Posts Tagged ‘public relations’

Getting A Name

Tuesday, April 7th, 2009

As I sit here I am trying to think of what makes good PR. There is nothing concrete or for a sure success. There are a lot of things you can do, though, that may make things easier and at least get your name out there.

The most important thing is to get out.  Attend social functions. I am not talking about a bar, but events that places like the Better Business Bureau and Chamber of Commerce put on. This is a great way to get a name for yourself.  You may not get a client right away, but you will meet people, be able to hand out your business cards. Doing that you will have your name out there and next time people need your service they might think about you.

Become an expert. I have said it before, but it needs to be said again. You know your business better than anyone else, so let people know. Do not be afraid to tell people, especially the news media. Make people know that you are the one to turn to when their needs need to be met.

Host an event. There are many things you can do to make this happen. Simple things I have said before, like host a blood drive. You can also get really creative and do something like holding a rally outside your business. It does not have to be for a cause (although that would be better). Just get some people to be in front of your store, maybe holding signs stating what your business is, it can be that simple. Just be creative.

Twitter some. It may not sound like a great thing or even be something you are sure how to do, but learn it. It is a lot like going out to social functions. The more you do it, the more people will notice you. Just another way to get your name out.

There are lots of things you can do, but the important thing to remember is to get out there. If you do not tell people about your business they will never know about you and what you can do for them.

Getting Noticed At Almost No Cost

Sunday, April 5th, 2009

There are many ways to get your business noticed. Many of them are either free or at a very low cost. The most important thing is that they create a virus. When you get people talking about your business, even if those people do not become clients, some of the people they talk to may become clients. None of these are new. They have been done before, but you can do them and put your own spin on them. So here are a couple cheap ways you can have  fun and make others notice your business.

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PR, The Uncontrolled Message

Tuesday, January 6th, 2009

PR has many benefits. But there are also things that could become a disadvantage and there is nothing you can do about it. This is not meant to discourage anyone from PR practices; it is just things that you need to be aware of when trying to get PR.

Public relations and advertising pretty much use the same avenues to get their message out. TV, Radio, Print and any other type of media that you can get your information out.

The difference is that when advertising, you pay for it. That means that you get what you want. You control where your Ad is places, what information is in it, how long it is, that kind of stuff. With PR, you are getting the word out, but not paying for where it is placed, so you lose some of the control.

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Become an Expert and Get Free Publicity

Sunday, January 4th, 2009
Many small businesses cannot afford to place an ad on TV or a print publication, but they know it is a good way to get noticed and get people to sample what they have to offer. But there are ways that you can put your message out without having to pay for it.
The best way to get what you want on TV and not pay for it is through the newsroom. I worked in TV for many years. One thing that we were always trying to find was experts in certain areas. We had to go search for them when we needed to get answers. It would have made our job easier, if we had someone that we could turn to someone that was an expert and we knew was willing to talk about it. Reporters, writers and producers are always good people to know and network with.

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Media and Public Relations

Wednesday, October 29th, 2008

Dealing with the media from a public relations standpoint can be very tricky and hard. As a news producer, I know how easy it is to delete an e-mail or take a number and say, “I will have someone get back to you.”

So what is it you need to do to get someone in the news media to notice your company or project?

1. Worst Case: A disaster. Usually you will have to do nothing to get the word out. Most likely people will come looking for you. At that point you are doing damage control, hoping to make the best of a difficult situation. The best thing I can tell you to do is talk to the media and let them know what you are doing to resolve the situation.

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