http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/health/medicine/construction-injuries-effective-pain-management-and-rapid-care.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/medicine/construction-injuries-effective-pain-management-and-rapid-care.html Mon, 09 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0500
There is a direct link between effective pain management and rapid care following an injury.

Inflammation occurs rapidly in the acute stage following an injury, quickly building up as the body attempts to neutralize toxins and begin the repair process. Pain can escalate after the acute phase of an injury, and continue as a result of damaged tissue and other injuries, and if not treated, can often lead to inflammatory conditions known as chronic pain.

Common construction related injuries include slip and fall accidents, crane and scaffolding accidents, welding rod accidents and dangerous or defective equipment accidents. Other causes of accidents are vehicular injuries while operating vehicles and machinery or from driving to and from the workplace.

By far, the most common accident at construction sites is a fall, either on the same level or from significant height. While the most serious construction injuries are caused by falling from great heights, strained or sprained arms, legs, and backs are very common construction injuries; usually a result of lifting heavy objects. In fact, the back is the part of the body most frequently injured at work accounting for nearly 25 percent of all work-related injuries.

Effective diagnosis and pain management techniques

Over the last twenty years, many chemical and anatomic pain pathways have been identified and studied, helping to diagnose and treat painful injuries. The Board Certified Anesthesiologist and Pain Medicine Specialist can perform diagnostic injections, usually with enhanced fluoroscopic guidance, to isolate and confirm the source of the patient’s pain. Once identified, these painful structures are medically treated.

Epiduroscopy is the insertion of a fiber optic filament through a needle directly into the spine. This is connected to a television monitor to visualize the inside of the spinal canal, spinal cord and spinal nerves. This procedure has been effective in making accurate diagnosis, accomplishing precise injections, cutting of epidural adhesions and scar tissue and in the removal of toxins liberated by injured discs.

Pioneering pain management techniques performed by Board Certified Pain Management physicians include highly specific injection procedures eliminating pain at its source by isolating the nerve ending to the painful spot. Medication can be injected at the exact site of the injury or compressive lesion, eliminating the pain and allowing the injured party to return to a level of previous activity.

How many are injured in Construction Accidents?

According to the National Center for Personal Injury Protection and Control, one out of every 10 US construction workers is accidentally injured every year. In 2003, 400,000 people suffered construction accident injuries so severe that they were forced to miss work that same year.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2005 a total of 4.2 million injuries and illnesses were reported in private industry workplaces, and about 2.2 million of these required days off work or restricted duties.

Who Pays for Care when a Worker is Injured?

According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), nine out of 10 people in the nation’s workforce are protected by workers compensation insurance, which is required for nearly all employees. Injured workers receive all approved medically necessary and appropriate treatment from the first day of injury or illness.

Treatment will be provided at no cost to the injured for medically necessary care approved and provided by authorized health care providers. Approved treatment can include doctor appointments, diagnostic testing, surgery, hospital and physician care, mileage reimbursement to and from all medical providers, and any other medical items or treatment ordered by your authorized physician.

Rather than simply administering pain medication, Board Certified Interventional Pain Management physicians diagnose the sources of pain and provide immediate pain relief through minimally invasive techniques. These techniques arrest the inflammatory process and limit further tissue damage, returning the injured structure to normal function. Board Certified Pain Management Physicians are an important resource for the both the patient and the employer, helping the injured quickly return to productive employment and pre-injury activity levels.





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Want more information about pain management physicians?

Leslie McKerns, McKerns Development is a writer specializing in expertise in the professions. http://www.freewebs.com/mckernsdevelopment/


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/health/medicine/pain-management-as-a-method-of-first-resort-not-last.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/medicine/pain-management-as-a-method-of-first-resort-not-last.html Mon, 02 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Creative, innovative solutions to previously persistent painful disorders are increasingly making surgery unnecessary. Pain management includes pain alleviating treatment for back pain, neck pain, nerve pain, work related injuries, cancer related pain, traumatic insult, Sciatica (compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve), Spinal Stenosis (build-up of bone in the spinal cavity), Spinal Cord Injuries, Post Stroke Pain, Shingles, Herniated Disks and Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) also known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.

