1/7/2016 0 Comments Why Your Linkedin Photo StinksMuch has been written about LinkedIn photos, so it simply amazes me when I start perusing potential LinkedIn contacts and see so many outright blunders. In the span of 10 minutes the other day I found more than a half dozen no-no photos. Let’s see if you can see yourself or others in these examples. The anonymous silhouette: This is the default (your photo here) picture that really isn’t a picture at all. Let’s face it, many of us, myself included, may not like how we look through the lens, but if you are looking to network, then you are going to have to come out from the shadows. If you’re that concerned about how you look, spend a few bucks on a professional photographer, they can do wonders with good lighting and a nip and tuck via Photoshop. The in-your-face shot: This is the person whose photo was either taken so close you can almost see their pores, or the photo was cropped so tight they look like they are being squeezed out of a ketchup bottle. Back it up folks, this photo is way too creepy, and it makes you look like you’re coming through my computer screen.
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12/31/2015 0 Comments We've made it through another yearAs we come to the end of another year I thought it would be a good time to reflect on all that has happened in 2015. I have been blessed with a wonderful family, good friends, exceptional business partners and a stable of clients who make coming to work every day fun. I get to do what I enjoy and work with others who enjoy what they do as well. I can’t believe that Garton-Miller Media will be entering its third year in 2016. From everything I have read, most businesses fail within the first year, so I must be doing something right. I will let you in on the secret when I figure it out. That’s not to say running a business is all fun and games. There are many things that involve accounting and bookkeeping that I would prefer not to have to deal with, but thanks to a wonderful (and very patient) woman who handles my taxes and takes my calls and texts on a regular basis, it’s been a lot easier. Thanks Maria! I get to work from home and be there for my kids when they need me. I also get to work with my Golden Retrievers at my feet – it doesn’t get any better than that. My nonprofit clients do so much good, it’s been a humbling experience to work with them. When I was a journalist one of the things we were told to do is to keep it simple. In fact, the rule of thumb was to write at an 8th grade level. While in practice that may not always work, the idea is to avoid jargon and to take difficult concepts and make them simple. As someone who wrote many articles relating to complex legal, business and healthcare issues, that often meant conducting a lot of research and then boiling down the concepts into understandable, bite-sized nuggets of information. The same holds true for bloggers. Usually, bloggers are writing for customers and clients, not for their peers. Often, while doing research, I come upon other blogs that are so complex, and that use so much jargon, they are understandable only to other experts in that particular field. Just because a topic is complicated, it doesn’t mean you have to write your blog in a complicated way. In fact, it’s often harder and more time-consuming to break down complex subjects. However, I can assure you that your readers will appreciate it. 12/7/2015 0 Comments Five ways to promote your contentThere’s been a lot written about the importance of having a blog. But once you have managed to get one started, and more importantly keep it going past a few weeks, how do you get others to read it? First and foremost, share. Does your website’s blog have a share button? It should. Not only does it allow you to share, but it also allows others to do so without having to copy and paste the link. While you don’t need to share on every social media site, select a few where you think your target audience might be. I share mine on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn. Always add art to your blog, this makes it possible then to share it on such social media sites as Instagram and Pinterest. Ask others to share. This can be tricky as you don’t want to become a pest. Find someone who you think might be interested in what you are writing about and ask them for their opinion. You might then suggest that if they think it’s worth it you would appreciate their sharing it with others. 12/3/2015 0 Comments Five PR blunders of 2015There’s no business like the PR business. Our job is to make clients look good and get positive media exposure, which in turn should help grow their business. But sometimes PR goes woefully wrong. Today, not only must companies deal with reporters asking the tough questions, but they also have to deal with the mass disapproval of customers who, via social media, are quick to voice their disapproval. As we come to the end of the year let’s take a look back at five of 2015’s PR and social media mishaps. You can just hear the excited chatter that must have taken place before state-owned Banco de Costa Rica launched Banca Kristal, a subsidiary dedicated exclusively to female customers. “What a great idea,” some male executives must have said. “Let’s create a bank that looks like Barbie’s dream house, women will love it.” And, “Yes, and let’s have a giant pink castle outside one of the branches so they will feel like royalty when they walk through the door.” The five branches that have opened so far are decorated in white and pink, which has many calling it the “Barbie bank.” With the launch has come a firestorm of criticism from just about everyone, including its target customers – women. Hundreds have taken to social media to blast Banca Kristal, calling it, among other things, sexist. Wrote one woman on the bank’s Facebook page “GIVE US WOMEN BACK THE 100 YEARS YOU HAVE TAKEN AWAY BY DOING THIS BARBARIC THING.” 