In this issue:

Do you Have Job Security

Implementing A Successful PR Campaign

ARM Conference Update and other ARM Notes

Web Sites of Interest

By Michael Angier |

The headlines these days tell of companies laying off workers. In their attempts

to down-size, right-size and correct, some people are losing their jobs.

And its not just the dot-coms. Major manufacturers, airlines and retailers are

cutting divisions, closing inefficient or unprofitable plants and laying off

workers.

Some economists see this as a trend toward to recession.

I see it differently.

In the nineties, we saw the leaning out of American companies. And we did

experience a recession. But while we got more efficient and prepared the way for

one of the biggest booms in history, Japan was trying to keep everyone employed.

They didn’t enjoy the abundant nineties.

We may very well see a slowdown in the economy, but I don’t think we’ll see a

full recession. What looks like insecurity may very create even better security

than we had before.

What about you? Do you have job security?

If you’re counting on a company or an institution to take care of you, I

recommend you rethink your position.

No one owes you a job. Companies are not in business only to provide for their

employees. They exist to fulfill a mission and to make a profit.

And as Stephen Covey says, "No profit, no mission."

Sure, good companies try to take care of their people as best they can. Its

smart today to offer benefits and incentives to attract and keep good people.

But they don’t owe anyone a job.

I’m not a big believer in unions who perpetuate the myth that workers will be

taken care of. Collective bargaining organizations that seek only to get more

money for the same efforts will not succeed.

I’M not saying there isn’t a place for unions, I AM saying that many of them

have shortchanged their members by threatening strikes and negotiating to keep

jobs that are no longer needed and get higher pay for the same or even less

production.

I think any kind of tenure is bad for business and ultimately bad for employees.

It might seem unfair that someone with 14 years seniority gets passed over for

someone with only 5 years experience. But perhaps the senior worker doesn’t

really have 14 years experience. Perhaps the senior worker has only 1 years

experienceù14 times over.

True security lies in our ability to provide real value to the marketplace. And

its up to us to learn and train ourselves to change with the needs of the

market and our employers.

I’VE always liked the story of two boyhood friends who both started out working

for the railroad. Twenty years later, one of them became the president while the

other stayed in pretty much the same job (a laborer) he had when they started.

The laborer was once asked why he had not advanced and his friend had become so

successful.

The laborer’s answer was interesting. He relied, "Years ago I went to work for

seventy-five cents an hour. My friend went to work for the railroad."

We don’t work for $10 or $20 or even $100 an hour. We work for the value of the

results we produce whether we’re working for ourselves or someone else.

If you want more security, become more valuable to the marketplace. Learn what

you need to learn, develop the skills you need to develop and become the person

you want to become.

That’s the way to have job security.

E-mail: success@successnet.org

Author's URL: http://www.successnet.org

IdeaMarketers - www.ideamarketers.com

By Todd F. Brabender |

Implementing A Successful PR Campaign: P.R. Does Not Stand For Press Release!

There's no denying that the Internet is allowing more and more entrepreneurs to

start their own businesses and effectively market their new products. However,

there seems to be an increasingly common misconception when these businesses try

to generate media attention and publicity for their products. Over the past

several years, I have had more than a few clients come to me seeking "a PR" to

get people interested in their products/businesses. That's right "a PR".

Contrary to what some people think, PR is NOT an acronym for "Press Release". PR

is much more than that and that distinction is very important to understand.

I often cringe when I see articles from well-intentioned "marketing" experts

that say, in effect: "simply write a press releases, pitch it to the media and

just sit back and reap the benefits." Unfortunately, it is far from being that

simple. That statement pre-supposes that the media release is written well -

containing all the right elements and newspegs to catch the media eye - and that

it is pitched and maintained in the correct media market, which is often the

downfall of many amateur PR campaigns. By all means, a press release is an

integral part of a PR campaign. But a press release alone does not a PR campaign

make. A successful PR/publicity campaign for your business product, website or

whatever should include many, if not all of the following:

*An interesting, quality, newsworthy product that the media (and its audience)

will find merit in;

*A concise, articulate media release or story pitch - not a glorified ad -

detailing the benefits of your product/business/website and what effect it will

have for it's users;

*A supply of media "supportives" - product photos (digital & hard copy),

possible review samples, etc.;

*An extensively researched media list detailing all applicable media outlets

whose editorial profiles match your product/business profile. Here's an important detail -- the targets of your pitch should be "name-specific" not just "title-specific" media contacts. By that I mean the media market research you compile should give you particulars like Sally Jones-Cooking Editor not just

Tribune Newsroom or Managing Editor;

* A solid, trustworthy media contact vehicle that gets your release/media kit

directly into the hands of the appropriate reporter/editor/producer and allows

them to respond easily to your pitch. (As always, beware of press release

distribution services that often times indiscriminately spew your release to

hundreds of untargeted media outlets with little or no results.) Research to

find out the preferred method of receipt of your media targets - don't just

assume an email will suffice. Whether it's by snail mail, email, fax or phone

calls, the media can't run your story if they don't hear about it. For one

reason or another, some media may decide not to include your product/business in

a placement -- but don't let them say they weren't made aware of it;

*Meticulous media relations to immediately fulfill media requests

(photos/interviews/product samples) and extensive media contact follow-ups over

several months to generate as many placements as possible. Many times, media

outlets can't immediately respond to an initial pitch due to tight editorial

deadlines and the time it takes to wade through a multitude of similar media

pitches. I have found, without question, that the media interest continues to

increase as you re-introduce the pitch and gently "rattle the media cage" over

the course of the next several weeks/months;

*Some sort of media tracking capabilities -- whether it's your own media

follow-ups, Internet research, or a professional broadcast/print clipping

service. Having "hard copies" of the placements generated by your PR campaign

can be invaluable in the further marketing of your business/product. Media

placements are a unique validation of the market acceptance for your

business/product and can help you convince new customers of that fact.

Think of a launching a PR/publicity campaign like flying a kite. The press

release (which aptly details your product/business) is the kite. But if your

kite doesn't have the proper amount of string, a good tail, a strong wind and

the expert manipulation of the kite flier - it has very little chance of getting

off the ground. But if all theses elements are in place - a PR/publicity

campaign can send your business soaring like a kite on a breezy Spring

afternoon.

Todd F. Brabender Spread The News Public Relations, Inc. Generating publicity &

media exposure for innovative products/businesses/websites. (785) 842-8909

Contract Procurement, Consulting in Business Development and Marketing, Development and Hosting of Web Sites and e-commerce solutions.