How To Know When You Should Hire a PR Agency

A big part of running a business is growing the business and getting your name in front of more people, the only thing that really takes priority is actually running your business and selling your product or service so you gain revenue.

However, it can be intimidating or confusing to think about hiring a franchise PR agency to come and help you because you may be wondering, "Will it be worth it?" or things like "I bet I can do it on my own."

There are a few things you can consider to know if it is time for you to hire a franchise PR firm.

The first thing to consider is if you have time to do PR or not. If you find that you consider PR for your business as something that will get done when it'll get done, then you do not have time for it. Public relations is not something that you just turn on and off and get small bits done here and there, then hope it works out for you. You need to have a game plan, execute your plan, and measure the results. If you do not have time for this, then you should really consider hiring a PR agency.

Another time to consider bringing in the help of an outside franchise PR agency is when you want to really nail a launch of a product, service, etc. The launch of a new product or service or whatever it is your company is doing is a big deal. Sometimes having the brain power of a PR agency that is not in-house can really bring some great ideas and give you an awesome launch. Also, having the help of a PR agency can bring in fire power that you may not have such as connections to the media, social media, event planning, etc.

A third thing to consider is when you want to revitalize or revamp your products or service. This is a real good time to bring in some outside minds because if you are trying to revamp, that means you're trying to break away from what was done before. If you use the same minds as the first time, then you run the risk of having the same results.

If you are considering a PR agency, then contact All Points PR - a Chicago PR agency. 

Why Optimize Press Releases?

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As a franchise public relations agency we know how much time and effort goes into making a press release perfect.  We know what it takes to make a press release more powerful than the words itself, and that is by optimizing the content.  To get the most out of a press release in terms of it reaching a large audience it is crucial to optimize the content so it can be found online.

Before writing the press release, we recommend that you come up with a minimum of five different keywords to use throughout the press release and link those keywords back to a website.  Keywords do not only make the reading easier for the reader, but it makes the search engines understand that the article is talking about.  When our Chicago public relations franchise uses keywords, we do it to make sure that people can easily sum up and remember what the article discussed whether they read one paragraph or two pages.

It is also important to make sure that the keywords are relevant to the content and that they are all scattered throughout the article.  Our public relations company likes to keep the press release visually balanced and we like to include links to our website and the franchise PR website. 

Also, if you want to make the press release more visually captivating, it is critical to use images in the release.  Not only that, but you can link the image so it sends the viewer back to a website.  What our franchise PR firm loves about linking images is that when you search the keyword in the Google images, the image will come up under the keyword.  This is very important because it gives ownership to the image and this way people can site a source instead of stealing images online.

Don’t let your press release get lost in cyberspace.  Use keywords in your press releases and link them back to credible sites.  If you are in need of assistance writing press releases or optimizing content in general, please contact our firm for franchise PR consulting or comment below.

Facebook Hashtags

Recently, our public relations franchise agency has learned the news about Facebook now integrating the use of hashtags (#) the way users of Instagram or Twitter are familiar with.  Because Facebook has introduced hashtags, it is allowing users to follow and find trending topics online.  Although we are not surprised that Facebook finally jumped on the bandwagon, we are very happy that this change has finally happened. 

Our Chicago public relations franchise firm thinks it’s a bit of a shame that Facebook did not support hashtags sooner because it truly would have generated more of a buzz online with trending topics like elections, tragedies, gossip, etc.  For a long time now, Twitter has been the platform where many users went to find out about top stories and breaking news on the web locally and even around the world.  Our PR firm thinks it is smart that Facebook is finally competing with Twitter but we also recognize it may take some time to build the hashtag communities the way many on Twitter or Instagram have already been established. 

One great thing aspect of Facebook supporting hashtags is that any users who shared their images or posts from Twitter or Instagram directly to Facebook with hashtags included, those hashtags are now “activated” and link to the topic or phrase.  Another added benefit of the hashtags on Facebook is that even if the post contain a hashtag from the past or even future ones posted, users can still limit who sees their posts.  Our public relations firm thinks that the universal use of hashtags will create an online community where individuals will be encouraged to post publically friendly content.  This will also generate much more activity and interaction on social media platforms through mutual friends or even beyond friendships and share interests with groups of hashtagged pages. 

