Randall Blaum's Marketing Blog

You Can See Randall Speak Live from Toronto on the Internet!!!

Hi Marketers,

Do I have Exciting News!

The Raymond Aaron Group will be broadcasting the entire Maximum Mind---Mega Wealth event being held this weekend LIVE on the internet...

As you know I will be speaking at the event along with many other very accomplished speakers and I urge you to tune-in to the webcast if you can't be at the event in person. (It's the next best thing)

Now there is a nominal charge of 9.95 to view the webcast but Raymond tells me this is just to cover off the costs of putting the ENTIRE event up on the web...and when you consider what your getting---three days of solid instruction about creating and developing a mindset that will virtually guarantee your success in whatever it is you send your mind to accomplishing---the decision to tune-in is really a no-brainer...

Get all the details here:

http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=933787

And watch...  The entire event...if you can...  Or check-in from time-to-time throughout the weekend...

I am leaving in a few minutes to fly to Toronto so sign up now and you can see me tomorrow at 10:30am EST.  Get all the details here:  http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=933787

I am yours in success,

Randall

A Tale of Credit Card Debt - How You Get Taken to the Cleaners

A good friend of mine sent me this yesterday and it was so well written, I thought it would be good to pass on to you.

What follows is a little long and dramatic, but I felt it was worth sharing because it alerts us to a few new, slick forms of credit card theft to watch out for these days.  

 

 

SCENE 1. 

 

This is a new one. 

 

People sure stay busy trying to cheat us, don't they? 

 

A friend went to the local gym and placed his belongings in the locker.  After the workout and a shower, he came out, saw the locker open, and thought to himself, 'Funny, I thought I locked the locker.  Hmm, ?' He dressed and just flipped the wallet to make sure all was in order.  Everything looked okay - all cards were in place.

A few weeks later his credit card bill came - a whooping bill of $14,000!  He called the credit card company and started yelling at them, saying that he did not make the transactions. Customer care personnel verified that there was no mistake in the system and asked if his card had been stolen. ? 'No,' he said, but then took out his wallet, pulled out the credit card, and yep - you guessed it - a switch had been made. ? An expired similar credit card from the same bank was in the wallet. The thief broke into his locker at the gym and switched cards. 

 

Verdict: The credit card issuer said since he did not report the card missing earlier, he would have to pay the amount owed to them. How much did he have to pay for items he did not buy?  $9,000! Why were there no calls made to verify the amount swiped? Small amounts rarely trigger a 'warning bell' with some credit card companies. It just so happens that all the small amounts added up to big one! 

 

 

SCENE 2. 

 

A man at a local restaurant paid for his meal with his credit card. The bill for the meal came, he signed it,and the waitress folded the receipt and passed the credit card along. Usually, he would just take it and place it in his wallet or pocket. Funny enough, though, he actually took a look at the card and, lo and behold, it was the expired card of another person. He called the waitress and she looked perplexed. She took it back, apologized, and hurried back to the counter under the watchful eye of the man. All the waitress did while walking to the counter was wave the wrong expired card to the counter cashier, and the counter cashier immediately looked down and took out the real card. No exchange of words -- - nothing! She took it and came back to the man with an apology. 

 

Verdict:  Make sure the credit cards in your wallet are yours. Check the name on the card every time you sign for something and/or the card is taken away for even a short period of time. Many people just take back the credit card without even looking at it, 'assuming' that it has to be theirs. FOR YOUR OWN SAKE, DEVELOP THE HABIT OF CHECKING YOUR CREDIT CARD EACH TIME IT IS RETURNED TO YOU AFTER A TRANSACTION! 

 

 

SCENE 3: 

 

Yesterday I went into a pizza restaurant to pick up an order that I had called in. I paid by using my Visa Check Card which, of course, is linked directly to my checking account. The young man behind the counter took my card, swiped it, then laid it on the counter as he waited for the approval, which is pretty standard procedure. While he waited, he picked up his cell phone and started dialing.  I noticed the phone because it is the same model I have, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Then I heard a click that sounded like my phone sounds when I take a picture  He then gave me back my card but kept the phone in his hand as if he was still pressing buttons.  Meanwhile, I'm thinking: I wonder what he is taking a picture of, oblivious to what was really going on.

