No sane public relations specialist would willingly publish tips pertaining to how they secure clients publicity. Those coveted nuggets are tricks of the trade. The truth of this fact evidenced itself as I clicked on a link from a Google search entitled “pr for clients.”
Direct Design Communications was among the highest hits of the search. After reading the cite’s description, I eagerly clicked on only to be greeted by “you do not have access to this cite.” Case in point. Determined not to be discouraged I continued researching and found Susan Friedmann with WorkZ created “The Top Ten (list of) Do’s and Don’ts of Working with the Press.” As I forged on through Google, my faith in blogging received a boost from Robb Hecht. He spoke about blogging's ability to take back the internet for PR. In such a cluttered world it's PR's responsibility to get the word out... everywhere.
Caution: The following recommendations have not been tested in the real world and are only theories representing the point of view of the blogger.
Know your client.
Knowing your client inside and out should not pose a problem.
Knowing how to communicate your pitch clearly to an over-pitched traditional media outlet may pose a different challenge. I once had an English instructor who gave me this piece of advice, “Write for your math teacher!” At first pass those wise words made no sense. A math teacher has no grasp of the complexities of Shakespeare nor the innuendoes needed to drive home the point of an essay. Then it hit me. The audience she was preparing me to address to would not be comprised of individuals fully proficient on the topic matter and if they were I’d be out a job. Seasoned public relations professionals write to Bill and Suzie Six-Pack.
Know who to pitch and when to pitch
As members of the public relation field it is a duty to stay current with all types of medias. Carefully examining what topics are hot and who is covering those stories is key. Understanding who would be the best “delivery person” to your target market for your client is also big. Timing. Be in the right place, at the right time, pitching to the right person. Timing is everything.
Befriend members of the media
Recognizing typically slow news days and conveniently assigning an otherwise bored reporter, a human interest or fluff story benefits both your client and the reporter. Calling in favors is a reciprocal arrangement. The savviest firms find success in giving as much as they take from media partnerships. Protect and respect your media contacts with dignified excellence remembering your firm’s public perception is a reflection of your own.
And lastly, remain sane. Confidentially surrounding key prospect strategies is critical in maintaining a firm’s unique cutting edge image. Anything less is PR insanity.
No comments:
Post a Comment