Scratchpad Secretaries

Quick Tip Tuesdays

2009-12-15T22:08:00.000-08:00

This is the fourth in the Quick Tip Tuesday series about press releases. Our first was about Google Insights for Search, second was keywords, and last week's post was about a Call to Action.

As always, if you have any tips or tricks or would like to add to the conversation, feel free to leave a comment!

***

Use pictures or video. To quote Janet Thaeler, using these mediums does two things:

Helps to tell your story in different ways
Builds trust with your readers

If you choose to use pictures, remember to use captions. Studies show that people are first drawn to a picture and then directly under it.

And hey, if you do it right and use some imagination (and smart marketing strategy), the picture can even be the call to action!

See you next week for some more quick tips for using press releases in your publicity strategy!

Seo Sunday: Linking

2009-12-13T09:30:00.000-08:00

To start out our SEO on Sunday series, I think it's perfect to talk quickly about Linking. I'm not going to go into massive detail, but I am going to share an example of what NOT to do.

Don't ignore or decline an inbound link opportunity.

(Unless it's bad for business of course.)

When I had the concept to do this series, I contacted Steffan Antonas to ask permission to link to him. He responded with a yes, and also a, "let me know when you do - I'd like to join in on the conversation". Now THAT'S what it's about (ok, so it's also about driving traffic....), this new day and age of the Internet. Having conversations, sharing content, sharing information. But I digress.

I also contacted someone else whom I respect in the area of SEO. I've been reading his articles for a few years, I get fantastic ideas from his work, and I find him to be quite knowledgeable and (usually) approachable. But he didn't get back to me regarding my request to link to him.

Don't do this.

Incoming links are SO important to drive up your search engine rankings (= more traffic = more sales). If someone wants to link to you and their site is aligned with your strategic plan?

Do it.

Quick Tip Tuesdays

2009-12-08T10:56:00.000-08:00

This is the third in a series of Quick Tip Tuesdays about press releases. See our first tip about Google Insights and our second about keyword useage. And of course, feel free to add your two cents worth in the comments!

***

To get right to the point, there's got to be a Call to Action. You've got to invite people to do something, to participate somehow. For example, "Vote Now!", "Sign up for our Newsletter!", "Click here for the Survey!", etc etc.

That's the Call to Action. And that's what you've got to include.

A quick aside?

It might seem obvious, but don't forget to make it a clickable link!

Have you had success with your particular call to action through issuing press releases? We'd love to hear from you!

SEO Sunday

2009-12-06T16:48:00.000-08:00

I've been coming across a lot of articles lately about SEO and it's really got me thinking about my own site. I've decided to do a bit of an "optimization overhaul" in the area of content, keywords, internal links, outbound links, page titles, etc and I thought I'd bring you along for the ride!

Last year I wrote a post to pass along some SEO pointers called SEO in 3 Minutes or Less. I'd suggest you give that a quick read for some basic SEO concepts (hey, it's less than 3 minutes!) and ideas. Next I'd visit Steffan Antonas. His blog was the inspiration for my SEO in 3 Minutes or Less post, and when I want to learn something new, or am a bit stuck with something technical, I have a peak to see what he's got going on. Usually, he's got some great tidbits, even video!, that help me out.

In my next SEO post I'll start breaking those ideas apart and really looking to dissect the SEO concept and how to implement changes in your own website. Stay tuned!

Don't Sit on that Domain!

2009-12-04T14:48:00.000-08:00

If you have just purchased a domain for a business that you are thinking about building in the future, don't sit on it! Make sure you build at least a basic site on that domain with some text about the topic of the business you are going to create - or better yet, build a blog there and post your thoughts and ideas about where you are going. When you are ready to finally launch, you will have already claimed a space on Google's index for your topic and can move up the rankings from there.

Website developers have observed that when Google first notices your site, it will take some time before your site starts to show up in the index. Look up the topics "aging delay" or "google sandbox" for some more insights.

So, don't wait until you launch your business to build a site on that domain. Just build something!

Today's guest post is provided by Christopher Dwan of Radixhound. Drop by and say hello!