It then dawned on me: the only thing there was my credit card, so now I'm paying close attention to what he is doing.  He set his phone on the counter, leaving it open. About five seconds later, I heard the chime that tells you that the picture has been saved. Now I'm standing there struggling with the fact that this boy just took a picture of my credit card. Yes, he played it off well, because had we not had the same kind of phone, I probably would never have known what  happened. Needless to say, I immediately canceled that card as I was walking out of the pizza parlor.

All I am saying is, be aware of your surroundings at all times. Whenever you are using your credit card take caution and don't be careless. Notice who is standing near you and what they are doing when you use your card.  Be aware of phones, because many have a camera phone these days.

 

FORWARD THIS TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN THINK OF. LET'S GET THE WORD OUT! JUST BE AWARE. Never let your card out of your sight.....check and check again!

I think that says it all, but in case you missed the point, there are many evildoers out there that want to harm you by stealing your information and credit cards.  Beware - it's hard to run a business if you are chasing bad guys...

I am yours in success,
Randall

I WANNA A NEW DRUG... ONE THAT WON'T MAKE ME SICK

Some may say this is a bit of a rant, but I believe it needs to be said, and it's my blog, so I will say it.

This is the first month of the new year and I have a lot to be thankful for and yet, I am frustrated.  I am frustrated that as a nation we seem to be giving away our sovereignty.  As a people we seem to be giving away the rights that were granted to us in the constitution.  As individuals, we seem to be giving away responsibility for ourselves.  What all this adds up to, I'm not sure, but it seems as if we are well down the slippery slope to the end of our freedoms and our individuality as we have known them.

SO WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON???
1.  The housing market is in the crapper
2.  Credit card debt is at an all-time, unsustainable high
3.  The banking industry is in total meltdown
4.  Our government refuses to secure our borders
5.  Big pharma is making more and more drugs and there are less and less cures

That being said, what can anyone do?  Revolt in the streets like in Pakistan or other countries?  Stop paying all taxes to collapse the government? Or just sit back and wait to see what happens?   I'd like to offer another alternative...

Pay Attention!  Each one of us already knows we're in a bad way right now and anyone who doesn't think so is deluded, insane, or a liar.  This has nothing to do with Global Warming, or about if the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. It only has to do with each one of us as individuals and what we can do.  First off everyone one of us MUST get off our collective asses and actually start doing something.  If you're fat, lose weight.  If you're poor, stop bitching about it and make more money.  If you're sick, find out what other alternatives are out there for you to use to make yourself healthy.

Face it; it is 100% up to you what you do.  Even if (and I think it's safe to say it is) the whole system is rigged against you, you are still the only person in your own body.  No matter what your situation is you cannot just sit back and wait for someone to help you.  It reminds me of an oft-told story, but it bears repeating here...

There was a great flood and a man was trapped on his roof and the water was getting higher...  A man in a rowboat came by and offered to rescue him.  "God will rescue me," the man on the roof said and the rowboat rowed into the distance.

Then an army HumVee came by and the soldiers asked if they could help the man and again he said, "God will rescue me," and the HumVee went on it way and the water was now almost to the top of the roof.

After that a helicopter came by and the pilot asked he could help the man and again the man said, "God will rescue me," and the helicopter left.  The water then overtook the roof and the man on it and he drowned.

When the man got to Heaven and met God he asked, "How come you didn't save me?  I believed you would and I counted on you doing it."  God then responded... "I sent you a boat, a Humvee, and a helicopter, what more did you expect me to do?"

The moral is that we all must take responsibility for all of our actions and from those actions we will make our own lives better and in turn will be able to better the lives of the people we love and that surround us. Don't wait for your neighbor, the government, or even God to save you.  It all starts with you and in this first month of 2009, I think it's a good time to start saving ourselves from the path of destruction we are on.

Think of it this way...  We are all teachers.  Teachers to ourselves, our children and spouses, to our neighbors, to our co-workers, and to people we will never meet.  Everything we do teaches those around us what is important to us and what is not.  What we say teaches the people around us what we think and the actions we take teach people around us what we are willing to fight for.  All together our teaching impacts not only the people around us, but all of the people of this country and the world.

We are responsible for teaching everyone all the time.  When we teach the people in charge of the housing and credit card markets that we will not be manipulated anymore, we won't be. 

When we teach the people in charge of the banks and the Federal Reserve (which is NOT part of the US Government, it is a private corporation) that we want control of our own money again, we will have it. 

