In the media “getting ink” simply means to get the media’s attention and ultimate coverage in their media sources.

Today there are so many ways to get publicity beyond newspapers, radio or even local TV.  In fact, you can be your own media company. HOW? With your own website, social media and more! You can build your brand around anything with the greatest marketing tool ever, the Internet.

You can get mentioned on blogs that journalists and editors read.  You can get your articles “tweeted” and shared on Facebook by building a number of people who also share your interests and want to follow you because you have answers to their own challenges, problems and needs.  With all the opportunities on the internet you can share ideas and see what works. The most important thing to remember with social media is to be authentic, be real, be honest and be accessible. With the vast resources on the Internet you can be your own PR person and get attention that before now was much more difficult, cost prohibitive and time-consuming to get.

Follow these tips and you will GET the INK on line you deserve.

Be Social

Social media is one of the best ways to to get people to find out about you, and are a lot less costly than paid advertising.   There’s Twitter, FriendFeed. Facebook and LinkedIn.

Twitter should be on top of your list for getting ink.  Its as simple as creating an account for your company or organization,  create a compelling 160 character bio that includes keywords and YOUR NAME.  Add a REAL picture (people do business with people, not logos).  Then you follow people who have similar needs or interests to your product, follow people you know and some of the people they follow. Mr. Tweet is a great resource for following recommendations.  Also use Twellow to find journalists to follow.

Start posting creative, interesting compelling content 140 characters at a time.  Find other resources and ideas to share with you followers. Use video links because video is a great tool that very often goes VIRAL and is passed along on all the major social networks.

Create your own video and upload to YouTube or Vimeo so that your followers and customers will be more likely to embed the video into their own sites, blog posts, and social networks. Video will create BUZZ in a way other online medias don’t.

Get involved locally.  Online social networks are great for building a database, and local communities will help you create local buzz that also gets passed on via social networks. Attend conferences, networking events, fundraisers anything that will put you in front of YOUR Client prospects.

Use the Tools at Your Disposal

There are so many online do-it-yourself websites that let you literally “expose yourself” for little or no money.

Press Release sites are a good example.  PRWEB, Business Wire, and PRNewswire are just a few that you can use to post your press releases.

With PitchEngine (the social network for journalists and PR Professionals) you can  build branded social media releases which also include social sharing options and video and image assets.  PitchEngine offers both  free and fee based plans available.

BuzzGain gives you a comprehensive do-it-yourself dashboard to monitor and measure buzz across the Web.

There’s also YourPitchSucks a site that lets you submit your press releases to PR pros for review.

Sign up for Haro ~ Help a Reporter Out, Reporter Connection and PitchRate to follow what PR persons are looking for, the kind of stories they want to cover.

Read this article by Kim Roach of SEO-News called “Getting into Google and Yahoo News”

CONNECT With the Right People

If you are going to go to all the trouble of writing press releases, articles, blog posts, etc. the key is to connect with the right audience and then to follow up.   By using the tools suggested above and following up you will increase your chances of Getting Ink and becoming your own PR Person.

For more information on getting PR, check out this FREE Special Report: Creating A BUZZZZZ ~ Developing Your Brand in the Marketplace (15-page report)

Today is also:

“The Stars and Stripes Forever” Day the first public performance of this march happend in 1897.

Underground America Day

Also on this day:

In 1804, the Lewis and Clark Expedition began their journey, leaving from St. Louis, MO.

In 1942, Congress passed an amendment making women eligible to enlist for noncombat duties in the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC).

While you are thinking about ways to promote your business, check out  Quirky Marketing Calendar ~ How to Use Zany and Non-traditional Holidays to Promote Your Business 365 Days a Year for More great marketing ideas.

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Just as the song suggests, when you find yourself in times of trouble, “let it be.”

Sometimes in business we just have to take a step back and “let it be,” let things be as they are, and other times we have to take control and make things happen.

