What has changed, over the last few years, is the fight for your story to get on that newspaper, TV or radio broadcast. With less pages and less broadcast avenues to choose from, reporters and editors are much more selective in what they choose to cover. So if you’re promoting something or someone you’re going to have to think outside the box.

Think about your pitch!

It goes back to that question I always ask my clients. What’s your message? What’s yours story? The media wants an interesting story, a captivating story and a memorable story. Does your story fall into any of those categories? What are you telling everyone to get excited or interested about?

Find that authentic pitch. One you can stand behind and contact your favourite reporter. It’s just an email and you never know… maybe your story will interest more than your family and friends.

In past year’s I’ve attended private industry parties at venues such as the Verona Suite in the Hilton Hotel or the Foundation Room at the Mandalay Bay where James Gandolfini was launching his new slot machine. It’s a great way to network and see some incredible venues in private settings.

I’ll be dedicating a page on the site during the conference with my take on it all.

www.alexleepr.com/g2e

November 29, 2009

The page mentioned above has now also been added into this post. When I take business trips I create a separate page to post current and specific information and write the link on my business cards.

If you received a card from me it would look like the one in the photo to the right. If yours read G2E then the information below took you to the page dedicated to my experience at that event. It’s my suggestion for a unique business card idea and a chance to engage in conversation past the handshake and card exchange (while still at the event!).

After the event has passed and all the contacts have been made and conversations have started it’s now all in one blog post here below.

November 15, 2009

I will be attending G2E and posting photos and my take on the conference this year on this page. It all starts tomorrow Tuesday.

Follow me on Twitter. I’ll be using the hashtag #G2E09

Monday, November 16, 2009

Left this morning for Las Vegas. Lots of people on the plane attending G2E as well! The flight was nice and it was certainly nice to leave torrential rain in Vancouver to arrive in sunny Las Vegas.

Checked into Caesars Palace, my home away from home, and settled into my favourite tower (Augustus). Love this hotel. Not only is it located in the best area of the strip (I think) but you really don’t need to really leave to experience the best that Las Vegas has to offer. Everything from the shopping to the casino games, they don’t hold back. It really is, hands down, my favourite hotel. Sure there are great rooms in other hotels but Caesars has the whole package hands down. Looking forward to my bath in the big soaker tub before hitting up the first industry party tonight at Carmel in the Bellagio.

Tuesday November 17

So the day started out with a bright a beautiful morning in Vegas and I was ready to tackle the busiest day of my week with client meetings and taking in the convention.

First meeting took place at Payard’s at Caesar’s. A newer feature of Caesar’s Palace and a great place to grab a quick bite and a great latte.

Then it was off to the convention centre. The thing with G2E is that in order to get invited to these massive parties in the evenings you have to find the right people to connect with and get that coveted invitation. Tonight’s affair is at the Joint at the Hard Rock and there were 8000 tickets handed out. Right now there’s a massive lineup and I’m not sure that’s my scene tonight. It’s hard to network with 8000 people there and loud music. So we’ll see if I even make out there.

The G2E Convention Center was packed. No surprise. All the vendors had amazing products on display and I would’ve taken more pictures if I wasn’t told not too. I guess people want to keep their new products under wraps. I have to say that I have noticed a bigger turn out this year than last. More companies are sending more people here as things pick up in the economy. Having said that it is still not the same G2E as years past but a definite improvement from last year to this year.

Overall this day has exceeded my expectations and I had great meetings with both clients and friends in the industry so far.

More to come…..

Thursday, November 19

So I do realize that I have skipped a day in this update. Mainly because took the opportunity to shop in Vegas since I didn’t have any meetings yesterday till dinner time. In my opinion there are some great shopping places in Vegas. My favorites are the Forum Shops at Caesars, the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, the Premium Outlets and the Fashion Show mall.

I had a couple of meetings at Caesar’s at dinner before heading to the TCS John Huxley affair at the Palms. I have to say after a week of meetings and attending G2E parties TCS John Huxley did it up the best! Instead of competing for the attention of their clients on the convention floor they decided to take over the Palms. During the day on Tuesday they held their display and show floor in a VIP setting and then last night was the big VIP party at the Moon. Everything from their invitation materials to the executive car pickup was done masterfully and in true old school G2E Las Vegas style. And here’s the kicker… they saved money by doing it this way!!! The convention floor space is so expensive basically taking over Palms was a cheaper option! Unbelievable. Thank you TCS John Huxley for setting the bar this year!

