Profitcom PR and Marketing Communications Message Development

How Podcasting Can Help Promote Your Company’s Meetings

November 7, 2015 0 comments

By Steve Lubetkin
Podcast & Video Media Producer,
Profitcom Collaborator

Editor’s Note: Steve Lubetkin is a podcasting and multimedia contributor for Profitcom. His first book, The Business of Podcasting: How to Take Your Podcasting Passion from the Personal to the Professional, co-authored with Toronto-based podcasting pioneer Donna Papacosta, is out in paperback and as an e-book on the Amazon Kindle.

An incredible amount of blood, sweat and tears goes into creating a memorable meeting. And then, it’s over. But thanks to the rise of podcasting, it doesn’t have to be over. In fact, your content can keep promoting your meetings long after everyone has gone home.

Podcasts help your company to be the media, and if you produce your own audio or video news content about your seminar or meeting, it can have a significant effect on the visibility of those activities.

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Would you delegate your media relations to your bookkeeper?

September 29, 2015 0 comments

By Debbie Israel, APR
Owner & PR + Marketing Strategist

Why is it so important when choosing a PR company to partner with people who are skilled in knowing how to work with the media? I know, that sounds like a classic entrapment question. There are a multitude of reasons, far too numerous to mention in this post, but what I will share with you are some of Profitcom’s keys to success in getting prime placements (see photos / link to KenCrest story below) for our clients. These are timely and comprehensive, contain local / regional elements, are placed in the right section and most importantly, tell a compelling story that otherwise would remain untold.

“Surefire” Media Relations Fast Five

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Simple Tips for Responsive Web Design

August 6, 2015 0 comments

By Jody Richwagen
Profitcom Email + Internet Marketing Collaborator

[dropcap]B[/dropcap]ecause the majority of Google searches in the U.S. are now initiated via smartphones – as opposed to desktop or tablet browsers – it is more important than ever to create or implement a mobile-friendly website design for your business. In addition, a responsive website maintains your organic search engine visibility, and may offer a leg up over competitors, in terms of SEO and lead/sales conversion.

In his post, Responsive Web Design 101 for Small Business, Brad Shorr of Straight North gives us five key points for efficiently and effectively shifting your current web design to a mobile-responsive design.

Simplify. Whittle your top-line navigation links to no more than four or five of the most important items, (think Contact, About Us, Buy Now, etc.) which will be anchored to the top of the page, no matter where the user scrolls.
Use content efficiently. Pare down website text, eliminate unnecessary content and use subheadings to facilitate quick and easy reading on mobile devices.
Avoid complex design. Don’t distract users with complex web design and images. Keep it simple, with the users’ attention span and page loading time in mind. Use PDFs, JavaScript and rotating banners sparingly.
Prioritize. Decide the order in which your content will appear: images, introductory text, calls to action, informational text. While this process can be difficult and time consuming it will force you to carefully consider how you will present your business for maximum impact.
Get feedback. Before your mobile site goes live, ask employees or customers to explore it. They can tell you if it’s organized appropriately for mobile access, and whether or not it’s easy to use. Now is the time to make changes, rather than fixing problems after the site is live and active.

For more information about how responsive web design can work for your business, or to discover how Profitcom can help you build or update to a more responsive website, please call 484-681-9516 or email Profitcom President and PR + Marketing Strategist Debbie Israel at debbie@profitcom.net, or Email + Internet Marketing Collaborator Jody Richwagen at jody@profitcom.net.

For the love of historic birthdays…let’s celebrate!

July 4, 2015 0 comments

By Debbie Israel, APR
Owner & PR + Marketing Strategist

Photo courtesy of Shelley Lubetkin, Lubetkin Media

KenCrest Centers Executive Director, Bill Nolan (l), KenCrest Services Executive Director, Jim McFalls (r), KenCrest Services Board president Melissa DiSipio, center, and Honorary Host CBS3 Consumer Reporter Jim Donavan display the 110th anniversary cake. In addition to the cake 1,000 mini cupcakes were distributed to the friends and families at the event.

[dropcap]L[/dropcap]ike most people, I love a great birthday celebration. On the eve of our beloved July 4th holiday weekend, we arrive feeling warmed-up and party-ready. Why? At Profitcom, we’ve been in party-planning and execution mode since last November as a member of KenCrest’s 110th anniversary steering committee as the Chair, Media. KenCrest’s official birthday was June 5th and the largest of a yearlong series of events was a Family Reunion at the Philadelphia Zoo with an estimated 6,000 attendees a few weeks ago. They are hands down one of this region’s – and the nation’s – leading human service agencies and advocates for nearly 11,000 people, from infants to older adults with intellectual disabilities and autism. According to Executive Director of KenCrest Services, Jim McFalls, “We’re emphasizing serving people with a variety of programs where they actually live in our communities.”

