PR and Media Relations services offered include:
- Planning and implementing public relations, networking and relationship-building programs, including those employing social media (e.g., twitter, Facebook)
- Writing and editing press releases and major media kits
- Creating and maintaining online news centers for client websites
- Creating targeted mailing lists for local and national media, business groups, selected audiences – and developing key relationships within those groups
- Distributing press releases via professional wire services and other channels
- Conducting post-distribution media calls to increase story placement success rates
- Tracking and analyzing distribution and placement of press releases
- Training company executives for media interviews
The Benefits of Public Relations
The financial and good will rewards a company can secure by using creative, professional public relations (PR) are many. Here are just a few reasons why you should consider hiring Bastian Public Relations to incorporate PR as part of your overall communications strategy:
- PR lengthens the reach of advertising. A number of advertising efforts only grab the attention of primary audiences. By reaching secondary audiences via PR, consumer or business-to-business awareness of a company’s message can greatly increase.
- PR is cost-effective. When editors publish press releases and other PR materials without charge, organizations are able to enter media channels their advertising budgets often can’t afford.
- PR increases the credibility of sales messages. Readers may not believe “self serving” advertising paid for and placed by organizations. In contrast, PR improves a company’s credibility in the marketplace by acquiring neutral third-party endorsements for its services or products.
- PR creates a positive neutral business or restores a neutral one. During times of trouble in a company or industry, PR can kill negative rumors or damaging insinuations, and help set a positive post-crisis tone.
- PR generates leads. Features and news stories, successful case histories, special events coverage, etc. often introduce the existence of an organization in a positive manner, thereby helping to increase sales.
- PR can help measure customer attitudes. By measuring customer interests and attitudes, allied research marketing services (a type of internal PR) can detect competitive trends, discover the right target market for products and services, suggest how to reach the best customers, keep track of ongoing customer opinions, and even advise how to deal with a hostile business environment.
Why Write Press Releases?
Did you know marketing studies have proven the average message communicated in a news story or feature has 3 to 7 times more credibility than one presented in an advertisement?
Public relations opportunities allowing a company to inexpensively “toot its horn” are plentiful and often overlooked by its management. What follows are a few situations which could serve as the impetus for writing a newsworthy press release (or full-blown media kit) to build credibility and awareness, support advertising efforts and potentially increase sales:
- New products, services or programs
- Major facility expansion, relocation or hiring plans
- Position statement on industry news/trends
- Promotions of existing employees
- Hiring of new employees
- Expansion or move of facility
- Awards wno by organization or its employees
- Speaking engagement by C-suite executive
- Special events, openings and anniversaries
- News of securing government contracts
- Mergers and acquisitions or earnings
- Company-sponsored seminars open to the public
- New alliances with other organizations
- Other noteworthy activities sponsored by company or engaged in by employees, including sizable financial donations, equipment contributions or volunteer hours given to charity
- “Hot” market or culture trend tying into company products or services. Company officials are positioned as “experts” in their fields
- Survey findings (produced or financed by company) of interest to the general public, the company’s industry or a client’s industry
