What Kind Of World Do You Want.com: Congratulations Five for Fighting

I’ve recently been introducing the use of videos to many of our PR campaigns. The ability to create and post videos effortlessly on the web has made this an affordable option for most budgets and easy to execute. The ability to dust off the skills from my TV days is a personal bonus.

Whether to enhance websites, grab attention at trade shows, educate government or create an online presence, I find it is often easier to get people to watch than read. As communicators, hey, what ever method gets your target audience to listen…

Every once in a while I come across a campaign that takes my breath away. My friend Steve Greenwood, a wonderful marketing and fundraising specialist who worked for the Heart and Stoke Foundation for many years before joining the world-renowned Zareinu Educational Centre, recently introduced me to one of these awe-inspiring initiatives.

The band Five for Fighting has created a video community that raises money for a variety of charities. The concept is great, the execution is even better. This link is to one of my favourite videos on the site benefiting Autism Speaks but so many are well worth watching. Click on the banner below. In addition to it being an outstanding example of a top marketing and fundraising program, just by checking it out you'll be helping great cause.

The art of writing a new business proposal

The delay in getting to this next posting has been due to a heavy amount of new business proposal writing. Which leads to the question of what makes a good proposal, how much time do you spend on a project you might not get, and what do potential clients need to hear?

While each case is different, most RFPs in the PR and GR category need the following:

1. Background: Background on the firm and why they are the best choice for the job. Descriptions of work done for similar clients and industries is key.

2. Objectives: Well defined objectives that are realistic and reflective of the prospective client's needs.

3. Strategies: Several research-based strategy ideas that show your solution for communicating their issues/product/service/organization. These strategies need to be detailed enough that they can be understood from a conceptual and execution standpoint.

4. Team: Information on who is going to be working on the account. This step is often undervalued. Clients what to know upfront who they will be dealing with day-to-day. This means, proposals that only include company principals are not enough.

Good luck pitching!