So what will you do today?  Is it time to re-evaluate the marketing you have been doing up to now?  I believe that marketing is part science and part art.  On the scientific side you want to have a formal written marketing plan (if you don’t already have one), you need to update your marketing plan at least annually.  Your marketing plan should a part of your overall business plan and be in alignment with your core goals.  You have to measure the success of those plans, activities, strategies and programs you implement.  Forecasting is an absolute necessity in increasing your chances of success and of course, have a strong public relations campaign in place to support every marketing effort you work on.

On the artistic side, it’s all aobut your message and how you convey it to your clients, customers, prospects and the world in general. Its how you tell the story, how you grab your audience, how you get the media’s attention. Quirky Marketing is all about ART. Its about creativity and ingenuity and being different than the pack, the other people in your business.

So, if you have not tried some of our Quirky Marketing Tactics, now may be a good time to get started.

Today is also

Native American Day

Blame Someone Else Day

Also on this date:

In 1965  the Rolling Stones record “Satisfaction”

In 1942 the Helicopter makes its first cross-country flight

1913  the first 4-engine aircraft built Igor Sikorsky of Russia and flown

While you are thinking about ways to promote your business, check out   Quirky Marketing Calendar ~ How to Use Zany and Non-traditional Holidays to Promote Your Business 365 Days a Year for More great marketing ideas.

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“Fair Trade”

Join the BIG BANG!! BEAT POVERTY BEAT CLIMATE CHANGE BEAT FINANCIAL CRISIS BEAT A DRUM 2010 by buying from companies that practice Fair Trade.  Go to the Fair Trade Resource Network for a host of resources including where to buy, how to make a difference and how to promote World Fair Trade in your community. For more on World Fair Trade Day, visit: www.wftday.org

I found this YouTube video made for a project on the school, O.R.S Lek en Linge in Africa. It was made to promote Fairtrade, an organization that supports farmers and craftsman in the third world by giving them reasonable prices for their products and teaching them how to write or work with a pc, so they can lead their own company.

May 8th is also:

V E Day
World Red Cross Day
Military Spouse Appreciation Day
Birthmother’s Day
National Babysitter’s Day
National Miniature Golf Day
National Train Day
Stay Up All Night Day
No Socks Day

And it is also Letter Carriers “Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive Day in the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam. For more information visit the National Association of Letter Carriers website.

Also on this day:

The Tate Moden Art Gallery the worlds largest modern art gallery (with 84 galleries on three levels) Opens.

National Tourism Week begins (May 8-16). Visit www.tia.org for more information.

Be sure to check out   Quirky Marketing Calendar ~ How to Use Zany and Non-traditional Holidays to Promote Your Business 365 Days a Year for More great marketing ideas.

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May 12 – 18th  is Work at Home Moms Week

If you are a WAHM, be sure to list your business in online directories so potential clients can easily find you. Some of them include: WAHMZONE,  Wahmmy.com, and Mothers Work At Home Guide.

Join WAHM Communities like WAHM Zone,  Wahm I AM,  Wahm Break Cafe and more!

Today is also:

World Press Freedom Day

Good Posture Day

Also on this date:

In 1968 : The first heart transplant was accomplished by a team of 18 doctors and nurses at the National Heart Hospital in Marylebone, London

In 1979 Margaret Thatcher, leader of Britain’s Conservative Party, became the country’s first female prime minister.

In addition to sending flowers, why not send this MOTHER OF THE DECADE Award video created by CNNBC for MomsRising

Here’s the one sent to me: http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=QEyFG0yOuakNtSa.0qXXwDE1MDAyMTY2&first=Heidi&last=&z=yes)

You can customize the video to send to Your favorite Mom’s here: http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/taf.html?id=&nid=QEyFG0yOuakNtSa.0qXXwDE1MDAyMTY2&z=yes

This definitely qualifies as a Quirky marketing idea! And a great way to get tons of traffic to your site.  You can send this video to ANYONE with email. And the company creates them for other occasions, events, celebrations and special dates.

