The key to any successful PR campaign revolves
around creating interest in your company - both
with your customers and with the media.
There's a famous saying that goes like this, "If
the circus is coming to town and you paint a sign
saying 'Circus Coming to the Fairground
Saturday,' that's advertising. If you put the
sign on the back of an elephant and walk him into
town, that's promotion. If the elephant walks
through the mayor's flowerbed, that's publicity.
If you can get the mayor to laugh about it,
that's public relations. And if you planned the
elephant's walk, that's marketing."
While this may seem like just a cute anecdote,
there is an important lesson to be learned from
it: A well-timed public relations (PR) campaign
can increase your businesses' chances of reaching
your target market with exactly what they want to
hear, when they are ready to hear it. Like most
PR experts, Marissa Verson Harrison, co-founder
and principal of California-based InterActive
Public Relations, agrees that this is not a
simple task, explaining "good strategic PR is an art."
The art of building a successful PR campaign
revolves around creating strong relationships
with the media and your customers, planning
special events and building an image - elements
that when combined gain publicity, or "buzz," for
your company. You need not spend thousands of
dollars creating buzz about your company,
however. Innovative methods, such as identifying
a media niche, creating a theme, and using trade
shows and celebrity spokespersons are all
publicity-generating vehicles for budget-minded businesses.
Can You Hear the Buzz?
You can garner attention for your company using a
variety of creative techniques, from basic media
relations to outrageous stunts. Fred Cook, a
general manager for Golin/Harris International
(GHI), says entrepreneurs who seek to generate
excitement about their businesses should start by
establishing local media contacts and building
long-lasting relationships with them. "On the
other end of the spectrum, staging a larger media
event or stunt related to a specific product or
announcement may help generate buzz about a company," he adds.
Cook helped create buzz for Southwest Airlines
with an out-of-the-box idea that complemented the
company's offbeat attitude. When Southwest
acquired Morris Air in 1994, they were thrust
into the cold corporate spotlight. To reinforce
Southwest's fun-loving company culture, GHI
arranged a quickie mock marriage in Las Vegas
between costumed characters "Southwest Spirit" and "Morris Magic."
An engagement announcement was distributed to the
media, and on the special day, an Elvis
impersonator "married" the blissful couple in
front of well-wishers from both airlines, with
flight attendants and pilots acting as the
wedding party. GHI then distributed a "marriage
announcement" to key media outlets nationwide. As
a result of the event, Cook says Southwest
Airlines gained extensive media coverage from the
likes of CNN, CBS Radio Network, Associated Press
Wire, Bloomberg Business News and more.
Staging Your Own Media Event
Trade shows can provide an excellent,
cost-effective arena for creating buzz about your
company and introducing new products or services
to a captive audience. Dave Lakhani, a former
small business owner and current sales director
for Idaho-based Cougar Mountain Software,
proposes turning trade shows into your own media
events. "Send engraved invitations to the media
that will be attending and have a special time
set aside for them," he suggests, "then dazzle them while you are there."
One company that put such a plan into motion is
Connecticut-based Verilux, Inc., a full spectrum
lighting company, which lit up the competition at
a recent national hardware trade show in Chicago.
To promote a line of healthy lighting products,
they featured a representative dressed up as a
"human light bulb" and circulated throughout the
convention center talking to attendees and posing
for photographs. The light bulb stood almost
eight feet tall, which made the Verilux booth
very visible to the attendees. "We also sent out
a press release before the show to let people
know to look for the human light bulb to find the
Verilux booth," says Dwight Robinson, Verilux's
account executive at California-based PR firm Christie Communications.
This bright idea for the human light bulb was a
collaborative effort between Robinson and Gillian
Christie, president of Christie Communications.
Robinson says of the thousands of trade show
exhibitors, only one other company used a costumed figure.
"All the other lighting companies were talking
about the Verilux light bulb. It was so unique
that even some of the trade show organizers and
personnel came by to get a photo with [him]. This
brought a tremendous amount of media attention
including that of the Detroit News and the Chicago Sun-Times," boasts Robinson.
Finding Your Media Niche
When it comes to approaching the media to attract
buzz, customizing your message is the only way to
get their attention. After all, you don't carry
on the exact same conversation with everyone you
know, so why would you send every newspaper the same press release?
