In honor of the US holiday, Labor Day, I write you today about labor. YOUR labor. And how by working smarter, not harder, you can gain more completion, and yes, better results with your Online PR.

Before I share my list for less Online PR labor, did you know THE one element that could immediately short-circuit your success? The Answer? It’s your mindset.

Lets face if, if you perceive that something is going to take a lot of work, you’re less likely to do it. So part of my strategy is showing (and in some cases, tricking) your mind to see you’ve got plenty of shortcuts just waiting to be tapped with your Online PR.

The truth is Online PR isn’t easy unless you have the right formula. And that formula consists of the right process, tools and resources.

So now you’re ready for the 5 Ways to Labor WAY Less with Online PR:

1. Use the Right Press Release Template

Press release templates exist for a reason: they get you beyond the “blank screen effect.” That’s where you are staring at a blank computer screen waiting for inspiration to strike. And sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t.

Now some templates are way better than others. I’ve found some people call a glorified outline a template. Wrong-o! A template helps you do the job faster and easier. Another mistake I see people make is using a boring announcement-driven press release template.

Better to approach your press release with a bit more imagination. To see what I’m talking about, you can access my top optimized press release template for free. Other good template resources are from online press release service providers like PRWeb and eReleases.

2. Start (and Grow) a Swipe File

First, lets define what a swipe file is and does. It’s not something you blatantly rip off from someone else. A swipe file contains samples and examples you use to brainstorm your own ideas and solutions.

So, you could have swipe files of any or all of the following:

• Headlines
• Online Press Releases
• Articles in your industry or niche
• Quotes

Since these items may exist in different media formats, there’s no need to review all items of your swipe file.To try this technique out, start bookmarking releases that catch your eye. Then, when it comes time to begin your Online PR and write your release, start with your swipe file first and that will get the ideas flowin’.

3. Keep Your Finger on The Pulse of Today’s News

Some people prefer to avoid the news because it’s all bad and they don’t want a letdown. Now, granted you can get sucked into a few things, but lets exert just some mild mental discipline here, ok?

The goal here is to leverage one of the most power Online PR techniques in existence. In short, piggyback your story and release on what’s already making news.

This gold mine of story ideas could include:

• Current events
• Popular culture
• Entertainment

Here’s a quick example. Ever hear of the MTV show called “Pimp My Ride?” Well, I saw a press release that immediately caught my eye because the headline read, “Pimp my Bathroom.”And in so doing, gave a release about bathroom fixtures a real edge.

TIP: sign up for Google Alerts for keywords in your industry. You can also visit news aggregator sites like Alltop and Popurls and see what’s making news at a glance.

4. Create a Headline Archive

The #1 Online PR mistake I see even the pros make? The headline copout! That’s when you give up and use a boring, non-optimized headline. This continues to happen because people write releases like it’s the 1940’s when all you needed to do is make a simple announcement.

Maybe if you’re a Fortune 500 company you can get away with that. But for the rest of us, we need to attract attention and we do that first and foremost with a headline.

When I write as press release, I’ll often generate 50+ headlines. That really gets me in the flow of the idea behind the release.

By having a headline-centric brainstorm and then archiving your unused headlines, you’ve already got a BIG head start. And since you only need one headline per release, many of the other headlines you generated can be used in the release as lines of body copy or in future releases.

5. The Power of a Single Page Matrix

A key part of my Online PR process is creating a single page document that includes a matrix of 11 vital pieces of information. Everything from the topic, headline and key support points to keywords, quotes and calls to action.

I’ve had people tell me I should sell this one page matrix because of all the time it saves. I prefer to keep it in house and only available for my clients in good standing.

But you can easily create your own in Microsoft Word or another word processor that allows formatting of tables.

I find by centralizing key items in one single page, it gives me a laser focus on exactly what the release needs. The matrix approach also reveals if there are holes that need to be filled. If you work with clients, complete the matrix together. And get sign-off before starting to write. I find this cuts down on revisions and assures I hit the target first time out.

I hope you found these “labor less” tips helpful. For me, it was a labor of love to share them. (Did I really say that?)

After reading this, how can you “labor less” with your Online PR? Share you thoughts in the comments.

