090 – The Role PR Plays Today with Abbe Sparks of Abbe Sparks Media Group
Abbe has been promoting Fortune 500 companies, entertainment, and nonprofit organizations for over 20 years. She has a broad background in all aspects of communications with expertise in brand strategy, social media marketing, content development, and publicity.
Over the years, Abbe has successfully crafting marketing communications programs for some of the nation’s most prestigious companies including Viacom Inc, Showtime Networks Group, the National Restaurant Association and its Educational Foundation, The International Food Safety Council, McDonald’s Corporation, and Ronald McDonald’s Children’s Charities.
Abbe branched out on her own in 1991 as a public relations consultant, and has long since morphed into her own company, Abbe Sparks Media Group. She specializes in social media marketing, content, branding, and advocacy. The focus is on clients in the digital, technology, entertainment, and nonprofit sectors.
Last month, Abbe launched an independent digital news service, Socially Sparked News, which covers the people and events that socially spark our lives in the worlds of entertainment, digital, technology, and activism.
Most recently, Abbe was selected as a ‘Woman of Distinction’ in her field by the National Association of Distinguished Professionals. Her company continues to evolve to reflect the true nature of its services.
An active alumni of Emory University, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of Arts & Sciences. Abbe serves on the Board of Directors of Ripple Effect Artists, an off-broadway 501(c) 3 theatre organization that addresses social injustice and causes social impact through art.New York; and is an advisor for The Florence Belsky Charitable Foundation, whose mission is Connecting People, Sharing Ideas, Empowering Each Generation to Teach the Others.
Photo by: Joseph A. Rosen Photography.
About Abbe Sparks Media Group
Abbe talks about how she found her interest and passion in advocacy and journalism and how it’s evolved over the years. [3:07]
Socially Sparked News
A description of Socially Sparked News [21:37]
Want to write for Socially Sparked News? [24:02]
The story about Havanna Moon and The Rolling Stones. [26:17]
Business Building Insights
The business of communication and how it’s different today than 25 years ago. [5:55]
The definition of PR and how to recognize it today. [7:29]
A press release of today requires these two elements. [7:56]
The value of publicity stunts. [8:16]
Getting press at your events. [9:25]
Cause marketing should be integrated into every business. [11:24]
3 self branding steps. [17:16]
Organic growth is the way to go on social media platforms. [26:48]
Success Trait
Abbe says her optimism and passion has led her to where she is today.
Productivity/Lifestyle Tool
Doodle – Make scheduling appoints a breeze. No more back and forth!
Recommended Reading and Listening
The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron
Contact Links
Abbe Sparks Media Group
Socially Sparked News
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Transcript
Thank you for joining me today on gift biz on wrapped.
Speaker:This is episode 90.
Speaker:That is the most positive and valuable awareness that you can.
Speaker:Yeah. Hi,
Speaker:this is John Lee Dumas of entrepreneur on fire,
Speaker:and you're listening to the gift of biz unwrapped,
Speaker:and now it's time to light it up.
Speaker:Welcome to gift bears on wrapped your source for industry specific
Speaker:insights and advice to develop and grow your business.
Speaker:And now here's your host Sue Mona height.
Speaker:Hi there.
Speaker:It's Sue and welcome back to the gift biz unwrapped podcast,
Speaker:whether you own a brick and mortar shop sell online or
Speaker:are just getting started,
Speaker:you'll discover new insight to gain traction and to grow your
Speaker:business. And today I have joining us Abby sparks of Abby
Speaker:sparks media group.
Speaker:Abby has been promoting fortune 500 companies and entertainment and nonprofit
Speaker:organizations for over 20 years.
Speaker:She has crafted marketing communication programs for Viacom,
Speaker:Showtime McDonald's and the Ronald McDonald children's charities to name just
Speaker:a few in 1991,
Speaker:Abby branched out on her own.
Speaker:And today Abby sparks media group specializes in social media,
Speaker:marketing, content,
Speaker:branding, and advocacy.
Speaker:They focus on clients in the digital technology entertainment and nonprofit
Speaker:sectors. Just last month,
Speaker:she launched an independent digital news service called socially sparked news,
Speaker:which covers the people and events that socially spark our lives.
Speaker:And most recently,
Speaker:Abby was selected as a woman of distinction in her field
Speaker:by the national association of distinguished professionals.
Speaker:And we are so lucky to have her here today.
Speaker:Abby, welcome to the show,
Speaker:Maggie super having me.
Speaker:I like to start off by having our listeners get to
Speaker:know you in a little bit of a different way,
Speaker:and that is by having you describe your ideal motivational candle.
Speaker:So if you were to tell us what color it is
Speaker:and what the quote is,
Speaker:help us envision what your candle would look like.
Speaker:Okay. So the color of my candle would be blue,
Speaker:which to me is calming and soothing.
Speaker:When you're in a business like mine,
Speaker:it's constantly going and publicity and social media and constantly talking
Speaker:that serenity comes in handy.
Speaker:It sort of keeps me calm and that's sort of the
Speaker:colors in my branding of my own company.
Speaker:And what's the quote that would be on the candle.
Speaker:The quote that would be on the candle would be do
Speaker:it with passion or not at all.
