How Positioning Can Fix a Broken PR Campaign

Posted by Marsha Friedman · 2 Comments 

What’s positioning? It’s the art of presenting your message in such a way as to convey an immediate understanding of your subject. It “positions” your topic with other like topics in the news so that those reading your materials can easily understand the subject and how it compares to others like it.

Although positioning has been used by Madison Avenue, there is still little understanding of this concept beyond that world. If used correctly it can put a derailed campaign back on track and create huge media success.

If you’re not a nationally recognized brand name then you will need a lot more strategic creativity in your presentation to the media. Let’s face it, with the massive number of products released each year, there’s a demand on companies to get aggressive about promotion.

This battle for attention makes the job of product promotion increasingly more difficult. Positioning may be the missing link that will pull you through. Here are some tips that we use at EMSI to position our clients to the media:

1. The writer creating the press materials must have a solid understanding of not only the product, but also its relevance to today’s society.
2. Look at the product for those pieces of information, or “pearls,” which set it apart from others in the market. Also keep an eye out for those statements or assertions made by the business that are alarming or ground-breaking.
3. Find out how similar topics are being portrayed in the media. How does yours compare? Is it different? Is there a new slant to it?
4. Distill this information into a two page release positioned with current news or events and an exciting headline. Remember that you’ve got to grab and keep the attention of a very busy producer or journalist.
5. Don’t require the media to use their imagination to see how the topic would be of interest to their listeners, viewers or readers. Give them an instant concept of what you are suggesting in the headline. That’s positioning at its best.
6. Remember to include those special features about the spokesperson that positions him or her as an authority on the topic and a qualified guest!

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Marsha Friedman launched EMS Incorporated in 1990. Her firm represents corporations and experts in a wide array of fields such as business, health, food, lifestyle, politics, finance, law, sports and entertainment. She consults individuals and businesses on a daily basis and is frequently asked to speak at conferences about how to harness the power of publicity. Outside of the office, she is also the founder of a non-profit organization called the Cherish the Children Foundation. In 1996 the White House recognized her charity which sets out to raise awareness of the plight of underprivileged and foster children.

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