1. Design – The first step is the design process. This is where the graphic designer creates the visual layout using tools like photoshop or illustrator. The graphic designer works with the content writer to come up with the visual concept.

2. Creation – Once the layout is finalized and approved, a programmer uses the visual concept to create an html file.

3. Testing – A very important aspect of creating an e-blast is the html/CSS rendering in different email clients. Programmers tend to overlook this aspect. A superior e-blast will render perfectly in Outlook, Gmail, Hotmail and Yahoo. Only the best programmers know the html/css quirks of each email client and can produce an e-blast that looks flawless in all.  Spam filtering is another overlooked issue during the testing phase. Certain words in your content, the ratio of content to html, the “from address” are a few items that can trigger your e-blast to go to spam.

4. Distribution – There are a number of different tools out there to distribute e-blasts. Constant Contact and Campaign Monitor are very popular. At Pristine we use Campaign Monitor.

5. Tracking – The last step is tracking. It is important to know how many of your e-blasts were opened, which links were clicked, how many went to junk. Campaign Monitor provides all this information in a nice visual graphical format.

<a name="fb_share"></a>
<script src="http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/connect.php/js/FB.Share"
        type="text/javascript">
</script>

Here is an example of the code that you need to send to your webmaster if you dont want to use the plugin.  You will also need to send your webmaster the Google Accounts number.  UA-XXXXXX should be replaced with your Google Analytics account number.
<script>

var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-XXXXXX']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

(function() {
var ga = document.createElement(‘script’); ga.type = ‘text/javascript’; ga.async = true;
ga.src = (‘https:’ == document.location.protocol ? ‘https://ssl’ : ‘http://www’) + ‘.google-analytics.com/ga.js’;
var s = document.getElementsByTagName(‘script’)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();

</script>

However, don’t be discouraged; there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The accessibility of the Internet generates millions of users. The Internet is a forum you can use for discussion, giving previous and potential clients a sounding board to blog, review, and publish positive information about you. The more positive information published about you, the better your online presence; the better your online presence, the better your online reputation. Controlling how others are able to perceive you and your business on the Internet will earn you credibility, increase client retention and bring in new business.

Knowledge is power. You need to know what is being linked to your name. Websites are the first step in establishing yourself as a reputable company. A blog is also imperative to articulate your company’s services and capabilities. Articles and write-ups about your services, client success stories, and new developments also help enhance your online image if placed properly on targeted websites. At Pristine, we know the highest-ranking sites that guarantee the greatest exposure. Sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Yelp are no longer for college students, but can all contribute to the vitality of your company and generating new business contacts.

At Pristine we enhance your online image by creating accurate and relevant information about you and your business. We develop and maintain blog sites, timely consumer alert updates, and online business profiles through social networking sites. In addition, we add content to your existing website to promote new happenings at your firm and monitor reviews people are writing about you on sites such as Yahoo! Local, Google, Yelp, Complaints Board, etc. We track down negative ratings and combat them with positive ones. Lastly, we write and submit press releases regarding new business developments via electronic newswires such as PRWeb and PRNewswire.

You want the right information in the right peoples’ hands. If you would like to find out more about how Pristine can help improve your image online and how the latest forms of media, marketing and technology can help grow you business, contact Kristine Bruner at (954) 376-3683.

No one wants to think about their company having a crisis, but unfortunately it can happen.   It’s how you handle the crisis with the media which will determine whether it will seriously damage your business.  That’s why it is vital to develop a crisis communications plan that prepares your company in advance.  Below is a list of seven items from “Global PR Week” that should be included in your crisis communications kit:

1. A list of the members of the crisis management team. This should include the CEO/Managing Partner and trusted assistant to the CEO/Managing Partner, heads of each department, public relations and marketing team members, legal and security.

2. Contact information for key officers, spokespeople, and crisis management team members including company and personal phone numbers, email addresses, cell numbers, faxes, physical addresses, even spouse’s cell numbers.

3. Fact sheets on the company, each physical location, and each product/service offered. These should be in camera-ready condition, plus available on a disk in a generally-accepted Word format, so they can be revised and printed out if necessary on a computer external to your office. Photos should also be included.

4. Profiles and biographies for each key Partner/Executive in your company, again in camera-ready condition and on disk.

5. Copies of your company, division and product logos, your press release format and the scanned in signature of your CEO on disk in a format that works on your internal network (plus one in Microsoft Word in case you have to work on a computer that isn’t tied to your network.)

6. Pre-written scripts answering key questions that you have generated through your crisis scenario analysis. Included in these scripts should be phrases such as, “We don’t have that information yet, but will let you know as soon as it becomes available.”

7. Contact information for each of your key media contacts both locally and nationally. These should at all times be easily accessible.

If you have any questions on this topic or would like to see how the latest forms of media, marketing and technology can help grow your business, contact Kristine Bruner at (954) 376-3683.

BP’s top priorities need to focus on moving forward: providing for the families that lost a loved one in the tragedy, implementing more aggressive efforts to plug the well, along with adding measures to decrease the risk of this happening, again. In addition, BP needs to lend a helping hand to protect our precious ecosystems that have been affected by the spill, along with actively helping clean up the wildlife affected (i.e. – pelicans, sea turtles, dolphins, etc.) and provide relief to the industries and businesses that have been affected by the spill.

The way a company handles a crisis is a good indication of the moral and ethical character within its organizational culture. BP could have taken some advice from Johnson & Johnson on the importance of crisis communications. Johnson & Johnson successfully used the media, both PR and paid advertising, as a forum to communicate their crisis communications strategy.