11/12/2015 0 Comments 5 quick tips for pitching reporters Pitching reporters isn’t like it used to be. Too many reporters today are overworked and overwhelmed. If they are newspaper reporters, there’s a good chance they not only have to write for the print product, but also for a digital product. Some also must provide content for a video to go along with their print and digital story. And don’t even get them started on the fact that they must provide content for social media – Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Periscope – the list seems endless. There was a time when reporters might indulge a public relations practitioner and join him or her for a cup of coffee, lunch, or even sit-down with a client just for a meet-and-greet. However, more often than not today, most simply don’t have the time. However, there are some ways to better the odds of getting your client’s story told. Be succinct, relatable: If you’re going to use the old tried-and-true method, make sure you have an eye-catching headline. The last thing you want a reporter to do is click “delete” before they even open it. Avoid industry jargon in your headline, instead find a way to make it relatable. Make it short, don’t try to cram the entire story into the headline. Be relevant: Reporters change beats almost as often as Katy Perry changes hair color. That’s why it’s important to make sure that when you pitch a reporter they are on a beat that is relevant to the story you are pitching. One day they may be covering schools, the next they may be covering politics. Anyone who has ever worked in public relations knows it’s a career with many peaks and valleys. One day you are getting a client the media interview of their dreams; the next day they are blaming you for everything that is wrong with their business (or lack thereof). It’s the peaks that get us through the rough times, but sometimes getting to the top is almost as tough as climbing Mt. Everest. Obtaining that much-sought-after interview rarely comes in the form of one-call-does-it-all. Case in point, I had been pitching a reporter for months, every time my client put out a press release I would send our latest and greatest news to him. If I didn’t get the silent treatment, I got a “thanks but no thanks” or “I’m too swamped, maybe next time.” I was always pleasant and thanked him for his time. I did not tell him why he needed to write the story, nor did I demand to speak with his editor. (Believe me, there are some PR people who will do this. When I was a journalist I was on the receiving end of these kinds of folks). I paid attention to his social media posts, commented when appropriate, read his stories and got to know him. Then one day we had more news to report. I pitched an angle I thought would fit and … got the snub again! Then something miraculous happened (cue the harps). He was working on another story that my client fit into and he asked us for an interview. 10/22/2015 Six reasons your business needs PROne of the challenges of being in the field of public relations is trying to explain to companies why they need your services. Many think PR is nothing more than another name for advertising, which could not be further from the truth. Others think public relations costs a lot of money. That, of course, depends on who you hire, but it doesn’t have to break the bank. When people ask me why their company or organization needs PR, here’s what I tell them:
Regardless of whether you are just starting out, or have an established business, hiring a public relations firm can help you to gain brand recognition and grow your business. Susan R. Miller is founder of Garton-Miller Media, a full-service, South Florida based public relations firm. Susan is a former journalist with more than 30 years of experience. She has two daughters, two golden retrievers and two cats, but just one guinea pig who is happy not to have to share his cage or his daily stash of veggies with anyone. 10/7/2015 0 Comments Why your business needs a blogYou’ve got your company up and running, you have a beautiful website, the content on that website is optimized for search engines and now you just sit back and wait for customers to come knocking at your door … right? It’s a start, but your website is missing something that likely will make the difference between being seen by potential customers and becoming just another pretty face in a crowded room. In today’s world a static website without updates or fresh content is like a neon sign without electricity. Plug it in and it glows – day and night. Adding high-quality content to your website on a regular basis is the power that your website needs to draw in customers. The more often you add fresh articles, blogs, or other content, the more often a search engine will swing by and visit your site. And, the more those search engines drop by, the greater the chance your website will achieve higher rankings. Don’t believe me? Here’s a page out of my own experience. I blog regularly – at least I try to when I am not writing blogs, press releases, handling social media or media relations for my clients. Usually, I try to write blogs that are informative and hopefully useful. Living in South Florida many folks are on what is commonly referred to as “Cuban time.” The Urban Dictionary defines it as “The time frame that most people in Miami use for arriving for parties or events. I.E. an hour or more late.” Although in some circles being “fashionably” late has become an accepted part of life, I don’t subscribe to that practice. My parents always taught me to arrive on time – or even a few minutes early. I am not saying that you should be so early as to arrive before your host is out of the shower. But build in some time for traffic and unexpected delays and, if you need to, sit in the parking lot for a few minutes before going in. Use the time to catch up on emails and phone calls if you have to. Why should you not be late? I just read an article in Inc. that provides nine good reasons that you should never be late again. Click here if you want to read it. Here is a quick summary:
Let me add a few of my own reasons why you should not be late.
I am not saying there are no reasons that someone should not be late. Sometimes unforeseen circumstances pop up. But if you build in some time for traffic and don’t run up against the clock, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll be on time and the people you are meeting will appreciate it. Susan R. Miller is founder of Garton-Miller Media, a full-service, South Florida based public relations firm. Susan is a former journalist with more than 30 years of experience. |
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Garton-Miller Media is a full-service, South Florida-based public relations firm. Founder Susan R. Miller has 30 years of experience as a writer, journalist and PR professional. Categories
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We are a results-oriented, Raleigh, North Carolina-based public relations and content marketing firm serving clients nationwide. We focus our practice on media relations, content creation and social media.
The material on this website may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used without the prior permission of susanrmillermedia.
We are a results-oriented, Raleigh, North Carolina-based public relations and content marketing firm serving clients nationwide. We focus our practice on media relations, content creation and social media.