"Each media outlet has different story needs and
a different audience," says Anthony Mora,
president and CEO of Anthony Mora Communications,
Inc. and author of "Alchemy of Success," a how-to
book describing successful media tactics. Before
attempting to pitch your story to an editor, Mora
advises asking yourself what would make a
disinterested party want to read an article about
your company. "Once you hit on the 'hook,'" he says, "you have a story."
"An explosion of both new companies and new media
is generating stiff competition in the
marketplace of public awareness," says Rob Roth,
business-to-business communications specialist at
BSMG Worldwide. "It's also creating a gold mine
of opportunities to reach the audiences that
matter to you." Roth says when you find a media
niche for your business, you engage in your
industry's dialogue, establish a company
presence, create an awareness and build credibility.
Roth explains that entrepreneurs can also
generate a buzz by identifying their own media
niche. He cites, as an example, his schoolmate at
Northwestern University, Sam Jones, co-founder of
Mercator Group, a Chicago-based business
acquisition consulting firm, who found an
African-American minority media niche and turned
it into free press exposure for his company.
"Using talent and determination, [Jones] not only
won admittance to a top university but worked to
pay his own way through it. During school, he
traveled the Midwest, speaking to minority youth
about achieving for one's self and community. He
now brings that same ability and determination to
the company he helped found. That's news," insists Roth.
Jones was one of four entrepreneurs featured in
the Boston Business Journal's annual "minorities
in business" focus section. He is but one example
of an entrepreneur who took on the media without a PR firm and succeeded.
"The beautiful part for entrepreneurs is that
most everyone and every business has a story to
tell, a distinctive voice than can make a space
for itself amid the noise," Roth explains. "As we
enter the new millennium, good entrepreneurial
media relations is primarily about identifying
your story and determining who cares about it."
It can be time-consuming, he warns, but this kind
of work is inexpensive and can give the business
owner a greater understanding of his industry.
Celebrity Buzz
When celebrities appear in a company's product
advertisements, it can create a very loud buzz.
Art Siegel, publisher of Florida-based
SalesDoctors magazine, says this happens for two
reasons: "We are unconsciously drawn to the
familiar. So, right off the bat, the presence of
a celebrity gives many customers an extra reason
to stop and pay attention to the ad. Second is
the widespread belief that a celebrity appearance
in an ad represents a true endorsement - that the
celebrity uses the product and believes it to be better than its competitors."
Siegel adds that celebrity endorsements can carry
the same weight for customers as a recommendation from a friend.
"While the illusion is that the celebrity is
endorsing the vendor's product or service, the
job of celebrity spokesperson is strictly
business," explains Siegel. He says if you can
afford the celebrity's fee, you have as good an
opportunity of attracting the celebrity's
services as any other company. "And many
celebrities cost much less than one would expect.
A well-known person might work on a television
commercial for $10,000 or less per day. To the
celebrity, $10,000 per day is very nice income.
To the business owner, who then runs that ad on
television 100 times, the talent
fee-per-appearance is really quite small," he says.
Celebrity spokespersons are usually represented
by agents who serve as brokers. If you're
interesting in contracting the services of a
celebrity spokesperson, Siegel suggests
contacting several agents, describing your
business goals, then asking for recommendations
on available celebrities who best fit your
product or promotion. "The key to making
celebrities work for a company is finding someone
who will be credible for your product. That's
more important than how famous they are. If you
sell plant food, find a famous horticulturist,
not just an actor. If you sell coffee, find a
famous chef. And if you sell carpet cleaning,
find someone who is recognized in decorating or
living in a fine home," says Siegel. "The closer
the fit, the greater the perceived endorsement value."
In one such innovative marketing relationship,
PostNet Postal and Business Services has teamed
up with NFL players to create their own buzz in
the pack-and-ship industry. Steven Greenbaum,
CFE, president and CEO of Nevada-based PostNet
International Franchise Corp., conceived the
idea. "Conceptually, it made a lot of sense to
utilize a spokesperson who had to make the same
kind of commitment to his career that we did to
succeed in our business," he explains of the teaming concept.
Rather than a single personality, PostNet
franchisees sign various known sports figures to
work in specific regions. "We wanted more than
just a program that would heighten brand
awareness," Greenbaum says. "With the support of
the athlete in the local market, we're also
increasing sales of products and services."
PostNet's offerings include packaging and
delivery of time-sensitive materials and various
business-support services such as printing,
binding and laminating. NFL players, like former
San Franciso 49er and four-time Super Bowl
champion Ronnie Lott, help generate a marketing
buzz in home territories by allowing their name
and endorsement to be used in local, regional and
national advertising campaigns, making personal
appearances in local stores, and participating in
joint community-service efforts. The athletes are
then compensated based on the performance of the territories they represent.
