The Branding Process

Apologies for the delay in posts! In addition to a very busy winter, yours truly finds himself enrolled in classes toward the MS/Ph.D program in Gerontology at VCU. Trust me...it all makes sense in my head...

My observation, however, is that the branding process is not at all unlike many other information gathering processes where there is an initial dilemma and a desired conclusion. Whether it is "FORM * STORM * NORM * PERFORM" or whatever common process, it is important to outline what your objectives are, create a mission statement, gather a team of willing and informed participants, identify common goals, identify obstacles, gather information, process information...and reflect, reflect, reflect during the entire process.

I can't stress enough how important the element of reflection is (or as we call in branding, an image audit). The process, just like the ultimate brand, is only as good as the people and information that goes into it. And we know just how ever-changing people and information are! Celebrate the changes--it ultimately means that you have the most up to date brand!

The Art of a Press Release

It's all in the pitch and timing... While it does help to develop a personal relationship with your press contacts, the angle of the pitch and its timing are key elements to getting your story published.

1. For television, don't contact the reporter, contact the particular producer for either the morning, noon, evening, or late night news. Be prepared to stay up late or get up early if you need to talk to them on the phone!

2. For print, it's all about the angle and fitting it into what the reporter needs. If he/she needs to fill space with a pretty photo, make sure you have a digital photo ready. Make sure the topic of the press release is part of his/her beat.

3. For radio (depending on the size of the market), find out when the on air talent has time they need to fill. The likelihood of a radio remote (for free) or on air editorial is fairly unlikely unless they are off script a great deal.

Keep in mind that all members of the media (except print that is monthly, quarterly, etc) are on a perpetual deadline. Always be prepared for that 4:30 follow up phone call for the 5:00 news. And the line "Mr. White had not returned our calls by the time of production" means that you were probably on the other line or in the bathroom. Don't get defensive--it's the nature of the beast of an industry that is quickly being reformatted by Twitter, Facebook, and the internet in general.

Search Engine Optimization

Be wary of self-professed internet gurus who claim to be able to propel your website to higher organic rankings. We all know that google is the only search engine that matters and google changes the algorithms by which their bots rank sites about every 23 seconds. Google pay-per-click is a revenue generator for them, so what's the incentive to make organic optimization easy?

Some basic tips to enhance your organic optimization:

- Link, link, link to other websites and ensure they link back to you
- Write simple main page text and meta tags
- Don't load your homepage down with video and flash
- Consider a Facebook or twitter account to update special events, news, etc. And work on a following...and stream from your website. Make your website an information hub that is updated at least daily.
- Eblast, Eblast, Eblast and direct people back to your website for more information

Just a few simple tips to help your organic SE placement!

Rebranding a Special Event

Don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Most any special event that has had a modicum of success enjoys some elements that can perpetuate. What works with the event? What does not work? What are the easier and less costly elements that can live on--especially the name! Many times it is easier to "massage" the elements and identity of an event, rather than simply starting from scratch.

Shout Out to EastLake Business Association

Here's a high-five to EastLake Business Association (www.eastlake-sml.com) for having the foresight to agree to become a "Virtual DMO." Virtual DMO, or Virtual Destination Marketing Organization, is an entity that serves as a marketing entity for a region, while being almost 100% online. EastLake Business Association consumes little to no natural resources (other than the power of several computers and the Diet Cokes consumed by its Executive Director), but is beginning the process of becoming a marketing powerhouse for the Smith Mountain Lake region... Virtually. A new tourism and economic development website will soon be launched at www.destinationsml.org... Rack cards will be produced to promote the organization and the new Destination SML website, but the use of paper products and printing will decrease and the marketing capacity of the website and a social networking campaign increase. Go Green and Go SML!

The Susan Boyle Phenomenon

Even today, everyone likes a pleasant surprise. And if the content is markedly different from the packaging, the reaction is even more profound. Think about it the next time you are launching a product or an idea. The Shakespearean philosophy of appearance deviating from reality has held true for over 400 years.

A Resurrection of Academic and Athletics?

You know the old saying: "Once you go Greek, you're good for a week!" And while that really is a adage I just made up, it seems to hold true. Our Greek forefathers promoted both mental and physical fitness and I see this personified in the third annual Great Richmond Region Adventure. Solve a clue. Haul ass (on foot mind you) to the Richmond attraction referenced in the clue. It's an athletic geek's dream! And of course I plan to copy the event at Smith Mountain Lake in a slightly modified fashion...Smart Cars, Hybrids, and Segways will be allowed to account for our slightly more mature demographic...

As I have said in previous posts, there is no such thing as an original event concept. But I can sure as heck tweek it to fit my purposes.