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Profitcom Collaborator Steve Lubetkin Wins Four ASTRA Awards

December 8, 2014 0 comments

By Sarah Cocchimiglio
Profitcom Writer & Editor

The Lubetkin Media Companies was recognized recently for its web design services, with a Gold ASTRA Award from the New Jersey Communications, Advertising, and Marketing Association (NJCAMA) in the “Web design, budget under $15,000″ category, for the website it created for Dr. Dan Gottlieb, nationally known author and host of the WHYY-FM radio show, “Voices in the Family.” Gottlieb, left, posed with the award and LMC managing partner Steve Lubetkin.

[dropcap]M[/dropcap]anaging partner of Lubetkin Media Companies (LMC), and longtime Profitcom collaborator Steve Lubetkin was recently honored with four prestigious ASTRA Awards from the New Jersey Communications, Advertising and Marketing Association (NJCAMA).

For the first time, the firm won an ASTRA Award for website design. The award, in the “Web design with budget under $15,000” category, was presented for the website Lubetkin designed and implemented for nationally known radio personality and author, Dr. Dan Gottlieb, host of the WHYY-FM radio program, “Voices in the Family.” The highly interactive website, www.DrDanGottlieb.com, features Dr. Gottlieb’s writing, a complete searchable archive of his Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper columns, podcasts of his radio programs, video conversations, and other content.

“Not only is this the most vibrant and user friendly website I’ve ever had, Steve Lubetkin is a flexible and responsive caretaker for many aspects of my professional endeavors,” said Dr. Gottlieb. “He is a great teacher and a valuable friend.”

Click here to read more…

Email Newsletters Still a Top News Source for Business Executives

September 12, 2014 0 comments

By Debbie Israel, APR
Owner & PR + Marketing Strategist

Business executives are still getting much of their news from email and email newsletters, said a recent survey from Quartz, a business-news website and content publisher. As a Nieman Journalism Lab post reported on May 29, 60 percent of executives surveyed said that an email newsletter is one of the first three news sources they turn to in the morning*—ahead of news apps, social networks, or news sites on mobile devices or desktops. The research surveyed 940 executives in fields like finance, technology, media, health care and management consulting.

Fifty-six percent said that an email newsletter is a primary source for staying current on industry news, which was ahead of industry-news sites and general-news sites. Just 3 percent called print their primary news source, and 2 percent cited television.

BIG REVEAL: Eighty percent said that email is their platform of choice to share news, compared with 43 percent who prefer Twitter for news sharing, 30 percent who use Facebook and 30 percent who choose LinkedIn to share news.

Source: Forward Thinking, The Public Relations Strategist (PRSA) – Summer 2014

*FACT: Fifty-eight percent of adults check email first thing in the morning.

RECOMMENDATION: Best to send your emails early in the day – as you might see an uptick in opens.
Source: Ezanga

Help is Just an Email Away
Need help creating an email marketing communications campaign to grow existing client relationships and turn prospective relationships into new business? No problem, just email Debbie Israel to learn more about Profitcom’s experienced, skilled and client-service oriented Email Marketing Communications Team to you provide you with simple and affordable solutions on how to reach your audiences!

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JUST FOR FUN…Did you know that July is National Ice Cream Month?

July 28, 2014 0 comments

By Debbie Israel, APR
Owner & PR + Marketing Strategist

As a child, do you recall the ubiquitous summertime chant, “ice cream, ice cream, we all scream for ice cream?” It must have been heard loud and clear as in 1984, President Reagan declared July National Ice Cream Month. Thirty years later we’re celebrating the frosty treat by highlighting the most popular flavors across America. Ice cream purveyor extraordinare, Baskin-Robbins recently helped pinpoint the top ice cream flavors by state…and “yo Pennsylvania,” it looks like our favorite flavor is vanilla?! Who would have thought this to be the choice with all of the ethnic, cultural, socio-economic and financial diversity across this large state??! The even bigger reveal is that nearly all of PA’s neighboring states had a similar weigh in with the exception of West Virginia which stepped outside the carton with chocolate!

Delaware: Vanilla
New Jersey: Vanilla
New York: Vanilla
Ohio: Vanilla
West Virginia: Chocolate
FACT: Americans today eat 12.9 pounds of ice cream each year. We also eat 6.0 pounds of low-fat ice cream, 1.4 pounds of frozen yogurt, 0.9 pounds of sherbet and 1.8 pounds of other frozen dairy products.
Sources: Parade Magazine, July 13, 2014 + USDA, Economic Research Service, Trends in U.S. Per Capita Consumption of Dairy Products, 1970-2012
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How to Generate Content to Interest Your Ideal Customer

July 2, 2014 0 comments

The Internet is a noisy, busy place. How can you differentiate your business? How do you get customers to find you?