My purpose behind 30minutepr.com is really quite simple. Take a sliver of time called a “time slice” where you can either learn or implement one of my proven Online PR tips in 30 minutes or less.

With that in mind, I assembled some of my best tips in 7 minutes, 14 seconds. And rather than take you though a long article, let me share these Online PR tips in visual form. If you’re like me (and about 70% of us) you process information best visually.

I have embedded a TV interview I did recently. You know what is the best thing about TV interviews? You absolutely must speak in sound bite form. This interview features those sound bites…

Watch the video and discover all the following:

1. How many potential audiences will your online press release reach? It’s more than two, three, four or even five…
2. My secret ingredient for making any press release timeless. (Starts with the letter “E.”)
3. The optimal number of online press releases to send each month.
4. What most online press releases are missing that negatively impacts response
5. The 4 pillars of New PR—explained.

Now it’s your turn. View the video. Provide some feedback on the video. Do you agree with me? And if not, why not? Share your thoughts with me in the comments.

Got traffic? Authors, writers, speakers, as well as small business and marketing professionals need consistent online visibility. Enter the most comprehensive, step-by-step Online PR training system available today. Preview this new system via a free Online Training: http://www.onlineprmadeeasy.com/onlinetraining

Dallas, TX. June 24, 2010 — The online marketing landscape has a serious case of content overload. Consider this: in one 24-hour period, over 900,000 blog posts are published. Over 28,800 hours worth of video is added to You Tube. And marketers wonder why their content fails to get the job done. Marc Harty wants to help change all that.

As Mr. Harty shared, “The Online PR materials I saw on the web were quite fragmented. An ebook here, a video or audio interview there. This new, easy to consume digital PR program is a complete step-by-step system. So it not only eliminates any guesswork but also integrates the best practices knowledgebase I’ve been building since 2004”

As evidence his company boasts the largest video training library on the web today for Online PR, with 20+ hours and counting. Everyone from beginners to industry professionals have benefitted from such comprehensive training.

As Chris Brisson of PowerLaunchIt.com shared, “In the past 6 months alone, 3 online press releases I’ve created with Marc’s guidance generated over 1.5 million views.” Jim Bowman, “The PR Doc” and former VP of Corporate Communications for Nokia, Inc., added, “This is not just for do-it-yourself but the public relations professionals as well.”

The real benefits of utilizing the Online PR Made Easy system include:

•  How to create “SEO-friendly” online press releases that generate web site traffic for weeks, months, even years

• How to create online content with “staying power” that can generate leads, credibility, and backlinks”

• A proven system that can easily and affordably reach the “super influencers” such as the media, major industry organizations and “authority sites” that attract millions of monthly visitors

Now while Online PR Made Easy contains a wealth of “press release how to” information, it doesn’t stop there. From previous market tests, one component of the program has proven extremely popular: special negotiated discounts with top press release distribution sites like PRWeb.com and eReleases.com

Online PR Made Easy also includes a proprietary story generation formula to boost results for blog, article, and social media content as well. Harty explained, “At it’s core, Online PR Made Easy will help boost performance of the entire process: content creation, distribution and conversion.”

To discover how anyone at any skill level can generate thousands of dollars in publicity, as well as consistent web site traffic and qualified leads, register now for “Online PR Revealed: How to Attract Business and Buzz in the Visibility Economy.” http://www.onlineprmadeeasy.com/onlinetraining

About Marc Harty:
Marc Harty is an Online PR Strategist and developer of the Online PR Made Easy system. Marc is CEO of MainTopic Media, Inc., a ROI-driven, marketing consultancy and training company. Marc and MainTopic have trained tens of thousands of people, and hundreds of businesses, from beginners to industry thought leaders on how to attract and convert sustainable, targeted, ready-to-buy traffic to their websites.

Marc’s breakthrough PR Traffic Course has been sold in over 30 countries and on every continent. Author of “Strategic Traffic: 21 Time-tested Traffic Methods At $0 Ad Cost,” Marc’s career spans 25 years in Strategic Marketing and has generated over $239 million dollars for customers and clients. http://www.MaintopicMedia.com

Editor’s note: welcome to another episode  of “The London Chronicles.” Online PR and branding strategist Marc Harty, with the United Kingdom as his story backdrop, reveals proven methods for Online PR, publicity, marketing and branding, as you’ve never seen them before…

Question: would you consider your marketing a success if it became a historical landmark?

