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The Four Seasons of Publicity: Building an All-Year Publicity Machine
This public relations article explains what the media are looking for (including key dates and events) each quarter throughout the year.

Introduction

If you're like most publicity seekers, you probably think one project at a time. You've got a new product coming out in April, so you send out a release in March. You've hired a new executive, you'll put out a release when she's on board, etc.

For hard-core publicity insiders, though, there's a rhythm to generating coverage, based upon the natural ebb and flow of the seasons. Such an approach can help you score publicity throughout the year, and will help keep your eye on the ball from January through December.

Essentially, a yearlong approach consists of two strategies:

1. Timing your existing stories (new product introductions, oddball promotions, business page features, etc.) to fit the needs of the media during particular times of the year.
2. Crafting new stories to take advantage of events, holidays and seasonal activities.
Category: Articles (Public Relations)

Communicating Through Public Relations
Gives several subject areas appropriate for press releases.

Introduction

One of the least expensive and potentially most effective ways to promote your Web site or business is through public relations. The articles and resources on PublicRelationsArticles.com are here to help guide you through that process. There are a variety of reasons the media and others may find what you have to say newsworthy.

To find a piece newsworthy, reporters and others in the media must be able to see a direct connection between the story and reader or listener interest. If they are not convinced a piece will be interesting to their audience, they will not be interested in your news. In other words, your public relations focus should be on what draws an audience.
Category: Articles (Public Relations)

Where are You Going and How Will You Get There?
Author explains why articulating a detailed communications strategy - with both macro- and micro-targeting is important to have in a public relations plan.

Introduction

Every successful business starts with a plan that details where the company expects to be in terms of revenue within three to five years and broadly touches on how it will get there. An articulated communications strategy can help support your company’s efforts in meeting the goals of its business plan. A communications strategy, including marketing and public relations, is responsible for building the awareness and credibility that leads to sales needed to reach those business objectives.

There are three basic ingredients to any successful communications program—positioning, awareness and third-party credibility (confirmation of your company’s claims and qualifications through press coverage, customer/partner endorsements, and other outside support). Communications programs should be strategically aligned with business goals to ensure that the right messages are reaching the right audiences.
Category: Articles (Public Relations)

To Get Free Publicity, 'Think Local'
Article explains eight ideas for getting the attention of your local media.

Introduction

How do you identify newsworthy stories where you work or live?

Especially newsworthy stories about yourself or your company that you can pitch to the media in the hope of getting some free publicity.

By remembering a semi-famous quote from the late Speaker Of The House Of Representatives, Tip O'Neill.

'All politics is local.'

In a sense, all news is local because even global issues often have a local impact.

Here are some powerful strategies for spotting opportunities when they present themselves.
Category: Articles (Public Relations)

Talking The Talk: Learning The Lingo Of The Newsroom
Tips on how to catch the attention of your local radio and TV stations.

Introduction

When you're trying to persuade a reporter to do a story about you or your business, you're much more likely to succeed if you know how to "talk the talk." No reporter will expect you to act like an insider, but you'll get a lot more respect - and attention - if you can speak the language of the newsroom.

It’s not like learning Mandarin. In fact, all you need to do is sprinkle your pitch with a couple of catchwords and phrases. For instance...

Category: Articles (Public Relations)

I Can't Afford a Public Relations Campaign, Can I?
It's true that the more you pay, the more you get. But getting the most publicity/PR exposure doesn't necessarily mean having a big budget.

Introduction

It's a phrase I hear over and over again from many entrepreneurs, small businesses owners and inventors: "I'd love to hire someone to launch our publicity campaign professionally, but we can't afford it, so I'm just going to have to do it on my own."

Over the past several months, I have been conducting an informal survey among entrepreneurs and business owners who have contacted me about my services. I have found that due to their lack of information or knowledge on the topic, many businesses typically overestimate or overbudget the cost of a prospective public relations/publicity campaign. During my PR consultation with them, I asked: "How much do you think it will cost to launch a solid, effective PR/publicity campaign for your product/business?" Of the 102 people I've queried...
* 11 percent thought a professional PR campaign would cost $10,000 or more per month
* 32 percent thought it would cost $5,000 to $10,000 per month
* 39 percent said $3,000 to $5,000 per month
* 12 percent guessed $1,000 to $3,000 per month, and
* 6 percent thought a professional PR campaign would cost less than $1,000 per month.