Overall I thought this G2E was great. Last year you really felt the economic hit. Companies only sent their top 2 executives and the convention seemed dead… literally. But this year you saw the blood start to flow back into the gaming industry in North America. Numbers are up. Things are started to return back to where it should be. More bodies on the floor. Better parties again. Before the world tanked G2E Las Vegas was insane. Returning to those days of private parties and extravagant VIP client service has made a return and I anticipate that next year will be even better.

Thank you for following my G2E Las Vegas updates. If you want my play by play you can check out my Twitter page.

Thanks to Caesar’s Palace for my amazing stay (again). Service is impeccable and the Augustus Tower is my idea of heaven.

Today Patrick took to the stage to complete Phase 1. He did it! He sand his four U2 songs in hopes to get U2’s attention. Not to mention getting many of the Vancouver radio stations to spread the word including the Joe Leary Show on Talk 1410 and The Courage and Vance Show on Shore 104fm.

You may have even seen him in 24 Hours Vancouver today on your way into town on the skytrain. “It was so surreal to see people sitting there reading about me in the paper as I sit next to them on the skytrain today,” says Stark. “What an incredible day!”

Tomorrow will be the real test. Did we get through to U2? When it hits the Vancouver Sun tomorrow… will they read it and say yes?

Either way it’s a win win for Stark. He will try his hardest to fulfill his dream of being a rockstar tomorrow night but if at the end of the day he doesn’t make it on stage with U2 it will all make for great footage of Stark’s heartfelt journey in the film.

Here are some more shots from today:

On a personal note this PR project has been such a great experience for me. Patrick is a dream client. His passion for what he does is truly inspiring. If you believe good things happen to good people then Patrick Stark will get on that stage tomorrow!

Me with the Big Dreamer

Tomorrow Patrick takes to the stage to sing his songs to U2!

Come join us!!

Here are some shots from today:

Band backing Patrick – Phil Robertson (drums – Idle Eyes), Trevor McDonald (guitar), Ian Putz (brass – yes brass – Aerosmith), Brian Newcombe (bass – David Foster/Chilliwack)

On October 27th, 2009 Vancouver filmmaker Patrick Stark is going to try and get U2’s attention in a pretty grand way.

For more information visit the film’s website www.OneLifeNoRegrets.ca for more information.

We are also looking for your submissions. If you’d like to be a part of the One Life: No Regrets documentary please reply to the   You Tube Video. We would love to hear from you!

First, the word viral is the most overused word. Having said that there are some serious viral phenomenons online that have seen insurmountable success. Success equaling, of course, millions of views online.

So what’s the formula? What makes a video go viral?

I certainly have a theory and some examples of people who have done it right. Some video cost millions to produce. Some cost next to nothing. And everything in between. But there are, in my opinion, key components of what propelled interest in that particular video.

The most important is the video itself. You have to ask yourself: Is this video any good? Would you send it to a million of your friends? Are you laughing uncontrollably or crying like a baby watching it? Is it evoking any kind of emotion out of you? It has to be some seriously compelling stuff to lure their interest and to encourage viewers to share it.

Everyone by now has seen the Best Wedding Entrance Ever which has seen over 2.7 million views since it was posted on July 25, 2009. Now Jill and Kevin can call their video viral phenomenons. All it took was for one mention on CNN and the rest was history. There are 2 other wedding videos posted in 2006 and 2007 of similar themes that are now at 8.7 million views and just under 10 and a half million. There isn’t anything fancy about them. No flashy film work. Just great content for people who care. In this instance obviously alot of people interested in wedding dances cared and shared.

Here’s the one that claims to be the original video. I’m sure being on Good Morning America beefed up the video play numbers.

In 2006 I wrote a blog post promoting the Free Hug phenomenon. When I wrote the post the original Free Hug video had just over 4 and a half million views. Today it is at 51,840,864 views! There is no question when you watch it, even many times over, that it makes an impression. It makes an impact.

