NI: What effect can it have on a company?

A: Good PR can make a difference between obscurity and success. We've seen sales significantly increase for our customers with just one piece of well positioned publicity. Word-of-mouth recommendations are the best way to generate interest, and get footfall through the door.

NI: What do you need to get started with PR?

A: A good idea of who your customer is, and what they want is vital. Once you understand that, you can target specific publications and websites. We've found that more and more parents and mums-to-be read and trust online product reviews from other parents, so we've spent time targeting specific websites to ensure our clients' products are in the hands of the right people at the right time.

NI: What about if you are a well established company, do you still need PR then?

A: We firmly believe that you are only as good as your customers think you are! New brands come on to the market all the time, so it's vital that your brand, however well established, maintains that ‘buzz' around it. 

NI: Do you think awards are important?

A: There's no doubt that consumers trust brands that have received accolades over those that haven't.  And therefore awards do help to boost sales and raise the profile of your brand. However, ultimately, your products and services of course need to speak for themselves.

NI: What would you say is essential for a successful PR campaign?

A: A strategy. It sounds very boring, but rather than dip in and out with ad hoc activities and reactive opportunities, create an overall plan which everybody is working from.  In basic media coverage terms, this means targeting specific publications, whether national, on line or regional, at specific times of the year with news worthy stories that will get you coverage. It's as simple as that.

NI: What about the recession, shouldn't we be tightening our purse strings at the moment rather than spending on PR/marketing?

A: Just the opposite; now is the time when you have to do more PR than ever! But it doesn't have to be expensive. Just building relationships with key journalists over a cup of coffee can make the difference between your product being featured and someone else's. And get creative. If you have no new products to launch, think of a really good, newsworthy case study that can be interviewed.

NI: Why are some of your clients so popular at retail?

A: We're really fortunate in that, for the most part, our clients immediately notice an increase in sales following a piece of well positioned publicity. However, as much as possible, we do try to tie up any media drives with any other marketing activity that our clients have planned, such as point of sale impulse buys, advertising and events etc. We recommend that our clients have a joined up thinking approach to all marketing and PR activities.

NI: How do you make sure PR is reaching the right people?

A: If you know your target audience this should be relatively simple - and don't fall into the trap of thinking this is only journalists. One thing we offer our clients is a chance to have their products presented to focus groups made up of new mothers. We offer this service free of charge and our clients have found it a really valuable for getting feedback, and ensuring their products are appealing to their core audience. Not only does it get the products into the hands of their target customer, but our focus groups say what they really think too!

NI: What makes an interesting story for the press?

A: Anything newsworthy. The press want a story that resonates with their readers, whether it's the results of a new survey, a new product or service or an interview with the founder of a local company. We secured our client KoziKidz a double page spread in The Sheffield Business Monthly all about their reasons for setting up the business and what they were hoping to achieve. It really worked. You can also use current news stories either in your local area or, if applicable, national news to base a press release on. As well as news, Community based stories will usually be of interest to local media, so if you are supporting a local campaign, helping at a school or raising money for charity, be sure to mention it.  This sort of story ensures your press release is relevant and topical to the journalist and it's easy to do. Just make sure the press release is sent to relevant titles that will be interested in the story - there is nothing more irritating to a journalist than receiving stories that aren't relevant to them.

NI: What about your local media doing profile pieces on a company?

A: We've found this to be a very useful marketing tool. In our experience, people are genuinely interested in a brand's history, and the ‘faces' behind the story, as well as hearing about the products themselves. We had a fantastic interview in Woman and Home Magazine with one of our clients, Hillary Irving who had set up her own web company, CozyMole, which retails outdoor-wear for the family. The readership absolutely fitted CozyMole's customer profile and they had an excellent response.

NI:  How do I contact my local media?

A:  Do your research! Look at where you want to be in the newspaper and see who is writing those pages. Most journalists now like press releases to come through on email, this way they can pick up a story when they aren't on deadline and keep hold of the story in their inbox. Don't expect your story to automatically get covered, follow up with them and see what they think of your story. Persistency and consistency is key to gaining media coverage. Also, don't forget to contact your local radio station(s), as they might be interested in your story too. Once you have established a rapport with a journalist, try to continue the relationship with relevant contact with them.

NI: What are the common pitfalls when sending out a press release?

A: The most common problem is not sending press releases to relevant publications or journalists. This will only frustrate journalists, and won't get you coverage. If you aren't sure of a title, buy a copy and look at where you think your story could fit, check it is the right target audience for you and look at angles other companies have used to get coverage in that title. The key is to do your research so you know your information is going to the relevant person and/or publication. Make sure your press release is concise and to-the-point, all key information should be in the first paragraph. Make sure it is grammatically correct too! Once you have a journalist's attention and they are interested in your story, make their life easy by providing all the information they typically need e.g. who, what, where, when, why and how, website / contact details. Good images are essential too - this can be the difference between getting coverage and losing it. Always have good high res images available and a selection if possible.

NI: What are your five top tips for a successful campaign?

A: Know your customer and target your PR appropriately.

Know your brand inside out, and make sure you have a raison d'etre behind every single product or service

Be creative!

Keep the interest there - no new products? Come up with an interesting event or case study instead.

Relationships are key. If you get some good publicity, say thank you to the journalist and they'll remember you next time they're looking for good retailers to feature.

Printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

Bookmark this

---