How to raise the profile of your business in the press

Do you read stories in newspapers and trade magazines about your competitors? Perhaps you know your company is as successful as they are with just as many positive stories to tell, but none of the articles you have submitted have been published.

How to raise the profile of your business in the press

The first thing to understand is that journalists are not in the business of providing free publicity. Their role is to produce newsworthy articles that are of genuine interest to their readers.

The aim is to build productive, working relationships with journalists that will help you provide relevant information that they genuinely want to publish. And the word ‘relevant’ is key. Different journalists write in different ways for different audiences and it is essential that you develop a good understanding of their requirements before submitting any information to them.

A Bath newspaper, for example, is unlikely to be interested in the fact that you’ve opened a new office in Bristol – but it may well prick up its ears if you explain that you’ve had to recruit specialist staff from Bath to address local skills shortages.

Be strategic with your PR efforts

Publicity for its own sake is rarely worth your time and effort. Any efforts to secure publicity on behalf of yourself, your staff and your business, need to form part of a carefully thought out strategy which supports your broader commercial objectives.

It’s essential that you get together with your management team – perhaps with guidance and support from a PR consultant or your Business Link adviser - to explore the rationale behind your proposed publicity drive.

For example, you may have ambitious expansion plans which rely on you being able to attract and retain high calibre staff. You therefore have two pressing needs: firstly, to position yourself as a highly successful, forward-looking employer that looks after and invests in its staff, and secondly, to ensure that existing and potential customers know who you are, what you do, and why you are better at it than any one else.

You could take out a series of advertisements, or, more credibly and cost-effectively, you could develop regular editorial which supports and helps you achieve these aims.

Know your market

Coming up with newsworthy material is one thing – understanding who the information is aimed at is another. It’s important to develop a clear and realistic understanding of your target audiences:

• Who are the decision-makers?
• What size companies do they work for or run?
• Where are these companies based?
• How are they influenced?
• What publications do they read?

Focus on the message you want your PR to get across

Once you’ve established why you want to create ‘noise’ about your business and you’ve identified and prioritised your target audiences, it’s worth giving some thought to what you want to say and how you want to be positioned.

Seeing your company’s name in print can be immensely satisfying but if the article does not position you in the right way, create the desired impression or communicate specific aspects of your service and expertise, it’s unlikely to have the required effect.

By consistently describing your company in the same way and communicating three or four key ideas which differentiate you from others in your field, you are much more likely to succeed in getting your message across.

Spread the word with good press releases

Press releases are a useful means of providing journalists with information and a good proportion of business articles begin their life in this way. However, journalists are bombarded with hundreds of press releases on a daily basis so it’s essential that yours stands out from the crowd.

A good headline and powerful first paragraph which clearly identifies the news angle and its relevance to the readership, are fundamental. Avoid jargon at all costs and remember the acronym KISS: Keep It Short and Simple.

Press releases are by no means the only way of disseminating information. Pick up the telephone and discuss your story with the journalists you want to target. They will be quick to let you know whether it’s of interest and in what format they require the information.

Don’t lose heart if your story gets a cold or indifferent response: think of the discussion as a door opener: an opportunity to introduce your business to an influential opinion-former and to gain a better understanding of the type of stories and expert commentary most likely to press their buttons.

Journalists are very busy and may be up against a deadline when you ring; if you get brushed off first time, keep trying. Remember, pro-activity and perseverance are key.

About the Author
Kelly Davis has been working in the field of PR and marketing for the past nine years and has extensive industry knowledge of the recruitment, human resources and people management arenas. She can be contacted at NB! Public Relations on 0117 9254946 or via www.nb-publicrelations.co.uk