There are pros and cons to public relations, but if executed successfully, public relations can be an effective marketing tool for your business. According to the Jewelry Information Center (JIC) Public Relations Handbook, “Public relations is a powerful tool used to create awareness of, and desire for, your product or service.” The Handbook notes that it’s not only key to building brand awareness, but helps to differentiate your business from competitors and generate excitement.
Continue reading for smart tips from the JIC Public Relations Handbook on how to perform your own public relations successfully:
PR Pros:
- It is cost-effective: Successful PR can be implemented at little or no cost.
- The Payoff can be more significant that advertising: Consumers perceive media placements positively and see them as an “endorsement,” because the exposure is coming from a respected third-party.
PR Cons:
- You have less control: Because you aren’t paying for exposure, you can’t control editing, placement or timing.
- It requires a long-term commitment by you: It may take several releases or pitches before your message is printed or aired.
Tips for Good Media Relations:
- Maintain an Updated List of Media Contacts: Make sure you have the appropriate, and current, press contacts for the local, regional and national media outlets where you want placement.
- Extra Tip: For a fee, you can subscribe to a service, such as Cision, that manages national, regional and local media.
- Make Your Press Releases Newsworthy: Any news you submit to the press must be relevant to their readers/viewers/listeners. Creativity comes in handy here. For instance, consider holding a contest or event that can be promoted before, during and after through a press release.
- Keep It Short: When first submitting a press release, a short "pitch" in the email or phone call is all media contacts have time for. For the press release itself, be topical and be brief (one to two pages max)!
- Follow Up: Instead of simply “checking up,” prepare new, interesting information to offer when following-up, such as new details or images from the event or of the jewelry you are promoting. Always send a thank you note or email after positive publicity.
Take The Tip:
The entire JIC Public Relations Handbook is available as a FREE download to JA members. Click here to download. JA members must log in to access the webpage.
Visit JIC's website, www.JIC.org, for jewelry buyer's guides, information and jewelry trends reports. You can also see expert examples of great PR by JIC spokeswomen Amanda Gizzi and Helena Krodel at the website's "News & Events" section.
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