From time to time, people ask me how public relations has changed during the two decades in which I’ve been seeking publicity. My answer: technology. Twenty years ago, the fax machine was a newfangled novelty. Our primary means of communicating with journalists was the telephone and the US Mail. The advent of e-mail and the web has made life easier in many regards and tougher in others – namely, thanks to hordes of clowns with money making schemes and software that “blasts” press releases indiscriminately to reporters, it’s become very hard to get your e-mails through to spam-weary reporters.

But there’s another great advantage provided to publicity seekers by the Internet — the ability to create an “online news room”. In the “old days”, the press kit reigned. Big bulky folders loaded with press releases, glossy photos and slides were standard. They were expensive to design, costly to reproduce and required lots of manpower and postage to assemble and distribute. Today, you can simply direct a reporter to a web URL, where all your press materials and high definition artwork awaits, ready to be used. It’s a huge time and money saver.

A quick note: the traditional press kit isn’t dead. It’s still handy to create some physical kits to use with key journalists, as the very novelty of printed material can give you an edge at times. Also, some journalists still prefer a physical kit. Press kits are an important tool at trade show booths & press rooms, and special events. However, gone are the days of sending out large press kit mailings. Keep the kits for targeted use only.

Creating a useful online news room is really pretty simple. One of the main things a busy reporter wants is easy access to press releases, corporate and executive info and artwork. A well put together media room should provide a seamless walk-through.

Where Should the News Room Go?

There are two schools of thought on where to put your online news room. Some companies prefer to have it as a section on their main site, visible to all as a link on a menu bar or other navigational element. Others build entirely separate sites just for the media.

There are pros and cons to each. Putting it as part of your main site allows a journalist to “poke around” your site, absorbing more of the feel and culture of your company and its products. It also makes it easier if the reporter wants more information about a particular product than can be found in your media materials. Of course, since you’ll need to provide clear links to the online news room to help such reporters find their way back, anyone visiting your site can access your press materials. This is probably not an issue but, if you feel potential customers may become confused if they wander into the online news room, this could be worth considering.

Creating a separate site allows you to tailor everything to suit the needs of the reporter and prevents the possibility of confusion for potential customers visiting your main site. The reporter however, will be unable to quickly “poke around” the main site as described above, so you may consider that in your decision. If you do choose a separate site, give it a name that incorporates your company (if you’re the Acme Company, go for acmepress.com or acmeonlinenewsroom.com). Also, provide clear links to your main site throughout, and code them so that they open in a new window, allowing the reporter to see your main site without having to backtrack to the online news room.

Some Do’s and Don’ts

DON’T force journalists to register or sign in for access. They’re busy folks and may very well decide not to bother. Make life as easy as you can for them.

DO offer the opportunity for journalists to enter their e-mail address if they wish to be kept abreast of the latest news from your company, but don’t link it in any way to the ability to access any portion of the site. DON’T confuse non-journalists who may wander into the site. Make it clear at the top of your main page of your online news room what it and who it’s for.

DO provide a link to your consumer FAQ page and an e-mail link for customer service to give non-journalists a place to go to get their questions answered. This will save you a great deal of time responding to messages from non-journalists asking “why am I looking at a press release? How do I download a new driver” or some such thing. Here’s what Gateway says, “Gateway press contacts are only able to provide assistance for qualified members of the news media. They are not qualified to respond to product or technical support needs…If you are not a member of the news media, please feel free to visit our pages for Product Service and Support.”

DON’T try to lay out the online news room if you’re not a talented web designer. Don’t use flash, heavy java scripts and other doo-dads. The face you put forth to the media must be highly professional, and the ease of navigation and logical flow of the news room is vital.

DO hire a professional designer who has a portfolio that includes simple, easy-to-navigate, clean-looking sites.

What To Include in Your Online News Room:

Personal Contact Info. The name, address, e-mail, phone number, fax number and cell phone number of your primary media contacts must be front and center. If you have an Instant Messaging ID, put it in there, too.

