EILER COMMUNICATIONS OFFERS
"INSIDER'S LOOK AT PR:
HOW BUZZ CAN GROW YOUR BUSINESS"
Presentation Featured Expert Speakers, Expert Advice
Eiler
Communications recently hosted Robert Darmanin, vice president,
director of corporate relations for LaSalle
Bank, and Rich Sheridan, president and CEO of Menlo
Innovations, for a seminar on how to use public relations to
your business’ advantage. The seminar, "Insider's Look
at PR: How Buzz Can Grow Your Business," was at Automation
Alley headquarters in Troy.
Jenn Cornell, vice president and director of client relations for
Eiler, opened the seminar with an outline of how PR can work in
conjunction with a marketing plan.
Cornell then handed the discussion to Darmanin. Darmanin has experience
working with large companies and organizations, such as the City
of Detroit. He spoke to PR challenges common to large companies
and organizations as well as effective PR campaigns.
Darmanin said the number one goal of the PR professional is to
control the message. “The most important step a PR professional
in a large company can take to accomplish this,” he said,
“is to gain the support of the CEO.” He continued, explaining
that the most effective way to do this is for PR to have a seat
in the management team. With the support of the CEO, the plan can
then be pitched to the media, which are the “gatekeepers to
the public.”
Darmanin also expressed the benefits of being “ethical and
honest” when dealing with the media. If this is done, they
will be more apt to work cooperatively with you. He gave the example
of the name change to LaSalle Bank from Standard Federal, stating
that “We changed the name after 112 years and received zero
negative press,” attributing the success of PR related to
the name change to developing good relationships with media.
Sheridan gave a slightly different perspective of PR. “For
a small business,” Sheridan said, “there is a need to
tell the story, but no money to do so.” Sheridan went on to
share creative, and free, ways to increase a business’ visibility.
Sheridan stressed the importance of building your network. “There
are many ways to do this and they create opportunities for people
to see you and your company,” Sheridan explained. “Joining
organizations is good way to get known; as you become a part of
the group, your credibility will grow, as will speaking opportunities.
The speaking opportunities will get your message heard.”
He said one action leads to the next and your odds of public recognition
are increased.
Sheridan attributes much of his success as the public face of Menlo
Innovations to getting out of the office every day. It increases
the odds that he will meet someone to whom he can tell the Menlo
story.
While Darmanin and Sheridan shared insight from two different aspects
of PR, both attributed success in a PR plan to relationships. With
media or individuals, relationships build your credibility and visibility,
both of which are extremely important to the success of a PR plan,
big or small.
EDITORIAL OPPORTUNITIES
Editorial Opportunities are a unique way in which Eiler
Communications leverages public relations tactics to push businesses
and marketing strategies. By leveraging editorial opportunities,
Eiler enables its clients to stay top of mind with influencers within
their fields while cutting through the clutter of the competition.
Editorial opportunities allow Eiler to provide media outlets with
information they need for planned upcoming stories; utilizing editorial
opportunities as a PR tactic helps Eiler generate ”ink”
for clients by providing editors and writers with messages at the
time they need information the most. For this to be done efficiently,
there has to be a trusting relationship between the editor and the
provider of information.
To develop this relationship, Eiler keeps an active role in all
their clients’ fields and with countless editors. By staying
active in their clients’ fields, Eiler understands the changes
and innovations that are occurring today, subsequently providing
the ability to understand, process, and act on this information
immediately. This allows for Eiler’s staff to get information
to the appropriate editors, who can act upon it instantly. This
immediacy, paired with great information, enables Eiler to keep
its clients top of mind with editors resulting in a strong and mutually
beneficial relationship.
With this relationship, Eiler has a unique ability to promote its
clients through editorial opportunities. These editorial opportunities
allow clients the opportunity to be promoted in a different light
and to gain advantages over their competition.
Adding editorial opportunities to an existing marketing plan permits
advantages in a number of ways. Editorial opportunities will allow
the company to no only be seen as a more credible and trustworthy
organization, but also as a prestigious source of information for
trade and other media outlets. The editorial opportunities will
also increase the company’s public perception of trust and
value, while putting it ahead of other competitors who may not be
featured in such editorial coverage. Overall, editorial opportunities
are a great way to get the word out about your company and its new
business initiatives.