Our main reason why we are excited about Facebook using hashtags is because Facebook is so largely used across the world, and we are very active participants on Facebook and we encourage our clients to be active online as well.  There is no doubt that Facebook hashtags are going to lead to an increase of brand interaction and advocacy.  Hashtags will allow more users to see posts from outside their immediate circle and to engage with the content.  This is a great feature for our clients utilizing franchise public relations to boost their brands image online.

All in all, we are excited to see this change in the way Facebook will function.  If you have any comments or opinions to Facebook supporting hashtags, please feel free to comment or contact our Franchise PR Firm. 

April Fools Day and a Good PR Moment

As a Chicago PR firm we love all things public relations and love seeing companies embrace unique ideas to separate themselves from the competition.  Just recently we stumbled across a brilliant PR moment and April Fools Day joke all rolled into one provided to us by popular clothing brand, American Eagle Outfitters.  As a franchise PR firm we are always trying to think outside of the box and come up with original PR strategies and PR tactics for our clients.  At the end of the day, that is what good PR is all about.

American Eagle certainly hit originality and humor on the head with their latest video for what they claim will be their newest jean called the "Skinny Skinny." At first glance this looks like a typical video for the clothing retailer, but as the video progresses it looks more and more like this video is a joke-- and lo and behold, it is a joke and a relatively good one at that.


Why is this a good PR moment?

To us this is a good PR moment for a multitude of reasons.  AE is able to poke fun at themselves and even poke fun at their most prized possession, their clothing line.  The video was published on March 20, 2013 and was able to attract more than 300,000 people in that time.  We've talked about the power of video and the ability to make a video a viral sensation and it appears AE is on to something.  They have done something with this particular video that all PR professionals can take note of.  AE did not originally disclose that the video was a joke, in fact they kept rather tight-lipped at first. Eventually an AE representative admitted (to Yahoo!) that the jeans and video are all a part of an April Fool's joke.

Carrying on with the joke, AE claims that there are only 1,000 pairs of the jeans available and are also offering a limited edition package.  If a shopper goes to the website in hopes to buy the "Skinny Skinny" jeans they would currently find the jeans and be able to click on them as if they are a real product.  From here a screen pops up with two spray paint cans offering the jeans in one size only.  If a shopper goes to add the jeans to their bag a pop up window appears stating that the jeans are "sold out," but entering in your email will allow you to be notified when they return.  What a genius way to capture genuine emails!

Not only did they make a fun, popular video, but they were able to grab a ton of media spotlight within just days of putting the video up.  They were successfully able to carry the idea over on to their website by making the "Skinny Skinny" jeans a "real/fake" product.  Genius!  The transition from video to product was incredibly successful and a great PR moment for the retailer.

What do you think about American Eagle's PR tactic?  Let us know your thoughts in a comment below or feel free to contact us.

Check out the links:

Check out the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfNF57jHbFc

Yahoo! Article: http://shine.yahoo.com/the-thread/american-eagle-skinny-skinny-jeans-are-an-april-fool-s-joke--say-sources-170449508.html

On the American Eagle Website: http://www.ae.com/web/browse/skinnyskinny.jsp?catId=cat6280060

Utilizing YouTube

As a Chicago PR firm we like to always be cognizant of trends and utilize tools to help ourselves and our clients be successful.  A big part of public relations is doing something unique and building buzz to help a client stand out.  Many times a PR firm will be brought in to help a company develop and execute a plan to help promote a company's products or services.  Video is a great tool to do just that.  Here are a few great ways to utilize both video and popular video website YouTube as a part of your PR tactics:

1- Great way to start a campaign: YouTube makes for a great way to kick off a PR campaign, there's no doubt about it.  People absolutely love videos and capturing an audience right at the very beginning of any PR campaign is a surefire way to ensure some campaign success.  Create a short, but sweet, video to engage your audience and get them fired up about your PR campaign right before it begins.

2- Carry over your branding: YouTube, and videos in general, give you a great place to carry over your branding.  Your entire YouTube channel can utilize your company's branding and so can the videos you create, giving your branding some sticking power in a viewer's mind.

3- Crisis control: Should a crisis arise a video may just be the ticket to helping you take control of a  bad situation.  Videos are powerful and when done right can truly grab a viewer and make them see a situation in a whole new light.

