The email addresses of the reporters are online, I have friends of friends who can introduce me to some reporters at Channel NewsAsia. I can save some money and do my own PR, right?
Well you could. Then again, you could also buy your own property without an agent and represent yourself in court. The question is then, would that really be the best way forward?
The most important thing about PR is not the media contacts, it’s the narrative. What an agency can provide is a seasoned ear that can counsel you on what exactly are the really juicy stuff that would be interesting to press and then find a way to package it.
You know that saying: “When you are too close to a situation (in this case your business) you can’t see the big picture”? This is exactly that.
If we had donated a dollar to charity for every time a client wanted to release to media the outcome of an “internal meeting” or “upcoming revolutionary product upgrade”, the world would be a better place.
So back to packaging, how do we do it exactly? Here’s the secret. We take a magical blend of the following:
- Your objective for the PR effort (e.g. get more users to your product, build buzz before an upcoming IPO?)
- Your key messages (e.g. what makes your business special in the market? Reliability? Cost-effectiveness? Proven R&D?)
- Your initiative / announcement (e.g. Doubling your headcount in Singapore? Tie-up/partnership with another firm for an initiative? Received a round of funding?)
We will use all this information to provide journalists and influencers with a comprehensive narrative that will articulate your brand in the best way possible.
Without the narrative, you may still get the coverage, but trust us, it won’t have the same impact on the readers. There’s nothing worse than securing a big interview but losing the story because the message was lost. It won’t leave a lasting impression.
Need help kickstarting your next PR campaign? Get in touch with us at hello@mutant.com.sg.