Show Them You’re Out There

Puja Khanna, MD Star Marketing & PR

Star Marketing & PR

Beat the "Crunch"

Aiming High

Puja Khanna isn’t your usual PR consultant and she tells me that her company, Star Marketing & PR isn’t your usual PR company, so as we take our seats in a private area of the very swanky Ice Bar just off Regents Street, in the heart of London’s West End , I naturally take her word for it.

“I tend to have a very close relationship with my clients. For me, PR is all about trust: a company or individual are putting their trust in you to tell the world out there about their services in the most effective fashion so you need to understand them on many levels. You can’t build up that understanding through a one off meeting and a series of emails and phone exchanges. You need to really engage with the client.

“I like to see what I do as offering a more personal and rounded service. My clients come from all walks of life; music, burlesque, small businesses, restaurants and night clubs. Although they may be diverse, the procedure is the same.”

With economies the world over buckling (and in some cases breaking) beneath the weight of falling consumer demand and rising unemployment, PR isn’t always a priority.

“When the going gets tough the tough often cut the PR budget and that for me doesn’t make good business sense. Even in a recession, people will continue to spend. They may not spend as much but they will still spend. Their natural inclination is simply to be more selective about where they spend their money and it’s usually with companies and brands they are familiar and feel safe with.

“As humans, we gravitate towards recognisable images and how do you recognise something unless it is always out there for you to see?

“The moment the public sense a lack of confidence they back off so it’s vital – especially for smaller companies – to keep your visibility in the market place. Understandably, there’s a lot of panic out there but when the dust has settled and the world eventually gets back on track, it will be those with the coolest heads and not just the fluid bank balances that will still be standing”.

So, with this in mind, I asked Puja to give us her top ten tips on PR and how best to employ it in these troubled times.

Good PR doesn’t have to be expensive. If you employ the right company they will know how to get the best for you out of whatever budget you allocate.

Look for an angle when promoting your business. Media houses the world over receive press releases every day. If you don’t want to be part of the “ordinary” pile, make sure your communication has something extra. Think outside the box.

Be honest – with the client and also with the campaign.

Choose the right media for your client. Don’t publicise something that has a high visual appeal, on the radio when a TV or magazine feature will give you better exposure. It might seem obvious but I’ve seen these mistakes made before, even by the biggest agencies.

Use the web. It’s the fastest growing media tool and the possibilities are almost limitless.

Tailor your pitch to meet the “ear” of your particular media contact.

Don’t be afraid to talk up your strengths. Make sure you sell yourself with bells and whistles. The loudest voice will always be heard but to keep people listening you also need to tell them something they want to hear.

Be effective with your media campaigns by following up every contact.

Have a press kit so that you are always ready at short notice to publicise yourself. You never know what opportunities wait around the corner but the fastest to the finish line inevitably wins the race.

My last tip is the opening line from a famous Rudyard Kipling poem: “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs…” I think that pretty much sums it all up.

If you would like more information on Puja Khanna then visit her website at www.starmarketingandpr.com

George R Vaughan

Take Action

Fri, 01/30/2009 - 16:17 — George Vaughan

Welcome to Women Talking

Featured Women

Featured Companies