Pioneering pain management techniques performed by Board Certified Pain Management physicians include highly specific injection procedures eliminating pain at its source by isolating the nerve ending to the painful spot. The breakthrough process numbs or freezes the nerve and keeps it numb for up to a year. Benefits include avoiding costly major surgery, lengthy recovery times and the risks of infection or debilitating complications.

Who experiences pain?

According to the American Chronic Pain Association, pain affects 86 million Americans, causing losses to US business and industry of $90 billion. Back pain is the leading cause of disability in Americans under 45 years old, and more than 26 million Americans between the ages of 20 and 64 will have back pain during their lifetime. Many back pain problems occur following injury, strain and accidents causing fractures, lumbar muscle strains and ruptured/herniated discs.

Other causes of pain include degenerative changes caused by the normal aging process. The US Census bureau reported 78.2 million Baby Boomers in 2005, (nearly a quarter of the U.S. population). In 2006 there were 7,918 people turning 60 each day—representing 330 every hour. Baby Boomers are an active generation—working longer and playing harder than previous generations. Sports activities, repetitive stress and ambitious weekend projects account for painful conditions and injuries.

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF), osteoporosis is responsible for more than 300,000 bone fractures annually, costing the nation $17 billion. According to the NOF, osteoporosis affects 44 million American men and women age 50 and older, and one in two women and one in four men in this age group will break a bone due to osteoporosis.

Recent advances in technology, new techniques and minimally invasive procedures in interventional pain medicine have eliminated many of the sources of pain, allowing patients to return to a normal level of activity.

What is the non-invasive nature of the treatment?

Over the last twenty years, many chemical and anatomic pain pathways have been identified and studied. The Board Certified pain medicine specialist often performs diagnostic injections, usually with enhanced fluoroscopic guidance. These injections isolate and confirm the source of the patient’s pain. Once identified, these painful structures are medically treated.

Medication can be injected at the exact site of the injury or compressive lesion. Epiduroscopy is the insertion of a fiber optic filament through a needle directly into the spine. This is connected to a television monitor to visualize the inside of the spinal canal, spinal cord and spinal nerves. This procedure has been effective in making accurate diagnosis, accomplishing precise injections, cutting of epidural adhesions and scar tissue and the removal of toxins liberated by injured discs.

Injured or painful facet joints can be injected with steroids. If long-term pain relief is not accomplished, these patients are often treated with Radiofrequency rhyzotomies. These Radiofrequency procedures numb the facet joints and eliminate the patient’s pain for approximately one year. These are outpatient or office procedures, which often provide immediate pain relief and allow the patient to return home after a 30-45 minute recovery period.

Discogenic pain due to injured and herniated discs is now being treated with new outpatient procedures called an IDET (Intradiscal Electrothermal Treatment) procedure and a Nucleoplasty. A special wire electrode is inserted through a needle into a disc and directed to the affected area of the disc herniation. Once in place, the electrode is heated with Radiofrequency or designed to create an electromagnetic field. This causes cauterization and vaporization of the disc, proliferation and tightening of the protein matrix of the disc, shrinking of small herniations and disc denervation or numbing. The final effect of this process is the relief of pain and the creation of more collagen within the disc.

Rather than simply administering pain medication, Board Certified Pain Management physicians diagnose the sources of pain and provide pain relief through these and other minimally invasive techniques.



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Want to know more about Board Certified Pain Management physicians and minimally invasive treatment options?

Leslie McKerns of McKerns Development writes about issues in the professions. http://www.freewebs.com/mckernsdevelopment/


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/sustainability-the-future-is-here-and-its-full-of-holes.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/sustainability-the-future-is-here-and-its-full-of-holes.html Sat, 23 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0500 The future of building technology is here and it’s full of holes. The Swiss cheese exoskeleton shell of COR, the first sustainable, mixed use condominium in Miami, Florida is a hyper-efficient smart skin simultaneously providing the building structure, thermal mass for insulation, shading for natural cooling, terrace enclosures, armatures for energy producing turbines, and loggias for congregating at the ground level.