Answer? Heck yes!

This episode of “The London Chronicles” focuses on an enduring and iconic brand: the red phone box. And more importantly, the three key publicity and branding lessons we can apply to our businesses right away.

It’s easy to think of a phone booth as something generic and utilitarian. That certainly has been the approach in the US. (With the exception of Clark Kent using one to change into Superman!)

And while technology and cell phones have made the phone booth nearly extinct, the red phone boxes remain, often taking on new life in many diverse and exciting ways.

Why? It’s a testament to the power of an iconic and expansive brand.

First, a little background: The red telephone box, a public telephone kiosk designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1924 is a familiar sight on the streets of the United Kingdom, Malta, Bermuda and Gibraltar.

While the original started in Britain, red phone booths have also been spotted in Australia, New Zealand, Norway, and Israel and in several states in the U.S.

According to the archives of British Telecom, in 1980 there were an estimated 80,000 red phone boxes throughout the United Kingdom.

Clearly, the red phone box as a “power brand” has stood the test of time, something of a rarity today. So what can we learn from its success? Here are three “take it to the bank” takeaways…

Lesson #1: A superior brand builds an emotional connection

The red phone box was born of functional roots. Not only was it a phone booth, many boxes also dispensed stamps. And yet even as the use of phone booths waned, the red phone box has become a beloved part of both the culture and the landscape.

As such, when threatened with demolition, the populace rallied, sought and won many phone boxes being declared historical landmarks.

Conversely, if the red phone box were seen as representing a faceless telecom company, no such emotional connection would have been possible and the red phone boxes would have ended up in the trash heap years ago.

Lesson #2: A superior brand can overcome perceived (and real) obsolescence

Does anyone use a phone booth anymore? Especially since mobile phones are so common? So why are the red phone boxes still here? Here’s one reason why: because the brand was more powerful and enduring than the original function and purpose of the actual box to begin with.

The red box is seen as part of the cultural landscape. So while some boxes have been declared historical landmarks, others have evolved into Internet kiosks and one into a book exchange/mini-library.

In essence, the brand, representative of the red color, shape and crown, was deemed more valuable than the function it was originally intended for.

Lesson #3: A Superior brand can bridge geographical and cultural barriers

The countries and locales mentioned earlier in this article had a choice with their phone booths and boxes. They could have designed and painted them differently.

Yet, they choose the iconic red box. In so doing, the red phone box design bridged different languages, cultures and environments.

In fact, telephone kiosks are manufactured as flat-packs by commercial vendors and are shipped around the world for installation in such places as bars, restaurants and offices.

Obviously, these uses are not as functioning phone boxes and yet fully representative of the brand, its mystique and remarkable staying power.

What does this have to do with Online Publicity?

Plenty. Especially if your product, service or company could benefit from accelerated visibility. Online PR and publicity is one of the most effective and credible methods to gain mindshare and visibility of your brand. And more.

And like the red phone box, online PR and publicity can overcome geographical and cultural barriers, as well as help successfully define and differentiate your brand and positioning.

Again, what made the red phone box such a success was transforming the generic and common and tranforming it into a brand with personality. (Red is a color of action and attention –look no further than stop signs as to a reason why.)

Which is all the more reason to have a real idea or story as the primary driver of your publicity rather than disposable announcements.

Here’s a thought…where’s your “red phone box” idea waiting to be discovered? An idea that will effectively differentiate your message and emotionally involve your audience? (After all, people buy on emotion and justify with logic.)

Like what you’ve seen so far? Give you an idea or two? If you like this, you’ll love my new web site. It shows exactly how to get lasting web site traffic and media exposure. It’s called Online PR Made Easy. Check it out now. I enjoy sharing these articles and videos and look for more very soon.

Enjoyed this article? Share your thoughts on the “red phone box” in your marketing.