Speaker:Yeah. If we don't have our heart and our mind into
Speaker:it, it's not going to work in the first one.
Speaker:Absolutely. And that's sort of my motto and what drives me.
Speaker:I want to start in the beginning,
Speaker:Abby, with how you got involved in what you're doing today.
Speaker:So take me back way to,
Speaker:I don't know if it was right after high school or
Speaker:you had this interest in college,
Speaker:but the whole communications,
Speaker:media PR all of that.
Speaker:How did you get started In a very roundabout way to
Speaker:be honest with you?
Speaker:I mean,
Speaker:I, it probably went back to high school without me knowing
Speaker:it back then,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:because you do all these social or extracurricular activities.
Speaker:So that's where I was introduced to advocacy because I was
Speaker:involved in this club that helped,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:back then they called it disabled children.
Speaker:So you had the passion and just the spirit in you
Speaker:of giving back already at that time,
Speaker:like your early teens then?
Speaker:Yes. That's where it started.
Speaker:And like I said,
Speaker:I don't think you really know that that's,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:that's something that you're interested in.
Speaker:I mean,
Speaker:I know in college now they're very driven on what they
Speaker:want to do,
Speaker:but I had no idea.
Speaker:I just knew what I was interested in.
Speaker:And again,
Speaker:it was what I was passionate about.
Speaker:I mean,
Speaker:I went to Emory university,
Speaker:they did not have a journalism school back then or communication
Speaker:school. So I majored in political science and I did an
Speaker:internship in the arts for political science credit,
Speaker:believe it or not.
Speaker:And it was in PR I worked for the Atlanta ballet
Speaker:in the PR department.
Speaker:So I wrote a paper on Reaganism and the national endowment
Speaker:for the arts,
Speaker:which was for political science credit.
Speaker:But that's really where I had combined my passions without me
Speaker:really knowing it at the time,
Speaker:which was politics or advocacy,
Speaker:the arts,
Speaker:which was the performing arts,
Speaker:which was the ballet and public relations,
Speaker:which is the internship I had.
Speaker:That was the Kickstarter for me.
Speaker:And then when I graduated,
Speaker:it was all uphill from there.
Speaker:All right.
Speaker:You know what,
Speaker:I'm going to stop for just a second.
Speaker:Here we are keeping it real gift biz listeners.
Speaker:Abby is in New York.
Speaker:And when we were talking pre-interview we were saying that if
Speaker:we hear any sirens,
Speaker:we're just going to stop for a minute and I would
Speaker:edit that out.
Speaker:But I think there's going to be sirens throughout.
Speaker:So we're just going to let it go.
Speaker:If we're just going to keep talking.
Speaker:If we hear sirens,
Speaker:Abby, we hear sirens.
Speaker:Okay. That's just the way it's going to be.
Speaker:I think that'll work the best for us.
Speaker:The office is near three hospitals.
Speaker:Oh, well,
Speaker:no wonder,
Speaker:Not like there's a bomb going off or anything.
Speaker:Oh, please.
Speaker:Hope not.
Speaker:So you are a true professional within the media realm.
Speaker:I'm just going to put that as a whole big umbrella.
Speaker:All right.
Speaker:Are there any suggestions or insights that you have now because
Speaker:you've gone through this field over the course of several years
Speaker:and it's changed and it's morphed.
Speaker:Is there anything that you would say any insights you have
Speaker:just on the whole field of marketing and branding and content?
Speaker:Do you have any comments about that?
Speaker:Probably a zillion,
Speaker:but I'll try and keep it very short.
Speaker:Yeah. Give us some,
Speaker:give us one or two,
Speaker:just from your perspective.
Speaker:I think it would be really interesting to hear.
Speaker:Okay. Well,
Speaker:from my perspective,
Speaker:I mean has been around for a long,
Speaker:long time.
Speaker:So just because the buzzwords are changing now,
Speaker:we call content marketing and blogging,
Speaker:which basically was good old fashioned writing back 20 years ago
Speaker:or 15 years ago,
Speaker:publicity is now sort of called promotion or digital marketing because
Speaker:there is digital now,
Speaker:but it's all still related to PR.
Speaker:It's just that it's expanded.
Speaker:And even the PR the good old fashion PR industry gives
Speaker:conferences that are about social media and using that as a
Speaker:tool for PR.
Speaker:But I think that the constant throughout all this is that
Speaker:public relations will never go away.
Speaker:I think that a successful marketer and public relations professional knows
Speaker:the background and the history of publicity and that tool and
Speaker:how to use it.
Speaker:So with all the new mechanisms out there,
Speaker:it's the art of combining them all,
Speaker:knowing when to use what and when to pull in the
Speaker:good old fashioned PR,
Speaker:because that is still very much viable in today's Damian.
Speaker:You know,
Speaker:that's interesting because I think a lot of that has gotten
Speaker:lost because it's not the newest,
Speaker:latest, greatest,
Speaker:shiny object,
Speaker:right? It's something that's been around as you've been talking about,
Speaker:when is the right time to bring in good old fashioned
Speaker:PR? Well,
Speaker:first, you know what?
Speaker:We better first describe what good old fashioned PR is.
