Twitter Tip of the Day

Remember: Symbiosis. A symbiotic relationship is essential to gaining Twitter followers. If you only talk about you and your company, followers will break up with you. If you respond to other tweets and provide helpful information, followers are more likely to pay attention to what you have to say.

Happy Tweeting and don’t forget to follow Bolt PR http://twitter.com/boltbuzz108.

Posted by: Anne Carr, anne@boltpr.com

The Power of Teamwork

A very wise Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

I’m inspired today to write about the power of a team; more specifically, the Bolt Public Relations team. Never in my life have I been surrounded by such a dynamic, brilliant, authentic and motivated group of women. Of course I’m biased. But I’ve also been in other agency environments where this level of teamwork, commitment, drive and support has never been as profound. As we sat at dinner last night discussing our agency, successes, challenges and dreams, I realized that we have such a unique bond, not only with each other, but with our clients. At Bolt PR, our clients are our partners; we are part of the team. We are the support, the hands, the minds and the voices of our clients. We’re not in it for us, but for our clients. We succeed because our clients succeed. I believe that our deep commitment to our clients stems from our conscience selection of the ‘right’ partners for us. As a select-service PR agency, we choose to only work with organizations that we firmly believe in, that we desire to represent, and that we know we can truly impact. In turn, when companies choose the Bolt PR team, they are choosing a group of women who work harder, smarter and with more determination than any others I’ve ever known.

There are two sides of this to learn from: 1) if you’re working for an organization where you don’t feel the teamwork/the bond/the support, go find it. Life is too short not be surrounded by people who inspire and motivate you in some capacity every single day; 2) if you’re looking for a PR agency, choose one that truly believes in your organization. Don’t hire ‘doers’; hire strategic partners that are genuinely committed to you, your growth and your success. Don’t settle for anything less.

Posted by: Caroline Callaway, caroline@boltpr.com

Unemployment Rate is Rising Again - Workshop Can Help

Thanks to the San Diego Metropolitan’s Daily Report for always keeping me abreast of the latest business news in San Diego. If you’re not already subscribing to SD Metro’s e-newsletter, do it.

The latest news: “San Diego’s unemployment rate rose to 7.4 percent in December, up from 6.9 percent in November and 5 percent a year earlier, reports the Employment Development Department. The number of [available] jobs fell 1,100 compared to November and 18,400 compared to December 2007.”Job supply is shortening and job demand is growing. If you or someone you know is currently looking for a job, he or she is going to need some type of a strategy to stand out amongst the thousands of other job seekers. But don’t feel discouraged. There ARE jobs out there, but looking online is not enough. So many jobs are secured through word-of-mouth referrals, inside connections and even chance meetings. To learn how to be one of those people who has an “in”, to learn what job is the best fit for you, to learn how to utilize social media in your job search, and to learn how to ace your interview once you get that “in”, check out the New Year, New Career event. Taking place next weekend, this is THE workshop to attend to get the upper-hand on all of the other job seekers out there.It's hosted by NextWork, a career transition organization that helps individuals identify the right career path to actually achieve personal and professional fulfillment.

Want more info? You can find it here. Space is limited so if you need help finding a job right now, be there.

Posted by: Caroline Callaway, caroline@boltpr.com

Earning More Than a Paycheck

New Year’s resolutions that we hear people discuss in January every year revolve around such common themes as losing weight, finding a new job, setting new financial goals and planning to take more time for friends and family. How many people actually set the important resolution of taking time to volunteer more? So many professionals think that they do not have the time or energy to commit to another organization, but today’s volunteering opportunities make it easy for even the Trump’s of the world to tailor a community involvement activity to seamlessly integrate into their current schedule.

First utilize such Web sites as VolunteerMatch.org and SmartVolunteer.org to find an opportunity based on location, type of organization or level of commitment necessary. These sites make it a quick and easy process to identify an organization that easily fits your lifestyle. After you commit to a cause be sure to treat your role as a job even though you are not being paid. You are still obligated to attend events when you say you will and to behave professionally. Also, be sure to commit at least three weeks to the organization before deciding it is not a fit for you. Just like a new workout regimen, it takes some time to get into the swing of the activity before being able to determine the benefits.

If long term commitments are not your style, make a vacation out of your community involvement and signup for a great vacation that allows you to give back to others while giving back to yourself. Study animals in South Africa or Costa Rica through EarthWatch.org and VolunteerAbroad.com, or help to restore the environment in the Caribbean, Key West or Tuscany through SierraClub.org, ReefRelief.org and WWOOF.org. Most of these organizations even give you a discount, if not free, lodging and meals.