When we teach our government that we do not want tens-of-millions of illegal aliens clogging our schools, emergency rooms, and freeways, we shall have our way. 

When we teach big pharma that we WANT and demand healthy alternative to drugs and sickness, they will give it to us (most of it already exists) 

And most importantly, when we teach our elected officials that WE are the government and THEY work for us, we shall get our country back and we shall be sovereign once again.

Here's the one question I'd like you to ponder today and add the answer to your New Year's Resolutions:
How are you going to teach those around you this year and make your life better?

I am yours in success and wish you the freedom, the brightness, and the guile to create a magnificent 2009 and beyond for you and your family.

Randall

Getting from THERE to Here...

Hi Marketers,

A mentor of mine once told me that you canNOT get THERE from HERE, but you can HERE from THERE.  Look at the sentence carefully.  It reads the way I wanted it to read.  What it means is it is easier to get to where you already are from where you want to be.  Still a bit confused? 

Try this...  Remember when you were growing up and you had to do those maze games, like having to help the chef find his meatballs?

Here's a sample of a child's menu I created for a restaurant several years ago to illustrate the point.  When working through a maze like this, it is almost always easier to find the chef starting at the meatballs, not finding the meatballs, starting at the chef.

Our brains are wired a certain way and starting from, "THERE," the place you where you want to be, is just easier than starting from, "HERE," where you already are.  That way you know what you want to achieve and can set a plan into action to achieve it.  

That's exactly what Michael Phelps did to win 8 gold medals in the Olympics.  He revealed in a television interview, that he tried to do the same thing in Athens four years ago but, "Fell a bit short."  So he set his THERE for Beijing and he got "there" with the help of his teammates, coaches, family and friends.

We are all in the right place at the right time if we all get our "there" in place and work back through the maze of our life to our current "here."  You see Michael Phelps did that.  He said he wanted 8 gold medals in Beijing and then he worked backward from his "there" to see what he had to do to make that a reality. 

Where is your there?  What do you need to do to get there to here?  Think about it for a moment.  If you could predict with certainty that you could get to your "there" what would it take do that? 

Just this past week I served as the facilitator of another of my "There Experiences" which is a one-day intensive workshop that not only gets people to see and understand where their "there" is, but how to get to you  there with a line-up of products and services, as well as a set of language tools to help sell their products and services.  

I am amazed at how crazy and passionate people get, once they know what their "there" is and can then chart a direct path to where they are.  If you have ever driven somewhere and you didn't know how to get there, you would ask for directions, use a map, or use your GPS, right?  Why not do the same thing with your business?

Today, I ask each of you to think about your, "there."  Do you want more money, a new piano, less bills?  Once you determine what your "threw" is, how do you get to where you are now?  If you would like some help with this, please send me your thoughts and questions and I'll do my best to answer all of them.  I would like to help you get Here from your There.

I am yours in success,
Randall

5 Tips for turning national publicity into your own local gold mine

National Publicity in Your Local Market

Once you start being interviewed especially on radio, since you can do radio interviews on any station in the country from the comfort of your living room, your name will start to appear on the radar of the regional and national press.  So the question is, should you do national media and how do your turn this into more free publicity in your local market?

As the old saying goes any publicity is good publicity, unless it’s an obituary. Therefore, any national publicity you receive can only help you get more publicity in your local market. The sample here is just one piece of regional exposure that we used to create hundreds of local articles and electronic media exposures, which led to thousands of internet exposures.

If you are an infopreneur, or are able to do business country or worldwide, go after as much national publicity as possible.  It will elevate you to expert status faster than you thought possible which will translate into more visibility for your business.

If you only do business in a local market, and national exposure won’t necessarily lead to direct sales or awareness of you and your business unless someone in your local market happens upon the national story, there’s still benefit to be gained. The 5 tips for turning national publicity into a local gold mine are:

Randall's Goldmine Tip #1
If you do a regional or national print interview, get reprints made of the article and pass them around to your clients.  You may also use these reprints to entice prospects because you will be seen as an expert due to the national coverage.  It’s also a way for you to tell everyone about your accomplishments.  If your interview was on the radio or TV, get a local media clip service to get you copies of the interview and send them out.

Randall's Goldmine Tip #2
Once you get national exposure (an any exposure for that matter) You can cite "as seen in (or on)" in all of your advertising, e-mail signatures, and point-of-purchase marketing. "As seen in Time magazine" or even “As seen on News Channel 8” can give you tremendous credibility and set you apart from your competition in a big way.

