When it comes to launching a new business or product, some marketing consultants might say that EVERY product is appropriate for a publicity or media exposure campaign. That is true to a degree, but as a PR/publicity professional and former media person, I would qualify that statement by saying that although new products would benefit from a solid publicity campaign, not all businesses or products and their pitches will grab the attention of the media.

A number of strategically generated features or product mentions in magazines, newspapers and TV/radio/cable shows nationwide can lend strong credibility to a new product. That “media bullhorn” can also do wonders toward educating consumers about your product. But does your product — and its media pitch — have what it takes to attract the media into giving you coverage in their pages or on their airwaves? As I mentioned, many products or businesses can generate some type of publicity and media interest, but in my professional experience, the types of products and pitches that lend themselves to the best media exposure include:

• home/garden products
• kitchen/cooking/food products
• consumer electronics
• automotive accessories
• home repair/DIY tools
• personal health/medical/fitness products
• recreational/outdoor products
• experts (business, health, technology)

If you have a new or under-publicized product in one of these categories, the media could be a good friend to you. However, you first have be a friend to the media. Your product (and pitch) needs to have what the media calls a “news peg” — that gives them a logical and newsworthy reason to feature YOUR product as opposed to the 200 other media pitches that are on their desks right now. Additionally, you need to make it as easy as possible for them to do your story or they WILL move onto a competitor’s pitch and product that is easier to cover.

• Can you provide a media sample?
• Do you have quality photos of the product?
• How can the product be purchased: in stores, catalogs, online, by phone?
• Can you arrange a quick interview if needed?

Products/services that don’t really lend themselves to media interest or publicity are things like:

• website developers
• cell phone/printer cartridge sales
• vitamin supplements
• insurance
• financial planning
• realtors
• MLM/downline schemes

I’m not implying that these types of businesses aren’t media worthy. I’m simply saying that from a media interest, editorial standpoint, there are thousands of competing product and businesses like these on the market and unless they are offering something truly unique, they lack that “news peg” that will attract the media’s attention. If you are launching, let’s say, a new garden tool that is very similar to many other garden tools on the market, don’t expect much interest from the media in putting together a feature. You can create that news peg by answering a few questions:

• How does your product differ from competing products already on the market?
• Why should the media and subsequent consumers be interested in your product?
• Does it provide a solution to an existing problem for consumers?

Bottom line – a properly maintained publicity campaign can help forge wonderfully reciprocal, mutually beneficial relationships with the media. Reciprocal, in that the media constantly need interesting information to put together their product profiles and business features — and YOU need constant media exposure to get the word out. If your product or business can meet the media standards mentioned above, you could benefit greatly from some solid nationwide media exposure. Getting your product mentioned in print articles and on TV/radio shows nationwide will help spread the word to customers — and at a fraction of the cost of a nationwide advertising campaign.

Todd Brabender is the President of Spread The News Public Relations, Inc.

His business specializes in generating media exposure and publicity for innovative products, businesses, experts and inventions.

http://www.spreadthenewspr.com

todd@spreadthenewspr.com

(785) 842-8909

Increase your coverage by increasing your pitches.

Anyone who has ever read a book on sales or taken a sales course has heard it – on average it takes anywhere from 3 to 10 contacts before a sale is reached. Although sales and publicity are very different animals, the same rule of thumb applies when pitching your release/story idea to the media. Because of the Internet and email, media outlets today are bombarded with hundreds if not thousands of media pitches each week. So, it’s more important than ever that to make sure your release gets noticed. This doesn’t mean pitching to more media outlets — it means your publicist or PR staff should take the time to pitch to your specific media market…multiple times.

Whether you pitched the release yourself or hired someone to do it for you — did the release make contact? Sure it arrived, but is that the release that editor needs that day, for that article or for that issue? Hopefully so, but many times that is not the case. So the release is either saved for future use (again hopefully) or more than likely it is set aside, trashed or deleted. The releases/pitches that get used are the ones that are, in fact, newsworthy, media-friendly and arrive at opportune times. As you might imagine a perfect combination of all three translates into your best chances of media coverage and publicity.

Using a release distribution service gets your release pitched ONCE. But the most successful campaigns are those that are strategically and effectively maintained and/or re-pitched with calculated frequency. Most media outlets don’t or can’t respond to your initial release or pitch.

