A lot of people get excited about the idea of PR but when it comes down to the actual work of what it takes to get featured in newspapers, magazines and on TV that excitement can fade as overwhelm takes over.
It can quickly seem like there’s so much to do, so much to learn and all kinds of buzzwords and new terminology to figure out. Like what is a press release, how do I write one and what do I do with it once I’ve written it.
We hear a ton of excuses from our beloved bootstrapping business owners and creatives about why they can’t or won’t dive into getting PR handled. Here are the most common and why you need to stop making them:
I don’t have time
It’s actually something of a myth that you need a press release and a media kit and all that jazz. There’s no question that having all those things in place is useful but on their own, they are not going to secure media coverage.
All you really need is a short but well crafted story pitch sent via email with a compelling subject line.
Instead of spending time writing a press release that won’t get read, dedicate that time to researching the media titles you want to be in. Learning about the type of stories they want to write about and then reaching out is time well spent.
I don’t have the money to hire an agency
Good agencies don’t come cheap and even a freelancer’s rates can make you gulp. The good news is with a bit of know-how and some common sense you can do your own PR with ease. Where do you get that know-how? We’ve got the only resource you need to take you from start to seeing-your-business-in-print finish right here.
I don’t know how
With the attitude that everything is figure-out-able and this cool thing called Google, you can learn how to do anything you put your mind to and PR is no different. You can look up how to pitch the media, how to write a press release and what size images the media need in order to publish them.
You could also dramatically shorten your learning curve by grabbing our Get Press Now guide where we walk you through every, single step you need to know. So, there’s that.
I don’t see the point
Maybe your business is booming already and you don’t see the point of having the media write about you. Our view is that that is short sighted. Being featured in the media provides fantastic social proof and puts you in front of potential new customers or business partners.