Randall's Goldmine Tip #3
National publicity leads to more national interviews on TV, radio and so on and this can be followed up by even more free publicity; it starts feeding on itself. If it doesn't automatically come as a result of the original publication, you can generate press releases talking about your press releases. For example: "XYZ Co., a local company, was recently featured in the national business publication Fortune magazine. Mr. Smith is available for interviews, on-air appearances and visits."

Randall's Goldmine Tip #4
National publicity can give you an air of celebrity status in your market. This will truly separate you from your competition. Rarely are there two celebrities in the same market from the same business. There is only room for one, and it might as well be you.

Randall's Goldmine Tip #5
National interviews can be taped and distributed to clients and prospects. These can be offered for sale or as a free incentive to get people to contact you or to send in for more information. These leads can then be followed up with sales calls and closed for eventual sales.

These are just a few ways national publicity can aid your business in your local market. In some cases, it may even give a local business the impetus to consider taking the business to a more national level or at least investigate the feasibility of a regional business.

You should be using multiple strategies that work well together, offer results and raise awareness for you and your company.  These strategies are a great place to start and will bring you great notoriety and increased revenues if you create a good public relations strategy, write killer press releases and follow up with the media.

I am yours in success,
Randall

Free Publicity and the Radio or Television Interview

Success Strategies for Maximizing Your On-Air Time

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked these questions:

“How do I get free publicity on the radio and television?”
“Help!  I just got a radio (or TV) interview, what do I talk about?”

Don’t panic.  Just like getting your press release into a publication so they can write a story about you, radio and TV publicity is just another form of free advertising if you know how to play the game the right way. And just like publicity in a publication, some of the same considerations must be given to radio and television publicity.

First, your information needs to be newsworthy, or if the radio or TV program is a talk show, you and your topic need to be interesting and relevant. In radio, for instance, your interview must be interesting to their specific "listenership." You don't interview a tractor salesman on a show about cooking pies. And just like the print media, interviews and news items for the radio and TV are generated by your killer press releases—so don't forget to add your local radio and TV stations to your press release distribution list.

WEALTH TIP:  The way to generate as many radio and TV interviews as possible is to attach a list of frequently asked questions to your release that are pertinent to the topic.   This actually become the “cheat sheet” that the host may go by to help them give you a great interview.

In just about every situation, the host of the radio or TV show will read from your list of questions (or use the list as a place to start) and lead you through the discussion of your topic. The reason they do this is because they almost never have enough time to totally research your topic and they are depending on you for the direction of the conversation.  One thing to remember, regardless of the questions the host decides to use, is that you must always deliver your key message(s).

WARNING: When you get a radio or TV interview and if make the biggest mistake in the history of the word and you turn the interview into an on-air sales pitch, consider it your last interview at that station.  I assure you it is 100% guaranteed to turn off the audience and will upset the host and producer.  Stick to the topic, don’t sell, and make sure to use the three main points of your public relations strategy so that the audience will remember you and your key points.

Prepare yourself for curve balls thrown by the host. Don't expect him or her to read your FAQ sheet verbatim or go in a specific order. Practice this strategy with someone you know, much like you would practice for a vocabulary or other test. In order to be perceived as a professional try not to say, "That's a good question" if you’re “thrown a curve ball” by the host.  That usually implies that your answer will not be as good as expected.

When you are being interviewed, you’re considered the expert on your topic, so talk with confidence and use facts. Tentative answers and conjecture will ruin the interview and you’ll never be called back.  In this vein, it's OK to say, "I'm not sure about the answer to that" or "I don't know." Just make sure you use this as an opportunity to bring the host back to your key points and messages.

A great way to kill the interview is to answer a question from the host with a question. The fact is, the host wants to do less work than you during the interview and doesn’t want to start answering your questions. Make it easy for them and make it interesting.  This is YOUR interview, not there's.  In most cases, this strategy makes for an unhappy host. And take it is fact, a happy host is a good friend to have in the radio and TV publicity business (they’ll give you more free publicity).

Practicing your message and knowing your content is important because even though you are prepared and you have your list of questions, a question could (and will) come your way that will totally throw you off guard.  Stay flexible and “go with the flow.”

