2SUP-LG04 Public Relations and Publicity

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Lead Generation throughPublic Relations and Publicity Building awareness, image, and credibility



Lead Generation throughPublic Relations and Publicity Building awareness,image, and credibility

SNAPSHOTMastery Impact!

Supplemental Module: Advertising & Public RelationsBusiness Development Process: 2SUP-LG04

“The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour.” —Japanese proverb

When most people thinkof l ead genera tion , t heprocess of attracting newcustomers to a business,they often think of adver-tising. Advertising is a wellknown and well acceptedstandard operating proce-dure of the vast majorityof businesses. But it’s notthe only way to generatenew leads.

This process booklet intro-duces you to the “ins andouts” of two other importantavenues of lead generation:public relations and publicity.They increase the public’sawareness of what you doand what you stand for andhelp you bui ld a public

image that pulls peopletoward you. They are alsoseen as more credible thanadvertising.

Public relations activitiesprovide educational, social,financial, technical, or infor-mational benefits to thecommunity. Adding publicrelations to your lead gener-ation strategy creates awin-win situation that manybusiness owners find irre-sistible. You contribute topeople, organizations, orcauses that are important toyou and build your businessat the same time.

Overview

Develop aCommunications Plan

Develop a PublicRelations Plan

Define Your PublicRelations Strategy

Integrating PublicRelations into Your

Lead Generation Mix

Develop a MediaRelations System

Execute Your

Ongoing PublicRelations Strategy

Public relations activities are allthe things you do that areintended to create and main-tain positive impressions andgoodwill with the public.

There are three main types ofpubl ic relat ions act ivi t ies:industry/professional; educa-tional/instructional; and com-munity/social.

Publicity is newsworthy infor-mation about your companythat is not paid for and appearsin the media.

There are five main types ofpublicity pieces: press release;press kit; straight news article;feature news article; and publicservice announcement.

The press release is your maincommunication link with themedia. Its format conforms toestablished industry stan-dards.

Media relations is what you doto establish positive dealingswith those people in a positionto give you publicity.

Media relations is a two-waystreet: you need the mediaand they need you.

Definitions & Key Points

Copyright © 1999, 2005 by E-Myth Worldwide. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or trans-mitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storageand retrieval system, without permission in writing from E-Myth Worldwide.

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Santa Rosa, California, USA



“The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour.”

—Japanese proverb

Neil is a man contemplating a purchase decision. It’s earlyspring, the weather’s nice, and he wants to buy some sportsequipment for himself and his family—bats, balls, and mitts for softball, and a couple of tennis rackets.

He could go to several places in town. But where should he gofirst? He’s going to spend quite a bit of money, so he wants tohave a good shopping experience with helpful salespeople, andhe wants good quality without paying an arm and a leg.

Neil starts by asking friends for recommendations, but finds thatthey haven’t bought sports equipment recently or they don’t havea particular preference. So he starts browsing through localnewspapers, magazines, and mail ads, and paying attention toradio and television commercials.

The first advertisements that catch Neil’s eye are the TV andradio spots for Big Eddy’s Sporting Goods—a chain retailer withan outlet in Neil’s town. The ads are appealing. The store isconveniently located, has a good selection, and a goodreputation. Big Eddy’s might be the place to go.

Neil also looks at some newspaper ads and direct mail postcards from another store: The Locker Room, a small,locally owned sporting goods retailer. He has heard of TheLocker Room and has passed by it before, but he’s never goneinside. The ads seem to show that, like Big Eddy’s, The Locker Room has what Neil wants. But The Locker Room’s print adsare not as enticing as Big Eddy’s TV and radio spots. Neil isnow leaning toward Big Eddy’s.

Then Neil remembers that The Locker Room sponsors a team inhis daughter’s softball league. He recalls seeing The Locker

Room’s “Sports Are Fun” float in the town parade last summer,and remembers reading an article in the paper about The Locker Room sponsoring sports training for handicapped anddisadvantaged children.

How do you think this story ends? Neil goes to The Locker Room.

Even though Big Eddy’s had the more effective advertising, itwasn’t enough. How did The Locker Room gain the advantage?It used public relations and publicity to augment its low-budget

Lead Generation through Public Relationsand Publicity Building awareness, image, and credibility

Mastery Impact!Supplemental Module: Advertising & Public RelationsBusiness Development Process: 2SUP-LG04 Page 1

Copyright © 1999, 2005 by E-Myth Worldwide. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from E-Myth Worldwide.



ads. Sponsoring events in the community and having featurearticles appear in the newspaper are examples of the types of public relations and publicity that can dramatically improve your

lead generation results.What’s Wrong with Advertising and What You Can Do about It

The great thing about advertising is that it’s extraordinarilycontrollable and, once you’ve done your initial work, it’srelatively low maintenance. You can reach a lot of people, pick and choose exactly whom to reach, determine exactly how muchyou want to spend, and use the same ad over and over.

The downside of advertising is that the very people you’re tryingto attract and persuade are “on to” you. They don’t believe half

of what your ad—or any ad—says, and that’s assuming they evensee it.

Most consumers today are savvy about advertising messages.They distrust more than they trust. People have become so cynicalabout advertising that they don’t even believe truthfulinformation. Fortunately for advertisers, including you,consumers continue to choose from among the many messages,so effective advertising will win out over the ineffective. But itcan be a struggle.

What can you do about it?

Don’t get so locked in to the standard advertising vehicles— television, radio, newspapers, magazines, display ads, mailers,and the Internet—that you forget there are other lead generationchannels available to you. Public relations and publicity are twoother avenues that can propel your lead generation while buildingthe credibility and confidence that regular advertising can’t.