A discussion about  press release performance is one that’s always worth having.  Even more so considering the many dynamics at play. From big “make it or break it” factors like the main story to more incremental elements like formatting nuances, any of these, either individually or collectively can impact overall performance.

Before I present my list of impact factors here’s some context. My objective here isn’t to overwhelm you with an intimidating checklist. Rather, lets be mindful of these impact factors, test some of them and then course correct over time. And while we’re at it, prioritize the most crucial factors.

This impact factor list also serves as a prelude to the surprising results of an online survey on this PR blog.  The topic? How do YOU distribute press releases? More about that later in this article. For now, I present the following:

17 impact factors of press release performance:

1. Is the headline announcement or story-driven?
2. Any hook, angle or main story?
3. Which newswire or distribution provider used?
4. Free newswire or paid?
5. Horizontal (broad) or vertical (targeted) distribution?
6. The day the release is published?
7. Was the release keyword optimized?
8. Was the release plain text only?
9. Did the release feature images and video? Google image?
10. Was the release integrated with social media?
11. Was there a call to action?
12. Any latent awareness of past releases?
13. Was the release sent via other means: email, fax, snail mail?
14. Was the release a “one-off” or part of a campaign?
15. Slow news day or busy one?
16. Media room or no media room?
17. Was the release more than 400 words?

Because of space limitations, my purpose here is not an in-depth review of each factor.  In fact, several of them merit stand alone posts of their own. (For more practical advice and best practices on all of these impact factors I invite you to consider my Online PR Made Easy program.)

What interests me? Exactly which impact factors challenge you the most? So be sure and share your priorities with me in the comments below.

Before you do lets review the results from my survey, which asked, “How do you distribute press releases?” I was surprised by which method ranks #1. (You can still add your voice and answer the poll via my article “5 Ways Free Press Release Sites Can Cost You.”

Now as long as we’re talking press release performance, what results are you hoping for? I’ve identified the top five results based on my experience and that of my clients, customers and readers. Which one matters the most to you?

Your valuable feedback will help me determine future article topics, program materials and MUCH more. And it would be greatly appreciated!

Please comment on which impact factor or result  concerns you the most.

Since this article is about branding and I’ve been a branding strategist for many years, let’s be clear from the get go. I’m not talking about logos! This is about brand personality and marketing positioning. It all started with my recent world travel to Singapore and Malaysia. The trip lasted nearly three weeks. And while I enjoyed the local cuisine (Malay, Chinese and Indian) I did experience a craving or two for Western fare.

Imagine my surprise when at the Subang airport (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) I entered donut heaven. Homer Simpson eat your heart out!

I was not alone. Malaysia is a fusion of cultures and ideologies and yet it was donuts that brought us from many walks of life together one day.

The donuts from which I speak were a far cry from anything I had experienced from US mainstays Dunkin’ Donuts and Krispy Kreme. And as I devoured my triple chocolate piece of paradise, the sugar rush got my brain going on a few important branding takeaways for you to consume…

Branding Lesson #1: You Can Differentiate a Commodity

I always considered donuts a commodity. And pretty much every donut place had similar offerings: glazed, with sprinkles, cake donuts, same old same old. Yet what I saw at Big Apple Donuts was taking the humble donut to heights not seen previously.

The advantage of starting with a commodity is you don’t need to educate people on what you’re selling. Most consumers know what a donut is. Have you ever thought of selling as a two-step process? Consider this:

Step #1: generic sell. In this case, selling the donut.

Step #2: Proprietary Sell. You sell them on why YOUR donut is special.

So if your market or industry has been commoditized, see what you can do to un-commoditize it. You can use the following inspirations #2 and #3 to do just that.

Branding Lesson #2: Make Personality Part of the Recipe

One effective method to transform a commodity is to infuse it with personality. The variety of donuts, complete with tongue-in-cheek monikers did exactly that. Here’s a sampling of some of the donut choices:

• Dough Vinci
• Duren Duren
• Tom and Cherry
• Tea-Off
• Apple Ke Dapple
• Donutella
• Presidential Sweet

Not all 30-some varieties had clever names but all were unique in their own right, either in name, recipe, topping or filling.

Branding Lesson #3: Simple and Visual Wins Eyes and Wallets

The humble donut as canvas for true artistic expression? Definitely. Sure the donuts have fun names. Yet what seals the deal is their appearance.