COR, represents a dynamic synergy between architecture, structural engineering and ecology. The design is not only revolutionary in sustainable terms, but in visual impact. The impression of this building is arresting even in light of the current architectural trend towards irregular, non-linear features exploding upon the recent architectural landscape. The building rises 400 feet, and seems to float over the city as a futuristic and ethereal being, punctuated by a multitude of round Swiss Cheese holes, which at times come together to form a living bubble-on-pond effect.

The architect credits the developer for being receptive to the unusual design wherein the structure of the building is both the skin and an aperture to hold the wind turbines. Oppenheim notes that COR evolved from a complex architectural study including careful analysis of its site. The surprise of the design arises from its functionality and its vision in creating an energy efficient sustainable building. Oppenheim states that he views building materials as opportunities to provide dual uses—for example, the skin of COR is not just cladding, it provides an armature for wind turbines, protection from the sun and forms an arcade at the ground level.

Rising 400’, or 25 stories above Miami’s Design District, COR extracts power from its environment utilizing the latest in advancements in wind turbines, photovoltaic technology and solar hot water generation. With an estimated completion date of 2010, COR is 480,000 square feet, with 113 residential units ranging in size from 700 to 2,000 sf, with prices from $300,00 to 1 million. COR will have a café, 2 restaurants, office space and live work galleries.

Sustainable design is architecture that creates a minimal impact on the environment and makes maximum and intelligent use of the world’s dwindling resources. Sustainability and green design also includes creating healthy indoor environments.

Water is becoming the new frontier for concern, both through density and drought. Green and sustainable elements in COR include water harvesting, capturing rain water and roof run-off in cisterns, using filtration systems in recycling grey water produced from washing machines, dishwashers and other household and light business use, and filtering it for use again as irrigation.

The wind farm on the roof of COR will generate power-reducing dependency on electric power and saving energy by producing solar hot water. Energy efficient appliances with energy star features will be using less water overall. LED lighting will be used instead of incandescent, natural daylight will flood interiors through energy efficient glass, and the multi use building shell provides thermal mass for insulation and shading for outdoor terraces and cooking.

COR has been received with applause. Unanimously approved by the Urban Design Review Board of the City of Miami, the project represents the ideals fostered by Miami Mayor, Manny Diaz for its properties of green and ecologically sustainable sound design. Oppenheim is a part of Mayor Diaz’ Green Committee.

Oppenheim notes that this project may represent solutions for the concerns of global warming, dwindling resources such as land and water, and competition for fewer and fewer resources. Certainly it blazes across the new frontier of sustainability.



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Need to contact a writer that understands the building, architecture and design industry? Visit http://www.freewebs.com/mckernsdevelopment/ and read more great articles in the Feature Articles and Press section.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/business/branding/the-one-two-punch-of-brand-building-how-to-build-a-knockout-brand.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/branding/the-one-two-punch-of-brand-building-how-to-build-a-knockout-brand.html Fri, 06 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500 How do you go about building a knockout brand? Here’s the one two punch of brand building, and it might not be what you think. Think values and trust, not just colors and logos.

Building a Brand is about (1) what you stand for and (2) the value that brings to those exposed to your brand. If what you stand for is a value system that others want, and want to identify with, you will be able to make your brand easily recognizable.


1. Start by developing a mission statement. This will be the reason you exist and the value you create. In order to become recognizable, your mission statement must be brief, yet contain the essence of your purpose. (What are you trying to do?)

· A mission statement for a bank might be: To be the greatest financial strength in the industry in order to provide maximum lending opportunities for our customers.

· Or, your bank may be built on relationships: To bring back hometown banking based on community relationships and values.

