Finding PR angles for your business

So you want to get in the press? But how do you pitch your story? What?s going to get a journalist interested? In the second post in her series about PR for small businesses, Julie Sherwood of Get In The Press takes a look at how you create an angle for your PR campaign.

Keeping up with the news

Another option is to keep up with trends in the news, and get in contact with the journalist offering additional statistics, a different view or findings. If an announcement has been made about new health findings, for example, can you offer a supportive view or a case study for a feature?

You can predict what will appear in the papers and magazines, too, and help yourself gain some free media exposure. For example, the recent TV series ?Call The Midwife? led to several features and interviews with birthing assistants and midwives giving their expert views on how their career had changed over the years. This was an excellent chance for people to plug their business.

More recently, the winner of ?Britain?s Got Talent?, Pudsey and Ashleigh, has sparked a media interest in dog training ? if this is your business, there?s may be an opportunity for you to get some publicity.

Another example is the recent news about the Olympics now allowing ?babes in arms? admission to the venues, as long as they are in a secure baby sling. Can you imagine the press releases from baby sling retailers that went flying out following that announcement?

If you have contacts in the press and PR world, you can almost pre-empt the news and pitch features relating to news in the press. If you engage an external PR agency, they?ll have their finger on the button and will be able to put you forward for media opportunities as soon as they arise.

Here are my tips for finding PR angles in your business:

1. Remember my golden rule: the press need you. They are always on the hunt for new sources of information, new statistics and product news.

2. Have the right contacts in the publications you?re targeting. There will be someone on the editorial staff who is relevant to your business, whether it?s a lifestyle editor, arts editor, cookery editor, books editor or shopping editor. Try Parenting Magazine Contacts for parenting and women?s lifestyle press.

3. Grab a large sheet of paper (and a glass of wine, optional) and start a spidergram of your business and potential angles you could be involved in.

For example?

Let?s say you?re a children?s swimwear retailer. What are the angles you might explore to generate publicity? I can think of three straight away:

1. When is the right age to take your baby swimming?

2. How to take precautions and ensure your baby is safe in the water.

3. How the sun can damage delicate skin and how protective beachwear can shield young children.

All the above three options give the opportunity for you to plug your business and they also position you as an expert in your field. Journalists like to know that you can be relied upon for comment or interview; using a variety of relevant angles increases your chances of being featured. But remember to keep in relevant and specialise only in your subject area.

About the contributor

Julie Sherwood runs PR Coaching courses through www.getinthepress.com and rents a journalist database for the parenting/women?s consumer press at www.parentingmagazinecontacts.co.uk

Read Julie?s other articles on PR for small businesses

More on public relations on Enterprise Nation

Photo credit: Brett Jordan

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