WEALTH TIP: If the interview is scheduled in advance, don't forget to issue a press release announcing your time slot on the station. This will double the effect of your Amazing Free Publicity.  You can send this type of release to all of your lists as well.  Can only build your credibility with them.

The great news for you and your business is that radio and television stations have a lot of time to fill. Listen to how many subjects they cover during a particular time slot on the radio. Multiply this by all the radio and TV stations in the country and the time slots during the day. There's a greater demand for radio and TV appearances that generate free publicity than you think.

As we have talked before, contacting the producer of each show via a press release is the start of your radio and TV media relationships. The good news is if you're good in your interview, the producer will be asking you back.  You can also start this process with a phone call, or email.

One way to get on the producer’s “good side” is to offer yourself as an emergency backup if a particular guest doesn't show up for their interview.   (This same free publicity strategy works for radio and television.) This means that the producer can call you just about any time and ask you to “fill in” for a missing guest.  It’s a super easy way to have your free publicity machine go into overdrive.

Free radio and television publicity is out there for the asking and the taking. Honing your skills on how to ask (and take) will make you seem like a professional, publicize your business, and add to your media status.

I am yours in success,

Randall

p.s.  For all of you that asked, I will do additional follow ups on previous campaigns over the next few days.  I had no idea they would be so popular.

Per Your Request... Randall Blaum is Finally Showing it All...

Hi everyone,

I hope the 1st brought with it success for you all.

I have had many people over the years ask to see examples of my past ad and marketing campaigns as well as some more detailed information on me, my family and the like.  I normally do not post this kind of material, but I have been told my ideas are great and the way I put 2 and 2 together helps many of my readers.

So, to that end, and to help all of you have a better undertanding of how some killer marketing and adverising can work, I have opened a Flickr account where you can view quite a few, but by no means any where near all, of my ad campaigns, and other photos.  Go to www.flickr.com/randallblaum to start viewing.

And, I have also added a Facebook account.  Some of the photos are the same in both places, but please go to Facebook and sign up as a friend.  Happy 2009 and I'll have a reguular markeitng blog for you later today.

Best-
Randall

Avoiding Credit Scams - What to look out for

There are many good and useful companies out there that offer true debt relief and negotiation, but there are also many that are simply scam artists.  SO how do you avoid the scammers?

Avoiding Scams
Turning to a business that offers help in solving debt problems may seem like a reasonable solution when your bills become unmanageable. Be cautious. Before you do business with any company, check it out with your local consumer protection agency or the Better Business Bureau in the company's location. Many of these agencies, as I was reminded of after a recent post, are very good and do their jobs well, but there are many scam artists out there as well that pray on people in need of true help.

Ads Promising Debt Relief May Really Be Offering Bankruptcy
Consumer debt is at an all-time high. What's more, a record number of consumers are filing for bankruptcy and simply not paying their bills. Whether your debt dilemma is the result of an illness, unemployment, or overspending, it can seem overwhelming. In your effort to get solvent, be on the alert for advertisements that offer seemingly quick fixes. And read between the lines when faced with ads in newspapers, magazines, or even telephone directories that say:   

Consolidate your bills into one monthly payment without borrowing"
"STOP credit harassment, foreclosures, repossessions, tax levies and garnishments"
"Keep Your Property"
"Wipe out your debts! Consolidate your bills! How?

By using the protection and assistance provided by federal law.   For once, let the law work for you!"  While the ads pitch the promise of debt relief, they rarely say relief may be spelled b-a-n-k-r-u-p-t-c-y. And although bankruptcy is one option to deal with financial problems, it's generally considered the option of last resort. The reason: it has a long-term negative impact on your creditworthiness. A bankruptcy stays on your credit report for 10 years, and can hinder your ability to get credit, a job, insurance, or even a place to live. What's more, it can cost you attorneys' fees.

On the other side of the "what to look out for" scams are the ones that promise you a guaranteed credit cards or loan.

Advance-Fee Loan Scams
These scams often target consumers with bad credit problems or those with no credit. In exchange for an up-front fee, these companies "guarantee" that applicants will get the credit they want — usually a credit card or a personal loan.

The up-front fee may be as high as several hundred dollars. Resist the temptation to follow up on advance-fee loan guarantees. They may be illegal. Many legitimate creditors offer extensions of credit, such as credit cards, loans, and mortgages through telemarketing, and require an application fee or appraisal fee in advance.

