Elementary Writing

This is the fifth article in our online course series on the theory, practice, trends and secrets of New Age Public Relations. Other topics that we cover are:

Did you know that Thomas Edison did not invent the light bulb? Yupe, you heard it right. The truth is – 20-plus electric lights preceded Edison’s. Actually, Edison was darn afraid of the dark! He died Oct.18, 1931, with all the lights burning in his New Jersey home.

But how he managed to take all the credit for it? Edison was simply much better at branding and generating buzz for his inventions. His Public Relations strategies were among the best and his name sold A LOT of products.

Only small businesses that understand the importance of branding itself and building a reputation with its targeted audience, receive the benefits of community recognition and respect among consumers, media and investors. This can only be achieved through strategic public relation efforts.

Many business owners will tell that they do not believe they need PR services because this is a common practice of mainly larger companies. No matter what the size is of an organization communications with the public is vital. Ask Mr. Edison for advice?

Does Every Company Needs an PR Agency?

The answer is – No!

In reality, anyone with a story to tell can get publicity. It’s not hard, per se, but it takes some determination, some effort and a willingness to learn. In other words, it’s just like everything else in the business world.

Chances are good, you’re already an expert in your industry. You just haven’t been positioned as such to the writers, editors and producers who need experts to comment on issues and stories of the day.
If you can talk about your company, you can do your own PR. Few simple thing to do:

• Make a list of what makes your company or service special
  • How is your product or service better than the rest?
  • Are you using techniques or procedures that are new? Exciting? Out of the ordinary?
  • Do you have something controversial or provocative to say about your field?
  • Are there any colorful “characters” associated with your business?
  • Are you involved in worthwhile community projects?
• Turn it into an “elevator pitch” – something you can communicate to someone in the same time it takes to ride one to two floors with them in an elevator
• Pick up the phone and give your elevator pitch to a reporter

In time, you’ll discover that there are many things about your business that could interest a journalist. You just need to know how to develop them, package them and present them in the right way.

Key Elements to get Great PR Results for your Small Business

In order to get to the next level, you need to know the additional secrets of effective PR, especially in today’s competitive Web 2.0 world. This tips will help to put you ahead of the competition and secure results time and again.

• Be the brand
  As the founder of your company you must be in love with your brand and inspired by your brand’s mission if you have any hope of getting press for your product.
• Be the information
  Media and journalists are not interested in your business alone. What they need is information, news and stories that will be of interest to their readers, viewers, listeners, website visitors etc.
• Embrace small media outlets
  This creates two big wins for you: a) Small publications have more time for you. b) Big publications troll the small publications for stories
• Get your timing right – Don’t Launch on Mondays
  That means knowing the timescales journalists work to and timing your approach so that it presses their buttons.

• Be a human being
  Journalists hate PR people and they hate being pitched. It’s a much better strategy to just be yourself and develop relationships with people in the industry slowly and organically.
• Understand how journalists think
  You need to be one step ahead and aware of the type of information they want and the best way to give it to them.

  Learn how to bond with a journalist
  Before meeting with a journalist you should read their last five stories in full. It helps if you take notes on these stories, read the comments under them and look for reactions to the story around the web. You should also look at journalist’s LinkedIn account and do a Google search to see where else he has worked. He will appreciate this in light of the fact that half the folks who e-mail him don’t even know what beat he covers or how to pronounce his name!

• Be persistent
  Just because a journalist turns you down once do not think all is lost. This is an ideal opportunity to understand why your idea or news story is not relevant and to fine tune your next approach – it’s all a learning experience.

• Understand you’re not the only story in town
  Bloggers and journalists are interested in good stories and the more time you spend developing that story up front, for each person you’re trying to reach, the more you can help them help you.
• Participate is marketing
  By actively participating in both the online and real worlds, you forge relationships that will help your brand and social capital grow.
• Get a spokesperson
  First impressions are everything, and publicly showcasing your company, on stage, online, in print, or via broadcast media, requires nothing less than a polished, personable, and contagious presentation. This is one of those times where you really don’t have much of a choice if you’re not absolutely, 100% the best voice of the company.
• Power up your company blog
  Your company blog is more powerful than you may think. A blog is the voice and the soapbox for thought leadership, vision, solutions, milestones, and advice. At the very least, it contributes to the personality of your corporate brand.

Your first press release is sent out to your local media (newspapers, TV, radio) to announce your new service or business. More often than not, local newspapers run the release as-is. They may even assign a reporter to write a story on you.

However, once your small business gain in momentum, it is time for your to decide about more powerful PR strategies and full-fledged media campaigns. A media campaign is run for a specific period, to generate a specific result. Your aim is to brand something into the public consciousness. Done well, you’ll never need to advertise your business at all. Usually, for this kind of venture, you need to outsource PR professionals.

Choosing a PR Consultant/Agency

Assuming you can afford it, and assuming the agency is reputable, you can gain much by working with a PR agency.

An agency may be able to pinpoint those aspects of your business which would make it interesting to various publications, for instance. It can also allow you to focus on your day-to-day operations, and handle much of the work involved in running an efficient campaign.

But, picking the right firm to represent your company isn’t always easy. You want to do your homework and look around for agencies that have experience in your industry. In many industries, you need specific experience to really be successful for your clients.

Choose smaller, independently operated firms, because they can spend more time on you, and less money, than a larger operation.

A checklist of things to cover:

• Who will I be working with and how much experience do they have?
• Will more than one person be helping me, or will I have one, central point of contact?
• How can you increase awareness of my small business and reach my specific goals?
• What services are included in your fees?
• Do you have references I can contact?
• Do you provide any guarantees or discounts?
• Why should I use you instead of another organization?
• Is there a trial period before making an actual commitment?
• Will I be able to end our contract if I’m not happy with your services?

If you do not feel that you have the time and skill to organize a successful publicity campaign, it is better for you to seek competent, professional advice than to fumble with your public relations efforts.

Small Business PR – The Bottom Line

Public relations is human relations and a critical aspect of growing your business. Everything you say and do is part of your PR campaign. It is the image you project every day to everyone you meet. It is about you and your company becoming a force in the public eye on a regular basis.

There’s no need to be intimidated by the competition from big public relations firms or the savvy mainstream media. You may come to know that publicity and public relations aren’t such a struggle, especially when you begin to attract high profile attention to your business.

A successful public relations isn’t only about getting in the media- it’s about your ongoing presence in all areas of business and life.