So how did PostNet land such a plum deal? "I
believe [the athletes] share our strong desire to
compete and succeed in the marketplace," says
Greenbaum. "They know we have put our hearts and
souls and everything we own into developing this
business. Winners are always interested in winning opportunities."
Not only did Greenbaum believe the company and
the players shared a similar philosophy, but he
was also not afraid to approach them. "In
business or life you don't get anything without
asking," he says bluntly. "You might be surprised
to learn that the person you are asking just
might be flattered by the request and thrilled
about the opportunity to endorse your small business."
Why Some Companies Get All the Buzz
Have you ever wondered why the same companies
seem to attract all of the media coverage? No
matter where you turn - newspapers, trade
magazines, even lifestyle publications - it seems
that some businesses are just natural media
darlings. Do they know some secret that the rest
of us don't? According to Kris Bondi, founder of
California-based Communications Network
Worldwide, the answer is probably not all that
mysterious. "Companies that get all the buzz
usually have a good marriage of solid or
innovative product or service with good promotional ideas," she explains.
Silicon Valley-based interactive software
developer Marimba is a prime example of a company
that has been getting all the buzz in the
software industry since its 1996 inception. Not
only does Marimba have cutting-edge products and
a very visible CEO in Kim Polese, but Bondi says
they captured the media's attention, then
maintained it, by creating relationships.
"The best way to get the industry's attention is
with a 'first, biggest or best' of a new product
or service. If you are the second company to
offer something, you are already at a
disadvantage, but if you can show why yours is
different than the rest, you are on your way to
getting buzz. Marimba's success is due, in part,
to being consistently evaluated by independent
organizations such as PC Magazine as having a superior product," she explains.
It is a myth, Bondi says, that companies like
these have to spend a lot of money on marketing
to become buzz magnets: "Too many companies think
they need to do ongoing promotions. They are
wasting money. Promotions are important, but
there needs to be something behind it." She cites
Nabisco, maker of Oreo cookies, as an example of
one of the best and least-expensive promotions
she has seen. During a 1997 news assembly at the
National Restaurant Association conference, the
cunning cookie company generated an economical
buzz by listing the event in daily conference
announcements, in addition to distributing a
"media alert" that they were holding the press
briefing. The information given out was not
ground breaking at all, she explains, but Nabisco
had an ace up its sleeve: They fed the news
conference attendees milk and Oreos. As a result,
the company had a packed house of hungry
reporters and PR people listening to their announcement.
"This wasn't an expensive promotion, but it was
effective. It fit the company culture and
accomplished Nabisco's goal of getting reporters
to their news conference," Bondi explains.
Media Kits Build Media Relationships
There are several strategies for developing media
kits, but experts agree a visually appealing
media kit, with professional photos and
well-written press releases are an important
resource for creating buzz. A good media kit will
pique an editor's curiosity and gain the company free publicity.
Ogilvy PR Worldwide (OPR) specializes in the
production of strategic media materials. Sherry
Pudloski, a senior vice president at OPR, says,
"While the appearance of the kit can peak a
reporter's interest, the buzz a company is
looking to create comes from the effort put
behind the kit, from the development of the
content to the follow-up discussions with
reporters." She says the biggest mistake most
companies make in creating media kits is making
it look or read like a company or product
advertisement. "The goal of distributing a kit is
to generate a story, but also to provide a
valuable resource. If you can demonstrate a
perspective beyond your company and can tie in
the relevance of your company to the broader
business environment, you'll become a valued resource," explains Pudloski.
"If you respect their deadlines and are helpful,
not pushy, you will build relationships," Bondi adds.
So what should be included in a professional
media kit? Just the facts. Experts say less is
more, information-wise. Terri Firebaugh,
principal of Firebaugh Communications, a PR firm
that specializes in small- to mid-sized
businesses, says small business owners should
include a company biography, a professional
photograph of the key players and the product or
performance of a service, a fact sheet and a
recent news release geared toward the target
audience. But, Firebaugh says, you should never
include sales information in a press kit.
The budget for a first-time professional media
kit varies, depending on labor and materials.
Smaller firms can be contracted to develop press
kits for as little as $500 while larger media
houses may charge up to $8,000. However, experts
warn a half-baked press kit could do more harm
than good, so you shouldn't skimp on value. If
the information is not presented professionally,
your company's image will suffer.