Some donuts are real works of art. Something you would expect to find in an upscale restaurant here applied to the humble donut.

In essence, it’s not about a donut. It’s become the donut experience. Sure, I have a sweet tooth but it was the donut story that got me hooked. And will keep me coming back.

Branding Lesson #4: Novelty Without Quality = Fail

Sure, the donut names are fun and they look scrumptious, but what if the donuts didn’t taste as good as they looked and sounded?

I’m happy to report the donuts met and exceeded my expectations. My donuts were very fresh and I’m told contain less sugar than their American counterparts. (Although you’d never know it from the taste!)

The key takeaway here is the quality of the product was consistent with the branding of the product. If the product was high novelty but low quality, maybe they get the initial sale but the customer won’t come back and buy again.

You may be thinking, “sounds great” but how does all this branding and fun donut stuff translate into sales and business success? Well the proof is in the pudding, or in this case, the donuts.

Big Apple Donuts is currently in four countries: Malaysia, China, Thailand and Indonesia. They’re expanding rapidly (nearly 40 locations in Malaysia alone) and global expansion beyond Asia is in the works. I for one can’t wait!

Please share your feedback and comments below.

It’s so easy to get caught up with the micro that we forget the macro. In this case, did our work payoff? What results did we get? Can we track those results and connect the dots to the bottom line?

One way to answer those questions is to step back , gain perspective and then take a look and ask yourself one more question…

What were my “wins” for the week?

Now let’s define what I mean by a “win.” Here are a few examples:

• Successful completion of a project
• New client
• Launch a new product/service/website
• New speaking engagement
• Enthusiastic feedback on a presentation you gave recently
• Reaching your revenue targets
• Exceeding your revenue targets
• Blowing the doors off your revenue targets
• Getting a story published
• Media exposure: print, broadcast, online

The list above is by no means a complete one. Just enough to let you see where I’m going with this.

Do you know what all the above have in common? They’re specific. They’re outcome-driven.

So often we are in the middle of something that we forget to celebrate when we actually achieved something of distinction.

It’s important to take time to honor your successes. Because that’s the motivation that will keep all cylinders firing towards your next success.

So as a way of getting us started here are my wins for the week, publicity-wise:

• Radio Interview with 938LIVE: (largest English speaking news/talk radio station in Singapore
• PRWeb Webinar: “The Inside Scoop: PR and Marketing Strategy” This is great visibility and positions me as an Online PR expert. The announcement of this webinar went out to a mailing list of over 750,000 with an expected registrations of 6,000+!

Now it’s your turn. Do share. Because your successes will help inspire others. What are your wins for the week, publicity or otherwise?

Please share your successes with me in the comments below.

As I write this on New Year’s Eve, I’ve seen any number of articles and blog posts on resolutions, both positive and negative.

So I make the following promise: keep reading and you’ll learn a new way to plan and focus the coming year—and it’s not work, it’s really fun!

You see, rather than focus on the micro (resolutions) I focus on the macro (theme for the year.) In my thinking, big picture = strategy. And to me, nothing says big picture than my “theme” for the year.

What do I mean by a theme? Well, you’ve heard of the Chinese calendar, right?

2010 is the year of the Tiger. 2009 was the year of the Cow.

I take a somewhat similar approach with a theme. At a high level, it’s what I want the year to represent or stand for.

For example, when I took eight weeks off one year, which was “the year of adventure.” I lived that theme fully, having driven and cycled from Texas to the US west coast, up the coast to Canada and Vancouver, and then back through Montana, Colorado and back down to Texas.

Now once I have my theme, I focus not on resolutions, but what I call “shifts.” More about how I implement shifts in my next post.

I’ve been theming my years for some time now. It’s a fun exercise that helps me focus on what the year should represent at a high level. Theming your year is an ideal way to get out of overwhelm too.

How a theme helps you set the tone for the year ahead

Let’s face it: we arm ourselves with the latest in productivity tools, and before you know it we’re beating ourselves up over unmet goals, unfinished to do’s, unrealized outcomes and more. However, by focusing on the big picture first, often the micro-related items fall naturally into place.

