Things You'll Need:
- a brain
- a computer
- a phone
- persistence
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Step 1
Determine your message: Who are you? Sometimes it’s hardest for those within a business to craft a simple and intriguing message. If someone asks you what you do, are you able to answer in a manner that will interest them, without using industry-specific jargon, in less than :15 seconds? Once you’ve figured it out, don’t forget to include that “tag” in every email you send. A high-impact message is at the heart of effective publicity.
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Step 2
Identify your hook: This is what sets you apart from the rest of the pack. You may call it your angle, but in the world of publicity, it's called a "hook." Sure, it’s great if you’re known for your customer service or if you’ve been in business for 15 years, but that’s not enough. What makes your company special? What do you bring to the table? How will someone benefit from your goods and services? What is the point of difference between your product and all the others out there? One local morning TV news program played upon their fun approach to delivering the day’s headlines by describing themselves in a press release as “Matt Lauer and Meredith Vierra with a little more caffeine.”
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Step 3
Decide who you are trying to reach: You need to know as much as you can about your target audience - the individuals who will use your goods or services. Gender, geography, reading habits, and web sites visited are things to consider when identifying them. If you are a veterinarian looking to drum up some publicity and attract new clients in your town, how about offering to write a free article for a local magazine, focusing on the best new pet products on the market?
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Step 4
Create a plan for how you will reach them: Press Releases to journalists, phone calls to media organizations, customized emails to decision-makers, how-to articles, radio interviews, and guest blogging are just a few of the free ways to pitch yourself as an expert and generate your own publicity. Keep in mind that most newspapers and magazines have their own web pages with instructions on how to submit content, and most radio stations have email addresses listed for on-air talent and producers.
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Step 5
Consider the timing of when you should reach out: Is your business seasonal? Can you tie with charitable events? How about current news stories? Take the case of a massage therapist who stays on the lookout for studies and published reports about the damaging effects of stress. Every single one is a potential source of publicity for her business. When forwarding this information to her local TV news stations, she includes a quote of her own and makes herself available as an expert to discuss the experiences she’s had with her clients and trends in her business.
Comments
CBPope said
on 12/19/2008 Great pr tips. I have used them and more