Quick Tip Tuesdays

2009-12-01T09:35:00.000-08:00

This is the second in a series of Quick Tip Tuesdays about Press Releases. Our first tip was about Google Insights for Search (amazing tool!).

***

It may seem simple enough, but so many of us can forget to research, let alone USE, keywords! So just do it!

Find out the EXACT words potential clients are searching for and use them. And don't forget to create a link (we wrote a few pointers in our post SEO in 3 Minutes or Less) out of the words/phrases and make sure it points right back to the corresponding page of your website.

What are your publicity ideas or tips? Feel free to share in the comments!

Sidney Borum Auction

2009-11-25T13:39:00.000-08:00

As you start thinking about holiday shopping after the American Thanksgiving, please give some thought to shopping at the online auction to benefit the Sidney Borum, Jr. Health Center.

There are already a lot of good items (here's a bit of a preview), and we are thrilled to have partnered up in donating a 5-Hour Virtual Assistant package, valued at $250.00!

Wanna try out some services? Bid on the Scratchpad Secretaries package - you never know the deal you may get! And? It goes to a tremendous cause.

This guy? He's really doing some good things.

The auction runs from December 1, 6am to December 7, 8pm (Eastern).

Please tell your friends, and feel free to donate items if you would like, too.

Quick Tip Tuesdays

2009-11-23T22:11:00.000-08:00

We took part in a webinar recently hosted by the good folks over at PRWeb, entitled "Creating a Killer Publicity Strategy with Online News Releases". Bill Stoller of Publicity Insider offered some insight into what makes news and how to create news, but the real scene-stealer (to me) was Janet M. Thaeler, author of "I Need a Killer Press Release - Now What?". She offered a couple of fantastic tips that I'm going to share with you over the next few weeks in the Quick Tip Tuesday posts. Thanks Janet!

***

This could be a blog post all on it's own. Actually, it could be it's own series of posts. It's THAT good: Google Insights for Search. I'm still learning more about it, but the basic idea is to find the current search trends, check out the rising search trends, and use these terms in the title of your press release. Another tip? This is a great source for SEO... incorporate these terms into your website too!

See you next week for another Quick Tip Tuesday!

*If you have any quick tips, feel free to comment or email me for inclusion down the road!

Help! Again!

2009-11-09T22:28:00.000-08:00

So what are you waiting for?

5 Signs It's Time to Hire an Assistant.

Help!

2009-11-05T11:37:00.000-08:00

"I know I need help but I don't know exactly what I need help with. Does this make sense to you?"

Yes. Believe it or not, it totally makes sense to us. It's hard to even think straight when you're so overwhelmed, when you're drowning in paperwork, when you're stressed to the max and can hardly focus.

When we speak with new virtual assistant clients it's usually some of the basic administrative tasks that are eating up so much of their time. Calendar maintenance, correspondence/follow up, email management and social media profile & page updates. It can all add up. And we notice in talking with some of our marketing clients that it can be copywriting and research that's eating up their time or getting fresh content on their websites. Even getting together media contacts and writing press releases.

An idea to get your started would be to think about what you really don't like to do... those are the tasks we can take over immediately. Whatever isn't really your forté... that's what you can start delegate right away. And look at your to-do list. Send it to us, we'll put a dent in it in no time!

What are some tasks you'd like to get off your plate? Leave a comment, let us know!

Top Three

2009-10-29T14:50:00.000-07:00

"What are your most-requested services?"

services offering

thinking

Online Marketing & Brand Management

Social Media Management. Biznik. Facebook. LinkedIn. Ryze. Twitter. Online Forums. Message Boards.... ARGH! Don't know where to start? We do! We'll help you set up a profile and maintain it on the sites you need to have a presence on. We'll come up with a social networking strategy to make sure you're connected and communicating with your desired audience. We'll manage your online reputation to see what your customers are saying... and your competitors too! It's all about keeping OUR ears to the ground so you can focus on growing your business!

