EXPERTADVICE
How can I make the most of my PR opportunities, preferably without breaking the bank?
It’s possible to receive reams (or webpages)
of free publicity, but getting the best out of the opportunities and making sure you’re at the front of the queue for coverage is down to you. You need to make sure that your news story,
release or message is relevant to your audience and is phrased in such a way that it engages them to maximum effect. Ways of winning attention include giveaways – arranging an exclusive deal on your product or service with a media outlet might gain more coverage, over a longer period and being topical – give your opinion on something happening in the news nationally or locally that’s relevant to you and your business, and therefore your targeted audience.
PENNY JOYNER Penny is head of PR at You Agency. She has over ten years’ experience in the media industry.
Jean-Louis Gassée, a former executive at Apple said: “Advertising is saying you’re good. PR is getting someone else to say you’re good.” Securing an all-important endorsement from a press source will be forthcoming if you make the story relevant to the outlet(s) you approach. You can take a scattergun approach, but researching the publication and, especially, the journalist/contact you have there, will pay off. Remember, these people receive hundreds, if not thousands of releases a week. What factors make yours stand out? Newsworthy angles include, for instance, superlatives – shout about being latest/newest/oldest/biggest/
smallest in your fi eld; awards – these will make you stand out and reassure your customers and investors, so make sure you look into what kinds of industry gongs given out for your sector (and enter!); case studies, new recruits and promotions – these will provide evidence of the health of your business. We live in an image-conscious world, so do make sure your photographs and jpegs look professional and are of high quality. Pixelated selfi es and lo-res attachments make your story easy to drop, so spend time, and if necessary, resources on your visual content. Use social media – tweet, Facebook and Instagram your mentions, create a buzz and do it in as timely way as possible!
The 10 top tips to recap...
1. Understand your audience 2. Research the publication and the journalist 3. Think of your angle and be topical 4. Be the the newest, oldest, smallest etc. 5. Publicise new staff, promotions and case studies 6. Enter awards
7. Make your photography creative and high quality
8. Distribute smartly and quickly 9. Go digital 10. ... And share the love (on social media!) n
If you would like to ask our experts a question please email
fnews@vmgl.com Franchisor News | 17
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