Rembrandt’s Blog

If you want to obtain new customers, and keep them, you can use public relations to your advantage in three ways:

1. Build credibility.

By having your business mentioned in a major media venue, you obtain third-party credibility you simply cannot purchase via advertising methods.

Not only does a media mention help build awareness in front of your target market, you can also use this press clipping in your marketing efforts.

2. Promote successes.

If your customers have an impressive “before and after story” from using your products and services, be sure to get permission and tell the media their stories.

Not only do reporters love to hear exclusive stories about real people with real results, but this kind of publicity also help your customers get some media attention for their own marketing uses. It’s a win-win situation.

3. Write about your customers.

If you are preparing an original article to post on your site and share with the media, consider including a quote from a potential customer, sponsor or investor. 

This will allow you to develop a relationship and enhance the possibility of working together on future projects. Plus, it will give the potential clients some free publicity for their businesses. 

And if you decide to take this approach, be sure that your article offers important information and expertise without being a sales piece. You’ll get a lot more coverage and media respect for both you and your customers if you provide valuable content editors can use and share with their audiences.

Save Money and Get New Customers with PR
By using the media to build awareness for your business, you can increase credibility and build relationships with potential and current customers without spending a lot of money. 

Have questions? Please contact me below or at www.rembrandtwrites.com. I provide a lot of free information via my newsletter and various blogs and would love to help you out!

Before you contact reporters, it’s essential to conduct the appropriate research.

Do you know what topics they cover on a regular basis?

What newsworthy items are you going to share with them?

After all, media members receive hundreds of calls and e-mails each week, and you want to make a good, first-impression. Now, I’ve mentioned this several times via my articles at StartupNation, Pink Magazine and Nielsen’s Small Business Resource Center, but here’s a reminder list of the top ten questions you should never ask a reporter:

1. My client just created a new product, will you write about it next week?
2. What  is your column about?
3. How do you spell your name?
4. Will you write a feature story about our small businesses?
5. We are having a press event tonight, can you come?
6. Did you get my fax?
7. Are you going to write about the press release I just faxed to you?
8. Our CEO is available to speak to you now. Do you have 30 minutes to hear his story?
9. Can I proof your story before it goes to print for errors?
10. The local paper and CNN just did a major story about my client. Would you like to do the same story too?

These are just a few of the many, time-wasting questions reporters receive every day. What others do you have to add to this list?

Instead of asking irrelevant questions, please do your homework. Research the appropriate media venues and review archived and current articles, television programs, radio shows, etc.

Discover appropriate beats, deadlines and as much information as possible before you pick up the phone. You’ll save time and increase your chances of getting some good publicity. But most importantly, you’ll start to build a reputation as a valuable resource for future stories.

Check back soon for more PR tips. And if you have any questions or comments, please let me know. I’d love to hear from you! Thanks!

If you are worried about your business budget with current economic conditions, you may want to review your public-relations efforts.

By hiring the right PR consultant who acts as an extension of your team (and actually cares about your overall success), you can save time, money and effort for many reasons:

1.  Stop wasting time on PR and writing efforts and focus on core business-strategies to bring in new customers, partners and sponsors.

2.  Enjoy the benefits of media placements and third-party credibility that are impossible to purchase via advertising.

3.  Experience a snowball effect once your story hits a major press venue. This builds more awareness and media attention at no additional cost.

4.  Receive individual attention, know what is going on with publicity efforts at all times and work quickly and cost-effectively.

5.  Use all of your new media clippings in your marketing efforts to build sales. 

These are just a few examples of how the right publicist can help you save time, money and effort…so if you haven’t already done so, you may want to start researching potential candidates and move your PR activities up on your business priority checklist.

Check back on Thursday for tips on choosing the right publicist!

In the meantime, please post your comments below, or visit my website at www.rembrandtwrites.com. Thanks!