If you hire a personal trainer you still have to put in the hours at the gym. If you take a gym membership you still have to turn up. There is no quick fix to the body beautiful. And there’s no short cut to creating real reputation and credibility for a company through PR.
PR is how you reach big audiences.
You have to put in the time researching the media. Reading what the media writes about. Spotting the trends and issues that capture the media’s attention. Of course you can buy media lists and subscribe to databases that will send your press release to thousands of news websites. But with journalists receiving hundreds of press releases every day and spending less than 60 seconds reading the handful they do open, the chances of your story being used is slim.
If the journalist knows you, the chances of your stories being covered is increased. So. Get to know your media contacts – cultivate relationships, create trust and earn respect.
Build traction over time
You will need laser sharp focus on what each journalist is interested in. Only pitch a story to journalists that are 100% on target. This takes time. You can’t rush it. You can’t fake it. It’s all about painstaking research. So take the time it needs, be patient. And be persistent.
Do your research
Get to know your journalists and follow them on Twitter and Instagram. Read stories they have published so you understand what they are interested in what makes them tick. That will allow you to truly engage and create the stories that will hook their attention.
Know your audience
Each company has a very defined market or customer base - and that is also the audience for your content. So when you are writing your press release be hyper focused on that reader. What are they worried about? Where do they get their news? Why is this story relevant to them? Every single press release you write should be tailored for its unique audience
Do it again
One press release does not make a reputation and establish credibility. Again, this takes time and patience. Keep going with your press releases. The trick is to create a regular flow of news coming out from a company so the name is constantly front of mind of the audience. It is recognition you are aiming for - that "oh yes, I've heard of them." And that takes time. You have to do it again and again, putting one press release out after another. Not to the point of saturation, but a regular and sustained stream of news.
Reputation takes time to create but can be destroyed in minutes. Cherish and protect a company's reputation, feed it with good news and watch it grow. PR is a craft and needs time and care to create that most precious of things - trust.
Take your time. Learn your craft. And you will see how powerful PR can be.
