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Public Relations Tips
What is Public Relations?
Public relations is the art or science of establishing and promoting a favorable relationship with the public. The art of public relations is in identifying and describing events to publicize, and the science is in how that information is disseminated to the public.
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Relationships with Journalists
An important part of public relations is developing and maintaining relationships with the journalists that cover your industry. Find out who they are by looking at trade publications, and note which journalists write stories about your competitors' products. These are the ones who will write about your products as well. The Web site of each publication will usually include a list of writers and/or editors and their "beats." Contact the appropriate editor (preferably by e-mail) to introduce yourself and your company. Many editors only want to hear from you if you have a story, so try to suggest a possible story when you write.
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Definition
The dictionary definition of public relations is, "The art or science of establishing and promoting a favorable relationship with the public," (from The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, copyright 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company). It's interesting that the dictionary defines public relations as both an art and a science. The art of public relations is the ability to craft compelling press releases and other public relations materials, and to cultivate the relationships with editors that get those materials disseminated to the public. The science of public relations is the organized methodology used to identify and contact the appropriate journalists, and the dissemination of the correct materials to those professionals at the right time.
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Why Companies Need Public Relations
Unless your company has a monopoly, you need to win customers and market share. Public relations is the least expensive type of marketing. It's also the easiest to implement. Small and start up companies in particular should take full advantage of the power of public relations to educate the public on products and services offered by the company.
