PR Sucess Tips for Startups May 22, 2013Expert BlogsOff

Working in communications with large corporations, educational institutions, the entertainment industry and small businesses for many years, I’ve been through the trenches and learned a lot. Now I hope to provide you with some valuable insights into the world of publicity and copywriting to help your business grow. But first, the editor has asked me to introduce myself and give you a little bit of information about my background – so here’s the short version!

After working my way through UCLA, I was a professional dancer, singer and actress in Hollywood. At the same time, I held various communication positions at UCLA Medical Center, a large PR agency and a worker’s compensation company. It was very exciting working with celebrities, traveling to new destinations and being on camera. But I also had a thorough understanding of where all the restrooms were in L.A. to change from professional businesswoman into audition attire and back – in minutes. And I knew all the secret routes to avoid traffic and return to the office on time. There was never a dull moment. But as I grew older, this double life just wasn’t fun anymore, and it was time for a change. With this revelation, I decided to take a full-time media relations position at Dana Corp., then a Top 500 company in the automotive industry. There I handled traditional business communications and traveled across the country for the CEO’s presentations. Flying in the private jet and getting around via limo service were nice benefits, but the stress levels were not. So I moved on to oversee public relations for smaller businesses that included a career website, a survey/research firm and an online startup networking company.

In contrast to the corporate environment, these experiences allowed me to be creative, work on unique PR projects and develop long-lasting media relationships. The hours were insane, but I knew that my efforts made a difference. However, times got tough and tech companies were failing on a wide scale. PR was the first to go, and I was laid off – twice. I knew that I needed to take control of my career destiny, so I started my own business. Since 2004, I have run my own writing and publicity company to help entrepreneurs reach their goals. It has been empowering. And I am happy to say that due to my efforts, original articles and unique experience, my clients have received significant press that helped them reach higher profits, more employees and other business goals. (This includes features in/on PINK, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, the Detroit Free Press, AAA Living, Success Magazine, NPR, eBay Radio, The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, MSNBC, SBTV, CNN and many more.) And after all of this, I am happy to share my insights, experiences and tips with you here at my new PINK blog. Hopefully I will help you increase sales, credibility and awareness via simple tips you can use in your publicity and writing efforts.

Here are a few basic tips to get started:

Keep It Simple


The world of media relations moves quickly, and it can be easy to be overwhelmed by all of the possibilities. And as an entrepreneur like me, you are probably inundated with the latest software products, e-commerce services and networking opportunities on a daily basis. And while it is important to be aware of current trends, your publicity efforts do not need to be complicated.

In fact, you will save yourself a lot of stress and money if you avoid all of the latest publicity product hype. Instead, focus on the basic PR principle: Provide a great story idea to the appropriate media member at just the right time. If you remember this, it will be much easier to obtain no-cost, third-party credibility and awareness from the press that you simply cannot purchase via advertising methods.

Get Great Publicity on a Shoestring Budget


Well, to start, I have four words for you: pick up the phone. And for some of you, I know this may seem rudimentary or a bit nerve-wracking. But with the appropriate research and preparation, one call can lead to a major story that can boost fame and fortune – fast. In fact, the simple act of calling a reporter or producer to pitch your story and build a working relationship is often lost in today’s impersonal e-mail and Internet world.

Don’t get me wrong. Calls that produce the most benefits take extra time and effort. It’s a process of setting goals, figuring out whom you need to contact, thoroughly researching media venues and reporters, developing unique story ideas and practicing.

More to Come … And for many of you, this is just not an option due to your frantic schedule and other priorities. Not to worry. In future blog entries and articles here at pinkmagazine.com, I hope to share some user-friendly suggestions on executing your own publicity efforts, as well as outsourcing these activities so that you can focus on core responsibilities. Thanks for reading, and feel free to send me your comments, questions and suggestions. I look forward to being a small extension of your team!

By Melanie Rembrandt

Share this Article

Recommended

See all
CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE to Your PINK eNewsletter.

What’s Hot
See all

Little Pink Book