It’s once again time to dip into the PR Fuel mailbag for another batch of reader queries. How much do I charge for public relations services? Can a newswire service refuse to distribute my press release? Come find out the answers to these puzzlers from the world of public relations. Read More
No one wants to be the person known for “crying wolf.” Yet that’s precisely the reputation many public relations consultants develop after sending out countless press releases with little newsworthy content. These public relations spammers risk losing credibility with editors and reporters. When they finally do have an earth shattering press release, it may end up filling a waste paper basket rather than newspaper column inches. So when is your press release really newsworthy? Here’s are a few simple steps to ensure you’re getting as much good publicity as possible out of your press release. Read More
A press release is undoubtedly important when it comes to drumming up publicity for your business. But should it be the *most* important part of your public relations strategy? A press release may not even be the best way for your company or clients to get publicity for a new product or an important announcement. The following four ideas may actually be more effective than a traditional press release. Read More
How do you polish a tarnished image? For celebrities, a tearful interview or two will go a long way to help sway the court of public opinion. But for a company or organization, a tarnished image requires a lot more public relations polish than an appearance on Larry King. Read More
So it’s time to put together a public relations/publicity strategy for your business or organization. The task can seem overwhelming. But if you break the job of public relations planning down into smaller steps, you’ll soon have it together. Here’s one way to put together an effective public relations strategy. Read More
The public relations industry and the media have always enjoyed a curious relationship. Those in the public relations industry will tell you that the media can’t do its job without PR flacks. Media folk, meanwhile, will suggest that public relations departments are little more than mouthpieces for people who would still speak to the media if the public relations industry never existed. And both viewpoints are correct–to a point. Read More
Recently I’ve received a number of emails from PR Fuel readers offering up insight, advice, and some rather hilarious stories about how tprotecting one’s personal and professional integrity when dealing with frustrating clients. In the public relations industry, advice from peers can often be more useful than advice from an “expert.” So thanks to our PR peers for lending their voices to the mix. Their identities have been kept anonymous, but they’ve nonetheless provided good tips and a healthy dose of reality. Read More
Baseball may seem to have little to do with public relations; baseball haters may question whether they can learn anything from a game. But examining the various public relations disasters the sport has weathered over the years can teach us a number of things: how loose confederations of companies and organizations fail at the most basic level; how the consumer can be turned off by abhorrent behavior; and how the failure to capitalize on public relations opportunities — or contain public relations disasters — can lead to catastrophe. It’s been said that baseball is a microcosm of life. Baseball has also served as a microcosm of the world of public relations. Read More
Public relations is not just blindly writing press releases or pitching journalists, but a comprehensive strategy designed to promote your business. The following steps should help you determine whether or not your company has developed a comprehensive public relations strategy. Read More
When many people think of Cleveland, the term “vacation destination” does not immediately come to mind. Cleveland is where I spent my recent vacation, however, and it’s where I thought a lot about public relations. It had been almost ten years since I’d been to Cleveland; all I remembered was a rundown city filled with half-empty factories and decaying housing. But what I saw on my trip was a city moving forward–and dealing with the very real public relations problem of perception versus reality. Read More