4- Become a part of an online community: YouTube has millions of viewers each and every day with people not only posting videos, but also commenting on videos making it an extremely interactive platform.  Posting YouTube videos gives you the ability to engage viewers and start a conversation, which is crucial for PR experts.

5- Measurement: Yes, we are all about measurement, especially when it comes to a PR campaign. Without measurement we would never know how effective our PR strategies and PR tactics really were throughout the course of a campaign.  Measurement should be done for all parts of a campaign, even for videos you are placing on YouTube. Luckily, YouTube has a wide array of tools that can be used to help measure the reach of videos.  This will help you figure out which videos are working for you and which are not.  From here this may help you determine what type of concepts work so that the next few videos you do are more effective.

Have your own tips on utilizing both video and YouTube?  Feel free to leave a comment below or contact us.

Questions to Ask Before Choosing a PR Firm

Choosing a PR firm to work with can be difficult, but asking the right questions can help you figure out whether a PR firm is the one for you or not. Ask yourself the following questions to help you figure out which PR firm is the one for you:

1- "Does your PR firm fit with my company?"

This first question requires you to think a bit about yourself and your company first.  Perhaps you and your company aren't looking for a full blown PR campaign, but are looking to have a few press releases written up and distributed, then maybe the best bet is to work with someone freelance and instead of an agency.  The PR firm you choose has to be able to fit in with your company and be able to fill your needs.

2- "What are your PR firm's qualifications?"

When looking for a PR firm it is always a good idea to get more information on their qualifications. Some firms specialize in specific industries, so if you feel like working with an industry-specific PR firm is important, seek these firms out.

3- "Can we get along?"

Before committing to working with a PR firm it is important to figure out whether you can work well with them.  Ask to meet their team and get to know them better to get a feel for what it would be like to work with them.

4- "What are some of your greatest achievements as a PR firm?"

Ask a PR firm about some of their greatest achievements as a firm to see what kind of experience they have and how they have gotten to where they currently are.  Greatest achievements will speak volumes about a firm.

5- "Can you provide references?"

You should be able to ask your prospective PR firms for some references and even case studies to get a better perspective on what a firm is capable of.  If they are unable to provide some references you may want to consider working with a firm who has references to provide you with. 

6- "Will your services fit within my budget?"

Budget is crucial whether your company is small or big.  Budget woes should be addressed before you even begin looking for a PR firm to work with.  Before starting to search for a PR firm address how much you have to spend and figure out what kinds of services PR firms have to offer that will stay within your budget.  See what your PR firm options would suggest you do within your budget and consider how they would charge you (retainer fee, project fee, flat fee).  

7- "How is success measured?"

No one wants to enter into PR blindly and not understand how success is tracked.  Without tracking it wouldn't be clear which PR strategies and which PR tactics are working and which are not.  Before beginning to work with a PR firm ask them how they measure success with their clients and how they would measure success for you if you were to become a client.

Before working with any PR firm make sure you have a complete list of questions to ask them to help make sure you choose the right firm.  Have comments or questions?  Leave them below or contact us.

Social Media: Attract Brand Fans

As a PR firm with social media consultants we know that social media is a powerful tool that can convert friends, fans and followers into the ultimate advocates for a brand when social media strategies and tactics are done well.  After all, what is a brand without brand fans? With the help of social media, brand advocates or brand fans can help push a brand further. So how does one utilize social media to attract brand fans?  Here are a few of our top tips on attracting brand fans:

1- Identify your target audience: Before embarking on a quest to attract some brand fans, figure out who your target audience is, what they like and where they spend their time, especially in the social media realm.  Our PR firm and social media consultants identify the target audience first and form strategies around the target audience's interests, feelings and thoughts.

2- Give incentives: Don't expect to gain new followers all because you just set up your social media accounts and think that simply asking people to "like" or "follow" you should be sufficient.  You have to give people a reason to "like" or "follow" you.  This intertwines with turning people into brand fans or advocates.  The more you give them, the more you get back in return. If you give them a 30% off coupon for your product or service solely because they "liked" or "followed" you on your company's social media accounts, they are likely to keep checking your page for more awesome offers and are likely to tell their friends about you, your company and your social media pages.

