PR tip of the Month
This is a tip that seems so obvious when you hear it that you think you knew it all along! I was reminded of it again recently at a very motivating seminar organized by my friend and BYP partner Callum Laing, presenting the Communication and Management Trainer Bob Urichuck and want to share it with you: Raising your awareness doesn’t have to cost anything, it just needs to be credible. Publicity will provide a lot of third party endorsement and stature, it will assist you in establishing the USP (unique selling point) of your business, it will give you authority and make people remember you. Publicity can’t be controlled, you can’t decide where or how it is presented. It is seldom repeated, you can’t purchase it and you can’t be assured that the message will be the correct one. Nevertheless every marketing plan should include a PR strategy!
There is one single most important secret that will help you reap free publicity and that is to provide news that the Media will be interested in and that will capture their attention. To make it work, one has to come up with the creativity to generate real news that is worth publicizing, cultivate media connections you can offer your news for publication or broadcast to, and most of all having the persistence to follow through and see that you get the coverage you want. Never forget to send your release to the correct department and if possible to a specific person.
- Tailor your press release to the intended media’s specific image
- Date it in the upper right hand corner
- Include the name of the person to contact for more information
- Include your phone number and press release date
- Provide a catchy headline
- Double space your copy on 81/2 x 11 and leave wide margins
- Write in concise, clear sentences – state facts – who, what, where, when, why and how in the first paragraph
- News is always more interesting if you can illustrate it with an interesting photograph
- Be original and hold your press events in unique and unexpected places
- Never let your guard down and always be “publicity aware”
Other ways to generate PR interest
- Promote yourself and your company by sponsoring events, seminars, charitable activities, sport tournaments, etc.
- Join and actively take part in a networking organization, club or charitable community activities
- Don’t just take part but become a leader
- Write an article or byline on your field of expertise and get it published, or better still write a book!