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Handle Your Own PR (VIC)
This innovation initially came to life when…
We realised that a lot of small businesses had fantastic new products or services but little or no budget to market them. We believe that PR gives “more bang for your buck” than other marketing options when you have a limited budget so we decided to demystify PR, tell people how to run their own campaign and sell media contact lists so they could get started! We then realised that small businesses would be in the same boat around the world and so we launched the site in the UK and USA as well.
WHAT & HOW
The purpose of this innovation is to…
Empower small businesses and startups to run their own PR campaign and get free publicity for their business. It really isn’t rocket science!
It does this by…
Explaining how to run a campaign (in the Advice Centre), what to say to journalists, suggested story angles, how to write a media release, and then we provide the media contacts relevant to their target market. For people with online offerings, the overseas sites offer the opportunity to publicise your business overseas for little cost.
PURPOSE & BENEFITS
This innovation improves on what came before because…
There are very few businesses or websites around the world offering this advice to people in a useful way so they can get started straight away. It is also a much cheaper option than using a PR agency or publicist and paying a retainer.
Its various benefits to the customer/end-user include…
Customers can get exposure in the media for their business. An editorial carries so much more weight for consumers (and businesses if the target is B2B) than advertising. Journalists are looking for stories all the time!
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
In the past, this problem was solved by…
Prior to us setting up the site, the option for people was to either pay someone to distribute their media release to unknown media (as in, no opportunity to follow up or engage with the journalist) or they had to research the media contacts, which is extremely time-consuming. Or of course, they could pay someone to do it.
Its predecessors/competitors include…
A competitor entered the Australian market in 2010 and there are some sites in the USA offering DIY PR tips and contacts but no one is doing it as extensively as we are and none are global.
TARGET MARKET
It is made for…
Small businesses, entrepreneurs, startups, Mumpreneurs and sole traders.
DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY
It is available for sale through…
www.handleyourownpr.com.au, www.handleyourownpr.com and www.handleyourownpr.co.uk.
Our marketing strategy is to…
PR (of course!), social media, affiliate deals and links, public speaking on how to DIY PR and great customer service!
SUPPORTING IMAGES
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