Is PR Part of Your Business Plan?
By Kristi Vaughan
You’ve thought about advertising and maybe even direct mail for getting word out about your product or service, but what about PR? Have you considered the low cost benefits of getting a positive story about your company placed in the daily paper?
What is PR?
Public relations, or PR, is neither advertising nor marketing but a close cousin of the two. Because you are not buying airtime, designing expensive ads or mailing thousands of brochures, it can be a cost effective way of leveraging product or service awareness. And, unlike marketing or advertising, when properly used, it also can be an immediate means of thwarting a stampede of negative news.
PR can be proactive or reactive. It is proactive when you have chosen a message you want to convey to a particular audience and then successfully gotten attention for that message through the news media or a special event.
Reactive PR comes when there is news or an event affecting your business that occurs outside of your control and you are called upon to respond. Whether the inquiries relate directly to your business or just to your industry, how you handle these press calls can potentially go a long way towards making or breaking your business’s reputation.
Develop a PR strategy
Effective PR begins with a plan, or strategy. You can develop this plan yourself, you can hire an outside public relations firm or you can retain the services of a freelance or independent contractor.
Whatever your choice, there are a few basics that should be covered:
- Designate a spokesperson. To convey a consistent message it’s good to have one person designated as the official spokesperson. Others may be needed to talk on particular subjects but if there is one person overseeing media communications, you are better able to control your message. You don’t, after all, want a well-meaning employee to accidentally give out a trade secret or convey misinformation.
- Prepare a company fact sheet. Reporters will want to know basic information about your company including what you do, when the company was started, how many employees there are and, possibly, your annual sales and revenue figures. While some of this might be proprietary, if you can have public information ready for reporters, you will help generate good will. And don’t forget to include any awards or special recognition the company might have received.
- Define your image. Every time you talk with a reporter you have a chance to convey an image of your company. What do you want that image to be? Aggressive? Community minded? A family business? Identify your image in advance and then tailor your messages to convey that image.
- Know the media. Having a good relationship with the reporters who cover your business won’t stop them from asking hard questions but it will make your dealings more pleasant and they’ll probably be more willing to listen to your story pitches. Have informational meetings with reporters so they can learn your business. This understanding can reduce the likelihood that misinformation will appear in print.
Press release basics
The most common means for telling the public about your business or new product is through a press release. Just like the news story you hope will follow, the first paragraph of the release should include the who, what, when, where, why and how, of the news you want to convey.
Write the press release on company letterhead, top it off with a catchy headline and don’t forget to include complete contact information. Remember too, that reporters have schedules and other commitments so give them advance warning of any events you hope to have covered.
Getting your name out
An article in the local newspaper or a mention on television is the result of far more than a single telephone call. Editors and reporters usually have more story possibilities than they have time or space to cover. To get attention for your business you need a story that stands out from the crowd.
Before you write that press release think of the angle you want to present. What makes your story unique? Is the product new and different? Was it created in a unique manner? Is it the choice of celebrities? Whatever your angle, it should be something that will appeal to your targeted audience.
No guarantees
Unlike an ad for which you have paid, there is no guarantee your publicity efforts will get you the coverage or visibility you want. Sometimes your story may not appeal to the editor or reporter and at other times it might be overshadowed by other news. Whatever the case, if you have been professional and courteous in your approach, you’ll have the chance to pitch another story when something new comes up.
