In today’s issue of The News & Observer, you may have noticed the large quarter-page ad about the Academy of Women Awards sponsored by the YWCA. This is a big event in the Triangle, and this year it will be held November 7 at the Grand Ballroom of the Embassy Suites Hotel on Harrison Oaks Boulevard in Cary.
Eleven amazing women will be honored that night.
The Academy of Women was founded in 1983 by the YWCA of Wake County for the purposes of honoring the superlative achievement of local women in various categories and disciplines. While their professional and community efforts are pioneering in nature, these women also embody the Mission of the YWCA: the elimination of racism and the empowerment of women.
What does it take to win an award like this?
In 2005 MMI client Billie Redmond was honored by the YWCA Academy of Women in the category of Entrepreneur. This prestigious award was made for someone like Billie, who has worked to empower women and minorities both in her personal and professional life.
Billie is President of Coldwell Banker Commercial TradeMark Properties, a Raleigh-based property management, leasing, and brokerage services company. Women have traditionally dominated the field of residential real estate, but Billie is one of the few women who holds a powerful position in the field of commercial real estate. She encourages other women to join this sector because, “It’s an exciting and thriving industry.”
As immediate Past Chair of the Board of Directors of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, Billie served an unprecedented extended term. During her time as Chair of the Chamber Executive Committee, she had the highest number of women and minority women members in the history of the chamber.
Billie contributes her leadership and business skills to a variety of civic and charitable activities. She and her family attend an historic church with a predominantly African-American congregation, and Billie was instrumental in raising funds for a new building for this church. She has actively supported the mission of the YWCA in so many ways, empowering women through her efforts with the Triangle Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) chapter and by serving as President of the Board of Directors for the Women's Center. Her strength, determination, commitment to excellence and desire to give back to the community exemplify all the qualities the YWCA Academy of Women seeks to honor.
Do you know a woman like Billie? Perhaps you are one yourself. If you are, consider having someone nominate you for this award. More than 200 women of extraordinary accomplishment have been inducted into the prestigious YWCA Academy of Women since 1983. You or someone you know may join their ranks next year.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
The Humble News Release
People are always coming up to us and saying, “I see you everywhere!”
What they mean is that they constantly see our clients all over the Web, at dozens of functions, in the newspapers and magazines, winning all the awards, serving on all the important boards and volunteering for all the major charities.
Achieving this kind of saturation for a client is a slow process that begins with the humble news release and progresses over time. We steadily send out news releases about our clients every time something newsworthy occurs.
What do journalists consider newsworthy? Here are some ideas:
What they mean is that they constantly see our clients all over the Web, at dozens of functions, in the newspapers and magazines, winning all the awards, serving on all the important boards and volunteering for all the major charities.
Achieving this kind of saturation for a client is a slow process that begins with the humble news release and progresses over time. We steadily send out news releases about our clients every time something newsworthy occurs.
What do journalists consider newsworthy? Here are some ideas:
- Your company has a new product or service
- You have won an award
- You have been elected to a board of directors
- Your company has won an award
- An employee in your company has won an award
- Your company has hired or promoted an employee
- Your company has just signed a new client
- Your company has relocated
- Your company has expanded its facilities
- Your company is sponsoring an event for a charity
- Your company has re-launched a new Web site
- Your company has significantly changed or improved a product
- Your company has expanded into a new market
- You are offering a seminar or giving a speech at a conference
- There is a new trend in your industry
Any of these ideas above are also good reasons to “pitch” your story to the media. After all, the reason to issue a news release in the first place is to get the media to call back and interview you.
These short newsy pieces typically result in one- to two-paragraph stories in publications, and keep your name in front of your target public. The goal is to establish your reputation as a source. The media wants to speak to an authority in the field. Your strategy is to become a trusted source and expert in your industry.
When a topic on which you have expertise is in the news, send out a news release or a pitch with a brief comment and state that you are available for interviews. Over time, the media will begin to associate your name with your profession, industry or field of expertise.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
The Power of the Puppy Dog Story
If you are a small business owner looking for awards to apply for, look first at your local chamber of commerce. The Pinnacle Awards Celebration, for example, is one of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce’s most prestigious events. It allows the Chamber to recognize both emerging companies as well as companies that have exhibited a substantial history as an established business.
