One of the most effective strategies for building awareness and credibility, establishing your positioning, and getting your messages out is public relations.

When a publication or media outlet publishes an article about you, it has credibility and influence because it wasn’t written by you; it was written by a third-party – an editor or reporter.

While advertising can be an important component of an overall branding and marketing plan, the messages in advertising are understood to be self-serving…of course they are because they were written by you.  But articles in the media are written by an unbiased source that has authority when it comes to shaping the public’s opinions.  If an editor says you’re good, that carries weight with readers.

Whenever a great article is published about you, it not only gives you exposure to readers of that publication or media outlet, it also provides you with an excellent piece of collateral that can be used for marketing and sales.

“The birth of a brand is achieved with publicity, not advertising.” The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding

Publicity precedes awareness, which is why so many companies consider public relations their most effective tool.

There are many tactics that can be employed in an effective public relations campaign.  Below are some examples:

• Identify and develop a comprehensive list of publications and media outlets that reach your target audience, segmented by audience and focus.
• Obtain editorial calendars from media targets and contact editors to pursue coverage in scheduled feature articles.
• Create news releases and distribute to all applicable audiences: industry and business media, prospects and clients, shareholders, market influencers, employees, etc.
• Proactively contact the media to pitch them on topics of interest to their readers that could result in creation of articles where you could be included in the coverage.
• Conduct interviews with the media.
• Do media tours and hold news conferences and media roundtables.
• Post news releases and media coverage online.
• Write bylined articles and submit to publications.
• Measure the performance and ROI of your public relations by tracking and measuring your media coverage according to frequency, tone, reach, impact and net effect.

We provide complete public relations services, from consultation and strategic planning, to full implementation, media training for you and your staff, and acting as your company’s spokesperson.

Contact COS, LLC.