Censorship or Compliance? | How to Convey Your Communications Expectations

“Per the Policies and Procedures you cannot have any company names, logos, trademarks or images on another website. Please either take down every referrence of [company name] or take the site down completely. If you have further questions please reply to this email.”

Checked my inbox this morning to find this message from a company asking me to delete all references to their name on my site, my blog and pretty much any other place online you can think of. It’s taken me five hours to clean up and I’m looking at another three or four to scour their name out of my existence. Thinking positively, it’s a swift incentive to refresh and update everything from LinkedIn to my home page.

Checking around online, it looks like independent sites related to the product have vanished. What bugs me is . . . if I wasn’t an affiliate I could write anything I want. And that’s enough to make me seriously consider terminating the relationship.

At first I felt guilty, but why should I? All of the posts promoted the product, encouraged people to try it or reported on results. My voice was a good one, but it’s silenced – on that topic. Maybe it’s for the best. I need to narrow and tighten my focus here. If you see any posts with error messages, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

In an effort to advance communications, here are a few recommendations for how to manage compliance with affiliate communications:

– clearly communicate marketing usage guidelines in writing at the first point of contact

– ask for an acknowledgement and agreement to terms and conditions before beginning a relationship

– give examples of what is and what is not acceptable

– supply high-quality graphics and communications that are so great they won’t want to or have to produce anything else

– monitor the blogsphere for mentions at Technorati and comment, preferably via email directly to the blogger, when lines get crossed

– understand that you can’t control all communications, but you can guide it with examples, case studies and a forum to receive questions and answers

– be forgiving if someone unintentionally strays outside of the boundaries

– look for inspiration, testimonials and fresh insights from the renegades

– appreciate new voices and invite them in to expand your reach

– know the difference between a blog and a website – a few well-placed bloggers can do wonders to ramp up your online presence when they promote your product

– allow some room for creative expression with a fill-in-the-blanks template

– give a digital stamp of approval for sites that promote properly

Offer affiliate products? Although you don’t want to have approve every affiliate’s email, site, post or press release about your product, a few guidelines will ensure consistent communications and better relationships for everyone.

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Censorship or Compliance? | How to Convey Your Communications Expectations

“Per the Policies and Procedures you cannot have any company names, logos, trademarks or images on another website. Please either take down every referrence of [company name] or take the site down completely. If you have further questions please reply to this email.”

Checked my inbox this morning to find this message from a company asking me to delete all references to their name on my site, my blog and pretty much any other place online you can think of. It’s taken me five hours to clean up and I’m looking at another three or four to scour their name out of my existence. Thinking positively, it’s a swift incentive to refresh and update everything from LinkedIn to my home page.

Checking around online, it looks like independent sites related to the product have vanished. What bugs me is . . . if I wasn’t an affiliate I could write anything I want. And that’s enough to make me seriously consider terminating the relationship.

At first I felt guilty, but why should I? All of the posts promoted the product, encouraged people to try it or reported on results. My voice was a good one, but it’s silenced – on that topic. Maybe it’s for the best. I need to narrow and tighten my focus here. If you see any posts with error messages, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

In an effort to advance communications, here are a few recommendations for how to manage compliance with affiliate communications:

– clearly communicate marketing usage guidelines in writing at the first point of contact

– ask for an acknowledgement and agreement to terms and conditions before beginning a relationship

– give examples of what is and what is not acceptable

– supply high-quality graphics and communications that are so great they won’t want to or have to produce anything else

– monitor the blogsphere for mentions at Technorati and comment, preferably via email directly to the blogger, when lines get crossed

– understand that you can’t control all communications, but you can guide it with examples, case studies and a forum to receive questions and answers

– be forgiving if someone unintentionally strays outside of the boundaries

– look for inspiration, testimonials and fresh insights from the renegades

– appreciate new voices and invite them in to expand your reach

– know the difference between a blog and a website – a few well-placed bloggers can do wonders to ramp up your online presence when they promote your product

– allow some room for creative expression with a fill-in-the-blanks template

– give a digital stamp of approval for sites that promote properly

Offer affiliate products? Although you don’t want to have approve every affiliate’s email, site, post or press release about your product, a few guidelines will ensure consistent communications and better relationships for everyone.