Press Releases. Place press releases in chronological order (most recent at the top). Keep traditional press release formatting and use easy-to-read fonts.

Executive photos, product photos, charts, graphs, and other appropriate artwork. Provide multiple versions — 72 dpi (lower resolution) for online publications and websites, and 300 dpi (higher resolution) for offline publications. Put instructions such as To download, right-click and choose “save” next to the graphics. Make sure your pitch letters and press releases provide links to the appropriate artwork on your site.

Backgrounders, executive bios, white papers, investor relations info (if applicable), fact sheets, speeches, awards, streaming media of: press conferences, product demonstrations, president’s speeches, etc.

Search Tool. Make it easy for journalists to find just what they want, by making all your press materials fully searchable.

Online News Rooms to Study:

The best way to learn how to put together an online news room is to see how some very smart folks have done it. Here are three outstanding examples….

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/default.asp
http://www.google.com/press/index.html
http://www.crayola.com/mediacenter/

Bill Stoller, the “Publicity Insider”, has spent two decades as
one of America’s top publicists. Now, through his website, eZine
and subscription newsletter, Free Publicity: The Newsletter for
PR-Hungry Businesses http://www.PublicityInsider.com/freepub.asp
he’s sharing — for the very first time — his secrets of scoring
big publicity. For free articles, killer publicity tips and
much, much more, visit Bill’s exclusive new site:
http://www.PublicityInsider.com

Author: Bill Stoller
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Digital TV, HDTV, Satellite TV

Like it or not, we are always engaged in public relations. From the time you step out of your house and greet your neighbor, until the time you say good night to the parking attendant when you leave work, public relations are inevitable.

Who you are as a person, and how you are as a professional is delicately intertwined. There is seldom a total disconnect.

Simultaneously (and subconsciously) we communicate messages about ourselves in the way that we dress (visually), how we talk (verbally), and the things you do and don’t do (actions). In fact, communication is involuntary and we are always conveying something about how we feel, what we value, and who we are – without even trying.

The key to making personal PR work for you is to become adept at managing your own, and reading the personal PR messages of others.

As a professional, you have a public that you are accountable to. By public I mean group or community of people whose approval, support, assistance, or patronage you rely upon for success.

This is the group who you need to put your best foot forward with; however, be cognizant of the fact that anyone you meet could potentially migrate into this group so it behooves you to engage in positive public relations with everyone at all times.

Yes, it’s tiring, but it can also be fun, and it’s definitely worth it.

The following are some examples of visual, verbal and action communication messages that can instantly improve your personal PR efforts whether you are an independent contractor, employee, or business owner.

-Under promise and over deliver
-Inquire about satisfaction with a sold product or service
-Give random gifts
-Give compliments
-Offer a discount
-Make a referral
-Don’t take calls while with a client
-Arrive early
-Stay late
-Say ‘thank you’
-Greet people enthusiastically
-Become a better listener
-Take someone to lunch
-Sponsor an event or charity
-Verbally express appreciation
-Overhaul your appearance
-Upgrade your wardrobe
-Write a thank you note
-Send Christmas cards

Once you begin to consciously conduct yourself and your business affairs with mindfulness of the impressions that you leave, and the involuntary communications in which you engage your public, it changes your behavior – for the better.

This is not about pretending to be something or someone you are not; it’s about becoming the professional that people want as a business associate, and the person that people want to maintain a relationship with. Every encounter and every interaction you have with someone gives you this opportunity.

Making personal PR work for you is all about awareness and practice, and it can be practiced everyday until it is mastered.

Gian Fiero is a seasoned educator, speaker and consultant with a focus on business development and music/entertainment industry operations. He currently teaches at San Francisco State University where he is an adjunct professor of music industry studies. His affiliations include National Association Of Record Industry Professionals (associate director); CLA (speaker); West Coast Songwriters (consultant); The Muse’s Muse (producer of the Muse’s Muse Awards); and SBA (business advisor).

Author: Gian Fiero
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Electric Pressure Cooker

Image Provided by: doktorspinn via Flickr Freely Licensed

This post was written by Mac McIntosh.

