We’re frequently asked, “What should my business do, from a PR perspective?”

Most of the  time, they’re not asking for a full consultation, but are asking, “What do the successful companies know?”

For months, the PilmerPR team has been working behind-the-scenes to compile the most useful information together, and in terms for the layman. The result is “PR 101: The Basics.”

Beginning this month, PilmerPR will host the webinars to introduce basic public relations strategies to entrepreneurs, CXOs and emerging company owners, within an hour.

This is not just a sales presentation. You will come away seeing your business from a PR perspective, which may inspire you to rethink current practices.

Topics include the following:

• Social Media - Money Maker or Energy Leak
• Press Releases - Not Just for Reporters Anymore
• Online Media Revolution - A Conceptual and Monetary Shift
• Measurement - Turning PR into Money
• Watering Holes - Finding Prospects in 2010
• Avoiding Potholes - Common Errors of Entrepreneurs
• What’s News? - Making News Newsworthy
• And More!

“PR 101: The Basics” is only $149. For this first webinar, if you sign up for the PilmerPR newsletter, we will give you a code to attend for just $49.

Sign up for the PilmerPR Newsletter:

 Loading ...

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

There are so many new green technologies under development that it’s hard to keep track. Here’s one more. What if I told you there was a cleantech auto transmission under development that will yield 30% greater MPG, even in big-rig trucks? Gas, diesel, electric, CNG–doesn’t matter. What if I further told you that Hyundai, Honda, Toyota, and Subaru were all looking at it. More to come…

Did you know that in the U.S. we consume 176 billion gallons of motor fuel per year? (source: USDOT) If 1% of our vehicles increased their MPG by 30%, that would save 528 million gallons of fuel the first year.

 Loading ...

More more info: jpilmer@pilmerpr.com

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Today was my first luncheon as UVEF 2010 chairman. Today’s excellent UVEF speaker was Gary Rhoads, PhD in Marketing , Stephen Mack Covey Professor of Marketing, and Director of the Entrepreneurship Center at Brigham Young University.  He discussed powerful concepts from his new book BoomStart:  Super Laws of Successful Entrepreneurs.  BoomStart identifies why many start-up companies fail in their first 2 years of business because they spend millions of dollars on traditional marketing tactics that simply don’t work.

Here are just a couple.

Sharpen the Angle. Dimensions of increasing the angle of attack for a new project or service include:

Customers must have a Need to Believe your message. Big perceived problem equals big opportunity.

You must give the customer a Reason to Believe. Make it easy for them to see why they need your stuff.

Blow Away Expectations.  You must demonstrate superior value . Focus on dominating in one area first.

You must make a Unique Claim about your product or service.  This can neutralize the competition.

UVEF will soon make audio of today’s terrific presentation available at www.uvef.net

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

As the new 2010 Chairman of the Utah Valley Entrepreneurial Forum (www.uvef.net ), I’m enthusiastic about the potential for new business startups to turn the economy around. The grit and power of the small business startup executive is infectious and is likely the most valuable stimulus program available to the USA.

Entrepreneurs aspiring for greatness would do well to pay attention to the lessons of the past as they forge the future.  That’s why I wanted to share a recent Forbes story that hits the mark in my view.  Here’s their list of 10 Arrogance Traps of Entrepreneurs:

“Business plans are for dummies”
Think business plans are just for investors? Wrong. Those plans are primarily for you.

“This is so cool!”
Just because you think your new mousetrap is extraordinary doesn’t mean the whole world will agree

“If we build it, they will come.”
…our product is so great that everyone will know about us anyway by word of mouth and through online social networks…

“We have no competitors.”
If you haven’t identified a competitor…you either 1) haven’t looked or 2) there isn’t any market for what you are selling.

“Me, myself and I.”
I recently watched a promising start-up wither and die for lack of funds because the founder refused to step aside as chief executive in favor of a more experienced candidate…

“We’re too nimble for the big guys to keep up.”
Serving a relatively small customer base well can yield a tidy little business,

“We have more features than anyone”
Truth is, marketing a flurry of features often puts off customers who would rather not have to deal with complexity, or the costs to switch to a new product or service. Simple sells.