Simply sit back, relax, get comfortable and distraction free, and then ask yourself this question: “What do I want this year to really be about, exactly? How will I know the year is a true success?”

Next, see what comes up for you. Jot down what surfaces. There are no right or wrong answers. There are some tips to help you birth a theme that speaks to you. (Or if you are visual, a theme that’s the big picture. And for the kinesthetic folk out there, a theme you can really grab a hold of.)

Presenting my theme for 2010, drum roll please:

“2010: The Year Of Expansion”

This theme resonates on multiple levels: business, personal and spiritual. And that’s really the dynamic that makes for an effective theme – it is broad enough so it covers all areas of your life, not just business.

So what does this look like in more detail? Here are a few examples:

• Business expansion: I’m launching new products and services outside of the PR and publicity market
• Personal expansion: new experiences await including Comedy Improv training, traveling to Singapore and Malaysia and new workouts including swim training
• Spiritual expansion: new mediation practices, new worship practices and more

3 benefits to theming your year

Why theme?

Reason #1: The theme is a constant source of inspiration. It’s a great way to focus your energy and keep the momentum going all year long. So even if you get off track at some point, you have your compass to regain direction, which is your theme.

Reason #2: it helps your year stand for something. We may lose track of day-to-day to do’s, but a theme is all-enduring. You’ll remember if for years, and with it, the accomplishments that supported that theme.

Reason #3: Third, and perhaps most important, it helps you be accountable to YOURSELF and to others, always a challenge for the entrepreneur.

3 Tips for a successful and inspiring 2010 theme

I’ve themed my years for the last 8 years and I’ve learned some valuable insights along the way. So, here are some tips to help successfully theme your 2010 (and subsequent years)

1. Make the theme short and punchy: no sentences, one to three words MAX.
2. The theme should be broad enough to encapsulate personal, professional and spiritual practices.
3. The theme should be consistent with your values as well as your mission and purpose.

To get you started, let me share a few themes from years past. Notice how each theme was representative of a major thrust for that particular year. (Indicated in parentheses.)

• The year of “Transformation” (career change)
• The year of “Growth” (Adding professional speaking to my repertoire)
• The year of “Adventure” (traveled for 7 weeks that year)

So get after it people, let’s see what kind of theme you can come up with. Share your theme with me in the comments below. I look forward to your inspired actions and can’t wait to see some mind-blowing themes.

Please comment: what do you think of theming and what’s your theme for 2010?

Story highlights and action steps:

• Time to review: 12 minutes
  • Focus on the big picture, create a theme for the year
  • Theme should cover business, personal and spiritual areas of your life
  • Your theme should be short and follow the Chinese New Year Formula
  • Example: “2010: the year of completion”
• Action Steps:
  • Brainstorm your theme
  • Share your theme with others, get feedback and pick one
  • Once you have your theme, list some goals that are supportive of that theme

Celebrity and negative publicity often go together like hand in glove. Case in point, I recently spent two weeks in London and the newspapers there are a lot more “tabloid” in their approach to news than their USA counterparts.

And of course, I’m sure you’ve been following the David Letterman extortion plot saga. He had affairs with female staff members and when faced with extortion went public and admitted his failings with transparency and humor.

Letterman has received good grades in his response to the negative publicity. And his ratings are up 38% since the disclosure.And while Letterman’s ethics and response have been debated at length, in this article I focus on a lesser known celebrity’s response to negative publicity.

In fact, I chose this example because the issue is one more common and sympathetic: an athletic starlet’s weight gain from a previously “hot” body.

Here’s the headline from The Huffington Post: “Nicole Eggert Fat? Baywatch Babe Takes on Weight Critics In Funny or Die Video”

So come with me as I explore the thick and thin about this fat story…

The Situation

Nicole Eggert played lifeguard Summer Quinn in over 45 episodes on Baywatch, the TV show from 1992-1994.  As such, she spent many an episode in a red two piece bathing suit and developed her own sex symbol appeal. Flash forward to today. Some 15 years later. Nicole Eggert is now 37, has had a child and not a real surprise, gained some weight.