The best PR (Public Relations) events are the ones which yield warm leads. PR includes a wide range of things, from communications to a champagne toast. Some public relations are directed at reaping warm prospects and can take on big importance in a marketing-for-leads program. Publications outreach is the most widely-used lead generating public relations method, and the goal is to receive a mention of your business, services, or staff members in spots published in a magazine – or have something written by one of your managers published.

This type of press placement can have an important influence on the amount and type of leads generated. However true that this coverage is inexpensive compared to paid ads, still editorial coverage takes committed time and effort in order to develop rapport with influential press people in your field. A complete press campaign is preferable to divided and disparate efforts to attain publication. A public relations campaign is best when utilizing the following:

- release with email and other advisory activity

- kit with background, biographies, photos of products, press release and reprinted article content

- relationships with editorial staff

- features ghost-written for or by management staff

- media coverage of management staff as expert industry insiders

- success testimonials from customers

Research and compile publications and read them. Remember the readership when making this list – is this your audience? If the answer is ‘no,’ the magazine may not be the right one to concentrate on. Think about the info that the magazine is publishing; does it hone in on industry product news? If so, your one sheet to introduce the new Chief Executive Officer may not really be appropriate.

Converse with editorial staff after reading the magazine and visiting the website. Next, decide who is the right person to speak with. Phone the editor to inquire about their guidelines and what they prefer to publish. Look for an editorial calendar which shows the articles and stories which are running each month – this is often located in the ad section at the back page or at the company website. Once checking out the calender, it’s time to determine just what story you will offer, and which months to enter expert-written articles for publication.

With persistence you can develop a rapport and begin to speak with editorial staff on the telephone or face-to-face. By mentioning relevant development to the publication’s editors, you may be supplying just the sort of info that staff remembers upon receiving an assignment. Do you have an idea to pitch? Call your editor. Tell them how your story is relevant to the editorial calendar, and offer to supply an outline and synopsis immediately upon request, remembering that editorial deadlines are most often separate from the ad deadlines. Often, it is preferable to have your article written by a pro ghost writer. These writers are familiar with working with magazine and are able to sculpt the article so that it doesn’t appear overtly promotional. By hiring a third-party writer who takes responsibility to complete the article on time, the time of your tech or management staff is freed, allowing them to work within their specialties.

Press Release

Be certain that your press releases actually announce news. An editor seeks info that the readership would like to know, often about products and services which solve business problems in an innovative or efficient new way. Address the topic from the reader’s viewpoint when announcing your news-worthy info.

A good release answers some key questions:

- what’s the unsolved problem?

- what does it accomplish?

- what’s the benefit?

- is the solution a product or a service, and how does it work?

- how is it able to do this?

- what will cause the readership to take interest in your service?

- what’s the cost?

- what are the top features?

- what capabilities are provided?

- when is the product available?

- what are the most important features?

Avoid praising oneself or one’s company. Remove over-used words such as ‘revolutionary,’ ‘the best,’ and ‘unique.’ Editorial staff people prefer customer testimonials rather than self-praise from an employee. Don’t use lingo that a layperson would not understand. Is it accessible to the readership? Keep in mind that even the editorial staff don’t really have a deep understanding of your products and services. Write in a clear and simple style. Remember to put contact info at the top or bottom of your submission, including company name, the titles of relevant employees, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses. Include photos if the magazine prints them, and inquire about the file format preferred. Digital photos are preferred by most – use literal descriptions in the file names so editorial staff can easily identify and find them. It is best to send your release to a list of individual editors; however some mass distribution press services are found on the ‘net. These services distribute your releases to editors for you, for a fee. You may consider prnewswire.com, prweb.com, and send2press.com, among others.

