Public Relations

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PR and advertising are almost identical in some ways.

You get some exposure about your business, yourself or your services and in return the readers receive something of interest to them.

The major difference between PR and advertising though is that it is FREE!

YIPPY!

You will also build more credibility through PR than you would through advertising as people know an advertisement when they see one but an article on the other hand means that you get instant street cred!

Why is this?

Well, to get published it must have meant that you have gone through several editors who have read your article and have chosen yours above everyone else's. Also, it must mean that your article is newsworthy.

Please also remember that you can pretty much write what you like in an advert so the general public are normally skeptical to your claims in an advert.

Articles, on the other hand, do not stand for any hype and are not seen as purely a self promotion tool. The editor will soon file your submission under “B” for bin if your story smells of a ME ME ME article.

So how do you go about getting PR?

Well, like with most things there are the right ways to do it and the wrong ways!

It’s all down to technique and having a consistent approach.

Knife Coach Cuts To The Chase!

I was reading my daily newspaper when the headline above grabbed my attention!

I got to the centre pages of the newspaper supplement called “Self Development” and there was a half page article about a lady who used to be a Life Coach but who has now turned herself into a Knife Coach!

Wendy Lewis fills a void somewhere between beauty advisor and medical specialist. She is best described as a 'Knife Coach' who gives people the confidence and ability to move forward in the area of their lives where they crave change - their appearance.

I didn’t actually keep that cutting but I did find another similar article about Wendy:

'KNIFE COACH' CUTS TO THE CHASE

"Wendy Lewis fills a void somewhere between beauty advisor and medical specialist. She is best described as a 'Knife Coach' who gives people the confidence and ability to move forward in the area of their lives where they crave change - their appearance.

Her specialized coaching can take place face to face, over the telephone, or via email. It can be used by private individuals or shared between best friends, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, and even business associates.

"I first help people to clarify exactly what it is they want," Lewis explains.

"We work through what is really bothering them, then make an action list of what options are available and go from there. It could be anything from colouring the grey, to improving their skin, to whitening their teeth, to having a facelift, breast reduction or liposuction. I give my clients the facts they need to make sensible, safe and affordable decisions."

She does this on both sides of the Atlantic - from the upper east side of Manhattan to London 's Knightsbridge and sees clients, both women and men, from as far away as Hong Kong, Toronto , Dubai , and all over Europe . Her clients range from mothers, to stage and film actors, to CEOs and people from all walks of life in between.

Clients pay £250 for up to an hour's consultation and often return for a second or third visit after they have seen a few doctors, surgeons or other specialists.

"Some people don't take the first step because they don't know what the first step should be," says Lewis. "I help them sort through the process, and save them from making mistakes and wasting time and money."

Lewis often gets letters from clients who tell her: "I couldn't have done it without you. You gave me the confidence to go through it."

Wendy Lewis set up her own consultancy after spending 12 years counseling patients for some of New York 's most prestigious cosmetic surgeons. She recognised the increasing need for someone who could provide entirely independent advice to men and women considering image enhancement treatments and procedures.

Wendy Lewis & Company was launched in 1997, offering her skills as an expert in aesthetic surgery, anti-ageing techniques, dermatology, cosmetic dentistry, high tech skincare and cosmeceuticals.

Lewis has become internationally renowned as a leader in the field of cosmetic surgery consultants. According to UK Vogue's Beauty Book: "Wendy Lewis was among the first to offer this type of service and she is definitely among the most reputable."

She has been dubbed 'The Queen of Cosmetic Surgery' by the London Evening Standard and 'The Doyenne of Consultants' by Harpers & Queen.

•  Wendy will be in Dublin on June 11th for a special conference on Age Intervention and will also host a charity launch on the day, which is open to the general public. Her visit to Dublin coincides with the launch of her latest book, Beauty Secrets.

•  If people would like to book for the event, they can do so by calling Derma Laser on 01-2788211

WOW!

To pay for an advertisement in a UK daily paper with the largest circulation would have cost up to £15,000 and this lady got it for free!

That’s the power of PR!

Please do not think it is a synch to get your article published though.

You need to have something of interest for the publications readership and first of all you need to grab the editors attention….

How To Make Your PR Stand Out Over The Rest

Just imagine for a moment that you are an editor of a newspaper or magazine.

There you are, working flat out everyday with tight deadlines to meet and 50 article proposals to sieve through!

You are not the only one trying to get into print you know!

Editors have a tough job.

Therefore, your job is to make it as easy for them as possible.

In order to be a success in the PR game you need to start thinking like an editor. This will really help you out and by thinking like an editor you will soon know what stories are newsworthy and what isn’t.

It will save both the editor and yourself a lot of time!

Let’s get you to think like an editor!

Here are some topical ideas that editors love…

“Local boy/girl did good”

Local publications love to hear of local success stories.

“10 little known interesting facts…”

If you can survey your clients or prospects about certain issues or topics and then put them into an article this creates a very newsworthy and interest angle.

“Seasonality…”

I always get bombarded with PR offers around the turn of the year. This is because of the “New year, New Me” approach that most people have with their new years resolutions! I normally write something like “10 tips to make 2006 your best ever year”. Think about the different content you could write for the seasons. “Spring clean your life” “7 ways to enjoy the sun and remain healthy at the same time”

“Surprise me…”

Editors want to be surprised. Have you got a surprising fact or controversial viewpoint on your industry?

“I’m doing something different…”

Are you doing something in your company that no other company does?

If so, tell!

“I’m doing something for local people…”

Are you helping a local charity? Raising money for an organisation in need?

“In the news…”

Can you tie anything that you are currently doing into the current news topics at the time?

“Our client is doing well…”

Are any of your customers achieving some fantastic results from using your products or services? Have you coached an unknown golfer only for them to win a tournament on the PGA Tour?