“We have the first-mover advantage”
Right. Or, what you really mean, but can’t admit, is that you don’t have a patent or any differentiating competitive advantage.

“There’s no need to risk my own money.”
Investing your own capital is, in the eyes of investors, the difference between “involved” and “committed”–and investors like commitment even more than they like sweat equity.

“We’re funded, now we can relax”
The real work starts when the money comes in

(See entire Forbes story)

 Loading ...

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

One important aspect of marketing and public relations is combating negative news in a client’s area of business. One of our clients, ModifyUtah, recently saw a negative news program about their industry – loan modification.

Sometimes bad stuff happens and a homeowner finds themselves on the brink of losing their home. When in such a pinch, noted consumer advocate, Clark Howard, recently reported the following options in order of damage to one’s credit score.

Least Damaging – Loan Modification
More Damaging – Short Sale
Even More Damaging – Foreclosure
Most Damaging – Bankruptcy

An unscrupulous loan modification business was recently highlighted on Get Gephardt, an investigative TV segment in Utah. This particular business took money up front to do a loan modification, then kept the money and never achieved the modification.

ModifyUtah felt that they needed to respond right away, since the story gave all loan modification companies a bad name, simply because of one bad seed.  They have previously taken many steps to ensure their business is honest and fair with customers, including offering a money-back guarantee, registering with the Utah Department of Real Estate, and more.

ModifyUtah VP of Finance Randy Chipman has some ideas about how to gain credibility in an industry with a bad reputation that will publish shortly over on the Utah Business Blog.

So, have you ever felt scammed by a business?  Take the poll below and let us know.

 Loading ...

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

After the media frenzy about Obama’s comment regarding Kanye West’s actions during the VMA Awards, many people have questioned the relevance of “off record comments.” Who is at fault for Obama’s comments ending up on Twitter? Obama? The ABC News employees?

The LA Times referred to the situation as, “Obama, Kanye West and the trouble with Twitter.” However, according to most public relations professionals, the problem is not with Twitter or the ABC New employees, but rather with Obama. It’s not because he’s a democrat, but it is because he is a public figure.

When politicians, executives, or any other public figure speaks with the media, there are certain written and unwritten rules they should all know. These rules are not a secret, but a basic part of spokesperson training. One of those rules is that off the records does not guarantee you won’t read it in the paper.

Although CNBC granted an explicit agreement with the White House that Obama’s pre-interview chitchat was off the record, there are still certain things Obama should not have said. Public figures have to realize that off the record does not grant immunity and that social media is desperately waiting for their next comment. Read more at Utah Business Magazine

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Presentation

Today I present at the UVEF Crunch Lunch in Provo, Utah. We expect a big crowd if its anything like the last one of these I spoke at. I’ll be addressing the revolutionary changes in Public Relations and PR tips for startup success on a budget new businesses can survive. Here are some of the revolutionary social media  facts that are changing the PR business:

24 of 25 of the largest newspapers have falling circulation*

Online news is 2nd most trusted source, #1 is TV***

26% of Internet users utilize Twitter for finding news**

By 2010 Gen Y will be larger than the Baby Boomers market segment. 96% of them use Social Media*

To reach 50 million users it took: radio-38 yrs; TV-13 yrs; Internet-4 yrs.  It took Facebook 9 months to reach 100M users.*

Most companies use Public Relations professionals to manage their Social Media strategy.****

The majority of editors now look at blogs to get story ideas.

John Pilmer presentation on YouTube

*Source: Socialnomics

**Source: TNS and The Conference Board

***Source: Pew Research

****2009 Digital Readiness Report, iPressroom/PRSA

Give us a call for more about the Social Media revolution and how it fits into a strategic public relations plan.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Huntsman mounts Harley-sends message

After the pomp and circumstance, the cannons firing and bands playing, the flags and the applause, Ambassador Huntsman (past governor of Utah) rides off of Utah’s capitol hill on board a a “big hog” Harley Davidson. No, not a farm animal, a motorcycle.

