public relations (pr) 101 for entrepreneurs
DESCRIPTION
Great presentation for the SFentrepreneur (http://www.meetup.com/sanfrancisco-entrepreneur/) and BizTechDay Community (http://www.biztechday.com/). Excellent overview on PR 101 for EntrepreneursTRANSCRIPT
Intelligence + drive + imagination + experience + impact SOMETHING DIFFERENT
The Power of PR for Your Business
• Always tie to business objectives
• Create brand awareness by influencing the influencers+ Beyond mainstream media: analysts, bloggers
• Drive sales
• Broker partnerships
How to Get Noticed
• Publish great content+Changing media landscape+Create a story worth telling
• Focus on positive end results for customers+Look beyond what the product or service does
• Be relevant+Pay attention to trends in the industry
How To Create a Press Kit
• Company overview+ Key events and dates in company’s history
• Products/Services+ Brief list of products and services emphasizing benefits+ Include photos and videos
• Bios+ Short and interesting bios of key leaders+ Include photos
• Current News+ Relevant trends and industry news+ List all press releases, press mentions, and case
studies
Working with Media• Lead with a hook
+ Start strong to get the reporter’s attention
• “So what?”+ Anticipate this question and be prepared to sell your
story
• Know who you’re pitching+ Research reporters/bloggers to determine who is best
fit
Tips for Effective News Releases
• Focus on what’s newsworthy+ New clients; completed projects
• Create news+ Company milestones; analysis of current industry trends
• Target the right people+ Research reporters to determine who will be most interested in
news
• Lead with the news+ Begin the release with most important details
• Be accessible+ Include media contact and answer media queries promptly
Using Social Media to Your Advantage
+ Create a page to highlight company news
+ Engage in dialog to show industry expertise and to stay connected to key companies
+ Write blog posts that offer perspective on industry trends and developments
+ Expand your online network
Hiring a Public Relations Firm or Consultant…
• Determine PR goals+ Positive media exposure+ Special events+ Expand brand awareness
• Be realistic+ Focus on key, achievable goals
• Interview many options+ Listen to each firm’s plan+ Determine needs and scope: local or national firm
• Keep your PR team involved+ Treat your contact as a key member of your team
News Media Interview
• It is NOT
an interrogation
or Q&A session
• It IS your chance to to tell your story
How the Media Writes
The Inverted Pyramid
• Journalist style inverted from academic writing
• Start with the headline, then fill in detail• Should be able to cut last paragraphs without
losing anything from the story• Who, what, when, where, why and how
answered in lead• Level of detail deepens as story goes on
Lead summarizes story
Answer who, what,
when, where, why & how
Top 10 Interview Tips
1. Be newsworthy2. Be prepared: Know your audience3. Stick to your messages4. KISS, not technical5. Use company and product names
Top 10 Interview Tips (continued)
6. Use headlines, sound bites
7. Be aware of your competitors
8. Name your customers, partners
9. Never go off the record
10. Be aware of body language