Public Relations. Have something press-worthy? (Believe me, whether you know it or not, YOU DO!) We'll work closely with you to create an online PR campaign to get the word out. Let's get a buzz going! Perhaps you've already received a press mention and don't know what to do with it? We're full believers in tooting your own horn; we'll work with you to leverage it to the max and get it out in front of your target market! Don't have a huge corporate PR budget? No worries... we'll create a guerrilla marketing campaign to work within your means. No problem. It's what we do. It's what we love.

Web presence. If you don't have a website... you need one. From the moment your business concept is but a sparkle in your eye, to the smallest of start-ups, to a well-established and functioning business, we've got you covered. We can customize a package for you tailored to where you are now, and where you want to be. We'll do it all starting with the domain name purchase and registration, to design and development of the site (via html or content management system), to writing the content and even the ongoing maintenance & updating. Hey... we'll even write your blog! On the flip side, we can also get you up and running and then train you on the upkeep. Are you breathing a sigh of relief yet?

Ok, so our Top Three has turned into Four. Honourable mention goes to our standard virtual assistant services (after all, we are a virtual assistant business!) Are the administrative aspects of your business not really your forté? That's where we come in! We love them (it's kinda what we do after all!) These services keep us very busy and can be quite quick and easy to delegate! Need some templates created, or contracts prepared? Fire the rough copies to us and we'll get it done in no time! Have a few ideas of what you need created or expanded on? A quick discussion of your thoughts and we can get a draft prepared for you. Need a PowerPoint presentation developed? Let's put our heads together and we'll get started!

What do you want to delegate today?

So how does it work exactly?

2009-10-27T21:53:00.001-07:00

I find people are extremely interested in finding out just how this "virtual assistant thing" works. When I first started getting this question, I stumbled a bit. I mean, it's so open-ended. So here's a brief 3-pointer to get you started.

Delegation - you have to take the time to delegate. Even if it's just a few minutes to fire off an email, or a quick conference call... but you have to do it if you're going to move forward. I've had clients scan and email me their handwritten to-do lists and then we quickly chat about what I can start in on. Or we quickly discuss via Skype if we're both online, or Google Talk. It really doesn't have to be time-consuming at all. (Tip: if you're thinking about hiring some help, take a few days to track what you really need help with and start a "wish list".)

Communication - it's been my experience that my clients prefer straight-up email. This works great for me too. I do, however, like to touch base via, gasp!, a telephone once in a while to see how things are working for you (and to let you know I'm a real person, lol!). Quite often if we're both online we do alot of chatting (see above), or a quick text message now and again. It's pretty organic with us. We'll totally work how you prefer.

Payment - most of our services are purchased in bulk packages which are all prepaid. If it's a special project, we accept 50% prior to contracting, and the remainder upon project completion. If you're not fully satisfied with our work we're happy to offer a full refund, no questions asked.

Pretty bare-bones and basic info, but it's one of the five top questions I get over and over.

What are some more questions you may have about how this "virtual assistant thing" works? Don't know what to delegate? Aren't sure if email will work for you? Have another payment option? Let us know, we love to find new ways of doing business!

What is a VA?

2009-10-26T16:47:00.000-07:00

I'm asked, all the time, "What is it you do? A VA? Virtual Assistant? What is that? So just *what* is it you do again?"

Seriously.

All. The. Time.

So here's the professional definition of a virtual assistant taken from my own homepage:

A Virtual Assistant is a professional who provides support out of their own office utilizing their own equipment to other business professionals, entrepreneurs, small business owners, etc, who have a lot of work to do but not enough time to do it. A Virtual Assistant is a business owner, just like you.

Partnering with a Virtual Assistant reduces stress, protects cash flow, eliminates administrative hassles and enables business people to find the success they originally set out to achieve. You eliminate the need to pay for vacation time, sick time, employee taxes, benefits and the high overhead associated with having an assistant in-house.

The short and sweet of it?

Whatever an administrative assistant would do in your office is what I do for you off-site.

Plus some.

There's alot of collaboration involved. Alot of proactivity. Strategizing. Planning. Executing. At Scratchpad Secretaries we not only offer Administrative services, but our Online Marketing and Brand Management services are highly sought after in this day and age of Web 2.0. And our creative and technical side is very busy with website development and maintenance. And then there's our Personal Assistant services...we really have alot to offer!