Based on my professional experience as a PR/Publicity Specialist, I would estimate that media placements occur in the following manner:

33% occur after the 1^st – 2^nd month of pitching

50% occur after the 3^rd – 4^th month of pitching

17% occur after the 5^th+ months of pitching

Sometimes (in fact most times) a strong placement happens when a release hits an editor at the right place at the right time. Sure you may have pitch that media contact three times over the last few weeks, but perhaps that reporter/editor/producer didn’t have the time or the editorial space to work your release into a placement. Your opportunity for placements increases with meticulous, media follow-ups and re-pitches. What many business owners/entrepreneurs don’t realize is the majority of media outlets fail to respond until after the third or fourth pitch. I continue to be amazed and amused at the editor/producer who, upon receiving a pitch for the fourth time says, “I’m so glad you reminded me of this release!” or “Great timing! This will fit perfectly in a feature were doing this week/month!” If the release had just been pitched once and not followed up, those placements would not have taken place.

So make sure your PR staff isn’t afraid to wind up and pitch your campaign multiple times. Just like in baseball, the more pitches there are – the better chances you get to make a hit.

ABOUT: Todd Brabender is the President of Spread The News Public Relations, Inc. His business specializes in generating media exposure and publicity for innovative products, services, experts and ventures.

http://www.spreadthenewspr.com

todd@spreadthenewspr.com

How to make the most of your publicity (media) exposure opportunities

As a former TV news reporter/producer and a current PR professional, I have been on both sides of the media interview game. I like to think I have a good eye for what makes a good interview source, how to conduct an interesting interview, and how to give a compelling interview. There are a few tricks of the trade that can make you come off like a pro — which will make the reporter’s job easier and most likely translate into a better PR placement for you.

Here are a few basic tips to follow:

* When a publicity campaign generates a media response, respond as promptly as possible. The media is on constant deadline. If they don’t get what they want from you quickly — they WON’T wait — they WILL move on to another source.

* State facts, not fireworks, keeping superlatives to a minimum. Proving your product is indeed the “BEST” is impossible. So don’t. Simply state the specific benefits of your product matter of factly. As long as you have a quality product, something that should be evident by the time you implement a publicity campaign, your product won’t need “BEST EVER” or “#1” claims to come out in a positive light.

* Speak in sentences, not phrases.
Articulate your answers in the following manner: Subject — Verb — Object — Reason

Ex: “We (subject) are launching (verb) our new product (object)
to give consumers a healthy new option in beverages (reason).”

This will help you give answers that are straightforward and easily understood. Beginning sentences with phrases, tends to make your answers seem drawn out, disjointed and most times unresponsive. This is not to say you should never begin a sentence with a phrase. Granted, some media savvy interviewees can pull it off with articulation. But until you get to that level — stick to the fundamentals.

* “Echo-answer” the main questions.
If a reporter asks: “What’s so great about your new product?” — try to paraphrase and answer: “The great thing about our product is…” That quote/soundbite is much more likely to be used because that answer can stand on its own without needing a “set-up” sentence in the article/story. A reporter can throw that quote in anywhere and it is a logical, understandable statement about the product.

* Keep quotes and sound bites concise and articulate.
If you must have a “canned response” to a question speak conversationally, not like a robot. A good rule of thumb for answer lengths: Effective TV/radio news broadcast soundbites should be around 4-10 seconds — something you can speak comfortably in about 3 or 4 normal breaths. Anything longer and it may seem to drone on. That’s why they are called sound bites. Regardless, stick to the S-V-O formula and there’s no real way you can get off track and therefore open you up to awkward follow-up questions.

* Be a well, not a fountain.
By that I mean allow the interviewer to dip in and draw out your responses instead of spewing forth a tirade of unsolicited information. (Don’t worry – most interviewers will “lead” you into discussing the most relevant aspects of your product) You will seem more genuine and less self-serving if you answer the interviewer’s questions succinctly and professionally. This is especially true in “firefighting” publicity — when your product/business/company is being interviewed in the wake of a problem.

* Speak to the interviewer, not the medium.
Don’t get blinded by the “stage lights”. Whether you are speaking to the editor of a small town weekly newspaper or Oprah, consider the reporter just a single person in your extensive targeted audience. Treat the interview as a one on one conversation with the reporter. That will make you more at ease, allow you to think more clearly and let you be more genuine in your responses.

