You Need to Know It to Promote It

Your press release just went out about a product launch, or a novel event that is sponsored by your organization. Then you start getting questions. Are you stuck?

As the spokesperson for your organization or product, you need to understand what your product does, what your organization stands for, the purpose of the event – and the benefits each has to your audience, or your customers. How else can you promote any of it in a compelling, clear way?

There is a proverb that “a jack of all trades is a master of none.” Well, in public relations, you need to be a master of communications, and a master at finding any information you do not know.

How detailed should your expertise be? Here are a few examples:

• You do not need to know whether the “agile” method was used to develop a software product – but you do need to know the functionality of that product. And how it is different from your competition. Remember that everyone’s solution is touted as “efficient and effective” these days. How is your offering unique?
• You don’t need to know each detail of how an event is being planned – but you do need to know the target audience, the pricing, the number of minimum and maximum attendees, the presenters and their message. For example, is the event aimed at new customers (or members) or existing customers (prospective members)? Is the message of the conference targeted at a management level, or will there be detailed, hands-on workshops for a more technical audience?
• In Toastmasters terms, is a particular event targeted at officers, or members who wish to be professional speakers?
• If your Toastmasters District Website touts the benefits of a Speechcraft program – do you know what that is? How it works? How to start one?

Good PR reaches the right audience, with the right message. If you promote a product or event incorrectly, both your organization and your audience will be frustrated, because of misaligned expectations.

And in these days of two-way dialogs with your customers, you need to be able to answer questions. If you do not, it is not just you that loses credibility – it is your product or organization.

So if there’s something you don’t know, learn it – or at least know whom to ask!