Do small-business owners always have to rely on large PR agencies to get attention from the press? An entrepreneur recently asked me this question during a networking event for women business owners. Of course my answer was, "No," but not for the reasons one might expect.
Ultimately, I do believe the time comes when a company needs professional guidance from a PR agency -- be it a large or small one -- to secure media coverage. But I also believe that a really media savvy small-business owner, or a two-person marketing team can do a fantastic job in promoting an organization. Here's how I know it can work.
A few years ago during the dot.com boom, I worked for a small online publishing company. We had a terrific technical team and staff, two great products, but no one knew the company existed. As a start-up, it was crucial for the company to gain awareness through media exposure because advertising was too expensive.
Since our marketing department only consisted of two people -- the marketing director and myself, there was a bit of concern within the organization as to whether we had enough in-house resources available to successfully get the company much-needed ink. So the company's executive team hatched an interesting plan. They offered our in-house marketing team the chance to bid on the company's PR project as if we were an outside agency.
My experience had always been in public relations, rather than product marketing. My boss' experience had always been the opposite. We seized the opportunity to combine our knowledge, skills and research.
Our tiny two-person team matched PR wits squarely against four established pros - including one former White House aide. Guess what? Our ideas prevailed, and the company decided to ditch the notion of hiring a big PR firm in favor of keeping the in-house team.
Before long we were generating some memorable press for our company. Over a two-year period we placed stories on our company in more than 100 media outlets - from MSNBC and Forbes to the Wall Street Journal and Wired News online. We did it by studying what the big PR agencies did well, and also by using our department's "smallness" to our advantage. Here's how you can do it, too.
Research your company.
Forget that you own or work within the organization. Really invest the time in understanding your company's structure, the executives and their backgrounds, the products and technology, the industry in which your company belongs, competitors and experts, and most of all the target audience -- the people who stand to benefit most from your product or service. If you know all of this information, then you'll be in a better position to brainstorm ideas on how to get the media's attention. Doing this also helps in flushing out your overall marketing plan -- which PR is only a part.
Research the reporters who cover your company's industry and study the types of stories that they like to write.
Learn their deadlines and how they prefer to be contacted. Introduce yourself by phone and make it a point to speak with them regularly -- not just to talk about your company, but also about the industry in general. Use those conversations to offer up source materials that will help reporters write terrific stories. If you are able to do this successfully, you will become a trusted source that reporters return to repeatedly, and you will significantly increase your chances of gaining coverage for your company.
Always Return Media Phone Calls Immediately.
Keep yourself and your organization at the ready to receive phone calls from the press. Make sure that reporters know how to reach you in a 24-hour cycle. This means they should have your office, cell, home, and pager numbers, as well as a contact e-mail address. If you still happen to miss the call, return it ASAP. Always prepare yourself or members from your organization to conduct interviews from anywhere, at any time.
Conduct proper follow up after the interview.
This is not a call to find out when a story will be published, but rather a call to make sure that the reporters have everything they need in order to write a favorable story on your organization.
Whenever our company executives were interviewed by reporters, one team member would always accompany them to the interview to take careful notes. Alternately, the other team member would remain in the office on standby. If, during the interview, the reporter indicated a need for specific information, an urgent message would be relayed back to the office so that the team member had time to gather the information. Without fail, we always had the requested information waiting in the reporter's e-mail inbox before they arrived back to the office. This may seem like a small task, but getting it right could really decide whether or not a reporter selects your story, or moves on to a new one.
The important point to remember here is this. Never underestimate the power and dedication of your in-house staff. Before you make the investment in retaining a PR agency, look at your internal talent first. What you find just might surprise you, and their drive to succeed will become contagious throughout your entire organization. And when the time comes to hire a PR firm, you will have a ready-made collaborative team in place to work with your outside agency. Your in-house team knows your company better than anyone and that's where you, as a small-business owner, have an advantage over the "big boys" at the large PR agencies in getting the media's attention.