Public relations can also be used for better SEO (Search Engine Optimization) campaigns. Wire services are excellent ways to attain better SEO results. Once sent, the release will be findable by search engine news wire services such as Googlenews, news syndicates and traditional publications, all of which will have the ability to visit your website via a link. The link network is key for Search Engine Optimization as the number of links directing to your website improves your rank and puts your company nearer to the top of the list in search results for certain words. By sending your release in to wire services you may help writers locate info about you and your services. A recent Middleburg/Ross survey indicated that almost all journalists access the web on a daily basis – almost three quarters of them search for press releases. For a free news wire about your field, visit: google.com/alerts and subscribe for free. For more about marketing for lead generation, see: ‘Business-to-Business Lead Generation Tactics : A Recipe for Success.’

Author: Mac McIntosh
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Benefits of electric pressure cooker

When the Media Calls, Don’t Let a Blabbermouth Respond
By Brian R. Salisbury

Most organizations know they should authorize only one individual to handle media encounters during routine situations and especially when emergencies strike.

This designated spokesperson — your media relations “quarterback” — can best:

* Consult with other members of your company to determine the best answer to provide in response to media inquiries;

* Make sure your company responds to all inquires in a timely fashion;

* Maintain the continuity of information, particularly when dealing with multiple media calls. A single spokesperson would be most familiar with how your company presented certain information in the past and can prevent contradictory responses;

* Avoid confusion caused when two or more voices speak for your company — even when presenting the same information;

* Determine if someone other than the spokesperson himself should provide information — especially highly technical information;

* Arrange and manage all subsequent media interviews.

But what can you do when someone other than the designated spokesperson responds to a media inquiry — especially when that individual is a blabbermouth?

I’m sure most public relations professionals have had to clean up after unauthorized individuals either responded spontaneously when a reporter caught them off guard or when someone answered a reporter’s questions without first conferring with the public relations department.

Two such incidents took place on my watch.

The first occurred when I was handling media relations for a large metropolitan area hospital. A syndicated columnist called the hospital’s staff psychiatrist prior to an accused serial killer’s trial. The reporter wanted the doctor’s opinion concerning the accused individual’s motives behind murdering four people.

The doctor, who had no connection to the case, immediately gave the reporter his best guess.

I didn’t learn about the interview until the next day when the reporter’s column appeared in the New York Daily News. Shortly after, the accused person’s defense attorney used the psychiatrist’s comments to support his argument that pre-trial publicity had tainted the jury against his client.

The second incident involved a major defense contractor. A reporter called one of the company’s marketing executives to root around for details on a contract to rebuild military aircraft for Taiwan. By merely substantiating that the company had a contract with Taiwan, the marketer jeopardized sensitive contract negotiations with Mainland China.

Even executives who are in a position to respond to a reporter’s questions put themselves at a disadvantage when they don’t have their media relations person in the room or on the phone when an interview takes place.

If incorrect information attributed to the executive appears in the story, contradicting the information or the attribution is difficult if no one else heard the reporter’s question or the executive’s answer.

In today’s media-rich environment, information moves faster and spreads wider than ever via the Internet to feed news-hungry blogs, websites and traditional news outlets.

Maintaining a company’s flow of positive and intended information to the media is tough enough under these circumstances. But, in addition, individuals can pump their own information into the electronic pipeline without realizing the damage it may cause and multi-interpretations it can go through.

To protect your company against unauthorized individuals from responding to media inquires or providing information to the media on their own, you must:

* Emphasize — within your company — your public relations department’s responsibility to serve as your organization’s only media interface and information resource.

* Establish and communicate within your organization a “no exceptions” policy stating that

> All media requests and inquires must be directed to the public relations department for the rapid determination of how each request will be handled;

> Employees must not contact the media on their own to discuss or disclose company information.

* Designate one person to serve as your organization’s media contact and corporate spokesperson.

* Provide your media contact with excellent media training

* Maintain a close relationship between management and your media contact

* Realize that every comment to the media has consequences and must be taken seriously throughout your entire organization.

