There is so much talk about social media these days, but don't forget: the traditional media (television, radio, newspapers) is still out there. Do you want to get the media's attention? One way is to write a press release.
But how do you go about it?
Canada One has a great tool that will help you through the process: Press Release Builder. This tool takes you through the steps involved, including:
Identifying when to use the press release
Rules for writing press releases
Preparing your information
On-line news release template
Distribution of your release.
The Toronto Public Library also has some books on the subject. Click on the titles below the book covers for more information on each:
Small business people spend a lot of time looking for sources of funding for their endeavors. Is there a place where information is gathered all in one place about this important topic?
The Toronto Public library has some great books on available funding, including both government and non-government opportunities. Click on the book titles to discover the location of these items:
One of the most well-reviewed business books on the global financial crisis of 2008-2009 is the title Too Big to Fail by Andrew Ross Sorkin.
The book is described as a"true-life financial and political thriller that goes behind the scenes of the financial crisis on Wall Street and Washington." Andrew Ross Sorkin "vividly details the backroom deal making and secret alliances made in the rush to save the world economy from collapse".
Andrew Sorkin discusses "the process" or "how the book was created" on BookTV.
The New York Times Book Review states "Sorkin's prodigious reporting and lively writing puts the reader in the room for some of the biggest-dollar conference calls in history. It's an entertaining book, brisk book...Sorkin skillfully captures the raucous enthusiasm and riotous greed that fueled this rational irrationality."
According to The Atlantic Monthly, "Andrew Ross Sorkin pens what may be the defintive history of the banking crisis".
The Toronto Public Library has copies of this title in various formats. They are:
The Canadian Dictionary of Finance and Investment Terms defines Budgeting as "financial planning for the future by individuals and companies to cover projected costs, finance planned investments, and to accumulate cash."
Check out the following current titles in print on Personal Budgets at the Toronto Public Library:
For those interested in finding titles on the actor Errol Flynn, search the Toronto Public Library catalogue with the subject heading Flynn, Errol, 1909-1959.
I visited the new Loblaws at Maple Gardens the other day and was very impressed by how the building was used to create a retail space while at the same time preserving its architectural heritage. Not an easy task. Loblaws has been a fixture in Canada since 1919 when the first store was opened in Toronto by Theodore Pringle Loblaw.
Theodore came to Toronto from Alliston, Ontario with only a few dollars in his pocket. He quickly found work in a grocery store and decided that one day he would own his own business. He began a partnership with J. Milton Cork and together they started a chain of grocery stores making their mark by using innovative merchandising methods that continue to this day.
So, what does it take to be successful in business? Is it persistence, competitive drive, vision or just plain luck? Every successful entrepreneur has their own idea of what it takes to make it big. Do you have what it takes? Want to find out? The library has many biographies of famous entrepreneurs that started out with an idea, just a few dollars in their pocket and lots of ambition. Check out these new titles:
The Harvard Business Review recently published a list of the world's top 50 business thinkers. And of those 50, 4 Canadians were included on the list. Weighing in at number 6, was Roger Martin, dean of the University of Toronto Rotman School of Management, number 9 was Don Tapscott, adjunct professor at Rotman, number 10 was author Malcolm Gladwell, and number 30 was Henry Mintzberg, professor at McGill's Desautels Faculty of Management.
The list is quite fascinating - most are authors of books that could be considered "mainstream" and certainly have been best sellers. Criteria that was used in narrowing down the list included how original or practical their ideas were, their research, and how much of a following each person had in their respective fields. The top award went to Clayton Christensen, a professor at Harvard, who is an expert on innovation. TPL has both of his books - The Innovator's DNA and The Innovative University.
Check out some of the books that our Canadian four have written:
Is there a business thinker that you follow that you think should have been included?
Below is the original blog regarding the Small Business Network which took place on January 10th. Alison Fryer, manager of the Cookbook Store, was a fabulous speaker and the group came away with a lot to think about.
Check this blog regularly for information on next month's session.
Here's the original post:
A reminder that the Toronto Reference Library's Small Business Network meets tonight from 6-7pm.
Alison Fryer will be our special guest tonight. She will discuss how social networking can help your small business.
See last week's post for more information about Alison and on the networking sessions in general.
Meet on the 3rd floor of the library, at the Business, Science and Technology Desk.
It's free, and all are welcome.
It promises to be a very interesting session - come join us!
And of course, if you are interested in cookbooks, have a look at some of the latest received at the Toronto Public Library:
Mark your calendars: Tuesday, January 10th is the first of Toronto Reference Library's Small Business Network sessions for 2012!