2. Develop a memorable tagline. Your tagline will express who you are and what you do.

Financial Strength--For Life’s Big Opportunities. (Bank One above)

With Good Friends and Neighbors, Hospitality Counts. (Bank Two above)

3. Create a recognizable face for your company. When someone sees anything written or spoken about a company, they should be able to identify both the company and the values behind it (low cost leader or custom and handcrafted?)

Hire a branding company to develop your brand image—(web, stationery, colors, logo, tagline, mission statement, business cards, postcards, brochures, collateral, newsletters, mailers, rate sheets, warranties, informational cards, posters, signage, advertisements, letters, project sheets, bios, headshots, products, product names, branded or corporate clothing, etc.)

3. Build Trust. To be believable, you must build trust with your audience. What is the desired public image of your business or service? Consider how you will go about demonstrating the moral and ethical position of the business or service, the description of your products and services, your geographic market and your target market.

4. Develop Values. Your values should mirror the mission statement. Honest, ethical treatment of others, care and compassion, dedicated service, quality craftsmanship in the creation and delivery of products and services, rapid and responsible, reliable and repeatable. Absorb the values into your company culture, rules and systems, and let others know of your expectations. If you build a company brand on providing the freshest quality, farm-to-you produce, you ensure the ripest berries, non-wilted lettuce, crisp, bright carrots and a strict-date freshness—always.

5. Seek and Reward Brand Loyalty. Build and reward brand loyalty. Those who simply would not go anywhere else to seek such a valuable service or product will do your marketing for you. You know and reward your customers with brand loyalty programs—giving them what they expected and more.

Building a Brand is about (1) what you stand for and (2) the value that brings to those exposed to your brand. Branding your company is not only the name and visible recognition; it is your face in the community—what people think of, and know you stand for when they hear your name, your products or your people. If you don’t have trust, you don’t have a brand. Branding is when a need is met and trust is fulfilled.



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McKerns Development is a West Palm Beach, Florida based company specializing in strategic branding, marketing, Press and PR. See free tips on branding, samples, and six (6) unique flat rate service packages for branding, PR and business development at http://www.freewebs.com/mckernsdevelopment

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/business/pr/who-else-wants-to-hit-the-pr-jackpot.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/pr/who-else-wants-to-hit-the-pr-jackpot.html Fri, 06 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500
As a business leader, you are constantly reading publications, studying their content and consistently reading articles about your competitors. Having heard that what others say about you is weighed more heavily than what you say about yourself, you understand the value of PR. How can you hit the PR jackpot and attract interest to you, your firm and services?

Select Ideas that Sell. You (or your PR firm) need to devise irresistible ideas. Here are some Leads that Hook Editors:

1. “Unique” astounds. Unforgettable people, places, fresh ideas or unique opportunities.
2. Success sells. Strategies to increase power, politics, prestige or profits.
3. Money talks. The high side and the low side of money. When money is no object, how is value determined? What is low budget, but worthy?
4. Luxury tantalizes. Luxury living, luxurious people, luxurious places, luxurious products.
5. Money is wise. Avoiding hidden costs, getting the best rates, negotiating best value or the best terms.
6. Secrecy intrigues. Confidential secrets or sources revealed.
7. Seasons Celebrate. Seasonal tie-ins (check with magazines well in advance, six to eight months is the norm.)
8. Novelty sells. If you or what you are doing is unique it can be made interesting to the press.
9. Expertise excites. What do you know that others don’t?
10. Leaders lead. Leadership strategies to get others to follow you, your company and your ideas.
11. Leaders Teach. Lessons Learned. (It has been said that no one wants to learn, they want to know—so use your best story telling techniques with this one.)
12. Trends garner interest. Lifestyle and current trend tie-ins—what are you and your associates doing (or going) that is trendy, trend setting, noteworthy and repeatable or truly one of a kind?
13. Danger dominates. Pitfalls or other dangerous aspects of business and how-to- avoid-it.
14. Succession succeeds. Strategies for succession planning and how you made it work.
15. Success breeds success. Financial success, Life success. How-to-achieve it, how to pass it along.
16. Technology tickles. How have you used technology to your advantage? What have you accomplished with new applications such as Web 2.0, mash ups and social networking for business?
17. Mirth brings merriment. What have you heard that was downright funny? How did it change your perception?
18. The best is the best; the rest is the rest. What do you use and why is it the best?

