What you don’t know can cost you and harm your brand’s reputation. I understand that the recession has got many businesses big and small looking for ways to increase revenue earnings. However, it occurred to me that too many businesses don’t have a clue when it comes to public relations! PR enhances marketing, advertising, and branding but is different from all three.
First off before you start a Google search for a PR firm related to your industry know that Google’s SERP (search engine results page) will likely return those at the top of their game. For example if you have a luxury brand you should be looking for luxury PR, luxury branding etc.
Do you even know what PR is? No, really do you have a clue! PR is not marketing or advertising! I repeat PR is NOT marketing or advertising. Did you hear me? I must repeat PR is not marketing or advertising. PR is not an event. I understand some confused publicist and event planner may have lead you to believe that it is.
However, PR is not an event. In order for an event to work for PR exposure you must create a newsworthy purpose. Same goes for using press releases to create free publicity. In addition, press releases still should be humanly pitched to media outlets. An experienced PR professional usually has strong media relationships and knows how to pitch credible media outlets to feature you.
So what the heck is PR? Well, PR also known as public relations is how you communicate with the public. It requires a strategic plan and approach. The media are the gatekeepers and you must pass their approval before they will toot your horn. PR is an art which requires you to create a newsworthy storyline and pitch it to a media outlet to receive free publicity. The return could be a big win-win because the media outlet gets to fuel their viewers, readers, listeners, etc while you receive mass free publicity generally worthy tens of thousands of dollars. The beauty of free publicity is that it is not paid for like advertising and considered more organic trustworthy.
Here is what you will need to know when soliciting a PR firm to represent your company:
1. Have a budget in mind what you want and expect to spend on PR for one year
2. Be able to relate who do you perceive your target audience to be
3. Express your brand awareness and credibility perception among your target audience
4. Determine an ideal media wish list for communications and connecting with your target audience
5. Outline facts and history about your products, goods, and services
6. Provide features and benefits for products, goods, and services
7. Provide media publicity pickups covering six months about your products, goods, and services (if available)
8. Provide digital media stats consisting of Twitter followers, Facebook fans, Youtube viewers, etc. (if available)
9. Identify what makes you standout in the crowd, relate if you have a specific niche over the competition
10. Don’t take it personal if a PR firm does not want to represent you!
If you would like some help with increasing publicity exposure or a product launch please contact Mosnar Communications or email me in confidence at postmaster@mosnarcommunications.com .