In the main article this month, Anthony talks about the benefits of using public relations in conjunction with advertising efforts. When done correctly, PR is one of the most powerful and effective tools out there for getting brands publicity. Organic media coverage is much more credible in the minds of consumers than advertisements. So how do you go about earning coverage for your business? Here are five tips that will help you write successful news releases and maximize your PR efforts:
- Newsworthiness – Before you send off your news release and hope for the best, ask yourself “is my story really news?” If it was written purely for the sake of promoting your services, good luck getting the media to cover it. Editors are looking for stories that their audience will care about. Things like events, awards and community outreach have a pretty good chance of getting picked up on by the media. Try to make it relevant to the community.
- Lose the Jargon – There are many businesses out there that are accustomed to using very technical or scientific language specific to their industry on a daily basis. Leave it at the office! The media runs stories that are easy for everyday people to understand. If they have to comb through your story and translate a bunch of technical terms before they run it, chances are they won’t bother.
- Be Complete – Make sure the release you send out has all of the relevant information included. Nothing guarantees not having your story run like making the media look up the details themselves. Make your story clear and try to get to the main point right away. Including a photo to go along with the story will also help your chances.
- All About Who You Know – A big part of successful PR is developing good relationships with the media. Creating a connection with someone at a publication or station is extremely beneficial, but these relationships take time to build. This is why working with an agency that had already built strong connections is a huge advantage.
- Don’t Get Discouraged – My old college media writing professor who used to work for multiple media outlets once told our class that the hard truth for all of us “PR people” is that 9 out of 10 news releases received by media outlets end up in the trash. Don’t get discouraged if your story doesn’t get attention. Keep trying with future stories. The attention you could get if they do run one is well worth the effort.
Looking to ramp up your public relations efforts and earn media coverage? Give us a call at 701-478-1111 or visit absolutemg.com/contact. We have great relationships with local media, and would love to help.