Naturally, the tabloids shared some unflattering photos. Followed by the usual round of whispers and gossip.

At this point Nicole Eggert faced a choice on how to respond. When any one of us are confronted with negative publicity there are typically three ways in which to respond…

1. Ignore it and hide
2. Be reactive and defensive (damage control)
3. Be proactive and go on the offensive

Now before we get to Nicole Eggert’s response, a question: if you’ve been hit with some negative publicity, which approach did you take? Can you guess which path Nicole Eggert took? She chose #3, which brings us to the next part of the story…

Nicole’s Response to the Negative Publicity

Nicole Eggert chose to go on the offensive. She followed a technique that’s proven successful in everything from martial arts to political strategists like Karl Rove. Turn your opponents strength against them.

The video Nicole did via her “Funny or Die” video did exactly that. The technique that had glamorized her in the past, the slo-mo running down the beach was featured again. But this time, there is the very noticeable jiggle of a few extra pounds at work, thus skewering the “babe” imagery from the past.

What’s evident here is Nicole Eggert is comfortable in her own skin, which is in more abundant supply compared to her Baywatch days.

In short, Nicole Eggert responded with humor and confidence to the negative publicity about her weight gain. She not only took her recent physique in stride, she took her own path in a funny and involving way. Which leads us to the actual results once the video hit the Internets…

The Results

First off, Nicole Eggert went from near obscurity to celebrity in the blink of an eye. Yes, she made news. The story hit the first pages of authority sites The Huffington Post and Salon. As the Salon article stated, “The video would seem — well, if not terribly witty, then at least a nice dose of female empowerment, a move that simultaneously strikes a blow toward the tyranny of the paparrazi and places Eggert back in the public eye on her own terms.”

Another article phrased it this way, “The comedic short makes a point about some people’s shallow hang-ups about weight.”

Even more interesting and encouraging were the hundreds of comments to these stories. The tone of those comments was universal in support of Nicole Eggert and her physique as a “real woman.”

And the results didn’t stop there. Consider the amount of publicity and shift in opinion that was generated…

Metrics from Nicole Eggert’s “Fat Video” response:

• The video viewed over 600,000 times in three days
• Thousands of Tweets with links to the video
• Over 500 diggs on Digg
• Numerous articles and stories on mainstream news and entertainment sites
• A search of “Nicole Eggert” on Google shows 5 listings on the first page of Google are about the “fat” video

Conclusion

In researching this story, I learned that Nicole Eggert will be starring with Kevin Federline in the upcoming season of the reality TV show, “Celebrity Fit Club.” As a result, many have called Nicole Eggert’s video response to her “fat” image more of a publicity stunt than a demonstration of female empowerment.

My take? It’s both and in my mind it shows a real savvy sense of publicity. So what can we learn from all this? Humor, when used appropriately can be powerful weapon in combating negative publicity. Obviously, humor needs to be used selectively. And real screw-ups need to be admitted as same. You don’t use humor to make light of an oil spill, for goodness sake.

In the final analysis, when using humor, there is a risk it can backfire. But kudos to those that refuse to let others define who they are and what they’re all about.

Please share your comments on this article. I’d especially like to hear from women on this topic.

Story highlights and action steps:

• Time to review: 13 minutes
  • There are three typical responses to addressing negative publicity:
    1. Ignore it and hide
    2. Be reactive and defensive (damage control)
    3. Be proactive and go on the offensive
  • Nicole Eggert utilized humor and both male and female stereotypes to her advantage
  • Funny or Die video generated 600,000 viewings and hundreds of supportive comments
  • A valuable lesson in defining your public image on your own terms
• Action Steps:
  • Brainstorm ways you could combat negative publicity using humor
  • Be mindful of how people in the public eye manage their image
  • If confronted with negative publicity, remember the three ways you can respond

PR has evolved. Even to the point it is now more relevant and more public than ever. New PR offers far more publicity opportunities than old PR ever did, especially for those who are not marketing experts. In “The New Rules of Marketing and PR” author David Meerman Scott explains, “The Internet has made public relations public again, after years of almost exclusive focus on media. Blogs, online news releases and other forms of Web content let organizations communicate directly with buyers.”