The rewards for volunteering significantly out way the simple dollar amount of a paycheck. You can expect to make friends, establish business contacts, reduce stress and boost your overall physical and mental well-being, all while helping others. The important thing to remember is that volunteering, whether a lot of time or a little bit of time, is greatly beneficial and empowering to the community we live in and without it so many things would suffer. Take time as the New Year takes off to identify the ways in which you can schedule volunteering into your schedule, the benefits will seriously surprise you.

Posted by: Monica Kenney, monica@boltpr.com

Inauguration Day

At Bolt Public Relations, we believe that a huge part of PR is staying on top of the latest trend and keeping a pulse on general happenings, that way we never miss an opportunity for our clients’ names, brands and products to be in the news. To take that idea one step further, we also try to be a resource to others.

Today, our whole country – both Democrats and Republicans - came together to watch President Barack Obama swear in to office. The Bolt team was glued to the TV for Inauguration day 2009 and covered the event, plus a little fashion commentary, via Twitter. Below is our tweet by tweet of the historic inauguration of the 44th President:

Working from home today to watch the Inauguration - history happening right now!
The first President Bush and his wife have matching purple scarfs
Loving Hillary's royal blue coat!
Decided to watch c-span
The Obama girls are little fashionistas!
The whole crowd is waiting, unsure what to do
Now the cheers for Obama are starting
Still making up my mind about Michelle's outfit...
The anticipation is building...A lot of mingling going on.
Here comes the VP-elect
c-span now showing our Pres-elect!
I think he is trying to hold back from smiling too much
Obama in a red tie and Biden in a blue - so patriotic (good branding)
The music is starting… and there is he is"ladies and gentlemen the President-elect of the United States, Barack H. Obama!" Everyone is seated.
Diane Feinstein is giving the welcome, "the world is watching this peaceful exchange of power"
‘No triumph tainted by brutality could be as sweet as the triumph of this hour'
Regardless of your political views, this is an exciting day
Prayer by Rev. Rick WarrenWow!
RT: @shelisrael #inaug09 posting faster than 1000 per minute.
Aretha Franklin with a large gray, sparkly bow on her head is singing 'my country tis of thee' - still has an amazing voice!
Everyone is standing for the oathsBiden is being sworn in
Incredible composition and performance - can feel the emotion in the music. The cello player is incredible and expressive
How cute - the girls standing on boxes. Obama is excited. Is he nervous? blanked when repeating words for a second.
*It is official. We have a new pres - speech time!
"We understand that greatness is never a gift, it must be learned." – Obama**
poet Elizabeth Alexander - "say it plain, that many have died for this day"***
***"What if the mightiest word is love?" E.A.
Jill Biden looks fab! way to rock the boots and red coat ;)
Great PR move by Obama - including/mentioning ALL of the American people, regardless of belief. Promotes good will.

*According to ABC News, Chief Justice John Roberts misspoke.
**Full Transcript: President Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address, ABC News
***Transcript of Inaugural Poem, NYTimes.com

Posted by: Anne Carr, anne@boltpr.com

Networking Tips from the Pros

I attended a Relationship Building Network (RBN) focus group today and the topic of discussion was networking. Below are a few tips I learned from the experts at RBN on the most effective ways to network:

Network with a Vision. Know your goals for attending the event before you go. Whether it’s finding someone who knows a particular person you want to meet or if it’s finding at least one quality lead, have a goal in mind and commit to achieving it. This will help you move away from conversations that are counter-productive while giving you a specific topic to address with everyone you meet.

Network When Business is at its Best. When business slows down, you’ll have a rolodex full of contacts to follow up with.

Offer Gifts/Raffles/Prizes. Not only does this make you a popular person at the event, it’s also a great way to give someone a constant reminder of you every time they use or see the gift. But make sure your gift doesn’t come with strings attached, such as “free” consultations or “free X with the purchase of X”.

Arrive Early and Leave Late. If you’re going to take the time to attend an event, maximize your presence there. At the end, offer to help the hosts clean up after the event.

Let Others Talk First. This is one of the best ways to build rapport with others you meet. People love talking about themselves, so let them. They’ll not only like you more for it, you’ll have an understanding of their business so you can better frame how your product/service may be of benefit to them.

