Sometimes you find yourself at a loss at how to find a way to put your product or service into the news.
That means you have to find a way to inject yourself into the news.
So, what do you do when it looks like there is nothing new on the horizon?
Reinforce your benefits and assets
A message that must be repeatedly presented about your product or service and your benefits and the assets that you provide your customers.
If your product is entertainment, then one of your primary benefits is a momentary escape from worries and anxieties: fun and laughter, a mood boost, an escape from the guilt of not having spent enough time with your kids. The solution? Remind folks of the value of spending time together…by sharing an experience (i.e. your entertainment product) that will create memories that will last a lifetime.
If your product is a restaurant, three of your primary benefits are an escape from the kitchen and a change in routine that provides the anticipation of exploring a unique dining environment (or the satisfaction of enjoying a familiar restaurant), new cuisine, and a break in your regular routine. The solution? Capitalize on what your customers like best in your restaurant and remind customers what brings people back to your restaurant over and over again.
So how do your benefits create news?
That’s where public relations come into play.
Publicity can convey a non-news message in a newsworthy fashion.
How? By presenting what is an old and familiar message in a new and different package.
In the theme park example above, you can capitalize on your benefit (i.e. creating a shared experience) by creating a milestone moment like your millionth visitor or creating a human-interest story by zeroing in on a customer who repeatedly comes to our park to enjoy the surroundings.
In the restaurant example above, you can showcase the benefit of togetherness that your restaurant offers by presenting information that underlines which menu items bring your repeat customers back over and over again. If it’s a dessert item, for example, take advantage of special “days” like National Ice Cream Day every July 20 and advance the day with publicity that offers a special ice cream dish or discount.
At Wellons Communications, we look for the news in your story
Our team of PR specialists are skilled at looking at your product or service and identifying what is newsworthy and creating a way and a means of bring that story to life.
We start by identifying your benefits and assets and figuring out the most effective ways to presenting them to media who can tell – and amplify – your story. At the same time, we look for ways to remind your current clients how they continue to benefit from what you are marketing.
We look for ways to attach your news to other people’s news
If your trade industry is looking for news to promote the industry, we look for stories in your business that can help your trade make its point.
In the theme park business, for example, if FunWorld, the trade journal for IAAPA, the global industry for the attractions industry, is seeking information on what events draw the most visitors to attractions, we will offer information that augments the story and provide FunWorld with your contact information and background information, so they can directly speak with your representative.
In the restaurant industry, for example, if Restaurant Business Magazine is seeking information on which new dishes are becoming more popular in restaurants, we will talk to your chef and see what kinds of dishes we can report to the magazine, along with photos, to help them with their story about new dishes.
And that’s why we insist that before we start spewing news and information on Day One, we don’t start unless we have an agreed-upon public relations plan.
We start by ensuring that we understand what you want to accomplish. We immerse ourselves in your marketing plan to see where PR should fit in. And then we put pencil to paper and develop a plan that we believe will generate the results you want and deserve.
There is always news in your story…. even if you have to dig for it
At Wellons, we are journalistically minded.
We always can find news in what you do, even if you have grown weary of the grinding routine of running and operating your business every day.
But not every business has a PR agency like Wellons Communications at their side that will research what you are doing and use their journalistic skills to dig out not only the obvious news stories but those stories that are not immediately recognizable as news.
We look for the benefits you offer. And we use everything in our playbook to put those benefits and assets in front of your potential customers.
When you are ready to bring experienced storytellers to your side, keep us in mind. And let us help you make news where you least expect it and most want.