WordPress Growing Blog List | Wired PR Works Hits #34/100/899,185

Exactly two weeks ago today this blog, Wired PR Works. weighed in at #77 on the WordPress Growing Blog List. At last count, WordPress hosted 899,185 blogs.

Today, we’re in the top half – Wired PR Works weighs in at number 34 on the WordPress Growing Blog List.

When I told my brother about this, he offered to email all his friends and ask them to click like crazy tomorow. I told him not to – because I like the organic effects of watching the numbers go up without my direct influence.

Truth is, no one in my family reads my blog unless I ask them to. I like it that way, more creative freedom [and less censorship!].

As the comments come in, I’m continually flattered by the people who follow me. As a writer who’s written for audiences that total in the millions, I found it strangely painful and uncomfortable to begin a blog and continue to keep posting. After all, most of the time I’m a ghostwriter.

The preliminary piercing pain’s worn off and given way to an exciting energy that’s fueled by being part of a virtual community. Thanks to everybody who finds their way here to read a thread or two. Congratulations to my Growing Blog List  counterparts. You’re  obviously writing something worth reading!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grab Fast Front Page Attention with Panoramic PR

Claim your free mp3 “How to Transform Your Company into a Customer Magnet,” a $97 value.

Subscribe to this blog’s RSS feed

Turn on your own Internet TV station

Attract Attention. Get Noticed. Close Sales.

WordPress Growing Blog List | Wired PR Works Hits #34/100/899,185

Exactly two weeks ago today this blog, Wired PR Works. weighed in at #77 on the WordPress Growing Blog List. At last count, WordPress hosted 899,185 blogs.

Today, we’re in the top half – Wired PR Works weighs in at number 34 on the WordPress Growing Blog List.

When I told my brother about this, he offered to email all his friends and ask them to click like crazy tomorow. I told him not to – because I like the organic effects of watching the numbers go up without my direct influence.

Truth is, no one in my family reads my blog unless I ask them to. I like it that way, more creative freedom [and less censorship!].

As the comments come in, I’m continually flattered by the people who follow me. As a writer who’s written for audiences that total in the millions, I found it strangely painful and uncomfortable to begin a blog and continue to keep posting. After all, most of the time I’m a ghostwriter.

The preliminary piercing pain’s worn off and given way to an exciting energy that’s fueled by being part of a virtual community. Thanks to everybody who finds their way here to read a thread or two. Congratulations to my Growing Blog List  counterparts. You’re  obviously writing something worth reading!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grab Fast Front Page Attention with Panoramic PR

Claim your free mp3 “How to Transform Your Company into a Customer Magnet,” a $97 value.

Subscribe to this blog’s RSS feed

Turn on your own Internet TV station

Attract Attention. Get Noticed. Close Sales.

Ezine Article | Contest-ing PR | 8 Ways to Winning Giveaways using Publicity and Viral Marketing

Update:  Thanks to Andrew Peters, an MTN ezine reader, uber cool blogger and virtual PR expert based in Singapore, for his permission to share his email with you in response to this ezine article:

Hi Barbara

Thanks for your latest email, we are currently putting together a
contest and your Words of Wisdom are very timely