Last night I attended the annual meeting of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, which is always a great event and a good opportunity to see everyone in town all at once. The speaker talked about the “age wave” and how the baby boomers will continue to influence our society, as we will not grow old or retire as any other previous generation. Plus, it sounds as if we are all going to live forever. I am not sure I am ready for that—and besides, my memory is going—so I will not even know it if I do.
But anyway, to return to the subject of awards, the Chamber gives Pinnacle Business Awards to five entrepreneurs whose companies have exhibited staying power, innovation, and community involvement. Another set of Pinnacle Business Awards go to companies who have exhibited steady profitability and growth over the past three years. One of the criteria for Steady profitability and growth is whether the company has maintained and/or increased profitability during challenging economic conditions.
This brings us back to the bio. Remember how your bio should describe what you have lived through to become a successful entrepreneur? Although it is written in a straightforward and unsentimental style, the bio is at its heart a story that affects the reader’s emotions. The readers (the judges for the award) will root for the “hero” (you) and want him to succeed.
Submissions that include what I like to call a “puppy-dog story” are the most successful. If the nominee works at the homeless shelter, play that up. Wrench people’s hearts. But remember that the puppy-dog story must be true.
Here’s an example of a puppy dog story in part of a nomination for the ATHENA Award ®, which honors both women and men for excellence in their profession or life's work, for devoting time and effort in their communities to improve the quality of life for others and for actively assisting women in realizing their full leadership potential:
On a personal level, I would like to tell you a little about how (nominee) has helped me achieve my highest personal potential. If my six-year-old daughter, Debbie, could thank (nominee) for making a difference in her life, she would. But Debbie cannot speak, because she suffers from cerebral palsy and lacks control over the muscles in her mouth. Debbie cannot even eat normally. When my daughter was a baby, (nominee) provided flexible hours for me, so I could provide the care Debbie needed and worry about my baby instead of my job. But (nominee) did not stop there.
When our family learned of a clinic that could help her perform daily functions that most people take for granted, we were overjoyed. Then we learned that the price tag for sending Debbie to the clinic was far from what our family could afford. That is when (nominee) stepped in and organized (name of benefit). The benefit raised over $25,000 dollars—enough to send both Debbie and me to the clinic.
At the clinic, Debbie underwent immersion therapy, a scientifically proven method for producing permanent neurological changes for patients challenged with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and other forms of paralysis. Since the clinic, Debbie has made a lot of progress.
(Nominee) is my hero. I have worked for her for more than 10 years, and she is absolutely the best manager I have ever known. She treats her other employees just as considerately as she treats me, and all of us enjoy generous benefits and salaries as well as an extremely positive workplace environment, with plenty of growth and challenge.
(The story above is a true one, although names have been changed to protect identities. )
Last night I attended the annual meeting of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, which is always a great event and a good opportunity to see everyone in town all at once. The speaker talked about the “age wave” and how the baby boomers will continue to influence our society, as we will not grow old or retire as any other previous generation. Plus, it sounds as if we are all going to live forever. I am not sure I am ready for that—and besides, my memory is going—so I will not even know it if I do.
But anyway, to return to the subject of awards, the Chamber gives Pinnacle Business Awards to five entrepreneurs whose companies have exhibited staying power, innovation, and community involvement. Another set of Pinnacle Business Awards go to companies who have exhibited steady profitability and growth over the past three years. One of the criteria for Steady profitability and growth is whether the company has maintained and/or increased profitability during challenging economic conditions.
This brings us back to the bio. Remember how your bio should describe what you have lived through to become a successful entrepreneur? Although it is written in a straightforward and unsentimental style, the bio is at its heart a story that affects the reader’s emotions. The readers (the judges for the award) will root for the “hero” (you) and want him to succeed.
Submissions that include what I like to call a “puppy-dog story” are the most successful. If the nominee works at the homeless shelter, play that up. Wrench people’s hearts. But remember that the puppy-dog story must be true.
Here’s an example of a puppy dog story in part of a nomination for the ATHENA Award ®, which honors both women and men for excellence in their profession or life's work, for devoting time and effort in their communities to improve the quality of life for others and for actively assisting women in realizing their full leadership potential:
On a personal level, I would like to tell you a little about how (nominee) has helped me achieve my highest personal potential. If my six-year-old daughter, Debbie, could thank (nominee) for making a difference in her life, she would. But Debbie cannot speak, because she suffers from cerebral palsy and lacks control over the muscles in her mouth. Debbie cannot even eat normally. When my daughter was a baby, (nominee) provided flexible hours for me, so I could provide the care Debbie needed and worry about my baby instead of my job. But (nominee) did not stop there.
