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Who
Stepped Up
Great Public Relations Opportunities Are Right Under Your Nose: Most business owners and public relations professionals have the potential to generate some form of recurring publicity if they look hard enough and ask the right questions.
For instance, the Norfolk Botanical Gardens is a wonderful attraction in Norfolk, Virginia. But for many years, the only way they generated publicity was by adding a new attraction, which wasn't that often.
However, a stroke of public relations brilliance changed all that a few years ago. Management placed a web cam in the branches just above an eagle's nest and instantly the entire world could watch how eagles lived and raised their young. Reporters took notice!
The Eagle Cam sparked a renewed interest in the Norfolk attraction and has consistently generated positive publicity. In late April, the local media covered the successful hatching of an eaglet. The Virginian-Pilot ran a photo and six inch story in their popular "5 cities at a glance" section, and the editorial page did a seven inch piece.
I believe every business has at least one built-in, golden marketing opportunity, whether that public relations opportunity involves knowledge or entertainment.
Another example is Spectrum Printing in Virginia Beach. New customers frequently told owner Dick Olenych that they would have used his print shop sooner if they had known he was right across from CopyMax on Virginia Beach Blvd., where they were paying the high rates and not receiving the personal service. Dick, whose business is known as "The Happy Printers," will soon station a yellow paint can mascot named Sonny in front of his building, ala, Liberty Tax. It fits well and was right under his nose to discover. The adventures of Sonny may be legendary, as I understand he's a bit wily.
Tom Davidson of Davidson Leadership runs an email marketing campaign titled Leaderslips & Tips: The Good, The Bad & The Bungled. He could easily draw from this product on a yearly basis and present his, or a panel's, top three good and bad leadership moves. That could easily turn into a recurring stream of publicity.
Keep your eyes open for businesses and organizations that consistently receive positive media coverage. What built-in or one-off item from your product, service, issue or cause can you exploit to generate media coverage and brand awareness?
About Rourk Public Relations
Rourk Public Relations serves clients in Norfolk, Virginia Beach and throughout Virginia, and is expert at PR tips, public relations, publicity, marketing, and marketing campaigns.
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