The Public Relations Blog

You don’t need a press release to get earned media coverage. 

Did you know you can earn great media coverage for your company without writing a press release? In fact, as a PR firm working with national clients, some of Axia Public Relations’ best-earned media coverage came without ever writing a news release. Instead, we pitched existing contacts by phone – contacts with whom we’d established trusted relationships.

How to write a news release that gains media coverage for your company

If your company has an announcement it wants to make, then a news release may be a great option for you to share that news. A news release is an official announcement that a company or nonprofit issues to the news media. There’s a right way and a wrong way, though, to create a press release. The better it is, the easier it will be to secure earned media coverage. These seven tips will help you write an effective news release to gain earned media coverage for your company.

As a public relations firm dedicated to helping companies manage crisis communications, improve their reputations, and manage online reviews, it often surprises us how many of our prospective clients don’t understand the differences between these things. We think it’s important to educate companies about these critical areas of PR. If you don’t know the difference between crisis communications, reputation management, and review management, you’re in luck, as we outline the three below.

Pitching the media about company news that has a positive economic impact is one of the best ways to gain earned media coverage. (Hint: That’s because it’s newsworthy.) This is especially true when it comes to announcing jobs. News stories about employment opportunities are a great way to recruit employees. The news media enjoys sharing this news with their audiences. If your company plans to expand and increase its workforce significantly, then it’s an opportunity to gain some earned media coverage.

A guide for a PR informational interview

At some point during their education, most public relations students receive the assignment to interview PR professionals about the industry, the job and to offer advice to someone considering a career in the profession. Trying to find a PR practitioner who is willing to speak to you can be frustrating. We know that PR pros are busy; and we also understand how important it is to help students prepare for their future in PR. Therefore, we created a list of the top six questions we get from PR students in informational interviews.

5 ways to enhance your blog

Most companies start a blog with good intentions to reach more people. Too often though, the content starts to dwindle and may even cease altogether. Here are five ways to help keep your company’s blog full of fresh content.

4 reasons to stick with public relations for the long haul

The insightful Warren Buffett says it takes 20 years to build a reputation. Public relations shouldn’t be a short-term investment. PR is about building relationships and building results. It’s important to know that every company’s needs and objectives are different. PR isn’t a cookie-cutter process. In fact, the best results come from a strategic and proactive PR campaign. Companies that don’t stick with public relations for the long haul are making mistake #15 of Axia Public Relation’s list of the top 15 mistakes companies make when they hire a PR firm. Below  are four reasons you should commit to a long-term relationship with your PR firm.

It’s important that the news your company puts out via a news distribution site is newsworthy so you get the maximum benefit from your investment. Some company news isn’t actually appropriate for a news release – it won’t interest journalists or your target audience. How can you tell which stories are worth telling? And when is the best time to announce your news to gain the most traction?

Don’t waste the media’s time with non-newsworthy details.

There’s a difference between internal news that you share with your employees and your company’s board of directors, and external news that’s worthy of a share outside the walls of your company. As a public relations firm, we work hard to educate our clients about what news they should share with the media. Expecting your PR firm to pitch media outlets stories that aren’t newsworthy is mistake #13 on Axia Public Relations’ list of 15 mistakes companies make when hiring a PR firm.

One reason companies hire a public relations firm is to raise awareness about their products. When you’re ready to gain media coverage for what your company offers, it’s critical that you provide samples of your product for media representatives to try. You should also be sure to ready your spokesperson for interviews.

When a company is unwilling to share product samples with media or to give the media access to certain people within the company, it's making mistake #12 of Axia Public Relations’ 15 mistakes companies make when hiring a PR firm. Don’t let this be your company. Educate yourself and prepare before you hire a PR firm. Here are four factors to consider when you’re ready to launch a campaign for your product.