But legitimate creditors never guarantee in advance that you'll get the loan. Under the federal Telemarketing Sales Rule, a seller or telemarketer who guarantees or represents a high likelihood of your getting a loan or some other extension of credit may not ask for or receive payment until you've received the loan.

Recognizing an Advance-Fee Loan Scam
Ads for advance-fee loans often appear in the classified ad section of local and national newspapers and magazines. They also may appear in mailings, radio spots, and on local cable stations. Often, these ads feature "900" numbers, which result in charges on your phone bill. In addition, these companies often use delivery systems other than the U.S. Postal Service, such as overnight or courier services, to avoid detection and prosecution by postal authorities.

It's not hard to confuse a legitimate credit offer with an advance-fee loan scam. An offer for credit from a bank, savings and loan, or mortgage broker generally requires your verbal or written acceptance of the loan or credit offer. The offer usually is subject to a check of your credit report after you apply to make sure you meet their credit standards. Usually, you are not required to pay a fee to get the credit.
Hang up on anyone who calls you on the phone and says they can guarantee you will get a loan if you pay in advance. It's against the law.

Protecting Yourself
Here are some tips to keep in mind before you respond to ads that promise easy credit, regardless of your credit history:

Most legitimate lenders will not "guarantee" that you will get a loan or a credit card before you apply, especially if you have bad credit, or a bankruptcy.

It is an accepted and common practice for reputable lenders to require payment for a credit report or appraisal. You also may have to pay a processing or application fee.

Never give your credit card account number, bank account information, or Social Security number out over the telephone unless you are familiar with the company and know why the information is necessary.

Credit Repair Scams
You see the ads in newspapers, on TV, and on the Internet. You hear them on the radio. You get fliers in the mail. You may even get calls from telemarketers offering credit repair services. They all make the same claims:
"Credit problems? No problem!"

"We can erase your bad credit-100% guaranteed."

"Create a new credit identity-legally."

"We can remove bankruptcies, judgments, liens, and bad loans from your credit file forever!"

Do yourself a favor and save some money, too. Don't believe these statements. They're just not true in my experience. Only time, a conscientious effort, and a plan for repaying your debt will improve your credit report.

The Warning Signs
If you should decide to respond to an offer to repair your credit, think twice. Don't do business with any company that:

• Wants you to pay for credit repair services before any services are provided
• Does not tell you your legal rights and what you can do yourself — for free
• Recommends that you not contact a consumer reporting company directly
• Suggests that you try to invent a "new" credit report by applying for an Employer Identification Number to use instead of your Social Security number
• Advises you to dispute all information in your credit report or take any action that seems illegal, such as creating a new credit identity. If you follow illegal advice and commit fraud, you may be subject to prosecution.

You could be charged and prosecuted for mail or wire fraud if you use the mail or telephone to apply for credit and provide false information. It's a federal crime to make false statements on a loan or credit application, to misrepresent your Social Security number, and to obtain an Employer Identification Number from the Internal Revenue Service under false pretenses.

So there you hae it a few things to look out for when you are repairing your credit, dumping your debt, or trying to get new credit.  For more information at no cost, please visit www.DumpDebtGrowWealth.com for reports, audios, and videos to help you dump your debt now.

I am yours in success,
Randall

How Special Events Get You Media Coverage and Cash

Special events are one way to create a publicity firestorm that catches fire and blazes a trail from your product or service to your customer and continues that blazing trail right to your bank account.  In this blog we'll look at several ways to think about publicity events and publicity stunts.  I have chosen a few examples from different ad and publicity campaigns we have created for companies to show you how even an ad, or simple idea can have maximum impact an can tie in with event you create to drive business.

The object of a special event is to generate publicity for you and your business, no more, no less.  It can be for a grand opening, your millionth customer, or the creating the world's largest Chalupa.  It doesn't matter what the event is, you just have to make sure that everything in the event drives the media and customer attention in order to drive sales.

If you are celebrating a special occasion, plan the event for a slow business day, not the day when you have more customers than you know what to do with.  This way you bring in customers on a day that your business is normally slow and can use the boost.  I find that for most businesses the slower days are mid-week.  If all of your days are busy, aim for a slow time of a particular day. 

