When I started the business I have to say I was fairly unversed in the arts of PR. I still am to be honest – but a little more aware. I have to say I find it pretty painful to write up Press Releases and try and put together media packs of various descriptions. But that said, it’s really worth it. I launched the site at the end of June ‘06 – and started to run some PR in mid July. I think summer maybe a good time in terms of getting angles published. A friend of mine was a sub-editor in one of the Sunday Newspapers – I got him to have a run through my Press Release – he made quite a few structural changes – but essentially left the message roughly the same but it was much tighter. Having a really tight and succinct press release is really important. And obviously have a really punchy headline. I’m no expert in this so will leave it as a general rule for anyone writing releases.
But once I was happy with the press release and got together some nice photos I then started emailing and ringing around the various lifestyle and business editors from all the national and regional newspapers. I had two angles that I was trying to push – firstly, lifestyle – a new online children’s site for time poor cash rich mothers – the site was to be an alternative to high street shopping etc… The other story that I suggested to go with was the business angle – discuss the experience of setting up a new business.
Both of these stories were well taken up by both national and regional newspapers. I had coverage in the Irish Times, Indo, Sunday Tribune on lifestyle and on the business story got coverage from The Sunday Business Post, Sunday Times, Irish Indo. A lot of the regional papers ran with lifestyle coverage – like the Kerryman, Corkman, Longford Leader, Donegal Democrat
And then in the run up to Xmas I got a lot more coverage from the Indo again in the Magazine on Saturday. This year I haven’t been as proactive as I should have been with pursuing PR – but still have gotten mentions in various parenting magazines, Fashion Magazines such as Image, and Parenting Supplements in National Newspapers. You really need to keep at it – as painful as that might be.
There’s a Media Contact Directory that you can buy that has all the editors and Journos details in – buy that, get yourself prepared with your P Release and start emailing and calling away. And hopefully you get some coverage – plus it’s all free. Also, use all your contacts – you’d be amazed how many people you know working in media that can get you some PR.
