The Top 10 PR Mistakes To Avoid

The purpose of PR is to positively portray your business, brand or product. Don't confuse PR with advertising.  You pay for advertising space and the publications carry your message. For PR to work for you need to engage with your target publications and persuade the media to take an interest in your business. You need to capture their attention with interesting news stories - afterall they decide which stories make the cut and which don't. Here's my top 10 of PR mistakes to avoid... The BIG sell.... Yes, please be positive about your Company, brand and message,  but if you're too pushy, or your message is all sell sell sell the media will smell a rat. This is news after all, so stick to the facts! The 'no news' press release.....you may be interested in your small business stories, but truth of the matter is, the press won't be. If you waste their time sending them small snippet no news releases they'll soon take you off their radar. Lead Times... Yes you have something wonderful to say and your news story is as tasty as they come, but remember depending on your target audience some publications work up to 3 months ahead - so consider your lead times and check your message will still be relevant when it goes to print   Buzzwords... Like most things there's always a buzzword or key phrase of the moment - don't be dragged into fluffing out press release content with industry jargon. Editors don't have time to read everything that hits their desk - so keep to the point and use language the reader will engage with - not be confused by Same old... Keep your press release angles creative - don't stick to the same old format. You need your press release to reach out and grab some attention Simply press send... Just because you've hit send and sent your press release - the work isn't finished. In fact its only just begun. The relationships you build with your media list can be the difference between having your news story featured and it never seeing the light of day. Put in a follow up call to the journalist or editor you've sent the release to. This will allow you to start building a relationship with them - and it will benefit your PR activity in the long run. Finger on the pulse.. Reading local newspapers, understanding the style of national newspapers and being familiar with your target magazines will help you keep your news stories relevant. If you've something that ties in with a current trend or topic it will all help! This will help you avoid poorly timed press releases. Immediate Coverage... This isnt always the case. If you're a small business or a new product or perhaps you've never engaged with the media before, you may need to work harder at gaining the trust of the editors and journalist before they carry your story. Remember the difference between advertising and credible PR? If the Editors know you'll be sending them regular credible news stories they'll start to feature them. Don't be surprised if your first few releases don't make print... with positive media calls and regular press releases you'll get there. Work with a professional...You're best placed at managing your  business and a PR professional is best placed to manage your PR. PR isnt something you pick up and put down. It isnt as simple as hitting send, it about being creative with idea's, writing accurate and interesting news stories, having good media contacts and working on building strong relationships on behalf of your company or brand. Having a planned strategy will help you reach your objectives. The guaranteed coverage promise.. Whether you do your own PR, appoint a freelance consultant or appoint the biggest agency - PR is never guaranteed. The proof is in the pudding or in this case - the coverage...so to find the right PR person for you, ask for recommendations from other business owners and when you're meeting with any PR person ask them to demonstrate the coverage they've secured for other clients. It's a good way of finding out what you can expect in return for your investment.