Campaign Strategy :: The PR Play

The PR Play positions the offering in the public eye. Using the press and other public relations mediums, it cuts through the clutter by not appearing to be self-serving. It offers an alternative to the marketing adage: "Pay for advertising. Pray for Publicity."

The PR Play consists of an online press release which features a news-worthy promotion or announcement. The headline is critical, relevant to the content and entices the reader to click.

When considering what the release should be about, think in terms of what you can say about the product, company, or promotion that is worthy of attention.

Don't waste your PR money on releases with headlines like:

• Company offers 20% off during the month of April.
  • A press release needs to be informative, not salesy. Leave the sales-speak to the ads.
• Company fixes known problem with product.
  • This begs the question: "What about the problems with product the company doesn't know about?"
• Product Found to Cure Cancer (or Boredom Anyway).
  • Off-the-wall headlines like this are best left to the tabloids and the tabloids are better than you at startling headlines anyway.
  • Be informative. This is no place to showcase your sense of humor.

Do consider press releases with headlines like:

• Company negotiates deal with strategic partners, Passes Savings on to Its' Customers.
• Company is Successful in Patenting its Manufacturing Process.
• Company Announces Jane Doe as their new CEO.

The key is to imagine someone searching online for a company or product like yours and finding not just your "self-serving" website, but a number of legitimate press releases and press mentions in credible publications.

Pull off a PR Play and it will do more for you than all the customer testimonials in the world, because it's informative and creditable. That said, however, understand that PR is only one part of the "Marketing Mix".

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