You will, of course, realise that professional public relations services do come at a cost. There is no such thing as a free lunch, as they say! Well, maybe there is. For small businesses and new start-up's in both printing and packaging that cannot yet find a budget for such "luxuries" here is the Genesis Guide to DIY PR:

1. Which "publics" do you want to "relate" to? Define which publications, and other electronic media, will get your information in front of the people that you want to influence. It is often assumed that this must be prospects, but it could equally be staff, existing customers, the local community, shareholders, potential investors, or other specific collectives.

 

2. Gather contact details. Put together a database of information regarding the key individuals who are going to help you to get noticed within your industry or specific area. Names, e-mail addresses, telephone numbers, of course, but any additional information that you might gather along the way, such as what time or day is good to call such people, can also be a great help.

 

3. Is it news? One of your major opportunities is to provide your contact list with the latest new on your business - but do check first of all that it will be regarded as interesting and newsworthy. What might seem of interest to you on "the inside" might just appear very bland to a journalist on the "outside".

 

4. Clear, readable layout. A good story can be spoilt by bad layout. Use a clean, easy to read typeface - sans serifs are popular. Space out lines, and leave a line between paragraphs. Also leave reasonable margins. A lot of journalists will still print your electronically sent release onto paper and scribble marginal notes.

 

5. Headlines - be creative. This is your chance to get clever with words! You are really looking for a short, punchy headline that makes people want to read on. If you can add a bit of whit, even better! But be careful - you don't want to offend.

 

6. Third Party Stance. Write the main body of text from a third party view - ie, not using I, we, me, my, or us. However, do include at least one quotation from a senior executive, which should be written in the first person. If it's a "two sided" story, ie, a business-to-business purchase, try to include quotes from each side of the story. A tip - don't worry about "word for word" quotes. Capture the spirit of what they are saying, but write it in a creative way. Do ensure that you check it with them via e-mail however. You will find that very few will object (assuming that you have selected your words well), and only a small number will make minor adjustments.

 

7. Contact Details. Provide telephone numbers (including mobiles where necessary), e-mail address and web site details for all parties. Journalists will often want to get a direct quote from one of the persons featured in the release, or may have questions about the content. Your release should help to make their job easy.

 

8. Photographs. Your text document should be accompanied by (but not include) relevant photographs or diagrams to help illustrate the story. They may be specially commissioned pictures, or they may be library shots. They will be JPEG format files of at least 150kb in size, but probably no more than 2mb. Anything larger - which might be appropriate for front cover or full page illustrations - should be posted on CD or memory stick. Don't forget caption information.

 

9. Approval. Ensure that all parties mentioned within the release see a final draft of the text prior to distribution. They should respond to you with any changes, or with an OK. If changes are significant, they should see a second draft. Make sure they pay specific attention to quotes, machine numbers, spelling of names, and job titles.

 

10. e-mail the story. Use a covering e-mail page to introduce the story that is attached and create anticipation. Attach the text document and photo files, and include your telephone number at the foot of the e-mail. Before sending out to your "universe", consider any benefits that might be obtained from offering the story as an exclusive to one major publication.

 

11. Set targets and measure. Aim to produce a certain number of press releases per month. Regular input will get you noticed. As with any form of marketing it is also important to measure the response you are achieving regarding what gets published, preferably against your competitors.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but should provide a good starting point. For further suggestions or for more information call Genesis Marketing on 01908 260 662.