Public Relations for Business 1
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
Publicity: An Almost-Free Ride
How can you get out word about your product or services to your customers if you can't afford to advertise extensively? One way is through free publicity in newspapers, magazines, or on broadcast media. Here are tips and hints on how to get various types of publicity and on how to get the most mileage out of any publicity you do get.
What is publicity?
Publicity is making people aware of your business name and what you do. Usually that means getting the media to talk or write about you or what you do. The media can be television, radio, newspapers, magazines, websites or even books and newsletters. It may be local, regional, national, or specialized, such as a trade magazine. The nature of your business and what you sell will usually dictate which media will consider what you do newsworthy.
Does publicity work as well as paid advertising?
Favorable publicity often brings in more sales than advertising does. The reason: people tend to believe what they read in editorial copy more than they believe claims in ads. Thus, if you get positive publicity, your product gains a testimonial, and your business gains credibility in the eyes of your customers.
On the flip side of the coin, you have no way of controlling what the press says about your product or service. If they don't like it and publish something negative about it, you may lose sales.
How do I get publicity?
The way to get publicity is to seek it. You have to telephone and send press releases to appropriate editors, reporters, and broadcasters and tell them what you do and why they should write or talk about you. Rarely will they discover you on their own.
How do I find editors to contact?
First, make a list of publications and broadcast media your customers are likely to read. If you sell locally, include only the local newspapers, radio, and cable TV. If you sell on a more widespread basis, you'll want to include trade publications in your field and perhaps the mass media or large regional newspapers and popular magazines that cater to your customers' needs. Once you have this list, call each publication or broadcast station and ask who covers the type of information you want them to publish.
Sometimes your call will be put through to an editor or reporter. Other times you will just be given the name of an editor or reporter to whom you can send a release. If you aren't sure about the spelling of the name, ask the receptionist to spell it for you. Editors and writers don't like to see their names misspelled.
If you do get to talk to an editor or writer, tell him or her briefly what you want to publicize, and answer any questions he or she may have. If you are asked to send or fax a press release, do so immediately. It would be a good idea to mark the release, "Here's the release you asked me to send," or something similar. Hundreds of pieces of paper cross an editor's desk every week. Your note on the release can help keep it from getting buried and forgotten.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |
