Vol. II, Issue 10 – 17 July 2007
Editor & Publisher: Tracey Dooley

As always, thank you for being a CfS subscriber. (You are receiving this newsletter because you requested it.) Please help us grow together and forward this issue to any friends, peers and associates you think would benefit. Thanks!

In this month's success-packed edition:

1. Publisher's Preamble
2. Branding Pays Off With Search Engine Marketing
3. How Does Your Business Grow?
4. How a Simple Letter Can Land You Free Publicity
5. About the Word Doctor
6. Big Marketing Winners Revealed
7. Client Corner
8. Using Other People's Work
9. Bag this Essential Guide, Worth £15!
10. Improve Productivity While Cutting Costs
11. F*r*e*e Image-Editing Software
12. Women in Business Seminar
13. Business-building Marketplace

It seems as if so much has happened since the last issue of CfS. My back is healing nicely (I broke my back a few months ago) and I’m almost at the point where I’m putting on my own socks! Heck, I even wore my wedge-heal sandals for two weddings, so it can’t be bad!

I've been getting to grips with new ‘social’ media and now have, as well as my own blog, a Facebook page. Do ‘poke’ me the next time you’re there.

Plus, I’ve been busy adding to my blog, which is getting more visitors each day (thanks, if you’re one of them!). BTW, I’ve added some of my answers to your questions on my blog, too.   :-)

And then I’ve been boosting my knowledge bank, which of course gets passed on to you courtesy of this newsletter.

So what have you been up to? I’d love to hear of any business successes, so please let me know.

Can a Simple Letter Get You F*R*E*E* publicity? Yes! And in this month’s feature article I reveal one of the cheapest and easiest ways to promote your business. Don’t forget to enter this month’s fantastic competition for even greater media coverage and awareness for your business. Finally, just a quick reminder: I no longer publish an email text version of this newsletter due to declining deliverability rates thanks to overzealous ISPs and their anti-spam measures.

However, CfS will still be published monthly in its all-singing, all-colour HTML format at www.mediaminister.co.uk. And there’s an archive of past issues that you can, for the time being, easily access for F*R*E*E*.

Love and success

Tracey

PS Are you taking advantage of your FREE CfS subscriber ad? There are only 1-2 free slots per issue. Send yours here. Please make sure you keep it to a maximum of 5 lines, 65 characters per line (including your URL or email address). Copy deadline for the next issue is 6 August 2007.

PPS Please add the following email addy to your whitelist or address book in your email program so that you always receive your issues:

Top

New research suggests branded search terms offer the highest conversion rates.

In a study conducted by search marketing firms 360i and SearchIgnite, more than 3.9 million users and 5.1 million clicks were scrutinized during the first quarter of 2006. The research focused on e-commerce retailers with active SEM (search engine marketing) campaigns.

Notably, conversion rates were seven times higher for searchers who began their search process on a non-brand term and switched to a brand term than when a searcher used only non-brand terms.

Read more about branding:

http://marketingmoment.wordpress.com/2007/04/10/branding-–-good-for-any-business

Top

Here are just some of the ways MediaMinister can help drive sales to your business:

1. Direct mail campaigns
2. Direct-response advertising.
3. Online lead generation and traffic-conversion strategies.
4. Sales letters – offline and online.
5. Affiliate/joint venture marketing.
 
For joint venture enquiries contact:


For copywriting, editorial and marketing enquiries contact:

For all other enquiries contact:

Top

As I write this, the ‘silly season’ is in full swing. Historically, this period lasts for a few months, starting in mid- to late summer), and coincides with parliament and the law courts going into summer recess. It is during this time that you see the emergence of frivolous news stories in the media.

It’s also perhaps the best time of year to get some publicity for your business, for newspaper and magazine editors are crying out for newsworthy events.

Get your news or article in the hands of an information-hungry editor during the silly season and you can expect to see your name and message in front of hundreds and even thousands of potential customers – mostly for free.