The Lead Generation Side of Public Relations

Take a closer look at public relations. It’s exactly what the nameimplies: it’s what you do that’s intended to create and maintain

positive impressions and goodwill with the public.A public is any group that has, or could potentially have, aninterest in your company or, conversely, a group in which youmay have an interest. The public is your existing customers,your potential customers, and everyone who influences their buying behavior—friends, neighbors, relatives, businessassociates,community leaders.

Mastery Impact!Supplemental Module: Advertising & Public RelationsBusiness Development Process: 2SUP-LG04

Lead Generation throughPublic Relations and Publicity

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Apart from your product, what is it about your company thatyour customers are interested in? Are they interested in howyour company treats the environment? Are they interested in

your policies concerning flexible schedules, employee salaries, or diversity in the workplace? Do they care about your support of community or non-profit organizations?

Are the people who influence your target customers interested inthese things? If they are, you’d better pay attention to makingsure they’re on your side. Whether it targets customer or influencer, public relations is a great way to make sure publicopinion and support are with you.

Public relations are the activities you sponsor, conduct, or participate in that have some public purpose or benefit other than(or in addition to) selling your products. Even if selling is one of the primary purposes of your public relations event, if the added purpose is perceived as beneficial and not self-serving, theactivity will help position you in people’s minds and“preferentially differentiate” you from your competitors.

So every public relations activity serves two purposes. One is providing a benefit to the public, such as education, information,financial support for worthy causes, and community involvement.The other is the contribution to the growth and success of your business. Public relations improve your image and reputation,and build public recognition and support of your brand. Your

public relations activities may create an immediate increase inyour generation and lead conversion rates. They may also have agradual, long-term effect, building a solid base of loyal customers.

Public relations is an important lead generation vehicle becausethe public that’s concerned with your corporate dealings and themarket that you’re trying to attract as customers are made up of the same people. If you alienate one, you’ll alienate the other.By the same token, establishing yourself with the public will putyou in greater stead with your market.

Both Big Eddy’s and The Locker Room have the same primary

target market. Both companies created their lead generationadvertising with the psychographic profile of their customers inmind, and Big Eddy’s did a better job.

However, The Locker Room remembered that its targetcustomers —Neil and all the other “Neils” out there—are morethan just potential tennis racket buyers. It remembered that Neilis also concerned about the quality of life in his community and



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wants educational and sports opportunities for his children. Itwas able to reach this part of Neil through its public relationsactivities.

Understanding the buying behavior of your target customer isimportant, but it probably won’t be enough in a competitiveadvertising arena. Your potential clients are more than justconsumers—they’re people. And the more of the entire personyou can reach and touch, the more attraction you’ll create.

Public relations provides you with a lead generation channel thatcan reach people in ways and places that advertising doesn’t.Effective public relations can give you the type of exposure andcreate the kinds of impressions that advertising dollars can’t buy.

Publicity—Your #1 Public Relations Tool

It’s been said that public relations is “doing the right thing” and publicity is “telling people about it.”

Publicity is newsworthy information about your company thatappears in the media. The most common forms are news stories,feature articles, and public service announcements in newspapers,magazines, television, radio, and verbal announcements made at public events.

Unlike advertising, you don’t pay for publicity. But because youdon’t pay for it, you also don’t control what appears, where it

appears, or what is said about you. The particular publicitychannel, whether it is newspaper, TV, radio, or Internet, is under no obligation (other than the standard legal obligations) to saywhat you want them to say.

When channels elect to publicize you, they’re not doing it tohelp you sell your products or to promote your business, they’redoing it to sell their product—their newspaper, their televisionstation—by providing what they think their customer wants tosee and hear and what they hope will attract new customers for them. For you to get publicity, you’ve got to anticipate the

needs of the channels you’re interested in. What will attract,interest, inform, or entertain their readers, listeners, or viewers?

With publicity, you can’t control what is shown or said. Youcan’t even know for sure whether any message will be presentedat all. So why should you even consider publicity in your leadgeneration strategy? There are two main reasons. First, youdon’t pay. Although you need to devote some internal time,resources, and expense, publicity is inexpensive compared to



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advertising. Second, people believe third-party communicationfar more readily than first-party communication coming directlyfrom you. Publicity is a form of third-party communication.

People believe it. Advertising is first-party communication.People are suspicious of it. They may dismiss your advertisingmessage completely, or selectively choose certain parts of it to believe.

Credibility and cost are two main reasons to include publicity inyour lead generation mix.

There are two ways you can get publicity: 1. The media findsout about you and produces a piece, or 2. You inform the mediaabout something newsworthy in your company, and they decidewhether or not to report it.

Which of these approaches is most likely to result in getting your story to the public? Unless your business is very well known or is engaged in extraordinary activities, the media are probably not beating a path to your door asking for interviews. You’ll have totake the initiative.

It’s standard practice for all sorts of businesses—large or small,new or well established—to submit information to the media for publicity purposes. If you’re going to add public relations toyour lead generation mix, you need to have a communicationsystem in place to get the word out. Your company’saccomplishments can be intrinsically satisfying, even if you andyour staff are the only ones who know about it. But those sameaccomplishments can be even more rewarding—and good for business—when the world knows.

If your company contributes to local charities or supportscommunity events, for example, it’s doing a good deed— something that helps other people and helps society—regardlessof whether it’s publicized. But why shouldn’t the public knowabout it, too? If a news article were to appear describing thecharitable or community work your company does, the value of your contribution wouldn’t be diminished, and the public would

be getting something valuable, too: information.Consumers want to make informed choices. Advertising rarely provides complete information. The more information peoplehave about your company—not only the price and description of your product, but also information about your company’s history,its values, its integrity, the character of its employees and officers,



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its plans for the future, and so forth—the better they’re able tomake informed choices about the purchases they make and the businesses they deal with.

