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The Entrepreneurial Agenda by Robb Mandelbaum
Recent Entries
Inc.com Featured Blogs
March 25, 2008
The Secret Formula for Generating Crazy Amounts of PR.
Posted at 3:32 PM
This is an ironic title since this blog is, in fact, a press hit that will
go into our ever growing press kit. That kit that has more than 1,000
articles in it from the past couple of years (check out:
http://www.terracycle.net/media_coverage.htm), which works out to more than one
article every day! So what's the trick? Well here are five simple tips:
1. DO NOT HIRE A PR FIRM: This is the golden rule in my opinion for one
simple reason: PR firms are mostly in the business of getting a monthly
retainer and less in the business of getting you press. If they were really in
the business of getting you press, they would charge per article produced
with say a formula that was something like: "amount of space/time given
to your story" x "angle taken" x "value of that space" x "percentage
commission" = fee to PR firm. I have yet to find a PR firm that didn't
hang up the phone on me after I asked them to do that. Also, journalists -- according to my friends who are journalists -- strongly prefer to talk with the business
owners or someone from the company instead of with an outside consultant.
2. A PRESS RELEASE IS THE STORY: Many journalists are overworked, and if
you can give them a prepackaged story, you're golden. Most press releases
are boring, long, and not really the story. A killer press release is one
that the publisher can print word for word (with quotes and photos) if it chooses. Oh yeah, and it's all about the headline! The headline will make or break your
release.
3. WORK THE PHONES, NOT THE WIRE: Most people, once they've written their
press release, feed it into the news wire and think their job is done
because their story is just so good. But if you really want PR, you need to
call, e-mail, and keep calling the papers, magazines, TV shows, etc., that
you want to reach. Writers get hundreds of e-mails a day
and may not read your press release. So you have to call and get them on
the phone. Once you're on the phone, you have to care about the story and
be passionate about it in order to make them care. Also, research the writer before
you call. If you're asking writers to invest time in a story about your idea, you have to
invest a little in them.
4. LOCAL PAPERS: Did you know that there are more than 10,000 small local
papers across America. The staff size in these papers is tiny! They cannot get enough local content since they don't have enough people to cover the local baseball game or the bake sale at the local school. Instead, they often publish wire copy from the news services. Most businesses have hundreds of local story opportunities. For example, when we launch a product at a retailer, we draft local press releases for each of the retailers' stores. Then we call the local paper in that area and tell it how a local store is carrying a cool new product -- a product we deeply believe in -- and voila! There is a great chance that an article will be written. Here's an example:
http://www.bendweekly.com/Business/14778.html).
5. MAKE SURE THAT YOUR STORY IS INTERESTING, SEXY AND FUN: All of the above is pointless unless your story is interesting, sexy, and fun. And the person making the call has to care about it and can't sound like a lame telemarketer. Now, you may be saying to yourself: "My company isn't all that cool. I work in a gray office, a cubicle farm, and I'm launching a jump-to-conclusions doormat." Well, how about this title
for your press release: "From gray dread to a million bucks. Seeing this
company, you would have jumped to the wrong conclusion."
GOOD LUCK!
Try a RISK-FREE Issue of Inc. Today!
I would love to call and pitch a story idea about our CEO to Inc., but when I call your 212 number, it tells me to send all pitches to pitches@inc.com. :(
Dead on correct. Press Releases are a great way to get the word out. Adding a little old fashioned work ,calling / interacting with the papers, brilliant!
Wow, Good story!
So, let me get this straight.
You Call the targeted newspaper, magazine, Tv Station, and then ask them, " hey, let me speak to Tom Brokaw. I gotta great
story?"
Seems kinda hokey. Buy I will definitely try it.
MICHELLE: Don't call a central number. Check out beacons on another newspaper directory to get direct numbers.
JOHH: If you want to get on TV you would research the producer of the segment you want to be on and call that person.
Headline: Multimilionaire-turned-blogger looking for 7 future millionaires
Opening Para: He went from $30,000 in debt to $7mllion in the bank in just 7 years, now this self-made multimillionaire wants to show others how to do it, too.
The remainder of my Release would have to prove that it's not a scam ... am I onto something newsworthy?
You've got to be kidding me. From garbage to guru. Tom, stick to your garbage products, you don't know what you're talking about as it relates to PR
Who is the guy on May 14th that ripped Tom's PR strategy and did not leave a handle or name? Chicken! Oh no...I just did the same!
QUOTE:
Posted by: at May 14, 2008 3:53 PM
You've got to be kidding me. From garbage to guru. Tom, stick to your garbage products, you don't know what you're talking about as it relates to PR
Don't know what we're talking about?!?! Cute.
We have secured over 200 press hits in 2008 alone, including 3 feature articles in the New York Times. We are arguably one of the best branded eco-friendly start-ups on earth and have NEVER purchased a paid ad. In fact, preeminent magazines like Inc. think that we are so press worthy they give our CEO a permanent blog. But then again I guess that nameless poster is right, we don't anything about PR... keep it up Tom!
Tom:
Despite the fact that I am the CEO of a PR firm, I happen to agree with almost everything you've written. Taking the time to craft your story and then sharing that message one-on-one with the appropriate writers is the difference between effective PR and getting ignored.
That said, I am going to disagree with you slightly. First off, I think the title of Point #1 should read: "Do not hire 99% of the PR Firms out there." Most PR firms sell dreams of huge headlines but rarely deliver on their promise. As you said -- most companies are best served by handling their PR in-house.
However, if handling your PR in-house means you are going to skimp on Points #2-5 (usually due to bandwidth issues), then a company's results will be as lackluster as if they hired the overpriced PR firm.
I also have to disagree with your formula for figuring out the value of PR. PR firms should get you press or get fired, but equating the value of editorial coverage to the value of paid advertising makes no sense to me. PR firms should be held accountable by working without long-term contracts and by delivering press early and often. It's just that simple.
Josh Silverman
CEO, Ricochet PR
P.S. I found your company after reading your recent story in the LA Times.
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