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Happy Holidays from our team to yours!
Love,
Sabina, Katie, Jackie, Veronica, Tate and Shayne
This card purchased and sent to Jackie, and made by www.michellerivas.info.
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Common knowledge in the publicity industry is the pay-to-play model, where people on TV who are showing his or her recommendations, may or may not have charged a fee to that brand they are featuring in order to show them that day, or in that print story. Same thing could happen at a blog, website or magazine. Entrepreneurs and business owners who are new to the world of publicity are usually surprised when responded to with a fee request, and are either happy to pay it, or decide that route is not a fit for them. Tin Shingle co-founders Sabina Hitchen and Katie Hellmuth-Martin are exploring this situation in a 2 part article series called "She Said, She Said."
I've worked in public relations for over a decade and one of my favorite things about it is that it's one of the most powerful and effective forms of "free advertising" you're ever going to get your hands on as a business owner. If you're doing it on your own, it's 100% free (save the time and energy it takes you to do your PR work) and the impact it has in terms of growing your visibility, telling your brand story and building trust between your company is priceless...Except that these days it actually has a price in more and more cases!
What am I talking about here? "Pay-to-Play" public relations, also known as "Pay for Placement," "P2P" and "paid exposure." When do you run into it? If you're a small business, you'll probably cross paths with it more and more, "it" meaning an expert, blogger, social media personality, event producer or more who offers you a press or exposure opportunity in return for a financial payment. Though these instances used to be seldom, they're now becoming more and more common and because of that, I'm going to break down a few things I believe you should know about them, in hopes you'll be able to navigate these situations more easily in the future.
The true meaning of press is validation, right? A major media outlet features a business because they know their readers will love to know about it. Usually, but not all of the time, sales follow in the wake of that press. So the business owner gets two things from a feature in the media: validation and sales. When money is exchanged for being featured, the validation portion of that equation changes a little bit, right? What does that mean for businesses, and the the value of pure press?
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Businesses of all shapes and sizes who are hustling to get the word out about their businesses join Tin Shingle for buzz-building tools, community, and our weekly live training sessions called TuneUps. You can always learn more about them in the Amazing Businesses section, but when they first join our community, we introduce them to you here.
Melondipity is a family-owned business that resulted from one mom who needed a unique hat for her daughter. From there, Melondipity grew to where it is today, serving customers worldwide including all 50 states! With so many styles to choose from, and sizes range from infant to age 6 you're sure to find a unique hat for your child or as a special gift! Visit Melondipity online to check out all of the adorable selections and learn more about their story.
Blueware® dinnerware and bakeware products are not only beautiful, durable and functional, but they are also 100% compostable, 100% biodegradable and 100% ocean-safe. No worries about allergenic ingredients, toxins or gluten with Blueware®. They are perfect for entertaining and are safe for cooking and even freezing! Blueware® offers four vibrant colors in several sizes. Visit Blueware® online!
Located in California, Copper Mug Co. was born from the cofounders' love of the Moscow Mule and their own search for the perfect copper mug. The idea took off and now Copper Mug Co. is growing leaps and bounds! They offer a large selection of handcrafted mugs, flasks, shakers and more! If you're a Moscow Mule fan or just love the look of copper, you'll want to check Copper Mug Co. out!
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Testimonials like this one from member Alyssa Jones, Creative Principal and Co-owner of Copper Mug Co., confirms that Tin Shingle’s membership program is working. Alyssa took advantage of her membership by submitting her pitch in our Pitch Workshop. Doing this allowed her to receive constructive criticism from her peers so that she could polish and refine her pitch before actually sending it out. Here's what Alyssa shared with us recently after sending out a few pitches:
"Just wanted to share with you that - thanks to you guys, I have been getting some really positive responses from my pitches!! I love the TuneUps, the resources, support, and being a member. Thank you for all that you do!"