Once you have established that your video is undeniably interesting then your PR strategy can take place. Blog posts, press releases, Twitter links and Facebook updates to try and push the spread of it and up the viewing counts. Certainly better PR experts can get the “link” in front of the right eyes. Who’s going to care the most about spreading this link? Who, other than your friends and family, are going to want to watch this video?

Of course there are some other elements that can enhance the viral affect. Flash mobs are a great example. Oprah most recently wowed us all for her live show when the Black Eyed Peas staged a massive flash mob in the streets of Chicago. Even the behind the scenes of the flash mob is an interesting video. Still, I like the T-Mobile flash mob video the best so far.

You can spend tons of money on production like the Honda folks did so eloquently with their Honda Insight/ Let It Shine Campaign. Also, the making of video is as compelling.

You can even try getting tons of people to coordinate one continuous shot to make it interesting like the Philippine inmates did for their Thriller viral phenomenon or that random kid who made up and shot Bike Hero in one take.

One last example would be among one of my favorites as well. The Extreme LED Sheep Art  video is exceptionally captivating and the making of video is amazing as well.

The lesson here is that it’s all about the video. You could have an incredible video and no PR strategy and it could “go viral”. You could have the best PR minds working for you but if you don’t have that compelling content they are useless to you.

At Starbucks I waited. My first impression of him was that he was really tall with the most genuine smile. And then I heard about his project. His first documentary called One Life: No Regrets.

Patrick Stark is no stranger to the film scene in Vancouver. Today, Stark is an independent producer and director, acting as a consultant for various projects, and developing many of his own.

From 1990, when he first stepped onto set as an extra and throughout the 17 years since, Stark has acquired numerous credits. Working behind the scenes in various departments, mostly as an assistant director, he gained the experience necessary to eventually produce and direct his own films.

Today what’s making him excited is this passion project. It’s a documentary about people’s dreams. You know the one you’ve been hanging onto since you were little? Everyone has one.

Patrick’s own dream of one day singing in front of thousands of fans will also be featured in this film. To make that happen we are setting up a stage for him to perform on on October 27th. But that’s not all. Patrick will be singing to U2 in hopes that they will ask him on their stage at the Vancouver concert the following night.

We shot the You Tube Campaign call to action yesterday which will be up shortly after editing is complete. In the meantime, we have started a Facebook page and you can follow Patrick on Twitter (hashtag: #OneLifeNoRegrets) as we make his dream and hopefully others after for the One Life: No Regrets documentary.

You Tube video COMING SOON!

It was also so amazing to work with Shannon Kohli, who was shooting the You Tube Campaign. Talk about one impressive Director of Photography and award winning Cinematographer. She will be shooting the documentary as well as on October 27th.

Working on their PR Strategy has been an exciting challenge. It’s really a blend of social networking and relying on traditional media channels to spread the word about this initiative. I’m looking forward to seeing how it all unfolds. But when it comes down to it you can’t get a better, more genuine face to do this then with Patrick. Whether it works out perfectly as we plan or falls apart at the seams with hurdles and obstacles, it will all make for great documentary footage.

This year should be especially interesting since the Kid Poker made his claim that he’ll be back to defend his title when he won the tournament last year. There will be some serious contenders in Richmond BC vying for a chance to beat Daniel Negreanu and to take this year’s title and cash prize. Are you up for the challenge?

Here’s this year’s event schedule:

2009 BC Poker Championship Event Schedule

NOVEMBER 12th-14th

Event #1

Starts Nov 12th @ 12:00PM

$500+50 No Limit Holdem

$250, 000  Prize pool**

Event #2
November 16th – 17th, 2009 @ 12:00PM

$1000 +100 No Limit Holdem
Final Table will begin on November 17th @ 9:00pm

$500,000 prize pool**

Event #4
November 19th – 22nd, 2009 @ 12:00PM

$2700 No Limit Holdem Main Event
Final Table will begin on November 22nd @ 12:00pm
4 Day Event
15,000 In Starting Chips
1hr Blind Levels

** Estimated Prize Pools.

CALL RIVER ROCK’s POKER ROOM AT 604.247.8983 TO REGISTER OR FOR MORE INFORMATION

STEP 1: DO YOUR HOMEWORK:

When tackling a PR project I always take the same initial approach. I try and look at my client and everything that person or business has to offer and paint myself the big picture first. What are their greatest selling features? What makes this person or business authentic and original from everyone and everything else? And what is going to get the public interested?

