DIY PR for Entrepreneurs

DIY PR for Entrepreneurs By Emily Tully www.emilytully.com 1

PR - Why bother? • Announce your existence to the world • Boost trafﬁc/sales • Familiarise your customers with the brand • Build relationships/loyalty with customers, media, opinion leaders etc • Cut advertising spend • Deal with any negative publicity

Startup companies that engage in PR campaigns are 30% more successful in getting funding within one to three months than those that don't (BIGfrontier Communications Group)

First things ﬁrst… Make sure you put as much information as you can about ‘yourself’ online - don’t make the media/publishers beg! - Bios of relevant people - Contact details INCLUDING MOBILE! - Images (professional photos, logos) - News, events, achievements - News Archive (not just the nice bits!) - What’s been said about you (press, endorsements, compliments) - Q&A / FAQ - Explain any complicated processes or outline your USP

A good example www.google.com/press

Then....identify Decide who you want to talk to and where to ﬁnd them

Who do you want to talk to? • Business to Business? • Public sector? • Internet users/tech savvy types? • Speciﬁc demographic?

Who does your target audience listen to? • A celebrity? • A role model/ opinion leader? • A group or society? • A particular media outlet? • A forum/social networking group?

Step 3 - YOUR MESSAGE And how your audience wants to receive it…

What makes a story? • Relate your message to a current affairs issue/event • Tell them something they didn’t know with a unique poll or research • A great photo • Jump on someone else’s bandwagon

Ways of getting yourself heard • Press release • New media release • Blog post • Social media: Twitter, facebook, LinkedIn etc • Photo & caption • Events - launch, preview, free drink • Freebies • Become an expert • Give your knowledge away free

Press Releases • Title is crucial - make Most Important sure it grabs attention info • Get to the point quickly in the top line • Include relevant “quotes” • Check spelling and grammar twice (and then get someone else to check!) • Include contact details (mobile!!!) at the end

REMEMBER 90% of the time journalists won’t read past the second line (if they do - you’re in!)

Distributing press releases… • Research who to send it to • Stick it up on a few free press release sites (www.irishpressreleases.ie, www.prlog.org, www.news4media.ie ) • Check deadlines ( send to daily papers before 2 pm but as early as possible, evening papers before 11 am) • Emailing? Put title of the release in the subject line • Email with NO ATTACHMENTS • Ask for a read receipt so you have an idea of who has read it • If you’re making a follow up call watch the clock

Remember! • Very few products/services are groundbreaking - do not over-hype yourself • You have given your mobile number - answer it! • Be able to answer any question regarding your press release, if you can’t, suggest you call the enquirer back ASAP

A picture speaks SwordsGazette Gazette FREE YOUR COMMUNITY • YOUR PAPER May 16, 2010 BUCKETS OF HELP: Hilton Hotel staff have a FREE! a thousand words €500m sweet idea for a fundraiser for the CRC: P4 Picture Tips: funding Tennis: Local duo register Scottish win boost to Page 48 •Hire a professional photographer Metro Hurling: Dublin •Take a tabloid version and a North North win Leinster title Page 47 broadsheet version ! MIMI DUFFY METRO North got another signal of confidence” in the light-rail infrastructure project which, he said, remained “on •Send to picture desks not green light this week after the track for delivery in 2016”. European Investment Bank (EIB) confirmed it will loan Meanwhile, local TD Dar- ragh O’Brien, noted the com- Meating at the right plaice: To launch a joint business venture the project funding of half a ments of EIB vice-president, billion euro. Plutarchos Sakellaris, who The EIB has accepted the described Metro North as a Soccer: journalists/newsdesks THERE was nothing fishy going on companies. Famous for its fresh fish, recommendations of its man- “significant contribution to when Brian O’Leary, of Dublin Meat landed daily on its doorstep at the end agement committee to approve sustainable urban transport Company, met Martin McLoughlin, of the West Pier in Howth, Nicky’s DDSL finals held the loan of €500m. The Minister for Transport, in the Greater Dublin area and will be the backbone for a of Nicky’s Plaice, for a photoshoot to announce a deliciously tempting new Plaice will now provide Dublin Meat Company’s Forest Road immaculate at the AUL future, integrated public trans- Page 46 Noel Dempsey, said the loan joint venture between the renowned outlet with the freshest of sea fare. •Come up with clever yet approval was “an important port network”. simple captions

Watch, look & listen Media Harvesting

• Get into the habit of “Googling” yourself • Get analytics on your site - monitor trafﬁc on key pages • Set up google alerts • Use a media monitoring service (Expensive) • Set up RSS feeds and monitor trackbacks/ pingbacks • Tweetscan for chat about you on Twitter (www.tweetscan.com) or use a social media monitoring site like www.addictomatic.com • Alert friends, family and employees to the possibility of coverage and get them to listen/ look out

Keep in touch… Keeping relationships going

• Blog • Keep scanning online and ofﬂine for mentions • Respond to comments on your own site and others • Offer an expert opinion to media outlets • If you’re having a problem, blog it ﬁrst • Ask for your customers opinion/feedback on new initiatives

PR is time If you’re too busy or not good at it, it’s worth investing in professional services

What to look for when hiring a PR consultant... • Chemistry • Genuine interest/understanding of your ﬁeld • Media Contacts • Energy • Flexibility • Creativity

Questions I always get asked... • If I don’t get any coverage do I still have to pay? • Why did the journalist print something different to the press release? • How much should I spend on PR? • Do I have to pay a retainer? • How can I control what people say about me online? • Have you any more?

Thanks for your attention! Email: emily@emilytully.com Web: www.emilytully.com www.linkedin.com/emilytully Twitter @emilytully Skype: emilytully

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DIY PR for Entrepreneurs

by Emily Tully on May 29, 2010

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DIY PR for Entrepreneurs — Presentation Transcript