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The PR Lead for a Frommer's Travel Gift Guide went out to our private membership here at Tin Shingle, and a flurry of small businesses clamored to answer it to have their business featured in a Frommer's Travel Gift Guide for Gifts Mostly Under $100. Two Tin Shingle member businesses, RestoPresto (a self-contained mat blanket) and Stojo (a collapsible pocket cup) were selected from possibly hundreds of submissions. That's a big deal!! Want a tip on how it happened?
Over here at Tin Shingle, we really like giving and receiving feedback. Especially when we are about to pitch the press. Because you know how it is - you're really excited to email a media outlet that you would LOVE to have your business featured in, and what happens? The words get in the way. Either you write too many, too few, or heck, you don't even make sense because you're just so excited to be pulling the trigger.
So we created a special section devoted just to giving and receiving feedback in Tin Shingle's private Message Boards/Forums called "Pitch Workshop". In it, we nerd-out over pitches. Someone copies and pastes their pitch that they want to send to the press, and someone else writes in to give their impression. Even better, others can learn from it who are reading the back and forth conversations, and following which changes were made to the pitch, and why.
RestoPresto, founded by Candi Obrentz, a new business who joined Tin Shingle as one of her first buzz-building moves, submitted her pitch to the Pitch Workshop. She was so excited, that she wrote the title in all caps: "FIRST PITCH EVER! Frommer's Gift Guide" Naturally, I dove in to see how she did. Because later on, it was this pitch that she used to email into Frommer's and was honored with the inclusion into the gift guide. You just never know!
Candi was kind enough to share her full pitch with Tin Shingle members here in the thread, but I can tell you the highlights of what went down edit-wise:
Would you like to pitch the press with more confidence? Listen to our Tin Shingle TuneUp Training Webinar, "How To Write The Perfect Pitch to Land Amazing Press". It comes with a template! Start a membership with Tin Shingle to get instant access to make that happen faster and with more confidence.
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Peggy Li, founder of Peggy Li Creations, has been a digital buddy of mine for a long time. I first discovered her at the The Switchboards, a platform for creatives who loved sharing resources, advice and encouragement. I "met" several of my current creative friends at those boards, actually. Peggy was always the first one who knew of great technical tools that were available online. Which it why it was such an honor when she joined Tin Shingle years ago and continues to use it to this day to build buzz for her business.
When Peggy reached out to us that she was coming to NYC for a business visit and would we like to connect, I jumped at the chance. I no longer live in the city, but the train ride is well worth meeting this online friend for the first time in person. We met at my old haunt, The Burger Joint, where I trained Peggy in how to spot a seat and dive for it (one must be very aggressive in there to snag a seat). I was delighted to learn that she is a carnivore just like me, and was not remotely phased when I ordered a burger, fries, a milkshake and a Sam Adams (it's the only beer they carry).
This photo was taken originally for Tin Shingle's Instagram feed, but you know what? Instagram is getting all of the goodies. It is my new practice to be more mindful about what makes it to our blog! So here is today's excuse - minutes before Throwback Thursday is over! A throwback photo. Hello again, Peggy!
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All I want for Christmas...is a nap, and some winter weather, and for YOU to have the confidence and know-how to pitch the press some killer stories, the type of stories they're actually looking to cover. That means that we have to talk timing and ideas, and the good news for you is that is exactly what we'll be doing in this month's edition of What to Pitch, a series exclusive to TinShingle.com!
Short Lead: Timing & Ideas:
There are a couple of points I want to make about timing for your short lead pitches, in other words, the pitches that will be going to websites, newspapers, TV news shows, etc. First things first: remember that the news never sleeps - or goes on vacation. That means most newspapers and local (and national) news programs will have to run content through the holiday. That means you're free to pitch them throughout December and into January - you may even find that for some outlets like local news programs, it will be easier to pitch during this time because there is less competition!
