Credibility and Visibility are Key for Publicity

October 14, 2009 11:47 am Denise Fay Marketing advice, Public Relations

Back in September, thanks to Krishna De, I got a ticket to a workshop run by Jill Lublin, the PR guru who “has put millions of dollars in free publicity in the hands of thousands of people just like” me!

Always one to learn more, I thought, at best, I’d learn something new and at worst, it would be an interesting evening. Well, it was very much both. Although I’ve done PR work for clients before, you can never know enough about the PR game. Jill certainly entertained while she teaching her PR tips.

When Jill came out, she reminded me so much of Ruby Wax - I hope she doesn’t mind me saying that but her quirkyness and energy had me and the audience enthralled.

One of the first things she said about publicity was:

“In advertising, you pay for it.

In PR, you pray for it.”

How apt can 12 words be!

She teaches that everything about publicity comes down to building credibility and visibility. Thereafter, the sales come, but it isn’t the premise of a press release or a photo shoot or PR stunt.

It’s quite a simple message and really applies to marketing as well as PR - you need a great story. Often it’s the simple ideas that make the most sense, isn’t it?

She likes to personalise stories and the best PR coverage she has gotten for her clients is not necessarily about their product or service or company. It’s the story behind the company and it’s founders.

Just as UK Dragons on Dragons Den love to hear the story behind the entrepreneur, JIll advises everyone to think about somthing that you haven’t talked about before.

She gave a wonderful example of a client of hers, based in the US that was importing food stuff from France. While interesting enough, it wasn’t exactly riveting. Jill had a discussion with her and got to know a bit more about this lady. The client shared that her daughter was a recovering teenage alcoholic. That then became the story behind the client. It opened up doors for her to share her experience about her daughter and coincidentally about her business.

She got coverage in Parenting magazines, Teenage magazines, Womens magazines as well as the business press. This came when she shared her coverage in other magazines.

Some people may not like this approach but it is a different approach than the standard press release advertising a product, competing for interest. You’re hitting journalists with heart and soul and helping build name recognition.

By the end of the evening, we were doing PR exercises that pushed us to think outside the box. I’ve still homework to do from it! I wonder if procrastination is an interesting topic for journalists?!!!

Three PR take-aways from my interpretation of JIll Lublins workshop:

1. Build crediblity and visibility through your publicity initiatives; sales come later

2. Think of something that you haven’t talked about before; Add it to your potential PR talking-points.

3. Share your publicity when you get it; it could lead to lots more.

Do you have anyother PR tips to share?

Extra Information:

Jill Lublin came to Dublin courtesy of Horizon Speakers. Sign up to their newsletter to find when other speakers are in town.

Jill Lublin is hosting a three-part webinar series starting October 22nd. Each part is scheduled two weeks apart from the previous one.  (If you cannot make one session, you can roll forward into another webinar)

She is doing a special series for Ireland participants. Special webinar offer of 2 for the price of 1 @ 187euro.    Info and bookings: Suzanne@horizonspeakers.com or 086 1221359/01 2463033.