The Public Relations Blog

Use PR to build a more unified, seamless media relations strategy for your organization

When your company has multiple locations, logistics can be a nightmare. Having different managers with the same titles performing similar tasks in several places can be a recipe for disaster. This is especially true when it comes to public relations, media and communications.

Consumers relate more to earned media coverage than they do to advertising. When a media outlet includes your company or brand in a news story, that media coverage adds credibility from an independent source. And, earned coverage shows you as a thought-leader in the industry.

We know that seeing a return on investment via earned media coverage keeps you – our client – happy. It’s important to recognize that earned media coverage doesn’t happen overnight. There’s a process for earning media coverage for our clients, and we want to share five ways we do it.

4 mistakes Trump is making and how you can use PR to avoid them

What do the phrases “an enemy of the people,” “the Opposition Party” and “bimbo” all have in common? President Donald J. Trump has used all of them when referring to journalists and major news outlets. Not exactly how one should handle media relations.

Before you send your next email pitch, read this first

Email is quick and easy to use. You no longer have to wait for someone to pick up the phone or be available for a meeting. A reporter can simply read an email pitch on his or her time. Still, there are lots of factors you have to get right in order for your email pitch to be successful. Trust public relations to help you improve your online communication techniques for increased news coverage and visibility.

Journalists typically have 2 basic questions. Learn how to answer them for media success

Your company has a great story to tell. Perhaps you even have a new product or initiative that you believe will change the future of your industry. If you’re like most, you send email pitches to numerous journalists, hoping they will be interested enough to write about your news.

5 ways to be sure improper media relations doesn’t hurt your business

Practicing media relations isn’t for the faint of heart. Public relations professionals learn from experience – through networking and building relationships – the optimal way to earn the trust of reporters and editors. Too often though, a business has its employees reach out to the media and the results are unsuccessful and sometimes detrimental.

Be sure your spokesperson is ready for the tough questions

If you lack spokesperson training, an interview with the media can be daunting. It’s not easy to maintain your composure when you’re standing in front of a bank of microphones with camera lenses pointed directly at your nostrils.

A critical public relations skill is optimally negotiating media interviews. Most PR firms offer a form of spokesperson training or coaching to clue in company spokespeople about the finer elements, one of which is how to properly set the tone for media interaction – whether amid crises or simply run-of-the-mill product launches.  

Let your customers know that business is good with a steady stream of news and help from PR

Experts recommend that you pitch the media consistently in order to attract positive news coverage and gain visibility for your company. How do you get media coverage when you simply have no news to pitch?

When pitch fatigue is imminent, try these tips to reboot

Anyone that has worked in public relations knows well that pitching the media is an acquired skill. Whether it’s for an automobile or printer or service such as a virtual front office, designing a pitch that internally compels you is a necessary first step – because if you love it, your genuine interest will serve to engage others.

We all aspire to succeed and to shine a positive light on our companies for the public to see. Far too often, though, businesses have unreasonable media coverage expectations.

As public relations professionals, we must help our clients define realistic goals concerning the media coverage they want. Here are six missteps that companies often make when setting their media coverage expectations: