Five Simple Tactics to Gain Publicity and Credibility By Karen Galanaugh, APR

publicity and crediblityPublicity creates visibility and brand awareness that advertising just can’t buy. When people read about you or your company in the media, whether print, TV or online, they perceive it as more credible than advertising. Don’t get me wrong, advertising has its place in the marketing mix, but people have a different response to information when a credible source, such as a reporter, tells the story. So, if you wish to create awareness and credibility, go get publicity.

Five Simple Tactics to Gain Publicity and Credibility

1. Use wire services for real news releases or trend announcements, such as BusinessWire, PR Newswire and PRWeb. Your information will be distributed and will begin to populate global news web outlets and will result in increased exposure and credibility. Just think if a prospect looks you up on the web and finds your story on news sites and news aggregator and blogger sites. You have just laid the foundation of credibility. This will populate content on Goggle, Yahoo and Bing search engines. The other benefit is that reporters may have an interestin your topic and contact you for a story. It’s important that the release be written well and loaded with the correct keywords. The wire distribution services cost money and each has its requirements and opportunities. Don’t waste your money if you don’t have real news or real insights to share. There are tutorials on the wire websites that can walk you through formatting, writing and keyword loading.

Best to seek a professional to come up with the hook and to write and execute this tactic. It will be well worth it.

2. ProfNet™ The Expert Connection. If you are an expert in something, this is your place to shine. ProfNet is a nifty web service to help experts connect with journalists and for journalist to find experts. You create an expert profile with photo, bio and keywords. ProfNet creates a simple page for you in its directory. Journalists can look you up. There is a free version and a paid version. Create an expert page that shows off your knowledge and credentials. If you want to be a guest on Dr. Oz or on-air news, give the producers something to see. Use video clips that show how personable and articulate you really are on camera!

3. Help a Reporter Out or HARO is a free service that connects the reporter looking for a specific lead with you. Once you sign up, you can get up to three emails a day (you determine frequency), with about 30 – 40 queries from journalists, editors and producers who need sources for stories. If your specialty, company or service fits what the query is calling for, you simply e-mail the contact and pitch yourself. Often times the email is not directly to the reporter, but to a tank where the reporter can fish through responses. Be sure to follow the rules or you will be shunned. I was able to get a client on a reality show and another client on the cover of a medical magazine by responding to HARO!

Tips: Keep emails short and precise. Respond at lightning speed.

4. EzineArticles is a library of articles organized by topic that publishers use to pick fresh content to publish in newsletters. The publishers that use EzineArticles often have large email lists, so if your article is selected, your content could be seen by a sizable audience. You do not get paid for your content. Your pay-off is a link back to your website or email. Only high quality articles are accepted.

5. Share Your Opinion. This is not a website, but a simple tip from PR Pro, Karen Galanaugh, APR, to get in the local news. Read your local papers and watch local news. If you read or see a story that you can offer a different or broader perspective or expertise to the story, then look up the reporter’s name and contact info on the website or at the bottom of the story and email (don’t call) the information to the journalist the day the article is in the paper or airing in the news. Do this even if you have an idea for a follow up story or have a contact or information that would be helpful to the reporter. Don’t pitch yourself, just be helpful. It is likely that you will become a source for this reporter in the future.

Karen Galanaugh, APR, M.S.M. is a public relations specialist with thirty years experience promoting and preserving reputations of big and small companies, celebrities and business people. She is accredited by the Public Relations Society of America and has a Master’s Degree in the Science of Management. Galanaugh & Company LLC

info@galanaugh.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/galanaugh

Twitter: @KarenGalanaugh

©2015 Galanaugh & Company LLC

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