To help you take maximum advantage of PR we have devised a short Q & A so you can add to your PR IQ.

Q. When starting a PR campaign, what are the first steps to take?

A. First, decide the focus of your public communications. These are your messages, and they should be repeated consistently throughout your campaign. Second, define your target market(s). This will determine what media outlets you will contact with your press materials.

Q. What is the most important part of a press release?

A. The single most important part of a press release is the first paragraph, also called the lead. Journalistic style calls for editors to cut stories from the bottom up. So, all that may be left could be the first paragraph! For this reason, make sure you have all the most important information in that paragraph. Just don't make it too long. If you have a lot of information, put the facts of secondary importance in the next paragraph.

Q. How do I know where to send my press release?

A. This requires research on your part. Refer to question one, where you defined your target market (s). If there is a specific market you are trying to reach - say, women -- not only should you search out women's publications, but also contact all your local and regional newspapers, magazines and broadcast outlets and determine if there is someone who is assigned to cover women and/or women's issues. These individuals become your contacts. Never send a press release to a generic "Editor". Doing so shows you didn't bother to do your homework. We all pay more attention to anything addressed to us - especially if they spell our name right!

Q. What happens if they're not interested in my press release?

A. Don't get discouraged. Maybe your news was not as interesting or relevant to their audience as you thought it was. Maybe it wasn't timely. We all have some tunnel vision when it comes to our own importance. Try to be objective and see how your announcement will be seen by those without a special stake in it. If it doesn't pass the interesting or relevant test, find a way to make it so, or find another publication that might be more on target. You don't have to go out on a limb and do anything off the wall. That may get attention, but it may be the wrong kind. If your news is important to the audience of the publication, an editor will at least give it a reading. Most will find a way to publish it.

Q. How can I guarantee that my news will be run by a particular publication?

A. Buy advertising space and run your story as an "advertorial". This looks like a story, because you have it set up in the same style of the publication. It gets run in its entirety, so you can say everything you want to say, exactly the way you want to say it. What you don't get is a byline by one of the publication's writers, which makes it "real". What you do get, in small type, is the word "advertisement" placed at the top or bottom of your story.

It's your choice - take the time to create "news" with public relations efforts and spend nothing but your time (or that of a PR person you've hired to do so). Or, guarantee you'll be in a specific publication by buying the space - either for an advertorial or ad.

Public relations can paint a positive picture of your organization so customers will be predisposed to think well of the organization - even before you begin dealing with them. After customers start doing business with your organization, you can maintain that good image in their eyes.

Here are some ways that PR is good for customer relations:

• Conveys Third-Party/Editorial Credibility -- Editorial coverage conveys a high degree of credibility. People believe what they read, see and hear in the media as being true and honest, unlike advertising, which appears self-serving.
• Builds and Maintains Good Relationships -- PR provides the means to establish and nurture all of a company's important ongoing relationships, including the most important one -- with its customers.
• Helps Your Company Stand Out from the Crowd -- In today's crowded marketplace, PR will help you rise above the noise others are making.
• Increases Advertising Effectiveness—PR increases a company's visibility in key markets and reaches secondary markets that advertising and budgets do not allow.
• Generates Sales Leads -Articles and public discussions of your services result in potential customers asking for more information. These inquiries often result in direct sales.
• Helps to Close Sales - Customers are more impressed with messages found in the media. These media "endorsements" assist sales representatives in their efforts to close orders.
• Measures Market Attitudes and Interest - When an article or news item appears in the media, a positive reaction from potential customers indicates that you are on the right track. If there is no response or if the response is negative, the company's marketing strategy or messages may need to be reviewed.
• Corrects Negative Impressions - PR can be used to correct a negative impression in the market.
• It's Cost Effective - Press coverage is not paid for directly. When an editor uses PR material, the company appears in a wide range of publications and media outlets, not just those in which the company can afford to buy advertising. PR is one of the most cost-effective marketing tools a company has in its marketing arsenal - and one of the best investments in good customer relations.

In summary, Public Relations is good for customer relations, which is good for business.

Shock PR International is an innovative franchise concept for public relations professionals who want to have their own PR businesses, but also want to have the benefits of a quick-start, turn-key operation, a support network of other professionals, and national branding.

If you're thinking of starting your own business, you are a good franchisee candidate if you are someone who is motivated and has an entrepreneurial spirit, who is comfortable about fitting into an organization which has developed specific policies, procedures and an approach to doing business, and is willing to work hard to be successful.

The benefits of joining the Shock PR International franchise are many.

1. A quick-start -- we provide a proven system and all business processes
2. Training and certification in our proprietary 3-Tier Services System
3. Marketing the franchise to establish brand identity and generate client interest
4. Mentoring, support and networking opportunities on an ongoing basis
5. You will have something to sell other than yourself and your own personal knowledge and contacts.
6. Buying a Shock PR franchise really is making an investment in your future.

Please contact us if you would like to discuss this opportunity.

American Glass & Mirror, of Minneapolis, MN, became a new client and also announced a new service that de-fogs windows instead of replacing them. See more on the Crystal Clear Window Works DeFogger (TM) service now being offered by visiting their website. http: //www.americanglassandmirror.com

GigaSpaces announced version 5.0 of its award- winning infrastructure product for high-performance, low-latency transactional systems in Financial Services, Telecommunications, Defense and other industries. The new version is offered in Caching and Enterprise Editions.
http://www.gigaspaces.com

Longwood Software announced a new version of its TagTeam marketing materials management system. A new capability enables users to ensure that their marketing assets remain current, and pricing information and promotional offers are kept up-to- date on multiple websites.
http://www.tagteam.com

Shunra received an excellent review of its predictive application and network performance assurance solution, Virtual Enterprise 4.0, in the industry- leading publication, InfoWorld (www.infoworld.com )

http://www.shunra.com

Create a monthly tip sheet to send to the media containing: things to watch for from your company or client, snippets of expert industry opinions in your (or your client's) specific market space, statistics, etc. - any useful information that the target media could possibly use as resource material for stories they may develop and that may prompt them to contact/mention you or your client.

Copyright © 2006 Shock PR, Inc. All rights reserved.

email: rshock@shockpr.com

phone: 508-893-9933

web: http://www.shockpr.com