Each year, the clock for getting out holiday-related press releases starts ticking earlier. Recent holiday seasons have proven to be ultra-competitive because of genuine fears that consumers would not be spending money like they had in the past. These fears push purchases back, causing retailers to discount more heavily in an effort to reduce inventories. So when it comes to holiday planning, it’s imperative that manufacturers and service providers push the value element of their products when doing public relations. (Read more…)

I have seen press releases generate tens of millions of dollars in publicity $399 at a time. If you don’t believe me, just visit: http://www.ereleases.com/testimonials/

Why didn’t your press release do the same? The likely answer is that you gave up, perhaps even after a single press release. (Read more…)

This article was inspired by a potential customer wondering whether a service that charged $38 to blast his press release to 50 free press release websites was a good use of his money. (Read more…)

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…)

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…)

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…)

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…)

Presenting yourself–or someone in your organization–as an expert can be a critical aspect of your public relations strategy. However, there are some fields where just about anyone can say they’re an “expert”–or worse, a “consultant.” The media, and even the general public, has become increasingly skeptical of such claims. However, there are ways to overcome this skepticism, add credibility to your claims of expertise, and pull off a public relations coup. (Read more…)

Once again it’s time to dip into the PR Fuel mailbag and answer some reader questions. This time around we look at how to climb the public relations ladder, corrections, unethical journalists, and more. (Read more…)