How to Rev-up your Public Relations Strategy

Creating a Facebook page, Tweeting on Twitter , and writing press releases are all worthwhile and fun tactics, but to gain visibility and favorable public attention, consider a brief public relations plan. An effective final plan is written document that will keep you focused and creative, while you build effective public relations activities for your organization.
So gather a few stakeholders in your company, including a customer or trusted advisor, turn of the cell phones, and entertain a strategy session that will answer:

•    What is the main objective for your public relations activities?
Is it to launch a product or company? Gain new customers? Support your partners? Community? Gain website content? Be identified as a thought leader?

•    Which strategies should you select that support those goals?
Think out of the box to create results. Why not try tweeting a reporter with a 140 character pitch about your new product launch instead of sending a 5 paragraph press release via email? If your goal is to build awareness, why not organize a live event in your community that is unusual enough for the press to come? Anything  you can make bigger than life-size so that the public will come experience your product or service What is new, different or helpful about your product or serve and how can you “show” as well as “tell” your story.

•    When will you be achieving your strategies?
If you’re a green business, is Earth Day really the best day to launch a huge press campaign? It may be if it involves a community activity, a Facebook contest or a community trash clean-up. And competition might be stiff for getting the presses’ attention. Your best strategy might be to get a calendar out and mark key dates: holidays, historical events, seasonal milestones, important national dates, and craft an angle that might fit one of those events.

•    How can you use few resources to help achieve your public relations goals?
•    Leverage a partnership, pitch to the press, and also have them also pitch on your behalf.
If you are Realtor, and want to show off a new home technology, can you approach the manufacturer of that product and co-author a release?

•    Look to local traditional outlets for recognition.

There may be a greater chance of earning trust and building relationships in your home turf, which can also assist in building your reputation in your community. Effective press mentions, also called “hits” can help with your search engine optimization and may be picked up by larger media outlets.

• How can you get your target media’s attention?

- Create an intriguing, wild subject line for your email pitch. This one for a trade show presenter, got press attention: “If Houdini were alive today, would he be in trade shows?”

-Create a visual picture in your pitch will help entice reporters: “Risking life and limb, Tim Kelly will escape from a strait jacket while balancing atop of a small plank of wood while seesawing on a small round cylinder.”

-Position yourself as a thought leader. What do you know about your industry that can be articulated clearly to the press?

And don’t forget to prepare your answers and practice them aloud! You’ll be prepared for any unexpected interviews!