Wrong!

You watch the shows. You delight in the surprises. You imagine the windfall of business that will come. Then you wonder: Could I do that? 

Good question. 

The fact is, when it comes to reality TV, you have to be real AND really entertaining. In fact, the more entertaining, the better.

You should also plan to put your busy schedule on hold to go film an episode. There will be cameras invading your life at the office, at home, at church, and more. Oh, and remember, you’re not invited into the editing room. So when the director says “Action,” everything is fair game. 

Still up for the ride?

When the show and the participant are a true match, there’s no doubt that the exposure can be golden. 

Take Dina Dwyer-Owens, chairwoman and CEO of The Dwyer Group, for instance.

BizCom Associates secured Dina’s entrance into the world of reality TV with an appearance on the two-time Emmy-nominated CBS hit “Undercover Boss.” The episode aired on January 22.

In return, a whole new audience now puts a face with the business that is The Dwyer Group and the company’s Code of Values. That’s a brave and important message that tells the general public what to expect of her company and its service brands.

So, how did she do?

The numbers speak for themselves: more than 10 million viewers, 647 job applications, 568 new franchise leads, and a 3,500% increase in hits to the company’s website….so far!

If you didn’t see the episode, you can watch it here:

http://www.cbs.com/shows/undercover_boss/video/2188880598/undercover-boss-the-dwyer-group
 

Are you taking full advantage of your Super Sunday?

By Scott White
Feb. 3, 2012

BizCom clients Wingstop, Pizza Inn and Twin Peaks, know how. And it's not by pouring millions of dollars into a Super Bowl ad.

While players and fans of the New England Patriots and New York Giants have been reaping the benefits of advancing to the Super Bowl over the past two weeks, Pizza Inn, Wingstop and Twin Peaks were reaping the rewards of a publicity blitz designed to capitalize on the pre-Super Bowl coverage.

From USA Today to local morning shows to high profile national blogs, these three companies -- all selling a different product -- were able to insert themselves into news stories that delivered tens of thousands of dollars worth of publicity that reached potential customers.

• For Pizza Inn, it was commenting on local and national coverage of pizza's traditional role as a staple at football watching parties.
• For Wingstop, it was joining the national discussion of how chicken wings are challenging pizza as the favorite of Super Bowl parties; in local markets, it was live on-air examples from the “experts” on how to properly toss and sauce wings.
• For Twin Peaks, it was inclusion in coverage of the best places in each market to watch the Super Bowl.

Of course not every business has a natural tie to the Super Bowl. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have your own Super Sunday. Perhaps it’s July Fourth. Or maybe it’s Hurricane Season. Or maybe it’s Spring Break.

Whatever your “Super Sunday,” you can always find a few days or events around which you can develop a publicity campaign.

BizCom Account Supervisor Leah Templeton, who has developed highly successful campaigns around Super Sunday, provides the following keys.

1. START EARLY

Planning for your campaign needs to begin months, if not a year, before.

For Wingstop, for example, Leah's team reviews the results as soon as the Super Bowl is over. They evaluate what worked and brainstorm ideas for the next year.

Actual planning for the publicity campaign begins about two months before the Super Bowl as Leah’s team begins compiling stats, identifying what visuals are available and developing a database of news media who will be interested in the information.

2. PARTNER WITH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, IF POSSIBLE

Industry organizations want publicity as much as you do and can provide national credibility and perspective. You can then provide the “boots-on-the-ground” example that the news media needs to compliment the story.

3. HAVE PLENTY OF STATISTICS AND VISUALS AVAILABLE

Compile national figures, such as how much sales of pizza increase on Super Sunday or how many pounds of chicken will be eaten. This creates the basis for a national trend story, not just a local one.

If you want TV coverage, try to have broadcast quality footage available to offer. For Wingstop we can provide such footage as wings being tossed, store fronts, customers enjoying their wings and most any other type of footage a reporter would need to illustrate a story.

4. BE READY TO RESPOND AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE

While you have been out front with your planning and development of materials, the news media are notorious for waiting until the last minute. It’s not unusual to get a call on Friday wanting a spokesperson on Saturday or Sunday morning. If you can't respond quickly, the media will simply keep calling until they find someone who can respond -- and it might be your competitor!

5. BE FLEXIBLE

Last year, with the Super Bowl in Wingstop’s hometown of Dallas, we teamed with Major League Eating to hold the Wingstop World Wing-Eating Championship. Celebrities were flying in from all over the country for interviews and the competition.

A day before the event, a record ice storm hit Dallas wiping out all the planning. However, we capitalized on the crisis to make Wingstop part of the story about the impact of the storm on events around town . . . and, the event was later held just prior to the start of the NBA playoffs.

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN

What’s your Super Bowl? Once you figure it out, you can follow these steps and you’ll be well on your way to scoring tons of publicity. Or contact us and we can help you put together a winning game plan.
 

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Sell what your customers really want to buy

Dr. John P. Hayes

Exclusive to Al Watan Daily

NOTE: The following article by BizCom's Dr. John Hayes appeared recently in the Al Watan Daily where Dr. Hayes ia a regular contibutor.
 

KUWAIT: Ever considered that you’re selling the wrong product?

Imagine for a moment that you knew what you were really selling, and customers knew it, too.You’d have more customers than you could handle!

No, I’m not talking about selling something that’s illegal or immoral. I’m talking about every day products and services. I’m talking about something as routine as a haircut, for example. I used to love getting a haircut, but not for the obvious reason.

Back in Dallas,TX, where I lived before moving to Kuwait, I visited the same hair stylist about every four weeks, more often than I needed to. And, no, before you go there, I wasn’t having a fling with her. Ours was strictly a professional relationship. I’ll admit that I was partial to her, and no other hair stylist would do. I still remember the first time she cut my hair. I wasn’t expecting anything other than a haircut. I landed in the barbershop by chance, and in her chair only because I had waited my turn and she was the next available barber.

“How would you like your hair cut?” she asked me, politely. “Not too short on the sides, thin it out on top, and then clip my beard as short as you can, please.”

She got to work, tiny hair clippings filled the air, we engaged in mindless blabber, and 30 minutes later she held up a mirror so I could inspect the job.

“Very nice,” I said, and I grabbed for my wallet so that I could pay her.

“You’re not finished,” she said, guiding me back into the chair while holding a washcloth in front of me.

“What’s that for?” I asked. “For your face, of course. You don’t want all those tiny hair clippings to make you itch, do you?” She smiled. “Be careful now, the washcloth is hot!”

The washcloth was fabulous! I sat back in the chair with the washcloth covering my face and felt tension escape. She had soaked it in something that smelled wonderful, and I might have sat there for half an hour enjoying the warm, aromatic moisture, but in fairness I knew she needed her chair back, so I wiped my face, my ears, my neck and felt like a million dollars!

I never bought a haircut again, but every month I looked forward to paying a premium price for that warm washcloth!

About a year ago I moved to Kuwait.You can get a haircut here for less than half what it cost to buy a warm washcloth in Dallas. What a shame. I don’t want a haircut. I want a warm washcloth! What are you selling? Is it what your customers really want to buy?

Dr. John P. Hayes, a marketing professor at Gulf University for Science &Technology in Kuwait, is a 30-year franchise veteran who coaches franchisors, entrepreneurs and small business owners. He’s worked with more than 100 franchise concepts. Got a question? Send it to him at questions@hayesworldwide.com, or via Twitter @ drjohnhayes.

Disclaimer: Please note that the views and opinions presented in the column are the company’s own and do not necessarily repre- sent those of Al Watan Daily and its staff.

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