There is no doubt that effective public relations can boost your company image if handled professionally.

Press coverage in newspapers/magazines/online of your company developments or staff activities raises the profile of the business, which in turn can help to improve brand awareness, generate sales and attract new employees.

If your company is referred to regularly in the trade or general press, the public will unconsciously remember the name and they are more likely to think of the company when they have a need for the kind of product or services it offers.

Positive PR can also help to attract good applicants for advertised job vacancies. People like working for companies that have a positive public image - even if only in the local community.

Good PR is any kind of reference in the media which gives a positive impression of the business. This may take the form of a news story, focused around some development in the company, or a comment from a member of staff on an issue being reported generally in the press.

How do we deliver a good story to the media?

This can take the form of a product or service launch/ Sponsorship or charity activity or maybe winning an award. This will generate good PR and the media will buy it.

Generating good PR takes time. Maintaining and building relationships with appropriate local, trade or national journalists to target stories to, is essential. 

If your brand is newsworthy, PR officers will respond promptly to press enquiries.  Even ordinary events can be given an interesting angle.

A good rule PR officers will follow when approaching the media: Will the readers of this publication think this is interesting, entertaining, informative or useful?

Self-interested, veiled attempts at promoting your business will fall flat. The media does not care about your company's success unless their readers care about it. The media does not care about your new product unless you can help them understand how their readers are longing to know about the problems it solves.

Have Real News
There is nothing that gets the media's attention like news. Now, what you think is news may not actually be newsworthy, but if you have won a significant contract or licensed a new technology you may indeed have a story that provides a reporter with a news angle.

Be First
Everyone seems fascinated with things that are first: the first company to feature a technology, the first company to do a certain type of project, the first company in the area to win a national award, etc.

Be Unique
Sometimes you can receive positive publicity by simply doing or offering something that is unique. An unheard-of guarantee, service technicians in tuxedos, balloon telegrams for marketing are all examples of unique practices.

Local Angles on National Stories
If some aspect of your business is making national headlines, you may be able to weigh in with the local media on a local angle of the story. Local news reporters often prefer to quote local sources even when they are covering a national story. Has some legislation recently passed that impacts your industry? Has a major lawsuit been settled? Is a new product, service, or innovation receiving coverage? It is critical that you watch the national news trends to stay on top of these opportunities.

Ties to a Trend
Your association and industry publications often report on industry and marketing trends. Reporters love to get a jump on a coming trend. You can put yourself in the middle of a story by simply pointing out something that may be happening in other parts of the country that ties your company or product to a recognised trend.

Overcoming Adversity
Everyone loves a story with a great ending. If you personally or your firm has overcome some adversity, this may be a great source for a story.

People Stories
Promotions, new hires, awards, board appointments, wedding, births, and all other manner of story that involves people in your firm and what they do on and off the job can be a good source for story ideas.

If you have discovered a unique way to solve a problem that your target market has or that impacts other firms in your same industry, you may have a story idea that WeSolutions can use to take your business to the media. We will emphasise your unique tactics, add a media angle and deliver coverage to your door.

 
Linsey Bholah
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