Blog - PR Strategies and Tips From The Pros

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Ways to Improve Your Media Relationships

September 5, 2019

It is becoming increasingly difficult to get published in mainstream media. With all the big issues that are coming out, big news outfits can’t seem to provide space for public relations content. But don’t lose hope. It’s not the end of the world. There are still strategies that work for you to get your press release published.

It is important to present yourself as a worthy news source, not just a mere public relations firm that provides press releases for the interest of its client alone, and not to really provide helpful information to the reading public. This must be a top priority among public relations managers because the distribution of press releases, or the information dissemination part, is at the heart of its operation when launching effective campaigns.

Establish Your Legitimacy

Write your press release as if it is a legitimate news item. It should be accurate and factual like any other news article. This way, the publication will not have second thoughts, and see your press release as a serious information dissemination campaign, not pure publicity.

Remember that media companies have editors that filter through news items and press releases to check which ones are truly newsworthy. They have trained eyes and know-how as to which ones are legitimate and which ones are mere self-serving articles that uplift a product or business.

Know Your Audience

Before writing your press release, make sure you know who your target audience is. Most importantly, you also have to know the audience of the media firm that will receive your PR.

You cannot send a PR document on real estate development to a media company that publishes medical news. Nope, it will not be appropriate. So be mindful of what you send. You cannot create a general press release for distribution because media outfits have different editorial scopes, as well as audience.

If you keep sending them releases that are not relevant, your PRs could end up being tagged as spam. Your succeeding PRs will either be deleted as spam or be thrown to the waste bin.

Sound Authentic and Professional

Be truthful when talking about the client or the product you are promoting. Provide honest information as much as you can. If the media see you as a legitimate news source, you will have no problem in requesting them to write about your client/product, or to squeeze in your article in their publication.

You must also avoid using jargons or terms that people of a particular trade can only understand. Do not be too technical when providing descriptions. Use simple, conversational words.

Be Patient and Courteous

Timing is everything when approaching representatives of the media. Know when to approach and talk to them. As mentioned earlier, they have a lot on their minds, and have tons of work to attend to. And most of all, they have deadlines to meet on a daily basis so you cannot just barge in and bombard them with your press release.

When you see an opening, talk to them courteously. Once they accept your PR, give them a call to gently remind them about it after two or three days. And do not call them constantly all through the day. That will only annoy them, and your press release could lose its chance to get published.

In Blog

2019 Public Relations Trends

September 4, 2019

A successful public relations firm must always evolve with the times and keep up with the trends. It cannot afford to be left behind while every competition is gunning for the latest technologies and strategies. It must always be on the lookout for new things affecting its trade.

But over and above this goal, it must not forget why it exists in the first place. Like all public relations company, it exists to inform the “public”. It is in charge of coming up with the latest information about the newest products, businesses, resource persons, hotels, etc.

PR firms are the ones which make life exciting because they give customers a breath of fresh air with every new information on the latest technology, new places to go to, and more. It keeps boredom away. To keep up with being a reliable source of information, PR firms must checkout the list below on ways to be better at its job this 2019:

Provide Information with the Help of Content Marketing – Content marketing has been the trend for years now, and it continues to be a powerful tool in information dissemination. Gone are the days when PR firms glorify its clients at the expense of readers and customers. Not many will continue to fall for this trick.

With the help of content marketing, public relations has now been geared towards content that offer value to its audience. The purpose is now focused not only on engaging consumers, but also to educate them.

Create a Personal Brand – The public now looks at a company as a whole, not just what it offers. Therefore, a good company image is important. This means those who manage and work for the company must be people the public can look up to. A management that looks good in the eyes of the public builds trust and will help boost sales.

And talking of sales, this only means the company’s marketing arm must also work hand in hand with the public relations firm.

This is also the reason why large corporations create a social responsibility department because it’s their way of connecting with people. It’s important that people perceive your company as one run by real human beings.

Backlinks are Becoming Outdated – Press releases that backlink to your client’s website used to be the norm. Now, times are changing. Search engines are becoming more intelligent and are now putting weight on quality content rather than just website links when ranking sites and giving out search results.

Trends also indicate that the context of the message is now getting priority, and that content need not contain links to the company website. PR firms should be very aware of this trend.

Public Relations and Technology Must Work Together – Some public relations company are skeptical when it comes to the use of technology in building connections and relationships. It is important to know that the introduction of technology could actually make PR work better and efficient. Imagine being able to predict a possible public relations disaster before it happens. That would really be awesome.

There are now various PR tools available for PR professionals. All you need is to know which tools or technology would fit your company best.

In Blog

Four Effective PR Campaigns

September 1, 2019

Are you launching a new product, service or business? If you want to create a buzz and make customers notice your new product, service or business, you need to create a hype before the actual launch date. Introducing your product prior to its launch and actual introduction should be your priority.

To achieve a successful and talked about opening or launching, you need to plan. Your best bet would be a PR strategy. Public relations is very important in attracting possible customers. It could make or break a business. Follow the simple PR strategies below to achieve the results you want:

Create and grow your social media following.

Social media has become the most powerful tools of the trade. Your business will never be complete without it, so create accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. Join social media groups where you could obtain followers for your product or business. Follow similar interests, and have them follow you back.

Join forums that speak of businesses similar to yours, and provide simple hints about your business as you reply to forum topics. Say something like, “I’ve also been a believer of this product so I actually tried it for myself and found this product [product name] to be effective as well.”

Set reasonable goals for your PR campaign.

You cannot reach a million people overnight so be specific with your expectations and strategy. Start reaching out to local groups in your area first because they are the closest to your location. After this, plan which other groups or sectors you want to introduce your product to.

Use creative and convincing language when introducing your business. Remember that a poorly written PR campaign or introduction will never get you the exposure you desire. Choose your words wisely. Use words that would make customers want to know more. Make them excited and anticipate the very day of your business opening or product launching.

Create a press release and send them to the right people.

A press release can do wonders for your business. Feed them information about your product or business. Introduce it to as many news media as possible.

When writing a press release, write about the most important information first, followed by the second most important info, and down to the least important.

Get in touch with the right news agencies in the print and broadcast industries. Do your research and make a list of the people in-charge of publishing press releases. If you’re promoting a clothing line, you should get in touch with a magazine or newspapers lifestyle editor, not the opinion section editor. Get their contact information like email addresses and phone numbers in case you need to make a follow up.

Hire experts.

If all else fails, entrust your PR campaign to the experts! They know the business better than you do. Talk to a trusted PR manager or firm. Talk to them and let them know what you want out of the campaign, and they will do the rest for you.

This is your best option to create a hassle-free and stress-free campaign. It’s like putting everything in auto pilot!