A word of warning here: If you wish to have your article published in a newspaper or periodical, then you will need to make sure it is unbiased and isn’t self-promotion fluff. The only time when you can get away with promoting your business in an article is if it is a paid-for ‘advertorial’  – which, according to Wikipedia, is “an advertisement written in the form of an objective opinion editorial, and presented in a printed publication —usually designed to look like a legitimate and independent news story.”

But that doesn’t stop you from writing an impartial article and submitting for publication, along with your byline and/or resource box, where depending on editorial policy you CAN mention your company.

Use a Trick from the PR Bag

For the best no-cost publicity, you’ll want to focus on news stories in the form of press releases.

The trouble with news or press releases is that the majority are so badly written or are little more than infomercials for author’s business that they end up going straight into the ‘reject’ pile.

So what can you do, apart from outsource your PR to an expert?

Well, you can use a trick from the PR bag that I used to use – with a lot of success: Send out a letter to the editor. I don’t mean one of those letters where you comment on a news story already published, but rather a letter offering an idea for an article, competition, report or news piece.

Most info-hungry editors will grab story ideas that relate to current affairs or that will help their readers in some way. So try to think along those lines when coming up with an offering.

Problem, Solution, Hook!

The best way to go about writing your letter is to start with a captivating sentence, problem/solution ‘hook’, or a question. Then you need to get straight on with the pitch. This is the part where you tease the editor with your idea, explaining how it WILL interest his or her readers. If possible, include a working title, word count and a short summary of what your article will cover. Sprinkle in a few statistics, if you have them.

What you’re aiming for here is to show the editor that you’ve done your homework. Why would you article appeal to his readership, for example?

Finish by briefly introducing yourself, stating why you’re the best person to write the piece. Credentials might include teaching experience in the subject matter, other professional knowledge, interviews with any experts you’re going to quote, or writing experience.

I usually close with a final teaser where I offer one last nugget to nudge the editor into taking action. This can be as simple as saying how quickly you can have the finished article on their desk (give a time limit, and stick to it).

If you’re lucky enough to pique an editor’s interest to the extent that they end up publishing your article, don't stop there. Keep in touch, and offer more ideas. By patiently developing a relationship so that you become a trusted expert source on your subject, and proving that you can deliver, you should find that editors come back to you over and over again.

By Tracey "Word Doctor" Dooley, Creative Consultant | PR Guru | Marketing Diva.

(C) 2007 T Dooley, All Rights Reserved

Want to use this article (or any tip in this newsletter) on your website, blog, a message board or in an ezine? Not a problem! But please give credit where it's due. You MUST include the following:

Tracey "Word Doctor?" Dooley of MediaMinister (www.mediaminister.co.uk) is an experienced copywriter, editor and marketer. She has spent almost 14 years crafting compelling copy that successfully sells, informs, educates or entertains. =====>To sign up for her freebie business-building tips, marketing and publicity pointers, visit www.mediaminister.co.uk.

***Would you like some help in developing or polishing your letter? I would be glad to help or act as a facilitator for you... Just let me know.

Top

Tracey "Word Doctor" Dooley is an experienced copywriter and PR/marketing & editorial consultant. She has spent almost 14 years crafting compelling communications copy that successfully sells, informs or entertains. She can remove the hassle of writing, editing and producing all your marketing communications – including general business writing, blog writing/producing, web content, customer retention and sales letters, postcard campaigns, direct mail packages, brochures, ads, PR materials and more. She can ghostwrite your business articles, too. Just let her know a little about yourself (include things such as who you are, which company you own/work for, the size of your company, your industry, and so on), which service you

irequire, the type of copy you’re interested in (ad copy, direct mail copy, etc.), and she’ll get right back to you.

Get in touch via the online form at www.mediaminister.co.uk/contact.htm or email her your full brief and any supporting documentation.

Top

CNET's business network and MarketingSherpa reveal the types of marketing that are most productive for businesses.

Their survey says (in order of preference)… Drum roll, please:

1. Word of mouth
2. Conferences and trade shows
3. Editorial in print magazines (see main feature article).

Top

“The press release is fabulous! Thank you! Please let me know when it will go out and who picks it up. All very exciting. Would it be possible to save me a copy of anything that happens this month for me?”