That said, also remember this: certain stories will be pre-planned and most likely created in advance, so you don't want to wait until the last minute to pitch holiday stories that they'll be able to pre-write. Also keep in mind that if you're pitching products for holiday gifts, the websites, newspapers and the experts who take products on television will need to get those stories out there with plenty for shoppers to purchase the products they're recommending so again, use your time wisely.
In terms of IDEAS, here's what I want to say about short lead:
A) Don't limit yourself to holiday themed stories. That's what everyone else will be focusing on as well. Instead try to expand into "New Year, New You" products or tips that help people make 2016 better, faster, easier, prettier, happier...you name it. Think about resolutions. Think about the health observances and the standard or wacky holidays that take place in December AND January.
B) As I alluded to above, don't only focus on December. The short lead media is now (in national outlets) and will be soon (locally) planning January press stories too. This means think about what buzzworthy things you know will be going on in January. Think Awards (Oscars, Golden Globes), think holidays and celebrations, think about some story angles that your business can talk about with the press in January. That will help you stand out from the crowd!
Long Lead Timing and Ideas
Here's the scoop with your long lead magazines...
Timing: The key to your timing is to first realize that there is no one hard and fast rule across all long lead press (monthly magazines) that dictates exactly what month they are all working on right now. What you should know, however, is that they all work 3 to 6 months ahead of time and your best bet is to err on the "I'm early to the pitch party" side of things, and get your ideas to them in advance, as opposed to being too late for the party and missing your chance at a great story about yourself or your product in a magazine. What's the best way to be sure you are always in sync with your target magazine's timing? Work on building relationships with the members of the press who work at them, they'll let you know!
Ideas: Your goals here are to find ways you can add value to the magazine and give their readers something they must have during the spring of 2016. These could be tips, these could be products or it could be an inspiring story about your business. What I encourage you to do is to really think about how you fit into the magazine (content wise) as well as timing wise. How best can you help this specific magazine out in the spring. How can your product be pitched in a way that makes it a perfect fit for their readers spring and early summer? The more you can customize your pitch and make it focused and to the point, the better your chances are for landing press!
What types of pitches will you be working on this month? Share them in the comments below!
READY TO STREAM NOW!
Stream Tin Shingle's training webinar, "What To Pitch This Month: December" for straight talk from Tin Shingle's co-founder Sabina Hitchen on what your strategies can be for December. Click here to stream this webinar.
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psssst: this sale is over, the chance to book a Power Call is not...
It's time to lock in your PR, Social Media, and Buzz-Building Strategies for the new year during private power sessions with Tin Shingle's co-founders Sabina and Katie! Book their brains on your business for some serious strategy and power plays that you are going to roll out in the new year. Because next year is going to ROCK for your business!
35% Off Private Power Calls for the Next 24hrs!
Power Calls are not promoted often and are only available for a limited amount of people. And for Cyber Monday, Power Calls are 35% off for the next 24hrs
Lock in Savings Now, Use Later!
Buy these private sessions now, and book them when you're ready - next week or next month! There is no time limit. But there is a limit on this deal. Don’t wait too long - Power Call sessions are limited and will be filled on a first come, first serve basis!
Co-founder and PR guru Sabina knows that as a small business owner, you need extra attention and customized strategic advice when building buzz for your business through publicity and pitching the media. That's why she regularly helps entrepreneurs one-on-one via her PR Power Calls to talk through strategies, share shortcuts and PR secrets and answer their burning questions.
During your session, Sabina will take the guess work out of PR and social media, and help you harness their power for your business. You'll come out with a rock solid customized to-do list tailored just to your business along with the confidence you need to go out and share yourself and your biz with the press fearlessly and strategically.
Tin Shingle's co-founder Katie Hellmuth Martin is a website producer and designer, as well as a long time digital marketer and professional blogger. In this series of sessions, Katie will swiftly asses the selling points of your business and how you are selling that to your target customer. Katie will use her creativity and resourcefulness to work with what you have in order to get more sales and increase customer love for your business. Book this series of appointments with Katie so that she can evaluate your business and prescribe solutions and strategies that will have big impacts on your bottom line.