Further, without functionality, your packet is
likely to end up in the circular file (read:
wastepaper basket) of a busy reporter's office.
Press releases are often the backbone of an
appealing media kit. "A well-written news release
serves as an outline of what the story is. If the
release is written like a news story, and it
actually has news in it, it is more likely to
interest the reporter in doing a piece on it,"
says Bondi. If you are not a good writer, hire
one, adds Lakhani. "Third- and fourth-year PR
students make good PR writers," he suggests.
Including published clips about your company is a
popular tactic, however, Bondi says sending
reprints from other publications can sometimes
backfire. "The New York Times does not want to
see that The Washington Post covered this story
last month. The response you will receive is that
the story has been covered." Bondi also warns:
Don't change the date on news releases. "A news
release is a snapshot in time. If you are caught
changing the date on news releases to make them
appear 'fresher,' reporters will not trust that
anything you tell them is current," she explains.
Professional artwork is also important and should
always be included in a professional media kit.
"It should contain graphics in a variety of
formats as well as black-and-white and color
pictures for scanning," says Lakhani. A
well-prepared media kit will provide an editor
with everything he or she needs to run a story on your company.
Creating Buzz by Creating a Theme
Savvy companies use media kits to create buzz by
creating a theme. Mike Neumeier, group director
of business-to-business technology for
Atlanta-based Duffey Communications, says small
businesses must use creative media kits to break
through the clutter on a reporter's desk. He says
themed press kits can help personify a company.
For example, Duffey created a Denmark software
maker's media kit around a cowboy theme, which
included a bull whip and press release stating,
"In the wild, wild world of Windows, we're
whipping business into shape." Similarly,
Duffey's client Navision Software smoked out the
competition with a cigar box theme. Neumeier says
reporters couldn't resist the package, which
included an actual cigar, lighter and cutter.
However, Neumeier stresses props must be used
correctly to be effective. "It needs to capture
the spirit and message of the product, company,
organization or event. In public relations
creativity for the sake of creativity is
dangerous - that is what art is for. In the
marketing communications field creativity needs
to contribute to the bottom line. Often it is
used to make the company stand out or to show
that the company is a thought leader. In the end,
pushing up the bottom line is what matters," he insists.
Creating themes can be expensive, but need not
always be, says Neumeier. You can utilize
technology, for instance, to equalize the cost of
a theme-based promotion. Last Christmas, Duffey
dressed its Web site in holiday garb, complete
with Christmas lights and a tree. "We then
disseminated a release letting our targeted media
know about how we had 'decked the Internet
halls,'" says Neumeier. The result: Duffey Web
traffic analysis reports indicated that more
people visited the site in December than any
other month in 1997. "All it took was a little
creativity surrounding a likable theme," explains Neumeier.
Contrarily, sometimes the best press kit is no
press kit at all. When the Boston Beer Company,
maker of Samuel Adams beer, started out, the
company consisted of its founder Jim Koch and his
secretary. Koch himself became the information
vehicle for the media. "If we had sent a big, fat
press kit, we would have left the incorrect
impression that there was a company there," says
Sally Jackson, founder of PR firm Jackson & Co.
Koch went door-to-door selling the recipe that
had been his great-great grandfather's and
embarked on a telephone calling campaign to media
and restaurateurs as part of his PR stratagem.
"In that case, the media, who covered the story,
created the buzz. And we did it without a press
release, a product photo or anything like that.
It was a couple of months later that we issued
our first press release, and that was only after
we'd been voted Best Beer In America at the Great
American Beer Festival," says Jackson.
Getting the Word Out
Experts say mass distribution of media kits can
be expensive and ineffective. "The best way to
distribute media kits depends on what you are
trying to accomplish," says Bondi. She suggests
selected mailings to targeted reporters. "For the
smaller outlets, you can usually just send them a
release," says Firebaugh. However, she says for
larger national outlets, very individualized
mailings are more appropriate. Follow-ups are
just as important as the initial mailings.
Experts agree three days is the standard waiting
time, unless breaking news is involved.
Bondi offers some final buzz words: "Make sure
when you are pitching a reporter you actually
have news or a reason why your company should be
profiled. When you build a relationship with a
reporter they will cover you again - ultimately,
that is how you create ongoing buzz that will help your business grow."
Copyright © 2003 Virtual Advisor, Inc. All rights reserved.
