PR Fuel: Press Release News, Resources & Public Relations Tips - Page 86 of 91

1. The Friday Afternoon Bad News Press Release

For decades, the White House has used Friday afternoon as a time to release bad news to the media. The rationale is that the media is wrapping up a busy week, Saturday newspaper circulation and readership is lower than any other day of the week, and the public is just plain tired and ready to relax. The linchpin to this strategy has been the newspaper. Times, however, have changed. Read More

Sometimes a public relations rep sends a journalist a press release that is “under embargo.” This means the reporter can’t publish a word regarding the contents of the press release until after a certain date and time. But in this day and age, journalists and public relations professionals alike may find that a press embargo isn’t as secure as they might think. Read More

A press release is not an advertisement. A press release is a subtle piece of advertorial: a combination of advertising and editorial content. The point of advertising is to bring a product, service, or cause to the attention of a consumer, voter, volunteer, or contributor. It involves matching the right content with the right audience. A press release is in one sense an advertisement, but in this case your audience is the media. You’re selling them an idea for a story instead of a product or service, though, and it’s crucial you understand what journalists don’t want to hear. Read More

In the world of journalism, every so often a reader will send in a tip that is worth a reporter’s time. Usually the reader has uncovered something about a company or individual that isn’t quite right. And that discovery can turn into a public relations nightmare for the company or individual in question, especially if it involves lying. Let the following story be an example an example of how a little white lie can quickly snowball into the worst kind of publicity. Read More

It’s become a public relations mantra: build relationships with reporters. But journalists don’t want relationships. They deal with dozens of contacts and demanding deadlines each day; they don’t have the time or energy to “do lunch,” especially with public relations people. But it’s not impossible to build relationships with reporters, provided you can meet two or three of their basic conditions. Read More

Consumers who really love your products or services can be thought of as your market’s “niche.” An economic recession should be a cue for companies to start looking at how their customers are changing their buying habits. As product choices continue to expand, consumers become increasingly more sophisticated and demanding. Take the time to review your public relations strategy and pay close attention to your niche markets. Part of your public relations budget can be spent studying and reaching out to your niche markets. Here are some quick reminders about developing niche markets: Read More

Bad customer service is nothing new and faulty products are a given in this era of mass production. But for the small business and large corporations alike, consumer complaints about products or customer service can add up and eventually spell doom. The internet has opened up an entirely new avenue for complaining. Web sites have sprung up around the world for the express purpose of calling out the faults of companies. In the world of public relations, defending your company’s reputation has become that much harder. But in this battle against consumer complaints, there are several weapons at the disposal of any public relations professional, including a few you might not have realized. Read More

Steve Jobs is alive. That much we know. But the health status of the co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Apple, Inc. remains a mystery to many, especially those who believe Jobs and the company’s public relations department are not being completely honest. One thing is clear: Questions about Jobs’ health are not going away anytime soon. Read More

Many public relations professionals may find it hard to believe, but it’s okay to turn down a press opportunity. And I’m not talking about opportunities where you may get sandbagged by a reporter. I’m talking about a press opportunity that looks good, at least on the surface. Read More

When speaking during public relations presentations or media interviews, it’s easy to make any number of rookie mistakes. You may not have prepared enough in advance. Try too hard to appear confident, and you may simply look like you’re showing off. You can confuse listeners by overusing unexplained technical jargon. You can speak in a flat, affectless tone that makes you seem cold and unemotional. Any or all of these mistakes may lead to an audience so bored that it misses your key messages completely. Here are five tips for adding a human touch to your next presentation, speech, or interview. Read More