Once you start pitching the media, you may find
yourself sucked into the fast world of deadlines
and being connected to your “Blackberry leash”
almost 24/7.
And even though you are working like a dog, you
still may have to deal with…
“Why are we not seeing more sales?”
“Why did that reporter misquote me?
“Why is the competition in this article and we aren’t?”
“I’m sorry. We just wrote about that topic. And while
you have a good pitch, we just can’t write the story
about your client right now.”
Or worst of all… the phone doesn’t ring, the e-mails
stop and nothing seems to be happening.
Welcome to the World of Public Relations!
When you get a big, media hit and the buzz is flowing,
it can be very exciting.
Your clients are happy.
The reporters are happy.
You’re happy.
And this final result usually comes from lots of hard work
and some amount of luck.
The whole process can be a very bumpy roller
coaster ride… so with this in mind, here are a few tips
to help keep you from stressing out as you pursue some
publicity for your business:
- Get organized.
Before pitching the media, figure out your goals.
Who are you pitching and why?
What are you going to say, and what do you hope to happen?
By pursuing your PR activities with the right mindset, you’ll have a
better understanding of what you’re trying to do. Plus, you’ll
give a better pitch and increase your chances of being heard.
- Have a back-up plan.
Let’s say your pitch is a total flop.
What are you going to do now?
Be prepared to have “Plan B” ready.
Think about how you can use this information in other ways.
Perhaps, you can create an article, write a blog or post the
information on a social media venue?
This way, you’ll still get some buzz out of your pitch and
be able to move on to your next, strategic idea.
- Communicate.
Whether your PR activities are going well or not, be sure to talk
to your boss, clients and appropriate co-workers on a regular basis.
Let everyone know what is going on. And while it may be difficult, if
a particular activity fails, talk about it.
What went wrong and why?
What steps are you going to take to remedy the situation
and improve the outcome next time?
This way, you have an action plan to move forward, and your
clients will know you are working on the issue and care about
the results.
Don’t worry. Everyone fails at some point.
Public relations is a fast-paced world filled with stress. Most of the time,
you will work hard and not see big media hits. But when you do, all
of your efforts will seem worthwhile.
In the process, please don’t take it personal. After all, this is business.
Try to put your personal feelings aside and think about the goals
of your business and/or clients.
Develop a thick skin for rejection by focusing on your plan, staying
organized and communicating with the appropriate people involved.
This way, you can reduce your stress and enjoy more publicity success.
Need help with your SEO public relations and copywriting? Please
write to me here or at www.rembrandtwrites.com.
