With the holiday season just around the corner, Cablevision is offering holiday greetings for your organization to celebrate with local viewers. These “tagable” spots are produced by Cablevision and are customized with your business’ logo and contact information. They each run for 15 seconds and enable you to build good will and improve brand recognition … Continue reading “Advertise with Cablevision this Thanksgiving and Holiday Season”
With the holiday season just around the corner, Cablevision is offering holiday greetings for your organization to celebrate with local viewers. These “tagable” spots are produced by Cablevision and are customized with your business’ logo and contact information. They each run for 15 seconds and enable you to build good will and improve brand recognition within your community, for a minimal investment in TV advertising. Depending on whom you want to reach, your business may benefit from advertising with popular networks such as News 12, Nick and Fox News. For those who are looking for wide coverage, we believe the most efficient use of your budget should include island-wide ads on News 12. Weekday spots from 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. cost $100 per unit, while full week rotators (9 a.m. to 12 midnight) are $25 per unit.
For those who require more specific targeting, we recommend choosing to advertise on specific networks rather than these broader News 12 island wide ads. For example, if you want to target families with small children, you may want to advertise on Nick. For targeting older or more affluent audiences, businesses will be more successful advertising with a network such as Fox News. These specific network ads cost between $10 and $30 each, depending on the network and zone.
Cablevision also offers spots for holidays such as Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter and more. Advertising rates are similar to those above, but contact us for more detailed information. If you are interested in running any of these ads for your business, please contact The Public Relations and Marketing Group at (631) 207-1057 or johnzaher@theprmg.com.
Whether your business is planning to host a seminar, fundraiser, workshop or a Webinar, Web and social media outlets can serve as powerful and inexpensive tools to promote and market your upcoming event. Especially for those on a budget, Web and social networking sites can provide free publicity and visibility for your organization. When promoting … Continue reading “Using Web and Social Media to Promote Your Event”
Whether your business is planning to host a seminar, fundraiser, workshop or a Webinar, Web and social media outlets can serve as powerful and inexpensive tools to promote and market your upcoming event. Especially for those on a budget, Web and social networking sites can provide free publicity and visibility for your organization. When promoting an event, your goals should be to spread awareness, boost attendance and generate excitement.
This article will provide you with a multifaceted approach to using various Web and social media outlets to market your events. Our recommendations include using online event calendars, posting press releases on free submission websites, sending e-blasts, creating events on Facebook, updating Twitter, using LinkedIn and continuing to promote your event, even after it has ended.
Event Calendars — Submitting your event to free online calendars is one of the most valuable methods of promoting your event online. Dozens of local newspapers, magazines, television channels and radio stations have websites that host calendars of events. These calendars often offer free postings and give the public a useful tool to search for things to do in their area. Event calendars are highly targeted since your event will be organized according to what category it belongs to. For example, if you are holding a benefit dinner for your non-profit organization, you can ensure that your event listing will appear in the “non-profit” and “fundraiser” categories. When you post your event on these calendars, be sure to include your business’ contact information, the event’s location and any other important details. Very often, these media outlets will also use their online calendars for their television, radio or print outlets.
Press Release Submission Websites — Whenever your organization is hosting an event, it is essential to create and distribute a press release to notify your target audience, the general public and members of the media. You should include a description of the event, its location, contact information and a powerful headline. When creating this content for online distribution, it is important to use keyword-rich language and to include as many relevant links as possible. These links should lead to further information, a specific offer or a landing page on your website. Once your content has been created, distribute your press release on the Web using the following websites to create buzz and get the word out. For more information on free submission websites, read our article, “Why You Should Take Advantage of Free Submission Websites.”
E-Blasts — E-blasts are emails that are sent out to your clients or customers that notify them of a special deal, promotion, event or other news. When promoting events, we recommend using e-blasts because they can quickly deliver content to a large number of people. E-blasts are also much cheaper and easier to distribute than traditional print advertisements. To begin, we suggest signing up for a program such as Stream Send or Constant Contact. These email marketing programs will allow you to create and send e-blasts, as well as e-newsletters and any other professional emails. Once you’ve signed up for one of these programs, create an email with a description of your event and a powerful subject line. Having a strong subject line is so vital to your email marketing success because the majority of people choose whether or not to open an email based on the subject line alone.
Your e-blast should include a small blurb about your event, a link to more information, multimedia (if necessary) and your business’ contact information. Always keep in mind that you don’t want to bombard your contacts by sending an excessive amount of emails. We recommend sending out an initial e-blast to announce your event, a reminder when the date is approaching and a follow-up email after the event has ended.