– Lynn Kingelin, design director, www.lynnkingelin.com.

If you would like to share how MediaMinister or CfS has affected you or your business, please email it to me by filling in the short form here: www.mediaminister.co.uk/contact.htm. As a thank you, your name, business and contact information will be published, so you get f*r*e*e* publicity. ;-)

Top

Question: "If I come across an article that I’d like to use, is it OK to copy it and post it on my website as long as I give credit to the author?"
– by email

Answer: No, apart from the ethics involved, you could encounter a number of copyright-infringement legalities. You really must get permission from the author or source first. They’ll most likely say yes and give you a resource box to include with the article. Best to be safe than sorry, I say.

That said, there are times when an article will be published with a 'reprint' box that describes how to use the article for free, providing the author byline or source and any copyright/reprint notices are left intact. Like with the article above.

Got a burning question you want answered? Email it to me and I'll include it in a future issue of Communiqué for Success!

Top

MediaMinister has teamed up with ACPR to offer two lucky CfS readers a free copy of A Guide to Promoting Your Business, worth £15. For your chance to win your own copy, submit the correct answer to the following question, together with your full name and postal address, email address and phone number to: Question: Who is the author of this comprehensive, no-nonsense guide? (Hint: Read my review of the guide.) You may also enter by filling in the form on the MediaMinister website (www.mediaminister.co.uk).

Prize Draw Rules

• No purchase is necessary.
• To enter, register for ‘CfS’ on www.mediaminister.co.uk if you are not already a subscriber.
• Only one entry per person. 
• This prize draw is open to all residents of the UK and Eire except employees of MediaMinister or ACPR and their families or anyone else connected with this prize draw.
• The prize is as stated in the prize draw details. No cash alternative will be offered.
• The winner will be selected at random, and the judges' decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
• All entries must be received by 3pm (BST) on Friday 10 August 2007.
• The winner will be notified by email within one month of the closing date. If the winner has not confirmed receipt of the notification email within two weeks, or is ineligible to receive the prize, another winner will be selected.
• No responsibility will be accepted for ineligible, incomplete or damaged entries (which may be disqualified), nor for entries that fail to arrive by the closing date.
• The winner agrees to the use of his or her name for publicity purposes, if required.
• It is a condition of entry that all entrants agree to be bound by these rules.
• The details of the winner may be requested by email to:
  

Top

The theme of the next Women in Business Seminar, which takes place in London on 28 July, is making a difference. The day’s event will look at how business can be inspired and sustained by making a difference in the world or wider community.

To book or for more details, visit:

www.womeninbusinessseminars.co.uk

Got an event, tip or resource you'd like to share? Email it to me and I'll include it in a future issue of Communiqué for Success!

Top

Join my affiliate programme and you could earn as much as 33% per sale just by recommending them to your clients, colleagues and friends. Easy passive income!

To find out more just go to ==> www.mediaminister.co.uk/affiliate.htm

Top

Finally! A Quick and Easy Way For YOU To Painlessly
Create, Post and PROFIT From Your Own Money-Making
Online Videos... Without Being a Computer Geek or
Paying Outrageous Fees To A Webmaster!
==> http://www.mysitesales.com/app/?af=430941

READING THIS AD? YOURS COULD BE HERE, TOO! To find out more and get on board to reach entrepreneurs, business owners and consultants, just email the Word Doctor using the contact information below.

Top

Disclaimer: Neither Tracey Dooley nor MediaMinister endorses the accuracy or reliability of any of any third-party advertisements in this e-newsletter. Rest assured, advertisers are carefully selected and sometimes personally known, which can only be a good thing for you! However, I simply can’t (and don’t) investigate the legitimacy, validity or legality of any item advertised. It therefore always makes sense to check each one out using your own diligence.

Feel free to FORWARD COMMUNIQUÉ FOR SUCCESS! in its entirety to anyone you think will find it useful. When doing do please add a note explaining why you're sending it to them, else they might think I've sent it to them without permission – thanks.

Join my email list (your privacy is totally safe)!

Top