Thank you…
—
Andrew Peters | COO | The Pacific West Communications

~~~~

Here’s a clip from this week’s ezine article, “Contest-ing PR: 8 Winning Ways to Giveaways”

Step One: Start Out with What’s In It For Them

Choose a prize that makes people say, “I want to win that!” This may seem like the last decision you need to make, but having an enticing prize makes the incentive to enter that much more powerful. And, you can build your creative campaign around it. Also, the better the prize, the more viral your contest becomes.

Step Two: Figure Out What’s In It For You

Determine your contest’s purpose – is it to generate leads, qualify prospects, come up with a new design, position your company as a resource, contribute to your community or something else? It may be all of these or just one.

Step Three: Write Winning Rules

For more formal contests, write your rules carefully and take your time. Check with a legal resource to make sure your fine print covers any liabilities. And, be sure to ask for all the customer information you want to capture beyond the basics and into buying preferences, industry or even lifestyle questions that give you clues into buying behaviors.

Read this article online and get 5 more PR tips

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grab Fast Front Page Attention with Panoramic PR

Claim your free “How to Transform Your Company into a Customer Magnet” guide, a $97 value.

Subscribe to this blog’s RSS feed

Turn on your own Internet TV station

Ezine Article | Contest-ing PR | 8 Ways to Winning Giveaways using Publicity and Viral Marketing

Update:  Thanks to Andrew Peters, an MTN ezine reader, uber cool blogger and virtual PR expert based in Singapore, for his permission to share his email with you in response to this ezine article:

Hi Barbara

Thanks for your latest email, we are currently putting together a
contest and your Words of Wisdom are very timely

Thank you…
—
Andrew Peters | COO | The Pacific West Communications

~~~~

Here’s a clip from this week’s ezine article, “Contest-ing PR: 8 Winning Ways to Giveaways”

Step One: Start Out with What’s In It For Them

Choose a prize that makes people say, “I want to win that!” This may seem like the last decision you need to make, but having an enticing prize makes the incentive to enter that much more powerful. And, you can build your creative campaign around it. Also, the better the prize, the more viral your contest becomes.

Step Two: Figure Out What’s In It For You

Determine your contest’s purpose – is it to generate leads, qualify prospects, come up with a new design, position your company as a resource, contribute to your community or something else? It may be all of these or just one.

Step Three: Write Winning Rules

For more formal contests, write your rules carefully and take your time. Check with a legal resource to make sure your fine print covers any liabilities. And, be sure to ask for all the customer information you want to capture beyond the basics and into buying preferences, industry or even lifestyle questions that give you clues into buying behaviors.

Read this article online and get 5 more PR tips

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grab Fast Front Page Attention with Panoramic PR

Claim your free “How to Transform Your Company into a Customer Magnet” guide, a $97 value.

Subscribe to this blog’s RSS feed

Turn on your own Internet TV station

Viral Marketing 2007 | Email, Video, Audio Make the List

Marketing Sherpa’s Special Report: Viral Marketing 2007 gives insights into how experienced viral marketers think.

Marketing Sherpa is a leading resource for marketing knowledge, case studies and forward thinking about what’s working in marketing today. Reports like this one get posted online for a limited open access period before they go on sale online. After reading the report, I chose these excerpts to share with you.

According to the report,

“They [experienced viral marketers] see growing their email list and viral as a very good match of a tactic/goal.
They [experienced viral marketers] are much less likely to use viral for attempts at direct sales and see it as a better tool for branding/awareness.80% of marketers say viral builds awareness — with ‘very experienced’ players leading the numbers. That group also says ‘growing email list’ is the second-best reason with lead generation in third. On the other hand, ‘somewhat experienced’ players say lead generation (27%) is the best way to use viral tactics with branding in second (23%) and site traffic third (19%).”

Viral Marketers’ Planned Campaigns and Tests for 2007, in order of popularity:

– encouraging email forwarding

– tell-a-friend boxes on site [sweeps, coupons, etc.]

– video clips

– cool microsites [not your own URL or brand]

– online games/quizzes/polls

– audio clips

– offering e-cards

In all, the report presents 15 charts that cover everything from high impact introductions [blogsphere mentions lead the pack] to estimated price ranges by tactic. For example, the results say that $5,000 is the estimated expense for a video clip campaign.

My advice? Test out a few low-cost, low-risk viral marketing tactics before investing thousands. And, focus on the goal of lead-generation instead of sales.

Three to try . . .

Encouraging email forwarding is as simple as adding a call to action in your email message. Keep in mind that people will forward messages they like that appeal to their need for more information, entertainment or curiosity.

