The Byline: PR and Marketing Insights from Eiler Communications

We’ve discussed the importance of branding yourself and given some keen examples.

Now, here are some ideas on what you can do specifically to build your name awareness.

Make a target list of 20-25 people and organizations you need to know. These may be individuals, businesses, non profits, media, organizations that strike you as important to what you want to achieve. Figure a clever way to get known with these. Here are some ways that have worked for me.

I wanted to get to know the CEO of a large manufacturing company. His office was on the same floor as mine and I saw him from time to time in the hallway or parking lot. We got acquainted by this small talk and I told him of my plan to start my business. An entrepreneur, he asked me to tell him about it. So I went over at 6 one evening and gave him by business plan. He critiqued it, gave some counsel … then asked if I would help with his annual report. I did and he became a solid client for many years as well as a friend.

I caught the eye of some professors at the Michigan Business School by being asked to give a few lectures on high-tech marketing. I began these in a creative way: “Who wants $10?” I would ask. Hands flew up and I rewarded the first with the money. “In marketing, the first thing you have to do is get your audience’s attention,” I explained. The trick still works.

I wanted to meet a top executive of a large pizza company in my area. He attended the same church as I did and I made it my goal to get some eye contact with him, then introduce myself. I did this and a while later was asked to a meeting where my firm got an assignment to help with a major new PR project.

There is a lot more to branding yourself and this Christmas week, I’ll write a new blog with more creative ways you can enhance your effort to become known and recognized.

Larry Eiler

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