If your organization is new to leveraging public relations as a marketing technique or if you work with someone who says “send a press release!” whenever there’s exciting news to share, this blog is for you. Helping your team understand why and when to use specific PR tactics is crucial to securing the coverage you’re looking for and the business results you need.
These six tactics are some of our favorites from our PR practice. Stay tuned for part two for five more!
1. Press Release
Press Release is a tool to make announcements, share crucial information, updates and more – acts as an official statement when sharing the news to the media and stakeholders.
Why use a Press Release?
Press releases are a timely public relations tool that deliver large-scale breaking news to media in a way that is both familiar and succinct while packaging all the information in one place. Media are familiar with press releases, as they are most often used to announce important news, position company developments and share preferred messaging. Media can quickly pull a story or article together from a press release that includes quotes from a spokesperson, announcement information and a brief company background all in one place. Press releases should be saved for major announcements, if possible.
- Earnings, investments, commitments to invest, restructures, closings and more
- Significant product introductions or initiatives that mark an industry first or address a specific industry/audience need
- Launch of an industry report that shares key thought leadership and findings
- Consumer research on trends or key insights that are applicable to a broad public audience
- A significant partnership focused on addressing industry-wide issues
- The appointment of new board member or hiring of an Executive Team member
2. Multi-Media Release (MMR)
Multi-Media Release (MMR) is a press release with links, images and resources embedded within it that enables easy and quick access to visual assets for media.
Why use a Multi-Media Release?
Media, like many of us, are busy and often work quickly to pull stories together. A multi-media release (MMR) enables all the key assets – from photos to infographics to trend information to research to links to company information – to be embedded in one place that makes it easy for media to pull together a story with all the elements they may need. An MMR also is embedded within an email, making it more likely that visual assets will be seen and reviewed by members of the media.
- Significant product introductions
- Launch of industry reports that offer statistics, thought leadership and findings
- Consumer research on trends or key insights that are applicable to a broad public audience
- Company expansions or landmark announcements
3. Media Alert/ Advisory
Media Alert/ Advisory is a tool to notify media of an upcoming press conference or newsworthy event. Media alerts are often laid out like an invitation with key details clearly called out.
Why use a Media Alert or Media Advisory?
Media alerts or media advisories are a public relations tool to use to in conjunction with an event announcement that succinctly outlines the what, when, who and why details in a familiar format for media. Media alerts, unlike press releases, are to-the-point and often serve to announce or promote an event or position a smaller-scale update, such as an award nomination, to media.
- Promoting a speaker at an event
- Announcing a product or relationship debuting at an event
- Announcing VIPs that will attend an event (i.e. mayors, council members, elected officials attending grand openings, ribbon cuttings, community gatherings)
- Announcing an award nomination to trade/local media
- Announcing the retirement or hire of a senior team member who has a significant presence at industry events or is a known company spokesperson on key topics
4. Media Pitch
Media Pitch is a tool to engage media in the form of an email, note or phone call conversation offering news, insight, data and often a spokesperson for a potential story, article or interview. It can be used in conjunction with a press release regarding a newsworthy announcement, or by itself to pitch the media to inform and secure story placement.
Why use a Media Pitch?
One of the most common and effective media relations tactics, a media pitch is a way to share business stories, insights, research, trends and more that might interest media in a less formal and more succinct way. Typically, media pitches should be tailored to specific media contacts and their interests, offer a unique perspective and story angle, and offer an expert for an interview on the topic. Media are hungry for news stories that best serve their audiences and pitches are a great way to get your company, perspective, insights and news in front of media in a quicker way (which they prefer). Pitches can be used alongside a press release or on its own.
- Showcasing a unique perspective on a newsworthy topic
- Sharing key facts, trends or insights derived from research
- Amplifying news of a product launch
- Positioning a spokesperson as a thought leader on a newsworthy or trending topic
- Positioning products and/or the business and offering spokespeople for timely events and trends
5. Electronic Press Kit (EPK)
Electronic Press Kit (EPK) is a pre-packaged set of materials outlining a company or organization that is distributed to the media often in conjunction with a press release or news conference event. Often EPKs are shared via a link to a website that houses all materials with links to each for download.
Why use an Electronic Press Kit?
An electronic press kit (EPK) is a public relations tool to use in conjunction with announcements and events that include many assets such as images, videos, infographics, background documents, company information and more. An EPK is an all-encompassing option that captures and houses all the information and assets that media or stakeholders might need or would like to reference in order to build a story or further understand a key announcement, event or company update.
- Company expansions or landmark announcements
- Large-scale brand announcements or initiatives
- Showcasing business offerings, products, services and spokespeople
- For this case, this EPK should live on the brand or business website, which enables media to pull the facts, information and media contacts as they need.
6. MAT Release
MAT Release is a branded article that is distributed to a network of print and online consumer news publishers. The MAT Release article is written by the company and then distributed through a MAT release partner. MAT Releases are unique because they provide a company or brand with guaranteed consumer media coverage and placements built with preferable content in the form of a sponsored article.
Why use a MAT Release?
A MAT Release is a public relations tactic that is often used to guarantee consumer-facing media coverage, particularly online and in print, with the brand and company’s preferred messaging incorporated, but positioned as a news story. MAT Releases can provide a guarantee of around 800-1200 placements across U.S. print and online outlets. This is a strong tactic to deploy as a complement to media pitching efforts for guaranteed coverage, key message inclusion and SEO.
When drafting a MAT Release, there should be a consumer story and/or angle that is the focus of the article, while tying in the products, services or offerings seamlessly. Examples of MAT Release usage:
- Incorporating key trend information or research into a consumer story
- Showcasing ways in which products or services can be used by consumers
Check back next week for an overview on how Media Deliveries, Satellite Media Tours, Infographics, Media Trainings and Media Briefings can be effective public relations tools. Does your brand or organization need help developing a PR strategy and implementing these tools? We’re here to help!
