Making a name for yourself - Kati Price

An introduction to PR

© Kati Price Design Communications 2009

What’s PR? What can it do for you?
Press releases – the basics
When is news news?
Who to target and how
Press packs and how to make the most of them
Using images effectively


What is PR?


PR is a planned and sustained communication
between an organisation and its publics

Institute of Public Relations


PR is a planned and sustained communication
publics
between an organisation and its publics

Institute of Public Relations


What can PR do for you?


PR can…

Get you coverage in the media
Cost you less than advertising
Publicise your news
Help raise your profile and manage your reputation
Help you talk to your stakeholders - not just the press
Can give you a clear and consistent voice
Differentiate you from your competitors


PR can’t…

Guarantee sales



So, where do you start?
Company logo or letterhead and should state ‘Press Release’ or ‘News
Release’ followed by the date/month of issue

A good headline - keep it short, simple and lighthearted

The crucial first paragraph - Answer the questions: what? who? why?
where? and when? Remember to get your main point across early

The main body of your press release
Develop your main message and you can give some background to explain
why the event is taking place / product has been launched and why it is
important



Include a quote
Journalists don’t always have the time to interview people. But make sure it’s
concise, punchy and captures the essence of your story.

Photo opportunities
For events highlight any opportunities for photographs at the bottom of the
press release. Give a brief description of the kind of visuals they can expect.

‘Ends’
Finish the release with ‘Ends’ as this separates the important news element of
the release from any other background information



Notes to Editors
Your opportunity to add detail that might otherwise detract from the main
story, for example, a biography or short history of your business.

Don’t forget to include contact numbers
Make sure somebody will be available at these numbers in the busy run-up to
a launch.
For events make sure to include full address details, times and information on
how to get there - it is crucial these are correct.



1) Correct grammar usage
2) Write in the third-person
3) Use the active, not passive, voice
4) Use strong verbs
5) Make sure your claims are true
6) Don’t advertise!
7) Economy of words
8) Check - is it more than one paragraph?
9) Write for the media
10) Proofread


When is news news?


When is news news?

What makes ‘news’?
Think about your audience. Will someone else find your story
interesting? If your product or event is noteworthy or unusual in some
way, this will generally mean it is newsworthy too.

Angles and hooks
A good story angle:
•is the most important fact in your story
•is timely
•is unique, newsworthy or contrary to industry norms and trends.
Use the story angle in the first paragraph as well as the headline of your
press release.


Who to target...and how


The PR process

?


Targeting press contacts

•Keep abreast of the press
•Build a database keep it up to date
•Go to dos and private views
•Listen to journalists’ advice
•Be targeted in your communications
•Be thorough when sending information
•Be consistent
•Decide what format is best – email or hard copy
•Find out what features are planned
•Have an elevator pitch prepared
•Start and finish all communications with a phone call
•Suggest features to journalists
•Consider press deadlines and schedules
•Don’t be pushy and do not pester. A ruined relationship with a journalist is
impossible to salvage!


Press packs and
how to make the most of them


Creating a press pack

A branded folder or disc which contains:

•press release
•image folders (ideally a low res and a high res folder)
•a brochure of your products in a pdf format,
•a biography
•stockists’ details



Have good product shots
Ideally a mixture of cut outs and styled shots. If only one, go for cut outs
as these are an easier fit in the editorial environment

High res and low res
make sure your images are available as high resolution (300dpi at a
minimum of 10cm x 10cm) and low resolution (72dpi at 5-10cm x 5-10cm).
As a rule, you should go for a jpeg (not tiff) format and each image
needn’t be larger than 1MB.

Create an image sheet
Have a word doc or pdf with low res (72dpi) thumbnails and captions
(including product name, designer name and price) and email this out
on request


Eames DSW chair


Kathryn Hinton

Kathleen Hills Milkii

"Remember that the toes you are stepping on
today may well be attached to the ass you may
need to kiss tomorrow."
Anonymous


Thank you


Making a name for yourself - Kati Price

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