Speaker:So while we have everybody in coming off at the same
Speaker:place, Okay.
Speaker:So it could be depending on whether you're a local,
Speaker:independent business or individual,
Speaker:or just a local philanthropic all-star in your community to national
Speaker:and global activist.
Speaker:So it depends how you would use that good old fashioned
Speaker:PR to your advantage and a good old fashioned PR tool
Speaker:would be anything from a basic press release.
Speaker:But you have to remember now a basic press release is
Speaker:different today than it was back then,
Speaker:because it should include an image,
Speaker:a digital image,
Speaker:and it should include hotlinks.
Speaker:So it's sort of a morphed with the times we can
Speaker:keep using that term if you'd like.
Speaker:So that's a very basic,
Speaker:good old fashioned PR tool.
Speaker:Another one is just the good old fashioned publicity stunt.
Speaker:If you have a store in your store owner,
Speaker:or you have a new product that you're announcing and that's
Speaker:done today,
Speaker:I'm sure you see it all over the place,
Speaker:but you don't realize that it's really just good old fashioned
Speaker:PR, anything from balloons and a ribbon cutting to get the
Speaker:television or the newspaper reporters there.
Speaker:That's old school.
Speaker:How do you go about,
Speaker:okay, let's so a lot of our listeners are either home-based
Speaker:or they have a shop.
Speaker:And so let's say they're putting on an event somewhere.
Speaker:How do they get the newspapers or local television stations or
Speaker:whoever it be to know about the event so that they'll
Speaker:show up,
Speaker:How did they get them there?
Speaker:Or how did they figure out how do they know who
Speaker:they are?
Speaker:How do they get them there?
Speaker:So the photos can be taken in a story,
Speaker:can be written If there are other small budget and they
Speaker:can't hire a professional,
Speaker:that's skilled in doing that.
Speaker:Is that what you're asking with themselves?
Speaker:Yeah. Today's day and age.
Speaker:They can go Google and there's instructions,
Speaker:but I can be,
Speaker:I'm more than happy to,
Speaker:to tell them a little bit.
Speaker:It's pretty simple.
Speaker:You have four weeks before the event,
Speaker:even eight weeks before the event,
Speaker:if you've planned that far ahead,
Speaker:you can start making,
Speaker:like, getting it listed in the chamber of commerce,
Speaker:which is a big resource that could help spread the word
Speaker:and getting it listed in the local newspapers and giving a
Speaker:heads up.
Speaker:It may go into a circular file with the television stations
Speaker:in the area,
Speaker:on the newspapers,
Speaker:but most likely it's going into a file and they won't
Speaker:look at it until it's closer to the date.
Speaker:And then a lot of it's hit or miss,
Speaker:or when you get to that actual data,
Speaker:if a president is elected and there's a lot of hoopla
Speaker:going on,
Speaker:then obviously they're not going to be coming to your local
Speaker:store opening.
Speaker:So it depends on what the news is of the day
Speaker:and what you're competing against.
Speaker:And that you can tell those are just X factors,
Speaker:but like four weeks out,
Speaker:you would write a press release or an announcement of what's
Speaker:happening the same way you would probably inviting local business people
Speaker:and potential customers and existing customers.
Speaker:So you'd share that with the same media and then two
Speaker:weeks out,
Speaker:you probably would just do another little event alert to just
Speaker:the media,
Speaker:and then you'd just have to get on the phone and
Speaker:call if you want them to come and remind them the
Speaker:day of I've heard somewhere along the way that you're more
Speaker:likely to attract media.
Speaker:If it's not,
Speaker:if your event,
Speaker:if you're doing a,
Speaker:what we'll call the publicity stunt.
Speaker:Okay. If it's not totally,
Speaker:self-serving like if there's some funding going back to some type
Speaker:of a cause,
Speaker:or you're doing it solely for charity,
Speaker:something like that.
Speaker:If it's just an event that you're having,
Speaker:you're, you know,
Speaker:you're opening your shop,
Speaker:they're going to be less attracted to it.
Speaker:Then if there's an another,
Speaker:like an overlaying story,
Speaker:is that true For the most part?
Speaker:Yes. For a small business owner or somebody just starting,
Speaker:I would say that in today's day and age,
Speaker:it's such a crowded field.
Speaker:I've been a big proponent of this.
Speaker:My entire career is that we used to call it piggybacking.
Speaker:Like if we were the client or we're Coca-Cola or somebody
Speaker:like that,
Speaker:we would tie in with a cause that we've already,
Speaker:we're already involved with,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:because everybody in today's day and age,
Speaker:every business I know stands for something.
Speaker:And if you don't,
Speaker:you should,
Speaker:That's a good point.
Speaker:And I don't know that a lot of our listeners have
Speaker:ever thought of it that way.
Speaker:You know,
Speaker:how, what are different ways that you can do that,
Speaker:that you've seen in the past?
Speaker:Certainly fundraising could be one from an event like we were
Speaker:just talking about now,
Speaker:what other types of things could people be doing to align
Speaker:themselves with some type of a cause?
Speaker:So here I can give you an example of us,
Speaker:of a local restaurant that did not need the publicity,
Speaker:maybe, you know,
Speaker:but you know,
Speaker:there is a client of his regulars,
Speaker:Hey, and they have an autistic son.