You may think this kind of information is irrelevant to buyers.Maybe it should be. Maybe the quality of the product and theneeds of the customer should be the entire focus of people’s buying decisions.

But, like it or not, the customer decides what’s relevant to him.And most people do care about more than just the product itself, particularly since they can choose from so many similar products.

What really distinguishes one plumber from another, one dressshop from another, or one accountant from another? Is it thequality of the product or service? Does one really unclog a

drain better, have a better selection of clothes, or preparefinancial statements better?

If the differences aren’t significant, what will help potentialclients choose your business over your competitors? Better advertising? Possibly. Of course, you can use advertising,rather than publicity, to let people know about your publicrelations activities. Get the word out both before—to attractthem to the event—and after, to spread the word about the benefits your company provided. But advertising is usuallymuch more costly than publicity and, from your potentialcustomers’ point of view, publicity is much more believable. Ingeneral, publicity is a more appropriate way to deliver a publicrelations message than is advertising. (Likewise, advertising isgenerally a more appropriate way to deliver a sales message thanis publicity.)

Use public relations activities to establish goodwill andfavorable impressions, and use publicity to make sure peopleknow about them. This will give your lead generation an addedadvantage. Because when people buy, they buy with more than just their wallets and an immediate need. They buy with their sense of duty, their reputation, their pride, and their heart.

The Public Relations Advantage

Here are five important reasons to include public relations and publicity in your lead generation process:

1. AWARENESS

Because of the glut of advertising messages, people simplytune out most of them. The messages and impressions you



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bring to people through public relations and publicity aren’tas likely to be ignored. Because people are more receptive tothem, your message can reach—and really be heard by—

more people. Public relations activities reach people indifferent ways than advertising channels do. They can helpyou 1. reach different groups of potential customers or 2.reach the same prospects more intensely.

Even publicity channels, which are generally the same asadvertising channels (newspapers, television, and such), helpyou reach more people because of the unique placement of publicity. An article in the Business section of the newspaper will be seen by different people than your eighth-of-a-page adin some other part of the paper.

Publicity and public relations also generate much more word-of-mouth than all but the most outstanding ads, again,increasing the level of exposure your company gets.

2. IMAGE

Public relations and publicity allow the public to see the“other sides” of your company: the social side, the civic side,the political side, the professional side, the fun side—youmight even say the human side.

Your image gets a boost when people take in messages aboutyou that are both positive (in their view) and relevant to what

they think is important. People feel a much stronger sense of connection to a company they perceive as “good.” They will buy from that company rather than a competitor (assumingfactors such as quality, price, and convenience are comparableor at least meet the customer’s minimum acceptable standards).

In fact, people will often buy an inferior or higher-priced product if something else compels them to. And thatsomething else might be the positive image of your company.Public relations activities and publicity are the main tools atyour disposal for creating a strong and positive corporate image.

3. BRAND IDENTIFICATION

In addition to improving the overall image of your company, public relations also changes people’s perceptions in a morespecific way. It creates in people’s minds a much clearer andmore powerful picture of your company’s brand. Not onlywill the public start attaching positive associations to your company in general, your product or service will becomemore vivid, more recognized, and more identifiable in themind’s eye of customers.



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When people come to know you through public relationsactivities and publicity, your product becomes differentiatedin their minds. They easily distinguish between your product

and all the others. They know what makes yours different.They feel more attracted to your company and your product.This is exactly the attitude you want people to have whenthey’re making their buying decisions.

Brand preference is a crucial step in the Purchase DecisionChain. Public relations activities give you great opportunitiesto build preference for your brand. Plant the seeds of brandidentification as often as you can, and you’ll see the results inthe number and quality of leads you produce.

4. A DVERTISING SYNERGY

Public relations and advertising work hand in hand. Theysupport and reinforce one another because they each addressand reach a different part of the mindset of your targetcustomers.

Advertising is usually highly product-oriented. It gives peopleinformation and impressions about what your product does,why they need it, and why it’s better than the competitors’ product. Public relations may also deal with your product tosome degree, but it usually addresses aspects beyond thatscope. Public relations showcases your company in a broader sense—its professional strengths, community interests, andcorporate values.

If you do them well, both advertising and public relations speak to people’s unconscious, emotional mind and to their conscious,rational mind. But public relations touches people more on ahuman level—“I really feel good about this company and whatit stands for”—and advertising touches them more on the practical level—“this is the information I need to make a good purchase decision.”

If a prospect has doubts after seeing your ad, your publicrelations eases them, and vice versa. When used together,advertising and public relations are the one-two punch of your lead generation strategy. That’s synergy.

5. C REDIBILITY

Public relations and publicity increase your company’scredibility. All the well-placed and well-meaning messagesand gestures won’t have much impact if the public doesn’t believe you.



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Public relations events often have an element of face-to-facecloseness, of personal connection, that creates a sense of intimacy in which people believe they can see or feel the truth.

It’s one thing for an actor in a TV commercial to say, “…themost helpful sales staff who will cater to your every need!” Doyou believe it? It’s quite another thing for potential clients tomeet your employees at a fair, conference, or community eventand actually experience them as warm, caring, friendly, andhelpful. Do you believe it now?

As stated earlier, publicity generates credibility because it isthird-party communication. When you say something positiveabout your own company, for example in an advertisement, it’sgoing to sound glowing. But when a third party says something positive, that message is much more believable. That familiar adage, “if it’s written in the newspaper or if it’s reported on TV,it must be true,” still goes a long way. Most people trust that journalists and media editorial staff verify information they present. Publicity is seen as far more objective, revealing, and balanced, and therefore more believable than advertising.

When messages reach people in a non-selling context, such as a public relations event, people’s defenses are lowered and they’remore likely to believe the information they receive.

It’s great to raise the public’s awareness of your business,fostering a corporate image that works for you, drawing people

closer to you, and holding a position in their minds so they believe what you say. The ultimate goal of all this positiveopinion and goodwill is to gain more and better leads. Publicrelations and publicity stimulate people to seek out your business, your products and services. They help you meet the purchase decision needs of potential customers, and make theawareness phase more powerful by adding favorable impressionsto the mix. They also increase people’s preference for your brand, giving your products a distinct advantage over thecompetition.

THE PUBLIC RELATIONS A DVANTAGE

ImprovedImage

More Awareness

StrongerBrand

Identification

Synergy with Advertising

HeightenedCredibility

More Leads,Better Leads





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Integrating Public Relations into Your Lead Generation Mix

The pool of people in your customer base needs to be continuallyreplenished and refreshed. For most businesses, advertising provides the main flow of new leads and eventual customers.Public relations activities act like a rich support network of tributaries supplying additional new leads, and also feeding thehealth of your main stream of leads through their positive effectson your image, reputation, and credibility. Adding the dimensionof public relations to your lead generation mix keeps your customer base vibrant and robust.

Here are the benchmarks that will help you integrate publicrelations into your lead generation mix without straining your existing lead generation efforts:

1 Define your public relations strategy. Think about how public relations could benefit your business. A good place

to start is by reviewing your company’s Strategic Objective.Think about the kind of impact you want to have on the public.From there, it will be easier to see what you need to do to createthat kind of impact. Consider what types of activities couldgive your company the increased impact, visibility, andcredibility it needs. Use the worksheet in the back of this booklet to help you organize your thinking and plan your strategy.

Finally, define your overall public relations strategy by writing astatement that clearly expresses the broad goals of publicrelations in your business and what activities you’ll focus on.Also include who is accountable for public relations in your organization and budget guidelines. Your statement might look something like this:

“At The Locker Room, we not only offer people the highest-quality sporting goods at competitive prices, we help peopleof all ages discover the joy of athletics in their daily lives,making sports and physical activity a lifelong passion.

We want our public to see us as friendly, helpful, caring about the community, as people who truly love what we do.

Our public relations activities will focus on communityevents that reach people of all ages and in which our employees can be actively involved. Our plan will consist of an ongoing series of events that keeps us in close contact with the community. Every activity will be supported with publicity to ensure our business is associated with theseevents in the public’s mind.

Develop aCommunications Plan

Develop a PublicRelations Plan

Define Your PublicRelations Strategy

Integrating PublicRelations into Your

Lead Generation Mix

Develop a MediaRelations System

Execute YourOngoing Public

Relations Strategy





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Our Vice President, Marketing is accountable for developing an annual public relations and publicity plan,which will be implemented by the Manager, Lead

Generation. The plan will include an annual operating budget, targeted at twenty percent of the overall lead generation budget.”

2 Develop a public relations activity plan and schedule.With your overall strategy defined, you can create a

specific activity plan. But be sure to get agreement on the bestway to document what you’ll do from the staff who will becreating and implementing your public relations plan. You canuse a controlling calendar, project management software, or anyother tool you prefer.

Start with your public relations strategy statement. List generaltypes of events that fall in that strategy, and then identify specificevents and when they’ll occur. If you’re going to create theevents yourself, then their scope, cost, and timing are completelywithin your control. But you bear the brunt of the work. If you’re going to participate in activities that are initiated by other people, businesses, or groups, you’ll have less work to do, butyou’ll have to fit into their time frames and other requirements.As you fill in the specifics of your plan, leave room—and budget—for unanticipated opportunities for good publicity.There’s a sample Public Relations Plan Worksheet in the back of

this booklet to give you a start.

3 Develop a communications plan and schedule. For each public relations activity, you’ll need to determine how to

publicize it. It’s best to do this at the same time you do your public relations plan, so that your thinking and planning effortsare coordinated and integrated. With each public relationsactivity in your plan, include a brief entry indicating how you’llcommunicate about it, whether through publicity or advertising,and which channels (newspaper, radio, etc.) will be mosteffective. That way, your public relations plan iscomprehensive. You’ll see that the worksheet mentioned in benchmark 2 contains a place for this.When completed, your staff can use the general plan to create adetailed plan and schedule for communications, including thespecific vehicles you’ll use ( The Evening Post , station WKRP,etc.), the specific nature of the communication (press release, public service announcement, half-page ad), specific dollar amounts to be budgeted, and a detailed schedule for thedevelopment, production, distribution, and placement of eachcommunication.





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4 Develop your media relations system. Based on your communications plan, you know exactly which types of

channels and which specific vehicles you’ll be relying on. Now

you can focus your media relations efforts where they’ll do themost good. Will you use mostly newspapers? Which ones?What are their editorial, advertising, and publicity policies? Whoare the people to contact? What are their names (exact spelling),telephone numbers, and addresses? When is the best time toreach them by phone? How much advance notice do they needto write or place an article? What are their publishing deadlines?Are they receptive to working with businesses? If you know thisinformation, you’ll be more likely to get your publicity placedwhere, when and how you want.

Having a sound media relations system in place isn’t difficult, it just takes a little time and research. But not having one will putyour publicity effort at a distinct disadvantage. Use the MediaInformation File in the worksheets section to collect theinformation you need. Then initiate contact with the appropriatemedia people and keep in touch periodically. Phone, write, or email them regularly; it’s also a good idea to meet with your contacts in person every once in a while.