Having a static website isn’t enough, says Andre Savoie, a WSI marketing consultant, in this webinar. A website is usually company-focused, rather than customer-focused. You need to generate quality marketing content that helps a customer see why they should buy from your business, with a focus instead on your unique selling point. As an added bonus, this content will help your business become more visible on web search results.

How to get started?

Summarize what your business does or offers, in 10 words or less.

Why would a customer buy from you instead of someone else? Determine one thing that sets your business apart from its competitors.

Avoid meaningless superlatives, and stick to things about your business that a potential customer can confirm. Instead of “We’re the best in the business!” use a testimonial from an existing customer who says, “They are the best in the business.”
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Eight videos your company should NEVER make

June 3, 2014 0 comments

By Steve Lubetkin
Podcast & Video Media Producer

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]e’re fascinated by the herd mentality that we find cropping up in the digital world. We had hoped that early adopters of digital technologies would not fall into the same behaviors as their offline predecessors who copied each other’s ideas ad nauseam.

Digital technology only makes it easier to copy tired, clichéd ideas from your competitors, apparently.

We’ve catalogued eight video styles below that have been done to death and should be officially retired.

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AP: Get to the point, and fast

May 30, 2014 0 comments

By Sarah Cocchimiglio
Profitcom Writer & Editor

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he days of long-winded, loquacious media reports are gone.

Earlier this month, The Washington Post reported that the Associated Press had handed down a directive for its wire service writers and editors to keep most news articles to a max of 500 words.

The memo, issued by Associated Press Managing Editor for U.S. News Brian Carovillano, cited the short staffs and dwindling budgets at member publications, who no longer have the resources to trim and tighten lengthy articles to fit small news holes. He also referenced journalistic responsibility, saying, “We are failing to exercise important news judgment when our stories are overlong and not tightly edited.”

Most of the AP’s 2,000 daily stories will now be in the neighborhood of 350-500 words, with top stories and international news given slightly lengthier word budgets – although even these are expected to be tightly written and edited.

To give the directive added emphasis, Carovillano’s memo itself stayed within the guidelines, coming in at 476 words.

When I was in journalism school in the late 90s, I learned the Inverted Pyramid style of writing: Start with the most important information first, because you’ve got to grab your reader’s attention within about the first 30 words, or risk losing them. Write from the top, down. Once you’ve got the reader on the hook, then you deliver the rest of the facts, and hope they read to the end of your story.

Now, with the evolution of digital media, the need for brevity and impact has never been more important, because our readers have never had less time, shorter attention spans or more distractions. We need to be informative and persuasive, while being concise and respectful of every moment of our readers’ time. Less is more.

The new normal for crafting media is becoming short and sweet. The Inverted Pyramid style will certainly still be taught and employed, its shape just a little shorter and a lot skinner.

Happy 50th to the APR ~ Celebrating the Golden Anniversary of PRSA’s Accreditation Program

May 28, 2014 0 comments

By Debbie Israel, APR
Owner & PR + Marketing Strategist

I can still vividly recall the exhilaration of finding out over three decades ago that I had passed PRSA’s accreditation exam. Back then, I eagerly embraced the opportunity to test my PR knowledge and competency while using the study sessions for the oral and written exams (did you catch that…written, for that added touch of nostalgia?) to learn more and grow professionally. My objective was to use PRSA’s Accreditation program to validate whether I had the “right stuff” to continue to build out and grow my career in this direction.

In retrospect, it was one of the best and most motivating professional moments knowing that my commitment to work hard to achieve this goal and credential had paid off, not to mention the tremendous boost in confidence and self-esteem.

To learn more about our “then, now and always” of becoming an Accredited Practitioner (APR), take a few minutes to view our short personal video. And find out why the APR credential continues to be recognized as a PR industry standard and mark of excellence.

Subtitl Public Relations, Happy 50th to the APR ~ Celebrating the Golden Anniversary of PRSA’s Accreditation Program, Profitcom is a public relations and marketing company founded by Debbie Israel, APR and located in Eagleville, PA. Public relations, communications, publicity.

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So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye to consummate journalist, Ralph Collier

February 7, 2013 0 comments

By Debbie Israel, APR
President, PROFIT Communications

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]s I push the rewind button on my thirtysomething-year career in public relations, one of my all-time career highlights was an opportunity to work with writer/editor and on-air radio personality, Ralph Collier in 2007. Much to my surprise, Ralph passed away last week at the age of 91. In my book, one of the great voices with a real heart and soul for the news business was silenced.

There’s a lot of truth in the fact that we learn from what we’re exposed to…good, bad and indifferent. I’m very thankful to have had the chance to rub elbows with the likes of Ralph who interviewed President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Elizabeth Taylor, Bob Hope, Maria Callas, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Julie Andrews and Charlton Heston. [click to continue…]

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