5 Step Guide to Public Relations

Public relations is a fantastic type of communication, it can be super efficient and inexpensive at the same time. Just have to it right.... Before you through your self into the world of public relations, you should do some research and studying. Below is a simple 5 step guide to master public relations.

1)  Understand the media

First find out, which media (newspapers, magazines and other publication) shares the same target audience with your company. You can get a lot of help from searching online,please use the library and read the fantastic book; The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference , by Malcolm Gladwell.

Once you know which medias you would like to work with, find out how the media is working. Find out who the reporters is and how they work.

• What do the reporters specialize in?
• What stories have the done?
• Other significant info, like who have the interviewed?

Document your research in a document, which you have easy access to. You should update the document, you will get valuable information from reading the media, be on the lookout for journalists switching jobs.

There is a short-cut. There is portals web sites, where you upload your story and journalists downloads stories. One of the most popular is call Help a Reporter out or HARO.

2) How to spin your story

Now you need to start thinking about the journalist, and how he or she will bring your story.  You probably have twist your story in order to match it with the journalists angel.

• Why should a journalist bring your story*
• How can a journalist benefit from your story
• Evaluate if you can contribute to any trending stories**

* You can setup a daily scan about articles which is relevant to your company, such as your competitors and industry news. You can use Google Alerts to be informed

** Say there is a story about the media, which relates to your business. You could contact media and informed them that your product can help / assist / prevent the problem, like you can offer your technical assistance to help the journalist. Your service provider could be Google Trends

Before you do so, make sure your have written a document with the key points your are interested sharing with the media and consider different angels, this will help the journalist. When you contact the journalist, you should be confident, fact based and accurate in your dialog.

3) Approaching journalists

When you are sure about your content, and have done the preparations, you are ready to approach the journalists. These are the typical format you send:

• Press releases
• Relevant stories
• Attach pictures, graphics, charts +

When you write your press release, make sure you are direct and fact-based. Avoid spelling errors and grammar, like you should limit industry lingo. Keep in mind who the audience is, and write to the audience.

A good advise is to contact the pitched journalist and follow up, be brief when you ask about the opinion on your story. Likewise could you ask if the is an interest in receiving other relevant stories from you.

4) Fieldwork

You have an interest in positioning yourself as an expert within your line of business. Speaking at different event can help you achieve the position.

Consider which relevant events there in your community:

• Chamber of commerce
• Business networks
• Organizations
• Online communities
• Institutions of education

Journalists get a lot of stories from such event, and is likely to interesting in getting more details about your story at the event. Moreover, will this spead by word of mouth, that you are an expert within your line of business.

If you are in a tech or trendy industry you benefit from using social media.

A nice bonus will this also count as advertising, that drives traffic and builds network.

5) It is a long term commitment

When you have said A to public relations you also have to say B. It can take a while before you brake the ice and your stories a brough and published by the press.

Keep reminding the press you are out there, write press releases:

• About a new product
• About success stories with customers
• About new hires you have done
• Keep reminding the press, what your company does

In addition, could you keep your own blog, where you post your news when it is hot. Writing a blog gives you some other benefits, such as google rank, which everybody like.