Branding | Lisa Elia PR

Before you hit SEND, Choose Your Communication Method Wisely

April 20, 2012 By Lisa Elia 4 Comments

Have you ever received an angry response to an email you intended to be neutral or even nice? Or, have you sent a text thinking it would be quicker than a phone call or email, but what resulted was an hour of thumbing messages back and forth. A colleague called me a couple of weeks ago and she was distraught because a client had let her firm go after receiving an email that she’d sent. Apparently, this client was demanding more of her and her firm than they were contracted to receive, so … [Read more...]

How to Handle Requests for Free Consultations

January 23, 2012 By Lisa Elia 204 Comments

Do you ever receive those calls or emails from people who say, “I just want to pick your brain about...”? Just the phraseology is a bit invasive, isn’t it? Really, who wants someone picking their brain? Sometimes people dress up these requests with an offer for lunch or dinner or something else, so before you agree to a meeting, be sure you know what you’re going to discuss at your meeting. If you’re a coach or service provider, when someone wants to pick your brain, essentially … [Read more...]

Branding Consistency

February 5, 2010 By Lisa Elia Leave a Comment

You may have noticed that the masthead at the top of this e-mail looks a bit different. The reason for that is that I’ve decided to consolidate my branding. When I first decided to create my Secrets of PR Success Course and my PR coaching programs, I somehow thought I needed to do it under a different brand than Lisa Elia Public Relations, the full-service PR company I’ve had for most of the 14 years that I’ve lived in LA. So, I created The CLEAR Publicist around the word “CLEAR,” … [Read more...]

Does the Way You Talk About Yourself Help or Hinder You?

December 30, 2009 By Lisa Elia 3 Comments

Quite often we’re unaware of the little ways in which we tell people exactly what we think of ourselves. I’ve heard people say things like, “It’s been such a tough year; we’re really struggling,” or “Well, I have a little business I run out of my living room,” or “I’m just getting started so my business is really small.” First of all, just hearing yourself say those words aloud reinforces small, limited thinking and a self-image that isn’t as professional or successful … [Read more...]

Give Yourself a PR Check-Up

November 24, 2009 By Lisa Elia Leave a Comment

With the year coming to an end, now is the time to set yourself up for a strong leap into 2010, but you won’t know where you’re going until you know exactly where you are right now. So, I’ve created this PR Check-Up to help you assess your current situation so you can determine what you can do, where you need help from your team or others and what your next steps should be. 1. Is everyone on your staff/team well informed about the company you’re your offerings, pursuing the same goals … [Read more...]

ON FANS AND PEARL JAM: A LESSON IN CUSTOMER SERVICE

November 15, 2009 By Lisa Elia 3 Comments

My husband and I attended a Pearl Jam concert last month, as guests of lead singer Eddie Vedder’s mother. We spoke to people who sat next to us at dinner at a nearby restaurant before the show and to people who sat near us during the concert, many of whom overheard our conversations and were excited to meet “Eddie’s mom.” Many of these ardent Pearl Jam fans had traveled from as far away as Canada, New York and other locations, taking time away from their jobs, to see their favorite … [Read more...]

Does Your Product or Service Change Lives?

October 2, 2009 By Lisa Elia Leave a Comment

Most of us, if we’re honest with ourselves, want to leave a great legacy in this world. One of the ways we do this is through the services and products we create. A few years ago, I learned that my friend Renee was the granddaughter of the man who had invented Kevlar. I was so surprised because Renee and I had known each other for five years before this even came up–that I was from Delaware and so was her grandfather and that he was this amazing inventor. I found out that my father worked … [Read more...]

A Respect for Time

September 18, 2009 By Lisa Elia Leave a Comment

When you really think about what has the greatest value to you, it’s likely that time is way up there on the list. Or, you may say you value life most, but isn’t it the same thing? After all, life is time, right? Life is just moments here on earth…one moment followed by another and another eventually creates a lifetime. So if you respect life, shouldn’t you respect every moment of time? If you value time, does the way you spend it reflect this? Do you respect your time? How many … [Read more...]

Holding Events to Gain Publicity: Should You or Shouldn’t You?

August 20, 2009 By Lisa Elia Leave a Comment

People often believe that if they hold an event and promote it well, they’ll receive scads of publicity and many people will attend. This may or may not turn out to be true. Events can be a great way to introduce a hot, new product or service, create awareness for a cause or brand a company. However, some events can be costly and don’t produce the results people desire: I believe this is because they have not gained clarity on their goals for the event and analyzed whether it’s the best … [Read more...]

Are You Experienced?

August 3, 2009 By Lisa Elia Leave a Comment

This question can be interpreted a myriad of ways. To classic rock fans, it’s a reminder of the name of an amazing Jimi Hendrix album and song. To young job seekers, it’s a question they’d usually rather avoid. To you, the entrepreneur, “Are you experienced?” is a question to ask yourself when looking at your web site and your manner of conducting business. Since I’ve mentioned Jimi Hendrix, I’ll use him as an example of someone who gave his fans an experience. He provided … [Read more...]

Are You Contracting or Expanding?

June 8, 2009 By Lisa Elia Leave a Comment

The recession is over. Are you still contracting when you should be expanding? When the recession hit, many people went into fear mode and they began contracting: they let their fear dictate their decisions. They stopped spending money on education or promotion or anything they thought wasn’t a necessity. Yet, these are the very things that can often help you succeed in any economy and even more so when you need an added advantage, such as during tough economic times. Now that the … [Read more...]

How Strong Is Your Foundation?

May 26, 2009 By Lisa Elia 2 Comments

Core strategies and structures can speed up your success and save you bundles. Solid, successful businesses and solopreneur ventures are built on a strong foundation with good planning. This does not mean you need to spend months creating a business plan. What it does mean is that you will speed up your success and save yourself bundles of money by planning certain elements of your business well from the beginning. Think about PR long before you think you need it. Generally, people … [Read more...]

Does Your Elevator Pitch Need A Lift?

May 12, 2009 By Lisa Elia Leave a Comment

How’s your elevator pitch? You know… it’s that quick description of your company, project or services that you have to use every day to tell people who you are and what you do. Does yours do the job or does it fall flat? Maybe your elevator pitch could use a lift. Your elevator pitch is one of the most important message statements you will develop to reflect your brand, attract clients and strategic partners and communicate with the press. Here are some tips to help you create a … [Read more...]