5 Execute your ongoing public relations strategy . The laststep is to use the plan you’ve built. Execute each activity,

publicize each one methodically, and monitor the results, both for

individual events and over time. Sticking with your plan, whilealso thoughtfully taking advantage of unexpected opportunitiesthat arise, is the best way to avoid impulsive efforts that, thoughattractive at first, are ultimately a waste of time, effort, and money.

Your business will probably be solicited frequently to participatein various community, educational, and industry events. Rather than blindly saying “yes” or “no” (depending on your mood thatday or if you have some extra cash lying around) use your publicrelations strategy and your plan to guide you. You don’t have toadhere to every last letter of it; instead, add or delete activities asyou see fit. But, if you’ve developed your plan with thought andlogic, you’ll get better results by using it rather than ignoring itand “flying by the seat of your pants.”

Remember that public relations, just like lead generation itself, builds effectiveness and results over time. Each activity needs to be evaluated, not just on its own merits, but on the cumulativeresults attained as one activity builds on the next. That’s whysticking to a public relations strategy is the best way to get a long-term, ongoing stream of great new leads.





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The Press Release: Your Sure-Fire Publicity Piece

A press release, also called a news release, is the mainstay of publicity. It’s a specially prepared statement or notice given tothe media for publicity purposes. You create and distribute it,and the media decide if, when, and how to use it. They may useit exactly as you’ve prepared it, edit it, contact you for moreinformation, or they may not use it at all. It’s up to them. But because the media are always looking for “news” stories to tell, press releases have a good chance of being considered for publication.

Press releases are easy to prepare and distribute. They conformto a well-established, accepted procedure for informationgathering and dissemination by the media. The vast majority of

businesses, large and small, use press releases to reach peopleand build their reputation and credibility. Although newspapersare the most common target for press releases, they can be usedfor most media, including television and radio.

The next section gives you an overview of how to write a pressrelease. Unless you’re sure your business will not be using publicity as part of its lead generation strategy, you should starthoning your skills now by preparing and distributing a pressrelease. Start your company’s venture into publicity, practice it,then note the results. That way, when you really need some

publicity for your company, you’ll already have gotten the bugsworked out of your system.

Find something about your business that’s newsworthy or would be interesting to your community. Write a press release, send itout, and see what happens. (You may have to send it severaltimes, and follow up with phone calls.) Not only are you buildingvital skills for your business, you’re building your image andgenerating new business at the same time.

How To Write a Press Release

The press release in publicity is similar to the resume inemployment. As with resumes, there are well-established andaccepted conventions for what press releases should contain andhow they should look. Press releases are highly structured, so be creative at your own risk. To increase the likelihood your press release will be read and used, emphasize the language andformat the press will accept.

Many books have been published on public relations, mediarelations, and publicity, complete with guidelines, examples, and





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other helpful information. As you build your public relations program, you and your staff should take advantage of theseresources. In the meantime, here’s an introduction to the

fundamental “rules” for writing press releases:C ONTENT G UIDELINES

Start the main body of your press release with a headline.Make it punchy, as if it were to appear in the published story.It probably won’t, but you want it to reflect the actual storycontent and catch the editor’s attention.

Present the most important and newsworthy information atthe beginning of the press release. Make sure you’veanswered the journalist’s basic questions, “who, what, when,where, why, and how.” Then you can fill out the picture with

additional information. Media space and time are precious,and editors will cut your story from the bottom up if theycan’t use it all.

Write in an objective, journalistic style. Use short,declarative sentences. Don’t try to be artistic, poetic,flowery, cute, or opinionated. Subjective information or opinions can be presented as quotations, attributed to theappropriate (and preferably noteworthy) person. In fact,including a testimonial in your press release can increase itscredibility and impact.

Check, double-check, and triple-check your press release for accuracy. This is not an exaggeration. Errors in print can beembarrassing at the least, and damaging to your image andreputation at the worst.

Be sure your facts are accurate and complete. Check your spelling, particularly proper names. Be specific, especiallywith dates. Don’t say “yesterday” or “next Wednesday”; givethe exact date. Don’t say “125 Main Street” when you reallymean “125 North Main Street.”

Keep your press release to one page if possible, but no morethan two pages, on letter-size or legal-size paper. If youwant to include more information, attach it on separate pages, with “SEE ATTACHED” on your press release.Additional information might include charts, schedules,letters, background information, or notes to the writer or editor. You could also e-mail your press release to themedia source after you’ve verified that they acceptelectronic submissions.






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F ORMAT G UIDELINES

Prepare press releases on your business letterhead stationery,imprinted with your company name, address, and telephone

number (or type this information at the top of a blank page). Indicate at the top of every press release when it should be published. There are three standard entries to choose from:

1. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE(date you prepare and send the release)

2. FOR RELEASE: (future date of specific event)

3. FOR RELEASE ON OR AFTER: (future date) Indicate the name and phone number (and other availablecontact information) of at least one person in your company

who can be reached for additional information about your story. Near the top of the press release, before the headline,write:

CONTACT: or

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:(followed by: first and last name, telephone number,fax number, email address, hours when can bereached)

Make sure your headline stands out. Use capital letters, boldface type, underlining, and/or widely-spaced letters.

Include a dateline at the beginning of your first paragraph.The dateline states the place of origin—city and state—of your story, not the date.

Double-space the body of the press release. Leave widemargins, so editors and writers have room to make notes.Indent the first line of each paragraph. The overall look of a press release should be neat, clean, clear, and well organized.

