Public Relations Workshop Builds Skills for Entrepreneurs
May 20, 2010 by MaryEllen · Leave a Comment
You’ve gotten pretty good at free marketing which is why you’re all over social media, using Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to promote your buisness. But what’s up with your competitor getting coverage in the Sunday paper? What can you do to get that?
Your competitor likely used a press release to alert the media to a newsworthy event. Now you can do the same.
No need to pay a professional public relations person to write a formal press release. Learn this important skill for yourself in a two session workshop Mary Ellen Merrigan presents for WESST, 4 – 6pm on June 16 and 23.
In an interactive seminar cover the reasons to generate a press release and then review an easy formula to produce one. Test your press release idea in front of a small group of participants and get input from other small business owners who, like you, prefer to market on the cheap.
You’ll write your own release during the week between sessions using guidelines provided. In part two, discover specific media outreach techniques, best practices and ideas to align your business with other community partners. The workshop concludes with a discussion of free publicity outlets.
Registration is $59, $49 with seven-day advance purchase.Register online or call Lorena Schott at 505-246-6939 to reserve your space.
Six-Week Marketing Plan E-Book Launches Online
May 9, 2010 by MaryEllen · Leave a Comment
Simplify marketing with “The Six-Week Marketing Master Plan: an easy, step-by step action plan to boost your business in one hour per day,” published this April by Mary Ellen Merrigan and Maria G. Nozza. 
The 157-page e-book, now available online, serves small business owners with no marketing department, service providers, coaches and consultants.
A series of questions and exercises guides participants through the experience offering an all-in-one guide to marketing. As users complete the program they produce a solid foundation for their own visibility program.
The master plan idea began as an outline for one client. Then, as Mary Ellen collaborated with Maria on a website revision, the two challenged each other to walk their talk. The two made a 45-day pact to work on their business.
Discussions with other clients developed into a beta test.
“The book almost wrote itself,” Merrigan said. Every Monday I delivered the next week’s assignments to my beta group of ten.”
“This is a 360-degree view of a firm. It can be a daunting experience, overwhelming even, to consider on your own,” Merrigan continued. “Realistically, 6WMMP solidifies everything and lets you streamline your communication.”
Within 45 days working just one hour per day, participants have a complete plan for their business. The guide helps them assess their current efforts, evaluate specifics, list to do’s and set immediate goals.
Designer Maria G. Nozza made the user experience easier with a visual presentation to support the user. High-impact visuals, easy-to-follow directions, and a consistent presentation make this workbook appealing.
Feedback has been gratifying. One experienced entrepreneur printed the workbook and now uses it for a reference. Others mention the opportunity to concentrate on one facet of the business at a time.
Chapters include:
Week One, “Getting Started,” concentrates on overview, offering a template for evaluating current marketing efforts. This module supports existing businesses as well as startups.
Week Two, “Find Your Audience and Seek Them Out,” offers an in-depth look at target marketing as participants research and reach for their potential customers.
Week Three, “Find Your Competitors and Your Keywords,” begins to define the nuances separating a business from others with flagship content.
Week Four, “Social Media,” concentrates on incorporating social strategies into a marketing plan, exploring tips on bios, “about my company” paragraphs, email signatures and more.
Week Five, “Develop Content Plan,” helps participants outline promotional collateral as well as media to showcase on the website.
Week Six, “Strategic Marketing,” discusses promotional strategies, editorial calendars and long-range strategic solutions. A one-page marketing plan incorporates the previous week’s work into a marketing visual for the future.
The final three days in the Six Week Marketing Master Plan include a review of accomplishments, challenges and an implementation schedule.
Each week of the effort builds on the previous work. By the end of the 45 day period, an entrepreneur will review every aspect of his plan from branding and visual image to aspects of search engine optimization including keywords and backlinks.
“We wanted to make it easier for solopreneurs,” Merrigan said. “They really can do it themselves, thanks to the plan.”
The Six Week Marketing Master Plan sells for $69.95 and can be purchased from http://www.sixweekmarketingplan.com.
Additional offerings including video as well as teleseminars will be forthcoming from the Merrigan-Nozza duo.
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