Brian R. Salisbury, a writer and a public relations and communications consultant, combines a wealth of communications know-how with an engaging writing style to help his clients shape the most effective messages and deliver them with the greatest impact where they count most. Visit Brian’s website at http://www.BriansQuill.com and subscribe to his free public relations newsletter and receive his free report Ten Key Components of a Successful Public Relations Program. Or send him an email at  [mailto:BrianSalisbury@BriansQuill.com]BrianSalisbury@BriansQuill.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_R._Salisbury http://EzineArticles.com/?When-the-Media-Calls,-Dont-Let-a-Blabbermouth-Respond&id=2657456

Managing your clients’ public relations expectations is vital when directing a company’s PR department or a PR firm. You must determine and guide each client’s PR expectations.

You must clarify for each client

What PR is and isn’t

What public relations can and can’t do

The benefits each PR program element you recommend will provide

The difference between publicity fluff and PR substance.  By explaining the PR process along with PR’s benefits and limitations before you start working with a client, you’ll avoid huge misunderstandings and client dissatisfaction as the program unfolds.

Here are key points you and your client must agree upon regarding PR program expectations:

What does the client consider a successful PR program?

From the client’s point of view, achieving what goals or measurements will determine PR success? Does the client expect an effective public relations program to strengthen the company’s positive reputation in the community or, perhaps, among current and potential customers? Maybe the client wants you to establish the CEO’s reputation as a thought leader in the industry, solidify the company’s relationships with state and local legislators or bolster the company’s bottom line. What’s the timeframe?

You must agree on the definition of success in order to achieve it.

What PR strategies will enable you to achieve public relations success?

Numerous integrated elements — not a handful of glitzy events — power the engine that moves every successful public relations program forward.Achieving effective public relations means more than generating press clips and publicity.You know this, but does your client.You must explain the purpose and advantages of engaging resources such as news media, trade publications, the Internet and social networks to deliver consistent and compelling messages to targeted audiences.

What are your client’s media exposure expectations?

Before you launch a PR program, determine your client’s understanding of the media and his media exposure expectations. Does he expect regular placements in the New York Times, features in national business magazines or major talk show appearances? Are such hits possible and worthwhile? If not, explain why — right away. Clients often expect much more coverage than is realistic for their investment. And they often overestimate the benefits of certain types of media coverage.

What media outlets best suit your client’s PR goals?

Make sure your client understands why you’ve chosen certain media outlets to reach targeted audiences and how these outlets will generate desired results. Explain why it makes no sense to pursue outlets that won’t report on his company. A feature article in a trade publication could generate more sales and have a greater impact on a targeted audience than a brief mention in a business magazine. Clients may not like or understand this, so you must educate them. It’s all part of managing clients’ public relations expectations.

Brian R. Salisbury, a writer and a public relations and communications consultant, combines a wealth of communications know-how with an engaging writing style to help his clients shape the most effective messages and deliver them with the greatest impact where they count most. Visit Brian’s website at http://www.BriansQuill.com and subscribe to his free public relations newsletter and receive his free report Ten Key Components of a Successful Public Relations Program. Or send him an email at  [mailto:BrianSalisbury@BriansQuill.com]BrianSalisbury@BriansQuill.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_R._Salisbury http://EzineArticles.com/?Managing-Your-Clients-Public-Relations-Expectations&id=3177577

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Publicity
Publicity is a component of public relations and is the short-term tactics that organizations use to gain awareness.
Examples of Publicity Tactics:
• Creating unusual extreme sporting contests across college campuses and giving away energy drinks to participants and attendees of the event. The organizations then uploads videos of the sporting events on their website and ask visitors to vote on the most unusual extreme sporting event and giving the winner an award and publicizes the events through press releases and news coverage, gaining awareness of the energy drink.
• The retail outlet brings in a celebrity to promote the store and increase traffic into the store, when consumers visit the store asks them to sign up for the stores mailing list and in return, they receive a coupon to return to the store and receive a special discount and free item.

What are some of the most creative publicity tactics that you have used to publicize your business?
Did the tactics help you accomplish public relations goals?
What were your public relations goals?

