Written by Rebecca Hirsch, with Input from Samson Haileyesus
47. Perfect Before You Pitch
Don’t send out a press release until you’re sure that the product is done. Although there are always changes that can be made after, you don’t want to have negative reviews from a poorly made product that you rushed out.
48. Personalize Your Pitch
Again, don’t send out bulk press releases. Personalize your pitch for a few local outlets, or offer one of them an exclusive. Either way, make sure your pitch includes your story and builds your brand.
49. Include a Media or Press Page on Your Website
A well-organized press page on your website is important for helping the press help you. Make sure it’s clear where you go in the site for queries, press releases, FAQs, company history, bios,, and archival material. All of these are useful materials for the media and for customers, so it’s important that they’re visible and useful.
50. Podcasts
Podcasts are great at helping you spread the word on any new products or announcements. You can use podcasts to advertise, and you can also come on as a guest speaker. Leverage your knowledge as a small business owner in regards to your industry, on running a business, for example. This will advertise to their listeners that you know what you’re doing, and potentially increase your audience.
51. Rejection
Even the best story won’t always make it to print. The media won’t always pay attention to what you’re doing, and they won’t always accept an offer on an exclusive. You cannot be so invested in your company’s importance that you fail to acknowledge that not everything can be news.
It’s okay to be rejected. Learn from your mistakes- if they included a reason why they aren’t running your story in their rejection, keep that reason in mind in the future. Keep trying to perfect your pitch, and eventually you’ll find the right place for it.
52. Speed and Relevance
It’s important to keep yourself relevant in a world where news goes by so quickly. Speed isn’t just about getting your press out into the world- it’s also about staying on top of the competition, and how and when you get information to your customers. Slow news at the right time is better than fast news at the wrong one.
53. PR Monitoring
Make sure to monitor all reports and comments about your business, and be prepared not only to respond to negative criticism, but to accept it. Sometimes, the bad things people say are right.
54. Understand the Problem Before Acting
Don’t make any statement before you understand all the facts. Again, slow and right is better than fast and wrong. Having to detract a statement looks much worse than being slow to react. Consult with others in the company so that you can be clear on what information is actually out there.
55. Focus on What Really Matters
Don’t share every detail in a crisis. Say what people actually need to know, and leave out any unnecessary details. Provide just enough information that they understand your response, not so much that you’ve created a new crisis.
56. The Long Term
Keeping your customer’s long term loyalty is more important than short term sales boosts. Treat the media like a customer. Don’t make a story more important than your long term relationship with them. If they say no more than once, let it go. Sometimes, you need to abandon a pitch for the sake of a positive relationship with the media.
57. Act Ethically
Don’t violate your code of ethics. The media and your customers will notice if you try to do something shady, and it will backfire. Good business practices will maintain your reputation. If you’re trustworthy, people will be more likely to do business with you.
Do not compromise yourself. Don’t let rivalries take over your life, or keep you from acting ethically. Stick with the right decision no matter what, even if your competition seems to be benefiting from sneaky, underhanded moves.
58. Press Releases
Press releases are great for getting credibility. Submit these to local outlets to get more exposure in newspapers, the radio, and morning shows on television.
59. Budge
PR can be expensive. Make sure you’ve covered your priorities, even if you have a small budget. You don’t have to use everything in your budget right away, either. After all, it’s important to have an emergency fund for any crisis that may pop up.
60. Share Your Coverage
Make sure to share any coverage you may get. Send it out to your email lists, post it on your social media accounts, and put it on your website. This will help increase your traffic, and once again improve the awareness of your brand.
61. Don’t Lie
Lying is the best way to make sure your reputation tanks. Any PR efforts you do need to be truthful, and build trust with any customers, employees, or stakeholders that may be involved.
Assume that any lie you tell will be discovered eventually, and that it’s better to tell the truth right out of the gate. Don’t destroy your business with an attempt at dishonesty.
62. Crisis Response
Have a team that’s ready in the event of a crisis. This team’s goal is to plan out how your business will respond, and ensure that the plan is executed properly. Have them monitoring the media to ensure that your response is taken as intended.
63. The Rules in a Crisis
The rules for a crisis are simple. Tell the truth, make fast decisions, make swift adjustments. Don’t say ‘no comment’, and don’t say anything at all until you’re sure that you know what information is out there. Make sure to demonstrate care and compassion.
Headquartered in New York City, Bao Communications is a full-service bilingual PR Agency specializing in social media, media relations, content creation, and influencer marketing. We serve local, national, and global clients in the United States and China.