About The Author
Carolyn Davenport-Moncel is president and founder of Mondave Communications, a global marketing and communications firm based in Chicago and Paris, and a subsidiary of MotionTemps, LLC. Contact her at carolyn@motiontemps.com or by phone in the United States at 877.815.0167 or 011.331.4997.9059 in France.
When you should send samples with your press release:1) When... Read More
Because good public relations can alter individual perception and lead... Read More
Because PR can be difficult to control, it is often... Read More
Yes, that's what public relations really is when it tracks... Read More
If your reading this, you must be online and most... Read More
Above all, you need to know that the right PR... Read More
It can bite you and waste your public relations budget... Read More
Experience tells me that too many business, non-profit and association... Read More
Let's say you've called a reporter with some ideas for... Read More
Quite a bit, actually. Public relations helps business, non- profit... Read More
You bet! And in three ways vital to you as... Read More
Aren't you tired of hearing how extremely easy it is... Read More
How can media training help you create a successful Hispanic... Read More
The payoff for business, non-profit or association managers can be... Read More
Before you even think about writing a press release, there... Read More
What a shame! Potentially productive public relations people resting on... Read More
Can your PR do something positive about the behaviors of... Read More
School BusesWhen approaching a school bus: Slow down; If the... Read More
As someone with expertise in media relations, I've been asked... Read More
Better check out the public relations fundamental premise, then take... Read More
If you're an online business using public relations (PR) to... Read More
As you start getting more media-savvy, you'll find yourself coming... Read More
Have you ever noticed how the same people's names always... Read More
To many marketers, the press release is something of a... Read More
When I search Google News for "surveys," I get nearly... Read More
WHITE NOISEA client recently told me about a fascinating new... Read More
A reporter's job is to get the most accurate and... Read More
Although I still believe there is a place for advertising... Read More
The Today show? The New York Times? Vanity Fair? What's... Read More
I'm what we in the business (the "business" being journalism)... Read More
Business to Business relationships come to expect a certain level... Read More
I say to business, non-profit and association managers, a key... Read More
Most business, non-profit and association managers live to tell about... Read More
1. Your press release should sound like news, not an... Read More
Always ask, "Is now a good time?"Deadlines in journalism are... Read More
A well structured press release in an excellent way of... Read More
Experience tells me that too many business, non-profit and association... Read More
What's the real reason some managers shy away from public... Read More
For business, non-profit and association managers, is it publicity that... Read More
The VIP databases are fun to create and can be... Read More
There's the old joke about the two buzzards sitting in... Read More
Imagine you're the technology reporter at a daily newspaper. You... Read More
As an owner of an independent record label, I often... Read More
I'm what we in the business (the "business" being journalism)... Read More
Early in my career as a public relations consultant, I... Read More
Aren't you tired of hearing how extremely easy it is... Read More
What do Monica Lewinsky, Shoshanna Lowenstein, and even Richard Hatch... Read More
There are all kinds of smart moves professionals can make... Read More
As a business, non-profit or association manager, what do you... Read More
When, as a business, non-profit or association manager, you are... Read More
If you're trying to promote your store, but you don't... Read More
The media live by the calendar. Your story pitch might... Read More
Quite a bit, actually. Public relations helps business, non- profit... Read More
Southern grandmothers have often said, "there are only three... Read More
The most sensible way for business, non-profit or association managers... Read More
The world has woken up to ethical issues in corporate... Read More
"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly... Read More
You never want to inundate a reporter with information, but... Read More
Whenever a recession or volatility threatens the economy, companies immediately... Read More
Demand that it pull its own weight in your boat... Read More
Ain't a gonna happen unless business, non-profit and association managers,... Read More
It is virtually impossible to succeed professionally and personally without... Read More
Because PR can be difficult to control, it is often... Read More
Prior to a TV interview it is guaranteed the journalist... Read More
Promotion for Professional Services Providers requires a different approach than... Read More
A wise friend of mine has often said, "There is... Read More
Public Relations |