Thoughts from Shannon: And the slowdown begins... or does it?
Shannon Recommends: Registration is open for Marketing Summer Camp! Save $60 with the early camper's discount
Feature Article: Is The Press Release Dead?
Events & Highlights: What's Shannon Up To?
Media Profile: Pink Magazine
About Shannon: Find out more about this award-winning presenter, author and publicist.
Marketplace: Great Offers From Great People
**Recommend Be Heard!**
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Be Heard!
July 1, 2008 Volume IV, Issue 16
ISSN: 1942-9320
Published weekly. You are on our list because you asked to be. To change your subscription, see link at end of the ezine.
Be Heard! is the free weekly online newsletter for entrepreneurs, solo professionals, consultants, coaches and small business owners that will help you learn the secrets to attract more targeted clients and customers through publicity and promotions.
Summer is finally here! And for the first time in weeks, we're relaxing just a bit.
I don't know about you, but June seems especially full: full of parties, barbecues, festivals, etc.
But this past weekend was different: nothing that we HAD to do. It was just us. It was nice to reconnect as a family as we casually had an impromptu picnic at the local park.
We also took a stroll to the New York State Museum (just a few blocks away) and took a spin on the oldest carousel in the state.
I still recall when my dad worked for General Electric. Every summer we waited for 'shut-down' to happen so we could take our family vacation (often to Wildwood, NJ - still one of my favorite places).
Times have changed. Now I have the luxury of taking vacations whenever I want. And I do. If you work with me, you will know I don't work on Fridays. It's the day I spend giving myself some down-time, and spending time with my twins.
As a matter of fact, I spend most Friday mornings having breakfast with my good friend, Rebecca Murtagh, who is the best darn SEO and Internet marketing strategist I know. She even changed the way I'm doing press releases for my clients and myself. Find out more in this week's feature article.
It was at one of those recent breakfasts we dreamed up the idea of Marketing Summer Camp. We know that since most people are in slow-down mode, you can take advantage of the time, and be one step ahead of your competition by taking some time to learn some new marketing strategies. Learn all about it in the Shannon Recommends section.
You will be heard!
Shannon
PS: I always welcome feedback. Let me know what you think about the ezine by emailing me at assist@beheardsolutions.com
Registration is open for Marketing Summer Camp! Save $60 with the early camper's discount
Are you frustrated with marketing strategies that cost a fortune and generate little or no results?
So many entrepreneurs and small business owners like you are uncomfortable or ineffective when it comes to marketing themselves and their business. They don't know how to promote their services or products in a way that truly makes them stand out from the crowd.
Even successful marketers can benefit from a refresher course that shares success stories and introduces new techniques and technologies.
Whichever camp YOU fall in, WE have just the camp for you.
So grab your gear and head to Marketing Summer Camp, a virtual camp full of fun right over your telephone!
In this teleseminar series, you will get:
PROVEN MARKETING METHODS THAT WORK! No theory. Just like camp, you'll get the tried and true methods that will build your business.
BIG RESULTS FOR A SMALL INVESTMENT! How much money have you spent on training? How much time have you wasted implementing systems that provided no payback? If your answer is a lot of money with few results then what do you have to lose? Nothing! You'll get a full refund if you don't feel that the value and the time you spent for this program was worth far more than the money spent.
ENJOY YOUR WAY TO A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS! It's fun - just like camp is supposed to be! When you join the Marketing Summer Camp, you'll learn the proven steps to build your business and have fun doing it!
Sign up now at http://www.marketingsummercamp.com to receive an early bird camper discount! But don't delay! The discount ends tomorrow.
Is The Press Release Dead?
Press releases are often criticized for being a marketing device for business instead of an informational tool. In the past, press releases were utilized to distribute news to reporters and buyers. In today's current market, many feel that press releases contain little newsworthy material and/or details that would be interesting to readers.
If used correctly, a press release doesn't have to be outdated. There are times when it's appropriate to write a press release and times when you'll want to try another method of publicity. It's not that writing a press release is obsolete but rather that it has evolved into a new form. The key is to evolve with it.
In order to modernize your press release, you should:
Write to a specific audience. Instead of writing one general press release, try creating press releases more often and make them shorter. Write your releases more frequently and gear them to a more specific audience using popular topics for that specific audience. In doing so, there's more potential to grasp the interest of your readers.
Take advantage of social media. The use of various social media such as blogs, video sharing or a business website allows you to meet the needs of your internet audience. Going beyond the format of a traditional press release permits reporters and editors easier access to your information.
Check the newsworthiness of your release. Your release should include essential information that your readers wouldn't want to miss out on. Using a press release to promote your business can lead to less interest in any releases that you may distribute in the future. Essentially, sending out a press release without any news can jeopardize the importance of your future press releases.
Make the most of search engines. You can use keyword devices on Yahoo or Google to explore what words are used most in searches and put those words in your press releases. That way when a member of your audience is online conducting a search for something related to your field, it's more likely that they will come across one of your releases.
Include links back to your website. You should include links back to your business website or any RSS feeds in a press release. That can help you expand your audience and enhance the importance of your press release. And isn't that the reason you wrote it to begin with?
July 15, 22, & 29, 8 PM ET (5 PM PT) Marketing Summer Camp
Learn or refresh your marketing skills with this telecamp! http://www.MarketingSummerCamp.com
Pink 790 Marietta St NW
Atlanta, GA 30318
(678) 420-7797 - Phone
(678) 420-7780 - Fax
Launched in June 2005 and written for women in business. Editorial aims to deliver top female decision-makers proven strategies for greater professional and personal success from some of the United States' greatest minds.
Some Key People and What They Need:
Taylor Mallory, lifestyle editor - taylor@pinkmagazine.com
Taylor is the lifestyle and beauty editor and covers books, travel, fashion and beauty. Contact her via e-mail.
Kathryn Whitbourne, personal health associate - kw@pinkmagazine.com
Kathryn is an associate editor and covers women's topics. She edits, writes and assigns articles for the front and back of the book sections. Please contact her via e-mail.
Editor's note: I've done my best to make sure these contacts and their details are accurate. But remember, it's best to check to make sure!
Shannon Cherry, APR, MA is the founder and president of Cherry Communications, which includes the subsidiary Be Heard Solutions. She works with small business owners, nonprofit directors and entrepreneurs to help them to be heard.
For more than 15 years, she's been turning people's thoughts and ideas into clear, concise, compelling stories - the kind that stand above the rest and get noticed.
In addition to her consulting work, Shannon has co-authored two books: Be Your Own Great & Powerful: A Woman's Guide to Living a Real, Big Life and Parenting Beyond Belief, an Amazon best seller for more than eight months. She is also the blogger behind, Startup Spark, one of the top 60 business blogs in the world.
She is also a professional speaker, who has presented internationally on the topics of media, public relations, marketing and parenting.
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We also took a stroll to the New York State Museum (just a few blocks away) and took a spin on the oldest carousel in the state.
essential information that your readers wouldn't want to miss out on. Using a press release to promote your business can lead to less interest in any releases that you may distribute in the future. Essentially, sending out a press release without any news can jeopardize the importance of your future press releases. 