People love reading about other people, and case studies are a great way to engage and educate prospects and clients on your services or products. I am an avid reader of Money magazine and one of my favorite sections was “One family’s finances” section of the magazine that they have since discontinued. I enjoyed reading this section because it allowed me a peak into how other people lived their lives and handled their finances. It also allowed me to compare how they were living to how I was living. The article would tell of how a company was currently handling their finances, suggestions on how to make changes to improve their finances and ended with how the family’s finances changed after they implemented the suggestions. This is a great example of a case study. Sometimes there would suggestions offered that I could implement in my financial life and article always showed me why financial management was important to my life.

Case studies can be powerful for a product business.It does not really matter whether you are selling services or products, case studies can be a powerful sales tool. When prospects are thinking about purchasing your services or products, they want to know how the product will benefit them and makes their lives better. Telling stories about how your product or service helped a customer is a perfect way to build trust with prospects that purchasing from you will satisfy their need. One of the most looked at sections on product websites is customer reviews. After a prospect has decided that they need a product they will begin, searching out the different products available that may fit their needs. After they have narrowed down their selections, many go on to read the products reviews that offered by past purchasers that in turn helps them to narrow down their choices even further. They can do all of this at home in front of their computers before leaving this house and entered into their local store that sells the product of their desire.

When I decided to purchase a new television for my family, I did not know anything about digital televisions. I began researching information concerning digital televisions and learned what to look for when purchasing a digital television. Once I had this information, it was time to think about what size television would be suitable for my family and the different prices for different sizes. I searched websites on sizes and prices and decided what size television would be the best fit for my home and budget. Once I had decided on the size and budget, I began reading customer reviews concerning the television that I thought were a possibility. Reading the customer reviews on what was good and bad about the list of television I has selected allowed me to eliminate those that received a poor rating and keep those that received a positive rating. By the time I reached the electronics store, I had narrowed my choices down to only a couple and ready to see them in person and get a feel for the television. In the past before being able to research televisions on the internet, I would have spent hours walking around stores, listening to sales people and afraid to make the wrong purchase. Now with the use of the internet and customer reviews, I was in and out of the store in about twenty minutes and my family and I are enjoying the television that I purchased.
Case studies can be just a powerful for service businesses.

Services are an intangible business and case studies can be just as powerful in selling to potential clients. Case studies allow you tell the story of how you helped a client in need solve their problem and become a happy client. When writing a service case study you tell of the clients problem, how and why they chose your company to provide a solution, how you assessed their problem and the solutions you provided, how the solution was implements and the results of the solution implemented.
Why people like case studies:

• They tell people stories and stories are easy to relate to and remember
• They talk about people who have actual problems
• They show that you understand the customers problems
• They educate prospects about your services and solutions
• They show results that are measureable
• They allow prospects to connect with your business
• They allow prospects to get to know your business
• They help prospects feel as if they know you and begin to like your
• They build trust with prospects

Writing an effective case study will help your business to build credibility by providing evident of how your business or product created a satisfied customer.

If I have missed any, feel free to email me and let me know.

These are just some of the blogs that I think are doing a great job of informing and interacting with readers.

If I have a blog listed a wrong category, I apologize. If you are still angry, then bite me.

Business

1. http://altitudebranding.com
2. http://lgbusinesssolutions.typepad.com/solutions_to_grow_your_bu/
3. http://brainsonfire.com/blog
4. http://www.chrisbrogan.com
5. http://www.churchofcustomer.com/
6. http://www.conversationagent.com/
7. http://www.entrepreneurs-journey.com
8. http://freelancefolder.com
9. http://www.ifreelance.com/