About Todd Brabender (by Jeff Gawronski):  Todd Brabender is the President of Spread The News Public Relations, Inc.  His business specializes in generating media exposure and publicity for innovative products & services. Spread the News has been a new a part of the Yak About It team for 2 months and the results have been impressive.  Entrepreneurs beware there are PR agencies that will spend all their time telling you they are ‘close’ to a big PR hit only to gain you nothing and take your money.  It is hard to really know the work level put in.  Yak About It is pleased to be able to endorse Spread the News for being a firm that works hard to get you noticed!  If your business is ready for affordable PR services contact Todd directly at:  (785) 842-8909

Signing up with the big firm doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily get an experienced associate working on your campaign. So are you getting what you are paying for? A friend of mine who works at a major PR firm gave me the following breakdown of billing fees in his office:

• Interns/Junior Executives – bill at $75 / hour

(Very little, if any professional experience)

• Account Executives – bill at $100 – $125 / hour

(1-3 years of professional experience)

• Senior Account Executives – bill at $125 – $200 / hour

(Multiple years of professional experience. Agency decision makers.)

Compare those prices to many small PR shops or individual PR specialists. Many have started their own PR businesses after years of experience in the industry and typically charge $50 – $100 per hour to professionally launch and maintain your campaign. Many times, you can get a seasoned PR veteran who will work directly with you and your staff for cheaper than the “Intern/Junior” executive rate at a downtown firm.

However, one word of advice — when choosing a smaller firm or individual to do your PR, make sure they have the same tools that the bigger agencies do: updated media lists/contacts; personalized media distribution capabilities; professional clipping/tracking services to get copies of each of your media placements (articles, tapes from TV/radio shows) as well as the intangibles of expert communication/media relations skills and professional pitching prowess. If they are cheaper, but don’t have all the tools to help you in the best manner possible, you are probably better off spending a little extra money to make sure your campaign is launched and maintained correctly.

The major benefits of hiring a professional (individual PR specialist or PR firm) to launch your campaign are:

• Proper Campaign Implementation – Improperly composed or poorly pitched campaigns are the major downfall of many PR efforts. Poorly written, over-commercialized media releases; uncalculated, misdirected mass e-mailing of the release pitch; no follow-up media relations/media request fulfillment; etc.. Your first impression to the media is a lasting one – make sure it’s a good one.
• Media Contacts – Most PR agencies have established multiple media contacts over several years that can lead to much better and more numerous media placements for your campaign. Let their foot in the door benefit you.
• Efficiency and Effectiveness – PR specialists/agencies generate publicity full time, 8-12 hours per day and know the ins and outs, shortcuts and secrets to getting the job done better and quicker. Sure you could hang your own drywall or do your own plumbing, but do you have the tools, the time and the expertise to make it cost effective? I always tell my clients, “You do what you do well, I’ll do what I do well and we’ll collectively move this business further up the ladder.”

One caveat when it comes to choosing a professional PR agency or individual to work with – signing up for a higher priced campaign doesn’t necessarily mean you will get better results than a cheaper campaign. And the inverse is true as well. Over the past year or so, many “low-cost PR/publicity services” have begun to pop up all over the Internet. Ones that promise to write and launch a press release for as low as $99. They are low in cost – because frankly many are low in quality. Bigger is not necessarily better, and cheap does not always mean a good bargain.

If you have the time, tools and talent to launch and maintain your own campaign, you should definitely do so. If not – there are a number of public relations/publicity firms, specialists and services out there. Research to find the one whose services and fees match your business plan. Once business owners, entrepreneurs, and inventors learn more about their options when it comes to launching a PR campaign — many find that they can’t afford NOT to have one.

About Todd Brabender (by Jeff Gawronski):  Todd Brabender is the President of Spread The News Public Relations, Inc.  His business specializes in generating media exposure and publicity for innovative products & services. Spread the News has been a new addition to the Yak About It team.  Within 3 weeks of PR effort Spread the News has already eclipsed the effort of the previously contracted PR firm, which was on our team for 2.5 months. Entrepreneurs beware there are PR agencies that will spend all their time telling you they are ‘close’ to a big PR hit only to gain you nothing and take your money.  It is hard to really know the work level put in.  Yak About It is pleased to be able to endorse Spread the News for being a firm that works hard to get you noticed!  If your business is ready for affordable PR services contact Todd directly at:  (785) 842-8909

It’s a phrase I hear over and over again from many entrepreneurs, small businesses owners and inventors: “I’d love to hire someone to launch our publicity campaign professionally, but we can’t afford it, so I’m just going to have to do it on my own.”

