Your Press Release Impresses No One

From inception and launch to scaling and exit, public relations should play a vital role in every stage and strategy of your business. Universally, PR is about two things: raising visibility and building credibility-two crucial elements in amplifying your success.  

Unless you are Apple or Amazon, a press release about your newest hire or cool product isn’t going to cut it. You need to create a communications strategy that not only reflects your goals but includes publicity that will get you noticed. While working with a credible PR pro can certainly move mountains, the following five tips will help get you started.

Have a Blog? Repurpose that Content

Examine what you have already created, identify the relevant audience, and then refresh it for media pitches, byline articles and speaking engagements. You don't always have to start from scratch. 

Become Familiar With Lesser Known Holidays

No matter what your industry, there are holidays you can align with your business. Whether it's National Lipstick Day and you founded a cosmetics company or National Cookie Day and you own a bakery, on a slow news day, it could be just the quirky but relevant content journalists are looking for. 

Take Centerstage

Time to overcome your fears and welcome the idea of speaking on stage. It's not often that you get a chance to control your message in front of a captive audience who is looking to you for guidance, so look at these opportunities as the perfect way to build both your visibility and authority. Who knows? You might begin your journey at a rotary club and eventually land a Ted talk! It just takes practice and persistence. 

Nominate Yourself (or ask someone to do it for you) 

We get it-bragging about yourself feels weird. But nominating yourself (or enlisting a friend to do it for you) is the perfect way to get your name out there while also building credibility. Plus, being connected with a group of fellow winners can also offer fantastic networking opportunities. Either way, you will be able to give your parents another reason to brag about you to their friends.

Align with the News Cycle 

Whether you are looking to book a speaking engagement or land media coverage, relevance and timeliness are key. Look for ways to share your unique perspective as it relates to hot topics and trends. One easy thing to do is to set up google news alerts by entering your industry keywords. When you see topics you can speak, draft a quick email, identify outlets and strike while the iron is hot.