Speaker:They raised money for the school that the autistic son was
Speaker:at. So the restaurant opened their entire restaurant,
Speaker:but their dinner catered this entire meal with wine.
Speaker:It's a known wine restaurant,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:that has amazing wine and paired wine with each of their
Speaker:specialty dishes was really incredible.
Speaker:And they gave 50%.
Speaker:The restaurant gave 50% of the money they made from the
Speaker:charging them for just the meal part,
Speaker:because the rest of it was free.
Speaker:You know,
Speaker:the space was free back to the event,
Speaker:to the school and they got great publicity,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:indirectly, because of course,
Speaker:you're going to write about where the venue was.
Speaker:And then that the owner of the restaurant was just so
Speaker:generous. And he did this wonderful thing for his regular clients
Speaker:that is the most positive and valuable awareness that you can
Speaker:get. So you just gave a restaurant example.
Speaker:I think people who maybe sell products could do the same
Speaker:thing. Maybe they're not giving back on every single product that
Speaker:they offer,
Speaker:but certain products,
Speaker:if you buy this product,
Speaker:a certain percentage goes back or that kind of a thing.
Speaker:And you're suggesting that you should be integrating that type of
Speaker:thing into your business.
Speaker:Always not just for a PR stunt.
Speaker:No, always.
Speaker:It doesn't matter how small you are,
Speaker:fury skin,
Speaker:Caroline, for example,
Speaker:or your products are vitamins or even like clothing.
Speaker:Okay. So whatever the,
Speaker:you find it,
Speaker:if you don't have a,
Speaker:cause you find one that's related to your product even,
Speaker:and you know that you're giving back to something that ties
Speaker:back to your company,
Speaker:but that you believe in,
Speaker:in that the company,
Speaker:it makes sense.
Speaker:It really should make sense.
Speaker:It can't be just a disconnect if you're a florist or
Speaker:you're starting a floral business,
Speaker:whether it's silk flowers or fresh flowers giving back to something
Speaker:that's a total disconnect would make no sense.
Speaker:You know,
Speaker:the tool would work,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:to raise awareness.
Speaker:Well, unless there was a story around it,
Speaker:like you had a close family member who had a disease
Speaker:or something like,
Speaker:No, I like this.
Speaker:Like the couple that was a regular at the restaurant.
Speaker:Right? So you could do the same with one of your
Speaker:top customers in the skincare business is really an advocate for
Speaker:cancer or for something you can believe in that and give
Speaker:back to that because it's a connection there,
Speaker:right? I'm a big believer in when I worked with McDonald's
Speaker:McDonald's founder,
Speaker:Ray Kroc,
Speaker:he had this motto and it has really stayed with me
Speaker:my entire career after working with McDonald's for McDonald's.
Speaker:And that was,
Speaker:you give back to the communities in which you do business.
Speaker:It's like a Bible and it really should be everybody's.
Speaker:I agree.
Speaker:Let's talk a little bit more about public relations in terms
Speaker:of the value to an individual business owner.
Speaker:Cause we've been talking already about the tactics in terms of,
Speaker:okay, if you're putting on an event or there's something that
Speaker:you want to promote,
Speaker:we've talked about what you should do eight weeks out,
Speaker:four weeks out two.
Speaker:And then the day of the event,
Speaker:we've also talked about the overlay of this is something that
Speaker:should pretty much be genuine within your business.
Speaker:It's not something that you just create for an event so
Speaker:that you can get publicity,
Speaker:because I also think that everyone would see through it.
Speaker:So I agree with you.
Speaker:It should be something going continually,
Speaker:but on a regular basis,
Speaker:what would the value?
Speaker:Cause I don't think a lot of us really think maybe
Speaker:we're even doing PR and we don't even really know it,
Speaker:but I don't think we think about it because the whole
Speaker:social media era that we're in now just kind of supersedes
Speaker:everything. What is the value for a small business entrepreneur to
Speaker:be participating or doing some type of PR activities?
Speaker:The value is incredible if it's done correctly and this is
Speaker:where you really need to integrate,
Speaker:it's the,
Speaker:that's the word?
Speaker:That's the key buzzword is an integrate,
Speaker:integrate public relations or what I call good old fashion PR
Speaker:with today's PR tools,
Speaker:which are Twitter.
Speaker:Facebook, LinkedIn depends on your business,
Speaker:but you do have to integrate news,
Speaker:other awareness mechanisms that are in existence when you can integrate
Speaker:it properly.
Speaker:And that really does come with a special skillset.
Speaker:So, but you can either learn it or you can do
Speaker:a modified version until your business is up and running and
Speaker:you can grow and afford to maybe hire someone to help
Speaker:you. That has a little more expertise in that area.
Speaker:If someone is new,
Speaker:what would you suggest are three things that they could do
Speaker:to get started promoting themselves,
Speaker:whether it's the good old fashioned way through old fashioned tactics,
Speaker:integrating social media,
Speaker:what would you suggest if there were three concrete steps?
Speaker:You know,
Speaker:you had a blank piece of paper and someone was just
Speaker:getting started.
Speaker:What would you advise?