Facebook — Facebook, the most widely used social media website, offers several areas to promote your organization’s event at no cost. For example, the Facebook Events application is one of the most powerful marketing tools this social media giant has to offer. By creating a Facebook Event page, you are providing your audience with an interactive hub of information and conversation surrounding your event. Once you are logged in, you can create your Facebook Event here. Include a profile picture, fill out all information, upload multimedia (if applicable) and begin inviting friends. When you are creating your page, make sure that the following “Event Options” are checked off:
• Enable the event wall
• Enable the event photos, videos and links
• Allow guests to bring friends to the event
• Show the guest list
Once all of these options are checked, guests will be allowed to invite their friends to your event, write on the page’s wall and upload their own photos and videos. It is important to periodically encourage your friends to spread the word by using the “Share” and “Post to your Profile” buttons. These buttons will post an event invitation directly on the user’s personal Facebook wall. For more information on how to use Facebook to build your business, read our article, “10 Steps to Getting the Most Out of Facebook.”
Twitter — Considering its immensely powerful viral capabilities and communication features, it is essential for your business to break into the world of Twitter. There are a variety of ways to reach your target audience and market your upcoming event using this microblogging network. Before you begin tweeting about your event, you may want to create a customized hashtag (#). On Twitter, hashtags are used to mark keywords or topics in a tweet. By including relevant hashtags in your tweets, they can be categorized and found more easily in the Twitter Search Engine. For example, if you are planning to host a Webinar on social media, your hashtag may be “#SMWebinar.” Be sure to include this hashtag in any tweet relating to your event and encourage people to do the same. Thus, a sample tweet may be, “We are excited to host our first Webinar on social media today! #SMWebinar.”
When using Twitter to promote your event, another tip is to mix up the content in your tweets. If you are continuously tweeting the same thing, your followers will be disinterested with the same information and become inclined to “un-follow” you. To build a variety of tweets related to your event, you can try asking questions related to your event, tweeting the sign-up link or links to any press releases, posting photos related to your event or re-tweeting what someone posted about your event. You can also ask people to share your event by including, “Please RT!” (please re-tweet) to increase awareness on Twitter. For more information on how to use Twitter to promote your business, read our article, “Secrets to Twitter Marketing.”
LinkedIn — LinkedIn offers several opportunities to market your event to personal connections and other business professionals. After you are logged in, you can create and manage your events here. Once you’ve created your event and completed all relevant information, you can invite up to 50 people from your personal network. Since you are limited to 50 invitations on LinkedIn, you should send personal emails to the rest of your connections with a brief invitation and a link to your event. When someone RSVPs, the notification will appear on their home profile so all of their connections will be notified of your event as well. As the administrator of your event page, you can keep track of your RSVPs and monitor any comments. You may also send individual invitations and promote your organization’s events using the discussion boards of LinkedIn Groups. Submitting events to LinkedIn is another quick, simple and cost-effective way to spread your message and boost your attendance. For more information on how to use LinkedIn to build your business, read our article, “Making the Right Connections on LinkedIn.”
Continue Promoting After Your Event — Don’t stop marketing your event just because it has ended! There are still a variety of ways to promote your organization, encourage attendance at future events and nourish communication with your guests. Always thank your attendees through social media updates, emails and, if practical, personal messages. Upload any photos you may have taken to Flickr and your social media profiles. On Facebook, make sure to “tag” people if they appear in your photo album. This interaction will encourage involvement on your fan page and help to keep it interactive and fresh. If you recorded any videos at your event, make sure to upload them to your organization’s YouTube channel and embed them on your website. Another good way of continuing to promote your event is to write a blog post or an article on how it went and what you learned. Always encourage feedback and suggestions from your attendees on all of your Web and social media profiles.
The Sag Harbor Express’ annual Holiday Book is a unique issue that celebrates tradition, families, festivities and the joys of the holiday season. Coming out a week before Thanksgiving, The Holiday Book also features a four-page calendar of Long Island holiday events. 15,000 magazines will be distributed from Montauk to Southampton, at over 150 locations, … Continue reading “Reach East-End Holiday Shoppers with the Sag Harbor Express Annual Holiday Book”
The Sag Harbor Express’ annual Holiday Book is a unique issue that celebrates tradition, families, festivities and the joys of the holiday season. Coming out a week before Thanksgiving, The Holiday Book also features a four-page calendar of Long Island holiday events. 15,000 magazines will be distributed from Montauk to Southampton, at over 150 locations, including restaurants, banks, real estate offices, museums, theatres, hotels, events and more. Ads for this November 17 issue are inexpensive and, for a small investment, you will receive an amazing amount of exposure on the South Fork. Placing an advertisement with The Holiday Book from the Sag Harbor Express is a perfect way to reach East End Holiday shoppers.