When our family learned of a clinic that could help her perform daily functions that most people take for granted, we were overjoyed. Then we learned that the price tag for sending Debbie to the clinic was far from what our family could afford. That is when (nominee) stepped in and organized (name of benefit). The benefit raised over $25,000 dollars—enough to send both Debbie and me to the clinic.
At the clinic, Debbie underwent immersion therapy, a scientifically proven method for producing permanent neurological changes for patients challenged with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and other forms of paralysis. Since the clinic, Debbie has made a lot of progress.
(Nominee) is my hero. I have worked for her for more than 10 years, and she is absolutely the best manager I have ever known. She treats her other employees just as considerately as she treats me, and all of us enjoy generous benefits and salaries as well as an extremely positive workplace environment, with plenty of growth and challenge.
(The story above is a true one, although names have been changed to protect identities. )
Monday, October 1, 2007
The Women Extraordinaire Award
There’s an interesting phenomenon about awards: awards beget other awards. When an award committee sees that the nominee has won other awards, they are impressed. They say to themselves, “Wow, she must be good. Look at all these other awards she's won!”
Analyze the criteria for the awards you’re interested in. I’m a big believer in not trying to stretch it if you don’t qualify. For Triangle Business Journal’s 40 under 40 award (40 leaders under 40 years of age), don’t enter if you are already 41.
If the rules for an award state that you must be in the industry for five years, and you’ve only been active in that industry for three, it’ll be embarrassing when you get caught in a lie. And you will get caught!
Look at the award criteria carefully. Some criteria are loosey-goosey, while others are strict. Some you enter online and only need a paragraph of information, while others, such as the SBA Small Business of the Year, have enormously difficult and complex entry requirements.
If an award specifies you must submit the nomination in a 1.5inch white binder, they mean exactly what they say. You don’t want your submission thrown out because you submitted an original and 2 copies when they asked for an original and 3 copies. Follow the directions to the letter.
Women Extraordinaire is an award given by Raleigh-based magazine publisher Business Leader Media, publisher of Business Leader Magazine, The Park Guide, The Corporate Relocation Guide, Women in the Triangle and Triangle Real Estate, as well as national newsstand publications Money ‘N Profits and Opportunity World. Rules for the 2007 Women Extraordinaire award state that the following criteria should be found in the nominees:
Winning this award is quite an honor and will garner you substantial publicity. Winners become a member of a select circle of powerful business women in the Triangle.
Analyze the criteria for the awards you’re interested in. I’m a big believer in not trying to stretch it if you don’t qualify. For Triangle Business Journal’s 40 under 40 award (40 leaders under 40 years of age), don’t enter if you are already 41.
If the rules for an award state that you must be in the industry for five years, and you’ve only been active in that industry for three, it’ll be embarrassing when you get caught in a lie. And you will get caught!
Look at the award criteria carefully. Some criteria are loosey-goosey, while others are strict. Some you enter online and only need a paragraph of information, while others, such as the SBA Small Business of the Year, have enormously difficult and complex entry requirements.
If an award specifies you must submit the nomination in a 1.5inch white binder, they mean exactly what they say. You don’t want your submission thrown out because you submitted an original and 2 copies when they asked for an original and 3 copies. Follow the directions to the letter.
Women Extraordinaire is an award given by Raleigh-based magazine publisher Business Leader Media, publisher of Business Leader Magazine, The Park Guide, The Corporate Relocation Guide, Women in the Triangle and Triangle Real Estate, as well as national newsstand publications Money ‘N Profits and Opportunity World. Rules for the 2007 Women Extraordinaire award state that the following criteria should be found in the nominees:
- Is she a woman of outstanding accomplishments?
- Is she a leader, innovator, problem-solver and inspiration?
- Is she a mentor to others?
- Does she server the community by making a difference?
- Is she a nurturer of family and friends?
- Is she held in high regard by those in her circle?
Winning this award is quite an honor and will garner you substantial publicity. Winners become a member of a select circle of powerful business women in the Triangle.
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