Propaganda 4U

10 Yetis Guide to Making You Famous

What Am I Going to Waffle About

What is public relations

What are the benefits

Why the media needs you

Identifying a press release angle

Writing a press release

Issuing & following up a press release

What is Public Relations

Early Origins– 1800’s

• USA Circus Promoter

1900’s• Propaganda in WW1 & WW2• Adapted to be used in industry

2000’s• Multi-billion pound industry• In UK, Public Relations Consultants Association saw incomes rise from £18m

in 1983 to £401m in 2001 • Heart of everyday life

“Let the public be

fooled” Phineas Taylor Barnum

What is Public Relations... continued

Today:– Product = part of the marketing mix– Corporate = defence mechanism

Place messages in the media• Newspapers • Radio • Television • Internet

PR should be at the heart of decision making process– “PR-Centric”

Public relations is the practice of getting attention and shaping public opinion (CiPR Waffle 2007)

What are the Benefits

Three types of PR– Profile/Awareness– Driving Sales– Crisis communications

Greater impact than advertising campaign– Trusted source of information

Much more cost effective than advertising– Full page ad in national newspaper circa £30k– PR is a tiny fraction of this cost

What are the Benefits.... cont

No such thing as bad PR?

Can get quick results/action– Companies fear bad PR!– Shame organisations into action

Positive media– Motivates employees and impresses your customers– Great to put “as featured in” on your website and sales propaganda

I AM BIASED BUT... – Pound for Pound I believe PR Represents the Best Bang

for your Buck

Why the Media Needs You!

The papers need to fill space– Need your press releases

The journo’s want to hear from you– Especially business owners over evil PR’s

Many national/regional papers today packed with press release driven stories... Have a look at the following examples:

Why the Media Needs You... cont

Metro (most influential paper in UK)1 – Refurbishment of Mr Benn (PR)1A – Pic to support Mr Benn2 – Keane (the band) PR stunt

Album on memory stick and not CD3. Research driven story about dogs4. Royal Mail survey from press release

Why the Media Needs You... cont

Regional London1 – Enron appeal press release (PR)2 - Clothing company PR Hot Tuna3 – Debenhams PR on sales4 – BP – Neg headline but release driven5 – PR stunt for Great Ormond St Hosp

Why the Media Needs You... cont

Regional Bristol1 – Advertorial (boo-hiss)2 - Airline Press Release3 - Office move for company (PR)4 Advertorial5 Airbus PR

Identifying a Press Release Angle

Several to choose from:– Business Milestone

• Birthday, £m turnover etc• Key business win• New Employees

– Good For regional especially– Survey Driven

• 9 out of 10 cats• Use existing customer database to email out to• SurveyMonkey.com, affordable and good

– New Product Launch

– Some form of stunt

– Piggyback on current story• Green (climate change)• Plight in financial services industry

Writing a Press Release

Max 2 pages

Don’t sweat the headline – the papers do this– Clear, can be funny, not complicated– Needs to be noticed (maybe put part in caps)

2 sentence summary under title– We use italics– Often the only bit a journo reads and base their decision on

Opening para has the who, what, why, where, when, how info– 2 sentence paragraph– Contains all the key information

Second para has company name in– Not in first para– Change for online media

Writing a Press Release

Quote from you– Talk about how pleased you are– Maybe the problems that you company/product solves etc

Quote from 3rd party advocate– Someone (not your mum) to say how good your business is– Supports what you say

Where more info can be found– Web address

Editors Notes– Contact info – USP’s

Supporting Photos? Mention them!

Issuing & Following up a Press Release

Finding Contact Info– Read mags/papers you want to target– Find journo names– Google them and you will often find email details– Avoid editor@theregionalblah.co.uk or News@somepaper.com

Personalise the email to the journo– Don’t mass send– Don’t BCC or CC them all in– Make the journo feel special

Paste press release into section under main body of email– No big photos– Don’t attach release

Issuing & Following up a Press Release

Dreaded follow up call!

Get your main points down on paper before calling

Find number on Google or go via media switchboard

Ask for named journo

Never ask if they received the release– Journo’s hate this– Ask, “what did you think of the release I sent over”– Or, “Is there any more information you need about the release I sent over”

If journo on holiday ask if there is someone else you could talk to about a story

Issuing & Following up a Press Release

Most journo’s are too cool for school!– Will always pretend they have not seen the release– Always grumpy, rarely happy!– Very pushed for time

Tell them about the pictures you have

If they ask loads of tricky questions ask them what their deadline is and call back after thinking it through

Try and build relationship– Future comment opportunities– Potentially try and meet them

Further Reading

Entirely Propaganda free hints and tips:

www.10yetis.co.uk/newsletters

END