Our special guest will be Alison Fryer, who has run the Cookbook Store, Yonge Street, Toronto, for almost 30 years.
Alison will be talking about how a small bricks and mortar business can incorporate social media to gain customers and media attention. She will be speaking for about 15 minutes, and then will take questions for 10 minutes. We will then begin our networking session.
What exactly do we do during a networking session? We first introduce ourselves and spend about one minute telling about ourselves. Then we ask each other questions. In this way we can all aquire the wisdom each of us has gained through our small business endeavors.
It's a great opportunity to get to know your peers: people who, like you, are either dreaming about, starting, or running a small business. All are welcome.
Note that the start time of the Small Business Network has changed for 2012. We will now be meeting from 6-7pm. As always, meet on the third floor of the Toronto Reference Library by the Business, Science and Technology Department Reference Desk.
In the meantime, check out 5 Questions With Alison Fryer on the Good Food Revolution website for some insite into how the cookbook industry has changed over the years that The CookBook Store has been in business.
Speaking of stores, here are some Toronto Public Library books on starting and running a retail store. Click on the titles to find details and locations.
Humor in advertising can be very effective if it is "done right". Humor, at times, works very well because it can attract attention to your business or product.
Adweek recently released a list of the 10 best commercials for 2011. Here are a couple of advertisements that used humor effectively and thereby gained attention.
1. Cravendale - Cat with Thumbs
"Why do cats stare when you're pouring milk? The answer seems obvious. They're cats. They love milk. But this irresistible spot by Wieden + Kennedy for British dairy Cravendale wondered if the cute little kitties might not have a more nefarious agenda. After a lifetime of waiting on their owner's generosity, perhaps they want to take matters into their own paws. Maybe they're ready to band together and raid your milk supply. They would need just one thing, and this spot humorously gives it to them—opposable thumbs. Suddenly, the polydactyl felines are seen picking up balls, filing their nails, flipping through books, and doing a little needlepoint. But they're just biding their time and honing their sinister plot. Sure enough, soon they're snapping their fingers, West Side Story style, and preparing to gang up on the selfish, cereal-eating human and steal his milk. Cats are always big in ads, but this spot chased off all rivals this year." Source: The 10 Best Commercials of 2011 : The Year's Most Impeccable Craft and Storytelling in Advertising by Tim Nudd.
2. Volkswagen - The Force
"Resistance is futile. At 7:33 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011, Volkswagen unleashed one of the great crowd-pleasing TV ads of all time on Fox's broadcast of Super Bowl XLV. "The Force," from Deutsch/ LA, ingeniously conceived and perfectly executed, more than lived up to its name. It took two familiar ad themes—kids and Star Wars—and merged them to create that most rare species: a true global (who knows, maybe intergalactic) pop-culture phenomenon. Backed by the imposing sounds of "The Imperial March," a child in a Darth Vader suit roams his suburban home, attempting to bend inanimate objects (and the family dog) to his will with Jedi mind tricks. He fails utterly—until Dad gets home in his Volkswagen Passat. The kid races out to the driveway and focuses all of his metaphysical energy on the midsize sedan. It roars to life obediently—thanks to Dad activating the remote starter from the house. The boy steps back, thunderstruck by his own supernatural powers. The spot's metrics are astounding: 44 million views on YouTube, a reported 6.8 billion impressions worldwide, more than $100 million in earned media—all from such a simple execution. The spot, while visually strong, isn't a wonder of craft or technique. It's a triumph of fun, unadorned storytelling, which clearly goes a long way. Few ads in history have been as charming, as clever, as perfectly paced, or as well loved as this. Simply the best of 2011." Source: The 10 Best Commercials of 2011 : The Year's Most Impeccable Craft and Storytelling in Advertising by Tim Nudd.
As indicated, these two "best" ads for 2011 have apparently used humor successfully.
For more information on the use of humor in advertising and its advantages and/or disadvantages, check out the following titles at the Toronto Public Library:
For additional books, search the Toronto Public Library catalogue with the subject heading Wit and humor in advertising.
For articles on this topic, try searching the following online databases at the Toronto Public Library website: (Note: An active Toronto Public Library card is required for access)
Canadian Business and Current Affairs (CBCA) Recommended Basic Searches: Humor and Advertising Humor and Advertising campaigns Humor and Television advertising Humor and Marketing
JSTOR Recommended Advanced Searches: Humor and Advertising Humorous advertising
About the Blog
Welcome! We are specialized librarians in our business department and we write about current issues for small business owners and those interested in personal finance matters. For more information and resources see our Small Business & Personal Finance page.
