Time Your News Release For Maximum Publicity

Time Your News Release For Maximum Publicity

by: David Leonhardt

กCindy, whereกs that story? I need it yesterday!ก

กComing right up, boss. Iกll have it to you soon,ก Cindy shouted back.

กYesterday isn’t soon enough!ก

Cindy clicked on her screen. กYou have mail.ก She looked at the messages. ‘three news releases,ก she murmured. กI don’t have time for this now.ก [delete] [delete] [delete]

Stop! Was that your news release Cindy just deleted? Too bad you sent it to her at the wrong time. You may have heard that ‘timing is everythingก and that is even more true in a newsroom. But how do you know when is the best time to send a news release?

Media relations is an art more than a science, so there is no single rule. If there was, everyone would be a media star. Here are a few guidelines to help you zoom ahead of your competition for the mediaกs attention:

Each type of media and each type of journalist is different. Here are just a few of the variables:

National or local media

TV, newspaper, radio or magazine

News reporter, features reporter or columnist

Consumer magazine or trade journal

Daily, weekly or monthly publication

Print or electronic

Each company or organization is different, as is its news. Here are just a few of the variables:

Local, national or international operations

Prescheduled news release, or lastminute reaction to todayกs news.

Product announcement, policy announcement, financial announcement

Bearing in mind the wide range of news you might announce and the wide range of media targets, 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. tends to be the best time of day to release news. You want to give the assignment editor time to send them out to cover your news. If you hope to get into the noon news, you don’t want to go too late, because you run into TV deadlines. Early afternoon is a secondbest time, but if you get much past 2:30, you will catch Cindyกs [delete] button at most daily newspapers and television stations.

I have been asked about the best day of the week to send out a news release. There isn’t one. I have seen plenty of debates on this. From personal experience, the only difference I ever noticed is when I could pick a slow news day. For instance, if in your city the daily newspaper can be reached on Sunday and not too much tends to happen that day in your subject area, you may find it easier to get into Mondayกs newspaper than if you try later in the week. But on average, there is not much difference.

Best time of month, year, etc? Again, there is no single best time. There is one golden rule. Do not send out a release when the world is wrapped up in some allconsuming event like the death of Princess Diana or the attack on the World Trade Center. Remember how much TV airtime and newspaper print space were devoted to those events? The media and its audiences had other things on their minds than your news. You can’t control events, but you can control the timing of your release (most of the time).

How far in advance should you send out your release? Some book reviewers usually need several months. Others don’t want to see your release until the book is on the store shelves. Many consumer magazines have a sixmonth editorial preview. Features editors often run several weeks ahead of time, but sometimes squeeze things in on short notice. News departments want only breaking news. Yesterdayกs news is … well, yesterdayกs news. Your release is already forgotten.

Does all this sound confusing. It is. The bottom line in any marketing is to know your target market and give it what it wants. Same with the media. The guidelines above give a very abbreviated list of what you need to consider. If you are still unsure, a media coach might be a good investment. But be forewarned – find someone with enough experience and success to coach you in the right direction.

About The Author

After a decade and a half as one of Canadaกs top consumer advocates, often conducting over 600 media interviews each year, David Leonhardt is sharing his knowledge with others. Pick up a copy of his special report กGet In The News!ก at http://www.TheHappyGuy.com/PR.html. Home page is http://www.TheHappyGuy.com

[email protected]

This article was posted on December 05, 2002

by David Leonhardt

Microsoft Great Plains typical problems and fixe

Microsoft Great Plains typical problems and fixes – overview for IT Administrator

by: Andrew Karasev

If you have Microsoft Great Plains and support it for your company then you need to know typical set of problems you have in Great Plains and their fixes to have Great Plains run smoothly in your company. Weกll describe techniques applicable to Microsoft SQL Server as well as to legacy platforms: Pervasive SQL.2000 (btrieve) and ctree. The last Ctree/Pervasive version is 7.5. New Microsoft Great Plains 8.0 is for SQL Server/MSDE. You should also know that Great Plains as well as Small Business Manager is written in proprietary Great Plains Software language/environment: Great Plains Dexterity, which has Dynamics.exe and Dynamics.dic files as the core of the Great Plains workstation.