Over the past several months, I have been conducting an informal survey among entrepreneurs and business owners who have contacted me about my services. I have found that due to their lack of information or knowledge on the topic, many businesses typically over-estimate or over-budget the cost of a prospective public relations/publicity campaign. During my PR consultation with them, I asked: “How much do you think it will cost to launch a solid, effective PR/publicity campaign for your product/business?” Of the 102 people I’ve queried:

• 11% – Thought a professional PR campaign would cost $10,000+ per month
• 32% – Thought a professional PR campaign would cost $5,000-$10,000 per month
• 39% – Thought a professional PR campaign would cost $3,000-$5,000 per month
• 12% – Thought a professional PR campaign would cost $1,000-$3,000 per month
• 6% – Thought a professional PR campaign would cost less than $1,000 per month

The truth is — you can get a publicity/PR campaign in all of those price ranges. What you get for your money and how effective the campaign will be is the real question. It is true that the more you pay the more you get. But getting the most publicity/PR exposure doesn’t mean you have to get most expensive PR agency or specialist.

A good rule of thumb is to align yourself with a PR business that best reflects your business size. Most times their rates will be in line with your prospective PR budget. If you are a small business owner with two employees, you need not hire a high-dollar PR agency with dozens of employees. Find a PR business whose office size and capabilities closely resemble your business.

Case in point — there is a large PR agency in a fancy building downtown a few miles from my office. Frankly, we are not even competition to each other – in fact we have even referred clients to each other. Why? They typically work with large corporations and implement campaigns of around $10,000 per month. Mechanically, the downtown firm and my business do the same thing when it comes to PR campaigns: professional media release composition; extensive media market research; articulate personalized distribution to the media; months of media relations (article placements/interview scheduling/media request fulfillment, clipping/tracking of media placements, etc.).       ……..Look for PART 2 on 12/7/09

About Todd Brabender (by Jeff Gawronski):  Todd Brabender is the President of Spread The News Public Relations, Inc.  His business specializes in generating media exposure and publicity for innovative products & services. Spread the News has been a new addition to the Yak About It team.  Within 3 weeks of PR effort Spread the News has already eclipsed the effort of the previously contracted PR firm, which was on our team for 2.5 months. Entrepreneurs beware there are PR agencies that will spend all their time telling you they are ‘close’ to a big PR hit only to gain you nothing and take your money.  It is hard to really know the work level put in.  Yak About It is pleased to be able to endorse Spread the News for being a firm that works hard to get you noticed!  If your business is ready for affordable PR services contact Todd directly at:  (785) 842-8909 todd@spreadthenewspr.com or check out: http://www.spreadthenewspr.com.

Too often, small businesses spend all their money on manufacturing, only to find their product sitting on a shelf, gathering dust because there is no way to take it to its intended market. Or, they create an amazing website, but no one knows it’s there!

Public Relations, more than any other form of marketing (such as advertising, direct mail, etc) is critical to the success of small business in identifying and reaching the marketplace.  There are five important reasons for this.

1-All PR campaigns require a spin or a “story” and to develop that story or message requires creative focus on the mission or goals of the Company.  At one popular national newspaper, the mantra is “why now, who cares?!”
If your PR firm can address those two key questions in their media outreach, you’ve struck PR gold! That said, look for a firm that employs some former media types – newspaper, TV, or magazine. They generally have a better sense for the lingo inside newsrooms.

2-Public relations takes advantage of what is called the, “Implied Endorsement” of the media.  Right or wrong, true or false, the public believes that the media is impartial and objective.  When a journalist says that such and such product or service is the greatest thing since modern medicine, people believe just that.  When people read an ad or watch or listen to a commercial, they question the statements made because it is the message the Company wants them to believe.

3-Public Relations starts and fans the flames of the word-of -mouth process, which is also very powerful.  How often do we hear, “Did you see that story on TV last night about so and so?”  Or, “I just read about that in the newspaper!”  Public Relations and word-of- mouth work hand-in-glove to get the word out usually much more quickly than if PR were not involved.

4-The power of public relations can “fast forward” the small business’ goals, thus saving the small business money it would spend while waiting for business to come to them.  PR primes the pump and gets cash flowing in (instead of just out), much faster.

5-Bang for your buck: the same amount spent on a one time ad or commercial in one publication or television/radio station is multiplied by hundreds if not thousands when spent on PR.  For the same price – likely less, PR if done correctly, hits many, MANY more outlets thus letting hundreds of thousands know instead of just the audience of one particular publication on any given day or month.

