This document discusses public relations (PR) and how it can benefit businesses. It explains that PR involves different types of communications like celebrity, consumer, business-to-business, and public affairs PR. The document also dispels myths about PR, such as that all publicity is good, and discusses how PR has evolved from "push communications" to permission marketing. It provides tips for businesses on how to create a PR strategy and gain media coverage, including having clear goals, targeting the right audiences, and focusing on newsworthy stories that help people.

1. What’s PR all about and
what can it do for my
business?
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2. PR comes in different forms
It’s about more than Max and Kerry.
PR covers a range of areas:
– Celebrity PR
– City (regulatory
announcements/results)
– Consumer (new
products/relaunches)
– B2B (trade and sector media to
generate business leads)
– Public/charity/stakeholder comms
(opinion formers)
– Public affairs (influencing the
legislators)
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3. Exploding PR myths
• It’s not (all) inhabited by Ab Fabs
and the G&T brigade
• Not all publicity is good publicity
– just ask Gordon Ramsey
• It isn’t just a nice-to-have part of
your marketing plan
• PR isn’t an alternative to
advertising
• You can’t measure PR
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4. Is/isn’t
What it is:
• A tool for creating an image and reputation for
your business
• About creating awareness and understanding
• Explaining the benefits of your product, service or
company
• Influencing the influencers to generate word of
mouth endorsement
What it isn't:
• Random tactical ideas to generate meaningless
coverage with no real connection to the brand
• Using coverage of any kind as a measure of
success (any news is good news)
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5. Push Vs. permission
• Push communications has given way to
permission marketing
• Ads ‘interrupt’ TV and radio
programming with commercials
• People are much more selective in how
they choose to view brands
• People use word-of-mouth to build
brands and reputation.
• People can be accessed in many
different ways - through the media, but
also direct through digital networks and
even face-to-face.
• People build brands by listening to
trusted influencers and advocates.
• PR is the word-of-mouth discipline.
• PR has moved on.
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6. WIIFM – the nation’s favourite radio station
• How PR can help your
business?
– Promote your services via the
media
– Highlight your professionalism
– Launch your
business/products/services
– Maintain contact with
clients/customers
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7. What are the tools?
• Press releases that generate targeted media
coverage – consumer/trade/online
• Effective e-strategy that engages and creates
dialogue with clients/customers
• Crisis and reputation management
• Well-briefed and prepared management
• Events/e-newsletters/submitted features/awards/
charity support/staff activities
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8. How? Have a GAME plan
Client example
• Goals
– Launch their new facility management service
• Audiences
– Facility managers, property agents, risk managers
• Methods
– News in trade media, set up interview with MD and trade
paper as an exclusive, sponsored industry seminars, formed
partnerships with prof. orgs e.g. BIFM, contributed to features,
created online communications (e-newsletters). The sales
team used the coverage with prospects (re-prints).
• Evaluation
– Key messages in coverage, enquiries from prospects, visits to
website, ‘warm’ calls resulted in more appointments for sales
teams.
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9. 6 tips to successful coverage
1. Flip the story
• Focus on the problem your product solves.
2. Focus on People.
• If you take a good look at your company, you will find a rich source of material.
How does your product or service help shape the lives of the people who buy from
you e.g. does it save people money? If so, can you find a case study?
3. Keep it topical
• Timing can be very important to a story. Remember publication deadlines.
4. New and ground-breaking
• Don’t bury the important part of the story at the bottom of their press release
5. Celebrity
• Associate your company with big brand customers or compare your company with
a larger well-known competitor. The media love against-all-odds stories.
6. Use research.
• Surveys are big favourites of the media. Use your website to run polls or you can use
visitors to your shop, or callers to your call centre – your customers and prospects are
a ready source of opinion that many editors are crying out for.
And finally..
• The trick is in combining two, three or more tips into the same story.
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10. How to get personal publicity
• You’re the expert!
• Get some training
• Build a relationship with the media
• Have collateral to hand – biog, photos, logos etc.
• Comment on topical issues e.g.
– A local HR advisor was asked about the position for
companies with employees on illegal strikes?
– A garage chain spoke about preparing your car for the
winter
– An accountant spoke about managing cash flow in a
recession
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11. Thank you
Any questions?
Nigel Charlesworth
e. nigel@thesmartagency.co.uk
http://twitter.com/nigcharlesworth
www.linkedin.com/in/NigelCharlesworth
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