How to Use PR to Publicise Your Work

PR is an often misunderstood and maligned industry, but it can be a real help to businesses in every sector of every country around the world. So if you have a project that you want to publicise, how do you use PR to your advantage? Here are a few tips:

Whether you work in an office, a call centre, a cinema or a theatre, the chances are that you will have heard of PR , or as it's also known as: Public Relations. It may also be that when you've heard of PR, you might have heard it in a negative way, such as hearing hushed whispers of “PR types”, or laughing at a mistake by a prominent PR company. But while PR can be seen as something unimportant and comical, the reality is that PR is vital in almost every industry – especially if you have a project such as a company, an event or an invention that you want to make a success. So how can you use PR to publicise your work? Read on and find out.

To put it simply, PR is a way of getting positive publicity for your work, and as the emphasis is on positive press, then it's a great way for companies and even individuals to get the attention that they really need. So how do you go about setting up the appropriate PR campaign for you? Well, once of the best and sometimes the easiest way to do it is to contact a PR company and ask them to take control of your PR campaign for you. There are lots and lots of PR companies out there, so don't go for the first company that you find – see if you can find a PR company that has experience in your field, so if you're trying to launch a new play at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, opt for a PR agency that has done this successfully before. You could even try to book a Scottish PR agency if you really wanted to, to make it easier.

But while PR agencies are very good at PR, that experience sometimes doesn't come cheap, and so, it's an option that only a few people can choose. However, all is not lost, this doesn't mean that you can't have PR for your project, it means that you will have to be a lot more hands on in this endeavour. You don't need to hire your own PR agency, it can be much more cost effective to hire a freelance PR consultant – an individual who has considerable experience in PR, and can therefore advise you on the best route to take with your PR, and also give you advice and guidance about how and where to steer your campaign.

If this isn't an option, then you will have to manage your PR campaign yourself – which is a big job, but doesn't have to be as difficult as you think it might be – all you need is some determination, self belief, common sense, and above all, people skills. Start researching the type of people and publications that you want to approach, and get their contact details. Make sure the details you have for them are up to date and correct, and then draft a press release – try to make it as positive as possible, and send it to the people who need to see it. Be approachable, friendly and make sure that you are available when people call and email you in order to find out more about your project. Setting up social media accounts for your work, such as creating a Titter account and a Facebook fan page can also be very useful, but it completely depends on your project. Just remember to keep a clear head, and be cooperative and friendly when people contact you using this medium.

Whether you can employ a PR agency, such as a PR company in Scotland a PR consultant or if you do your own PR, remember that it can be good fun, and could lead to great things for you and your project, and if you work hard, you will reap the rewards of a good PR campaign.