Trying to manage your own media relations? Here’s some top tips to help you hit the headlines and get your events, products or services noticed.
- Make it newsworthy
Grab headlines. Tell the press about your business news: the launch, new appointments, new contracts. Do something innovative: stunts, launch new research, charity support, court controversy
- Know your brand
What are your brand values? If you’re very corporate this should be reflected in the language you use and the story you tell, likewise if you’re a young, on-trend organisation, your steer will be relevant to your brand.
- Understand your press and its journalists
It’s a lot easier contacting a journalist when you know what features they write and what their newspaper/magazine focuses on. Create ideas for their various features, they’ll appreciate the fact that you know what they write about.
- Get to the point
Don’t waffle. Don’t try to be clever. Simply use plain English clearly and succinctly – one side of A4 double line spaced is fine.
- Timing is everything
Don’t hassle the press when they’re on deadline. And, don’t issue press material on a Friday it will often get lost over the weekend.
- Snap! Create great photography
Pictures tell a story and help bring a brand to life. Great photos capture attention on the page and are great for sharing online.
- Share your expertise
Are you an expert? If so, why not draft a feature or top tips style piece for your trade press? Gaining coverage in B2B publications is ideal at positioning you as a leader in your field.
- Link everything back to your website
Create direct links to product/information pages on your website this will really help to optimise your website, driving more traffic and prospects through your doors.
- Engage online
Share your editorial coverage on your digital outlets. Let followers know your latest news and let them know that your local media and trade press, as well as other influencers are happy to write about your organisation. Nothing beats third party endorsements to build trust.
- Evaluate the success
Set yourself goals. Try and create at least one press release or feature a month. Collect the press cuttings and gain stats on a media outlets circulation so that you can account for how many opportunities to see you’ve created.
To discover more, please visit www.wearebigwavepr.co.uk.
About the author
Hilary Collins is the founder and MD of the award-winning B2B and lifestyle PR agency, Big Wave PR. She set-up the agency over ten years ago after the birth of her daughter following a high flying career in top 150 PR consultancies. Entrepreneurial by nature Hilary has led Big Wave PR to win a wide variety of accounts from Carlsberg to Papa John’s Pizza and Royal British Legion to Visit Essex. Hilary is passionate about supporting other women achieve their business goals and has spoken at a wide range of events to inspire the next generation of businesswomen. She is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR).
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