The Herald Advertising Network is offering advertisers the opportunity to position their business where South Shore parents are sure to see it. Their bi-annual special section, “South Shore Parents Today,” is dedicated to timely family issues that Long Island parents want to read about. This advertising opportunity is perfect for day camps, nursery schools, pediatricians, … Continue reading “Advertise this Fall with South Shore Parents Today”
The Herald Advertising Network is offering advertisers the opportunity to position their business where South Shore parents are sure to see it. Their bi-annual special section, “South Shore Parents Today,” is dedicated to timely family issues that Long Island parents want to read about. This advertising opportunity is perfect for day camps, nursery schools, pediatricians, tutors, children party venues and any other organization that is looking to target Long Island parents and families. This newspaper offers full-sized, half horizontal, half vertical, eighth and quarter-sized advertisements.
This issue is scheduled for November 3rd. If you are interested in placing an advertisement, please contact The Public Relations and Marketing Group as soon as possible at (631) 207-1057 or johnzaher@theprmg.com.
By Hank Russell It is said that people judge you by the words you use — whether they be spoken or written. How you write is an indicator of the quality of your work and your communication skills. Spelling errors in your document may show that you are unfit for a potential job (if they … Continue reading “Words Mean Things: 5 Tips to Avoid Spelling Errors”
By Hank Russell
It is said that people judge you by the words you use — whether they be spoken or written. How you write is an indicator of the quality of your work and your communication skills. Spelling errors in your document may show that you are unfit for a potential job (if they appear on your résumé), you are not an effective communicator (if they appear in a presentation) or you do not have a grasp of the written word (if they appear in your article).
Using the wrong word or not spelling it correctly prevents you from getting across the message you want to send to your clients or associates. (To learn more about this, please see “Proofreading — The First in a Series of Three Articles“). In the case of the former, your message takes on a new (and unintended) meaning. For the latter, the only message you will convey is how lousy a speller you are. Here are some tips to prevent these errors from appearing in your document:
Watch out for words with double letters.
Take extra special care when using these words. You should know whether to use one “l” or two in parallel and how many “c”s or “r”s there are in occurrence. Although spell check might do the trick, it is better to do the job yourself and look it up in a dictionary for the proper spelling. If you let a misspelling go through, it may result in another double-letter word: embarrassment.
Know which word you want to use and make sure it’s the right one.
Do you know the difference between compliment and complement? What about there, their and they’re? Then there is the difference among insure, ensure and assure, and advice and advise. These words — known as homonyms — sound alike, so it is easy to misuse them. Unlike a patently misspelled word, spell check will not identify the mistake if the wrong word was spelled right. If you are unsure about which word to use, use a dictionary or thesaurus and check the definition to make sure it is the right one.
Watch where you place the apostrophe.
The apostrophe is probably the most misused punctuation mark in the English language. Like using the wrong word, misplacing an apostrophe alters the meaning of a word and the sentence. Probably the most common mistake is the use of the word it’s when the writer means its. It’s is a contraction of the phrase it is, whereas its is a possessive. Also remember that there is no apostrophe at the end of its (another spelling error that is also commonly made).
Avoid spelling words phonetically.
In the age of texting, people write words phonetically rather than correctly for the sake of brevity and due to the restrictions on character count; for example, they will write “ur” instead of “your” or “l8r” rather than “later.” Such communication is fine with family and friends, but it will not work with business associates. It is easy to write skool instead of school, dum instead of dumb or criticly instead of critically. Many words have letters that sound differently or, when joined by another letter, make the same sound; other letters are silent and are not pronounced. Once again, if you are unsure how a word is spelled, look it up.
Do not write in the Queen’s English.
Unless you are writing for a Canadian or British audience, avoid writing in the Queen’s English — that is, writing theatre rather than theater, centre instead of center or manoeuvre instead of maneuver. However, there are exceptions: when the spelling is used in a proper name such as Rockville Centre or NYCB Theatre at Westbury. Otherwise, it will not meet domestic standards. Think locally, write locally.
