StartupNation Blogs

As Halloween approaches, you’ll see spooky ghosts, goblins and monsters everywhere. But for many of us, the real scare comes from talking to media members.
If picking up the phone to pitch a reporter gives you the chills, here are three simple tips to make the experience less frightful:
1. Prepare.
Before calling a reporter, know what that person [...]

Since many of you commented on my last blog entry, here are three more free tools to help you with your small business PR activities:
1. Help a Reporter Out
PR Pro Peter Shankman set up this great site at http://www.helpareporter.com/. Simply enter your name and e-mail information. And each day, you’ll receive a list of reporters [...]

If you are tempted to save money and write your own marketing materials and website copy, please stop and think about it.
Although copywriters may be expensive, they can help you:
- Optimize conversion rates;
- Build credibility;
- Reach targeted audiences;
- Increase search engine placements;
- Assist you with your overall, Web architecture; and
- Grow sales fast!
And even if [...]

Last week, we talked to Cynthia Good, CEO, founding editor and co-owner of the award-winning PINK Magazine, www.PINKmagazine.com. PINK reaches more than two million professional women every year and has raised more than $60,000 for nonprofits benefiting women and girls. Here’s more from my exclusive interview with the inspiring and successful business owner:

What are you [...]

The first thing that many new entrepreneurs think about when they hear “public relations” is sending out a press release. Sure, a press release can help build buzz online.
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But if you want a feature story written about your business, it’s essential to pitch specific media members directly.
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And with today’s economy, this can be a [...]

Are you using SEO? In today’s economy, search engine optimization is a cost-effective way to increase online awareness and sales… fast. To find out more about this hot topic, I caught up with one of the gurus of SEO, Heather Lloyd-Martin, President and CEO of SuccessWorks Search Marketing,
http://www.seocopywriting.com. Here’s what she had to say:
Tell [...]

It’s early in the morning, and I just fielded a few calls from struggling entrepreneurs who are overwhelmed with all of the marketing and PR data out there. “Where do we start?”
There is a lot of information out there, especially on this site. And it can be difficult to figure out what activities to pursue [...]

The phone is not ringing and crickets are chirping.
That’s likely what will happen if you are sending out press releases to the masses and waiting for the sales to come in.
I bring this up because several entrepreneurs contacted me recently about their PR activities. They hired publicists. But instead of obtaining media exposure, they [...]

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For the last few weeks, it seems like there has been nothing but bad news. All of the radio and television reporters blast the latest unemployment stats, stock market dips and unrest in the world.
It’s enough to turn you into a Scrooge this holiday season or make you cower in a corner with a [...]

On Tuesday, I left off telling you about the sharks I encountered while scuba diving. Well, after a brief, “stare down” with the sharks, I headed towards the cave opening and left their home.
It was nerve-wracking, but it was truly the most exciting dive I’ve had so far.
In fact, after the initial nerves subsided, all [...]