In order to use public relations effectively for your business, you need to learn to anticipate the company's future. Regardless of if you want to sell your business or where your product or service is positioned, you need to be able to define potential problems and adopt a strategy to evaluate customer feedback. This will put you on the road to a more successful and profitable business in the long term.  

 

By itself, a systematic approach to public relations doesn't guarantee a successful program for your business, but certainly the technique forces you to identify your goals, expectations and express them in a clear and succinct manner. You need to utilize the tools of public relations (press release, interview, and feature article) and understand what it means to create newsworthy issues and events.  

 

There is a pivotal difference between the advertising message and public relations. Never confuse the two. In public relations, you look for an element in the business, its product or its users that has legitimate news value. The advertising writer on the other hand, does not concern themselves so much with news but concentrates on creating a message that will produce maximum interest and compete successfully with other print ads or commercials.  

 

COMMON TOOLS USED BY PUBLIC RELATIONS SPECIALISTS  

 

Media Kits

First and foremost, you need to introduce your business to the press. Since most do not have a steady public relations foundation set up, it’s essential that you create a packet that has media friendly information that can be used as the primary vehicle to carry your business’ story and information as well as your products and services that people can buy. The purpose of a media kit is to provide a variety of media groups with all the necessary information that they will need to develop stories about your business, the market and other related-newsworthy topics.  

 

This is one of the essential vehicles used in public relations to convey the desired positioning and company image. Include a company backgrounder that gives the editor or reporter all the information about your business – date of establishment, senior management/owners, products and services, dollar volume/market share, location, etc.  

 

If the media kit is the focal point for extensive coverage of a business and the products that they sell, news is the result of the distribution of standard press releases and captured photography. These keep editors informed on a regular basis of a business’ latest updates and generate ongoing media coverage. Informational press releases should be distributed to all appropriate media on an ongoing basis.  

 

Media Pitch Letters

These are critical tools for generating interest among the media on specific topics. In the public relations business, it is the preferred and accepted form of initial communication with media to advance story ideas to them in a clear and concise manner.  

 

Each letter should be targeted to select media with specific and unique story angles. They should provide the media with enough information to have the basic outline and structure of a story that will be meaningful to their readers/viewers. Part of the sell of a media pitch letter is to successfully demonstrate to the media that the story idea is of interest to their audience.  

 

Trade publications have an insatiable appetite for good editorial material. They are generally delighted to receive and use good materials that will appeal to their readers, even when they are commercial in nature. The time and effort required to prepare releases or feature articles, or to assist the publication in preparing them, are well spent. They represent an extremely effective method of communicating not only with the industry but also with people that may be interested in purchasing your company if you decide to sell it. It's also important to remember that the third party endorsement intrinsic in editorial coverage lends credibility to your business.  

 

Company Spokesperson

You will want to identify someone that can represent your business to expand coverage into the broadcast media. One of the core ingredients to a successful placement effort is a quotable, media-savvy person to act as a spokesperson. He/she is available to present an expert point of view to the press for interviews and guest appearances. If executed properly, a well-planned public relations effort will yield exceptional results, making doing business a lot more enjoyable.