PR - Press Releases

This is an area which I freely admit to knowing little or nothing about, but I am aware that for this type of business a bit of publicity in the local press is worth any amount of advertising.

So, the pointers I have picked up from asking around:

• Have an 'angle' or appeal to public interest - pure advertorial won't make it.
• Send copy to a relevant, named individual, not just to an 'editorial' email address.
• Adapt copy to the house style of the publication you are targeting. (cue a little ditraction time. Topless photo of previous student 'Tania, 22 from Essex says...' or, for the Daily Mail 'Imigrants benefit from business course..' Sorry).

Another piece of advice I received a long time ago is 'try to involve children or animals'. It's remarkably true, but I am really struggling to see how I can make it relevant.

I think that the angle is that I'm using local pubs - user friendly & supporting local business - or the potential resource to those facing redundancy; but that will only work if the publication in question is running an article on jobs and redundancy.

Time to put my thinking cap on - ideally I would like something to appear about 2 weeks from now.