| In my recent interview with Buzz Media's | | | | has tripled...so this really makes sense |
| Elizabeth Pereira and Fritz Chaleff, we | | | | because you're making their life easier, as |
| discussed the basics of these not-so-basic | | | | long as it's a balanced piece. You can even |
| approaches. Read on for how to get lots of | | | | do a specific style for a specific |
| attention for your story, using these wise | | | | network.The SMT is a Satellite Media Tour. |
| investments of your time and money.Kelly: | | | | This is doing a series of interviews in a |
| When should people consider PR in their | | | | studio, with a satellite uplink that connects |
| marketing efforts?Elizabeth: PR should be | | | | to any affiliate in the country, with a |
| included in every marketing plan you | | | | reporter doing 2-3 minute interviews. You'll |
| develop...from the very beginning of a new | | | | hit one- to two-dozen markets in a couple of |
| product being launched or a policy coming | | | | hours, which would have cost you far more in |
| out. Use it heavily in the beginning to | | | | travel, lodging, downtime, etc. Smaller |
| establish a brand, then level out over time. | | | | companies don't tend to go this way (there's |
| It's also a good tool for handling crisis | | | | a cost of entry starting at about $12k), but |
| down the road.For consumer-related messages, | | | | once you figure out what it can do for you on |
| PR really builds credibility quickly - 40-50% | | | | a national scope, the dollars make sense. You |
| of your budget isn't unreasonable.Fritz: The | | | | can also use it for local and regional |
| traditional view is that product marketing | | | | markets, targeting only those audiences you |
| should go with ads, not PR...and that issues | | | | want to reach.Elizabeth: Yes, if you want to |
| and position-related launches should use | | | | launch something within a state (for example, |
| op-eds and PR. But I see it as actually the | | | | a new mass transit system in a region), it's |
| opposite...for example a good story on NPR | | | | much more efficient. Local elected officials |
| will do more than, say, ads. Think of PR to | | | | may not have time to run around to every |
| launch a brand, and advertising to maintain | | | | station in their market, but will have time |
| it.Kelly: What advice to you have for someone | | | | to go to one studio for an hour or two, and |
| just learning about PR for their business or | | | | talk to eight different local or regional |
| organization?Fritz: PR is a process - it's | | | | stations.Kelly: Okay - back to radio. How can |
| not a one-time hit or magic bullet. Just like | | | | radio boost awareness about PR |
| networking or in social experiences, it takes | | | | campaigns?Elizabeth: Radio is a great option |
| time to develop trust and credibility. So | | | | for clients with smaller budgets. It's also |
| just one press release in a vacuum won't do | | | | good to mix in with SMTs. Radio is a |
| it. This is really a cornerstone. One thing | | | | different audience - they tend to be captive |
| that really helps is planning - even if it's | | | | and in the car. There are many different |
| a year out...you need to be thinking about it | | | | types of programs that are very targeted, so |
| now.Actually, you really need to be thinking | | | | it's easier to reach a specific |
| and talking internally about it all the time. | | | | audience.Radio is also a lot cheaper - costs |
| All of your employees are diplomats and | | | | about 50% of SMTs - and has a lot of |
| ambassadors of your company. So all the | | | | credibility...it's really a big up and coming |
| internal communications need to be aligned, | | | | tool.Again, you need plenty of lead-time for |
| with policies on if or how to talk with the | | | | radio, although it's less complicated than |
| press, the general public...talking points | | | | TV. We recommend 4-6 weeks of lead-time, to |
| are key, as is training. Protect your brand | | | | help with targeting and messaging. And |
| by getting everyone on the same page.Kelly: | | | | sometimes radio is better because it's not a |
| So what's the one thing you wish your clients | | | | visual story.Fritz: With radio, you can get |
| would do that would make it easier for you to | | | | so specific on your demographic target...so |
| help them in their publicity | | | | the more you know about your target audience, |
| efforts?Elizabeth: Bring us into the planning | | | | you can really focus how to spend your |
| process early on. Often, clients will sit | | | | dollars.Kelly: Do you have an opinion on the |
| down at the beginning of the year when they | | | | difference in effectiveness between a |
| get their budget and plan, but don't include | | | | straight radio interview vs. an |
| their PR team until much later. You need to | | | | editorial-based audio news release?Elizabeth: |
| think through angles and pitches early on - | | | | I prefer radio media tours better, because |
| and be thinking strategically...not just | | | | you can attach a person's name to a story and |
| about tactics.Fritz: Then there's the media | | | | interact with the anchor...and connect better |
| schedule - if you want to do big pushes in | | | | with the audience to build trust.Kelly: Do |
| February, realize that you're competing with | | | | you have a specific PR success story you'd |
| the Super Bowl, Grammy's and Oscars. Even if | | | | like to share?Elizabeth: We did a satellite |
| you're local and on a smaller scale, there's | | | | media tour for the National Museum of the |
| an annual cycle that you need to take into | | | | American Indian. The launch was a huge |
| consideration.Elizabeth: There are things you | | | | success...we had 21 interviews lined up for |
| should plan around, unless you can relate | | | | the Museum Director that turned into 91 |
| your topic to these things.Fritz: The other | | | | airings nationwide. One place where we really |
| thing is for clients to understand the | | | | helped was in targeting the radio stations - |
| difference between the story and how it's | | | | many we found were on Native American |
| pitched. We had a client who shot themselves | | | | reservations.Kelly: So how should people |
| in the foot by not allowing us to let the | | | | think about "success" - what are the metrics |
| media ask them about a particularly hot topic | | | | we should consider for PR?Elizabeth: It |
| - it's got to be about what the public wants, | | | | really depends on what your goal is: to |
| not what you necessarily want to say.Kelly: | | | | increase public awareness? to increase museum |
| So what should a small company budget for PR | | | | visits? to sell more books? So we provide |
| if they want to build a regional | | | | statistics on airtime...and encode our |
| presence?Fritz: That's a great | | | | broadcasts to see how long they last...and |
| question...and again, it depends on whom | | | | then compare that to ad dollars. |
| you're trying to reach. You need to look at | | | | Advertisement usually ends up being far more |
| the scope of what you want to do. What's your | | | | expensive that what they invested for the |
| dream list, and then scale it back and budget | | | | tour, not to mention the difference in |
| realistically. Come up with smart PR dollars, | | | | credibility you get from PR vs. ads.Kelly: |
| and don't waste your investment. So | | | | So where can people go to learn more?Fritz: |
| television interviews may not be needed, when | | | | We recommend a couple of websites: |
| radio will be more effective.Kelly: Let's | | | | |
| talk about radio in a minute. But first, what | | | | |
| are SMTs and VNRs...and why are they | | | | |
| beneficial to PR campaigns?Fritz: A Video | | | | |
| News Release (VNR) is a pre-packaged news | | | | |
| segment. It looks like anything you'd see on | | | | if you're in the Washington, DC area, |
| local news - with a reporter in the field, a | | | | please join Fritz and Elizabeth at PR Nation, |
| voiceover, and it's edited just like news. | | | | Buzz Media's monthly networking event. For |
| You then send that to any newsroom and they | | | | more information visit or TurningPointe |
| can pop it in, just like any news piece. So | | | | Marketing, Inc. All rights reserved.Marketing |
| instead of the station having to come out and | | | | educator, Kelly O'Brien, is creator of the |
| cover your story, you're saving them the | | | | Create a TurningPointe! Marketing BootCamp |
| expense and time. News production has become | | | | and Advanced Marketing TeleClinic. |
| so much more expensive and producer workload | | | | |