As a business owner, you may think hiring a marketing firm to write your press releases is the best way to get media coverage. However, there are several reasons why trying to cover your PR needs with a marketing firm may not be the best idea.
Often, marketing firms are not experienced in writing press releases. They may not know how to target the right media outlets or craft news that will interest reporters or even editors who syndicate. As a result, your press release may end up being ignored or come off as purely salesy.
In actuality, one of the most common misconceptions about PR is that it is only concerned with writing and distributing press releases. While press releases can be a valuable part of a PR campaign, they are only one tool in the toolbox. To be truly effective, PR must heavily focus on generating actual editorial coverage and becoming the news itself – and this is done via pitching.
Far too often, business owners think they can simply hand over the reins of their PR to their marketing agency and that everything will take care of itself reactively. However, this is rarely the case. Even if the marketing agency is great at writing press releases, they likely lack the expertise to generate the kind of editorial coverage that can really make a difference, which rarely stems from the releases themselves.
If you’re serious about getting media coverage for your business, it’s best to hire an experienced public relations professional who is honed into earned media relations. Public relations professionals can help you craft an interview-based story that will interest reporters and get your company the kind of media coverage you’re needing.
The bottom line is that if you want your PR to be truly effective, you need to make sure that you are taking a holistic approach that includes everything from press releases to actual news pitching. Only then can you hope to make a real impact.