Speaker:Okay. I have self-branding steps.
Speaker:Okay. This sounds interesting.
Speaker:Good. Go for it.
Speaker:First of all,
Speaker:you have to just get yourself out there because nobody's going
Speaker:to know about you if you're not out and about and
Speaker:physically out there.
Speaker:Yes I am.
Speaker:But I don't mean just running around the street,
Speaker:waving, waving your arms up to clarify.
Speaker:I mean join the professional organizations that will have other businesses
Speaker:become aware that there's a new business in town.
Speaker:Definitely join your local chamber or better business Bureau,
Speaker:depending on how large your new business is.
Speaker:Networking is very important to any business owner,
Speaker:especially a new business because word of mouth is huge.
Speaker:That's not talked about enough or we haven't talked about it
Speaker:enough, but it is.
Speaker:It's a,
Speaker:it's a huge tool and then showcasing your expertise or your
Speaker:business by maybe trying to get some speaking opportunities or being
Speaker:on a panel.
Speaker:As it relates to trying to get awareness for yourself.
Speaker:These are easy things that you can do that you don't
Speaker:need to rely on getting a news story or being on
Speaker:television. And there's sometimes even more effective depending on what your
Speaker:business is.
Speaker:Even writing a guest blog.
Speaker:You know,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:I'm sure that,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:somebody, whether you're a new working mom that was recently reentering
Speaker:the workforce,
Speaker:you don't realize all the people that you know,
Speaker:until you have a minute to sit down and think about
Speaker:it. And then lastly,
Speaker:eventually your business could apply for awards.
Speaker:And those are all easy ways that don't involve being on
Speaker:TV or in the newspaper that will get you in the
Speaker:spotlight. Okay.
Speaker:Super. These are great because this isn't something we normally talk
Speaker:about. So really good,
Speaker:valuable new information.
Speaker:So the three steps Abby is suggesting in terms of PR
Speaker:moves now is getting out there and networking,
Speaker:which as we have talked about a lot,
Speaker:but she is just underlining the importance of that and then
Speaker:showcasing your business,
Speaker:whether it's speaking or doing some writing for someone else on
Speaker:a blog,
Speaker:something like that,
Speaker:because that does get you extra exposure and it'll get you
Speaker:click backs to your website.
Speaker:Lots of really good SEO juice,
Speaker:if you will.
Speaker:And then third apply for awards,
Speaker:which Abby I wouldn't have even thought about,
Speaker:but you're so right.
Speaker:You don't always have to wait for someone to point the
Speaker:finger at you and say,
Speaker:look, look at them,
Speaker:recognize them.
Speaker:You're allowed to raise your own hand.
Speaker:Oh, absolutely.
Speaker:Yeah. So if there are awards or things that are going
Speaker:on in your community,
Speaker:why not enter in and I would never think of that.
Speaker:So that's a really good one.
Speaker:Do you have anything more to say on this topic before
Speaker:we move on?
Speaker:No. I think if you can do any of the things,
Speaker:I mean,
Speaker:obviously the last one would be promote yourself,
Speaker:capitalize on the media,
Speaker:but that,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:showcase your expertise,
Speaker:but you'll become an expert by doing the other things I've
Speaker:mentioned. And then,
Speaker:then it's easy then to get me not easy,
Speaker:but it's easier to then you're in the right place to
Speaker:get attention from the media or even social media.
Speaker:You can tweet that you've won a reward.
Speaker:And if you do not have Twitter yet,
Speaker:I mean,
Speaker:everybody's on Facebook these days either because you have children and
Speaker:that's why you joined or because I mean to be truthful,
Speaker:a lot of people won't admit it,
Speaker:but trust me,
Speaker:that's why they joined.
Speaker:But it makes sense to have a business Facebook page for
Speaker:some businesses.
Speaker:That's where your clientele will go to if you're a retail
Speaker:store, for sure.
Speaker:You know,
Speaker:and then there are others like Pinterest for retail store where
Speaker:you put pictures up,
Speaker:but those are really complicated things.
Speaker:And if you're just starting out,
Speaker:keep it simple master one,
Speaker:and then you can add a second.
Speaker:Totally agree,
Speaker:get one,
Speaker:get grounded,
Speaker:get a plan going and then layer them on one by
Speaker:one and see what's working because some of them just might
Speaker:not be your audience.
Speaker:So then you can eliminate it and add something else in.
Speaker:I want to move on now,
Speaker:Abby and I am so excited.
Speaker:I intentionally didn't hear the whole story because I wanted to
Speaker:hear it live.
Speaker:I told you that before,
Speaker:let's talk about socially sparked news.
Speaker:What is it about,
Speaker:tell us how it started.
Speaker:Give us the scoop Socially sparked news.
Speaker:It's been in my head for over a decade because I
Speaker:write and I've written for years for different organizations or different
Speaker:magazines. And I actually under Abby sparks media group,
Speaker:I have a newsroom and I created socially sparked the blog
Speaker:a few years ago.
Speaker:And so I actually housed my stories under there.
Speaker:And then for a year I wrote a lot of them
Speaker:on the marketing standpoint for a different newsroom.
Speaker:And so they were,
Speaker:they all were,
Speaker:they're just,
Speaker:you've read them.