Publicity stunts are special events but if you are pulling a publicity stunt (something outlandish or weird) you have to be careful, or you might wind up in a bad spot like the Cartoon Channel did with their stunt in Boston a couple of years ago.  That “stunt” was considered by some to have terrorist overtones and closed part of the city.  Turner Broadcasting agreed to pay 2 million dollars as a fine for that stunt and they'll have to sell a ton of commercials on the Cartoon Network to make that up, so be careful.  (Although they did get a huge amount of coverage nationwide, so maybe they knew what they were doing... Hmmmm...)

Stunts are usually held in one or a few markets, but can be directed at the national, or international market and they are created to cause a media and public frenzy.  This photo is from the grand opening of the Krikorian Metroplex Theatre in Vista, CA.  We brought in 40 tons of snow for the release of Cat in the Hat and the event was held about a week before the Chirstmas Holdiay.

We received coverage on TV, radio, and in print as the headline of our press release attracted the media to the event.  The PR headline read:  SNOW PREDICTED IN VISTA - SNOWBALL FIGHT GAURANTEED  We also had Santa and Mrs. Clause on hand to receive the gift wishes of the over 600 children that attended the event and we collected toys for the Toys for Tots program.  A huge hit for our guests and for our bank account.

Several years ago when I worked with hen Key Bank in Portland, Oregon as they opened banks in the Pacific Northwest, their Key logo began appearing all over town.  On buses, pizza boxes, taxis, movie theater screens, hikers’ backpacks, and more.  The campaign lasted for several weeks and by the time Key Bank opened their first branch they had saturated the market and most people knew what they were so they had a very small barrier to market entry when they actually launched.  This is one version of a publicity stunt, but one that takes a longer time to implement.

Stunts can also be media related, as in they take place only in the media itself.  Here is a photo of a billboard we created that promoted THX sound systems in movie theatres when the competition was moving into town and they did NOT have THX.  This "Godzilla-like" avatar was seen all over the city and he was crushing everything in his path.  The headline was, "If it's not in THX / Digital Sound, Why Bother Listening...

Another version of a promotionn or publicity stunt is to create the "one-off" stunt that draws a lot of attention to one event in a city on one specific day or time.  In either scenario you must make sure that the stunt ties in with your brand, your product and your company - Like the example of the snowball fight above.  An example of this we created for a florist in Vancouver, WA, was to offer roses at an almost unheard of price on one day and then to up sell the customers on other products once they were in the store.  Well... the promotion worked so well, the florist (who had orderd 300% more flowers than normal) rand out in just a few hours.  There were lines out the door.  When was the last time you ever saw a line at a florist?

There are several ways to create stunts that do not cost a lot of money.  You can tie-in with a charity, or can get a local celebrity or media personality to attend.  No matter what, you MUST make the event very visual and interesting so television stations will cover it.  And, here's the most important thing to remember...  You must make the event newsworthy.  It's the only way to get the media to your location.  Think about the age old question, “What’s in it for me?”  This is the question every news organization on the planet will ask.  You have to give them news, not just a marketing ploy.  As part of the stunt, what are you saying that’s new or different?  Why is what you are doing news?

All successful publicity events and publicity stunts are well coordinated and executed.  Even if it looks like pandemonium from the public’s view, everything behind the scenes, must be coordinated and well thought out.  An event or stunt that goes wrong can damage your brand forever.  Everything must be planned out in advance and every detail needs to be looked after.  Think of it this way:  A publicity event is a series of details that are well thought out and executed in a linear manner.  Also, for every event that is not a big one-time “stunt” make sure you have banners and posters that are readable from a long distance.  I suggest keeping your signage to 10 words or less, including your logo.  This allows the television cameras to capture you name and logo while they are filming the event.  It’s a bigger bang for you buck.

Look at this advertisement for the new IMAX film about Michael Jordan our team created.  See the headline... Deeper,  Higher... Better...  It got a lot of reaction from the media and the public.   And we were selling a film bout a man playing basketball...

When all is said and done you want to make sure that your goals have been achieved; more customers, more notoriety, and more cash.  To help accomplish this, take still photos of the event and send them with a press release to all of your local media after the event.  You may also post your press release and photos on the internet.  Take video and put it on You Tube, My Space, or other social networking sites.  If you have any industry trade magazines send your photos and information to them.  They love to cover these types of events and in many cases your peers (the people who read the trade magazines) will talk about your event and you will get calls from them because they want to work with people who think big and can make money.

I am yours in success,

Randall

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Best-
Randall