When you visit the CoryWest Media site, you’ll hear me talking. Recording messages using Audio Acrobat, which costs $19.95 per month, is just like leaving a voicemail over the phone. You talk, save your message, publish the recording and then post the code or drop in a link to the audio online.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Claim your free “How to Transform Your Company into a Customer Magnet” guide, a $97 value.Subscribe to this blog’s RSS feed

Viral Marketing 2007 | Email, Video, Audio Make the List

Marketing Sherpa’s Special Report: Viral Marketing 2007 gives insights into how experienced viral marketers think.

Marketing Sherpa is a leading resource for marketing knowledge, case studies and forward thinking about what’s working in marketing today. Reports like this one get posted online for a limited open access period before they go on sale online. After reading the report, I chose these excerpts to share with you.

According to the report,

“They [experienced viral marketers] see growing their email list and viral as a very good match of a tactic/goal.
They [experienced viral marketers] are much less likely to use viral for attempts at direct sales and see it as a better tool for branding/awareness.80% of marketers say viral builds awareness — with ‘very experienced’ players leading the numbers. That group also says ‘growing email list’ is the second-best reason with lead generation in third. On the other hand, ‘somewhat experienced’ players say lead generation (27%) is the best way to use viral tactics with branding in second (23%) and site traffic third (19%).”

Viral Marketers’ Planned Campaigns and Tests for 2007, in order of popularity:

– encouraging email forwarding

– tell-a-friend boxes on site [sweeps, coupons, etc.]

– video clips

– cool microsites [not your own URL or brand]

– online games/quizzes/polls

– audio clips

– offering e-cards

In all, the report presents 15 charts that cover everything from high impact introductions [blogsphere mentions lead the pack] to estimated price ranges by tactic. For example, the results say that $5,000 is the estimated expense for a video clip campaign.

My advice? Test out a few low-cost, low-risk viral marketing tactics before investing thousands. And, focus on the goal of lead-generation instead of sales.

Three to try . . .

Encouraging email forwarding is as simple as adding a call to action in your email message. Keep in mind that people will forward messages they like that appeal to their need for more information, entertainment or curiosity.

When you visit the CoryWest Media site, you’ll hear me talking. Recording messages using Audio Acrobat, which costs $19.95 per month, is just like leaving a voicemail over the phone. You talk, save your message, publish the recording and then post the code or drop in a link to the audio online.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Claim your free “How to Transform Your Company into a Customer Magnet” guide, a $97 value.Subscribe to this blog’s RSS feed

Ezine Article | Portable PR | Business Marketing To Go | Featured on Fast Pitch! Blogs

4.26.07 Update: Thanks to Fast Pitch! for posting this article. Click the image to see the email message.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here’s a clip from this week’s ezine article, “Portable PR: Business Marketing To Go”

1. Make your card into a coupon with a discount for services or a free introductory consultation when redeemed within two weeks – keep the timeline short

1. Promote a special offer just for people you meet at the event that meet a target profile – ask “Is this you?” on wallet-sized photo paper with an image of your choice

1. Give out a flyer that details your services with pricing and an order form on the back

Read the article online and get 7 more PR tips

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grab Fast Front Page Attention with Panoramic PR

Claim your free mp3 “How to Transform Your Company into a Customer Magnet,” a $97 value.

Subscribe to this blog’s RSS feed

Turn on your own Internet TV station

Attract Attention. Get Noticed. Close Sales.

Ezine Article | Portable PR | Business Marketing To Go | Featured on Fast Pitch! Blogs

4.26.07 Update: Thanks to Fast Pitch! for posting this article. Click the image to see the email message.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here’s a clip from this week’s ezine article, “Portable PR: Business Marketing To Go”

1. Make your card into a coupon with a discount for services or a free introductory consultation when redeemed within two weeks – keep the timeline short

1. Promote a special offer just for people you meet at the event that meet a target profile – ask “Is this you?” on wallet-sized photo paper with an image of your choice

1. Give out a flyer that details your services with pricing and an order form on the back

Read the article online and get 7 more PR tips

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grab Fast Front Page Attention with Panoramic PR

Claim your free mp3 “How to Transform Your Company into a Customer Magnet,” a $97 value.

Subscribe to this blog’s RSS feed

Turn on your own Internet TV station

Attract Attention. Get Noticed. Close Sales.