In order to be successful in PR you have to be prepared to take risks. Be different. Stand out.
There are thousands of PR managers bombarding the media with information they are desperate to elevate but what is going to make your pitch different? Don’t be afraid to court controversy and stay away from cliches such as “think outside the box.” Ironically by saying that you absolutely are not.
As a rookie reporter on the St Albans Review newspaper, my first job I will always remember was an incident where a reader complained about a story that I wrote about them. The facts were correct and verified by the source and supported by the paper and the editor published it. I actually can’t remember the subject of the story but remember I was sick with worry as the reader made vague threats to sue the newspaper. My news editor pulled me aside and congratulated me on doing a great job. Everyone was talking about the story. Everyone had an option. And what is worse than being talked about? Not being talked about. And no,the paper didn’t get sued.because there are no grounds for legal action if you’re telling the truth. A lesson I would carry throughout my career.
As a PR manager it’s your job to get people talking about your client... You want to evoke a reaction and get people debating your story
Successful campaigns I have written that have made national news:
- I banned the Scousebrow from models at Liverpool Fashion Week. The news went viral and I was banned from attending celebrity launch party in Liverpool much to my amusement. However on a much bigger scale, it was a topic of discussion in USA Today.
- I banned models from using sunbeds at Liverpool Fashion Week and teamed up with a national fake tanning brand to highlight the dangers of sunbed use. Ban the Beds won a national PR award.
- I actively campaign for parents to take their children out of school in term time and started the hashtag #familiescomefirst. It made national headlines and got me a spot on This Morning
- Eighteen years ago the workplace was very different and it was almost taboo to take a child to work never mind breast feed them. As self employed I had no choice but to do this. It grabbed the attention of radio DJs and I became a spokesperson for working women in support of breastfeeding in public
Here’s a press release I have written for Liverpool Fashion Week:
"As Liverpool Fashion Week 2019 goes into development, organisers are encouraging everyone to #keepfarting.
FART is the new buzzword - a combination of fashion and art, which is precisely what Liverpool Fashion Week embraces in a city pumping with artistic talent and culture.
Tiresomely described as “wearable art” the fusion of fashion and art is the heartbeat of Liverpool Fashion Week with GoGairy Hand Painted leading the line up in FART.
Artist Richard Gair, behind the brand, designs original hand painted creations which show innovation and expressive art.
Richard survived, against the odds, a double organ transplant 18 months ago and is now facing life threatening surgery to fix a giant hernia which has split his abdomen in half and the size of a football.His condition means he has to digest 20 pills and inject himself twice a day just to stay alive. He uses his art as therapy to cope with the pain and discomfort
He says, “Art and fashion has always been a passion of mine and it makes sense to bring them together. Everyone appreciates FARTing and I live and breathe it. It’s part of my daily routine.I cannot function without it.”
Liverpool Fashion Week founder, Amanda Moss said, “The phrase wearable art is just too long winded. FART is where it’s hip and happening.”
Puerile? Possibly. Silly? Absolutely. But it will make you remember GoGairy and at least put a smile on your face. The press release has done its job of being memorable (and if you want more information visit www.gogairy.co.uk)
So how do you change the way you think?
To be successful in PR you need to have an open mind and a clear head in order to get your creative juices flowing. 95% of the population will carry out the same routine day in and day out. Get up, shower, have breakfast, go to work, come home, go to the gym,make dinner, watch TV and go to bed. Eat, sleep, be uninspiring, repeat.
You can’t afford to waste your time doing this. Read a book. Ok if you don’t have time to read a book pick up a magazine instead. Something that you would never normally be interested in but guess what, you’ll be unravelling a whole new world you barely knew about.
Eat something you’ve never tried before.
And absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, spend time away from your phone and laptop. Go for a walk, swim, take a trip to somewhere you’ve never been. Turn up to exhibition you’ve never really given much thought to.
In order to change the way you think, you have to step out of your comfort zone and rewire your mindset.
9 steps to change the way you think:
1 .Attend networking events and meet new people 2. Consume positive media and edit out bad news. 3. Keep a diary and have a 10 point action plan which you must follow through everyday 4. Choose your friends wisely and edit the ones who drain you of positive energy and don’t excite you 5. Challenge your thoughts 6. Book a trip to somewhere you have never been before and get lost exploring a new city 7. Challenge your beliefs. 8. Adopt a healthy lifestyle 9. Laugh 10.Find some affirmations that you love, write them down and stick them to the inside of your wardrobe door and read them every morning. Trust me, they will inspire you.
When you’re wanting to do PR for your own business you have to look at yourself as if your business is your PR client. Think of it as a third party. You work for them.
What are their objectives and goals? What is the message of that business? Who do you want to speak to?
Not everyone can afford to hire a PR agency, but that doesn't mean you can't develop relationships with important influencers, generate more awareness about your company, and stand out from the crowd. The truth is that you can -and in a very cost-effective fashion.
I can show you how to
Interestingly, we in the public relations industry do a terrible job of public relations.
Very few people can explain what people in public relations really do. If you're a police man, a construction worker or a cowboy, everybody knows your job function. (If you’re a police man, construction worker and a cowboy who hangs out with a guy dressed in leather, you’re in the Village People.)
As the owner of Amanda Moss PR, I often have to explain that I don’t buy advertisements, I don’t order journalists to write stories for my clients, I don’t produce cute radio jingles, and I don’t hand out free samples in town.
How is public relations different than advertising?
It’s Unpaid vs. Paid. Earned vs. Purchased. Credible vs. skeptical. Public relations tastes great, advertising is less filling.
There’s an old saying: “Advertising is what you pay for, publicity is what you pray for.”
When you’re wanting to do PR for your own business you have to look at yourself as if your business is your PR client. Think of it as a third party. You work for them.
What are their objectives and goals What is the message of that business Who do you want to speak to?
Not everyone can afford to hire a PR agency, but that doesn't mean you can't develop relationships with important influencers, generate more awareness about your company, and stand out from the crowd.The truth is that you can--and in very cost-effective fashion.
I can show you how to
Interestingly we in the public relations industry do a terrible job of public relations.
Very few people can explain what people in public relations really do. If you're a police man, a construction worker or a cowboy, everybody knows your job function. (If you’re a police man, construction worker and a cowboy who hangs out with a guy dressed in leather, you’re in the Village People.)
As the owner of Amanda Moss PR, I often have to explain that I don’t buy advertisements, I don’t order journalists to write stories for my clients, I don’t produce cute radio jingles, and I don’t hand out free samples in town.
How is public relations different than advertising?
It’s Unpaid vs. Paid. Earned vs. Purchased. Credible vs. skeptical. Public relations tastes great, advertising is less filling.
There’s an old saying: “Advertising is what you pay for, publicity is what you pray for.”
