It was Oscar Wilde who
suggested that “there is only one thing in the world
worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about."
Being good at PR
involves many skills, not least an ability to communicate a promotional
direction that integrates corporate and marketing strategy.
Because the new PR is
about business strategy; no longer on the periphery of the marketing mix but,
in a new world order of social and digital channels, a central component in
managing corporate reputation, driving engagement and winning customers.
“Words
are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.” – Rudyard Kipling
But there’s one
timeless skill that anyone involved in PR needs above all others: an ability to
write cogently, lucidly and persuasively – and that’s a skill not everybody
has.
Or as Frank Lloyd
Wright put it: “I’m all in favour of keeping dangerous
weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with typewriters."
Good writing starts
long before putting pen to paper (or finger to keyboard).
"If I was down to the last dollar of my marketing
budget I'd spend it on PR!" – Bill Gates
The richest man in the
world should know what he’s talking about.
However, before you write anything you have to understand what the story
is. Not the nuts and bolts of what the
new product (or operating system) is: but the added value it offers
customers. In other words, don’t simply
communicate the technology, get to grips with what it does and why people
should buy it.
It’s as well to
remember Mark Twain: “The public is the only critic whose opinion is worth anything at all.” If they don’t understand the value of your
new product, they won’t buy it.
“A
good PR story is infinitely more effective than a front page ad.” – Sir Richard
Branson
Again, Sir Richard should know, but it’s
worth setting out some SMART objectives for your PR strategy, and the metrics
you’ll use to measure success. Interestingly,
creativity is now being seen as a key element in how the value of PR is
perceived, however you go about measuring its effectiveness. If you haven’t read the latest Holmes
Report, have a look at its main conclusions.
Good writing needn’t always be creative
writing, but it often helps.
“The formulation of a public relations
strategy properly begins with listening, not talking." - Leonard Saffir
Wise words, because to
write a perfect press release, blog or article needs a clear understanding not
only of what it is you’re trying to sell – but what people are saying about it,
or about competitor products. For
example, what’s out there on social media?
Or if your product solves a problem, first understand the problem.
Competitor analysis is
also important, because you don’t want to copy the competition. You want to
differentiate your product or service.
“If you can’t explain it
simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” – Albert Einstein
Okay,
few of us understand the theory of relativity, but we all know that part of
Einstein’s genius was to simplify the hugely complex.
The
trouble is a lot of PR material is written people who don’t have a clear idea
who they’re writing for. Who is the
audience you want to reach? If
necessary, visualize your audience as a person who you actually know. Write your material for him or her
personally.
Shakespeare
is also worth quoting: “An honest tale speeds best, being plainly
told.” (Richard III)
“A
lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its
shoes.”- Mark Twain
Having sent out your material, keep a close
eye on how it’s being received. That’s
not just important for ROI, but making sure that you’re not being
misrepresented on social media. Mark
Twain was writing in a bygone age; but even then an untruth could very quickly
gain currency.
A good tip is to make sure that nothing you
write is capable of being misinterpreted.
Check and double-check.
Don’t exaggerate or make unfounded claims.
“If you
don't tell your story, someone else will.” – Unknown
PR is no longer the optional bolt-on it once
was. In the digital age, everyone can
say anything about you – good or bad, true or false. It’s as well therefore to have a PR strategy
to get your message across, before someone else does.
But how to learn how to write? Perhaps the last word should lie with the
late, great American journalist Charles Kuralt.
“I think good writing comes from good reading.” Or maybe author Ray Bradbury. “There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.”
We are
specialists in national and international PR strategy and delivery. You can contact us at +44 (0) 1620 844736 or Charlie@davidgraypr.com or connect with us on LinkedIn
or Facebook.
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles
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