Oscar Wilde once said: “There is only one thing worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”
While this may have been Oscar’s take on publicity, I prefer to think of media and publicity as making sure that your brand is being talked about in the right way. Let’s face it, there’s no point in being talked about for the sake of it, you need to make sure those receiving your message are receptive, then build on the relationship so that they take the action you want them to.
To take action people need to go through the Head, Heart, Hands stages. Go with me, I promise this will help you think about your brand and how to grow it, (*this also works for any brand, charity or business.) It’s about affecting change in behaviour.
Head:
Rational basis for change. So, a customer realises that your product or service can help them.
Heart:
The emotional response. The customer is connected to you and falls in love with your brand or idea.
Hands:
The action takes place. The customer takes an action. This could be buying a product or donating to a good cause you are working with.
For example, if your product is an alarm clock (*go with it,) people know they probably need it to wake them up on time. (Head.) But your brand could be an alarm clock that wakes you up with forest sounds and makes you a cup of tea at the same time, whilst making a donation with every cup to re-planting the Amazon Rainforest. So, you market it as a wonderful, relaxing way to start the day, (*not the usually loud beeping sound,) that’s good for the planet too. That’s the heart – the emotional reaction, like ‘Yes! This is how I want to wake up each day!’ Then they go out and buy it (Hands) because they know they need it AND they want it because they believe it will make life easier, happier and better.
What does this have to do with publicity? Well, once you have your story and it runs throughout your brand, and you start telling your story through PR campaigns a natural progression will be nurturing those relationships with key media. This is about making friends and influencing people – working with the media on your behalf to create opportunities for your brand. Now this could be through press days and events, adverts, or press trips, (*if for example you are a hotel, restaurant or a museum, you can invite media down to try your services and review you,) or it could be creating opportunities for expert comment positioning in local and national media.
It’s about helping you position your brand in front of the right audience by talking to the right people! PR is all about relationships. As a former journalist I know what journalists need and who they want to speak to. I also know the questions they will ask you, so I can help you prepare for media interviews. Not that I think you should rehearse lines like you’re in a play, because I think you have to be authentic and honest in interviews. But the right preparation will help you feel more confident and reassured so that you have a fun experience and get across all of your key messages.
In short, I can help you:
- Work with the media to find the right opportunities for your brand or business.
- Find comment opportunities in local, national and specialist trade media.
- Help organise press days, press trips, and events for the media.
Help you prepare for media interviews – using all my top tips gained through years of working as a journalist.
For more information, you can contact me here.