- FAIT ICI is an organic general store in Montreal with limited budget for marketing and advertising. - The author outlines how he used PR and social media strategies like listening, engaging, and building relationships online to gain over 35 media hits and coverage in major publications while spending under $500. - Key tactics included using Twitter to connect with journalists and influencers, guest blogging to generate content and exposure, hosting a low-cost launch event, and building an engaged community through blogging.

1. Scoring coverage for cheap Jackson Wightman FAIT ICI

2. Bio Director of Communications at Causeforce Shoppers Drug Mart Weekend to End Women’s Cancers Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer The Underwear Affair Entrepreneur FAIT ICI – local focused, organic store in Montreal www.faitici.ca Contributing Editor at PR Daily www.prdaily.com Blogger www.jacksonwightman.com

4. PR and social media as marketing channels

5. Getting to know the tribe

6. Listening first

7. Using social to get coverage

8. Twitter: a media relations dynamo

9. Blogging

10. Ici et here

11. Hosting a PR event

12. Results

15. 5 product categories, unique mix

16. Local focused, organic

17. Name means “made here” in French

18. 9.5months old as of March 2011

19. No budget for ads (or much else)

20. PR guy doubles as broom sweeper

22. Owned media?

23. PR and Social Media as channels PR and social media are inseparable Not about where “social” is housed, it is just an integral PR tool Many similarities: ‘Free’ BUT with ‘costs’ Time is the main cost Patience is a requirement re returns NEED TO HELP OTHERS BEFORE ASKING FOR HELP!

24. You need to know the Tribe Not just who, but what: What norms? What language? What generates reactions? What gets shared? What media do they like?

27. Listening: how, why and for how long? Old days: buy a media list and blast

28. Listening: how, why and for how long? Now: internet and social allows for careful observation, monitoring and tailored targeting

30. you build a blog list by digging and uncovering (MTL food community as an example/illustration)

31. Importance of blogrolls

32. RSS/email subscriptions to blogs

33. Subscribing is the key – don’t miss a thing

34. Google alerts and culling info

35. Twitter

36. Seeing who follows who

37. Why not follow others’ lists? Helped us discover people we did not even exist

38. Monitter.com – monitor keyword use by geo-location

39. Nutshell Mail for social media monitoring

40. Tweetbeep– google alerts for twitter

42. Especially critical when dealing w/ a group you don’t know well

43. Key to putting you in a position to give before asking

45. Twitter: a media relations dynamo 3 key PR problems: Show media you know their beat/interests Help them/express opinion on their work Be seen to share their work PR people used to have to spend time/money on these things

47. Also allows you to respond and help in real time

48. Your retweets are remembered and a platform for beginning dialogue

49. Lists allow for careful tracking

50. Twitter also has cultural particularities that can help you get covered

51. 85-90% of the press at FAIT ICI is via Twitter relations.

52. Both old and new media are in this space

55. Start EARLY – we had blog up and running 3 months before store opened

56. Subscribe via email or RSS those you want to cover you

57. Set a goal of 2-4 meaningful comments per week

58. What is a meaningful comment?

59. Began this initiative early – 3 months before we needed anything

60. Link a lot – gets you noticed – currency of the internet

63. Selection criteria:

64. Knew them

65. Liked them

66. Goals:

67. Generate long lasting, good content for our online community

68. Solidify relationships with the participating bloggers

69. Expose new people to our blog and brand

70. Increase traffic to our blog

72. Traffic increased 300%

73. Shares and retweets increased 30%

74. Great content that lives on

75. Solidified relationships (bloggers are tighter than ever w/ us and talk about us in social spaces)

76. 2 major print hits (in both languages)

77. 1 national print hit about the initiative

79. Go with who you know

80. Right mix of writers helps

81. Release control

83. On the ‘interplay of food & life in Montreal

84. Food bloggers, journalists, Hollywood actress, NYT bestselling author, chefs, etc.

85. Generate earned media via creating owned media and bringing influencers

86. Content for other owned media properties

87. Score traditional media coverage

89. Relevant PR events for cheap? Don’t events have to cost whacks of cash? Swag Production Immensely valuable Relationships Ability to say what you want

91. Not just a store opening but an info session

92. Suppliers involved as speakers – media opp for them

93. Swag donated

94. One day for media, one day for friends and family

95. Coverage of launch in 6 places

96. Key is to make it worthwhile for everyone

97. Ensure you have a decent online newsroom for afterward

98. Backgrounder

99. Bios

100. Images, Video

103. Highly recommended

104. Video is “ultimate social object”

105. Culture of imperfection aka “authenticity”

106. Easy to publish and quick

107. Press materials (printing etc) - $100

108. SWAG - $0 – donated by suppliers

109. Time, sweat, blood, tears - $0

111. Nor does it need to cost a zillion

112. Listen before talking

113. Give before asking

114. Old and new media media is a red herring

115. In 2010, PR needs to know social

116. Social not a panacea for getting coverage

117. Takes loads of time to show returns

118. Blogs

119. Find and subscribe

120. Set goal for meaningful comments

121. Link lots

122. Use Twitter to find and get noticed by influencers