Don’t Read the News, Be the News!

Publicity is an interesting concept. There is no shortage of opinion on what it means and how it is used. From a public relations perspective, publicity is messaging from your organization that is deemed worthy of attention by the media. Although publicity as a rule is largely uncontrollable, PR professionals are experts at finding the newsworthy wherever it exists. Great news comes in many forms, including:

1. Timely news: Have you ever noticed that certain groups of stories dominate the airwaves? Great stories snowball, causing more and more “spin-off stories.”

2. Significance: Does your story affect a lot of people? Then tell them about it!

3. Local/Proximity: Local news is founded on it. If you are important to the community you operate in, they should know about it.

4. Unusual: Sometimes life is predictable. It’s when it isn’t that we pay attention.

5. Human interest: If your story tears at the heartstrings, speaks to the human condition, or displays great feats of courage or ingenuity, people will pay attention.

6. New: Pretty simple. If it’s new it’s news.

7. Celebrity: Celebrities dominate public consciousness. This is definitely the easiest way to get publicity.

Publicity isn’t always easy to spot in your own work. Your best bet is to go to the experts! Public relations professionals are trained to see the newsworthy in your messaging. They can put you on the map!

With years of public relations experience, Kathryn Kates Public Relations knows a thing or two about publicity. We invite you to check out our website, or join the Kathryn Kates Public Relations Facebook Fan Page. We would love to hear from you.

Choosing the Right PR Firm For You

Yesterday, we discussed the importance of doing Public Relations instead of just thinking about it. A proactive and continuous approach to public relations is the most effective way of maximizing your organization’s communication.

Assuming you are ready to take the leap onto the Public Relations bandwagon, here are some important things to take into consideration when choosing the right PR firm for you:

1. Your PR goal: Do you need PR to do up a crisis plan, or to get you through a crisis? How about to integrate your communications and engage key stakeholders. Will you need PR advice daily, weekly, or erratically? All of these things factor into your choice of a PR agency. Don’t know the answer to these questions? A PR firm will gladly help you understand your PR needs!

2. Location, Location, Location: As we have discussed before, physical proximity is becoming increasingly irrelevant in our globalized world. More important is a PR firm’s knowledge of your geographic, demographic and social markets. As many organizations have many such markets, it is advisable to choose a firm with a wide variety of knowledge and expertise.

3. Expertise: Speaking of expertise, it is obviously important to pick a firm that knows what you and your competitors do. Your best bet here is a boutique PR firm with expertise not only in your field, but in many other fields applicable to what you do. A wide knowledge and expertise base demonstrates the creativity you want applied to your company.

4. Reputation: Your PR firm is looking to work for you. Like any new employee, references and reputation demonstrate value. Don’t be afraid to ask around. If a firm is worth it they will have nothing to hide!

5. Basis in media: Although the world of social media is changing media as we know it, traditional media isn’t going anywhere. A PR firm should have a strong basis in media, with contacts and media savvy.

Kathryn Kates Public Relations is a boutique PR firm specializing in traditional public relations, corporate photography and media relations training. We employ staff with a variety of specialties so as to diversify our collective expertise. We invite you to visit our website or to follow us on Facebook. We would love to hear from you.

Don't Just Think PR, Do PR

It’s hard to make the decision about HOW to promote your business. With so many options, it’s easy to revert back to the classic advertising, sales promotions or direct sales. To really connect with your customers, however, you need to take that next step. That is, don’t just think PR, do it! Here’s why:

Get with the Times

You may think that you can wait for a few big sales before you begin to promote your business. But what if those sales never come? What if they won’t come until you get your name out to the public? The time to promote yourself is now, and what better way to do it than with PR? A PR campaign can happen quickly and efficiently.

More Bang for Your Buck

Unless you have the budget to get a Super Bowl ad timeslot, or employ an entire Canadian sales force, PR is right for you. PR professionals have a knack for getting media attention in very creative ways. The best campaigns may even cost a fraction of a regular marketing plan.

Make Those Connections

Especially for small and medium-sized businesses, it’s crucial to build relationships with your customers. PR is about just that. It’s about two-way communication, buzz creation and mutual satisfaction. So are you ready to invest in PR?

Kathryn Kates can get the word out about your business. We invite you to check out our website, or join the Kathryn Kates Public Relations Facebook Fan Page. We would love to hear from you.

Is PR Marketing? Is Marketing PR?

Public Relations is the most ambiguous term in the English language. Ask a person on the street, and they would say it’s like advertising, promotions or selling. But is that really what PR is all about? Is it the same thing as marketing, or is it a separate entity? Here is what we can tell you:

Marketing defined

The basic purpose of marketing is to provide value to the end-user of a product or service. This is done by positioning a brand a certain way and aligning each part of the marketing mix with this vision. The goal of marketing is to achieve sales. Simply put, marketing is about the product.

PR defined

PR is about building relationships with multiple stakeholders; the media, consumers, government and shareholders, to name a few. The goal of PR is not just to sell, but to raise awareness, change attitudes or influence behaviours. Simply put, PR is about the people.

PR + Marketing = What?

So how do PR and marketing work together?

- PR is an essential part of the promotional mix, and can be used as a low-budget marketing tool

- Marketing is part of PR in reaching a consumer audience

- PR and marketing together can effectively communicate your company's key messages

Really, the two go hand-in-hand, especially when it comes to putting the word out about your business.

Kathryn Kates knows how to maximize the use of PR for marketing your business. We invite you to check out our website, or join the Kathryn Kates Public Relations Facebook Fan Page. We would love to hear from you.