How to delete the user? This is the first problem you encounter when user shuts down the computer Great Plains doesn’t have the command to log off the user and when user tries to login the next day she gets error message that user is already logged on. The fix:

Microsoft SQL Server open SQL Query Analyzer, switch to DYNAMICS database and run the following script: DELETE ACTIVITY WHERE USERID=กKATHYก.

Pervasive SQL/Ctree if you have more than one user registered you can delete the user from GP: System>User Activity>Delete User. If you like to work on the file level ask all the users to log off. On the server, where you have your Great Plains files structure DYNAMICS is the root, in SYSTEM folder delete ACTIVITY.* files

How to unlock the batch? This happens when user posts the batch and has her computer crashed (via surfing the internet smile or things like this)

General tip Great Plains recommends to logoff and then login back with the same user id. Then Great Plains will prompt the user to recover posting batch. Unfortunately it doesn’t work in 70% of the cases

MS SQL Server the batch record is stored in Batch Header table: SY00500 in the company database. The fields to clear are: BCHSTTUS and MKDTOPST. In some cases you have to delete the record from SY00800 from DYNAMICS db.

Pervasive/ctree you have to install ODBC driver for Pervasive or Ctree and hook the tables: SY00500, SY00800 with Microsoft Access use linked tables technique

Now we would like to stress you the need to move away from Pervasive SQL 2000/Ctree platforms you are in trouble Microsoft Business Solutions cuts technical support for Microsoft Great Plains 7.5 and prior on these platforms. This means not only the support, but also tax updates (especially Payroll and Federal Magnetic Media).

What is migration from Ctree/Pervasive.SQL 2000 to MS SQL/MSDE? MBS has migration tool. You need first to install Great Plains on SQL Server with exactly the same account/segments structure and then install migration tool (it is Dexterity chunk) on your ctree/Pervasive workstation then, when you integrate the chunk you will map it to target SQLbased Great Plains Company, select all system and company tables, click the button and it will move all your tables onebyone. In the case when your Great Plains ctree/Pervasive has third parties you need to check if the vendor has migration tool otherwise you have to do manual move, use SQL Linked server to your legacy data

Do I need consultant? It is probably good idea to have consultant to do the upgrade. We strongly recommend you to use consultant in the following cases

You have Dexterity customization

You are doing migration from Pervasive/Ctree to Microsoft SQL Server/MSDE, especially when you have thirdparties without migration tools

You have a lot or ReportWriter Modified Great Plains Reports

You have old version of Great Plains: Dynamics or eEnteroprise 6.0 or prior in this case you can not appeal to Microsoft Technical Support it is discontinued

Your Great Plains has more than 20 users and you have to have upgrade done over the weekend if it fails you have business problems

You don’t have support in this case you have to select your Microsoft Business Solutions Partner and pay for the annual support/enhancement plan you will get new registration key and will be ready for the upgrade

Good luck in fixing and if you have issues or concerns – we are here to help! If you want us to do the job give us a call 18665280577! [email protected]

About The Author

Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies – USA nationwide Great Plains, Microsoft CRM customization company, based in Chicago, California, Texas, Florida, New York, Georgia, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Canada, UK, Australia and having locations in multiple states and internationally (www.albaspectrum.com), he is CMA, Great Plains Certified Master, Dexterity, SQL, C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer. You can contact Andrew: [email protected]

[email protected]

This article was posted on September 05, 2004

by Andrew Karasev

Help Keep The Computers On Earth Clean And Healthy

Help Keep The Computers On Earth Clean And Healthy: Protect Your TechnoFriends From Viruses And ‘Sickness’

by: M6.Net

Help keep the computers on Earth clean and healthy: Protect your technofriends from viruses and ‘sickness’.

