I can’t imagine how any company can market a product without using a professional publicist. It’s noisy out there! There are now nearly two billion websites. Millions of businesses have active social media accounts. Reporters and producers receive thousands of press releases. An experienced publicist with the right connections can cut through all this noise and get you noticed. You may think, if you can just get one article in a national publication, your business will be so much better. It takes more than that, but the first place to start is learning how to find a good publicist for your product.
Should you hire a PR agency or a full-time PR employee?
Most business-related news stories are no accident. They happen because people like you hire publicists like us for their products. There’s no question you need PR. Your first decision is whether to hire someone in-house or hire a PR agency. Here’s why companies tend to choose PR agencies:
- Agencies are almost always going to be cheaper than putting someone on the payroll. That’s definitely the case with us, because with our Pay Per Interview® pricing model, we charge per story we arrange, not by the hours we work. That means you always get coverage for your money.
- A full-service, fully integrated agency will have marketing strategists and creative teams ready to help, as your business grows or if your campaign needs something unexpected. Nothing has to screech to a halt while you search for new talent. For example, at Media Relations in addition to publicists we have marketing strategists, content writers, website designers and maintenance specialists, digital advertising experts, graphic artists and social media marketing experts.
Ask these five questions to find a good publicist for your product
Before signing a contract with a PR agency, ask:
- How many years have you been in business? This not only indicates the company’s stability, it’s also a very important indication of how connected they are with the media. Over the last 30+ years, we have put more than 1,000 clients in touch with reporters who were eager to talk with them. We have an enviable, proprietary database of media contacts. I’ve got great relationships with reporters and producers because they trust me to bring them newsworthy stories that are relevant to their audiences.
- What types of PR do you do? Narrow your search to what you need most. Some PR agencies specialize in investor relations or crisis communications. Media Relations Agency’s specialty is product promotions. News stories offer the opportunity to talk about your product while your audience is at ease. When folks are reading a magazine, perusing the internet or watching TV, you can deliver your message while you have their attention.
- What types of firms do you represent? Having a wide variety of clients demonstrates that a PR agency has the marketing moxie, flexibility and creativity to connect businesses with the right journalists. While we have a thriving and highly respected health and natural products division, our client list also includes technology, home improvement, beauty, beverage, food, energy and education companies, among others.
- What types of media stories do you feel confident about securing for me? It’s usually best to aim for a healthy mix of broad media that reaches the masses and highly targeted media. Our marketing strategists take the time to define a media list unique to each of our clients. I use this list to determine which media I call to pitch the client’s story.
- Do you think your services and skills are a good match for my product? Frankly, not every product is what we call mediagenic. And we’ll be up front with you about that. But if you have the right product or service, news stories can create a brand quicker and cheaper than any other promotional method. Get enough news stories, and your product may achieve a celebrity status that has a monumental impact on sales.
We’ve been telling our clients’ stories for more than 30 years. I love being a publicist because when a client’s product becomes the media’s content, people take notice. It cuts through the noise.
Plus, you will get a better response to your product messaging when the media says nice things about you than when you say nice things about yourself. That’s just one big benefit of media coverage. And if one media story can cause even a small blip in sales, imagine what a dozen stories can do! Not only do you need to get famous, you also need to stay famous!
Do your products have a publicist? They deserve one. If you have a product or service you would like to see in the news, complete our online form or call us at 952-697-5269.