PROSTATE CANCER AFFECTS EMOTIONAL
AS WELL AS PHYSICAL WELL-BEING
Larry Eiler’s book helps families cope
According to the Prostate
Cancer Foundation, over 232,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate
cancer in 2006. With September being Prostate Cancer Awareness Month,
Larry Eiler, chairman of Eiler
Communications, is doing his part to keep people informed on
the subject.
His newest book, Prostate
Cancer’s Emotional Maze: Forging Your Way, chronicles
his fight against cancer from diagnosis through recovery, including
the emotional impact on his business, family and friends.
The book sheds light on the importance of diagnosis, while highlighting
different treatment options available. Eiler’s book also retells
his emotional and physical experiences throughout the course of
his treatment, recovery and remission from the disease.
While most physicians’ advice focuses on treating the disease
only, Eiler’s book is aimed at families who are struggling
with emotional issues. It focuses on helping them cope with the
emotional aspect of the disease. It also highlights the many resources
available to help them during their difficult experience.
The book is Eiler’s second, following When
the Woman You Love has Breast Cancer, which recounts the
struggles of his wife Sandy’s battle with breast cancer.
Innovations
with Eiler and Pasick, the interview podcast of business,
government and educational leaders across Michigan, has reported
on several CEOs and Legislators in the past few months.
The program,
started last winter by Larry
Eiler of Eiler
Communications and Dr.
Robert Pasick, a noted executive coach, contains new discussions
with these business and government leaders:
- Michael Shore, director of communications for
the Michigan
Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). He reported on the
state’s broad national and regional advertising program
featuring leaders of Michigan-based businesses that are leading
their markets in technology, homeland security and life sciences.
- State Representatives Pam Byrnes of Washtenaw
County and Andy Dillon of western Wayne
County, who discussed the need for coordination between a
broad educational initiative and the need for people to work in
the emerging field of life sciences, homeland security and technology.
- Howdy Holmes, president and CEO of Chelsea
Milling, the maker of renowned Jiffy Mix. The former Indy
race car champion explained how he tied together his learning
from 20 years in that sport and running his own marketing company
to moving into the family-run Jiffy Mix business and using principles
learned earlier to guide the business now.
- Jane Sydlowski, founder and CEO of AMI
Strategies. She reported on how she saw a market niche for
a firm like AMI when she was working in the telecommunications
field after earning business and technology degrees at Michigan
State University.
“We have done about 35 of these programs since inception
and we are finding that the podcast is really the way for people
across the world to be able to access the emerging company field
in this state,” explained Eiler. “When we were on radio,
it was a station whose signal did not go much more than 30-40 miles.
Now, the podcast enables people anywhere in the world to access
by simply going to the web site www.innovativebusinessresults.com.”
Interviews are scheduled with David Brandon, CEO of Domino’s
Pizza and a Regent of the University
of Michigan; and James Epolito, president and CEO of the MEDC.
NETWORKING 101:
THE ART OF NETWORKING
Networking is an important ingredient in the business industry
mix. It provides the most productive and proficient way to build
relationships with potential clients, partners and friends. Creating
a network helps expand your contact list, build ongoing relationships,
develop a reference guide for future endeavors, and provides opportunities
to exchange ideas with new “friends.”
Networking is another form of personal advertising. It is an opportunity
to get the word out about your company and/or product without paying
for it. In doing so, others can associate your face or name with
the company and/or product so as a result you become a “spokesperson.”
In other words, you become a walking, talking advertisement –
a personal brand identity. So not only will your name be at top-of-mind,
so will be your company and/or product.
Most jobs consist of some type of networking. It’s either
networking for clients/customers, business partners or new avenues
for moving your business into another industry. Most important part
of networking is establishing a positive first impression. Ninety-three
percent of people’s opinions are based on non-verbal communication.
Being self-confident can help you succeed in any social or business
situation.
Ideal ways to step into the world of networking are joining:
- Industry associations or member organizations
- Attending networking events and conferences
- Doing social work or volunteering
- Meeting new people and talking to people you know who can introduce
you to someone they know
When introducing yourself in a potential networking setting, try
not to just state your business title along with your name. It does
not give you an opportunity to elaborate or to tell them what you
do. Gerry Weinberg & Associates, in Southfield, Michigan, suggests
providing your name then followed by, “I can help you by…”
and explain what you do for a living. Stray away from two or three-word
titles, it doesn’t tell the other person what you really do
and they may not know that you could actually help them or help
someone they know.
Developing a network involves the hard work of establishing and
maintaining relationships. It is worth your time and effort; it
pays off by moving you ahead in the professional world. |
