PR and Live Events 101

People often believe that because they host a special event that the media will flock to it and blanket it with coverage. This statement couldn’t be further from the truth. Hosting an event means you have to work harder to obtain pre-press efforts and actually get the media to attend the event.

Here are a few pointers on obtaining actual media coverage for your next event;

1. Promote your keynote speaker. Make sure the press knows who is going to speak, what the overall message is, and then send soundbites after the event is over (within 24 hours).

2. Be clear about a theme. When promoting the event (pre and post production), make sure you explain why it is newsworthy and beneficial to the business industry or community at hand.

3. Don’t have a self-interest. Reporters will see through awards and acknowledgements in exchange for actual media coverage. Instead, invite them for their expertise on a panel and make sure you include social media interaction as part of the event and conversation.

4. Take an outside perspective on the event. Sure, it is important to you, but why would it be important to someone who doesn’t know you? The answer to this question will mean the difference between media attendance and media coverage.

I hope this information helps you secure actual media coverage for your next big event.

Until next time,

Twyla N. Garrett

The Successful Business Day!

I receive many questions on the subject of what people should be doing. While this is a broad question, I thought about it and came up with some consistent steps for daily success.

First, start with breakfast. Don’t skip it. Breakfast is not a Starbucks and a pastry, either. You want oatmeal and a protein and then coffee. Breakfast gives you fuel and focus needed to hectic days. This sounds simple, but many busy business people skip it.

Second, have the courage to say no. You do not have to accept each and every meeting and invite that comes your way. Same goes for clients. So, make sure you put priority on the meetings, clients, etc. that you say ‘yes’ to and respectfully decline opportunities that will impede your focus and schedule.

Third, and last, clear your desk at the end of the day. Sounds odd, right? It’s not. If you clean up your office space at the end of the day- the you of tomorrow will thank you. Walking into an office that is neat and clean and not cluttered is a psychological cue for success, not defeat. Even if this mean stacking files and paper neatly, do it! Ten minutes of cleaning your office each day will set yourself up for double the productivity on the following day.

Try these tips out and get back to me on your results.

Until next time,
Twyla Garrett

The Top 5 Free Entrepreneur Resources.

Happy Monday! I wanted to provide my blog readers with a special treat this morning. Over the 4th of July weekend, I spent some time researching the best free resources for entrepreneurs. If you have other resources, please share them with me via Twitter. https://twitter.com/TwylaGarrett

#1. NewsWhip. http://www.newswhip.com/creators/leaderboard
I like this free resource because it helps business owners determine what content is trending on social media and pull in related trends to their specific industry.

#2. Cool Text http://www.newswhip.com/creators/leaderboard
This is an amazing tool that allows you to create customized lettering for your website, which could cost up to $20k in the corporate business world when you factor in right releases, etc.

#3. Bright Journey. http://www.brightjourney.com/about
This site is a great hub for mentoring! You can connect and learn from other entrepreneurs. If you are starting out, this is where you want to meet other business leaders!

#4. Google Entrepreneur. https://www.googleforentrepreneurs.com/
Most people don’t realize how big the Google brand is! Yes, Google has its own hub for entrepreneurs and you should visit it at least once (if not daily).

#5. Creative Live https://www.creativelive.com/
This is the spot for continued education with informative, entrepreneur-based business classes. You always have room to grow and with this free video service, you have an phenomenal resource within Creative Live.

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

Basic Communication

I realized the other day that basic communication skills are becoming a lost art in today’s social media and texting world. We can’t afford to ignore the basics, etiquette included.

There is something to be said when it comes to using a person’s name, even in social media. For example, if you write ‘Thanks for the follow’ on Twitter – it is the right thing to do but it can be improved upon. The right thing to do, for effective communication, is to write ‘Thanks for the follow, Steve.’ I know this sounds simple, but using someone’s name when addressing them shows you are invested in the conversation.

Basic communication also includes saying exactly what you mean. Too many people try to sugar coat things or use other people as a tool to communicate something they find hard to say in person or online. Don’t be this person. Communication is about being direct. People will appreciate your honesty. Remember, it isn’t what you say but how you say it. You can be polite and direct at the same time.

The basics of communication include using a name and being direct with the other person. It is difficult to comprehend how these two simple steps have become so lost in today’s culture, but they have. Let’s correct this together.

Twyla Garrett

Employee Turnover - Why!

