| Start your campaign by developing your campaign | | | | Likewise, pick the particular media that serve that |
| theme. This theme is something you can sum up in a | | | | market. |
| phrase or sentence, much like the title of a book. Think | | | | For instance, if you have a product or book that |
| of your theme like a news story headline - it's a | | | | appeals to managers, direct your PR to the business |
| statement to quickly attract consumer interest. | | | | media. If it is a product or book that appeals to women |
| For example, when Apple first brought out the Apple | | | | consumers, direct your PR towards consumer |
| computer, their campaign focused around the notion of | | | | publications or feature editors who cover topics that |
| being different from the PC - it was the computer for | | | | appeal to women. The more you can target the media, |
| "the rest of us." Other examples of a theme are | | | | the better it is for your product or service. |
| Verizon's campaign of "having more phones in the | | | | Using Promotional Events |
| network than any other service" or "having a more | | | | One way to promote your product and services is to |
| reliable network with fewer dropped calls than any | | | | create a special promotional event around it. Some |
| other network." | | | | ways to do this are: |
| You can have multiple campaigns, but for each one, | | | | - Create tie-ins with other groups, so you might do |
| center your message around that theme. It's like having | | | | something on a larger scale. |
| a headline and subheads. Then you tell the story in the | | | | - Contribute part of your earnings for the event or |
| rest of your message. | | | | product sales to a charity, whereby a certain |
| The particular theme you choose should also be one | | | | percentage goes to that charity. |
| that resonates with your selected target market. | | | | - Put on a free event so that people in the media |
| Determining Your Target Market | | | | would feel more comfortable promoting it because it's |
| Your target market is the group of consumers who | | | | free. If you are charging, say $10 at the door, even if |
| will be most receptive to your product or service. Your | | | | that's to cover your costs for food and supplies, the |
| campaign theme should appeal to them. You thus | | | | media will think it's a commercial event which you |
| need a match between your message and the group | | | | should advertise. So to maximize your publicity appeal, |
| it is aimed at. | | | | make your event free. |
| Don't think your product or service will appeal to | | | | - Find a way to make your event stand out and be |
| everyone. That's too broad. Focus on the segments of | | | | unique. |
| the market which will be most receptive. Then, that | | | | Because we're in a very celebrity-driven culture, if you |
| focus will help you determine the best media and | | | | can get a celebrity or a high-profile spokesperson to |
| approach to use to reach that market. | | | | appear at your event or endorse your products or |
| This analysis of your market may mean you should | | | | service, you'll increase your credibility and appeal. |
| review the name you have picked for your product, | | | | Sometimes celebrities will appear at an event or |
| service, or PR campaign. Maybe you might want to | | | | provide an endorsement for free, if they really like |
| choose a better or more compelling name or even use | | | | what you're doing. Other times they may want a |
| different names to appeal to different markets. So be | | | | certain fee or percentage of the door charge or of |
| ready to go back and reconsider your initial choices if | | | | sales. |
| necessary. | | | | If your event or the sales potential is a large enough, a |
| This willingness to review and revise is crucial, because | | | | percentage of the door or sales may be all you need |
| sometimes you may think you have chosen a great | | | | and you may not have to offer a guarantee or pay |
| name. But if you do some market research and get | | | | out anything upfront. Or connecting your event or sales |
| feedback, you may discover that others don't relate to | | | | to a charity may help you build sales as well as get |
| or like the name. So it may be better to change it early | | | | celebrity endorsements, since some celebrities pick out |
| on than to hope you can change people's attitudes and | | | | charities they are particularly interested in. So if you |
| opinions, which are often difficult to change. | | | | can connect your event or activity to a charity that |
| Linking Your Product Or Service To The Daily News | | | | may be a way to gain the participation of a celebrity |
| If you can tie your product or service to what's going | | | | who is committed to that cause. |
| on in the news, that can help you get publicity, because | | | | Often you can find restaurants and hotels for your |
| your product or service seems more timely and | | | | event for a low price or free, because the restaurant |
| relevant, rather than just another new product, service, | | | | or hotel expects increased business from the people |
| book, or whatever. So look at what's happening in the | | | | you bring. |
| news and how can you be an expert to comment on | | | | For example, I did some events at the Monsoon |
| what's happening or how your product or service | | | | Café on the Promenade in Santa Monica with about |
| might provide an important and unique benefit. | | | | 100 people at each event, and they only required a |
| For instance, if you want to promote a humanitarian | | | | $100 payment for the use of a large banquet hall and |
| song, rather than directly promoting the song, promote | | | | a $100 guarantee for the bartender's tips. Most of |
| some of the ways the song been used in different | | | | what we collected at the door -- $10 each - went to |
| groups or how the song's message ties into something | | | | buy hors d'oeuvres for the group. So the payments |
| in the news, such as promoting awareness of the | | | | from the attendees easily covered the $100 fee, plus |
| immigration crisis which is very much in the news. | | | | most people bought drinks, which reimbursed the |
| Promoting a Niche Product or Service | | | | bartender. So it was a win-win for all. |
| If you have a niche product or service, figure out what | | | | Now, due to the recession, many restaurants and bars |
| is your niche market, so you can direct your PR | | | | are hurting, so they are more likely to give you the |
| towards that market. By the same token, pick out key | | | | space for nothing, if it looks like you will bring them a |
| words to appeal to that market, and any time you do | | | | large number of customers. |
| a mass mailing, feature those words in the mailing. | | | | |