3- Join groups and interact: The more you interact with people via social media as a company and a brand the better.  The best way to attract brand fans is to get involved and interact with them where they spend their time.  Joining groups allows you to interact with people you may not be able to interact with outside of social media.  Social media is a great way to tell people what is going on with your company and let potential brand fans get involved by starting a conversation.

4- Be interesting!: The best way to attract brand fans using social media is to be interesting!  Whatever you do on social media needs to grab people's attention.  Start conversations that make people want to join in.

Have some of your own tips on attracting brand fans?  Leave them below in a comment or contact us.

Myths Associated with Public Relations

As a Chicago franchise public relations firm, we hear all sorts of things about the public relations industry everyday. Because we are a member of the public relations industry, we felt it was fitting that we dedicated a blog to the myths associated with public relations and provide a bit of clearing up on things we have been hearing for years.  Here are a some of the most common myths about public relations:

Myth: Publicity is free and pretty easy to obtain.

Let's face it, there are a ton of public relations agencies out there looking to obtain solid publicity for clients, so competition for publicity is pretty high.  That being said, with competition being high, publicity is not always free and easy.  There are many companies out there who are looking to get some press coverage, so if it was easy to get then everyone would have it.  Besides, if getting publicity was free and easy, most organizations would elect to do public relations for themselves and wouldn't call in the PR experts or public relations firms to help get the coverage. We're calling this one a myth.

Myth: Public relations is just about throwing press conferences and writing PR releases.

Lots of people have the notion that the biggest part of public relations is writing and distributing press releases and throwing press conferences, but there is so much more to PR.  Releases and conferences are the two most common tactics used by PR professionals, which is why most people commonly associate public relations with those two tactics.  While PR used to rely quite heavily on the use of releases and conferences, today's PR is evolved and ever-changing.  PR today deals with event planning, all forms of communicating, social media, blogging, viral videos, and tactics most people couldn't believe are all public relations-based.  Franchise public relations, and really public relations in general, is so much more than meets the eye.

Myth: Any and all press is good press.

This has been a very, very popular myth for as long as public relations has been around.  We've all heard this one, probably a million times over and we are calling this one a myth.  No, not all press is necessarily good press.  While getting press is often times the goal for any and all companies, bad press surrounding a company can be quite detrimental to the longevity of a company. The mentality should never really be "any press is good press."  The mentality of a company or public relations firm should always be to present the company or client in the best light.

Myth: Public relations is all about spin.

This is another popular public relations myth that has been around for years and years and is simply not true.  Lumping public relations in with spin or propaganda used to happen frequently, but these days public relations is viewed in a very different light.  Public relations firms and PR pros avoid spin techniques, providing solid, hard-hitting information.  Public relations experts provide a wonderful alternative source for information and really, a lot of public relations experts make life easier for business journalists and clients.

Myth: Public relations cannot be measured.

We've talked about it before, perhaps not in the quantifying manner some people are looking for, but public relations can be measured in a different way.  Earned media time can be the equivalent to paid advertising and can even be more effective.  While that's not completely measurable, the success a business gains from that media time is priceless.

What myths have you encountered in regard to public relations?  Feel free to leave us a comment below or contact us.

Getting a Reporter’s Attention

Lets face it, one of the most important parts of franchise public relations, or public relations in general, is getting media attention.  You’ve got a great a pitch, fantastic story, well that’s just great, but what good will that do you without anyone to pitch it to?  Not much.  How do you go about getting the attention of that reporter that you just know will be the perfect one to pitch your story to?  Here are a few tips on getting that much needed reporter attention: 

1- Do your homework before hand:  Before you even think to pitch to a reporter do your homework.  Find out what the reporter typically covers.  You don’t want to be pitching a story about your client that is an author to a reporter that only covers sports.  Do some digging before hand to ensure that the reporter you choose to pitch to will be one that will at least have some interest in what you are about to pitch that way you will increase your odds that the reporter may at least be interested.

2- Check out the reporter’s blog:  If the reporter you are wanting to contact has a blog, consider posting a comment to their blog before your big pitch.  Show some interest in the reporter you are seeking to be in contact with and perhaps they'll show some interest in you.

3- Drop some of your expectations: Don't expect a reporter to give you coverage right away.  It might take longer than you may anticipate.  The best thing you can do is keep in touch regularly. If you are in public relations you know that that is just part of the PR job.  If you are doing PR for your own company or franchise or just starting out in PR remember not to get too ahead of yourself and expect coverage too fast.  It takes time, so do the follow ups and when the time is right you'll get some coverage.  

