Some describe the difference between public relations and publicity is that publicity is a way to keep you in the news and public relations is designed to keep you out. But for a small business or non profit, publicity is much more useful than public relations because it is focused on getting exposure while keeping costs down.
Big companies have deep pockets. They spend a ton on paid advertising, but you can’t match that. Your plan has to rely somewhat on paid advertising, but developing a plan that utilizes free editorial coverage through your local news outlets. This can be most useful in reaching your target market.
Put your efforts in using a small advertising budget in certain trade journals, local papers and radio stations. Because of this, publicity can serve your business or organization the best and keep costs low. By focusing on getting new customers through publicity, you will be able to save money while improving your company’s standing.
The lesson to learn: large businesses may want to stay out of the news in most cases; but your businesses may want all the publicity it can get! But have a plan to do it.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Pattie McNiel Covered in LSJ People News
Recent publicity efforts for Pattie McNiel, named to the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity in Ingham County, gets coverage in the Lansing State Journal's People News Column, by Vickki Dozier. Read the column at: http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20100315/COLUMNISTS02/3150324/Dozier--Beagle-Middle-School-students-win-America-&-Me-Essay-Contest
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Toyota Works to Get Back on Track: Then the other Shoe Drops – Bad Publicity wipes out Efforts to Regain Market Share
Toyota sales slipped 8.7 percent in February as the automaker struggled with models that it couldn't sell until the accelerator pedals were fixed, loads of bad publicity about its recalls and pending congressional hearings.
The Toyota division, which stopped selling eight models including its two biggest sellers until the repairs could be made, took the biggest hit -- down 10.6% for the month compared to a year ago. The Lexus luxury brand sales actually rose 4.5% -- an impressive feat given that the crash that kicked off the whole recall nightmare was a runaway Lexus that killed a California Highway Patrol officer and his family.
CNN reported that the driver of a Toyota Prius says he was taken on a wild ride Monday after the car's accelerator became stuck, reaching speeds in excess of 90 mph on a winding, hilly portion of a southern California interstate.
It took the California Highway Patrol to bring the car safely to a stop.
The driver, Jim Sikes, said he was traveling east on Interstate 8 outside of the San Diego area when he attempted to pass a slower vehicle.
"I pushed the gas pedal to pass a car, and it just did something kind of funny ... and it just stuck there," he said at a news conference outside a Highway Patrol office. "As I was going, I was trying the brakes ... and it just kept speeding up."
Sikes said he called 911 for help, and dispatchers talked him through instructions on how he might be able to stop the car. But nothing worked.
At one point, Sikes said he reached down to try to pull the accelerator up, but it "stayed right where it was."
Alerted by emergency dispatchers, a California Highway Patrol officer was able to catch up to Sikes' Prius and used the patrol car's public address system to instruct Sikes to apply the brakes and the emergency brake at the same time.
The tactic worked, and the car slowed to about 50 mph. Sikes said he was able to shut off the car, and it rolled to a stop. The responding officer, Todd Neibert, positioned his patrol car in front of the Prius as a precaution to prevent it from moving again.
Read the full Story and watch the video on CNN:
http://us.cnn.com/2010/US/03/08/california.runaway.prius/index.html?hpt=T1
The Toyota division, which stopped selling eight models including its two biggest sellers until the repairs could be made, took the biggest hit -- down 10.6% for the month compared to a year ago. The Lexus luxury brand sales actually rose 4.5% -- an impressive feat given that the crash that kicked off the whole recall nightmare was a runaway Lexus that killed a California Highway Patrol officer and his family.
CNN reported that the driver of a Toyota Prius says he was taken on a wild ride Monday after the car's accelerator became stuck, reaching speeds in excess of 90 mph on a winding, hilly portion of a southern California interstate.
It took the California Highway Patrol to bring the car safely to a stop.
The driver, Jim Sikes, said he was traveling east on Interstate 8 outside of the San Diego area when he attempted to pass a slower vehicle.
"I pushed the gas pedal to pass a car, and it just did something kind of funny ... and it just stuck there," he said at a news conference outside a Highway Patrol office. "As I was going, I was trying the brakes ... and it just kept speeding up."
Sikes said he called 911 for help, and dispatchers talked him through instructions on how he might be able to stop the car. But nothing worked.
At one point, Sikes said he reached down to try to pull the accelerator up, but it "stayed right where it was."
Alerted by emergency dispatchers, a California Highway Patrol officer was able to catch up to Sikes' Prius and used the patrol car's public address system to instruct Sikes to apply the brakes and the emergency brake at the same time.
The tactic worked, and the car slowed to about 50 mph. Sikes said he was able to shut off the car, and it rolled to a stop. The responding officer, Todd Neibert, positioned his patrol car in front of the Prius as a precaution to prevent it from moving again.
Read the full Story and watch the video on CNN:
http://us.cnn.com/2010/US/03/08/california.runaway.prius/index.html?hpt=T1
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