Flanked by Utah Highway patrol and his posse of dirt biker buddies, Huntsman may have sent a perfect message to Chinese trade counterparts awaiting his arrival in their country. Buy American, buy Harley. Certainly the US based manufacturer’s public relations team should be “making hay” with this endorsement from the USA’s newly appointed and  most powerful trade ambassador.

Some feel that Obama appointed Huntsman to this post to sideline any potential opposition from the savvy Republican politician. However, the president may yet learn that Huntsman still has growing political, and guerrilla PR, savvy that may haunt the liberal machine.

See KSL video (motorcycle)

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

President Obama’s recent confirmation of Utah Governor John Huntsman carries some certain intricacies not readily know or realized by the public. On the surface, the choice is great, almost a no brainier. Huntsman fits the China Ambassador mold just about as perfect as Obama could wish.

During his younger years, Huntsman served a mission for the LDS Church in Taiwan and became fluent in Mandarin Chinese. Then in 1999, he and his wife adopted a daughter, Gracie Mei, from China. In addition to the personal ties to China Huntsman has plenty political and business ties as well.

Under the direction of George H.W. Bush, Huntsman served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Ambassador to Singapore. In 2006, he went on a trade mission to China “because of their prominence on the world stage and the way in which they are growing so rapidly,” he told the Deseret Morning News of Salt Lake City.

Hunstman also carries very strong views about the environment and social responsibility, which China lacks. His environmental inniatives in Utah launched the state into a whole new understanding of the sustainability.

Overall, a pretty impressive China related resume. However, there could be a little more to the confirmation than Huntsman’s likeable resume. Chance are, President Obama looked at more than Huntsman’s resume, and focused on the public relations aspects of the choice.

With so much talk about bipartisanship, Obama has had his hands full trying to fulfill the promises that have been made on the campaign trail and while in office. Governor Huntsman matches the bipartisanship model and reduces a threat.

A threat? Why is Governor Huntsman a threat? According to Obama’s campaign manager, David Plouffe, Huntsman is “the one person in that party who might be a potential presidential candidate.” Even Politico reported that with the nomination, Obama is “likely removing one of his strongest potential challengers in the 2012 presidential campaign from the running.”

Now Obama’s nomination of Huntsman takes a completely different form. Pictured to be a natural and seemingly perfect fit, Obama could simply be trying to assuring less competition in the future election.

Whether it is for the China related resume or the push for less resistance in 2012, Obama made a great PR decision. To the innocent onlooker the choice falls within Obama’s bipartisan promises and gives the U.S. a good chance with China. However, to the multi-layered information connoisseur, the nomination and confirmation is an interesting chess move. A chess move that could be attributed to egoism or altruism.

 Loading ...

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Alan Ashton & Lt. Gov Gary Herbert address UVEF

Fox News: UVEF Top 25 Under 5

*********

Today, Lt Gov Gary Herbert keynoted a terrific awards program by the Utah Valley Entrepreneurial Forum (UVEF). 160 attendees. 25 top companies under five years of age were honored. Representing $80 million in combined 2008 revenue, the winners created 840 jobs last year. ZAGG, Imagination Learning, and OrangeSoda came in 1, 2, & 3.  Emcee, Rick White, co-founder of rising startup Fusion-io kept the event light with ample humor and insights into the healthy state of entrepreneurism in Utah.

According to soon to be Governor Herbert, 50% of jobs in Utah come from small business.  The Wall Street Journal reported this past month that more than half of the Fortune 500 in 2009 launched in recessions or bear markets. Speakers at the event credited Utah’s relatively resilient economy is due to great startup companies like those honored today.

The Daily Herald honored Alan Ashton, founder of WordPerfect, with a special “Founding Fathers” award for his quarter century of contributing to Utah business and the community.

Media for the event:

YouTube highlights video

Business Wire coverage

Daily Herald coverage

Daily Herald special section on Utah entrepreneurs

Deseret News coverage

Utah Pulse coverage

Wasatch Digital IQ coverage

Fox TV News coverage

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!