All of these topics are interesting to editors. Use them and you just may hit the PR jackpot. Some of these topics are obviously more suited to certain expertise and publications more than others. But, if you stick to exploring your connection to the human needs of safety, security, shelter, belonging, esteem (confidence, achievement, respect by others) and self actualization (creativity, problem solving) you will be in tune with what motivates and therefore interests the reader and the press.

Avoid being a one hit wonder in the PR world. While it is great to get an interesting article, it will only benefit your bottom line if you strive for consistent public and media relations, built on the core of your business and what you are trying to achieve. Devise a strategy of consistent PR and brainstorm how to achieve it over time.


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Leslie McKerns is owner of McKerns Development, a Florida based PR, media relations, marketing and strategic business development firm. She specializes on getting businesses to the next level by promoting their goals in the press. Get more tips on media interviews,branding your firm, free samples and six (6) unique service packages for press and PR at http://www.freewebs.com/mckernsdevelopment

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/business/marketing/powerful-marketing-in-7-baby-steps.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/marketing/powerful-marketing-in-7-baby-steps.html Fri, 06 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500 It often takes seven points of contact to influence a sale; therefore you’ll need 7 Baby Steps toward Powerful Marketing. In Baby Steps Marketing you will work systematically backwards through the seven steps that lead to credibility, trust and acceptance.

In What About Bob, Dr. Leo Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss), a respected psychiatrist, has a best seller out -- Baby Steps, which is all about taking problems a little bit at a time. On the Dave Ramsey Show, the chief financial guru takes baby steps into real life with Baby Steps financial counseling.

Now, what if you could use a Baby Steps Marketing Method to achieve your marketing goals?

In Baby Step Marketing your highest goal would be Number 7, your most comprehensive and therefore largest (in dollars) offering.

In your Baby Steps Marketing System you will start by creating your most comprehensive (and therefore costly) service and putting that out there. Now you will work backwards in taking your client through the baby steps necessary for them to trust and want this ultimate product or service from you.

Baby Step One—You might direct your interested party to your website where they can download a free copy of tips and articles, results of a poll or research study, filling their need for more information and demonstrating that you are trusted source for this information.

Baby Step Two—You might offer a free subscription to your ezine, newsletter or blog.

Baby Step Three—You might offer free downloads of your e-book, white paper or case studies, filled with how to’s, results and reference material from you and other trusted sources in your affiliate marketing program.

Baby Step Four— You might offer tickets to your speaking engagement or an industry event where you can meet.

Baby Step Five— You might offer a special discounted purchase of a copy of your published book or e-book; with the purchase of tools and supplies such as a workbook or templates.

Baby Step Six—You might ask them to sign up for the purchase of an e-course (delivered via e-mail in a series of consumable e-mail short lessons), coaching session, pod-cast, web cast or web conference. (These are constructed and offered through a variety of readily accessible and excellent on-line resources.)

Baby Step Seven—You are ready to offer your highest level of service. If you are a professional services supplier, such as an architect, this might be your fee to design the latest multi-story mixed use urban waterfront project. Or if you are a coaching consultant, or an advertising company, you may have a substantial monthly consulting fee that a client pays to stay onboard with you for a set period, say a year.

In your Baby Steps Marketing Method, you created quality offerings that led your clients to see you as knowledgeable, trustworthy and credible. Each time they purchased something or read something you offered you helped them consume it (understand and use it effectively), and nurtured the contact to the next level. Each Baby Steps Marketing Method step is an opportunity to stay in touch and build credibility and trust to that next level.

The seventh level in your Baby Steps Marketing Method is where you wanted to be all along!