The truth is you can get a publicity/PR campaign in all of those price ranges. The real question is what you will get for your money and how effective the campaign will be. It's true that the more you pay, the more you get. But getting the most publicity/PR exposure doesn't mean you have to get most expensive PR agency or specialist.
Category: Articles (Public Relations)

How To Get Local Media To Do Stories About Your Website
George McKenzie gives tips on how to catch the attention of your local radio and TV stations.

Introduction

Have you ever gotten one of those letters from your local property tax appraiser, informing you that your tax bill is going up about 20 percent?

I got one of those recently, so I took it to my friend Joe Gross. He appeals property tax assessments for a living.

'Man,' he said. 'I've never seen assessments shoot up like they have this year.'

My 'news antenna' shot up. Then when he showed me his new web site, which gave property owners a chance to look up appraisals of other homes in their neighborhood, I told him--'You've got to pitch this to the news media.'

I helped Joe put together a short release and then faxed it to local radio and TV stations. A few nights later, there was Joe, on the evening news, describing his web site to tens of thousands of viewers.

Could it happen to you? You bet, if you remember a couple of basics.
Category: Articles (Public Relations)

To Get Free Publicity From The Media, You MUST Learn The Difference Between Advertising And Publicit
This public relations article explains how to tell the difference between advertising and publicity and gives tips on how to gain free publicity.

Introduction

Advertising or Publicity? What’s the difference? The average TV viewer, radio listener, or newspaper reader would probably say, 'There isn’t one. They’re both the same thing.'

But they’re not. Not by a long way. And knowing the difference can put a lot of money in your pocket. Not knowing the difference can mean taking a lot out with little in return.

Here’s an example...

Category: Articles (Public Relations)

Reporter Shares 5 Tips: How to Send and Write a Press Release
Article gives five tips about press releases.

Introduction

Do you have a great idea for a story, but no clue how to write a press release that gets 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 untimely or weakly written press releases that blanket every newsroom.

So, here are five tips - and an example of each - on how to send and write a press release that gets covered:
Category: Articles (Public Relations)

Public Relations through Word of Mouth Marketing
Article gives some ideas about how to get PR through word of mouth.

Introduction

One of the least expensive and potentially most effective ways to promote your Web site or business is through public relations (PR). More specifically, word of mouth.

Word of mouth or mention in a published article can generate more attention to your site than all of your paid advertising combined. You must, however, tread carefully.

Public relations is different from advertising. When advertising, your explicit goal is to make your product or company known. You pay for the right to advertise by purchasing ad space, buying a sponsorship, or bartering.

When marketing through public relations activities, however, your explicit goal is to benefit a targeted community by providing them with something useful. Consequently, you build goodwill and a solid reputation for your business. You benefit from the resulting word of mouth.
Category: Articles (Public Relations)

Understanding Niche Publicity
Article explains ways to adjust a public relations campaign to appeal to different target publications.

Introduction

Everyone keeps their radio tuned to station WIIFM - What's In It For Me. This fact and its implications hold a valuable secret for multiplying publicity opportunities.

Let's put ourselves first in the position of the editor of a magazine for floral shops. His assistant has collected the day's press releases for her, and he gives each headline a scan before either reading more carefully or tossing it. His foremost concern during his five-second screen: Is this relevant to florists, my readers?
Category: Articles (Public Relations)

Nearly Everyone Uses It, and So What?
Article explains how to present information about your business in a newsworthy fashion.

Introduction

Occasionally a prospective client comes to me very gung-ho about getting publicity and declares that they envision coverage in every major newspaper in the country and on every network broadcast. After all, their logic runs, our product is something everyone uses - we have close to 150 million customers a year in the U.S. alone.

"Whoa!" I reply. "That's not enough of a reason for the media to do a story. Nearly everyone uses a toothbrush and a wallet of one sort or another, but how often do you see stories about either of those items in the papers or on the nightly news? Prevalent doesn't mean interesting or timely. So let's brainstorm about what would entice the media to consider something about your item newsworthy."

By putting a spin on something ordinary, or identifying some unusual aspect of something ordinary, you have a good chance of getting major media hits. For instance...

Category: Articles (Public Relations)

Don't Overlook the Small Stuff: It's the little details that often generate big media returns.
Article explains why and how the details are often what "sell" a story to the media.

Introduction

Have you ever heard the saying, "One person's trash is another person's treasure?" Well, that statement is a true one, but never more so than in the realm of media relations where so many small-business owners find it so difficult to garner media coverage for themselves or their companies. Allow me to illustrate my point below in an actual incident that happened to one of my clients and the lessons we learned from this experience.
Category: Articles (Public Relations)

Public Relations Articles

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