Public relations (PR) and your business. Start off on the right foot!

Public Relations. Publicity. What’s the buzz, tell me what’s a happening!

Public Relations (PR), publicity, is a fantastic marketing tool and when used effectively spreads the message about a business, a product, a service, an event, or a major announcement. It’s also a great way for you to build relationships with the media and when they know you as the go-to expert, they’ll come calling when they’re looking for information in your areas of expertise!

Let’s start at the very beginning; a very good place to start…

The following tips are for people starting their journey to gain publicity or sometimes it’s good to look back at the basics for an AHA moment.

Prepare.

Before you seek or distribute publicity for your new business, new product, new service, etc. make sure you are prepared and offering the best of what it can be whether it is a product or a service; otherwise you will have a negative impact before you even begin, and remember, it costs more to repair a damaged reputation!

Identify.

Establish your identity; know who you are. Ask yourself the following questions; WHAT:

• are my values?
• is my company culture?
• makes me different from competitors?
• is it I’m doing no one else is doing?

Know these answers before telling your story!

Share.

Tell your stories; make them unforgettable! Include the message in social media, interviews, and any opportunity when speaking about your stories. Speak in facts. Talk as if every sentence was a soundbyte for the media!

Accessibility. 

Visibility from you (or founder of business) is extremely important when projecting the image and brand of the company. Being available, having a presence on social media, being friendly with the press, and knowing your story – what you and your company are about so when asked you can tell the story without stumbling… (You have about 30 seconds to impress the media!) All of this visibility helps land you and your company and/or your company’s message in front of the “right” people so business, relationships, and revenue will multiply; developing the know, like, and trust factor is huge.

Social media presence. 

Create a social-media strategy representing your brand, your values, and your culture. In fact, it’s important to create an engaging social media plan from the beginning to grow your presence. A good execution strategy for social media allows you to establish your identity and credibility in your industry, share your story and positions you as a thought leader and pioneer. You need to dedicate time to directly engage with your followers, answer questions, share information, and include them in the conversation.

Hire Professionals. 

Implementing strong PR is imperative when trying to share your stories/messages. PR Professionals help you:

• ESTABLISH strong identity
• EFFECTIVELY communicate your stories
• ESTABLISH engaging social media plan
• BUILD your brand
• INCREASE your visibility
• POSITION you in front of the right people

Looking for publicity for your book? Whether it’s your book launch, book reading, publication date, or other, starting early is the key. If you’d like to continue the conversation, contact us and we can chat!

Until next time, remember to #WriteYourWay,

Colleen