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McKerns Development, is a West Palm Beach, FL based PR, Marketing, Business Development firm, working with firms to increase visibility, promote their projects and services, reach the right customers and build business. For six (6) unique flat rate service packages, articles and free samples visit
http://www.freewebs.com/mckernsdevelopment

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/business/pr/what-does-a-publicist-do-the-secret-weapon-that-makes-the-sizzle.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/pr/what-does-a-publicist-do-the-secret-weapon-that-makes-the-sizzle.html Fri, 06 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500 Virtually all sizzling firms use a secret weapon to dominate their market. What is the secret weapon that differentiates a sizzling firm ?

The answer is that sizzling firms have a publicist. A publicist’s prime job is to get non-fee based press coverage. Non-fee based coverage means that you are never required to advertise or pay advertorial fees for the stories that appear in magazines and newspapers.

Studies demonstrate that a professional publicist is the single most effective thing you can do to promote your company, usually increasing a firm’s visibility and business by 85% with consistent effort over a minimum of a one year span. Without adding either staff or advertising dollars.

A Publicist does more than just distribute press releases to the media. Here is what a publicist can do for your firm:

1. A Publicist determines your goals and creates the most effective press and stories to reach those goals.

2. A Publicist writes high impact feature stories about you, your firm, your products, services and people.

3. A Publicist has the connections to place news and feature stories in some of the most highly read business, financial, real estate, glossy magazines and newspapers in your industry.

4. A Publicist gets high impact, high-readership stories about you and your firm in the magazines and newspapers that your clients and industry actually read. A publicist can do this because they understand the types of stories these media outlets want and have built a consistent professional relationship with them over time.

5. A Publicist establishes a true presence for your company, product or services. This is because a media story typically has more credibility with an audience than an advertisement.

6. A Publicist heightens public interest and the interest of potential investors or business partners, allowing you to reach thousands of influential decision-makers at once.

7. A Publicist allows you to capture and maintain geographic locations, national and international markets by branding your company and what your company stands for, not just your product.

8. A Publicist maintains an active, focused and targeted interaction with the media; knowing each market and audience.

9. A Publicist cultivates excellent contacts in the media because a Publicist knows where to pitch a certain type of story.

10. A Publicist has an active, immediate up-to-date contact list for mail, e-mail, and phone contact and updates this constantly knowing that these contacts frequently change.

11. A Publicist develops regular contact with national media outlets, and is in regular contact with journalists, editors, writers and producers from national and local magazines, newspapers and radio/TV programs.

12. A Publicist uses multiple resources such as PR Wires, AP sources, media contacts, keyword placement, searchable content, internet placement, and multiple linking to place your stories, get high ranking on the internet and get feature stories picked up by the media.

13. A Publicist presents you and your firm as an authority on a particular topic and arranges interviews. A Publicist uses media expertise to prep their clients, and teaches methods to promote the company, product or service without sounding awkward. You capitalize on every interview and maximize each opportunity to the fullest.

14. A Publicist creates or enhances your marketing goals, collateral, direct mail and advertising and crafts effective response mechanisms.

15. A Publicist enters you in the most respected awards in your industry, and will be on hand drafting your acceptance speech.

16. A Publicist creates and handles communication for your events. A Publicist creates a press packet for the media that is almost guaranteed not to be discarded.

17. A Publicist tailors your corporate communications to be absolutely effective. A Publicist knows the role of Marketing, Publicity and Promotion--how they differ and how to use them all.

Remember, virtually all sizzling firms use a secret weapon to dominate their market. Now you know what the secret weapon is that differentiates a sizzling firm.



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McKerns Development, PR, Marketing, Business Development, works with professional firms and small business owners to increase visibility, promote their projects and services, reach the right customers and build business. Want some sizzle in your business? For six (6) unique service packages, free resources and information how PR goes about building your business visit http://www.freewebs.com/mckernsdevelopment


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/business/marketing/top-5-marketing-tips-for-busy-executives.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/marketing/top-5-marketing-tips-for-busy-executives.html Fri, 06 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500
I have a favorite financial radio show--Dave Ramsey. He answers questions by saying, If I woke up in your shoes, here’s what I would do. Now I am going to say the same thing to you busy executives that do not have the time to market your business.

Number One thing I’d do if I woke up in your shoes and did not have the time to market my business:
I’d fire my less than ideal clients, and replace them only when you find clients that energize and inspire you, and most importantly, clients with whom you do your best work. This is based on marketing guru, Michael Port’s Red Velvet Rope Policy as outlined in his popular books and lectures.

Number Two: I’d do the same with any staffer or individual who saps your energy and your productivity. Fire them and replace them only when you find stellar individuals who bring more to the table than they take away. This method assumes that you understand that in any relationship, both must benefit.

Number Three: I’d hire an independent publicist and provide that person with an overall understanding of my brand—what I’m trying to achieve with my business and where I see it in five years. I’d give the publicist 12 (one per month) ideas for stories and press about my firm that I think will get the attention I deserve while promoting the true core nature of my business. I’d schedule a meeting per month via the internet to review ideas and see progress.

Number Four: I’d find four key steps to building trust and credibility—once you build trust and credibility, business will follow. The four areas can be with your clients, with your staff, with your associates and complementary business contacts and with your community. The action steps can be to find ways that you can interact and impact these groups—while you benefit them, you will benefit yourself and your business. Brainstorm trust and credibility on a daily basis. What makes you trust and believe your chosen leaders? What activities can you pursue and actions can you take that demonstrate worthiness? What is valued in your industry and professional community?

Number Five: I’d find four (one per quarter) places per year to be that will have the most impact in my life and in my business. Those four places to be can be an industry event that you attend, an industry event that you sponsor, a speaking engagement, a charitable event, a community or family event—or any four of your choice that will get you visible, contributing and interacting in key places.

Do you see how doing these five things brings meaning to you, your business and your core values? Replacing energy and time sapping activities and people will do wonders for your business and make the time you can spend marketing most valuable.





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Leslie McKerns is owner of West Palm Beach, FL based McKerns Development,a PR, Marketing and Strategic Business Development firm, increasing visibility in the media, promoting their projects products and services in the press, reaching the right customers and building dynamic business. For six (6) unique service packages, articles, and free samples visit http://www.freewebs.com/mckernsdevelopment

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/business/pr/how-to-give-great-media-interviews.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/pr/how-to-give-great-media-interviews.html Fri, 06 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Here are five top tips to give a great media interview including what will make your interview outstanding and contribute to a great article.

As a Publicist and writer, I am constantly called upon to interview subjects for magazine feature and news articles. People always ask me, can you get me published? What they are really asking is, why would the news or feature magazines want a story about me?

Magazines want a story when it is lively, unusual, informative, educational or entertaining and follows the format that the publication uses and the public reads. Before you are interviewed for a print publication, do some advance preparation.


1. Take responsibility for giving a great media interview. Know exactly what you would like to get across to the reader. Practice steering your interview back to your central topic with bridging statements. Bridging statements are used during the interview when you sense that a reporter is veering off course from your chosen message. Examples of bridging statements are, I think your readers would be interested to know, that reminds me of a similar issue, let me just add that, I think you’ll agree, another relevant point is, you are correct in that, but I think I’d add.

2. Send the interviewer advance information. Include background information on you and your topic. If you know something particularly interesting about the subject, share it in your notes.

3. Be interesting. Use colorful, lively and descriptive wording. Think about the central theme of your article and craft one or two quotes that you can weave into your great media interview. If you don’t know how to be interesting, study how other people provide great interviews. Start a clip file and review it often. Think about your work or the information you want to share with the media. What comments could you make that are a lively take on the issues? What unusual or informative perspective can you share? What stories, incidents or statistics back up your news?

4. Use only great photographs. Unless you know that the publication is going to do a photo shoot, you will be asked to supply quality artwork to accompany your article. Never send a reporter or publicist a photograph representing you or your work unless it is outstanding. You have read magazines, right? When reading your favorite magazine, do you want to read an article with a blurry, dark, or poor resolution photo? Your excellent photograph should be publication resolution of at least 300 dpi and open to 5x7 or larger.

