The Power of Publicity

Why public relations is important, how to do it, and the groundbreaking effort that one PR firm is making to help stimulate the success of small businesses.

Public relations is a vital service to building a business or launching a new product. If PR is a new concept for you, there may be a lot of questions. What needs to be in a press release? Is PR the same as advertising? Before jumping into something you don’t understand, consider some important PR tips.

Understanding the difference between public relations and advertising is the first step. Advertising is paid placement while PR is editorial coverage in news stories, feature articles and interviews. Commercials and full page magazine ads allow you to say what you want about your company. Public relations professionals work closely with editors and producers on feature stories, which implies a third party endorsement. PR pros value their relationships with members of the press and maintain those contacts.

Before gaining the interest of a newspaper editor or television producer, you will need to come up with something catchy and to the point. Press releases are formal announcements and are rarely read thoroughly by the media. A simple paragraph about your product could generate a television segment at your local station or grab the attention of a national magazine looking to feature gifts in a holiday round-up. When a press release is necessary, media outlets look for the appropriate Associated Press format.

When working with media outlets think of the big picture. The media loves trends! Do your research and find out what’s going on in the news right now and how you can tie in your product or service. Attaching your company to a bigger story gives you better chances for immediate coverage.

Reporters prefer to cover successful companies. A small start-up is less newsworthy than a company that’s booming. Keep this in mind when questioned about sales numbers. You might use ‘projected sales numbers’ or an increase in distribution and retail outlets to showcase success.

Media outlets say their number one complaint is when guests ask for a copy of the segment. Set up a recording beforehand or have a friend tape the segment. There are also media clipping services where you can purchase a tape.

It’s important to use the power of PR! Many companies display media features in a ‘press’ link on their websites. This adds credibility to your brand.

What is it about PR that makes it so powerful? PR puts word-of-mouth in fast forward. The reason for this is the consuming public has faith in the objectivity of the media. Orca Communications has played a vital role in the launch of many start-ups and has seen the power of publicity firsthand. In a passionate effort to stimulate the success of small businesses, Orca has just launched a groundbreaking media campaign that allows small business owners access to professional PR services. The Nooz Crooze Express™ is the perfect tool to get acquainted with publicity and the importance it plays in a company’s overall marketing strategy. As small businesses struggle during this economic downturn, Orca saw a need to provide this basic service that allows businesses to get their feet wet with a publicity campaign that generates results for a very small investment.

About the author

Julia Hutton, Founder of Orca Communications Unlimited, LLC, America's PR Firm for Inventors & Entrepreneurs.

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