PR’s Secret Weapon:

Getting Great PR and Leveraging

What You’ve Got

#1: Great PR

How To Stand Out in a Crowd

• Start a political scandal.

• Commit a highly visible crime. (DUIs, hot tub incidents, and anything related to “Super Dell Schanze” are especially useful.)

• Create a really big publicity stunt.

Internet Mogul sets Blimp Water-Skiing Record

H Have Blimp, Will Water SkiThat taglinThis That tagline has been following

Jeff Taylor around these days.” One of the important things about being a CEO of a 'new economy' company is you have to be willing to put it out on the line," Taylor said.Taylor, the CEO of Monster.com, is certainly a man of his word. He put it all out on the line on March 22 in claiming a world record by water skiing behind a blimp for 11 minutes, 43 seconds.

Some Better Ideas….

• Consider the characteristics of your business and brand.

• Consider the REAL OBJECTIVES you want your personal or business PR to achieve.

Does PR Produce Sales?

• Sometimes, yes.

• As its primary focus, no.

• Your PR is the due diligence on your product and company that helps your customer support the decision to buy.

• It is PR’s job to support sales.

• It is sales’ job to help the customer create the bridge and connect the dots from great PR to new sales.

What is PR’s Role in Sales?

• Use PR to educate.

• Think of PR as your customer’s background check on your product and company.

• PR is the independent third-part validation your customer needs to feel comfortable about concluding the sale.

• Advertising is awareness. PR is credibility.

To Support Sales: What is the Real Story your PR needs to tell and what are your Business Reasons for telling it?

• For Example: A new chain of really fast car washes.• Saves Time

• Uses cutting edge technology

• Saves water and helps the environment with green technology

• Location Based Social Media.• Safety

• Business efficiency

Who do you want to engage and how will PR help?

For example – if your product is specifically geared to a certain vertical market such as healthcare, will getting on Good Morning America really help?

When is the Ideal Time to Begin PR?

Get good PR counsel – but generally, if you are 1) within 30 days of product ship, 2) if a customer could place an order, and 3) engaging the PR will not in any way inhibit or discourage current sales.

All other PR is useful only for positioning, whetting of appetites and ramp up.

Why Is Timing So Critical?

• Is your product available for sale?

• Can a customer place an order directly through a link from the article?

• Is there anything about the news you issue that will deter current sales?

• Is your company ready to convert the leads your PR generates into sales?

Elements of Strong Sales Oriented PR

• Strong, optimized press releases.

• Awards and credentials are good as supporting evidence for the REAL NEWS: your company’s value proposition.

• Reputation on the Internet.

• WORD OF MOUTH – reviews, expert columns, customer stories that are REAL.

How do you Leverage Your Great PR Coverage for Sales?

•Are you giving your great news articles to your current and prospective customers and investors?

•Is your company feeding its its good articles to your pipeline?

Use Technology Tools

Sendside PackagesInform, Inspire, Engage, Control

A Case Study Example

Brandt Page, CEO, Launch Sales And Marketing

• Keynote Address

• American Express Selects

• Launch Sales Publishes 5 Tips

• Launch Sales Named #6

In Summary

• If you have a gap between PR and Sales, close it up.

• PR and sales should work together.

• We are happy to help.