As always, be sure to proofread your document before sending it to print or to a client or business associate. Here are some resources you can use to help improve your spelling:
This season, Cablevision is offering a wide selection of advertising opportunities for your organization to best reach its target audience. Your business can advertise with premiere sporting events during NHL and NFL games, during popular television shows such as Discovery Channel’s “Gold Rush” or USA’s “Burn Notice,” or take advantage of the 2011 Holiday Programming … Continue reading “Take Advantage of Cablevision Advertising Sales”
This season, Cablevision is offering a wide selection of advertising opportunities for your organization to best reach its target audience. Your business can advertise with premiere sporting events during NHL and NFL games, during popular television shows such as Discovery Channel’s “Gold Rush” or USA’s “Burn Notice,” or take advantage of the 2011 Holiday Programming Package. With the holiday season right around the corner, Cablevision advertising sales is offering you one stop shopping for all of your holiday programming. This package will include your ad in over 40 holiday specials and movies this holiday season, from traditional classics to network originals. Advertising with Cablevision delivers a high profile audience and offers a high frequency of exposure to a specific target audience. For example, restaurants can have their advertisement air during the Food Network’s program, “The Next Iron Chef.”
Placing your advertisement in The Knot Wedding Network can help you reach 23,000 registered Long Island brides, as well as the 1,900 new brides who join the network every month. TheKnot.com offers a wedding gift registry, bridal gown search, local vendor directory, wedding etiquette tips and much more. When it comes to securing unique visitors … Continue reading “Advertise with TheKnot.com Wedding Network”
Placing your advertisement in The Knot Wedding Network can help you reach 23,000 registered Long Island brides, as well as the 1,900 new brides who join the network every month. TheKnot.com offers a wedding gift registry, bridal gown search, local vendor directory, wedding etiquette tips and much more. When it comes to securing unique visitors and quality Web traffic, TheKnot.com is the undisputed leader in its industry, leaving competitors such as Brides.com and WeddingWire far behind. TheKnot.com is an excellent source of high-quality traffic, which increases the likelihood that your business will receive inquiries, phone calls and ultimately sales.
This popular wedding directory offers several advertising opportunities for businesses. The first option available is a full-color image advertiser profile, which includes a description of services, contact information and a website link. You can also choose to be a featured vendor, which guarantees first page placement on your category homepage, or to advertise with premium banners and badges that are featured on The Knot’s local homepages or category pages with a direct link to your website. The Knot Wedding Network also offers direct emails that can be sent to brides-to-be in your area for more specific targeting.
The 2011 Major League Baseball playoff season is rapidly approaching and so is this special advertising opportunity. For those who are unfamiliar with how the MLB playoffs work, the Divisional Series features 8 teams – the 3 Division Champions each from the American League and National League, as well as 1 Wild Card winner from … Continue reading “Advertise with Cablevision’s 2011 Major League Baseball Post Season Package”
The 2011 Major League Baseball playoff season is rapidly approaching and so is this special advertising opportunity. For those who are unfamiliar with how the MLB playoffs work, the Divisional Series features 8 teams – the 3 Division Champions each from the American League and National League, as well as 1 Wild Card winner from each league. The two winners from each Divisional Series will advance to the League Championship Series (LCS). The LCS winners from each league will then advance to the World Series.
TBS has exclusive coverage of all the Divisional Series match ups and the National League Championship Series. Your business can advertise with the first Division Series, featuring the Yankees and an unknown opponent, from October 6th to October 12th. In case of a shortened series, you will only be billed for the games played. You may also choose to advertise during the second, third or fourth Division Series. Lastly, your business can also advertise during the National League Championship Series from October 9th to October 17th.
Your company can also take advantage of Cablevision’s MLB Added Value Opportunity. If you buy one playoff series, you will receive 14 bonus spots. Buy two series and receive 21 bonus spots. With the purchase of three series, you will receive 28 bonus spots, and a purchase of four series will provide you with 35 bonus spots. Lastly, if you buy all five series, you will receive 50 additional bonus spots. The bonus spots will air from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the following networks: Headline News, ESPN Classic, Hist Intl, MLB Channel, MSG, Nat Geo, Oxygen, Style and Versus.
Inventory is limited, especially for Yankee games, so please contact The Public Relations and Marketing Group as soon as possible at (631) 207-1057 or at johnzaher@theprmg.com if your company is interested in placing an advertisement.
PATCHOGUE, NY — The Public Relations and Marketing Group, LLC (PRMG) announces it is offering a series of lectures on how attorneys, restaurants, retail stores, companies and non-profit organizations can grow their business and protect their reputation. All lectures will be held at PRMG’s Education and Training Center, located at 156 North Ocean Avenue in … Continue reading “PRMG Hosts Fall Lecture Series at its Education and Training Center”
PATCHOGUE, NY — The Public Relations and Marketing Group, LLC (PRMG) announces it is offering a series of lectures on how attorneys, restaurants, retail stores, companies and non-profit organizations can grow their business and protect their reputation. All lectures will be held at PRMG’s Education and Training Center, located at 156 North Ocean Avenue in Patchogue.
