PR is literally every outward expression of you and your company. It is your website, your logo, what you Tweet about and post to Facebook, your partnerships, what you wear to an industry cocktail party. Everything.

With the power of social media, getting attention for your company is easier than ever. You have more control over the outcome than ever before. But, you have to know what you are doing. You must be purposeful with your actions.

Following are 15 tips to get you started on your PR quest for media coverage. Think of it as #DIYPR.

1. Be You: Don’t make a boring and stuffy pitch. Be you. If it is an email, then it should read exactly as if you were speaking. If you are talking on the phone or in person, then relax and just be you. This is important because it ensures that you are being authentic.
2. Keep it Short: People have the attention span of flies and they have even less time to read emails, so keep your pitches, voicemails and/or whatever else short and to the point.
3. Do Your Homework: The phrase “cold calling” means reaching out to someone that you haven’t met before. It doesn’t mean reaching out to someone who you’ve never heard of before. Do your homework before you pitch your company to anyone
4. Target: Only pitch to those that would be a good fit for your news. For example, it would be a huge waste of time (yours and theirs) to submit a futuristic themed wedding to a vintage inspired blog. Just by the theme of it, you know they aren’t going to write about it, so don’t even bother. Make an effort to seek out those that would have an actual interest in what you have to say. You will be more likely to see results.
5. Make a Plan: If you have something coming up that is worthy of publication, then make a plan BEFORE the actual event. Once the event happens, you should be well into working your plan, not just starting it. Think about the publications that would a be good fit and start working on your pitch points.
6. Pick Up the Phone: No one uses the phone anymore. Everyone relies on texts and email. You will be more effective if you actually make a pitch over the phone.
7. You Are Your Best Advocate: If you have employees, be very clear with them about who can and cannot talk to press and use social media to discuss your company. You are the one who knows the in’s and out’s of your company, and you will be able to give it the best public face.
8. Social Media is PR: Like it or not, when you use social media (Twitter, Facebook and blogs) you are actively engaging in your own PR. Just by its nature, when you are on social media you are, in a very public way, promoting your company. What you say online impacts your company, so use it wisely.
9. Acknowledgment: If you use social media, then it is important that you are actively engaging in the conversation. If you set up a Facebook page, then update it regularly. This also means acknowledging Tweets, emails, comments and other messages that come your way. It is bad PR and bad customer service to ignore anyone. If you blog, consider anyone who reads your blog as a client. They might not be buying your products directly, but they are reading your words. Customers look to social media as conversation.
10. Consistency is King: Come up with your 10-second elevator pitch and use it when you explain your product to a client and in a pitch to a magazine. Your website, your blog, your Facebook page, your Twitter should all have the same look and feel, and more importantly, the same consistent message.
11. Be Humble: Yes, bloggers and magazines need content to fill their pages, but arrogance will get you nowhere. Be thankful for every mention your company receives. Make sure that whoever wrote about you knows how thankful you are. And, by the way, with the search-ability of the Internet, there is no such thing as a small media hit.
12. Know the Publication: Read several past issues.
13. Know Your Target Market: Who do you want buying from you?
14. Know Editorial Deadlines: And be early.
15. Don’t Take it Personally: Editors receive several pitches per day and are weighing a lot of elements.

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PR is the most overlooked marketing and sales tool, even though it’s the least expensive, the least risky, the most effective, and the easiest to use — when you understand how to use it. PR is the overall planning, approach, and strategy for dealing with the media, investors, stakeholders, clients, and potential clients. It is communication with your target market publicly. The bottom line is to get word out about you, your company, your products and services to those who could potentially buy from you. The good news about PR is the cost and the effectiveness when it’s in front of your target market.

PR is also human relations. It isn’t merely getting your name in the paper or appearing on radio or TV. It’s how you interact with and represent yourself to the world. PR begins as soon as you meet or are seen by others. It’s about how you treat your clients, employees and suppliers. It’s a full-time job that starts the moment you walk out your door each day – everything from how your phone is answered to how your staff presents themselves.

Consider it more than simply a way to attract attention or influence people toward buying your product. PR is an art that creates an image of you and your business, and presents it in a controlled, planned fashion that will convey exactly what you want to say without having to be obvious about it.

How do you determine if you have a good story that will result in coverage?

Determine need. Is your idea beneficial to others? Does it serve a purpose? Is it original? Does it excite? Is it different? The media is always hungry for something new; does your idea fill the bill? If you answered yes, you’re ready to craft your pitch.

Some final thoughts:

PR Benefits:

• PR increases your credibility. When people read about you, hear about you, or see you speaking, you are automatically considered an expert.
• PR helps attract new clients. People do business with who they know & like.
• PR removes price objections. If people believe you’re the best and only choice, they will pay your price.
• PR levels the playing field. Small businesses are made to appear larger than they are and this allows them to compete in any arena.
• PR is very cost-effective compared to other marketing tactics. Just price advertising.
• PR builds your identity
• PR Increases your visibility
• PR Generates name recognition
• PR Gets your message across
• PR Compels people to buy, invest, and do business with you.

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