Speaker:They've just been all over the map.
Speaker:And so I finally had the time to take everything in
Speaker:my head and everything I've written and that all the stories
Speaker:that are still in my head because that's the creative brain
Speaker:in me and I created what was the evolution of all
Speaker:my writing.
Speaker:So I created socially sparked news and it's not just my
Speaker:voice, but it does have to follow my motto,
Speaker:our ethics,
Speaker:which is the stories that are written are not being written
Speaker:because a brand is paying us or because it's a client
Speaker:that we want to promote.
Speaker:It's the people,
Speaker:places and things basically that have socially sparked our lives in
Speaker:the worlds of entertainment,
Speaker:which could be anything from television to theater,
Speaker:to dance,
Speaker:anything in performing arts or music.
Speaker:And then in the digital world,
Speaker:which is constantly evolving and making our world totally connected in
Speaker:a way we never thought would ever happen to technology,
Speaker:which is also the reason why you and I Sue can
Speaker:have this interview today.
Speaker:That's right.
Speaker:And then activism and advocacy,
Speaker:which has always been a huge really it's all my passions.
Speaker:That's where it all started.
Speaker:Yeah. So that's it.
Speaker:And I'm really excited about it.
Speaker:And it launched a little over a month ago.
Speaker:It's doing amazingly well.
Speaker:I just,
Speaker:luckily for me,
Speaker:that was right before these fake news stories started breaking,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:all the fake news.
Speaker:Have you heard about all that,
Speaker:But Phil,
Speaker:everybody in here?
Speaker:Well, I,
Speaker:there was a whole thing in the news that made national
Speaker:about fake news stories and there was a whole big thing
Speaker:about it.
Speaker:And here comes socially sparked news,
Speaker:which is an authentic written from a passionate cultural pop cultural
Speaker:standpoint. You know,
Speaker:you should check out socially sparked news.com
Speaker:and you'll see what kind of writing it is.
Speaker:And we do accept writers.
Speaker:I do have a whole slew of photographers on board that
Speaker:I've worked with through the years.
Speaker:The way I've set this up is I'd rather promote their
Speaker:work than to take a stock photo that I have to
Speaker:credit somebody.
Speaker:I don't know.
Speaker:Oh sure.
Speaker:Yeah. I'm still promoting people,
Speaker:even though it's a news service and then same thing with
Speaker:the writing.
Speaker:So like if somebody really sees something that they're expert in
Speaker:music, or they're an expert in breast cancer during breast cancer
Speaker:awareness month,
Speaker:they see somebody that has socially sparked our lives by being
Speaker:an advocate for breast cancer and they can write it.
Speaker:What's been done and what's going on now,
Speaker:then they're welcome to write for me and submit the story.
Speaker:And on the bottom they can,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:we can hot leak back to their business and explain who
Speaker:they are.
Speaker:So that's the way it's set up.
Speaker:And I'm really excited.
Speaker:It's doing great.
Speaker:And already I've been asked to submit awards from people in
Speaker:Europe. Oh wow.
Speaker:Wonderful. Yeah.
Speaker:So it's definitely something to watch.
Speaker:It's going faster than I thought,
Speaker:Abby, as you're getting socially sparked news up and running,
Speaker:was there a single social media site that you relied on
Speaker:and worked with to kind of get the word out there?
Speaker:I was so excited to launch officially launched so slowly sparked
Speaker:news. I mean,
Speaker:I quietly it went up without any fanfare.
Speaker:I did not announce it,
Speaker:which is what you should do with your regular business.
Speaker:You kind of work out the tweaks,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:kind of a soft opening.
Speaker:It was like a softer,
Speaker:but it was a soft launch.
Speaker:And I have like 5,000
Speaker:contacts. Will you with that email that I had written,
Speaker:but I'd been so busy.
Speaker:I didn't send it out.
Speaker:Usually it would not launch a new service without having like
Speaker:a thousand followers on Facebook or on Twitter.
Speaker:And I didn't wait,
Speaker:I just did it.
Speaker:And so I created the social networking sites for socially sparked
Speaker:news. I had a couple hundred already on Twitter because I
Speaker:had, I had had a second handle.
Speaker:I just changed it to socially spark news instead.
Speaker:But Facebook,
Speaker:I launched with zero followers in about two weeks.
Speaker:I gained 600 followers in no time.
Speaker:Oh my word.
Speaker:Yes. And then I wrote a story on the rolling stones.
Speaker:It was Havana moon.
Speaker:They were the first rock and roll band to play in
Speaker:Cuba in Havana because rock and roll was banned for those
Speaker:that don't know in Cuba.
Speaker:So that was huge.
Speaker:And I happened to get invited to the only North American
Speaker:private screening of the documentary.
Speaker:So I wrote about it the next day.
Speaker:And I had on Facebook alone in like two minutes,
Speaker:like 1400 impressions.
Speaker:I mean,
Speaker:it was crazy.
Speaker:So it's working,
Speaker:everything's working,
Speaker:I believe in organic growth.
Speaker:So when I see people that have like 20 K followers,
Speaker:that just didn't seem real to me,
Speaker:you know?
Speaker:Yeah. Unless you've grown it over time.
