Why Aren’t Your Publicity Efforts Working?

Are You Getting Results From Your Publicity or Public Relations’ Activities?

Last week, I received a call from a small business owner who hired a publicist and received little to no results from their publicity activities. And another entrepreneur e-mailed me to tell me that his press release didn’t capture any media attention… so what happened?

If your publicity activities are not working, ask yourself these questions:

1. Am I just sending out press releases and waiting for the phone to ring?

Obtaining media attention is much more than announcing a press release. After all, reporters receive hundreds of these each day. To obtain media coverage, it takes time and effort. You need to pursue specific media members with targeted story ideas they will care about.

Now, you can still use press releases, but think of them as ways to boost search engine optimization (SEO) online and stay current in front of your key customers.

2. Is my story idea interesting and newsworthy?

Does your news or story angle revolve around your products and service features?

If so, not many people are going to care.

It’s essential to talk about what your business can do for others and the benefits you offer.

How do you help others?
What problems does your business solve?
How do your products and services relate to a current industry trend or news item?

3. What are my goals?

Have you set overall goals for your PR campaign, or do you just send out messages hoping to get results?

Before starting, it’s essential to set your goals and the tactics you are going to use to meet those goals. Then, you can follow a set schedule, monitor results and make changes as needed.

For PR to work, it takes time and effort.

If your current activities don’t produce results, it’s time for a full stop. Look at your processes and see what’s working and what’s not. Then, if you are still bewildered about what’s happening, conduct some research and find an experienced expert to help you.

Author Melanie Rembrandt is a published author, speaker and PR content management expert who helps entrepreneurs boost sales, awareness and credibility fast with a unique combination of targeted, SEO content-marketing strategy and public relations. Check out her Small Business PR Academy at https://smallbusinesspracademy.com.