If the text of your press release is more than one page, type(MORE) at the bottom of the first page. Start the second

page with an abbreviated headline, in capital letters, and“page two of two” in the upper corner.

Include a brief (2-3 sentences) boiler plate statement at theend of your release that gives basic company information.

Indicate the end of your press release with # # # centered below the last line of text.

See an example of a press release in the Worksheets section.





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An Introduction to Media Relations

The media are not in business to help you. They have no interestin serving your agenda, only in serving their own. They areinterested in delivering interesting, helpful, and newsworthyinformation to their audience. Ideally, you want to find and takeadvantage of those times when the media can serve their ownneeds by serving yours. Whether your lead generation strategyalready includes an aggressive public relations and publicitycampaign, or you’re thinking of a more modest one in the future, pay attention to media relations. Of course, you’ve got to knowhow to do it.

The good news? The media needs you, too. They have a vastamount of print and broadcast space to fill. Think of all the

newspapers, magazines, television, and radio stations in your area; how many editions are published every week; and howmany hours of air time are available. Most media are constantlylooking for stories to bring to their audiences, and they oftendon’t have enough staff to cover their areas completely. Theyneed people like you to bring stories to them.

Consider several key benefits of establishing positiverelationships with the media:

1. Increases your recognition factor; your press releases, phonecalls, and other communication will get more attention.

2. Increases the likelihood that your stories will be published.

3. Increases the likelihood that writers will contact you for moreinformation so your company will get more complete, accurate,and favorable coverage.

4. Reduces the likelihood of unwarranted, negative coverage.

G UIDELINES FOR M EDIA R ELATIONS

If the subjects of media relations and publicity are new to you or your staff, be sure to take advantage of outside resources (books,classes, seminars, consultants, etc.) to expand your knowledge andincrease your comfort level. At its core, however, what you needto know about media relations is basic common sense. Keep twoessential guidelines in mind:

Say what you mean and mean what you say.

First, know what you’re talking about. Do your homework.Make sure you know the facts. Communicate clearly. Bespecific, not general or vague. If you’re asked something that





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you don’t know, say so. Don’t lie; don’t pretend to know morethan you do. Be straightforward with the media; don’t beevasive. Choose your words carefully. It’s easy to be

misconstrued, so use plain language that’s precise and leaves noroom for misinterpretation.

When it comes to the media—and the public —your integritymeans everything. Be honest; don’t exaggerate. An innocentmistake might be forgiven if you get the chance to explain.But insincerity, evasiveness, or blatant lying to paint a more positive picture of your company will be quickly detected. It’san invitation to adverse publicity from which your businessmay never recover.

Make the media’s job as easy for them as possible.

The media business is a fast-paced, deadline-driven business.There’s a lot of information to process, and not a lot of time todo it. Producers, editors, writers, and reporters make decisions by the minute regarding what gets aired or printed and whatdoesn’t. So, if you want to get your story to the public, you’vegot to do as much of the media’s legwork as you can. The better your press release is written, the earlier you submit it, the morecomplete your press kit, and the more available your staff toanswer questions—the greater the chances that editors and producers will choose your piece.

Keep the media informed and be available, helpful, and reliable.You’ll be establishing your business as one that’s “mediafriendly”—and that’s good news for you.

YOUR M EDIA INFORMATION F ILE

The backbone of effective media relations is knowing who your media contacts are and having the most current and correctinformation on each of them. Most of the information can befound in telephone directories, library reference materials, published media lists, and on the Internet. For information notfound there, call the media, tell them you’re putting together amedia list for your company, and ask them whatever you need toknow, including the exact names (spelled correctly) and phonenumbers of people like the Business Editor, Public ServiceDirector, and any specific reporters. They’ll readily supply youwith this information.

Here’s a summary of the types of information you’ll need. Usethe Media Information File worksheet to help you compile it.





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For print media: name; street address; mailing address;telephone and fax numbers; circulation figures; geographic areacovered; audience demographic profile; date and frequency of

publication; copy deadlines; names of specific editors, reporters,columnists (e.g. business, feature, city); and the contactinformation (phone, email, etc.) for those specific individuals.

For broadcast media: name of network; call letters; diallocation/channel numbers; street address; mailing address;main telephone number; geographic area covered; audiencedemographic profile; names and contact information of specific department directors and editors (e.g. news, publicservice, business, feature); names of specific programs (publicaffairs, business, interview programs, talk shows); and thenames and contact information of the producers and hosts of these programs.For national and international wire services and pressbureaus: name; address; telephone number; names andcontact information of bureau chief, editors, correspondents;copy deadlines.

You don’t have to compile your entire media file all at once.Start with the one or two primary vehicles (one newspaper andone television station, for example) that you’ll use most often.One of the easiest ways to begin media contact is to send thema press release and follow up with a telephone call to introduce

yourself. Over time, you can continue to add different vehiclesto your media file and establish your relationship with themone by one.

With the media as your ally, you have a powerful way to promote the best face of your business. The bottom line onmedia relations is that it’s a two-way street. Treat the mediawell, and they’ll likely treat you well in return. Just give themwhat they need and don’t waste their time.

The Best of Both Worlds

Lead generation is a numbers game, right? The goal is to attractas many potential customers as possible so you can engage your well-orchestrated lead conversion process and create lots of sales. The more you attract, the more you’ll convert, and themore your business will grow.

Well… not exactly.

It is a numbers game, but you’ve got to focus on the right





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numbers. The formula for growing your business is a dynamicinterplay of many factors. You don’t just want to generate a lot of leads, you want to generate the right leads. Leads that are

qualified, leads that are pre-sold, leads that will buy now and buyagain… and again and again.