Speaker:Yeah. I'll caution give business nerves.
Speaker:We might've talked about this on a prior show.
Speaker:The last thing you want to do with any of your
Speaker:social media sites is buy followers or buy likes or any
Speaker:of that type of thing.
Speaker:Because if you ever want to go back and analyze the
Speaker:audience, you know,
Speaker:it's, you know,
Speaker:it's okay.
Speaker:So it's good for social proof.
Speaker:You've got these big numbers,
Speaker:so you look important,
Speaker:but the end result is are they really coming in and
Speaker:consuming what you're there for,
Speaker:whether it's a service or a product.
Speaker:And if you're just spending all of your time and focusing
Speaker:on getting random followers who really aren't aligned with what you're
Speaker:doing, all it is,
Speaker:is a number ticking up it,
Speaker:you know?
Speaker:Yes. A little bit of social credibility,
Speaker:but in the long run specially with Facebook now,
Speaker:because you can market against the people that like your page
Speaker:and get more,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:lookalikes like that.
Speaker:You don't want the wrong people.
Speaker:Cause they're going to muddy up what your real customer looks
Speaker:like. So that's,
Speaker:I like when Abby is talking about this,
Speaker:just in terms of Politik grow authentically and specially,
Speaker:if you're just starting out your idea about soft opening and
Speaker:just getting all the kinks out first,
Speaker:before you go gung-ho is really wise.
Speaker:Yeah. Organically growing is the way to go in a lot
Speaker:of the social media experts and influencers.
Speaker:They all echo the same thing.
Speaker:Absolutely. And then even the brands I've been at conferences and
Speaker:the brand,
Speaker:the big brands that are there speaking in panels,
Speaker:they even say nowadays quality over quantity.
Speaker:And that's huge.
Speaker:So that's another like emo that you should use.
Speaker:Absolutely. Okay.
Speaker:Abby, we're going to spend now into our reflection section,
Speaker:and this is an area where I'm just going to ask
Speaker:you a couple quick questions.
Speaker:It's more like fill in the blank just to give us
Speaker:a little more feel of different types of things that you're
Speaker:really good at that have helped you to be successful.
Speaker:If you were to call upon one trait that you feel
Speaker:like you've naturally had your whole life that you continue to
Speaker:use even today,
Speaker:what would that trait be?
Speaker:I'd say optimism and passion,
Speaker:Optimism and passion.
Speaker:Okay. And we've kind of been talking about that this whole
Speaker:time through.
Speaker:Yes we have.
Speaker:And what tool do you use regularly to help you keep
Speaker:productive or to create some balance in your life?
Speaker:You know,
Speaker:everybody's different and I have an amazing memory that I can
Speaker:thank my father for,
Speaker:but I did not use tools.
Speaker:Like there's,
Speaker:there are great tools out there like doodle,
Speaker:which is a new app that you can keep your notes
Speaker:on. But I think for me,
Speaker:the idea is like I said earlier,
Speaker:they come into my head,
Speaker:but the weirdest times only to remember,
Speaker:cause I'm like,
Speaker:okay, that's a story or that's a visual.
Speaker:So I use my iPhone notes and just type it right
Speaker:in there.
Speaker:So I don't need a pen or paper just depends on
Speaker:your individual self,
Speaker:what works best for you.
Speaker:If you are a to-do Lister,
Speaker:then you,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:you choose finding the best digital tool.
Speaker:And if you're not up to digital speed,
Speaker:then you know,
Speaker:go to an old,
Speaker:good, old fashioned notebook,
Speaker:which I still do use like soon while we're talking,
Speaker:I didn't have answers written down,
Speaker:but I did reread sort of what your What'd,
Speaker:your questions were going to be Based on your other shows.
Speaker:So I'm looking at my good old fashioned notebook that has
Speaker:my brand new logo for socially sparked news on it.
Speaker:Okay. I wondered one just to test it out.
Speaker:You know,
Speaker:I think the really important thing that you just talked about
Speaker:here is good ideas can be so fleeting,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:and when you land it,
Speaker:when you have this idea,
Speaker:maybe it's for a new topic for an article or a
Speaker:social media post or something for your product or whatever.
Speaker:Oh my gosh,
Speaker:you can think right at that moment,
Speaker:you're going to remember it forever.
Speaker:And then two hours later,
Speaker:it's like,
Speaker:what was that idea again?
Speaker:So no matter as we're talking,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:I phone notes or pen and paper,
Speaker:whatever, have some system that works for you where you can
Speaker:capture that information.
Speaker:What book have you read lately that you think our listeners
Speaker:could find value in?
Speaker:Actually it's a book that I often go back to,
Speaker:it's called the artist's way.
Speaker:It's a spiritual path or just a path to higher creativity.
Speaker:The author is Julia Cameron really it's,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:it helps you how to overcome creative blocks,
Speaker:whether it's business planning or if you're creative type in writing
Speaker:or designing,
Speaker:it applies to every field.
Speaker:So I constantly go back to it because oftentimes you just
Speaker:kind of get stuck or you're starting a business and then
Speaker:you're just stuck on where to go next.
Speaker:Or you remember,
Speaker:you can't remember cause you're so busy doing other things in
Speaker:life, you know,
Speaker:that are interfering.