4- Consider the timing: As a franchise public relations firm we know that timing is everything.  Timing out you pitches is crucial.  To better your chances of a reporter covering your story you should consider approaching them on a Monday or whenever they tell you there is a bit of a news hole to fill.  That will just improve your odds of getting coverage.

5- Meeting with a reporter: These days we all rely on technology to connect with and contact one another.  When it comes to get attention from a reporter, nothing beats some face-to-face interaction if at all possible.  If a reporter says yes to meet for lunch, breakfast or even just for coffee, soak up all the time you can get.  A face-to-face meeting will help you form a better connection with that reporter.  It does guarantee you the coverage, but it surely increases your odds.  

Looking for more tips on getting a reporter's attention?  Feel free to comment below or contact us. 

Preparing Your PR Team for 2013

We are a franchise public relations firm that never stops planning.  2013 may already be here, but we are still strategizing, planning and preparing for this upcoming year.  We are striving to have our best year and hope that we will be able to help our clients have a successful year as well.  In order to have a great year, we need to keep planning and our franchise public relations team here at All Points PR must prepare. 2013 is just beginning, so what are you doing as a franchise public relations firm or really, a PR firm in general, to better prepare your team for 2013? Here are a few things to keep in mind to help your PR team prepare for 2013:

1- Increase your outreach efforts: Let the beginning of the year be a good time to increase your outreach efforts as a PR team.  Have your team reach out to reporters that they worked with in 2012.  Remind reporters that you still have experts that are available to add to breaking stories.  Depending on which publications your PR team typically works with it never hurts to send out a quick "Happy New Year note" and re-introduce yourself a bit, which will serve as a reminder of how you can be of service to them.  Remember, journalists get pitched to by numerous PR professionals, so you have to do your part as a PR team to stick out in their minds and increasing your outreach efforts could help you and your team do just that.

2- Spend more time researching: Let your PR team know how vital researching is when it comes to PR.  Have your team make a list of all the publications that are of interest and review their editorial calendars for 2013.  Create a master calendar for all of the publications you selected so that you don't miss any of the important dates or topics.  This master calendar will help you and your team stay ahead of schedule and know when dates are coming up so that you can pitch in advance.

3- Do some training drills: Preparing for a crisis is just a part of the PR game, so help your team get prepared for 2013 by doing some practice crisis drills.  Give them a crisis scenario and have them act out how they would go about solving the crisis.  If their solutions are less than desirable, let them know what you would do to better address the situation.  Training drills are another great way to strengthen your team for 2013.

4- Check out associations: Is your franchise PR firm looking to land a client or two in a specific industry?  Have your PR team review the target list of your potential clients and have them take a look at the associations in which they participate in.  This gives your a team a great way to get their foot in the door and learn more about the client's industry.

5- Review your contacts: Have your team go through all of their contacts and do some updates.  All of your PR team members probably have long lists of reporters in their contacts, so go through their contact information first and verify that it is correct.  Reporters have a tendency to change their role quite often by moving to a new beat or even working for a different publication.  You could have your team go through each publication's website and review their staff list to ensure you have the correct contact information.  Reviewing contacts will ensure that you have the right information so that when you go to pitch a story you'll be pitching it to the right reporter.

Looking for more tips on preparing your PR team for 2013?  Feel free to comment below or contact us.

2013 and PR Resolutions

At the close of each year everyone goes around asking one another, “What’s your resolution for this upcoming year?”  It’s unavoidable, people will ask, but what will you tell them?  As a franchise public relations firm we have suggested to clients that they should come up with a list of resolutions solely for their marketing and PR for 2013.  We aren’t suggesting that just our clients make PR resolutions, but really all PR professionals should be doing the same.  Coming up with a list of resolutions for your business, franchise or public relations firm could be a great way to start the new year off right.  Not sure what your resolutions should be?  Here are a few of our ideas:

1- Take the time to read more: We’re all extremely busy these days, there’s no doubt about it, but try and take a little time out of your busy schedule on a daily basis to read more.  If you’re a business or franchise owner, take the time to read some franchise related stories and industry publications.  Industry related publications and even blogs are great places to start.  If you’re a public relations expert stay sharp by reading newspapers, magazines, industry publications, novels, blogs and really, anything you can get your hands on.  In the public relations industry it is important to be on top of your game at all times and reading will help stimulate your mind and help you form new connections.  Get reading in 2013-- No excuses!