5. Subscribe and read. Make a list of the publications that you and your potential clients actually read. Make the list as diverse as possible by including trade, consumer, financial and business publications. Read these publications and take note of the style and content. You will be prepared to participate in excellent media interviews when you fully understand the publication.

In order to give great media interviews you must prepare in advance, be a lively and interesting subject and take active steps to guide the interview to keep it on course.






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Leslie McKerns is owner of McKerns Development, a Florida based PR, media relations, marketing and strategic business development firm. She specializes on getting businesses to the next level by promoting their goals in the press. Get more tips on media interviews, samples and service packages for press and PR at http://www.freewebs.com/mckernsdevelopment

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/business/branding/branding-your-company-what-increases-name-recognition.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/branding/branding-your-company-what-increases-name-recognition.html Fri, 06 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500
As a branding expert, companies often come to me asking, what can I do to increase my firm’s name recognition?

So, what can a company do to increase name recognition? Here are twenty-five (25) ways you can begin branding your company and increase the name recognition of your firm.

1. Hire a branding company to bring your image and message under a brand. Develop all collateral and image materials (web, stationery, logo, tagline, mission statement, cards, postcards, brochures, elevator pitch, newsletters, letters, project sheets, resumes, bios, firm description, etc.) to coincide with the brand and your message.

2. Develop a mission statement that shows your reason for being and the value you provide to your customers.


3. Develop a memorable tagline that expresses who you are and what you do.

4. Make a matrix of all those you’d like to reach in the next year and the potential influencers on those people. Develop a timetable and calendar of outreach.


5. Regularly write and issue press releases to the media.

6. Regularly write and post press releases to your website.


7. Regularly write and post press releases directly onto the internet.

8. Regularly write articles and do all three of the above.


9. Regularly write and pitch feature story ideas to the media.

10. Diversify all marketing, PR and media to reach the markets where your clients are to be found (as opposed to marketing within your own service industry).


11. Participate (attend, speak, host, present, show) in at least two national and local industry conferences.

12. Create and issue an online or direct mail newsletter.


13. Get known for niche expertise or specific industry knowledge. (speak, write, present, teach).

14. Participate in professional internship programs.


15. Participate and sponsor local charitable efforts; get your name in the program the charitable cause distributes; get your name in the press surrounding the event.

16. Get to know all potential teaming partners in your new geographic area. Let them know your people, your areas of expertise and potential for cross referrals.


17. Develop collateral material with a regional bent; think what projects, services, people or elements might be important to this new market and capture this regional tone in all collateral material.

18. Develop tip sheets as to how your company is different than your competitors and why this makes a difference to teaming partners and to your end users—your potential clients. Include these differentiating tips as the basis for all your branding statements.


19. Develop a calendar of local and regional events in your locale and make your company visible in the areas most related to your company and your potential clients’ interests.

20. Post your calendar of appearances and participation on your website.


21. Plan a media release before and after each event.

22. Hire an industry professional to conduct a survey on your behalf; post the results on your website. Publicize the results most important to your industry.


23. Update your website to be informational based so that search engines can find you, and clients can read in-depth material demonstrating your expertise.

24. Add informational website content a minimum of four times per month.


25. Establish your brand by regularly updating the financial value or potential value associated with your brand. Quantify results achieved and add these results to your brand value. Communicate through all methods, the value of your brand to those associated with it.

Branding your company is key to influencing a memorable response in the minds of your chosen audience. It is not only the name recognition of your firm, but also the perceived value of your organization. Capture these twenty-five essential branding elements and begin to cement a positive branded image for your firm.





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McKerns Development is a Florida based Strategic Marketing, PR and Branding firm, specializing in 6 service packages bringing brand identity and revenue to firms in business to business, business to consumer, medical, development, professional services and non-profits. See free tips, information, samples and packages for lead generation, marketing, press and publicity, consulting, business development and branding at
http:///www.freewebs.com/mckernsdevelopment

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>