10.  http://www.sparkplugging.com/freelance-parent

11.  http://freelanceswitch.com

12.  http://www.heartofbusiness.com

13.  http://tiffanymonhollon.com/blog

14.  http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/

15.  http://money.cnn.com/rssclick/magazines/fsb/?section=magazines_fsb

16.  http://www.smsmallbiz.com

17.  http://www.startupnation.com/blogs

18.  http://theprofitablefreelancer.com/site

19.  http://blogs.briantracy.com/public/blog/149495

Marketing and PR

20.  http://60secondmarketer.com/blog

21.  http://123socialmedia.com

22.  http://amarketingexpert.com/ameblog

23.  http://authorstoolsblog.com

24.  http://bookmarketingbuzz.wordpress.com

25.  http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com/

26.  http://www.directortom.com/director-tom/

27.  http://cindyking.biz

28.  http://clickdocuments.com/connectthedocs

29.  http://www.conversationmarketing.com/

30.  http://www.convinceandconvert.com

31.  http://thecustomercollective.com/TCC/

32.  http://www.mcbrublog.com

33.  http://marcom-writer-blog.com

34.  http://digitalbodylanguage.blogspot.com/

35.  http://marketinginteractions.typepad.com/marketing_interactions/

36.  http://www.mpdailyfix.com/

37.  http://getgood.com/roadmaps

38.  http://marketingtowomenonline.typepad.com/blog/

39.  http://www.marketingwithmeaning.com

40.  http://www.micropersuasion.com/

41.  http://www.toprankblog.com

42.  http://personalbrandingblog.wordpress.com

43.  http://www.pr-squared.com/

44.  http://www.psychotactics.com/blog

45.  http://www.publicrelationsideas.com/

46.  http://www.returncustomer.com

47.  http://savvyb2bmarketing.com/blog

48.  http://www.searchengineguide.com/

49.  http://www.seobook.com

50.  http://www.seomoz.org/blog

51.  http://www.twistimage.com/blog/

52.  http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com

53.  http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog

54.  http://smartblogs.com/socialmedia

55.  http://www.scottmonty.com/

56.  http://thebrandbox.blogspot.com/

57.  http://thebrandbuilder.wordpress.com

58.  http://www.livingstonbuzz.com

59.  http://www.theharteofmarketing.com

60.  http://www.drewsmarketingminute.com/

61.  http://themarketingspot.blogspot.com/

62.  http://actionplan.blogs.com/weblog/

63.  http://www.understandingmarketing.com

64.  http://sladeroberson.com

65.  http://www.hispanicmpr.com

Sales

66.  http://blog.startwithalead.com/weblog/

67.  http://bettercloser.com

68.  http://www.salesdog.com/digit.asp

69.  http://www.fillthefunnel.com

70.  http://fromtheheartsalestraining.com/blog

71.  http://increasesalescoach.com/blog

72.  http://blog.bridgegroupinc.com/Blog/tabid/47760/Default.aspx

73.  http://zacjohnson.com

74.  http://sellingtobigcompanies.blogs.com/selling/

75.  http://www.jimmybrown.com

76.  http://www.thejfblogit.co.uk

77.  http://newsaleseconomy.com

78.  http://blog.anthonycoletraining.com/Sales-Training-Sales-Java/

79.  http://blogs.bnet.com/salesmachine

80.  http://salesblogcast.com

81.  http://www.salesjournal.com

82.  http://sellingtobigcompanies.blogs.com/selling/

83.  http://blog.sellingtoconsumers.com/

84.  http://www.thesalesblog.com/

85.  http://www.omghub.com/SalesDevelopmentBlog/tabid/5809/Default.aspx

86.  http://wendyweiss.com/blog

Writing

87.  http://catalystblogger.blogspot.com/

88.  http://www.problogger.net

89.  http://allfreelancewriting.com

90.  http://www.fabfreelancewriting.com/blog

91.  http://becoming-a-writer-seriously.com

92.  http://www.copyblogger.com

93.  http://bensettle.com/blog

94.  http://www.webcopy-writing.com/blog

95.  http://www.dailywritingtips.com

96.  http://danblank.com/blog

97.  http://www.chrisblogging.com

98.  http://writinghightech.typepad.com/freelance_business/

99.  http://www.getfreelancewritingjobs.com

1. http://www.idratherbewriting.com
2. http://blog.junta42.com/content_marketing_blog/
3. http://www.poewar.com
4. http://theadventurouswriter.com/blogwriting
5. http://www.urbanmusewriter.com/
6. http://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/
7. http://www.whitepapercompany.com/blog
8. http://writetodone.com
9. http://writerunboxed.com
10. http://www.writersreliefblog.com/
11. http://www.coachezines.com/

Oh damn, did I say 110, I meant 111. Let’s not forget.

