The press is a powerful vector because of its influence and the means at its disposal. Even if digital has revolutionized communication practices, it remains a powerful lever for brand awareness, image and credibility. This makes it an essential element in any company’s strategy. Here are 6 questions to find out everything you need to know about press relations.
1 – Why do press relations?
The reputation of a company, institution or person is progressively built, evolves and needs to be protected. While information is circulating more rapidly than ever before, particularly with the advent of social networks, the multiplication of sources makes it more difficult to control. Thus, the aim of press relations (or media relations) is to take control of your discourse to serve your business objectives. We can’t let others get hold of it. Then it needs to be distributed to credible intermediaries, namely the media.
“The press remains the most serious source of information in the eyes of the general public.
Kantar-Sofres
Adopting a communication strategy is therefore imperative. It is based on concrete actions: building a media plan, angled press releases, media training, media monitoring… All of which require the experience of a specialized press relations or PR agency.
2 – How do press relations support your communications strategy?
Communicating has to make sense, serve a precise purpose. This is the approach taken by the VP Strat team, which strives to define a communications strategy tailored to the entity’s business needs before launching its press relations actions.
Media objectives can be diverse: image of the director, repositioning in the business sector, reputation based on image, product promotion. They are also achievable, but require methodical implementation.
Thanks to its expertise and over 10 years’ experience in the field, VP Strat helps its customers define a tailor-made communications strategy. It is sequenced and serves a media plan designed to ensure that its effects last over time. This communication strategy can be built around brand content designed and produced by us.
3 – Why produce a press kit?
The press kit is a central element of communication. It is a reference document for journalists. It should contain all the information about the company, institution or product. Written by a PR agency, it sets out the messages and provides a coherent framework for any effective communications strategy.
Interviews with directors, descriptions of activities, key figures and news highlights are all messages that can be conveyed via a press kit. It must be precise, carefully formatted and regularly updated by the press attaché.
4 – What is the role of the press attaché?
Overwhelmed by emails, messages and requests from press offices, journalists sometimes miss out on relevant information. That’s why press attachés work tirelessly to contact decisive targets. In this way, they can also orally develop the most complex subjects. VP Strat has a strong operational capacity, visible through regular reporting on the progress of our press attachés.
5 – Why angle your press releases?
Numerous studies have shown that press releases are still the best way to get one or more messages across to journalists and influencers. This is why why an angled press release has every chance of being picked up by the journalist. An angled press release should meet several objectives:
- Facilitating the journalist’s editorial work
- Provide factual data
- Don’t fall into the marketing trap
6 – Press relations: what is media training?
Speaking is a profession. But it’s a job you have to learn. Media training therefore boils down to practicing speaking in front of a camera. In order to deliver the right messages in the right way, VP Strat offers advanced support for managers through media training. Prepared questions/answers, simulations, training for radio or TV appearances are just some of the methods deployed by the agency. The aim: to enable its “spokesperson” customers to venture out on the road of communication without risk.
With over ten years’ experience of working with the press, the Paris-based VP Strat team deploys its media expertise. It is at the service of companies, managers and their advisors. The goal ? Build and reinforce brand awareness and image in the press and with influencers.
About VP STRAT, Press Relations Agency
Composed of experienced former journalists, communications directors and press officers, the media relations department acts as an outsourced press office. It supports its customers from the definition of a strategy and a communication plan to its execution. This enables us to support you more effectively, proactively, creatively and with the utmost responsiveness.
Our excellent track record as a press relations agency has earned us recognition. As a result, we have a large number of well-known institutional references in a wide range of sectors. (Industry, services, finance, law, new technologies, manufacturing, human resources, etc.)
Find out more about our Press Relations division
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