PR Is Not Dead; It's Online.

Perhaps it is the former journalist in me, but I am constantly on the hunt for a story. Not surprisingly, my eyes still pop wide and the eagerness piques at the sound of a good public relations opportunity for a new or existing client. But when I ask, "Have you received any press for that story?" Far too often, the answer is, "Not really. I didn't think about it." Or, it is simply a matter of time to promote one's own business.

In a recession or any other time, public relations is a key part of any marketing plan. Granted, in today's marketplace, it is more and more difficult for your story to appear on the coveted editorial pages of a publication. Yet, the opportunities still exist. You just need to craft the right message, define it well and cater to your choice publication. Media in prime media outlets still offer a credibility, authenticity and reach that ignite prized word-of-mouth advertising for a business or service.

Or in more tense situations, a good public relations expert or team can help you and your business navigate negative media attention ... and prepare you ahead of time to deal with it.

Public relations, however, is being redefined and is a blend of traditional and new media efforts. Social Media Marketing, E-Mail Marketing and Web site news pages are all public relations avenues. In general, I always encourage a company to include a Content-Management System (CMS) news page on a company Web site. Blogger and WordPress are free examples of a CMS platform and are easy for most to use.

Your news page serves several objectives:
1. It always publishes your PR story.
2. It lets you advertise promotions, events and success stories.
3. It leaves a record of authenticity and timeliness for anyone visiting the site.
4. It boosts your Web site's Search-Engine Optimization (SEO) results.
5. It can easily be connected to social networking sites that will increase your reach.
6. It increases your online image.
7. It can be used to encourage prospective or current customers to sign up for targeted e-mail marketing news.

These are a lot of pros for a relatively low investment. BUT, you have to manage the content, develop a voice, maintain a posting schedule and target each news piece so that it is valuable to potential readers. In short, your news page is a 24/7 tool for public relations, but you have to know how to use it. And, you still need to couple efforts with traditional public relations avenues.

If you need help developing your public relations efforts, contact Marketicity at 314.266.4450 or 618.281.6648. We can work with your budget, helping you with full-time public relations needs or acting as a consultant for your in-house efforts.