While we’re waiting for the election results, I thought you might like some good publicity advice.
Well, I recently I caught up with Penelope Trunk, author of Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success and career columnist at the Boston Globe. As a fellow entrepreneur who founded three companies, Penelope has some great tips to share. Here’s what she had to say:
What are you working on now?
I work on about a dozen projects at any one time. But the biggest thing I’m working on is my company Brazen Careerist. We’re a community of hundreds of Gen Y bloggers and forward-thinking companies, working together to introduce this generation’s thought leaders to companies that are great places to work.
Why do you publicity is important to small business success – even in today’s economy?
Publicity is cheap and easy, and no business can afford to miss a single customer, not even one that wants to stay small. When it costs next to nothing to generate buzz online, why pass that up?
What do you think is the most important publicity activity a small business owner can do to build buzz now without spending a lot of money?
Social media. Get your ideas out there on your blog, let everyone know what you’re doing moment-to-moment on twitter. Your ideas are your greatest assets, so make them available as part of the Web 2.0 conversation and you won’t have to worry about spending lots of money to get your name known.
What type of publicity activity has helped you boost awareness the most and why?
My blog, by far.
As an author and journalist, what are your favorite sites to find news, information and the latest trends?
I love the Huffington Post. It was a model, actually, for our own Brazen Careerist community, in one respect. And I can’t go for more than a day without catching up on all the gossip in Silicon Valley via Valleywag.
What tips do you have for entrepreneurs who are struggling to increase sales within very tight budgets?
It costs nothing to be kind. Being kind to both your existing customers and all those potential customers you encounter every day (online and off) will pay off in more sales and customer loyalty.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Sure. If you’re already out there on line and struggling with keeping up with everything in social media, just focus on your blog. Maybe rethink what you want from it, what your goals for it are. But keep it–and don’t reshuffle it every little while. I had a guest post on our company site recently
(https://www.brazencareerist.com/2008/10/13/don039t-start-a-new-blog-stick-with-the-one-you-have) that explains why your blog will be better if you hang in there.
Where can people find out more information about you and your book?
www.penelopetrunk.com and blog.penelopetrunk.com
Thanks Penelope! We’ll look for your blog entries and future columns!
And if you have any questions for me or Penelope, please post your comments below or feel free to send me a note at [email protected] or www.rembrandtwrites.com.
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