2-Minute Marketing Tip #1 – Understanding PR
PR (Public Relations) can be one of your most profitable forms of advertising. PR is how your company talks to the public, typically through the media, but can also include things like appearances at public gatherings, etc. Writing a press release and distributing it to the media is usually the first step for companies to try to get attention, however, it’s also the most difficult. Media sources (TV News, Radio Stations, Newspapers, etc) receive hundreds, and sometimes thousands of Press Releases each day. So it’s not only important that your press release be well written, it’s also important that you know who to send it to, and who to follow-up with.
The first key writing PR is to understand the motivation of the media. Their goal is to tell the most compelling stories in the community, that means something that people will feel passionate about, but also has a broad appeal, not something which appeals to a small percentage of people. The PR also has to be something “newsworthy”. A half-off sale, new product, or even Grand Opening usually isn’t considered newsworthy, unless your grand opening means hundreds of new jobs.
Your first challenge when thinking about PR is to find the “Hook” that creates a newsworthy story, then your next challenge is to find your “Mouthpiece” whether it’s a news station, blogger or special event.
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