So that's a Virtual Assistant. That's what we do. And that's just a few of the offerings at Scratchpad Secretaries.

Questions, anyone?

;)

Stay tuned

2009-10-15T21:27:00.001-07:00

New blog format coming soon!

Social Media Series - Linked In Follow Up

2009-07-06T12:39:00.001-07:00

Back in June, I wrote about Linked In and I committed to giving it a shot. Well I did, and I thought I'd share what my experiences are to date.

I uploaded my GMail address book and was astonished to find just how many of my contacts were also on Linked In. I sent them a request to add them to my network and am delighted to report that 100% accepted and added me to theirs.

So then what?

Well, next, it's a really good idea to take the time (remember... budget your time for social networking or you'll get sucked into the abyss!) to visit each and every ones' profile pages to see what they're up to these days. Also, the power of social networking lies in the "2nd tier" connections. Who your connections are connected TO. Go through their list. Is there anyone where there may be a potential business opportunity? For you OR your own connections OR someone you may know. This is important. This is how you network.

So that's where I am right now as I delve back into Linked In. I have to follow up and follow through. I have to budget my time to go through my connections to look at their connections.

And perhaps catch up with old colleagues along the way!

Care to share Linked In success stories? Leave a comment letting us know how you found success using this powerful networking tool.

Social Media Series - Linked In

2009-06-19T13:02:00.000-07:00

LinkedIn. The first social network I joined professionally. I had such high hopes. Yet I was extremely let down.

Because I didn't use it.

LinkedIn is a wonderful tool for many reasons, I'm sure, but these three are what struck me:

You're in a corporate setting and want to keep up with people from organizations you used to work for
You're looking for a new job
You're an entrepreneur and want to connect with other like-minded individuals, old colleagues, and/or potential clients.

For all of the above however, you've got to put in some leg work.

Here are some quick tips:

Import your address book from whichever email client you use.
Connect with colleagues and classmates from past jobs/organizations/schools
Join groups (there are TONNES!) that are in line with your goals, objectives, interests.

The power of LinkedIn lies in your connections. Don't be shy. Social networking doesn't work if you're shy or a wallflower.

Scenario #1:

You're old college classmate has a connection in the industry you are trying to break into. Great! Now what?

Simple: ask him for an introduction. See how easy that was? You'd do it in "real" life, so make sure you do it online as well. The hard part is starting a dialogue with this new contact you wanted to meet. That is up to you. I usually start with asking for a few pointers or their opinion, or perhaps checking out their profile and visiting their blog and leaving a few comments (if relevant).

BUT BE AUTHENTIC. Don't mess around. You don't need a bad online reputation. Be authentic. I can't stress this enough. You want to meet them for a reason, so let them know that, but be authentic. Play nice. Be genuine.

Scenario #2:

You've found a group that is totally your target market.

Join it!

And hang out for a bit. See how it works. See what they're talking about. And jump in! Introduce yourself. Join the conversation. Add connections this way. Engage. Discuss. Again, if relevant, ask for opinions and advice, and OFFER opinions and advice! Be the expert in your field that you are. Don't be shy. Major piece of advice for you? Don't shop your business 24/7. Not "in your face" anyway. Be subtle. Be polite. Nobody likes someone knocking on their door every day, selling their wares. So don't do it in social networking either.

If you're like me and belong to a few networks, pick and choose times/days for networking. Otherwise you could be on them all day. Perhaps you'd take 45 minutes every three days for LinkedIn and another 45 every two days for another one, etc etc. (But always have Twitter running on your desktop!) Seriously, social networking can be addictive, so budget your time accordingly!

As I'm now dedicated to increasing my LinkedIn profile, feel free to connect with me and help me build my network!

The Flip Side: A Virtual Assistant's Advice - WomenEntrepreneur.com

2009-06-08T20:20:00.001-07:00

The Flip Side: A Virtual Assistant's Advice - WomenEntrepreneur.com

Posted using ShareThis

Social Media Series - Facebook

2009-05-05T21:46:00.001-07:00

Facebook.

200 Million people can't be wrong.

Two. Hundred. Million.

200 million people that you have immediate access to. To share your business with.

Simply by building a page.

And it really is simple.

They used to be pretty much a static brochure but recent changes have helped Pages to be more interactive; to engage the user. To get people engaging each other on your page.

It's fantastic. I have alot of work to do on my own page, and alot more work to do to get fans and to get them interacting... but that's the fun part!

If you have a personal profile already, Facebook Pages has been redesigned to be more like that profile. With the Wall, Info, Photos, etc, all tabbed separately. Users can therefore find information quicker with easier access. You can also choose which tab you would like to be the landing page! You can upload video, photos, notes (my blog is automatically fed to my Facebook Page, which is a bonus! Saves me time, and gets to my fans pretty much yesterday!).

The options are endless and I'm STILL finding new ways to use the page, to update it, to make it more engaging to fans... the list really does go on. The opportunities with Facebook Pages are pretty mind boggling.

I'm only just skimming the surface myself and I can't wait to totally jump in!

Read through the stats. Read a bit of the press. Discover what Facebook Pages can do for you. Discover how it can increase your reach. Stick a button on your website. Get fans. And get them talking. About you!

Give us a jingle, let us help you out with it all!

Social Media Series - Twitter

2009-04-19T22:24:00.000-07:00

It's all about Twitter these days. We all knew it wouldn't be long until Hollywood jumped on board and now that they have, well, everyone's all-a-twitter (sorry, couldn't help myself!).

Let's start by following me (@scratchpadsteph). That's what you do on Twitter.

You follow people.

See what they're up to. See where they're going. See where they've been. See what they had for breakfast, and what they're planning for lunch.

Follow people in your line of business. Follow your competition. And then check out who they are following. And so on and so on.

See what they're saying. See what conferences are coming up. See who's attending. See who's speaking. See who's giving away passes. See the latest news in the industry. As it happens.

Because it's all happening. And all in real time.

The people you follow will probably follow you back. That's what Twitter users do. When someone follows them, they follow that person back (most times that is. There is something to being choosy about whom you follow... that's for another post).

So have something to say.

In 140 characters or less.

It's microblogging at it's finest.

You can twitter breaking news (ie: plane in the Hudson).

You can announce a new blog post and link to it.

You can twitter a promotion (Twitter Tuesdays! 20% off first @reply!).

(By the way, @reply is how you respond to someone. @scratchpadsteph is me. If you want to, for example, provide an answer or opinion to something I've tweeted, you start with @scratchpadsteph and it'll get my attention. Actually, you can use @scratchpadsteph anywhere in the tweet and it'll get to me. Everyone else who follows you will see it also though, so if it's something you wish to be kept private, you can send a DM (direct message). See.. there's so much you can do!)

You can twitter a question and get instant feedback, instant answers or opinions - FROM THOSE WHO KNOW! Yes, follow the experts in your field and you'll get expert opinions and direction.

In real time.

It's the place to be. So jump in, participate (send an @reply to things/twitterers that interest you!), and enjoy. But remember, tweet about both professional things AND personal. Throw your personality in there. Personally, if someone is only pushing their latest product and nothing personal or funny , I unfollow immediately. We want to get to know you!

Go to Twitter. Set up an account. Follow me.

I look forward to your tweets!

Social Media Series - Biznik

2009-03-17T22:16:00.000-07:00

Biznik. The little (growing) social network that could.

I love Biznik. Love Love LOVE Biznik. It's easy to navigate. It's easy to communicate with other members. And they're welcoming. And helpful. And intelligent. You can learn alot from the good folks on this one.

Biznik is great for small businesses, especially one-man operations. There are quite a few business coaches and authors, but there are also many many other professionals showcasing their businesses/professions.

