I came across an article titled, “9 Ways Companies Completely Blow Press Opportunities” in Business Insider. The PR person in me couldn’t wait to click through the list and discover the nine ways, according to this author, that companies blow it when creating and distributing news and working with reporters and editors.

As predicted, one of my biggest pet peeves made the list. Check out number two, begin your release with “the leading provider of,” “next generation” or “best of breed.” Yuck! I cringe when I see these words on a release—and you can throw award-winning on there also.

These buzzwords have no place in press releases. In fact, they have become so overused that they’ve lost their meaning. It’s impossible for every company to be the leading provider of its product or service, so find something new that truly sets your company apart from the rest. And if you don’t believe me, check out this study to see just how often these words are used when distributing news.

Check out the rest of the “9 Ways Companies Completely Blow Press Opportunities” list here.

Lesson learned? Distribute news only when you have something truly newsworthy to share. And, when those rare and precious press opportunities surface, don’t blow it by making a simple mistake. If you’re looking for someone to partner with on your public relations efforts, give me a call. At Canyon, you’ll never see our actions on this list.

photo courtesy: www.flickr.com/photos/danielmall

Sales and marketing alignment is a hot topic these days and many companies are realizing the value of aligning their sales and marketing efforts to achieve a higher, integrated revenue pipeline.

Loop Demand Gen specializes in sales and marketing alignment, and yesterday, it held a Lunch and Learn with Arizona Technology Council. It was a great success! More than 45 local technology-industry experts attended this educational event.

Those who attended learned about bridging the gap between sales and marketing, and more specifically, defining a qualified sales lead. Many times sales and marketing departments have completely different views on what makes a good lead. It is important for both parties to understand lead scoring and B.A.N.T.- (Budget, Authority, Need, Timing) qualified leads.

Attendees learned that developing a joint marketing and sales strategy around lead scoring and B.A.N.T. is just part of the battle—technology is the next piece of the puzzle. Technology helps with sales and marketing alignment. Loop was able to show a real-world example, using the latest technology tools, of how a company has the ability to capture leads, score opportunities, automate follow-up, track prospect activity online, and in the end, increase ROI and sales.

If you want to lunch while you learn about topics such as this, be sure to visit Arizona Technology Council for upcoming events.

Recently well known retailer Gap revealed a new logo for its brand. Scrapping its iconic white typeface on blue box logo:

Gap launched a new black-on-white logo with an off-set blue box:

This week however Gap announced it will discontinue all print advertising and in-store uses of the new logo and will return to its logo of old. Why? Because its customers hate it and Gap gave them the perfect platform to voice their distaste by launching this new logo using social media. When the logo was launched, Gap created a Facebook Fan page & Twitter campaign. And, much to Gap’s dismay it learned quite how much the Internet can influence a company’s brand messaging.

That being said, Gap did have the right intention. By using social media as a platform for audience feedback, it opened up the conversation about the logo, engaged its customers to weigh in and, ultimately, Gap listened and is making changes—which is what social media in business is intended to do.

The lesson learned? Social media can be a great, low-cost, marketing tool, yes, but be prepared as to the power it can give your audience and do your homework as to how to handle this. Sometimes the results can be great, but other times, as Gap learned, the money you ‘save’ by utilizing these free tools can cost you far more.

I’m a sucker for great branding. I believe that a company’s brand is so vital for helping them succeed and stand out from the crowd. Everything from the logo and business cards to signage, websites, product labels, etc. plays a role in branding.

I think some companies miss the boat or the opportunity to have a continuing, lasting brand, and just focus on one element at a time. With a little smart planning and good ideas, you really can take a stand in your market and acquire some real value—just from the look of your brand.

What are some of your favorite companies that take their brands to great levels?