Speaker:It helps.
Speaker:I highly recommend it.
Speaker:She's an American teacher,
Speaker:she's an artist,
Speaker:she's a playwright and novelist and journalist.
Speaker:And she also,
Speaker:I think they use this book and school in New York
Speaker:city called the new school,
Speaker:which is a very,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:there's the new school of social work and there's also a
Speaker:journalism school.
Speaker:So I would recommend it.
Speaker:Perfect. And right in line with all of the creators and
Speaker:makers who are listening to the show.
Speaker:So, and give biz listeners just as you're listening to the
Speaker:podcast today,
Speaker:you can also listen to audio books with ease.
Speaker:I've teamed up with audible for you to be able to
Speaker:get an audio book for free.
Speaker:All you need to do is go to gift biz,
Speaker:book.com and make a selection that's gift biz book.com.
Speaker:Okay. Abby,
Speaker:I want to present you with a virtual gift.
Speaker:It's a magical box containing unlimited possibilities for your future.
Speaker:So this is your dream or your goal of almost unreachable
Speaker:Heights that you would wish to obtain.
Speaker:Please accept this gift in our presence and open it.
Speaker:What is inside your box?
Speaker:A fortune?
Speaker:What kind of fortune financial fortune It's at fortune telling fortune
Speaker:because I think my goal and everything that I want to
Speaker:do, what I'd like to see happen in my lifetime.
Speaker:So it's about inspiration to help change the world.
Speaker:That if everybody could just do one thing,
Speaker:we could all work together to really change the world and
Speaker:all the issues that are going on,
Speaker:not just in our country here in the U S but
Speaker:abroad. That's the goal of the powers that be,
Speaker:that I think is in my box because we need more
Speaker:people that can inspire others moving forward so that we can
Speaker:really change the world.
Speaker:So that's it Wonderful.
Speaker:And that's right in line with socially sparked news,
Speaker:since you're talking about motivating,
Speaker:uplifting stories,
Speaker:and it all comes together,
Speaker:you are nothing,
Speaker:if not consistent,
Speaker:right? The same message through the whole way,
Speaker:which is wonderful because that's exactly who you are and give
Speaker:biz listeners.
Speaker:There are so many places to get in touch with Abby
Speaker:because she's got a couple of things going on and you
Speaker:know, all of that is going to be over on the
Speaker:show notes page.
Speaker:But if there was one place Abby,
Speaker:that you would direct people,
Speaker:if they're just listening and not near a computer,
Speaker:where would that be?
Speaker:I would say go To Abby sparks media.com.
Speaker:And you can go to my newsroom.
Speaker:And some of the things that we talked about today in
Speaker:our broadcast about the tools that you could use,
Speaker:if you're just starting a business or the three things you
Speaker:should do first,
Speaker:they're in my stories in my archives.
Speaker:If you go through,
Speaker:you'll find some very inspirational and helpful tools in marketing Look
Speaker:so we can learn more from you right over there.
Speaker:Absolutely. You certainly can.
Speaker:Perfect. All right,
Speaker:Abby, I think you've helped us so much see a different
Speaker:side of PR and I really appreciate the whole concept of
Speaker:old fashioned in terms of its term,
Speaker:but it's morphed into combining with technology today.
Speaker:We should be looking at it in a whole different way
Speaker:yet. Keep the good things from the past.
Speaker:We've kind of lost sight of some of that in terms
Speaker:of the steps and the true PR things that we can
Speaker:be doing to advance our businesses.
Speaker:So that's been really enlightening to me and I'm sure to
Speaker:our gift biz listeners.
Speaker:So I really appreciate your joining me today,
Speaker:sirens and all does not matter.
Speaker:It does not matter.
Speaker:It's been a really valuable conversation and may your candle always
Speaker:burn bright?
Speaker:Thank you so much.
Speaker:Where are you in your business building journey,
Speaker:whether you're just starting out or already running a business and
Speaker:you want to know your setup for success,
Speaker:find out why taking the gift biz quiz,
Speaker:access the quiz from your computer at bit dot L Y
Speaker:slash gift biz quiz or from your phone like texting gift
Speaker:biz quiz to four,
Speaker:four, two,
Speaker:two. Thanks for listening and be sure to join us for
Speaker:the next episode.
Speaker:Today's show is sponsored by the ribbon print company,
Speaker:looking for a new income source for your gift business.
Speaker:Customization is more popular now than ever grant your products of
Speaker:your logo or print a happy birthday,
Speaker:Jessica bourbon,
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Speaker:for more information over and subscribe to the show on iTunes.
Speaker:That way you'll automatically get the newest episodes when they go
Speaker:by and thank you to those.
Speaker:Who've already left a rating by subscribing rating and reviewing help
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Speaker:It's a great way to pay it forward,
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Giftbiz Gal, Host Sue Monhait is an incredible interviewer. I found her questions to be laser sharp as it relates to her listeners, prompting the information her audience craves. I highly recommend GiftBiz Unwrapped as a highly valuable resource for small to medium size businesses. Thank you, Sue for having me as a guest on your podcast and for making it so easy and fun. — Abbe Sparks