Public relations is a vital service to building a business or launching a new product. If PR is a new concept for you, there may be a lot of questions.  What needs to be in a press release?  How do I prepare for an interview?  Is PR the same as advertising?

Understanding the difference between public relations and advertising is the first step.  Advertising is paid placement while PR is editorial coverage in news stories, feature articles and interviews.  Commercials and full page magazine ads allow you to say what you want about your company.  Public relations professionals work closely with editors and producers on feature stories, which implies a third party endorsement.  PR pros value their relationships with members of the press and maintain those contacts.

Before gaining the interest of a newspaper editor or television producer, you will need to come up with something catchy and to the point.  Press releases are formal announcements and are rarely read thoroughly by the media.  A simple paragraph about your product could generate a television segment at your local station or grab the attention of a national magazine looking to feature gifts in a round-up for Holiday Shopping.  When a press release is necessary, media outlets look for the appropriate Associated Press format.  The headline is the most important part of the release and should grab the reader.  The body of the release should answer who, what, when, where, why and how.  Correct grammar and spelling are imperative.  There are various online resources with free press release templates including, Prnewswire and PRWeb.

When working with media outlets think of the big picture.  The media loves trends!  Do your research and find out what’s going on in the news right now and how you can tie in your product or service.  Attaching your company to a bigger story gives you better chances for immediate coverage.  Another great way to generate coverage is through hometown stories.  Don’t underestimate the value of news features in your local market as well as small regional magazines, trade publications and even online editorials can drive sales.

Once you have sent your pitch and get booked on a local radio or television show, you must prepare for the interview.  Make a list of three points that you want to cover in the interview.  Don’t forget to mention your product and company name don’t just say ‘my company’ say the name of the company as much as possible, without sounding like a commercial.  Remember the segment is part of a news story, you aren’t there to sell your product on television. It’s also important to respect deadlines.  If a newspaper requests a product sample or photo of the product, it’s in your best interest to respond quickly.  Also, tell the reporter if you can’t meet their deadline.  But remember to snatch the opportunity while the interest is fresh.

Reporters prefer to cover successful companies. A small start-up is less newsworthy than a company that’s booming. Keep this in mind when questioned about sales numbers. You might use ‘projected sales numbers’ or an increase in distribution and retail outlets to showcase success.

Media outlets say their number one complaint is when guests ask for a copy of the segment.  Set up a recording beforehand or have a friend tape the segment.  There are also media clipping services where you can purchase a tape.

It’s important to use the power of PR!  Many companies display media features in a ‘press’ link on their websites.  This adds credibility to your brand.  The media interest and coverage can increase your product distribution and retail presence.  It’s an excellent selling tool!

If you were asked to fly to New York for a news segment tomorrow, could you go? If your sales sky rocketed today, do you have the inventory to support it? Ok, now let’s get back down to Earth. While we have seen those scenarios happen with our clients, the majority of companies that participate in PR have a steady gradual climb that increases their brand awareness in the minds of consumers.

So how do you know if you are really ready for a campaign? Here are some general rules of thumb that you should review before you embark on this exciting and worthwhile adventure.

When it comes to starting a PR campaign, we recommend that you ask yourself a couple of questions.

1. Is the product that your company wishes to get media coverage for on the market and available for purchase?

2. Do you have a functioning website where consumers can read about your product and make a purchase?

• Please note while Social Media sites such as Facebook are great, we recommend that you have a physical company website that acts as a home base

3. Do you have high quality professional images available to send to your Publicist and the media?

• While you can get away with photos you have taken, professional photographs go a long way.

If the answer to all of the above questions is yes, then a PR campaign may be just what the Doctor ordered to catapult your company into the spotlight. There are a couple more pain-free things that you will need to have ready before the glorious launch date of your campaign. By having these items taken care of early, you make it easier for your publicity team to focus on getting you media coverage.

We recommend that you have the following ready to go prior to the start of a Public Relations campaign.

• Press Kit: This can be as simple as a company brochure, some additional information about your product and a business card
• Samples ready to ship. Discuss this with your Publicist because the number needed will vary on the scope and length of the campaign
• Personal bio for anyone in the company that will be a point of contact for the media
• Headshot for anyone in the company that will be a point of contact for the media
• Public Relations is a powerful way to get your message in front of consumers and grow your brand awareness. You never know where a television news segment, a feature article in a newspaper, or even a write-up in an online publication will take your business. We wish you much success, and if you see us at your next trade show…say hello