PR Information |
Making Press Releases Work - Creating News Where None Existed
Aren't you tired of hearing how extremely easy it is to get free publicity? Have you tried the suggestions that most public relations "gurus" give you? The hard, cold truth of the matter is that you cannot write a press release about any old aspect of your business and have it end up on the home page of the Fortune Small Business Web site. It just doesn't work that way. So how does it work, and what do you do if you need publicity but have nothing "newsworthy" to share? There's another truth to publicity ... you can create it if you need to, and it's not that hard to do! Let me offer you useable suggestions that you can implement in order to gain some free exposure for your small business. --- Offer A Donation to a Worthy Cause One woman (a business coach) gave two scholarships to a local community college that catered to the underprivileged. She included two months of free business-building coaching services for qualified applicants at the school. She set forth the criteria with the help of the college, and decided on how to choose the scholarship winners. Press releases were sent out, and the media went wild! Of course they would ... everyone loves to hear about people who are helping out the underdog. She received a lot of free promotion and boosted her image as a community leader, too. --- Relate Your Product/Service to a Local/National News Event Right now the United States is experiencing two very troubling problems that the media covers on a regular basis. The first is a drastic upswing in unemployment (especially in high-tech fields). The second is an energy crisis (particularly in California). If your product or service can somehow offer a solution (even a small one) to one of these two dilemmas, you stand a great chance of getting some publicity. Perhaps you own a resume service that has an exceptional rate of success for one reason or another. Phrase your release so that it helps to solve the unemployment crisis (and does not blatantly promote your business) and you'll perk up some journalist's ears. --- Get In Line With Seasonal Events The change in seasons always makes the news. In summertime, you'll find stories on safe vacation travel or the best airline deals. At the end of the year there is always coverage pertaining to New Year's Resolutions and how to keep them. Fall is generally a great time for gardening-type businesses to remind everyone to plant now so their yards will look fabulous come springtime. If your company can offer some viable information pertaining to seasonal events, a press release might be in order. Writing a release outlining how your online travel agency always gives clients a "vacation safety" package that has proven to "save the day" in the past will bring out some interest in the local (and maybe national) media. Above all, use your imagination. Pay attention to the newspapers, television news and magazines you come in contact with. Notice the types of stories they cover and then write a release that falls in line. You will soon be able to create news where none previously existed and gain some free exposure for yourself in the process! Diane C. Hughes * ProBizTips.com FREE Report: Amazingly Simple (Yet Super Powerful)Ways To Skyrocket Your Sales And Build Your BusinessInto A Tower of Profits! ==>> http://madmarketer.com/diane
MORE RESOURCES: Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting |
RELATED ARTICLES
The MOST Powerful Marketing and Advertising on the Planet! It sounds too simple to be true, but it really is.. How to Get Some of Paris Hilton's TV Time When your book is mentioned on television, sales go up. Immediately people start looking in book stores and on the internet to find out how to buy it. Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Make Your Web Site a Resource for the Media Reporters, by nature, are curious people.If you can get them to come to your web site, they will probably poke around and spend a few minutes there, learning about your business and your capabilities. How To Get Zero Cost Publicity For Your Business Part 2 This is the ending to my previous article, How to get no cost publicity for your business. Some other options include signature files, joint ventures, free for all links, informational articles, webrings, and giveaways. Much Ado About A Lot! I say public relations can be a matter of survival for your organization.So, to me, making your business a success is a lot over which to raise much ado!Especially when the very people who hold your future in their hands - your key, target audiences - may harbor negative perceptions likely to hurt you by turning into negative behaviors. The Ratings are Coming Small businesses have always known the importance of word of mouth. Many successful businesses have been built on word of mouth referrals, and many have been killed by bad word of mouth. Media Training: How to Tell a More Interesting Story PRESIDENT BUSH TELLS A STORYOn March 18, 2005, President Bush stood before a group of Florida voters to tout his social security plan. He did something quite ordinary during his speech. Easy to be Foolish About PR In fact, here are three really foolish goofs made by too many business, non-profit and association managers.If that's you, you foolishly do nothing positive about the behaviors of those important outside audiences of yours that most affect your operation. Why News Releases Fail Sorry about my otaku with this issue (otaku = more than a hobby, a little less than an obsession).Many of you may know me, since I run Imediafax, the Internet to Media Fax Service. The Power of Radio - Tips for Great Radio Interviews Many people are intimidated by radio interviews, whether live or pre-recorded and often spoil great promotion and branding opportunity in less then effective interviews.Did you know there are more than 1500 talk radio shows in the US?Also, radio is the only medium to show increased usage since the introduction of the Internet. TV Reporter Shares the Secrets to Getting Covered on the News Do you have a great idea for a story, but no clue how to get it in the news? Are you tired of pitching press releases the news media simply ignores?After twenty years of beating the street as a TV reporter, I have a scoop for you: the media needs good stories. But most stories are pitched so poorly, they are lost in the blizzard of faxes that blanket every newsroom. Public Relations The wind of changes.. Public Relations Success Starts Here For discerning business, non-profit and association managers, PR success is pretty much a matter of achieving their managerial objectives by altering perceptions leading to changed behaviors among those important external audiences that MOST affect their department, group, division or subsidiary.Period. Why Managers Need the PR Advantage Where is there a business, non-profit or associationmanager who does not need all the help he or she can find in achieving their managerial objectives?Help like altering individual perception leading to changed behaviors among their key outside audiences?Help in the form of positive actions affecting the behaviors of those important external audiences that most affect their operations. And the help afforded when the manager persuades those key outside folks to his or her way of thinking, then moves those people to take actions that let the department, group, division or subsidiary succeed?Of course they can use that kind of help. Public Relations Strategies: Focus PR Campaigns with Media Coverage Analysis Prior to launching a new public relations campaign, evaluate the media coverage you've gained and dig deep into the coverage your competition has received.One of the first steps in defining a public relations strategy is to understand how you and your competition stack up in terms of media coverage. If I Were Coaching You If I were coaching you as a business, non-profit or association manager on how to get the biggest bang for your public relations dollar, I would sum it up for you this way.Use the fundamental premise of public relations to produce external stakeholder behavior change - the kind that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives. Publicity - The Right Media Person to Call for Free Publicity You won't accomplish much if you call the gas company to ask about your cable bill. Make sure that when you call about your story that the reporter you are contacting is the right person. Editorial Calendars: A Key to Publicizing Your Business What is the one thing that all of the best public relationsagencies do every year? They research and compile editorial calendars from publicationsthat are pertinent to their client's business. You should too. Detailing The Famous Kentucky Derby Train The annual detailing of the Kentucky Derby Train is an annual ritual for the beautiful long sleek historical piece of American History. It may seem easy to detail such a fine piece of machinery, but it take many man-hours and they expect it perfect. Inoculate Yourself Against Bad PR What is bad PR?Well, if you're a business, non-profit or associationmanager, bad PR does nothing positive about the behaviors of those important outside audiences of yours that most affect your operation.It fails to create external stakeholder behavior change leading directly to achieving your managerial objectives. |
home | site map | contact us |