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Wednesday of Thanksgiving Week is finally here! The day to unplug and pack in many errands to get ready for cooking, traveling, or gathering. Marketing messages during this time have increased and the intensity of sales strategies gotten sharper (did you spring for any early sales?). Tin Shingle is part of this digital liberation for businesses who are creating amazing graphics for email marketing in that we teach how to do this, but we are pausing today to focus on the person standing next to you - in your local world.
In our series, "Show Us Your Local", business owner and Tin Shingle member Lisa Batra, founder of My Kids Threads, the much shopped online consignment store, we discovered that she integrates her kids school into her company's donation efforts. Many companies focus on larger organizations to donate to, usually at a national level. But by focusing on the local need, a direct impact can be made very quickly that changes people's lives.
In my hometown, a new soup kitchen opened and the season for fundraisers for food pantries started. Which got me to thinking - why is there a season for fundraising for food just once a year? People eat every day of the year. But how often do you get an email from a food pantry or soup kitchen to ask that you bring over some groceries or give a cash donation?
My Tin Shingle partner Sabina Hitchen grew up volunteering in soup kitchens and contributing to food pantries, so for her this is something she thinks about often. Therefore, we are taking this week of thanks to make a new habit in your giving habits, and that is to give to your food pantries all year long. While you're in the grocery store, buy non-perishable food you would love to eat and plan on dropping it into the collection boxes that have been appearing in grocery stores more often, or to your local food pantry or Salvation Army.
If you do have an active food pantry or soup kitchen who does get the word out very well, please share the name and link with us in the comments below. You can also comment on this blog post via your Facebook account, and can tag that food source in the comments so that more people can see how that food source is getting the word out, and get ideas for their own organizations.
We are wishing you a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving with whoever you surround yourself with this year.
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The world of small business is very big. There are many businesses that you can see on the street, with their lights lit up at night, flipping their open signs in the morning. But there are a lot of business that you can only reach via the Internet that are open 'round the clock. During the month of November, there is an extra focus on shopping from local businesses thanks to Small Business Saturday, or #ShopSmall, that happens during the Black Friday - Cyber Monday weekend. Tin Shingle has launched a series on our blog that gives online businesses an opportunity to show us their local. We have asked members of Tin Shingle to submit photos of their physical locations and how they work within the community to help you get to know them better.
Meet Lisa Batra, Founder and CEO of My Kid's Threads, the online kids consignment store based in Newtown, PA, a suburb of Philadelphia. She has two kids, currently age 3 and 5, and has built a business that gives her flexibility to attend business meetings, a school field trip, or an occasional trip to the gym. "I do work around the clock though!" says Lisa. She starts her day around 6am and while getting ready, checks and replies to urgent emails. After snuggling her kids into bed, she can be known to pick back up where she left off to squeeze in a couple of more hours in the evening.
Lisa and her small team primarily work from her home office, and make visits to the warehouse and see the UPS and USPS people from time to time when arranging drop-offs of customer orders, and receiving deliveries from consignors from all over the country.
"Although we are national, I am engaged with my community quite a bit. I have hosted events at my kids' school such as a Moms' Night Out for moms to have a relaxing evening with snacks, beverages and shopping for kids' clothing." My Kid's Threads also partners with local schools to give back, which is a form of donating that is not much thought of at the national level. Schools can benefit greatly from donations from those in the community, from art supplies to playground equipment. Lisa decided to build in an ongoing donation source from her business to the school that involved other moms: "We offer our mailer bags at the schools, and when a mom from the school consigns with us, we give back a percentage of the resale price of the sold clothing to the school to purchase supplies."
My Kid's Threads is a great example of a business with a large online footprint nationally, and a business that is making a big contribution to her local community.
Members of Tin Shingle can submit their businesses to be featured in this series.
Please see your Buzz Building Opportunities in your PR Center for details.