1. http://wordzopolis.com

Don’t forget if I missed a great blog, email me and tell me about it. Maybe it will be included on the next list.

Happy reading.

 What are Case Studies and why are they created?

 Case Studies are success stories using your product or services. When you create a Case Study, you are telling your readers about a client a problem that needed solving. How you solved the client’s problem and turned the client into a happy and satisfied customer.

 Once you decide to create your case study. You need to decide which customer’s story would make a good case study. You should choose a customer who has been a client of your business for some time. Ask the client for permission to interview them and create a case study. Try to get quotes that you can use.

When you write you case study try and show how you solved one client’s problem. If you were able to solve other problems, write additional cases studies. You also want to create case studies that set you apart from your competition. This is a great opportunity to highlight your talents and skills.

The case studies that you create should be easy to read and understand, like reading a story. Try to keep your case studies close to one page, most are usually no longer then two pages. You can include figures, facts, and diagrams but make sure that they flow easily within the story that you are telling.

Case Studies are broken down into three or four sections: Problem, Solution, Approach and Results. Sometimes the solution and approach are combined.

 You begin the case study by breaking down a problem that a client was facing. You provide the details of the problem. You give enough background information to tell the problem and the problems significance.

The Problem

 Mary and Thomas Dailey a couple in their middle 50’s, faced with the problem of paying for their children’s education and funding their retirement. When they came to see me, their children were Maria age 14 and Matthew age 16. They were looking to retire before their youngest child would finish college. They did not want to use up their retirement fund to finance their children’s education and they did not desire to keep working past retirement age.

Once you have stated the problem, you provide the details of how you came up with a solution to your client’s problem and tell why the client chose your company and a description of the solution you provided. .

The Solution

The Dailey’s chose our companies because we specialize in helping families plan for paying for their children’s college education while planning for retirement. I sat down with the Dailey’s and we did a breakdown of their finances and future goals. We created a plan that would allow the Dailey to retire as planned and fund their children’s college education.

At this point, you tell the approach you took to find a solution to your customer’s problem.

 The Approach

 We looked at their children’s grades and interest in and outside of school. The Dailey’s have saved enough money for their children to attend public universities. Although the Dailey’s were able to fund a public education, both children were looking at attending private prestigious universities.

Their oldest child Maria was an “A” student, on the soccer team and fluent in French. Their youngest child Matthew was also an “A” student, played basketball and volunteered for a wildlife preserve association. We had Maria and Matthew decide what three colleges they really wanted to attend and looked into the financial programs available for families that do not qualify for need-based financial aid.

 We were able to determine that the children should be able to receive academic and sports scholarships. We also determined that they could defer saving for retirement for a couple of years to beef up their children’s college funds. When the youngest child entered college, they could then return to saving for retirement. The Dailey’s would be able to send their children to college without sacrificing their retirement savings.

The Results

The Dailey’s decided put off saving for their retirement for three years and invest into their children’s education fund. Through careful research and planning, the children were able to receive scholarships. The family was able to finance what the scholarships did not cover.

After saving for the children’s education they resumed saving for their retirement. Ten years later Mary and Thomas are happily retired. Enjoying a life of leisure, their children have finished college, without having large student loans to repay.

Case Studies are a valuable resource. It allows you to show your expertise in action. A case study can be more powerful than your brochure or sales literature. Case studies allow you show prospects what you can do for them as you have done successfully for others. If you are adding, case studies to you website. Regularly add new case studies so that readers will keep coming back to your website to check on updates. The more your prospective clients visit your website. The more they will begin to feel as if they know you. Once they get to know you, they begin to trust you and your judgment. We all know that people do business with people they feel they know, not strangers.

It does not matter whether you provide a service or product. Case studies can go a long way toward building trust and credibility with prospects and current clients.