I recently read that forty percent of employees who left their jobs voluntarily in 2013 did so within six months of starting in the position, according to data recorded and processed by the work-force insights arm of credit-reporting agency Equifax. I was horrified by this statistic. People are having massive issues finding work. Why in the world would they quit their jobs after trying for so long to gain employment. Well, the issue is simple – company culture.

Company culture is the unsaid, yet most important, element for employees staying happy and staying hired. Poor company culture causes mass turnover. Yet companies today don’t care if an employee stays or leaves a company because of the culture simply because there are too many fish looking for work in the employment sea.

My best advice to an employee is to make it work. If you don’t fit into a company’s culture, try. It truly is the difference between your next paycheck or a stint in the unemployment line.

Until next time,

Twyla Garrett

Monday is S-Corp Time.

Business taxes are normally due on March 15th. Since this date falls on a Saturday, the IRS extended the filing deadline to Monday, March 17th! Here are a few tax tips if it is crunch time for your business taxes. I’m not a professional so make sure to check my tips against your personal situation with your CPA.

TIPS:

1. S corporations generally don't pay taxes. Their owners pay taxes on their share of the corporations’ net income. To enable owners to figure their personal taxes, S corporations must issue these schedules to shareholders. Schedule K-1 tells shareholders their share of income, deductions, credits, and other items.

2. There are some changes related to Form 1120S to consider. S corporations may need to complete a new Schedule B accompanying their Form 1120S.

3.New on this year’s Schedule K-1 is code U of box 17 for reporting information related to the net investment income, or NII, tax. This is an additional Medicare tax of 3.8 percent on the lesser of net investment income or the shareholder’s modified adjusted gross income over his or her threshold amount that depends on tax-filing status.

Happy tax filing,

Twyla N. Garrett

Service Businesses to Start Today

Here is a questions I am always asked… “What service company can I start today with no budget.” Well, starting with no budget is often required yet never suggested. I did a lot of research to come up with some great answers for you. Here are my suggestions.

1. Dry cleaning pickup and delivery. You don’t have to do the laundry, you just have to coordinate it. This is an amazing service for people are too busy to drop laundry off, never mind do it themselves. Even if this is a weekend only business, it can yield up to $300 extra dollars per week!

2. Pet sitting. This job is pretty easy if you love pets. You sit, you stay, you play, you get paid. Remember, most people have Nanny cams in their homes for pet sitters so make sure you are doing your job.

3. Professional organizer. If this is your knack in life, embrace it. Organizational specialist can make up to a grand per home- per day!

There are tons of other service-based businesses that you can embrace but I selected these three because the initial investment is minimal and you can start making a profit right away.

Until Monday,

Twyla N. Garrett

The Making of a YouTube Video -101

This week I've been discussing marketing and how to help your start-up with a little (or none) marketing budget. Today, however, I want to talk about YouTube. Now, I will say that I'm not a big video fan. Having YouTube videos will not make or break my company, but I work in a specialized field. Most companies, on the other hand, do need a YouTube video - or some type of video introduction to their company- in order to stay competitive in today's social media market.

If you are pondering making your own YouTube video, you're at the right place. I decided to do some research and put together a mini-guide (below) on the proper way to create a YouTube video for your company and marketing purposes.

How to Create a YouTube video 101.

First, consider the proper timing when sketching out the frames and script for your video. A great YouTube video should be between one and three minutes. Being concise and to the point is just as important as being timely. Videos that are too short have proven themselves to be ineffective. Videos that are over three minuets statistically bore the customer and you lose business.

Make sure you explain what your company is, who you are, and what services you provide within the first thirty seconds. Yes, timing is everything. Be upfront about who you are and what you're all about. You don't want to bank on a busy professional sitting to the end of the video to grasp an understanding of what it is you do or sell.

Do you have room for a call to action? You should! A video shouldn't just be a video about your company's products or services. It should have a call to action in the video. Make sure you are clear when presenting the call to action and stay away from sales-like verbiage. Be clever with how you word your call to action.

Remain professional. I am not kidding when I say I have watched video after video where business owners are pitching products standing outside on a windy day. I can't hear what they are saying, so why did these people put their terribly produced videos online? Don't they know this hurts their companies? You don't have to have a budget to make a professional video- as long as you use common sense. Your video has to be clear and look professional as much as it needs to be entertaining.

Still have questions? Leave me a message below and I will be happy to personally respond to all of your YouTube and video questions.

In the meantime, check out the 5 most hated YouTube videos via this link: http://gizmodo.com/5866695/the-five-most-hated-youtube-videos-in-internet-history Happy marketing,

Twyla