On a conference call with a prospect the other day, I mentioned that podcasts would be a great way to reach their audience. The response was lukewarm. When pressed, the prospect said, we’ve done podcasts before, but not that many people listened to them. Turns out, they were recording the podcasts, and then posting them to their website, and that was it.

Like any tool in the marketing mix, if no one knows about it, it’s not going to work. You can write the best release, record the best podcast, have the best collateral but if you don’t link it all together you’re not getting the most out of your efforts.

For example, let’s say someone in your organization writes a white paper. Too often, it gets printed or put on the website and that’s it. At Topaz, from that white paper we would help our client:

- create an abstract and work to get an article either in print or online

- write a synopsis for their blog

- create a podcast from the white paper

- tweet about the white paper, the blog and the podcast

- create a release on the topic that mentioned the podcast, blog and white paper

From one white paper, by cross promoting the activity, we’ve created multiple opportunities to interact with your audience. In budget-constrained times, or any time for that matter, it’s a great way to get the most out of your marketing efforts.

Technorati Tags: Blogging, Communications, Marketing, PR, public relations, Social Media, Topaz Partners, Twitter

My most favorite sister-in-law, an IT professional, and I were talking about the company she works at during the Patriots game on Sunday. Welker had blown out his knee, Brady was in, then out, then in again, and attention to the game was drifting since we all knew it meant nothing anyway. I’ve looked at the company she works at from time to time, considering whether or not they’d be a good candidate for PR support, but knew from her that they handled it internally.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t too upbeat on the future of the company, even though they have a great product, with potential for use in other applications than what it was initially developed for.

I asked her what initiatives the internal PR folks where taking. The answer was – in my opinion – a recipe for disaster: “well, they were laid off, so nothing is being done in that regard.”

Now, I’m no rocket scientist, and I didn’t sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I’m pretty sure that when things are tough is not the time to stop talking to your customers about what is going on. And it is especially not good when things are just starting to pick up again!

Communications with your target customers, editors and analysts should be a priority when things are tough, so that they know you are still there, able to meet their needs. And, so they remember you are there when the economy turns. Even if you don’t have an agency or internal staff, some one must keep up the flow of information. Like the billboard I saw on the highway in New Jersey at the start of this downturn: Stop Communicating, Lose Your Customers, Lose Your Sales, Lose Your House. If you stop communicating, you start losing…

I’ve offered to help her with her resume, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that…

Technorati Tags: Advertising, Communications, Marketing, PR, public relations, Social Media

From February 21st through the 25th, at the Palm Springs Convention Center in Palm Springs, Calif., the Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition – APEC 2010 – will focus on the practical and applied aspects of the power electronics business. Not just a designer’s conference, APEC has something of interest for anyone involved in power electronics.

Not only is this an ideal venue for exhibitors to learn the latest information in the power electronics business, it is also a great opportunity for companies to leverage their tradeshow investment by building a package of communications activities to support being at the show.

Some ideas to leverage your investment at APEC 2010:

- Use your company blog to highlight your tradeshow message. This can help drive traffic to your booth, and the web.

- Leverage other social media channels, like Twitter or your company Facebook page, to expand your reach.

- Have your agency or internal PR team arrange editorial and analyst meetings at the show. This expands your reach after the show, extending the benefits from your investment.

- If budget permits, consider taking advantage of show offered sponsorships, especially pre-show mailings to bring people into the booth.

With only a few months left before the show, now is the time to take the steps to leverage your investment and maximize your ROI from APEC 2010.

Technorati Tags: Communications, Events, Marketing, PR, Tech