Making a name for yourself - Kati Price

An introduction to PR © Kati Price Design Communications 2009

What’s PR? What can it do for you? Press releases – the basics When is news news? Who to target and how Press packs and how to make the most of them Using images effectively © Kati Price Design Communications 2009

What is PR? © Kati Price Design Communications 2009

PR is a planned and sustained communication between an organisation and its publics Institute of Public Relations © Kati Price Design Communications 2009

PR is a planned and sustained communication publics between an organisation and its publics Institute of Public Relations © Kati Price Design Communications 2009

What can PR do for you? © Kati Price Design Communications 2009

PR can… Get you coverage in the media Cost you less than advertising Publicise your news Help raise your profile and manage your reputation Help you talk to your stakeholders - not just the press Can give you a clear and consistent voice Differentiate you from your competitors © Kati Price Design Communications 2009

PR can’t… Guarantee sales © Kati Price Design Communications 2009

Press releases – the basics © Kati Price Design Communications 2009

Press releases – the basics So, where do you start? Company logo or letterhead and should state ‘Press Release’ or ‘News Release’ followed by the date/month of issue A good headline - keep it short, simple and lighthearted The crucial first paragraph - Answer the questions: what? who? why? where? and when? Remember to get your main point across early The main body of your press release Develop your main message and you can give some background to explain why the event is taking place / product has been launched and why it is important © Kati Price Design Communications 2009

Press releases – the basics Include a quote Journalists don’t always have the time to interview people. But make sure it’s concise, punchy and captures the essence of your story. Photo opportunities For events highlight any opportunities for photographs at the bottom of the press release. Give a brief description of the kind of visuals they can expect. ‘Ends’ Finish the release with ‘Ends’ as this separates the important news element of the release from any other background information © Kati Price Design Communications 2009

Press releases – the basics Notes to Editors Your opportunity to add detail that might otherwise detract from the main story, for example, a biography or short history of your business. Don’t forget to include contact numbers Make sure somebody will be available at these numbers in the busy run-up to a launch. For events make sure to include full address details, times and information on how to get there - it is crucial these are correct. © Kati Price Design Communications 2009

Press releases – the basics 1) Correct grammar usage 2) Write in the third-person 3) Use the active, not passive, voice 4) Use strong verbs 5) Make sure your claims are true 6) Don’t advertise! 7) Economy of words 8) Check - is it more than one paragraph? 9) Write for the media 10) Proofread © Kati Price Design Communications 2009

When is news news? © Kati Price Design Communications 2009

When is news news? What makes ‘news’? Think about your audience. Will someone else find your story interesting? If your product or event is noteworthy or unusual in some way, this will generally mean it is newsworthy too. Angles and hooks A good story angle: •is the most important fact in your story •is timely •is unique, newsworthy or contrary to industry norms and trends. Use the story angle in the first paragraph as well as the headline of your press release. © Kati Price Design Communications 2009

Who to target...and how © Kati Price Design Communications 2009

The PR process ? © Kati Price Design Communications 2009

Targeting press contacts •Keep abreast of the press •Build a database keep it up to date •Go to dos and private views •Listen to journalists’ advice •Be targeted in your communications •Be thorough when sending information •Be consistent •Decide what format is best – email or hard copy •Find out what features are planned •Have an elevator pitch prepared •Start and finish all communications with a phone call •Suggest features to journalists •Consider press deadlines and schedules •Don’t be pushy and do not pester. A ruined relationship with a journalist is impossible to salvage! © Kati Price Design Communications 2009

Creating a press pack A branded folder or disc which contains: •press release •image folders (ideally a low res and a high res folder) •a brochure of your products in a pdf format, •a biography •stockists’ details © Kati Price Design Communications 2009

Using images effectively Have good product shots Ideally a mixture of cut outs and styled shots. If only one, go for cut outs as these are an easier fit in the editorial environment High res and low res make sure your images are available as high resolution (300dpi at a minimum of 10cm x 10cm) and low resolution (72dpi at 5-10cm x 5-10cm). As a rule, you should go for a jpeg (not tiff) format and each image needn’t be larger than 1MB. Create an image sheet Have a word doc or pdf with low res (72dpi) thumbnails and captions (including product name, designer name and price) and email this out on request © Kati Price Design Communications 2009

"Remember that the toes you are stepping on today may well be attached to the ass you may need to kiss tomorrow." Anonymous © Kati Price Design Communications 2009

Making a name for yourself - Kati Price

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