How should you approach doing PR?
PR is not only about making your brand name get printed in the press; it is a complex process which numerous tools which involves a number of techniques that lead you to a successful PR strategy. The strategy formation involves a number of techniques that are used in other forms of marketing as well. Realising your need to having a good PR strategy is the first step towards an effective PR Program.
There are a lot of important tools that lead PR campaigns and understanding them becomes incumbent upon those desirous of doing PR. Commonly used tools include Press Releases, Media Alerts, Press Tours, Trade Shows, E-Mail Marketing, Social Networking and Featured Articles.
Press Release is the most simple and effective way of updating the masses about any news about your business. You can talk about your projects, new tie ups, new products or anything that you want which would then be widely circulated via printed or online newspapers. Media alerts are quite similar to Press Releases but they differ from them in certain ways as they are targeted more towards journalists and photographers and are in essence held to inform the media about a conference you are holding. Press Tours are held to make influential bloggers and journalists to meet you with an aim of making them write about you. Attending Trade shows allows you to meet likeminded people and is an excellent way of networking with influential people. Similarly, social media allows you to network with a wide range of audience through an online platform. In E-Mail Marketing you promote your brand and ideas to people who are interested or to people whom you want to take interest in your products.
All these tools might look uncomplicated and simple to use, but it is only an expert who can invest time and energy in the right kind of strategies and right kinds of tools. Unless there is a sanctified plan, your efforts will not be strong enough to get you a good traction.
Using Public Relations as a marketing tool is a cheap and a sure way for you to gain credibility for your business. This is simply because it is a third party speaking about you and by default it would tend to be more believable than traditional advertising with pushy self promotional messages. Generally, a good thought out PR strategy can not only give your company a lot of credibility, give your brand and products an ample amount of publicity, but also keep your company prepared for any form of bad media crisis management.