. Steve is Executive Director of Patron Saint Productions, Inc., a publishing consultancy specializing in online marketing strategy, campaigns, and training . __________________________________________________ ABOUT THE BOOK Complete Guide to Internet Publicity: Creating and Launching Successful Online Campaigns by Steve O'Keefe Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (2002, ISBN 0-471-10580-5, 436 pages, softcover, $34.95) Available in most bookstores online and off. "Nobody knows more about making a splash on the Internet than Steve O'Keefe. And no book reveals better how to do it than this one." -- Fraser P. Seitel, Author of "The Principles of Public Relations" "Steve O'Keefe's book is, by far, the most comprehensive Internet publicity book available. It's a tool that any business owner or publicist needs to read to conduct an effective online PR campaign." -- Lorilyn Bailey, CEO, NewsBuzz.com "Complete Guide to Internet Publicity" is the bedrock reference book for designing and implementing online publicity campaigns. The book takes a "how-to" approach, with detailed instructions for planning the campaigns, creating the materials needed, launching the campaigns, dealing with any problems, and measuring the results. The instructions are highlighted with anecdotes culled from hundreds of campaigns conducted by the author and other Internet publicity professionals. Chapters include: 1. The Power of Internet Publicity 2. E-Mail News Releases 3. Online News Rooms 4. Discussion Group Postings 5. Newsletters and Direct Marketing 6. Chat Tours 7. Online Seminars and Workshops 8. Web Site Registration and Linkage 9. Contests and Other Fancy Promotions 10. Syndicating Your Promotions 11. Building an Online Publicity Operation "Complete Guide to Internet Publicity" is a goldmine for those people responsible for online publicity operations, whether as managers, professionals, instructors or students, including such professions as marketing, advertising, web site design & construction, e-commerce, direct marketing, and customer service. The book and companion web site both include templates for all the campaign materials described, and time-saving resources to help locate target audiences online. This book is essential to anyone charged with promoting a product, service, company, person, or web site. Order your copy today. Please join Steve O'Keefe for a free, open chat program about online publicity techniques. Chats are held every Tuesday afternoon from 4-5 p.m. Eastern Time at the Patron Saints Productions web site, http://www.patronsaintpr.com. __________________________________________________ Copyright ©2002 by Patron Saint Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Please request permission before duplicating or distributing this document. For reprint permission, send mailto:permissions@patronsaintpr.com. Thank you. Chat Transcript Page 11 of 13 Copyright © 2002 ~ PATRON SAINT PRODUCTIONS, INC. ~ All Rights Reserved 741 Saint Philip St. #241 ~ New Orleans, LA 70116 U.S.A. ~ http://www.patronsaintpr.com Voice: (504) 586-9517 ~ mailto:info@patronsaintpr.com ~ Fax: (504) 586-9518 Copyright © 2002 ~ PATRON SAINT PRODUCTIONS, INC. ~ All Rights Reserved 741 Saint Philip St. #241 ~ New Orleans, LA 70116 U.S.A. ~ http://www.patronsaintpr.com Voice: (504) 586-9517 ~ mailto:info@patronsaintpr.com ~ Fax: (504) 586-9518