Public Relations for start-up, high growth, and global 2000 companies
www.BlancandOtus.com
Manage Your PR With One Integrated Solution From Vocus. Free Demo!
www.vocus.com
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www.prweb.com
Experienced, Reliable, Affordable Media Relations, Speakers Bureaus
www.MS-Publicrelations.com
Want to boost online visibility? We offer optimized PR distribution.
www.SmartGirlsConsulting.com
Complete coverage of your brands Blogs Wikis Social Networks Forums
www.Techrigy.com
Has your CEO been on TV recently? Explosive Positive Media Awareness!
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Strengthen your sales efforts with industry reports. Learn More…
www.FirstResearch.com/Information
Online portal containing public relations firms, media sources, information and resources.
www.4publicrelations.com
Media directory and digital marketing database for journalists, public relations consultants and publishers.
www.actimedia.com
Transcripts of question-and-answer sessions with admissions directors of business schools.
www.businessweek.com
Company provides assistance to activists and nonprofit organizations in publicizing important issues. Site also contains resources and media how-to books.
www.causecommunications.com
Listing of public relations links.
lamar.colostate.edu
Trade association that advocates the industry of public relations and assists members and their clients in setting the standards for the profession.
www.prfirms.org
Information and research center for public relations professionals includes PR news, an agency directory, career information and a knowledge product center.
www.holmesreport.com
Provider of high-level information on media, public relations and management of small to mid-sized ad agencies, public relations agencies, law firms and book publishers.
www.infocomgroup.com
Article written by Fraser Likely and published by Northwestern University examining ways to save the strategic role of public relations and communications practitioners.
www.medill.northwestern.edu
Information portal providing press release distribution, web site submissions and a web reference library.
www.send2press.com
Site offers public relations resources such as information, hints, recommended books, reviews and essays compiled by PR man Craig Miyamoto.
www.geocities.com
New York based online public relations industry information resource.
www.odwyerpr.com
Discussion list focusing on online advertising strategies, results, studies, tools and media coverage, online promotion and public relations.
www.o-a.com
Online portal for publications and seminars on public relations and marketing.
www.prandmarketing.com
Collaborative of public relations professionals linked by the Internet to give journalists and authors convenient access to expert sources.
www.profnet.com
Public relations agencies and related resources including designing and publicizing information.
www.webcom.com
Directory of public relations resources and links from About.com.
publicrelations.about.com
Directory of public relations agencies and resources.
www.public-relations-online.net
List of public relations related links and resources provided by Bob and Varda Novick.
www.webcom.com
Tips on how to reinforce a marketing campaign with public relations tactics. News release writing services also offered.
www.marketingsurvivalkit.com
Catalog of disaster recovery, crisis management, crisis communication and reputation management resources.
www.rothstein.com
Public relations and marketing company specializing in investor relations, public affairs, ebusiness and technology, healthcare and creative services. Also provides articles on reputation management and corporate responsibiity.
www.mwwpr.com
Article written by Jakob Nielsen and published by useit.com on the value of reputation management for branding web sites.
www.useit.com
Public Relations for start-up, high growth, and global 2000 companies
www.BlancandOtus.com
Manage Your PR With One Integrated Solution From Vocus. Free Demo!
www.vocus.com
Get your news online, build traffic & boost business! Free sign up.
www.prweb.com
Guide to Creating a Public Relations Plan
A good PR plan will keep you focused on getting publicity on a regular basis- Figure out how to get your news into the hands of the most people — and the right people — at the least cost.
- Define trackable PR goals.
- Organize your publicity efforts rather than taking a scattershot approach (a press release here and there).
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Determine your goals
Your PR goals will determine your PR strategies, so be as specific as you can. Do you want to get more customers? Increase repeat customers? Get the word out about a new product or service? Position yourself as an expert? Be sure to write your goals down; as goal experts say, 'Unwritten goals are nothing more than wishes.'
I recommend:
Building a PR plan includes goal-setting tips.
Be a copycat
Look at how other businesses have formulated their plans, and follow PR plan outlines and checklists provided by other companies.
I recommend:
Marketer Dave Dolak offers a sample PR plan.
Sleuth out your targets
If your prospects are mainly college students, appearing in magazines aimed at baby boomers would be a waste. To build a list of media outlets that target the markets you're aiming for, contact likely prospects (call the sales or advertising office) and ask for media kits.
I recommend:
Find newspapers in any region of the U.S. at ThePaperboy.com; find trade mags in your target industry at TradePub.com and consumer magazines by topic at NewsDirectory. Mondo Times offers a directory of major media, including newspapers, radio stations and TV stations, listed by state or metro area. You may also want to make a list of news-release distribution services that do all the work for you, such as PRWeb (free).
Choose your news
Decide what you want to say to your target audience — something newsy and exciting that will get people to sit up and take notice of your business. Keep your target audience in mind, pay attention to your chosen media outlets to see what they consider news, and don't try to pass off a sales pitch as news. Examples of news worth printing are new business openings, contests, events, new studies/polls and community service.
I recommend:
Make a list of everything newsy you're doing now and that you plan to do in the future. Also, brainstorm some interesting events, contests and other media-friendly opportunities. Try MindTools' mind mapping to figure out what you can pitch to news media. Not sure if what you have is really news? See what All About Public Relations thinks.
Plan your pitches
Sure, there are always news releases, but you can also get your news out via newsletters, articles (with your business mentioned in a bio box) and your Web site.
I recommend:
Make a list of ways you can get your news into the hands of your target audience. Create a media page on your Web site where media and other interested readers can read your news releases. For inspiration, visit the Johns Hopkins Hospital's excellent Newsroom section, and read Creating Your Online News Room. Study successful news releases at PublicityInsider.com's Press Release Gallery.
Get help
If you don't have time or the expertise to create a comprehensive PR plan yourself, hire a pro.
I recommend:
Search the online database at O'DwyerPR.com for an independent public relations specialist or a firm.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide- Media outlets have lead times that range from a few days to several months, so make sure you start your PR planning four to six months before the event you want to publicize.
- Make sure your news is really news. If you send out a release about how wonderful your company is, the media outlet will probably suggest you buy an ad.
- Having trouble? You can find loads of independent PR professionals and PR firms who will do all the work for you; check your local Yellow Pages or search on Google or Yahoo.
