| Public relations ("PR") can generate media and public | | | | of your business, products, and services by a credible, |
| awareness for any type of business and its products | | | | independent source (the media). |
| and services. Ask several people to describe PR and | | | | Tailor your PR! For maximum results, PR should be |
| you'll probably receive varying definitions. That's | | | | tailored to fit your business' unique brand and identity |
| because: 1. Many people don't understand the | | | | image, your products/services, pricing and distribution, |
| difference between advertising and PR; and, 2. PR is | | | | promotions and events, the industry you're in, and |
| tailored for each specific business. Following is an | | | | where your business is located. A written business |
| outline of "PR basics" you can use for your business. | | | | plan -- or better, a customized marketing plan for your |
| What is PR? The difference between advertising and | | | | business -- can help define this "positioning" to serve as |
| PR is that advertising is a guaranteed paid placement | | | | your tailored PR plan's foundation. |
| arranged through a media outlet's ad sales | | | | Target your PR! Key to PR success is defining your |
| representative, while PR involves a story that is | | | | target market (consumers you want to reach) and |
| "pitched" to a reporter working for the outlet's editorial | | | | target media (outlets that reach your target market). |
| department. With an ad, you buy the space (in print or | | | | Compiling a media list can be time-intensive and costly, |
| on air), you control the content (by producing the ad), | | | | but there are ways to streamline this effort. First, ask |
| and it runs exactly as you wish...with PR, there's no | | | | your customers which news publications, Web sites, |
| guarantee how, when, or where your story will run. | | | | and broadcast news shows they peruse. Also, limit |
| Why do PR? If done correctly, PR is capable of | | | | your research to local media, and/or media that cover |
| reaching a large audience on a small budget. PR and | | | | the products/services you offer, and/or trade media |
| advertising work well together -- along with branding -- | | | | that cover your industry and trends. Become familiar |
| as part of your overall marketing mix. What's best | | | | with media outlets and reporters, and the types of |
| about PR is that it communicates in a way that | | | | stories they run -- especially related to your business -- |
| advertising can't...PR is like a third party endorsement | | | | and when/how/where these stories are reported. |