portland ten guerilla public relations: tips for free & effective public relations & social...

Guerilla Public Relations

WINTER 2010

Guerilla Public Relations

The practice of public relations is a sophisticated method for moving forward a business’ growth objectives. It is strategic, relying on an extensive base of knowledge, and tools, to get the job done.

Except you are an entrepreneur, and you don’t have time.

Guerilla PR is for you.

22www.StephensonGroup.comwww.StephensonGroup.com

Answer: cat herding


OK, Now Really:

According to the Public Relations Society of America:

“Public relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other.”


Public relations’ success relies on conversations about and with your company, conducted with credible, impartial third-party sources:

Journalists Bloggers / Social Media Influencers Trade Analysts Market Influencers Consumers

These conversations are the key to your company’s success


Public Relations = Conversations

Your company can discuss the value of your solution to the marketplace in a way that is meaningful to the customer.

You can hear back from your marketplace. They can tell you:

If they agree with you If there are other solutions you could be

providing It there is a problem you need to address NOW If they are willing to be customers


The Conversation: It Takes Two

MYTH TRUTH

You need to give journalists a “snow job” so that they’ll write a great story about your company

Journalists are like your mother – you will not fool them. They have eyes in the back of their head. Be truthful. Be smart.

Journalists will write your story if they know how much you “need” the story. They owe you that.

Journalists are in the news business. Tell them about your company in a way that is important to their bosses: Their readers. They owe you nothing but accuracy.

Be their friends: They’ll write great stories.

Yes. No. Being likable helps – but nothing beats a good news story.

Long conversations are good Nope. Tell your story succinctly.


Public Relations: Myth Busting

PR Tool Why it’s in the Kit

Media Pitch: Email, text, call or Tweet directly to journalists

Journalists need news they can use – you need to know how to get it to them

Action Plan: Calendar important business milestones; use PR tactics to promote them

Plan your PR support for key business activities: solution launches, customer wins, new hires – think ahead and be flexible

News Release: 1-2 page summary of your company’s business news

Consistent, professional way to “speak” to journalists about your company and its newsworthy events

Social Media: Web conversation with journalists/customers/others

They’ll be talking about you – join and inspire the conversation


The Public Relations Crash Kit:Guerrilla PR for Entrepreneurs

The Basics Don’t interrupt a deadline. Be polite. Get to the point. Thank them. They owe you nothing.

Get to the Point Have your key points organized and ready. Tell your news first, then explain. Keep the journalist’s attention.

Know the News Understand “who” the journalist writes for. Speak from that perspective. Know the news of your industry and how your story fits.


How to talk to a journalist: THE PITCH

What is your news?

Who are you pitching to?

What’s important to THAT journalist?

What are you going to say?


Five Minute Exercise:BUILD YOUR PITCH

ActionItem

PR Tactics

The BuckStops Here

Start/End

Notes

New product

News release

Editor advance Tweet/ blog/Facebook

Name Oct 15 2010:

Start PR outreach. End Nov 15th

Offer advance to

Journalist, send release after. Media calls/emails with additional news

New hire: CIO


The Public Relations Crash Kit:ACTION PLAN

Write down three things you want to accomplish with your business.

Are they newsworthy (Really)?

Write down when (approximately) these things will happen.

Write down the PR activities you will use to announce them.

Start/stop dates? Responsible Party? Notes?


Five Minute Exercise:BUILD AN ACTION PLAN

Basic structure of a News Release: HEADLINE: generally about 80 to 125 characters.

SUBHEAD: a supporting sentence that expands on the headline.

MAIN BODY: Within the body of the release, the first paragraph, also known as the lead, is the most critical. You should construct the lead paragraph so that, even if a journalist reads no further, he will understand the reason for your news release.

BOILERPLATE: the anchor (end) portion of the release that provides a concise description of your company and offering. Target length is three-four sentences.


The News Release: Building Blocks

DO: Be interesting.

DON’T: Be Boring.

DO: Be factual.

DON’T: Use hyperbole or sales language.

DO: Think social media and web. Optimize. Link. Embed widgets to:

Share – Comment – Favorite/Rank. Include audio & video.

DO: Include multiple ways to contact you.


The News Release: Do’s & Don’ts

Social media: Constantly changing. Know why you’re there: Identify result goals. Know who you want to speak with. Know what you want to talk about. Blogs: Good foundation for company conversation. Interact- No monologue: No one likes a bore. Be authentic & honest: Conversation, not sales. And don’t fib. Find your community: Build your SM where they live. 1515www.StephensonGroup.comwww.StephensonGroup.com

Social Media: Common Sense

Rules: Have clear ground rules for your SM team.

Be reliable: Be consistent in how often you engage.

Be recognizable: Be consistent in your “voice.”

Think before your post: NO do-overs in social media.


Social Media, cont.

ARE YOU READY TO CAT HERD?


Questions? Comments?

Pam AbrahamssonVice President, Account Manager

[email protected](m) 503.298.97498216 N. Edison StreetSuite 4 • Portland, OR 97203Skype IM: Pam_Abrahamsson Twitter: Twitter.com/Pam_A

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/pabrahamssonpr

Stephenson Group is a national public relations agency, specializing in emerging

technology and Fortune 500 clients.

1818www.StephensonGroup.comwww.StephensonGroup.com 1818www.StephensonGroup.comwww.StephensonGroup.com

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