Posts Tagged ‘Journalists’

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Effective Uses of Public Relations

PR isn’t about ‘fluff’ and getting some ’nice’ bits of media coverage, it’s all about boosting business growth, or it should be!

Here’s how effective public relations can help you and your business:

  1. Media coverage can raise or enhance your profile and grow awareness of your products and services among your target markets.
  2. Endorsement by a third party ie: journalists or Editors can give immediate credibility to a business, with the potential to influence your key audiences.
  3. Public relations can ultimately drive inquiries and sales, footfall, and traffic to your website, it’s all about boosting your bottom-line.
  4. PR can go a long way to ensuring that businesses stand out from their competitors in increasingly crowded marketplaces.
  5. Compared to advertising and other marketing, PR is the ultimate cost-effective, awareness-raising machine, and a well-run public relations campaign can deliver media coverage worth many tens and even hundreds of thousands of pounds in the advertising equivalent, at just a fraction of the price.

Tags: , , , , | Posted in PR Tips September 5th, 2009

Different Types of Media Coverage

If you’re a business or organisation and having to do your own PR, think about the different types of media coverage and what might work best for you.

National, or even international, media coverage is great, it adds kudos and credibility. It can send sales soaring.

Local or regional media coverage, however, should not be ignored and may sometimes generate more interest, inquiries and business leads than coverage in the national media.

Before writing a press release or calling journalists, think about your product/s or service, who your target markets are and what media they are likely to read/watch/listen to/log on to. Why not ask your existing clients or customers for feedback!

Also think about whether you’d be best seen in the b2b media, such as your industry and trade journals (in my case, PR Week, Press Gazette, Brand Republic, Campaign, Marketing, etc) or whether the b2c media, such as The Times, GQ, bbc.co.uk or Radio 4 would bring better results for your PR efforts.

For a free consultation about your public relations needs, contact PR Superstar on 020 8274 0807.

Tags: , , , , , , , , | Posted in PR Tips August 23rd, 2009

Telltale Signs of Great Media Relations

3 telltale signs of a successful media relations campaign include:

* Positive and regular coverage across a range of media, which is read/watched/listened to by your target markets

* Strong and effective relationships established with key journalists – relationships that are two-way, whereby they chase you for editorial ideas, expert comment, product placement, etc

* Media coverage that results in lead generation for you and your business!

 

Contact journalist-led PR Superstar to find out more about how media relations can help your business to grow!

Tags: , , , , , , , , | Posted in PR Tips December 19th, 2008

How to Handle Those Journalists!

Speaking as a former journalist, I love ‘em!

Apart from getting great coverage in the nationals, and on TV and radio; working with journalists is the biggest reason why I adore my job here at PR Superstar.

I’m unusual though. Many a PR person can’t stand reporters or are simply terrified of them!

Having trained and then worked as a senior journalist for almost a decade, journalism is very familiar territory and I feel completely comfortable with it. It’s my great passion and love, and always will be.

I do have great sympathy though with the SMEs having to do their own public relations and faced for the first time with that daunting task of phoning round reporters, desperately trying to drum up some much-needed coverage.

With this in mind, here are my top 5 tips about how to handle journalists:

* Check they’re not on deadline – if they are, call back!

* Be succinct – journos are busy people who get inundated with calls and e-mails

* Have a few ideas for possible stories up your sleeves so you can try to ignite their interest quickly

* Ask what they’re looking for in a story and inquire about how you may be able to help them, rather than them helping you

* Don’t be put off if the first or second journo isn’t interested – there are lots of papers and magazines; locally, regionally and nationally, b2b and b2c, and others may well be interested.

 

Please remember: “A journalist is for life, not just for Christmas” :-)

Merry Christmas everyone from PR Superstar!

Tags: , , , , , , , | Posted in PR Tips December 19th, 2008

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