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Propaganda 4U
10 Yetis Guide to Making You Famous
What Am I Going to Waffle About?
Background– Overview of public relations
• What are the benefits
Why the media needs you– Making Yourself Accessible to the Media
• Identifying a press release angle
Writing a press release– Issuing & following up a press release
• Online Media Submission
Realistic Expectations– Make the Most of Media Opportunities
Online v Offline
Q&A
Our Background
Who do we work with?– Affiliate Sector
• MyVoucherCodes• sunshine.co.uk• Just-Eat.co.uk
– Wider Industry• IKEA• TotalJobs• MyProtein
Why people choose us– Marry online and offline media relations together– Early adopters of online marketing and media relations– Great track record in gaining media coverage
What is Public Relations
Early Origins– 1800’s
• USA Circus Promoter
Not Got Much Better!
1900’s• Propaganda in WW1 & WW2• Slowly 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• Internet• Newspapers • Television• Radio
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– Driving Sales– Profile/Awareness– 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 less costly, with higher potential exposure
Search Engine Optimisation– Relevant links and traffic– High profile media links (BBC, Sky, MSN, Metro)
Potential To Go Viral– Social networking sites– Big Blog Trigger
What are the Benefits.... cont
No such thing as bad PR?– Controversy generates awareness
• Littlewoods Discount Code Claw-back Story• Mercenaries 2 - Free Petrol
Beneficial if Handled Correctly
Can get quick results/action– Companies fear bad PR!– Shame organisations into action
• Coca Cola Desani• 10p Tax U-Turn
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– Tight deadlines– No budget for big research stories
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 Benn
2 – Keane (the band) PR stuntAlbum on memory stick and not CD
3. Research driven story about dogs
4. Royal Mail survey from press release
Why the Media Needs You... cont
Regional London
1 – Enron appeal press release (PR)
2 – Clothing company PR Hot Tuna
3 – Debenhams PR on sales
4 – BP – Neg headline but release driven
5 – PR stunt for Great Ormond St Hosp
Why the Media Needs You... cont
Regional Bristol
1 – Advertorial (boo-hiss)
2 - Airline Press Release
3 - Office move for company (PR)
4 Advertorial
5 Airbus PR
Making Yourself Accessible to The Media
Journalists Need Info Quickly– Make information accessible– Go over and above to help
Media Section on Website– Press Releases – Past Coverage– Business USP’s/Key Facts– Images
• Logos • Key People Head Shots
– Media Sheet– Contact Info– Case Study Information
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• 8 out of 10 cats• Use existing customer database to email out to• SurveyMonkey.com, affordable and reputable
– New Product Launch
– Some form of stunt
– Piggyback on current story• Green (climate change)• Credit Crunch• Obesity
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– 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– Media has no budget for snappers
Issuing & Following up a Press Release
Always issue to print/broadcast media first– Less likely to use if they see story across the web
Finding Contact Info– Read mags/papers you want to target– Find journo names– Google them and you will often find email details– Avoid [email protected] or [email protected]
Best day to send
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!– Plan key Points– Find number on Google– 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
Most journo’s are too cool for school!– Will always say they have not seen the release– Come across as grumpy – They are just short on time– Well known national media get upwards of 1500 emails a day
Issuing & Following up a Press Release
Tell them about the pictures you have
Awkward Questions?– Ask for deadline info & call back
Try and build relationship– Future comment opportunities– Potentially try and meet them– “Forward Feature” opportunities
Keep calling to follow up– Suggest other related angles
Online Media Submission
Online release differs to off-line
Optimise online release headline for SEO
Move company name to para one– Headline & first para is often all you get
Online release submission sites– Daryl Wilcox is best for “real” news coverage– PR Web/Pressbox etc, only good for SEO
Relevant bloggers– Avoid the prickly ones
Use company Social Networking pages– Twitter
Business/consumer discussion forums
Realistic Expectations
Media sees many new brands/products come and go– No time to check information
Many ignore first story – to avoid being embarrassed– Exceptions are trusted/known brand associations
Launch release has limited chance of coverage– Good form of media introduction
Need to keep dripping stories to the press– Monthly– Careful not to saturate target media
If a story bombs move on and learn from it– Don’t try to re-launch it
Make the Most of Media Opportunities
You Only Get One Chance with Media
Keep calling to follow up– Suggest other related angles
Don’t be afraid to disagree
“Sex-Up” your answers– Flowery soundbites– Quirky replies– Be memorable
Relax and have fun!– Journo’s want you to do well– Makes them look good
Online v Offline, Future Media Trends
Current Media Snapshot
– Our Newspaper Sales Survey Said:• 22% of population don’t buy newspaper anymore• 18% only buy a paper at the weekend• Only 14 % buy a daily newspaper
– Our Newspaper Reading Survey Said• 45% of people read a freesheet daily (e.g. Metro)
– Our Top News Information Platform is:• 68% of people exclusively rely on internet for news updates
– Where do people go online for their news?• BBC• GOOGLE News• SKY News
Online v Offline, Future Media Trends
Our Predictions
Possible consolidation of print media
Move to freesheet model eventually– When/if ad market picks up– Predict Sun is the first mainstream newspaper to adopt this
Online media becomes even more important– Growth in clients concentrating PR efforts on online media – Print editorial no longer the authority figure for consumers
• Consumer use web for research
Growth in News/Feed Aggregators – as they become more mainstream
Greater reliance and demand for Micro News – Twitter Channels
Reputation management will become hot topic once Google Print is complete
Further Reading
All information mentioned in this presentation available from:
www.10Yetis.co.uk/a4uexpo
Thanks!
ANY QUESTIONS?