Public relations is the art, as one of my colleagues put it, of "offering people reasons to persuade themselves." In other words, we are not Madison Avenue; we don't tell people what we want them to think. Rather, we give them evidence, facts, and opinions that help them reach a conclusion. If we're good at what we do, they will reach the conclusion we've been hired to promote.
The differences between traditional public relations and Guerrilla P.R. are relatively simple. First of all, public relations firms like mine are available to people with a lot of money, because we charge what we consider to be reasonable fees, which are out of reach of many small or one-person businesses. So entrepreneurs and small business owners need to learn and apply the same skills I use every day in service of their larger, more well- heeled rivals. But these skills can't be used the same way, since they require more money than most small businesses can afford. Not everyone can buy a minute of time on network TV to get the message across.
That's where Guerrilla P.R. comes in. This down-and-dirty offspring of the traditional method is based on an idea I developed called the Tiffany Theory. The Tiffany Theory is an idea that sounds simple but, like most such theories, is so basic it contains numerous truths.
My Tiffany Theory states that a gift delivered in a box from Tiffany's will have a higher perceived value than one in no box or a plain box. That's not because the recipient is a fool; it's because in our society, we gift-wrap everything: our politicians, our corporate heads, our movie and TV stars, and even our toilet paper. Tiffany paper places a higher perceived value on things.
In effect, what I do each day is gift-wrapping. I take a message and wrap it in the finest paper from Tiffany's. No matter what the message may be, I try to make it sound more appealing, more interesting, and more useful. If I do my job correctly, the consumer (who gets the message through television, newspapers, radio, or the Inter net) will get the message. But first, that message has to go through editors, producers, reporters, and website managers. The Tiffany paper adds perceived value and cachet.
Notice, now, I said, perceived value. In public relations and publicity, perception is truth. It isn't what happened that counts, it's what people think happened. This is the absolute day-to-day currency of politics, entertainment, and most other industries. In our case, we're looking at how the public-that is, the segment of the public you believe is your customer base-perceives your company. Not what your company actually might be.
Does that mean you should lie? Never. Lying, besides being morally wrong, is quite literally indefensible. That means, at some point, you're going to be found out. And even if you weren't, you would have to start living the lie- remembering what you told the people interested in your business, and hearing people call you what you said you are. It's too hard, and it's not worth it. Besides, it's plain bad business.
When I say that the perception of the truth-rather than the truth itself-is the stuff of great publicity campaigns, I mean that the truth will take care of itself. But you have to make sure that the image you project, the perception you offer to potential customers, is what you want it to be.
For example, a man named Dave Schwartz decided he'd start a car rental company that would lower rates to the consumer by featuring cars that weren't 100 percent new off the showroom floor. He had a choice to make in terms of the perception of his new company, and he chose to beat critics to the punch with a strong sense of humor and a catchy company name: Rent-A-Wreck. Now, Dave didn't lie (his cars weren't wrecks, they drove just fine, so maybe he exaggerated a little), and he didn't fall into the trap of emphasizing price. After all, his competitors already had names like Thrifty and Budget. He hit you in the funny-bone, made his impression of a fun car rental company-with the implied promise that the cars would cost less because they weren't brand new- and launched a very successful business.
It's all in the perception. But is this a contradiction of the Tiffany Theory? Did Dave actually wrap his cars in Kmart paper to make his point?
Not really. Dave still wrapped his message in Tiffany paper. He made sure local news outlets, publications, and media companies knew about his company, and he emphasized exactly how reliable and economical the rental cars at Rent-A-Wreck would be. By downplaying the appearance of the cars-calling them "wrecks" he allowed the media to expect dented, scratched, beat-up cars. When they toured his facility and saw cars that were only slightly used, Dave didn't have to say a word. The message got out that the "wrecks" in question were very reliable, attractive cars that would be available for a lower rental rate because they were used. A brilliant, subtle piece of Tiffany wrapping.
----------------------------------------------------------
The Tiffany Theory applies to the Internet in ways it never could with traditional media. Keep in mind that more information is available on the World Wide Web than you can possibly track, let alone control. So it's always important to keep your information true. But unlike information in newspapers or magazines, the data you provide on a website is yours, and you provide the Tiffany paper. Use photographs, charts, quizzes, and prizes, if you can, to keep surfers' interest alive on your site. And remember to wrap every fact in a nice neat piece of Tiffany wrap.
GuerrillaPR Insights is a, weekly newsletter that does 2 things: First, it provides readers with a weekly, actionable "insights" on how you can work more effectively with the media.
Secondly, it provides NAPES: Names, Addresses, and Phone numbers of key media producers and editors. For example, in a recent issue, we gave specific contact information on how to contact the producers of the Oprah Winfrey Show.
To check out the archives, go to: http://www.guerrillapr.net/guerrilla_pr_insights-backissues.html
house refresh service Morton Grove ..If a reporter approached you about an interview, would you... Read More
You won't be if you accept a very simple premise.... Read More
If you don't have a grip on public relations, how... Read More
New business owners often miss out on publicity opportunities because... Read More
Question: Why should your business issue a press release? Answer:... Read More
School BusesWhen approaching a school bus: Slow down; If the... Read More
They say that image is everything and some of us... Read More
More than half of America skips the Super Bowl, the... Read More
As a business, non-profit or association manager, occasions will arise... Read More
How you answer questions depends on many factors. Example what... Read More
Some folks see the word "strategic" as a needlessly tiresome... Read More
Managers ? the business, non-profit and association sort ? really... Read More
Media placement is an art. Practicing it often requires as... Read More
That big story the media pursue each day is what... Read More
Public relations changes minds in the process of delivering what... Read More
As a mobile detailing company it is important to have... Read More
Smaller companies don't always have the budget - or inclination... Read More
Everyone has an opinion on something, and you can leverage... Read More
The toughest thing about writing a news release is getting... Read More
When you pay good money for public relations services, you... Read More
You have been if you're a business, non-profit or association... Read More
Years ago when my Dad owned a group of local... Read More
Would you like to expand the volume of your business?... Read More
If I were coaching you as a business, non-profit or... Read More
I define public relations failure this way:key audience perceptions are... Read More
cleaning service near Mundelein ..How do you make a friend of the media? A... Read More
Got a huge need for publicity and a tiny publicity... Read More
Financial planners, the first thing to know about reporters is... Read More
1) Do you NEED solid, consistant media exposure...week after week,... Read More
There are many ways you can get tons of free... Read More
Being invited to appear on radio and television used to... Read More
I believe this about public relations.People act on their own... Read More
As a business, non-profit or association manager, what do you... Read More
Media kits include a combination of information whether created for... Read More
Are you working as hard as you can in your... Read More
As many of you already know, promoting and marketing your... Read More
Because when it comes to public relations, non-believers can produce... Read More
Once considered the stepchild of the publishing industry, custom publishing... Read More
If you're an online business using public relations (PR) to... Read More
Whenever a recession or volatility threatens the economy, companies immediately... Read More
Getting on the radio can be a great tactical move... Read More
Writing a press (or media) release is quite an art... Read More
How can media training help you create a successful Hispanic... Read More
Advice about business and life often gets around to one... Read More
In fact, here are three really foolish goofs made by... Read More
If your product or service can be given as a... Read More
When I talk with business people, they tend to believe... Read More
How you answer questions depends on many factors. Example what... Read More
Business to Business relationships come to expect a certain level... Read More
They say that image is everything and some of us... Read More
Public Relations |