Back in October of 1982, Tylenol faced a tremendous crisis when seven people in Chicago were reported dead after an unknown suspect had reportedly tampered with the bottles, putting 65 milligrams of deadly cyanide into the extra-strength capsules. Although, Johnson & Johnson knew they were not responsible for the tampering of the product after it had been placed on store shelves, they assumed responsibility and recalled all of their capsules immediately from the market.

Once the product was removed, Johnson & Johnson came up with a successful campaign to re-introduce their product and restore confidence back to the consumer. Tylenol products were re-introduced containing triple-seal tamper resistant packaging. There were also coupon incentives for consumers and thousands of sales presentations made to the medical community by Tylenol executives to regain their trust.

The organization was able to re-establish the Tylenol brand as one to the most trusted over-the-counter consumer products in America. Johnson & Johnson’s handling of the Tylenol crisis is clearly an example of what other companies should follow if they find themselves facing a similar crisis with such overwhelming odds.

If you have any questions on the topic of crisis communications or would like to see how the latest forms of media, marketing and technology can help grow your business, contact Kristine Bruner at (954) 376-3683.



We extend this service to our clients. PR has become more than just about media placements, it’s about generating business. Any good communications professional today can attain their client’s media coverage in targeted publications, but are these placements translating into more business?

At Pristine PR, our main goal is to get our clients more business. Whether it’s posting timely consumer related updates to firm Web sites or creating business profiles and networking for them on various social media sites- our actions get results! If you have any questions on this topic or would like to see how the latest forms of media, marketing and technology can help grow your business, contact Kristine Bruner at (954) 376-3683.

2.    Share and educate. Do not sell. People are more inclined to actually listen and be more responsive to your product or service if you are teaching them something new.  You also have more of a chance of them spreading the word or becoming a client if you apply this strategy.

3.    Make a point to go outside your circle of friends. The point of networking is not to get to know the people you already know better, but to grow your base of contacts.   Make sure you are circulating your time equally among potential new clients.

4.    Integrate your circle of friends with your new contacts. This makes for great referral opportunities and doubles the amount of exposure and influence you can have.

5.    Keep your body language in check and watch your alcohol intake. Pay close attention to your body language at networking events as you only have a couple hours to make a good first impression.  Be sure and stand tall and always have a smile on your face.  You will come off as confident and approachable as opposed to shy and guarded.  Stick to one alcoholic beverage and then have diet coke, juice or a soda water with a lime in it.  This way you can remain in control while still being socially appropriate.

6.    Have your business card ready to handout. Simple statement, I know- but you would never believe how many times I have seen people fumbling for their business cards at networking events.  Either rummaging through their purse or searching through their jacket pockets for a card to hand an interested prospect.  This looks very unprofessional and gives a first impression that you are disorganized and scattered.  Have your business card easily accessible at all times.  You never know where you can meet a prospective new client.

7.    Be yourself. The worst thing you can do at networking event is try to be who you think people want you to be.  Believe me- you come off looking fake.  Smile, laugh, be genuine and have a good time.  You will gain the interest of more people and have the opportunity to engage your audience for longer periods of time.

8.    The importance of follow up. Make sure and follow up with the individuals you connected with at the event.  It only takes a few moments to send a quick email to let someone know how nice it was to meet them, because more than likely it’s out of site out of mind the next day.

9.    Present yourself professionally online. If you use social networking sites, you should carefully monitor the quality of what you post and what others post on your site.  Remember, these sites provide valuable networking opportunities, but only if you present yourself in a professional way.

10.   Re-think the way you value your existing clients. Apply the simple phrase, “It’s better to give than to receive”.  Take note of your clients’ birthdays, professional achievements, etc. and acknowledge them.  Perhaps, send a gift basket to their office or a nice card to commemorate these occasions and accomplishments.  This is a great way to earn your clients’ respect and gives you a better chance of them spreading the word about your business to their friends and colleagues.

- Kristine Bruner

But beware; it is important to note that if you are engaging in reciprocal link exchanges with a number of bad quality and irrelevant sites, Google may ultimately penalize you for being irresponsible with your Web site content.   The key is to do your research and develop link exchanges with sites that are going to be of relevance and use to your Web site’s visitors and the community.   Exchanging links with low-quality, low-traffic pages is not going to do much for you.  However, link exchanges with high-quality, high-traffic sites can provide a great benefit in terms of improving search engine ranking and attracting more quality and targeted traffic to your Web site.

-Kristine Bruner

Email subject lines need to be kept concise and specific, lowering the risk of your email getting caught by a journalist’s spam filter.  Email tracking can let you know if your email was opened, if it went to spam, and even which links were clicked.  This can eliminate or at least reduce the need for follow-up calls to every journalist you send your pitch to.

When the story you are pitching is time-sensitive, it’s perfectly okay to follow up with the reporter right after sending the email.  However, it’s important not to be too pushy when following up.  You can risk alienating a reporter/editor who otherwise would have covered your client’s story.  A good tip for doing this is to leave an important piece of information out of your initial pitch, prompting you to call the reporter.  You will be calling not only to say “Did you get my email?”, but letting the reporter know an important fact that’s crucial to the story.

If you have a pre-established relationship with the reporter you can follow up with them through your mutual social networking sites (i.e. – Twitter, Facebook).  Relationships with each reporter are going to be different so it’s really a judgment call when determining the best method for follow up.  It’s important to keep your follow-up short and to the point over the phone, as reporters are constantly being bombarded with story pitches.

-Kristine Bruner