In the past, the media, as gatekeepers, deemed who received exposure and who didn’t. New PR offers many viable and immediate ways to reach prospects, buyers and key influencers directly. And yet with so many choices available, it’s easy to over emphasize technology and tools while core activities like strategy development receive short shrift.

For that reason, I present “The 4 Pillars of the New PR.” (Complete with handy mnemonic device for easy reference: each pillar begins with the letter “S.”)

New PR Pillar #1: Strategy

Strategy is “the what” and tactics are “the how.” The “what” could be anything from your brand personality to key business objectives and outcomes you expect from your marketing. Your strategy should also include successful positioning compared to the competition.

For example, what values does you product, service or company represent? Do those values permeate your marketing—and if not—why not? One of my most important values is humor. Humor helps me engage my audience whether live or remote, as well as overcome the dry subject matter of search engine marketing.

New PR Pillar #2: Story

The most glaring mistake I see again and again is announcement-driven messaging rather than story-driven content. Announcement style press releases work if you are Apple announcing a new ipod. But with 5,000 press releases published daily, an announcement driven approach won’t effectively breakthrough the press release clutter.

To overcome that challenge, consider developing a “Persona” and weave that through ALL of your marketing, not just your articles and press releases.

A Persona is a role or character you create for yourself. For example, I have several customers that use a Persona of “The Underdog.” I’ve seen real estate and investment pros establish the Persona of “The Contrarian” to combat the recent doom and gloom of today’s investment market.

I’ve identified 17 distinct Personas that are effective for publicity purposes. (Note: I’ll most likely release that as a bonus for a new product. Stay tuned.)

Of course, there are many other ways to enhance your story, like finding the right angle. Try piggybacking on current events. That way your message is relevant and you ride a wave of interest already created on that topic.

New PR Pillar #3: Search

Perhaps the biggest benefit of Online PR is its staying power. Old PR was often transactional and temporary. With New PR, optimize your content correctly, and your articles, stories, releases and other content can be found online for weeks, months even years—by journalists and buyers alike.

4 best practices for optimizing your PR for search:

1. Put your keyword phrase in the headline and 3-4 times in the body copy.
2. Include your keyword phrase is in the first paragraph and the last.
3. Use a paid press release site (PRWeb, Webwire, PitchEngine) over free sites. (Paid sites have greater reach and credibility.)
4. Go beyond just optimizing text: include images, audio, video and caption those elements with your keyword phrases.

New PR Pillar #4: Social

The widespread social media impact of New PR is just beginning. In “Putting the Public Back in Public Relations” authors Brian Solis and Deirdre Breakenridge shared, “By driving New PR from a social-centric position, companies can identify the right groups of people, determine their needs, uncover their channels of influence and use the tools and words that will reach and compel them.”

They further add that New PR is about “communicating with, not to” and that there is a shift from away from spin and towards relevance. They identify another critical shift: from a broadcast machine (one-to-many) to community participation (many-to-many.)

To become more community-centric, many press release sites have added social media enhancements. This includes video, images, slide shows, and connections with Twitter and Facebook.

Here’s an example of a social media release for Alex Mandossian’s Virtual Abundance Expo. This is definitely not your grandfather’s press release!

In summary, New PR is one of the most powerful methods to effectively reach prospects, buyers and influencers. Use the 4 pillars as a filter to maximize the results of both your article and press release marketing.

Please add your candid comments and feedback.

Story highlights and action steps:

• Time to review: 10 minutes
  • New PR or PR 2.0 integrates new strategies, tactics and audiences
  • The 4 pillars: Strategy, Story, Search and Social
  • Related Resources:
    • Iconicards by Sharon Livingston. A brilliant concept—a deck of cards, each a different archetype. Extremely useful for marketing insights and Persona development. HIGHLY recommended.
    • Two great books, both created for screenwriters but very relevant for developing a unique story and persona
      1. 20 Master Plots by Ronald Tobias
      2. 45 Master Characters by Victoria Schmidt

    Action Steps:

    • Buy/review the recommended resources as a vehicle to brainstorm Personas
    • Decide on a Persona and test it in one element of your marketing
    • Use the 4 pillars as a checklist for evaluating current and future New PR activities