Brilliant PR

Cathy Wallace is features editor of PRWeek, the leading title for the UK PR industry. Prior to PRWeek she worked for a range of daily and weekly newspapers and magazines, and first cut her teeth as a trainee reporter on a local newspaper more than seven years ago.

• Introduction: what is PR? A brief introduction to public relations, how it works and the benefits it can bring to businesses and individuals.  First things first: identifying your USPs What are the key messages you want to get out there? Discover what it is that makes your business different: is it the product or service you offer, your pricing structure, excellent customer service, the personal touch? And how will you package your USP, key messages, logo and branding into a consistent format and preparing your business for wider scrutiny and exposure?  Essential background: understanding the mediaWhat are the different media outlets – local, regional and national press, local, regional and national radio, regional and national TV, trade press, consumer magazines, bloggers, social networking websites and wider online media. How does each sector of the media work and how do you choose which media outlets to target? Understand what journalists really want and how to develop relationships with key media contacts.  Telling stories: how to create a good news story or featureHow do you find the right person to pitch to and  how do you prepare a complete package to make the journalists’ life as easy as possible (making them more likely to run your story)?. How do you find a ‘news angle’ for them and write a basic press release. This chapter also includes dos and don’ts, and a list of top tips from journalists on what they look for in a pitch.  The campaign: successful strategies for consistent and ongoing media coverage Includes experiential and stunt-based PR; competitions and promotional initiatives; targeting trade press; raising your personal profile; generating quality coverage through ongoing initiatives and news hooks. Advice on ideas generation from a PR professional. Getting the media ‘on your side’. When to be careful of over-exposure and pushing too hard, and how to avoid souring ongoing relationships.  Your online presence: websites, copy, blogs, networking and much more!How to generate a presence online through blogging, social networking and sharing content. Blogger relations and how to build online networks.  Crisis management: dealing with negative stories, factual inaccuracies and other problems Develop strategies to deal with negative publicity and ways to turn it into a positive outcome.  Conclusion: next stepsTake your PR to the next level including: negotiating exclusives, incorporating advertising and other marketing initiatives, expanding your remit, when to take on a PR agency and how to choose one that will service your needs the best.  Glossary/jargon busting:A guide to some of the oft-used terminology in media and PR, and how to both avoid, and see through, it.