Transcript Slide 1

Public Relations & Marketing
on a Shoestring Budget
2009 WEDA Spring/Summer Conference
Lake Chelan – Campbell’s Resort & Conference Center
June 4-5, 2009
2009 Spring/Summer
WEDA Conference
PR & Marketing on a Shoestring Budget
Public Relations vs. Marketing: No contest
PR provides a rock-solid base, while ads offer the sizzle. They go together like
Peanut butter and jelly …
Public Relations
What it’s good for
• Building credibility
• Scoring free press
• Cutting through the clutter
Where it falls short
• Being easy and efficient
• Providing guarantees
• Offering control
• Hitting the target
• Serving creative needs
2009 Spring/Summer
WEDA Conference
PR & Marketing on a Shoestring Budget
Marketing
What it is good for
• Giving you what you want
• Providing control
• Buzz & Brand
• Making the media happy
Where it falls short
• Fitting small budgets
• Cutting through the clutter
• Gaining trust
2009 Spring/Summer
WEDA Conference
PR & Marketing on a Shoestring Budget
Integrate both PR and Marketing
They complement each others’ strengths and mitigate weaknesses, with PR
providing the credibility and advertising creating the buzz …
Jack In the Box - In 1993, Jack In The Box suffered a major e. coli crisis during which some
customers actually died. Since the chain had been struggling before this happened, the crisis
could have led to bankruptcy. How did they use PR and advertising to become what they are
today?
• Ad Campaign – Brought back Jack mascot with an attitude
• PR Campaign – Implemented an industry-leading food safety
program that it actively promoted through the media
• Food safety? Funny Mascot?
• Together? A revived and thriving brand
2009 Spring/Summer
WEDA Conference
PR & Marketing on a Shoestring Budget
What is Earned Media?
• All coverage is not equal . . .there’s good and bad
• Getting news media to cover YOUR story and YOUR message
on YOUR terms
• Doesn’t cost $, but it’s not free – you have to work for it
• Heightens awareness and reaches large number of people
• Can build credibility and support for your efforts
• Difficult to control message and placement
2009 Spring/Summer
WEDA Conference
PR & Marketing on a Shoestring Budget
Schmoozing Reporters
Relationship-building is critical for success
• Get to know the reporter (print/TV/radio) whose beat includes your industry.
• Become familiar with their stories
• Bring a media kit or background info
• Explain trends you see in your industry
• Ask about other subjects they cover or stories they are working on
• Don’t talk off the record
• Suggest story ideas
• If they write about you, send a note of thanks, but never a gift
• Offer up your home & cell number and email. Invite them to call day or night
• Pass along names of 2 or 3 people who you know would make good contacts
• Ask, “How else can I help you?”
• Exchange business cards
2009 Spring/Summer
WEDA Conference
PR & Marketing on a Shoestring Budget
News Release Bloopers
Newspaper, magazines and trade pubs receive them by the truckload. That means sloppy, inaccurate,
pointless releases are the first to hit the trash can. Make sure isn’t one of them by avoiding these
bloopers:
 Providing inaccurate, insufficient or wrong information on your
news release
 Writing too long. Shouldn’t be more than a page
 Sending it too late.
 Sending a release with no news value.
 Blatant commercialism
 Omitting contact name and phone number.
 Calling after you send a news release – “Did you get my news
release?” or “Do you know when it will be printed?”
2009 Spring/Summer
WEDA Conference
PR & Marketing on a Shoestring Budget
How to follow up releases and pitches
• Never assume a story pitch is dead…
• Remember Rule of 7
• Never follow up on routine press releases for things like promotions or
awards…they will view you as a pest
• Concentrate on benefits. How is your story pitch a solution to a problem
• Say “I sent you some information.” That’s code for press release.
• Reporters want you to talk about the info in terms of how it can be readily used
by them, and why they would care…Really. That’s the bottom line: Why would they
care?
• Never ask reporter to alert you when it’s printed or to send you X number of
copies…it’s your job to monitor publications and order extras, not them.
2009 Spring/Summer
WEDA Conference
PR & Marketing on a Shoestring Budget
Economic
Resource Guide
& Member Directory
 First Year
 No cost other than time and gathering info
and writing articles
 Partnered with PS Media, Inc. for layout
 Ads sold by PS Media, Inc.
 All profits after expenses to PS Media, Inc.
 Second Year
 No cost other than updating information
and writing a few articles
 PS Media still sold ads and did layout
 Split profits after expenses 50/50
 Profit = $14,000
2009 Spring/Summer
WEDA Conference
PR & Marketing on a Shoestring Budget
E-Newsletters
 Electronic Newsletters
 No postage required
 Able to track
 Can control content
 Faster
 Green
 Build a following
 TOMA
 Build credibility
2009 Spring/Summer
WEDA Conference
PR & Marketing on a Shoestring Budget
Questions?
Deanna Smith
TRIDEC Public Affairs
(509) 735-1000
[email protected]
2009 Spring/Summer
WEDA Conference
PR & Marketing on a Shoestring Budget