A simple overview of best practices, tips, and guidelines for conducting public relations for a small business.

2. Today’sTopics
 Public Relations Best Practices
 Media Contacts – locate, introduce, pitch.
 Story Ideas (Pitches)
 Press Releases
 Interviews

3. Media Contacts
 Goals:
 Establish relationships with local media contacts
(hint: this is much like member prospecting!)
 Radio
 TV
 Print
 Web
 Provide consistent resources to media.
 Gain ONE local article, interview or column per
quarter. (Syndication!)

4. Establish Media Contacts
 Identify your local business news outlets:
 Radio: Is there a local, reputable broadcast for
business topics?
 Television: Is there a local, reputable show or
news/talk show appropriate for business topics?
 Print: Is there a local columnist or reporter who
routinely writes business topics?
 Web/Blog: Is there a reputable blog or web-
news site consistently focusing on business?

5. Establish Media Contacts
 Find a contact method for potential contacts:
 Via Site or Source: Is their phone or email listed
publicly?
 Call News Entity: Contact main number to ask
for reporter or column/show desk.
 LinkedIn: Search for the contact on LinkedIn
and use InMail. (This works!)
 Other Social Media: Most reporters are on
Twitter and other sites, and might provide that
information in their LinkedIn OR the news site!

6. Cultivate Media Contacts
 Once you have the information to contact:
 Reach out as a resource.
 Focus on what you can do for the
writer/show/brand, not what you hope they’ll
do for you (that’s obvious).
 In that first message, ask if you might keep in
contact to give them a consistent flow of
story/news material.
 If they approve/accept, you’re in!

7. Establish Media Contacts
 How to proceed to establish contact:
 Focus on one at a time: Try one media contact
per month.
 Try a different contact method each week of
that month: Start with most direct
(phone/email), then move on to social media or
anything inventive.
 Move on: If you haven’t gotten a response by
the end of the month, move on to your next
contact.

8. Keep at it, and you’ll find
success!
http://www.thealternative
board.com/explore-
board-membership/news

9. Keep at it, and you’ll find
success!
http://www.thealternative
board.com/explore-
board-membership/news

10. Keep at it, and you’ll find
success!
http://www.thealternative
board.com/explore-
board-membership/news

11. What NOTTo Do with Media Contacts
 Do NOT pitch every single event or story idea
to them.
 Do NOT “reach” when trying to tie in a story
idea to their writing trend/pipeline.
 Do NOT emphasize how their writing about
you can help you.
 Do NOT use ALL CAPS in your messages.

12. Story Ideas/Pitches
 Use the “best and brightest” for your pitches
to media contacts.
 Is there anything off-the-beaten-path about your
pitch?
 Is your pitch “out of the box?”
 Does your story idea line up well with this
writer’s general theme (Entrepreneurs?
Marketing? Franchises? Business ownership?)

13. Press Releases
 Title should start off with your business/brand
name (“The Alternative Board”).
 In the first paragraph, answer the “Who-What-
When-Where.” Remaining paragraphs can
expound on the “How” and “Why.”
 Include links! Drive people to your website.
 Make your release keyword-rich: “executive
coach” / “business owner” / “board of directors”
/ etc.

14. Press Releases
 If you have media contacts (relationship or
not), forward a link to your press release to
them – especially if it’s on a prominent news
site’s domain.
 TAB provides Press ReleaseTemplates on the
Facilitator Intranet.
 PRNewswire isTAB’s go-to resource, but you
can use PRweb or other sites as well.

15. Interviews
 Try to get a list of questions, even general
ones, for your preparation.
 Memorize and use an easy bullet-list of
takeaways you want to emphasize.
 Prepare 2-3 real-life examples or stories to
discuss in the interview.
 Rehearse!
 Speak slowly. In interviews, you’re very likely to
speak faster than normal, so focus on pace.
 Focus on what you KNOW.You’re the expert on
this topic… feel confident & comfortable in it.