This document provides tips for capitalizing on an award win for promotional purposes. It recommends integrating the award into branding by mentioning it is "award winning." It also suggests using the award win to reconnect with previous media contacts and pitch follow-up stories. Additional tips include creating press releases and samples to send to local, regional, and national media. It advises repurposing award coverage on social media. Finally, it discusses using the recognition to potentially pitch to new companies or take other steps to further grow the business.
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I won...now what
1. H E A T H E R P I E D M O N T
H E A T H E R P I E D M O N T M E D I A
H E A T H E R @ H E A T H E R P I E D M O N T . C O M
H E A T H E R P I E D M O N T . C O M
I Won!Now What?
2. Congratulations!
Enjoy the moment
Reflect on where you were and have been
This is the first of many steps
3. Happy DanceOver Back to Work
Integrate the award into your brand
Award Winning
Put it EVERYWHERE!!
Replay your story via your website and other media to include the
monumental step and what it means for/to your company.
Ex: From a tray of brownies made in a small kitchen and sold among
friends to a nationally recognized and awarded brand
Ex: What began as a scribble on a busy moms day planner is now a
nationally awarded business.
Celebratory Discount
This will:
Pay it forward to your followers.
Give you something else to tweet about.
Create a stronger bond with your following and evolve a
New following..
4. Now to Extend It You need a few things:
The Press Release.
Pre-packaged samples.
A press packet which the award is the main
attraction of.
A pre-planned trip to the post office.
Set emails with the press packet attached.
A place to save new email contacts.
Current list of contacts regarding
the business.
5. Reconnect with the Media that
Already Covered You
Reporters Love doing Follow-up Stories.
This will both get you news and enhance your
connection to the media.
When they cover it, Share it IMMEDIATELY.
The Conversation:
Begin by thanking them for the first coverage
and tell them you wanted to let them know
your news.
Obviously, thank them for the coverage.
6. Local Media
To Start:
Find your Local Patch.
Look for your local Examiner Reporter.
Trip to the supermarket or local coffee shop:
Get every newspaper you can.
Contact the editor or (better yet) a reporter that did a similar story.
Why:
Local Press Love Local Successes.
They are always hungry for stories
you can only write about town hall meetings
so much.
7. The Levo Link
Find A Women Driven/Based/Focused Website
Pitch your story as a reflection piece and suggest you guest blog
As an entrepreneur
As a Mom Business Woman
As an award winning businesswoman
(Dependent on the website content/strategy)
Tip: If they are not interested in focusing on you, put it towards current events such as
Sheryl Sandbergs Lean In Text
What this gives you:
Credibility
Visibility
Brand Recognition
PR
This can also be used for other subject sites
Such as one that focuses on:
your type of product
The audience it serves
Your business as a whole.
8. National Press
Do Local Press First
Again, Contact Either the Editors And/Or a Reporter
that covered a related story or does a related beat.
Announce the award
Try to connect it to a local event/news story
Follow up initial contact or they will forget about you.
If they say call back..call back.
9. A Few Media Rules
Follow up after the first call 3-4 days.
Have an pre-written email for the Send me more
info. response.
Connect it to news if you can.
Ex. Autism Month and Greenie Tots
Obesity Issues too.
Keep in touch with a MEDIA FOCUSED Update
They dont want your newsletters, they want your story.
10. Social Media: Reuse and Recycle
All news is recyclable:
Change wording
Revolve it around another agenda:
Mothers day..bake her a cake
Connect it to current events
Autism AwarenessHealthy Eating
Change the picture on the media
Be Ready:
Create a word document of ready made tweets and Facebook posts
using the words:
award winning
Use Hash-tags and if possible high SEO Words
11. Product Pitches: Old and New
Start with previously contacted companies first
Call to give them the news and ask to either set up a meeting or send another sample.
Tell them you are still l interested in them despite this new success.
Always Follow-up
New Pitch
Know their rules first: Legal Department
Know a nameThank you Google!
Have the Pitch Ready When You Call
Ex. Legal Zoom
Connect the dots for them via an objective they already focus on
Ex: ColdFront: Poise and Menopause
Know their buyer better than your own if there is any difference
Who to Pitch:
Sales Representative
A Celebrity Spokesperson (Whoopi Goldberg/Poise)
Development Manager
12. Steps to Making the Perfect Pitch
Know every number/factor/issue in your product.
Tell the story behind the product.
Be okay with silence when you need to look back on
your notes.
Be flexible with offers.
If your business sells in a specific market/in a
specific marketing way, Know Why.
Never Say Maybe..EVER.
(Some of these are from the Conference but deserve repeating)
13. Is it time to take new
steps?
How do you know?
Ask the experts you trust.
Affiliate programs?
New Product?
New employee/Intern?
Ask if it will help your
business thrive the way
you want.
Plan and plan some
more.
Consider New steps that You May be Ready For
14. Board of Directors
Conversation Tips
Restart your last conversation if it has gone dead
Possibly enhance their involvement
Strengthen the bond while getting you some more nuggets
Angel Investors
Financial Advisors
Business Coaches
Experts
Businesses like you