Get Noticed! How to Be Your Own Publicist: Part One

Let’s face it: you can have the greatest stock in the world but it will still sit on your shelves collecting dust if nobody knows about it. Yet for some reason, many savvy entrepreneurs familiar with the ins and outs of drawing in customers through advertising and promotions draw the line at an easy and cost-effective public relations pitch.

I’m here to tell you: PR can be your greatest asset in getting people to your product. In my 15-year career as a journalist and publicist, I’ve seen the difference that a strong public relations campaign can make to sales—both in the specific period that the campaign targets, and beyond. But I’ve also seen retailers and etailers who’ve been burned by publicists who promise results and fail to deliver. By understanding the process, and utilizing your own strengths, you can make public relations work for you.

Where to Start?

First off, take a long, hard look at your business and figure out what’s unique and newsworthy. Perhaps you produce or sell unique merchandise. Maybe you host a monthly speaker series or another type of event. The anniversary of your business could be coming up, you could be donating to a charity or planning a special promotion for a holiday like May Day, Mother’s Day or the Fourth of July. If you have no plans for any special promotion, start making them now. You can only pitch to the media if you have something newsworthy to promote.

Oh, and whatever you’re promoting, it’s helpful to have high-quality photographs of your store and/or merchandise available. Many smaller publications—especially smaller, niche magazines—don’t have the budget to send out a photographer. Regardless of how interesting the story is, good photographs can make the difference between your pitch going in the “yes” or the “maybe” pile.

The Lingo

There’s that word again: “pitch.” A pitch simply means a quick summary of what’s newsworthy about your store. Usually I recommend clients have a corporate profile on hand that incorporates the pitch but also gives the history of the business and its owners, some background on the type of merchandise it produces or carries, as well as the location, phone number and web address, if applicable. You can write this up yourself on your corporate letterhead or, if you’re uncomfortable writing, hire someone on a per-word basis to do it for you (MediaBistro.com is a good resource to find writers, you can also post a listing on CraigsList.org, but in both cases make sure you get a writing sample before you hire). Then craft a simple, friendly and to-the-point letter that you can mail or email to editors and producers, with your corporate profile attached. The letter or email should include the pitch up front, i.e.

Dear John,

How are you? I hope all is well. I wanted to let you know about the exciting May events we have going on at Our Store, located on Our Avenue in Our Town. Since May is our five-year anniversary, for the entire month of May we’ll be offering a 20% discount on all our merchandise—this includes cashmere by Our Favorite Designer, boots by Our Favorite Shoe Designer, and more. We’ll also be hosting an Anniversary Party on May 5 from 6 to 9 p.m. with champagne cocktails and a special appearance by Our Favorite Band; in addition to the 20% discount to customers on that day, we’ll be donating an additional 15% to Our Favorite Charity. I’m attaching our corporate profile and a photograph; please let me know if you’d like more information or to schedule a time to talk about our upcoming events. Thanks!

Best,
Jane
Owner, Our Store

That’s it. Simple, to the point and effective. You don’t need smoke and mirrors in public relations. Editors and producers simply want to know what’s going on—they can make their own decisions as to whether or not they want to cover. Stay Tuned for Part Two in January: Deadline, Targets and Timing…

Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff left a successful career as President of Sugar Public Relations to follow her dream of mainstreaming green fashion, beauty, lifestyle and parenting. A mother of three who also blogs as “Mommy Greenest,” Rachel is an environista who has appeared on “Access Hollywood,” “Hollywood Green” and “Good Day L.A.” and who writes and speaks about living an eco-friendly life. Her website, EcoStiletto.com, features daily updates, exclusive celebrities interviews and eco-swag giveaways: Beginning in January 2009, www.EcoStiletto.com will give away a free pair (or pairs) of eco-friendly shoes worth $500 or more each and every month. Get on the list now, and get the lowdown on shrinking your carbon footprint from an Ugg boot to a Manolo. Stiletto-size me!