Other reasons why I like Biznik:

Search: You can easily build your profile and search for others in the same category, OR search for members you'd like to become familiar with or do business with. The search option is very intuitive.
Articles: You can write articles and post them almost immediately. I say almost because they must be approved first, but they are very quick to approve and post. Very quick. Members are quick to comment on your articles as well, which is great to build relationships, brands, and communication. And you might learn a thing or two as well!
Networking: You can contact people in so many ways, it's fantastic. Simply send them a message that you'd like to add them to your network, send a referral, or attend a live and in person event in your local area (live and in person? Imagine!), etc, the list goes on. I find Biznik members totally open to meeting and communicating with each other.
Promotions: there is a place on your profile where you can list any promotions you are having. They are also listed on Biznik's main page - if you are a paid member they show up first, if you have the free membership, they are further down on the page. But they're still there.

The founders of Biznik are social media junkies who really want to see you succeed. They're here to help you out any way they can (and they even talk to you!), and to see your business grow and to help you build your network. It's an intuitive system, very user friendly and the help forums ROCK. Any time I've had a question and posted it to a forum, it's been answered in a matter of an hour or so. You don't get that anywhere else that I'm aware of.

These are only a few of the reasons I love Biznik. The possibilities are endless on how to network on this site, I've only myself scratched the surface, but it is definitely one I'd recommend - and do on an almost daily basis.

Join Biznik, and join my network!

Hope to see you there!

Social Media Series - The Start

2009-03-16T10:17:00.000-07:00

Hold on to your Social Marketing horses!

We're about to start a six-part series on social media and how to get involved. How to use it to build your client base. How to use it to network with like-minded individuals, or the not-so-like-minded individuals.

This series will be for you if:

You want to start a Facebook business page but are overwhelmed (or just too busy)
You're hearing the growing buzz about Twitter but don't really get how it can be used professionally
You'd prefer to network with professionals in the same industry as you but don't quite now how to find where they gather online
You want to add Social Media Marketing/Management to your own list of services
You want to add to your client base
You simply want a quick and easy tutorial into the world of social media.

Over the next three weeks, we will be covering social sites such as Biznik, Facebook, LinkedIn, Ryze, Twitter and the concept of forums and list serves. So add us to your feed/reader below and get ready to get your feet wet in the world of social networking!

Telecommuting: Three Things

2009-01-27T14:19:00.000-08:00

I've just caught up with my Google Reader, finally, and came across this article on Telecommuting by Shelley Fralic, a local columnist I follow.

She is right on the money.

Three things pointed out:

Separation anxiety: when I started this business I went from survive to thrive - and I think my friends wanted to wring my neck. I never thought of it as "separation anxiety" but boy, did I talk their ears off when on the phone or over coffee! Moving from an office setting to working from home is a huge shift. No longer were people popping into my office to ask how the weekend was. No longer was I joining colleagues for lunch every day. No longer was I really in touch with alot of the people I had seen on a daily basis. So after a few months, I realized that I rambled on and on (and on and on) to friends because sometimes I hadn't talked to anyone all day. Hadn't gotten "caught up" with their lives. It was quite the revelation. Lesson? Touch base with at least one friend daily. Even a 10-minute phone call can save your sanity. I usually do mine over morning coffee or a late-afternoon stretcher.

Distractions: I started with a schedule. I got up at the crack of dawn, did yoga, read the paper and browsed my Google Reader. Until I didn't anymore. Until something shiny would float by my line of sight and it'd be all over for a few hours. I'd be off on a tangent of research, of writing, of social networking... anything and everything that took me away from my list of things to do. Until I stopped. Until I didn't get distracted (as much!) anymore. One thing that really helped me was that this isn't a 9-5 job. This is an all-the-time job. It's right in front of me 24/7. And so it's ok to work hard in the morning and stop for a few hours and resume later in the day and evening. Which brings me to her 3rd point:
The 24/7 shift: No matter where you go, there you are. My office is my dining room. I have an open floor plan. So, yeah, I'm pretty much always in my office. Or can at least see it. Can see the open laptop. Can see the four word documents that are open with works-in-progress. Can see my to-do list (pile of things stacked on top of each other in order of importance!) The bad thing? Laptop is always open. Four word documents are always on the go. To-do list gets bigger and bigger. The good thing? Laptop is always open. Four word documents are always on the go. The to-do list? Yeah...not so much. And there have been quite a few times where I've completely forgotten about supper because I'm in the middle of a frenzy of work. Lately however I've come to a place where I make sure I shut down everything "Scratchpad" for a few hours and concentrate on myself. Whether it's making a lovely dinner or simply tuning out and recharging for a few hours. It truly goes a long way.

