Public relations is all about how you relate to your target market. It is not about advertising or slick promotions which can affect what your market thinks about you. Rather public relations is about all the good perceptions that you are able to generate by those influential and articulate leaders that you connect with in your target market.
Advertising has its place, but with the growth of social media and the appreciation audiences have for peer opinions and recommendations, advertising has less influence with your audience’s purchasing decisions than they once had.
Public relations is truly about developing relationships and you can do that through connecting with people who have in an interest in your topic or business.
Here are some tips for developing a good relationship with your market, or what is really “public relations:
- Do your research and find out where your market is located – for example: are they readers of a technology/biz publication leader like Fast Company? Or is your market more likely to be found mom blogger discussion boards?
- Whatever your research turns up, you then need to determine the vehicles for reaching your market in these locations. So for our Fast Company magazine example you’d need identify the key reporters or editors for that publication covering your topic or specialty and then contact them. Since they’re media you’ll only want to contact them with newsworthy information. Determine what’s newsworthy in your business and prepare a story idea letter (“pitch letter”) and send it to the appropriate reporters/editors. Follow up with a phone call.
- If you want to connect with audiences in a particular discussion forum or social media platform, you’ll need to register as a participant and then begin sharing your expertise. Be a “giver” and take note of those instances where you can bring value to the group. Your audience will take notice.
These are just a few simple examples but there are dozens of ways to promote your business by utilizing proven public relations strategies.
I’ll be sharing more tips in posts under the “public relations” category, so please visit often 