A lead generation strategy that includes both advertising and public relations gives you a balanced mix of ways tocommunicate with the public. Each has its advantages and itsdrawbacks. Advertising gives you complete control. You createthe entire message and determine when and where it appears.Public relations gives your business credibility and a humanface. It lets you show the public your strengths, the qualitiesimportant to you, and how other respected people andorganizations see you.

Use advertising and public relations together within your leadgeneration process to deliver exactly the impact you want.



T YPE OFP UBLICITY DESCRIPTION

Press Release

Press Kit

News Article(“Straight” Newsor “Hard” News)

Feature Article(“Soft” News)

Public Service Announcement

(“PSA”)

The press release is the cornerstone of publicity, the standard vehicle through which businessescommunicate with the media. It’s a short, objective announcement, a prepared statement yousend to the media to inform them about something newsworthy that will interest their audience.It allows you to build impressions of your company in the minds of the general public. There aremany types of stories you can communicate in a press release. Some examples are: noteworthysuccesses; professional or educational accomplishments of staff members; awards or recognitionwon by your company or individual staff; introduction of a new product or service; merger oracquisition of another business or a business alliance; events you sponsor or participate in;charitable or humanitarian activities or contributions; discoveries or innovations you initiate orcontribute to; human-interest stories. When you distribute a press release, the media are underno obligation to use it. They may use it exactly as written, they may edit it, they may rewrite it, orthey may ignore it. They may or may not contact you for additional information.

A press kit (also known as media kit or media information kit) is a specially prepared package ofinformation you give to media representatives when they attend an event or that you send outwith a press release. The press kit not only helps them write a more complete news story, it alsoensures they have the positive information you want them to have in a documented form they canrefer to later. The kit can contain information about a specific event and/or comprehensive infor-mation about your company, its history, organization, products, and services. Press kits savewriters time by providing information they would otherwise have to research, which improves thechances that your story will get told the way you want it told. There’s not a standardized format forpress kits as there is for press releases; your press kit can be simple or elaborate. The most com-mon formats are pocket folders, 3-ring binders, and large envelopes. Your business name, logo,address, phone and fax numbers, and the name of a contact person in your company should beprominently displayed on the cover or inside. Other contents might include: a stand-alone pressrelease; a fact sheet; a calendar of events; background information; company history; brochures;annual reports; previously published articles (press clippings); biographies of key employees; aquote sheet listing positive comments that others have made about you with the names and affilia-tions of the people who said or wrote them (testimonials); photographs with captions.

A public service announcement is a notice giving information about an upcoming or currently ongoing event, activity, meeting, service, or program that serves the interests and well-being of the community. A PSA is broadcast at no charge. Public service announcements areusually associated with television and radio and are usually announced in a listing of severalannouncements from different sponsors. The purpose is to inform the public and attract interest-ed people to attend the event being announced. If your company is mentioned in a PSA, it con-veys the idea that you’re civic-minded, charitable, concerned about the welfare of the community.

Feature news articles, as contrasted with straight news, are less about immediately important andfactual information, and more about people, opinions, and emotions. These articles are oftenreferred to as human-interest stories. They appeal to the heart as well as the mind. Feature articles

are usually much less time-sensitive than straight news; they’ll be as relevant and interesting in amonth or two as they are today. Because of these characteristics, they are useful for small-business publicity campaigns and keeping your company in the public eye. When your companyis lacking a hard-news story, you can almost always find a feature story to tell.

A straight news article reports to the public the facts of an event or situation. It informs peopleabout a subject that is important and interesting, or relevant to their lives. It’s objective andappeals to the public’s “need to know.” It focuses on facts, not opinions. There’s usually adegree of time urgency about this news; if you wait too long, the information is old news and nolonger meaningful. News articles about your company help build respect and professional credi-bility for your business and draw people to events you sponsor and participate in.



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Key Types of Publicity Pieces






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E XAMPLEST YPE OF A CTIVITY DESCRIPTION

Industry/ Professional

Educational/ Instructional

Community/ Social

ConferencesPress conferencesInterviewsRadio/TV talk showsNetworking eventsProfessional

alliances

Panel discussionsClassesDemonstrationsSeminarsOpen housesInformational

materials(articles, books,brochures,programs)

DonationsCharity workFund-raisersFairsHoliday eventsSports eventsCommunity eventsPolitical eventsLetters to the editorSocial awarenessSchool eventsEnvironmental

activities

These are activities that present you as a leader, anexpert, or, at least, as an active participant in your field.Such events may or may not be open to the general publicbut, even if they’re not, publicity about them can get themessage out. When the public is made aware of the con-tent of your participation, or even just the fact of your partic-ipation, it not only increases the public’s awareness of youand your company, it also fosters perceptions of you asinvolved, knowledgeable, and respected. Trust and credibil-

ity, particularly with regard to the quality of your productsand services, are enhanced.

These are activities where a key focus, although not neces-sarily the only focus, is providing people with informationthey can use or are interested in knowing. It is ofteninformation related to your business’s industry, but doesn’thave to be. For example, if you sell lumber, you might holdclasses for the general public on how to build decks andfences or give a demonstration of home-security systems.Or, you might sponsor seminars or distribute literature on

gardening, yoga, child psychology, or some other topic ofinterest to your community. Providing education, instruc-tion, and information that helps people grow personally orimprove their quality of life improves your image in people’sminds and may even create a sense of obligation that buildsyour business—“your company helped me, so it’s only rightthat I do business with you.”