ขAaaaaahhhhhh! I’ve been invaded by a virus!ข Getting a virus means getting sick and no one in their right mind wants to be ill. Well, now that computers have become our close friends, it’s a shock to learn that foreign bodies too can invade them with malicious intent. No, your computer doesn’t get a runny nose or diarrhea. This is a sickness that stops your friend from functioning properly, sick in bed, incapacitated.

Well in Nature viruses occur from a power outside of our control. But, with computers it’s different, humans, mean or ignorant humans are creating these viruses. Why? Usually these are disgruntled people who want to wreak some havoc on others or companies that they feel have done wrong to them. In any case we have to be in the know and prepared to deal with these debilitating scourges.

There are many ways to approach the protection of your computer. First of all there’s the step of awareness. Be aware of how viruses are transmitted. You can catch them from a disc but in most cases it is through your email system. Check your email carefully. Be very wary of anything that has an attachment. Check whom it’s from and look at the title of the mail, is it something you were expecting? Even if it’s from someone you know, be careful as their computer could be infected and the virus being transmitted without their knowledge.

Next, read the cover message, you can’t catch the disease without actually opening the message. Look at the name of the attachment; remember viruses are written to entice you. Beware of free offers and generally anything from people you don’t know, as well as messages that sound irrelevant to your contact’s usual style. Delete them straight away. Delete, delete, delete. This will ensure you of a lower risk of infection. You can even send the message back to the sender without opening it to make sure it is valid.

Now for the heavy protection: Virus scanning and virus protection software, and rescue discs are all readily available and easily utilized. Some are free, and others are obtained for a very small charge. Most software manufacturers offer subscriptions for updating services, which automatically download protection to the latest viruses.

There are two main types of virus scanning software: one searches through your entire computer files looking for recognizable viral signatures, the other scans your incoming and outgoing emails. Alerts will show you when a file needs to be erased or repaired. If you do receive a virus that none of the software can repair you can send a copy of it to a company like Symantec who will be happy to develop a cure for it.

The main message here is not to get too worried about your good friend Mrs. PC getting ill or sick. The humans are on top of the case and they seem much better adapted at fixing their technology than they are at beating the viruses that attack our physical bodies. If only we could cure human virus and illness as easily as we solve the problem of computer sickness.

By Jesse S. Somer

M6.Net http://www.m6.net

About The Author

Jesse S. Somer is an analyst hoping to show fellow humans how far the computer age has come in terms of its strengths and weaknesses.

[email protected]

This article was posted on March 16, 2004

by M6.Net

A Beginnerกs Guide to Avoiding Viruses

A Beginnerกs Guide to Avoiding Viruses

by: Jesse S. Somer

ขAaaaaahhhhhh! I’ve been invaded by a virus!ข Getting a virus means getting sick and no one in their right mind wants to be ill. Well, now that computers have become our close friends, it’s a shock to learn that foreign bodies too can invade them with malicious intent. No, your computer doesn’t get a runny nose or diarrhea. This is a sickness that stops your friend from functioning properly, sick in bed, incapacitated.

Well in Nature viruses occur from a power outside of our control. But, with computers it’s different, humans, mean or ignorant humans are creating these viruses. Why? Usually these are disgruntled people who want to wreak some havoc on others or companies that they feel have done wrong to them. In any case we have to be in the know and prepared to deal with these debilitating scourges.

There are many ways to approach the protection of your computer. First of all there’s the step of awareness. Be aware of how viruses are transmitted. You can catch them from a disc but in most cases it is through your email system. Check your email carefully. Be very wary of anything that has an attachment. Check whom it’s from and look at the title of the mail, is it something you were expecting? Even if it’s from someone you know, be careful as their computer could be infected and the virus being transmitted without their knowledge.

Next, read the cover message, you can’t catch the disease without actually opening the message. Look at the name of the attachment; remember viruses are written to entice you. Beware of free offers and generally anything from people you don’t know, as well as messages that sound irrelevant to your contact’s usual style. Delete them straight away. Delete, delete, delete. This will ensure you of a lower risk of infection. You can even send the message back to the sender without opening it to make sure it is valid.