Demonstrate Value. At the end of the day, we all need to sell our products/services. Find a way to demonstrate that the benefit of what you’re offering far outweighs the cost. Communicate with the buyer’s perspective in mind… and you’ll understand their perspective if you let them talk first :)

Posted by: Caroline Callaway, caroline@boltpr.com

Lessons For Us All

Last week I attended the Carlsbad Chamber First Friday Breakfast and heard a story that has stuck with me. It was a reminder of three things: 1 – give others the benefit of the doubt, 2 – do random acts of kindness, 3 – pride in America is unifying.

Bill Driscoll, a retired Navy Commander and decorated Air Force One pilot, spoke about how to approach problems when you are under pressure in a business setting. While this content was great, he told a personal story that actually induced tears (although I was careful to not let them spill out of my eye balls as it would be embarrassing in such a professional setting).

Although Commander Driscoll is retired, he stays in shape by running on the beach. A while ago he would run by one house that displayed a tattered American flag high on their pole. He grew increasingly agitated every time he jogged past this house. Clearly the owners had enough money to replace a flag if they could afford a beach-front property. He began to take the condition of the flag personally and could no longer be inert. What he really wanted to do was write a nasty letter to help the flag neglecters see their disrespect. But he took a different approach.

One morning Driscoll jogged up to the infamous house and left a new flag on the doorstep with a note. Dear neighbor, Please accept this gift from someone who loves this country, as I’m sure you do. Bill Driscoll.

A few weeks later Mrs. Driscoll relayed a phone message to her husband. A lady had called to thank him for the flag. She explained that her husband had passed away a number of months ago and the putting up the tattered flag was one of the last things he did. She hadn’t been out of the house in a while and had not noticed the state of the stars and stripes in her yard. She replaced it with the new flag and knew her patriotic husband would be smiling down.

Posted by: Anne Carr, anne@boltpr.com

Looking for a New Job in 2009? Prep Yourself!

On January 31 NextWork is holding the New Year, New Career event to help job seekers achieve career fulfillment in 2009 by educating them on the unique job market and how to stay ahead of competition.

At this full day seminar, speakers will provide tips and resources on the following topics:

• The correct way to plan and execute a productive job search
• How to implement and maximize your online presence to successfully fulfill your career goals
• New ways to develop your cover letter and resume to properly market your potential to employers
• How to build your image to leave a powerful first impression
• How to enhance your interview techniques
  

In addition to the speakers, there will be an opportunity to network with other professional and visit with vendor booth representatives that will be there to provide additional resources to job seekers.

The event will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and attendees are required to RSVP in advance by registering at www.nextworkservices.com/events or by calling (760) 420-8444. Space is filling up quickly so act fast and make 2009 YOUR year to land the dream job!

Posted by: Monica Kenney, monica@boltpr.com

Tips to Earn More Business

I attended a short presentation today delivered by a member of the Brian Tracy Programs and it was pretty interesting. The speech was centered around sales and the techniques we can all implement to earn more business and, as a result, more money. These tactics were developed from research conducted on the top money-makers in our country (income of more than $200,000/year). Following surveys and evaluations, there were 5 habits that each performed on a regular basis that were consistent across the board and directly impacted their earnings. Here is a quick snapshot:

Communicate Effectively. Communicate often and with confidence and you will earn more new business. When it comes to confidence, be aware of your words, tonality and physiology.
Ask for Referrals. We all need to overcome our fear of rejection, know what to say, respect the law of reciprocity, and then ask the question that goes something like this: “As you know, my business was built on referrals. My target client is X. Who do you know that comes to mind that could benefit from my product/service?”

Be an Action-Taker. If there’s something to be done, do it. Don’t waste time. Just get it done. Work like it’s your last day.

Ask for the Commitment. So few people shy away from actually asking for the business that they never get it. Just ask. “If you were to move forward with us…” or “If you knew we could do this…”

Invest in You. There is a proven, direct correlation between investing in one’s self and making more money. The Brian Tracy Program recommends attending at least four workshops/seminars, reading at least four relevant business books, and listening to at least four audio/video tapes each year.

Brian Tracy is hosting several live seminars in Southern California in March and April 2009. For more information, visit www.briantracy.com. Check it out. You won't regret it.

Posted by: Caroline Callaway, caroline@boltpr.com

Bolt Public Relations - 2-Year Anniversary

Know anyone who needs a little exposure? Bolt PR is launching new referral program! For our second anniversary, Bolt Public Relations is offering a huge referral incentive to anyone who refers a new client to us. It’s our way of saying thank you to all who have provided referrals.
Check out the details here.

Remember, if no one knows about your business, it's impossible to grow your bottom line.

Posted by Caroline Callaway, caroline@boltpr.com