That starts the massive brain storm. Fortunately or unfortunately, for me, this is the stage where my brain doesn’t shut off. You really just have to look at it from all angles. Where is that niche thing that will get people to notice or pay attention. I simply look at everything! The past, the present and the future. The connection with community. Who is going to care about this story?

STEP 2: STRATEGY

From there I break things down into smaller divisions and try and come up with a unique plan. I find the most interesting things to promote first and start from there. List each trait or feature as a separate entity, a separate pitch to the media and to the public. Then list all the media you want to approach about what and at what time. Remember that generally deadlines are very tight and current. If you have time-sensitive event, promotion, etc you need to plan accordingly. Press releases will get lost if you send it too far in advance.

STEP 3: GETTING IN TOUCH- PERSONALLY

Every media strategy should consist of research and development first. Know your press. Know your media. Once you have a clear indication of what your “pitch” will be you need to ask yourself where the story would best fit in the media. You can’t just blitz everyone with the same story. Well… you can… in fact that is the traditional way of doing things but it doesn’t always work. Sure if you sent out your press release to a hundred people you may get a handful of interest but if you really want to take the time and energy to carry out a better media strategy it’s going to take more time and effort with your pitches. Find the publication, TV show, reporter, radio host, and/or blogger that will be interested in your pitch. Send that person a direct email or call them and talk them through your ideas. Create the story together. Or at least try to. Not every show or reporter is going to be the right fit but just sending a press release to the generic assignment desk is going to show less results than if you email a specific reporter, editor, television producer, radio host, or blogger.

Over time you will build relationships with your local media. You will get to know what they would be interested in covering and in turn making it easier to build your media strategies around them. On a larger scale you can certainly use that approach internationally. With email and websites it’s easy to keep relationships with people who may help you to get more exposure around the world.

The most important part about PR is your personal approach. Be authentic and honest and open.

It comes down to this question: What is my own online strategy? More specifically even, what is your online PR strategy?

Much like any corporation, being remotely public online comes with responsibilities, at least for me they do (online). Due largely to this site and to my social media addictions.. I mean…PR tools, my life is an open book. Of course when it comes to my professional reputation I take the time to think strategy and I think long term rather than short. Twenty years from now I will have built up quite a lengthy presence online. It is inevitable we are moving towards that kind of future. Growing with Google.  Layers and layers of online pages, like sedimentary rock. Maybe I am going for the Grand Canyon of online layers. I don’t anticipate or plan for online popularity or anything either. Growing up I wrote in a journal for most of my life… isn’t this essentially the same thing? Well, that and the fact that I am letting just anyone read it. Let’s call it more like the portfolio of my life.

This “portfolio” has to be something I can stand behind and represents me in the most authentic way. I have no ghost writers. I take all of my own photos or credit and link to the rare times I don’t. (Or at least try to.. please tell me if you’ve caught anything online that deserves a link) but most of all I put time into it. It is something I am proud of. I also take the time to engage in conversation with people who are interested in me and what I have to say. Call it your online handshake and then coffee talk with every Web interaction.

There’s also the mind-set of quality over quantity, being really selective of what you put online with each post, picture and page. Then there’s those that use the Internet and its tools for everything. Photo storage, email storage, blog storage, you get the picture. An enormous amount of layers upon layers of online content. I even know people who store everything for the sole reason the can go back and find it. Certainly faster than going through files in your closet. No risk of losing in a fire. Accessible from anywhere in the world. All things are easily search able if you have misplaced it online. Times that by 20 or 30 years. Now that’s an online strategy.

Yours and my strategy can be different. I’m just encouraging you to think long term, as I try to do with ever post, picture and page. Think about your online collection. It’s is certianly something I take into consideration all of time. It’s no longer this mad rush to pile as much of me on the Internet anymore. Now I take my time to write and edit my stuff on line. My photos are chosen carefully and I take the time to update all of my social media addictions. It’s the online commitment I have made. I’m sure twenty years from now I will surely be proud of myself for putting the work in today. I will instigate a few laughs at the very least, anyway.