What you're doing here is following the Happy Birthday strategy, but looking for external hooks on which to hang your news release. Be sure to include some drama, the good times and the bad, and plenty of meaty quotes from the most senior talking heads. Then tell the tale of how your company has developed since this date. Hunt for an angle based on some future date that is covered in one way or another by local and national press. Browse some of these major online almanacs for inspiration.

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Sure, there is some good strategy involved just like in sales. Every publication is different, so it's best to seek professional help with this so you don't harm your reputation by making common mistakes. It is hard, takes time and is necessary to develop a relationship. Track all progress on a database, to help you note action items and results. The most successful campaigns are developed over time (remember, it takes time to develop a relationship) so should be tracked to help you remember, be consistent and efficient.

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Understanding the client and the thinking/strategy behind its offerings is a first step leading to the best possible storyline hooks. This personal approach is going to have a far greater chance of grabbing the reporter's attention than a news release that's written for the masses. A short, personalized e-mail - three paragraphs at most - to the targeted journalists with a to-the-point lead-in should not only outline the storyline, but also emphasize its relevance to the outlet's audiences. In short, they have to be prepared to answer at least some of the reporter's basic questions. The second step is to target your media markets and customize your message accordingly.

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The following are ten points to consider when embarking on a media relations strategy in the Chinese market and identifying with the Chinese media. What are the features, advantages and benefits of your message for your Chinese targets? What evidence do you have that is seen as credible and independent within their cultural belief system? Always use a local angle, even for an international venture. When building your case look for the China angle. Giving money to Chinese journalists is no longer acceptable. This isn't to be used as a bribe however, rather a hook, something to capture their interest and should be mutually beneficial.

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As with just about any goal you pursue, you don't reach it without the right strategy to show you how to get there. But this time, you and your PR team will be watching carefully for indications that the troublesome perception really is correcting in your direction. Can we point to progress? Only way to know for certain if offending perceptions have been altered, is to interact out there once again with those audience members asking the same questions as before. They range from op-eds in local newspapers, radio and TV interviews, speeches, consumer briefings and brochures to newsletters, special events, emails, personal meetings and many, many others. It must be clearly written as to why that misconception, inaccuracy or false assumption should be corrected or clarified.

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And show it for what it is - a humdinger of a strategy machine using cutting-edge communications tactics that lead directly to program success. Finally, when the reach, persuade and move-to-desired-action efforts produce a visible, and desired modification in the behaviors of those people you wish to influence, you are using public relations' core strength to its full benefit. Second, by achieving the behavioral goal you set at the beginning, you are taking advantage of a dependable and accurate public relations performance measurement. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI. Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website.

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At the same time, in my view, you must remain vigilant as to how a single issue - potentially dangerous, unattended perceptions among a key audience -- can nudge a fledgling business closer to failure than success. Of course, you are, and must be concerned with a host of financial, human resource, legal and competitive issues for each new venture. Fortunately, the marching orders outlined above will lead your venture management team to resolve such issues without a major investment in either time or money. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI. Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website.

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You've established your public relations goal, and selected the right strategy to achieve it. Of course, you'll monitor local print and broadcast media, but REmonitoring those key audience members by interacting with them all over again is the real ticket. Sooner or later, you'll wonder if you're making any progress towards your behavioral goal. This time around, you'll be looking for perception and attitude changes hopefully produced by the combination of your persuasive messages and carefully targeted communications tactics. You might use a speech to communicate your message, or letters-to-the-editor, press releases, emails, brochures or face- to-face meetings, and many other tactics.

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Choosing the correct mode - 1) reinforcing existing opinion, 2) creating new opinion from scratch or 3) changing current and possibly long-held views -- is obviously central to your message preparation strategy and its copy approach. When the changes in behaviors become truly apparent through media reports, thought-leader comment, employee and community chatter and other feedback, at the same time clearly meeting your original behavior modification goal, your public relations program is a success. Step 5 Modify the Behavior, Achieve your Goal. Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.

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As noted, people usually behave based on their perception of the facts. Your clients are subject to the same realities as the rest of us, realities that never change. Small (and large) PR firms have little choice but to go after those perceptions with a vengeance. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI. Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website.

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Make sure those keywords are relevant to the content appearing in your pages and that they appear high in the body copy of your page. Appropriateness is more important that quantity in this case. Remember that optimization does not mean stuffing your meta-tags with every single keyword and key-phrase. Each page's title tag is unique and should be as important to you as the headline of the press release posted on your page. Make sure that the keywords and key phrases you have researched appear in important positions on your website.

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If your company is not as prominent as your competitor's, read their results listings and learn what they are doing to generate links. Google your company and your competitor's company daily. Website Improvements Produce More Traffic. Be sure keywords on the website are targeted toward your consumers. Be sure to update news and information at least once a month.

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And that will be your cost to efficiently modify the behaviors of your target audiences. Obviously, your piece of the action in the business recovery ahead will come at a price. When the changes in behaviors become truly apparent through media reports, thought-leader comment, employee and community chatter and a variety of other feedback -- at the same time clearly meeting your original behavior modification goal -- I'll say again that your public relations program can be deemed a success. But, the payoff makes it all worthwhile -- nothing less than the achievement of your business objectives and, at slight risk of overstatement, a real contribution to the survival of your organization. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.

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Then write a letter to the person, asking about the station's policies on feature programs, special interviews, and public- information spots to profile a charity such as yours. In most cases, you will receive a reply letter spelling out the policies. For example, you can't expect station personnel to rewrite a press release or a public-service announcement that is longer than station rules dictate. You must take note of those rules from the outset, and make sure any announcement you send the station abides by them. After listening to the stations, begin making contact with the program manager at each station.

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Despite all the counseling, strategy, partnerships, writing and more, clients want media coverage. If you are sending a time-sensitive release, don't expect a magazine editor to cover your event scheduled for next week. Find out what the appropriate lead time is to send your press release for possible distribution in their media. Do what you say you will, within the timeframe you give. If sending an email release, make sure to write the release within the body of the message.

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