What are your thoughts on Telecommuting? How do you get past the so-called pitfalls? Leave a comment, let us know your thoughts and ideas!

Press clip from the Ellen DeGeneres Show!

2008-12-23T20:33:00.000-08:00

This is the unedited copy of the Ellen DeGeneres clip sent by our PR firm. Check around the 4:19 mark for the gift bag giveaway; we were chosen to be included in the baskets that went to such A-list celebrities as Justin Timberlake, the Jonas Brothers, Josh Duhamel, George Lopez, Greg Kinnear and Luke Wilson! They all received virtual assistant services courtesy of Scratchpad Secretaries.

Enjoy!

How to Pitch. Part Three.

2008-12-10T16:48:00.000-08:00

In the first two posts about pitching, I talked about pitching on topic, keeping it simple, playing nice and talking the talk. Below is the final post of the three-part series - pitching your concept, your idea, your product.

1. Keep On Keepin' On! In other words? Don't give up. Ever. This is your business, your baby, you've got to shop it! Work it! Own it! Remember, it's rumoured that JK Rowlings pitched Harry Potter over 100 times before it was finally signed. Consider your product your own personal masterpiece and keep on pitching! Keep On Keepin' On.

2. Network, Network and more... Social Network. Do you follow the key players on Twitter? Do you get urgent queries fast, like, yesterday? Here's someone to follow on Twitter: @skydiver. He's the man in the know. He posts queries three times a day from his HARO list as well as tweeting urgent queries. Get to know him, get to see what he's about. He's got a fantastic system going. (But pitch on topic or he'll throw you off the list! He's quick like that - and serious. It's a good thing.) There's more places to network with reporters and PR folk than Twitter, but if you want news and opportunities in real time, it's a great place to start.

3. Make it personal. How are you different - what can you do differently to grab their attention. To get their interest? I had an opportunity to pitch Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York, at an event earlier this year. What got her interested was the fact that I'm a female with a new start up, heading down the entrepreneurial road. Make sure you know who you're dealing with, what their interests are, and off you go!

This could be a much longer list and an ever growing and ever-changing list. It's just a few ways to approach reporters and potential customers. Talk with other successful entrepreneurs. Network with them, network with PR people. Find out what has worked for others. Do your homework.

And feel free to follow me on Twitter at @scratchpad.

How to Pitch. Part Two.

2008-12-03T23:23:00.000-08:00

In part one of our three-part Pitch series, we outlined three ways to begin to perfect your pitch. Today, we'll outline three more. Baby steps to help you on your way to the perfect pitch!

1. Jump in, the water's fine! In other words, don't be afraid to pitch. You've got nothing to lose. This is your business, your marketing initiative, your concept, whathaveyou. So pitch away! Pitch with confidence, pitch often and pitch well.

2. Don't assume anything. You might think it's pretty obvious that everyone under the sun has an email signature that includes their contact information. Because it is pretty obvious. And everyone does have an email signature that includes their contact information. But email programs are laid out differently (ie: Gmail piles them up at the bottom of all emails - very annoying when you've got a long string of messages going), and people are laid out differently. People simply may not scroll down to find your contact info, especially if it's lost in a long string of messages! Have it clearly in the body of the message somewhere. Clearly. Link to your website, link to your email, have your name standing out. Don't forget this. Introduce yourself properly.

3. Play nice. Get a rapport going with the firm/reporter/whomever you're pitching to. I'm not talking about buttering them up - they'll see right through that - but be nice. Be professional. If you see something that will fit with what they're looking for... send it along! They'll remember you. Don't inundate, but you can send along a lead or two.

Coming up in part three: Keep On Keepin' On!

Any ideas or suggestions that have worked for you? Leave a comment, we'd love to hear from you!