PR Advice 101

I want to talk today, a bit more than usual, about DIY publicity. Contacting the press is tricky. You should follow AP standards but you shouldn’t cookie-cut pitches, advisories, etc. Remember, PR is about relationships- not press releases! This said, I have 3 tips for you when it comes to writing and sending emails to the media.

1. Your focus should be on the subject line. Press members are busy! They are pitched by people they do know and don’t know 100 times a day. Plus, they receive emails from peers, their boss, publicists responding to story requests, friends, family, SPAM… their email boxes are flooded. If the email header reads “press release” or “media advisory”… don’t bother sending it. You need a subject line that will stop traffic.

2. Don’t BS a reporter. They hate hype. They can spot hype a mile away. If you use any type of promotional verbs or nouns, they will not only NOT cover you- many will put you on blast via social media. Reporters like quick facts and credible resources.

3. Attach this. Reporters are not going to open an attachment. Forget it. If they’re interested, they will follow a link. Yes, you need to provide two links in your email. One that goes to the media advisory or press release with more information and one that goes to the online media kit.

Remember, you can mess up on AP style, you can pitch the wrong reporter (who will send it to the right reporter almost always), and you can accidentally toss in a spelling error or two- and still get your story covered. Journalists can forgive bad style if the story is good. But, if you’re not doing the basics right (see above), they will never even open the pitch.

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

Got Culture?

How do you feel when walking into your office? Office culture is a major issue when it comes to keeping employees. Look at the success of Zappos or Google. These two companies promote a fun and productive office environment. I did a little digging to see if a relaxed office culture really equates to improved profits. The results? Yes! And here is why:

Defining your business's core values is key. When you define who you are and what you want your company's brand to express, your employees will take ownership. This ownership leads to a productive environment no matter how relaxed or micromanaged it may be. Want better profits? Explain your values.

Showing humility can help bring a team together, which is why Google is doing so well. Google's leaders aren't afraid to sit in the dunk tank at company events. Their culture is to play hard and party harder. They are all treated as equals and aren't afraid to engage with each-other because of this. If you have the feeling that your employees are being reserved when you're around, consider getting in the dunk tank!

Another thing you can do to create a relaxed and productive culture is to show you care about your employees in the totality of their lives. Adding on an extra PTO day here and there isn't what I mean. You have to be invested in employees if you want them invested in your company. For you to grow, they have to grow. Ask about their interest and reward them with things they enjoy. I know one company in Michigan that rewarded their employees with a limo, free dinner and front row tickets to Kid Rock. Plus, babysitting was paid for the employees who had kids. What did the employees do to deserve such a reward? Profits were up by 40% one month. And, you can guess the projected sales for the rest of the year after the Kid Rock concert!

As a business owner it is up to you to determine the type of culture you want to create within your office. Taking the above suggestions into consideration is highly recommended.

Twyla