Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

well, it depends on which area or country are you from?

Even if you work with the 'best' PR firm there's no guarantee that you'll get coverage in the magazines you desire. Great PR firms will put forth 110% by creating compelling press materials, writing newsworthy pitches and being proactive with desired publications to try and get clients coverage. Sometimes that can be accomplished with a feature story release - other times it's finding a creative way to tie your business into a newsworthy topic or event. Be cautious of any firms that guarantee coverage in these publications.

Good luck!

Hi, we aren't based in the US, but I just wanted to add my two cents worth.

PR is definitely something to consider. As everyone has mentioned, there are no guarantees with PR (like advertising). However if you have a good, unique and newsworthy story to tell, you will have a good chance of getting great coverage.

Sometimes it is worth offering your preferred magazine an exclusive story. You may get one fabulous feature story instead of several smaller pieces in other publications, but the results may be much better.

The benefits of PR over advertising are both cost and credibility. We did a launch campaign for a client which cost only $3,500. The coverage achieved equated to an advertising spend of around $120,000, and they got good coverage in all their target media.

Credibility is also a key factor. As you said, a potential customer is much more likely to believe an article where a journalist comments favourably about your product/service/business, compared to a paid for advertisement.

When you look for a PR agency, ask lots of questions. Try to find an agency which has done similar campaigns and has lots of contacts in the publications that you want to target. Ask them about their particular contacts on the spot, for example, ask 'So who do you know at xxx magazine?'. If they can't answer instantly, go elsewhere. They should be dealing with key publications on a daily or weekly basis. And getting good coverage is all about the relationships they have with the media.

Good luck!

Cheers
Margot.

CEO, Holy Mackerel Group
Australia

There are no guarantees with any of the outreach you can do, but by using a specialist with experience and a history of results you certainly improve your chances of making it work.

I have worked with these guys in the past and they are dynamite. They have experience of getting serious coverage all over the country. Call the owner, Saul, and he'll be able to help you.

Markowitz Communications

They're based in Pittsburgh, in the US, but they have clients all over the country.

Good luck with this - PR can be a lot of fun when done right and with the right people.

Claire