7
Steps to Getting Known, from Guerilla Public Relations
So
you’ve started your own business and you’re ready to let the world (or your
neighborhood) know. Now it’s time to add public relations to the list of
your entrepreneurial skills. Understanding the function of public
relations and what it comprises is an essential component of success.
Public
relations is human relations and a critical aspect of growing your business.
Everything you say and do is part of your public relations campaign. It is
the image you project, every day, to everyone you meet. It is about you
and your company becoming a force in the public eye on a regular basis.
Public relations that you undertake (yourself) can be a primary way to grow your
business and become known without major expense.
There
are seven basic steps involved in mounting your campaign:
Step
#1 involves figuring out who you are, what you do and how to express it in the
most succinct and interesting way possible.
Step
1: What are you? What do you do? How do you express it?
There
may situations, such as at networking functions, where you have only 30 seconds
to introduce yourself and make that "all important" first
impression. Spend as much time as necessary practicing your “intro’
until it truly flows in a positive, strong, and confident manner. If you
look and feel confident about what you have to offer, it will be reflected in
your handshake, eye contact and tone of voice (even with phone contact).
Equally important is the quality and image of any materials you hand out or
mail, beginning with your business card. Remember that success begets
success and great first impressions will speak volumes about you and your
business.
Now
that you have developed the most effective message possible, Step #2 is to determine your "ooh-ah" factor, the
"story" about you, your product, and your company which makes people
go "ooh-ah, tell me more."
Step
2: What is the "ooh-ah" in your story?
It
is important to understand: (a) why you are news from the media’s
perspective, (b) how your products help people, and/or (c) how your
service gives value and provides benefit. Once you know your
"ooh-ah" factor, you can begin to create materials which will tailor
your story to the specific media whose attention you wish to gain
.
And
this leads to Step # 3, which is to define your audience and create a media
list.
Step
3: Who is your audience and how will you reach them?
Your
list will, of course, be determined by the nature of your product or service, by
whether you are a local, national or international company, and by your market
focus. If you are a "local" trying to build a business in your
community, then you will focus on local media.
On
the other hand, if you are pursuing national growth, you will want to check out
major newspapers, such as the Wall Street Journal, entrepreneurial publications,
such as Fortune and Inc., or gender specific magazines, such as Good
Housekeeping or Men’s Health.
Another
good source might be trade and sales magazines for your profession or specialty.
There are sources for purchasing media lists, such as Bacon’s in Chicago, or
the United Way. It’s important to familiarize yourself with all the
media you contact and to make preliminary phone calls to get the appropriate
name for directing your release or media kit. Do an update at least every three
months. A local list could easily have 100 names, and a national list
could easily grow to over 400 contacts.
Step
#4 is time to put together a press release. A press release is a simple
one-page, 3 to 4 paragraph length document, that clearly tells your
story.
Step
4: Build a press release to quickly grab media attention.
The
press release must be unique to grab media attention FAST. The first
paragraph must contain the "catch" phrase to grab them quickly.
It should contain the who, what, when, where, why, and how of your story, and
begin with the city and state of origination.
And the first paragraph with "For Further Information, call…"
with your media relations contact.
Techniques
for grabbing media attention include giving a statistic that shows that their
audience needs this information which makes it relevant to current events or
business news. The second paragraph might consist of a quick biography or
additional information and the third should contain a quote from the highest
source you can find It is always better to use someone else’s words to praise
you. Sometimes the press will only use the first paragraph, so it
must contain all the relevant information.
The
press release should be done on your letterhead On the top left hand column, it
should say FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The upper right hand should show the CONTACT
and give the name and phone number of your publicist (or yourself) Be absolutely
sure it is 100% accurate in terms of grammar, facts, punctuation, spelling, and
names.
Step
5: Create a media kit.
Step
#5 will involve creating a media kit which will include a copy of your press
release(s) as well as other information. This is used to create interest for the
press to do a full story or having you appear on a TV or radio show. It is
important to understand that each of these types of media have their own unique
requirements for their particular audience. Obviously, TV producers are interested
in a “visual” hook, so you should include clear, easily reproducible pictures.
Radio will be more interested in the “hook” or verbal aspect of your story.
Just as you worked on your short term message at the beginning of your pr
campaign, now you need to work on how best to “exploit” that image. How will
you tell your story most effectively?
It needs to be personal so an audience can put itself in your shoes
identify with it and apply it to their own lives II also must be interesting and
give value and benefit to the audience, It should also include a company
background piece or brochure, a pricing sheet, any press clippings (reproduced
on your stationary) and any other public relations materials.
Grabbing
attention is imperative so packaging is critical. It involves the careful
selection of eye-catching colors for the folder as well as the contents. Quality
says a lot so don’t skimp. Consider having the cover embossed or using a logo
sticker, select a folder with a business card insert and select easy to read,
crisp clear text and quality paper.
Now
that you’ve assembled your kit, it’s time for:
Step #6, the all-important
mail out.
Presumably
you have created your media list and have the appropriate names with (correct
spelling’) and titles. Now comes the most critical part, the follow up the
follow up and the follow up. The phone may not ring. It is up to you to make the
calls. Start by saying, “hello, my name is “and start your pitch within 10
seconds. Remember your hook” and tell them in 30 seconds or less why you are
the news. A good rule of thumb on follow up calls is within one week for
national, within three to four days for local/regional or if email, with a day
or two. You might want to create a one page synopsis to use as a guide when you
call which should include who are you, why are you news, and how your product or
service benefits people and gives value.
Step
#7 is a series of seven reminders to help you create powerful publicity 365 days
a year. If you follow these tips, you will be well on your way to capturing the
media’s attention:
1. Make
personal contacts as often as possible.
2. Always carry
your business card and materials.
3. Know what is
special about you and get the word out using the media.
4. Know the
media you are pitching -- always watch or listen to a show before you are on
it.
5. Be prepared
for interviews. They might just call you before you call them.
6. Be
consistent with your image and make sure all your materials reflect the image
you desire to project.
7. Participate
in social and civic activities and help others get business by networking.
© 2000
by Jill Lublin, owner of Promising Promotions. Promising
Promotion is a full service public relations agency located in Bel Marin Keys,
California. Jill is the author of “The Insider’s Edge to Powerful
Publicity.” Her clients are individuals as well as major corporations and she
does extensive lecturing and training throughout the United States. Jill
may be reached at (415) 883-5455 or email to jill@planetlink.com
or on the web at www.promisingpromotion.com
.
AspireNow
helps organizations launch new products and services, train sales teams,
and innovatively change businesses through cutting-edge business
models and techniques to improve success. For more information, contact Scott@AspireNow.com,
or visit http://www.AspireNow.com.
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