On Monday, through the Small Business Networking Event held at the Oak Park (Ill.) Public Library, I will be sharing public-relations tips with business owners, entrepreneurs and those seeking to launch enterprises of various kinds.
Among the points I will convey are four myths that can sidetrack individuals and organizations from attaining genuine PR success.
Here’s one: It’s all about the press release.
Reality: First of all, the proper term is “news release,” since the press is only one of the targets, anyway. In addition, the news release is simply one part—often, but not always, an integral part—of a multi-pronged approach to increasing your target market’s awareness.
Other vital elements to get your message across:
*Creating a professional, dynamic website that clearly communicates what makes your product or service superior to and distinctive from your competitors;
*Understanding what the various media need in a story and then going all-out to fulfill those cravings with timely, localized, visually compelling material.
*Identifying Internet venues where you can connect directly with your audience, such as contributing to a blog, creating a blog of your own, or posting a video on sites like YouTube.
There are numerous other myths and misunderstandings about PR, including:
*If your publicist has strong media connections, then don’t worry about having a great news hook.
*The publicist’s top goal should be media placement—getting as many stories told through the media as possible.
*PR is a contact sport—the key is to flood as many media outlets with your story, then cross your fingers that some will be interested.
For more specifics about the nature of those myths, you can find, on the Resources page of the Inside Edge PR website, PR Success Tips: 4 Myths To Combat Along The Way.