These are activities you can initiate or participate in thatcontribute to the common good or are social in nature.Your level of participation may be high, such as sponsoringa youth sports team where you provide uniforms, coaching,and organizational help, or as remote as simply donatingmoney. Associating your business with activities like theseprovides ways for people to get to know your companymore personally. People feel more connected with busi-nesses that touch their daily lives, and this increases thelikelihood that they’ll do business with you and/or speakhighly of you to others.

Public Relations Activities for Lead Generation





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Worksheets



P u b l i c R e l a t i o n s S t r a t e g y

P A R T 1 : P U B L I C R E L A T I O N S A S S E S S M E N T G R I D :

F i l l i n t h e c e l l s o f t h i s g r i d . W h e n c o m p l e t e d , h i g h l i g h t t h e c e l l s t h a t c o n t a i n c o m m o n c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s . T h i s w i l l g u i d e y o u i n

i d e n t i f y i n g w h i c h t y p e s o f p u b l i c r e l a t i o n s a c t i v i t i e s w i

l l h a v e t h e m o s t r e a c h a n d t h e g r e a t e s t i m p a c t .

I d e n t i f y :

I n t h e

a r e a o f :

I n d u s t r y /

P r o f e s s i o n a l

E d u c a t i o n a l /

I n s t r u c t i o n a l

C o m m u n i t y /

S o c i a l

A s p e c t s o f t h e

I m a g e Y o u

W a n t T o P r o j e c t

I n t e r e s t s o f Y o u r

C u s t o m e r s & P r o s p e c t s

I n t e r e s t s o f

I n f l u e n c e r s

Y o u r C o m p a n y ’ s

S t r e n g t h s



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Public Relations Strategy (cont’d)

PART 2: P UBLIC R ELATIONS STRATEGY STATEMENT :Write a statement that describes your company’s overall public relations strategy. Include the gener-al goals you want to achieve, both in terms of image and impact on the public, as well as increasing your lead generation, types of activities, accountabilities, and budget.



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P u b l i c R e l a t i o n s P l a n

F O R T H E M O N T H O F :_

______________



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N a m e o f E v e n t &

E m p l o y e e w i t h O

v e r a l l

A c c o u n t a b i l i t y

D e s c r i p t i o n o f E v e n t

( i n c l u d i n g s p o n s o r , t a r g e t

a u d i e n c e

, p a r t i c i p a t i o n

r e q u i r e m e n t s )

P u r p o s e o f E v e n t

( e . g .

g o a l s , r e s u l t s , i m p a c t s

y o u w a n t t o a c h i e v e

, b o t h

f i n a n c i a l a n d n o n - f i n

a n c i a l )

C o m m

u n i c a t i o n P l a n f o r

E v e n t

( i n c l u d i n g c h a n n e l s a n d t i m e

f r a m e s f o r p u b l i c i t y a n d

a d v e r t i s i n g )

E v e n t B u d g e t

( l i s t , t h e n t o t a l , m a i n

b u d g e t i t e m s )

D a t e

o f E v e n t

I t e m

A m o u n t

$ $ $

T O T A L :

$

I t e m

A m o u n t

$ $ $

T O T A L :

$

I t e m

A m o u n t

$ $ $

T O T A L :

$




Media Information FileComplete this form for each media vehicle you want to establish relations with. Verify and update your file as often as necessary to be sure you always have the most current and accurate information .

Media Type (newspaper, magazine, television, radio, etc.):

Name/Call Letters/Dial Location :

General Description (including circulation, geographic reach, audience demographic profile):

Main Telephone Number: Main Fax Number :

Street Address :Mailing Address :

Contact #1 Name and Title :

Telephone : Fax: Email:

Program/Column/Department Description :

Deadlines :

Contact #2 Name and Title :

Telephone : Fax: Email:


Deadlines :

Contact #3 Name and Title :Telephone : Fax: Email:


Deadlines :



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Press Release ExampleThis hypothetical example shows how a press release can be used to build a business’s image and

shows the appropriate format for a press release.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJune 1, 2005

The Locker Room125 North Main Street

Lexington, Kentucky 88888

Contact: Brook WashingtonTelephone: 771-555-4200

Fax: 771-555-4300Email: [email protected] time to reach: 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. and 2 - 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday

P RE -SCHOOLERS AND SENIOR C ITIZENS F OCUS OF NEW P HYSICAL -AWARENESS P ROGRAMS

Lexington, KY—The Locker Room, a locally-owned sporting goods store operating in Lexington

for over 15 years, announced today that it is launching a training outreach program to improve the

health and well-being of people in our community. The Locker Room’s physical-education staff

will provide activity guides and classes to train daycare and pre-school providers and program

directors of nursing homes and senior communities.

For senior citizens, the goal is to improve their physical and emotional health, give them a

renewed lease on life, reduce their need for medication, and reverse or slow the effects of aging

on brain function. For pre-schoolers, the goal is to increase alertness, provide sensory and

kinesthetic stimulation, and improve children’s readiness for elementary school.

Recent medical and psychological studies prove there is a direct link between physical activity

and brain development. People who are physically active have better memories, both long-term

and short-term, a greater capacity to learn, and are better able to concentrate and apply their

learning in their daily lives. Physical activity has also been shown to result in improving people’sability to manage emotional dilemmas more positively and productively.

This program will be launched on July 1, 2005. The County Board of Education and

Department of Social Services are providing funding to support this effort.

The Locker Room is a sporting goods retailer operating in Lexington since 1984. The company sells sports equipment and clothing,and sponsors community activities to promote fun, fitness, and the general well-being of people of all ages.

# # #



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Press Release Worksheet Draft a press release for your company.

2SUP-LG04 Public Relations and Publicity

Documents

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