Now for the heavy protection: Virus scanning and virus protection software, and rescue discs are all readily available and easily utilized. Some are free, and others are obtained for a very small charge. Most software manufacturers offer subscriptions for updating services, which automatically download protection to the latest viruses.

There are two main types of virus scanning software: one searches through your entire computer files looking for recognizable viral signatures, the other scans your incoming and outgoing emails. Alerts will show you when a file needs to be erased or repaired. If you do receive a virus that none of the software can repair you can send a copy of it to a company like Symantec who will be happy to develop a cure for it.

The main message here is not to get too worried about your good friend Mrs. PC getting ill or sick. The humans are on top of the case and they seem much better adapted at fixing their technology than they are at beating the viruses that attack our physical bodies. If only we could cure human virus and illness as easily as we solve the problem of computer sickness.

About The Author

Jesse S. Somer

M6.Net

http://www.m6.net

Jesse S. Somer is an analyst hoping to show fellow humans how far the computer age has come in terms of its strengths and weaknesses.

This article was posted on September 07, 2004

by Jesse S. Somer

Microsoft Great Plains Primer – tips for IT / Data

Microsoft Great Plains Primer – tips for IT / Database Administrator

by: Andrew Karasev

Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains is main ERP application targeted to US midsize businesses market. We do understand that a lot of new clients are signing with Microsoft Business Solutions or MBS Partners to purchase and implement Microsoft Great Plains (with potential integration with Microsoft CRM and Microsoft RMS – Retail Management System). In this small article we are trying to help IT specialist to support and resolve basic Great Plains problems, like deleting hanging user, unlock the batch, etc.

1. How to delete the user: If user, shuts down computer, before signing off Great Plains she/he will get the message that she/he is already signed. Then you need to delete the user from the activity table. Run the query below against DYNAMICS database it will unlock the user:

delete ACTIVITY where USERID=กMARIEก

2. How to unlock the batch: From our experience this is second FAQ we are hearing from Great Plains administrator. Run this script against company database to unlock hanging batch:

update SY00500 set BCHSTTUS=0 where BACHNUMB = กBATCH0023ก

Sometimes you also have to run this script against DYNAMICS database (if first script doesn’t do the job)

delete SY00800 where BACHNUMB = กBATCH0023ก

3. Some Reporting Queries – Before we go there, we would like you to be able to find the table with the data you are looking for. Launch Great Plains and go to Tools>Resource Description>Tables. Find the table in the proper series. If you are looking for the customers – it should be RM00101 – customer master file.

Now lets query Customer Master table:

select CUSTNMBR, CUSTNAME from RM00101 where STATE=กCAก

This query will return Customer Number, Customer Name for all the customers in California

Next query will give you top 10 Inventory Items with the best Sales Results

select a.ITEMNMBR, a.ITEMDESC, b.SALESNUMBER from IV00101 a join (select top 10 ITEMNMBR, count(ITEMNMBR) as SALESNUMBER from SOP30300 where SOPTYPE=3 group by ITEMNMBR order by count(ITEMNMBR) desc) b on a.ITEMNMBR=b.ITEMNMBR

You can have such a nice tools as Explorer to imitate Sales or Financial reporting for you and then dump it to Excel with the click of the button as good alternative to FRx, but we would recommend you to stick to FRx for regular financial reporting – this is the tool of the choice for controller.

You can always have us help you, give us a call: 16309615918 or 18665280577, [email protected]

About The Author

Andrew Karasev is consultant and CTO in Alba Spectrum Technologies ( http://www.albaspectrum.com ) – Microsoft Business Solutions partner, serving clients in Illinois, New York, California, Florida, Georgia, Texas, Arizona, Virginia, Minnesota, Canada, UK, Europe, Australia, Asia, Russia. He is Microsoft Great Plains certified master, Great Plains Dexterity, Microsoft CRM SDK C#.Net, Crystal Repots developer. You can reach Andrew: [email protected].

This article was posted on February 15

by Andrew Karasev