Also on this date

In 1960 The  United States  Food and Drug Administration approved the Contraceptive Pill or “Pill” as we know it.  Makes you want to go hummm… maybe too many mothers having too many babies???

While you are thinking about ways to promote your business, check out  Quirky Marketing Calendar ~ How to Use Zany and Non-traditional Holidays to Promote Your Business 365 Days a Year for More great marketing ideas.

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You can read more about Bill Gates and Microsoft at Woopidoo.com http://www.woopidoo.com/biography/bill-gates.htm

What have you ever done on a “Hunch” that has paid off for you personally and/or in business? I’d love to read about it. Feel free to leave a comment with your success story. So, just what is your intuition telling you to do today?

Read 4 Ways to Tap Into Your Intuition for some great tips to help you listen to your hunches and act on them (or not).

Also on this date:

In 1924 J. Edgar Hoover was appointed by President Calvin Coolidge to be the Sixth director of the Bureau of Investigation (BOI). In 1936 the name was changed to the Federal Bureau of Investigation where J. Edgar Hoover became the first directore and continued to serve as leader until 1972.

Other Notable Celebrations and Events:

Children’s Book Week begins (May 10-16). See www.bookweekonline.com

National Etiquette Week begins (May 10-14).

National Stuttering Awareness Week begins (May 10-16). See www.stutteringhelp.org

While you are thinking about ways to promote your business, check out   Quirky Marketing Calendar ~ How to Use Zany and Non-traditional Holidays to Promote Your Business 365 Days a Year for More great marketing ideas.

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Together with the Parent Teacher Association, NEA is collecting thousands of teacher thank you cards and combining them into a larger-than-life mural. Be a part of this one-of-a-kind project! Visit www.teacherthankyoucard.org and add your card.

Today is also:

Childhood Depression Awareness Day

International Respect for Chickens Day

National Star Wars Day!

Also on this date:

In 1959  The first year of Grammy Awards by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences are presented

I might also offer a link to a special report or other free digital item I know would interest them.  Not only is this a great way to stay in touch with prospective clients and customers, it also is a great way to keep track of where and when I meet someone.  You can make notes in the SOC database, create specific campaigns for each event, even customize the cards with a picture or logo (or both).

By the way, if you click on the SendOutCards Logo below you can go to my page and get a FREE postcard to try it out! Go ahead… its FREE on ME!

Today is also:

National Infertility Survival Day

Roberts Rule of Order Day

Also on this date:

In 1885  “Good Housekeeping” magazine is first published
In 1919 the first US air passenger service starts
In 1952 The worlds first commercial Jet Airliner a De Havilland Comet took off from London for Johannesburg
In 1960 Dick Clark’s “American Bandstand” premieres

Also known as National RN Recognition Day

To learn more about Florence Nightingale, visit the Florence Nightingale Museum online.

How do you recognize Nurses Day? See how you can sponsor or partner with your local hospital or health-care facility to recognize nurses. Send a flower or gift basket to the nurses in your doctors office with a note and business card. In my retail florist we use coupons to honor the nurses during Nurses Day.  They can use them toward a purchase or can redeem them for cut flowers (no purchase necessary).

Today is also:

No diet day
No homework day
National day of Reason
National Day of Prayer

Hoagie Sandwich Day ~ How did the hoagie sandwich get its name? It all started on Hog Island – a shipyard in Philadelphia.  During World War 1, Italian immigrant workers brought giant sandwiches made of cold cuts, spices and the like to work.  The workers were called Hoggies and thus the sandwiches were named for them and later changed to Hoagie Sandwiches.

Also on this day:

In 1833 John Deere makes thge first steel plow

In 1851 Dr John Gorrie patents a “refrigeration machine”

In 1957 the last broadcast of “I Love Lucy” aired on CBS-TV

(graphic source: Student Nursing Forum)

Be sure to check out   Quirky Marketing Calendar ~ How to Use Zany and Non-traditional Holidays to Promote Your Business 365 Days a Year for More great marketing ideas.

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