2- Learn a little SEO: If you're not familiar with search engine optimization then we suggest you take notice.  Having the maximum amount of search engine exposure should be one of your top goals for 2013.  Who doesn't want to come up first in a search on Google?  We're sure everyone does, so take some time and learn the SEO basics.  If it seems out of reach for you to do it on your own, then call in the SEO experts.

3- Do all the things you have been putting off doing: We all have our list of things we put off doing until the last minute or the things we just never get to.  Let go of your list of things you have yet to do this year and get it done. Perhaps you're a franchise public relations agency in need of a website update or a franchise owner looking to increase your public relations services.  Stop putting it off and take a little time at the beginning of this new year to get all of those things identified on your list ironed out.

4- Prepare yourself for the worst: Think about all the things you have been so afraid might happen and take some time to get prepared.  Preparing for the worst is a big part of franchise public relations and really, public relations in general.  Put down some of your worries on paper and write down some PR strategies in case a crisis happens to strike.  Once you're finished, put your list of worries away and feel safe knowing that you have identified some great PR strategies to rely on in case a crisis comes up.

5- Be a solid contributor:  Whether you’re a franchise owner or a public relations expert try your hardest to be a solid contributor this year.  Find a way to put your professional skills to good use this year.  You could publicize a local event, design flyers for a nearby school, or do some writing for a local charity.  Not only will it make you feel great to contribute in a big way, but it will make others take notice.  A win win situation if you ask us.

Looking for more ideas on making PR resolutions for 2013?  Feel free to comment below or contact us.

PR Lessons Learned

As a franchise public relations firm heavily immersed in all things PR, we recently talked about some of the lessons we have learned while working in the franchise public relations field.  No matter what field you find yourself working in you can expect to learn lots of lessons as you continue on in your career.  You never begin any career knowing all there is to know right away.  You have to expect yourself to make some mistakes in order to learn.  If your new to the public relations field or looking to implement PR strategies or PR tactics with your own business or franchise, take some of the following lessons into account as you continue on your public relations journey:  

Lesson #1 Establish trust with those around you

One major lesson we have learned working in the franchise public relations field is how important it is to earn trust.  Relationships built with the media or a client need to be based on honesty and a trusted, partner type relationship must develop.  What creates a trusting relationship?  When it comes to building a relationship with a client, a PR agency or team needs to keep the client informed as to what their role is and making sure that they understand what their strengths, weaknesses and goals are.  A trusting relationship includes respect, privacy, and keeping clients constantly in the loop.  We regard building a trusting relationship as one of the most important parts of the PR job. 

Lesson #2 Always remain calm, even under pressure

Lets face it, working in the franchise public relations industry, or really just the PR industry in general, can have its tough moments, but as PR experts it’s our job to remain calm even under pressure. When a situation isn’t going as planned your reaction can alter the way your client feels about you and working with you in general, so do your best to stay calm and handle tough situations with grace.    

Lesson #3 Set realistic goals

Promising your client the world could be setting the bar a bit too high, so keep the goals you set as realistic as possible.  Be extra careful promising clients things you are not sure you can get them.  Promising them you could have every major media outlet at their event isn’t a great idea if you have doubts about sealing the deal.  Set realistic goals for yourself and your client and make the goals you set attainable. 

Lesson #4 Be willing to go the extra mile

Always be willing to go the extra mile for your clients.  Coming up with a great PR strategy and the PR tactics to back up the strategy is all in important in being successful at your job, but so is being willing to go the extra mile.  Making that extra phone call, sending an extra email or attempting to follow up once again can do wonders for you and your client. 

Lesson #5 Enjoy what you do

One thing we certainly have all learned is that one of the most important parts of working in franchise public relations, or really just public relations in general, is that you really need to enjoy what you do.  While that is probably true of any job you ultimately pursue it is one lesson that is important to learn as early on in your career as possible.  Enjoying what you do will make you better at it, there’s no doubt about that.  Love what you do and your work will surely reflect that.

Have your own PR lessons that you'd like to share with us?  Feel free to leave us a comment below or contact us.