7 PR Tips

Many business owners seriously think that their competitors are more successful when it comes to a press release or placing an article in publications with the right purpose. This “good luck” can easily be lured to oneself, the main thing is to be ready for changes and to develop the practice of public relations. Here are some tips on PR.

If your competitors are very successful in posting notes about their business, they are well-matched with press releases for print and web magazines, this does not mean that they are superior to you in some way. They simply became aware of how to work correctly with journalists and editors. They, too, although unofficially, have to abide by the rules of the media.

Printed publications and websites with a local, regional, national or international radius of grip, receive thousands of press releases and notes on their daily basis. None of the media companies will have enough editors to familiarize themselves with every nugget of incoming information. Moreover, the lion’s share of the material is a veiled advertisement, another part is so poorly written that it does not deserve press coverage. Here are ten tips for improving public relations within your business. Make yourself known correctly.

1. Do not “sell” your goods and services in the media
It is better to choose an unusual story from the life of your company for a magazine or website with a theme that is suitable for the industry in which you work. All media professionals at first glance recognize the “sale”, even if it is hidden, and immediately send such articles back. Think carefully about why exactly the idea of ​​your company or product coincides with the current interests of society.

2. Ask for help if needed.
More than 90% of all press releases suffer not only from grammatical and spelling errors, but also from the lack of proper formatting and presentation. This causes premature negative assessment of your article by readers and can immediately destroy the credibility of your company. If you could not write a press release, such as those that you read in a major magazine, do not hesitate to ask for help. Even if you have to pay for this help, the result will be much better than the failure on the “mass field”.

3. First of all, a business plan, then a marketing strategy, and then PR
The goal of the PR plan is to draw attention to your company. If your website, marketing materials and general appearance are not in first-class form, then you will only draw attention to the shortcomings and flaws of your company. Before you develop a plan for public relations, be sure that your business plan has led to the use of a good logo and the development of a corporate image. Then, a marketing strategy should lead to a consistent and effective name for your brand. Getting press coverage without making sure your marketing strategy is working at full capacity is just a recipe for disaster. Your website and marketing communications should be in harmony with all the verbosity and photos presented in the press release of your company.

4. Develop media relations
Invite local newspaper reporters for lunch or coffee. The authors of the articles and editors are often quite interesting people, communicating with whom you can discover new and unusual things. If they like what you say and how you do it, then consider that you have already “got” into the article.

5. Always stay professional.
Successful PR people are well versed in the rules of the “game with the press”, and are constantly up to date with new technologies and methods in publishing. Of course, being a professional in your business is the main criterion, but the presence of skills to interact with media professionals is also a very important factor. Having earned trust, it will be easier for you to break through to the first pages of publications.

6. Create and promote special events.
We have previously written about a similar way to promote your company in the article “How to promote an unknown product.” This may be an organized charity tour from your company, a concert at the district school, and so on. Just make sure that if your event is based on charity, then all funds raised go to the stated institution. An event that directly involves the scope of your business is definitely the best option. Naturally, such events receive press coverage, and this is good for you.

7. Use hot news for your own release.
If you have, say, a financial services company, then news about changes in taxation is a reason for your company to get into the news bulletin. Inform the potential consumer how your company copes with the new conditions. In any area of ​​business there can be several aspects and subcategories, thanks to which one can declare oneself.