On September 23, PRMG will host a PR and Marketing For Lawyers CLE course from 11:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. In this program, John C. Zaher, Esq., a leading attorney marketing expert, will review the attorney advertising rules and provide an overview of the tools needed to develop and implement a successful marketing program. Those in attendance will receive two CLE credit hours for Ethics & Professionalism. Registration is $65 in advance ($85 at the door) and includes lunch and materials.
The following presentations will provide those in attendance a multifaceted marketing approach to their organization, including an overview of strategic planning and research, Web development, search engine optimization (SEO), public relations, social media, marketing, advertising and more:
● Competing with the Big Boxes (and Little Boxes) Without Going Broke: A Marketing Seminar For Retailers on October 4 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Registration is $25 in advance, $35 at the door.
● Non-Profits Need Marketing, Too: A Marketing Seminar for Non-Profits on October 14 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Registration is $25 in advance, $35 at the door.
● Bring More Guests to Your Table: Marketing Strategies For Restaurants in Today’s Economy on November 1 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Registration is $25 in advance, $35 at the door.
Negative publicity on the Internet can cost businesses both money and customers. A strong online reputation management strategy is essential to the success of any organization in today’s business world. Getting Started with Reputation Management will provide an overview of a comprehensive reputation management strategy for business owners to monitor their online reputation, publish positive publicity, engage with their audience and take legal action if necessary. The presentation will be held October 7 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Registration is $15 in advance, $25 at the door.
Social media and the Web are essential components of any multifaceted strategy to make the most out of your business’ marketing efforts. Using Social Media and Web Marketing to Build Your Business will offer those in attendance with an overview of how to strengthen their business’ Web development and SEO, Web advertising efforts, social media presence and more. The presentation will be held October 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Registration is $25 in advance, $35 at the door.
It is imperative to include a marketing plan as part of a business plan and to budget funds for at least six months to a year. Starting a New Business: “If You Build It, They Won’t Necessarily Come” describes the steps PRMG recommends towards developing and implementing a cost-effective marketing plan for the new business owner. When starting a business, there is no room for error. This program, which be held on October 28 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., will review strategies that work. Registration is $15 in advance, $25 at the door.
Registration fees include breakfast or lunch. For more information, call (631) 207-1057, email: johnzaher@theprmg.com or visit www.theprmg.com.
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About PRMG
Founded in 2002, The Public Relations and Marketing Group, LLC (PRMG) is a full-service public relations and marketing agency based in Patchogue, New York. PRMG is dedicated to helping businesses, professionals, non-profit organizations, government entities, attorneys and law firms leverage their time, talents and resources by using effective public relations and marketing techniques, as well as advertising, graphic design, website design and development, digital video production, website search optimization and social media. PRMG has launched a variety of website-based entities, including Long Island Policy Forum, PatMedNews, Dining Out Long Island and New York Lawyer Pages. For more information, call (631) 207-1057 or visit www.theprmg.com.
JVC Radio Broadcasting Group, comprised of the stations PARTY 105.3, 98.5 LaFiesta, 103.9 WRCN and My Country 96.1, along with the Town of Brookhaven, will be hosting Vets Rock: A Salute to Our Veterans, a country music concert, on Sunday September 18th at the Brookhaven Amphitheatre. Artists scheduled to perform include Thompson Square, Eric Church, … Continue reading “Advertise with The Town of Brookhaven’s Concert “Vets Rock: A Salute to Our Veterans””
JVC Radio Broadcasting Group, comprised of the stations PARTY 105.3, 98.5 LaFiesta, 103.9 WRCN and My Country 96.1, along with the Town of Brookhaven, will be hosting Vets Rock: A Salute to Our Veterans, a country music concert, on Sunday September 18th at the Brookhaven Amphitheatre.
Artists scheduled to perform include Thompson Square, Eric Church, Lisa Matassa, the Jane Dear Girls, Frankie Ballard and others. Proceeds from the sales of tickets will be donated to charity. Sponsorship opportunities are available for budgets as small as $1,500 to campaigns as large as $10,000.
Exposure at this event is recommended for advertisers looking to reach veterans and their families, country music fans and patriotic Long Islanders. If you are interested in sponsoring this event, please contact us at (631) 207-1057.
Contact Us
For more information about our services or to find out how we can help you attain your marketing goals, click here to email us, or call: Toll Free: 855-PRMG-123 .: Phone: 631-207-1057
