Press relations, not so has-been!
We know that being visible on the internet is essential for your business. Whether it's through your website, social networks, your professional blog or your newsletter, you must have an online activity to increase your company's reputation. But isn't there another way to make yourself known?
The press is an extremely important distribution channel. You cannot exclude press relations from your communication strategy. An article in a newspaper, a report during a news broadcast can explode the visibility of your company! Contrary to what one might believe, the press is not dead! In 2016-2017, more than 2 million people read Ouest France or Le Monde. The 8pm news on TF1 can bring together more than 6 million viewers! You see, that makes a lot of people potentially interested in your project.
Press relations also have another advantage: it doesn't require a special budget if you do it alone! Unlike influencers who will ask for compensation or a product in exchange, journalists will not charge you for publishing an article. If this is the case, it is called an advertorial. It is neither more nor less than advertising in the form of written content.
Of course, getting an article in a newspaper takes time and energy. For your press relations to work, you need to know and master the essential tools!
Tools for setting up press relations
Contacting the press is not as complicated a korea whatsapp number data climbing Everest! For print and radio press, it is quite simple to contact the editorial staff (by email or phone). For TV, it is a different story, I grant you. But before contacting a journalist, it is essential to have a few tools on hand. Without them, you will not put all the chances on your side to obtain an article!
The press file : this is a simple table to list the newspapers and journalists you want to contact. This file will save you valuable time and allow you to optimize your press relations ! Update it regularly. Don't hesitate to classify the newspapers and journalists by theme (regional press, national press, paper press, radio press, etc.). This table must be clear so that you can easily find your way around.
The press release : this is the central element of press relations. Without a press release, there is no article (unless the journalist comes to you)! This document is short and presents the information that you want to publish in the newspapers. It must be as precise as possible. The press release is there to make the journalist's job easier. Keep that in mind when writing it!
The press kit : this element is there to present your company and its universe. By reading it, the journalist must know all the important information related to your project. It is a more imposing document than the press release but also less perishable over time. A press kit can be written only once and updated when necessary.
These 3 tools are essential if you want to succeed in your press relations. But they won't do everything. Press relations require time and investment. You have to be patient but also a little insistent to get articles.