Maybe you do and maybe you don’t. PR firms like The Creative Company are involved with more than just sending out a press release. We’re often tasked with global communication efforts which include blog post writing, email marketing, social media, user experience on the company or organization website and communication with both internal and external audiences. Message strategy and being on point is also key and we can help with that as well. Last but not least, there is the art and science of public relations. When we’re working on a PR campaign, we’re thinking about how we can work WITH the media to help with THEIR goals and objectives too. Clients are also called on at times to give background information to a reporter and be an expert source, though their name is not published – at least in that story. Creating awareness and an over-arching strategy that pulls people into a story is a skill that few practitioners have mastered.

Here are some questions to consider before engaging with a PR firm:

• Do you have a story to tell?
• How will you measure success?
• Does the PR firm you’re talking to have the relationships needed to get the job done?
• Do they equip the media to cover the story accurately?
• Do they have a proven track record?
• Who will be working on your account?
• Do they provide media coaching?
• What will they need to make this relationship one of their most successful engagements?
• How will they stay on top of current trends – for your industry?

Video produced by Madison College students in collaboration with Literacy Network and The Creative Company

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Literacy Network works on renovations

The Literacy Network is trading its cramped quarters in what was once a cheese shop for nearly quadruple the space in the former Wingra Clinic and the ability to serve twice as many people seeking to improve their English language skills.
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Native English speakers take their understanding of the English language for granted. They don’t often think about the doors that would be closed to them if speaking and writing English didn’t come naturally.
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Jeff Burkhart, executive director of the Literacy Network, has led the organization for seven years. He sat down with the Cap Times to discuss what the group is doing to help adults learn the skills needed to live a more enriching life.
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Your support of Literacy Network will help double their impact! About 55,000 people in Dane County struggle with low literacy skills. Today, they serve 1,000 adults each year, but with their new learning center, Literacy Network will be able to serve twice that number. Join us and close the gap!

It is not too early to engage your PR specialists. The Creative Company started working with the client on this announcement 8 months before it was actually made. Give yourself and your PR team enough time to build the momentum.

Public relations isn’t just about press releases, it’s about press relationships. They’ll make or break you. Set the stage for success by developing those relationships before you need them.

Although public relations can get you on the local news or the front page of the paper, that’s just part of the picture. Getting your message in front of the right people requires a strategy including social media, email marketing, public speaking, storytelling, web content creation and more.

Remember: earned media is nine times more effective for your brand than paid advertising.