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TODD: Sure, be glad to. A solid Public Relations/Publicity campaign should consist of
following elements.
1. Articulate media release/feature pitch composition that gets attention of editors, reporters and producers nationwide. If you can’t get their attention, you’ve lost battle before you’ve even started.
2. Meticulous media market research capabilities to find those media outlets and contacts applicable to your campaign. Just sending your release to anyone and everyone makes no sense. Some press release distribution services charge hundreds of dollars to send out your release. But WHO is it going to? It does little good to send a release about new business finance developments to editor of Southern Living. Their audience isn’t looking for that information. Be sure you take great care to find media outlets and individual contacts that are interested in what you have to say.
3. Extensive, ongoing campaign management including: media follow-ups; media relations contacts, media request fulfillment and more. Why? Because without follow-ups, you have to start all over again then next time you send a release. And without media relations, you decrease your chance of getting seen by a horrifying percentage.
4. Media tracking capabilities to get you copies of articles and features in which your product or business is mentioned. This information is vital for critiquing existing campaigns and launching future ones. By determining who ran what stories, and which types of media picked up on your release, you can strategically alter direction of your publicity efforts for a greater response.
KARON: Now, you mentioned distribution services a minute ago. What I hear most from small business owners is that they "need" a press release distribution service. I have found, however, that it is often more effective to develop your own, targeted list of outlets to send releases to. What do you find works most often?
TODD: When it comes to press release distribution -- beware. Many distribution services are what I call "pitch and ditch" services in that they pitch your release to supposedly thousands of media outlets, but provide no additional media relations, follow-ups, media request fulfillment or tracking. Many services indiscriminately spew your release to hundreds of untargeted media outlets with little or no results. I'm not saying release distribution services aren't legitimate -- I just question their effectiveness for companies that aren't publicly traded. A smaller company needs to provide consistent and effective follow-ups before a campaign begins to bear fruit. And be sure to research to find out preferred method of receipt of your media targets - don't just assume an email will suffice. Whether it's by snail mail, email, fax or phone calls, media can't run your story if they don't hear about it.
KARON: Thanks so much, Todd. You’ve provided a lot of direction here that I know Business Essentials’ readers will take advantage of.
Todd Brabender of Spread The News Public Relations can be found online at http://www.spreadthenewspr.com.
Most buying decisions are emotional. Your ad copy should be, too! Karon is Owner and President of KT & Associates who offers targeted copywriting, copy editing & ezine article services. Subscribe to KT & Associates' Ezine "Business Essentials" at BusinessEssentials-subscribe@topica.com or visit her site at http://www.ktamarketing.com
