Four keys to a great PR campaign

While you can’t underestimate the power of a good press release, too many businesses forget that it’s just the beginning of a process. The real trick to successful marketing is ensuring you have all the elements of your public relations campaign in place before turning the spotlight on yourself.

Consider the four “Ps” when it comes to establishing the groundwork for a successful PR campaign: photography, pitch, profile and pack. With these elements lined up, you’ll be better prepared for the follow-up.

Photography: Make sure that you have a great selection of visuals available, should your press release capture a reporter’s eye. This includes projects, screenshots, shots of the spokesperson and anything else that is relevant.

Reporters like to have distinctive angles to their stories, so try to have a wide selection of photographs available, rather than using the same one for every outlet.

Also, make sure you have high-quality content. Many journalists use digital images, so make sure these are available — with a resolution of at least 300 dots per inch (300 dpi).

Pitch: Capturing attention with your press release is just the start of the process. You need to have your pitch ready for when the media begins calling.

Journalists often call looking for a quote and some additional news beyond what was in the release. Make sure you have something prepared, so you don’t fumble through a phone call, making the reporter less inclined to write about you and your company.

Profile: Your corporate profile should always be up-to-date. Never assume the reporter is familiar with your company. Many reporters file several stories per day and sometimes details get lost in the process.

Providing an accurate, comprehensive and succinct profile will help the reporter do their job and give you an opportunity to control the positioning of your business in the story.

Press pack: A good way to communicate that profile is via a press pack. This should contain additional background information to help journalists prepare a story or an interview.

Put together both a traditional printed pack as well as an online version. Both should include the same information — background, biographies, images, database structure and data sheets. Include a company brochure if you’ve got one.

As with your profile, keep this pack up to date at all times. This will allow the journalist to easily find what he or she is looking for when preparing a story.

The four Ps take a little more time, but if you make the investment, you’re likely to see a much greater return on your press release.

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Tags: entrepreneurs, public relations

People: Jerry Buhlmann