In modern PR, one size does not fit all. Issuing a single media message to all and sundry is no longer an effective way of gaining column inches.
Take the case of an engineering company wanting to shout about new capital investment for example. Yes, a generic press release circulated to relevant engineering and manufacturing trade titles serves a purpose, however, there is much more mileage that can be leveraged by a reputable and knowledgeable PR agency.
For instance, the new investment is likely to attract the attention of potential customers, perhaps in different industry sectors. In the engineering and manufacturing world there are titles galore covering everything from automotive and aerospace, through to energy, medical and electronics. Tailoring the press release to pitch directly at such publications will push it up the pecking order for likely inclusion.
Similarly, there might be many more angles to explore. For instance, is there a business story here? Could it reach out to economics and investment titles? If finance is involved, there might be a banking angle too. From a local perspective, regional publications could well be interested in a company investing in its future, particularly if potential growth and employment opportunities are likely.
Of course, that is just the printed media taken care of. There’s a lot more to exploit in terms of TV, radio, online blogs, tweets, podcasts and so on. Each media type requires specific tailoring. TV for instance, will require a story that not only reads well but looks good too, while radio is clearly much more focused on creating short, memorable sound bites.
From a social media perspective, the message will also require tailoring to suit different platforms. Twitter, for example, is commonly regarded as a micro-blogging site, while Facebook is a little less hyperactive in its approach. LinkedIn, on the other hand, takes a more formal and professional tone. In every case, generating the desired level of engagement and response is all down to the execution.
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