Having a regularly updated blog is a great business asset. But before you jump on the blog train, ask yourself these three questions. The businesses that wouldn’t benefit from a well-maintained blog are few and far between. Seriously, we can count on one hand — with digits to spare — the times we haven’t emphatically…

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Everyone wants to score earned media wins with top tier outlets. That’s fine. But, more often than not, you should prioritize winning in your own backyard first. I’ll be honest: Some of the most frenzied hi-five sessions I’ve experienced as a PR pro have come when I’ve placed a story in a big-name outlet. Which…

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A man reads a newspaper from the Heed PR post "What Do Reporters Hate? Don't Commit These 5 PR Sins"

Whatever you do, dear PR pro, don’t commit these 5 PR sins.  If you’re reading this blog, there’s a good chance you’re looking for ways to get media coverage for your business or organization. And while we could share lots of great tips about what steps you should take, we wanted to turn this post…

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Natalie Roy Martin

To Meet Demand Heed PR Adds Full-Time Co-Founder, Natalie Roy Martin. As co-founder, Natalie Roy Martin will direct operations for the fast-growing agency Times Free Press coverage here. Chattanooga, Tennessee (September 21, 2018) — Heed PR, a Chattanooga-based public relations agency launched in Spring 2018, has welcomed Natalie Roy Martin onboard as a full-time co-founder…

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A man texts on an iPhone from the Heed PR article "Media Pitching? Be An Expert, Not An Advertiser"

(News flash) If your media engagement strategy makes you seem like you’re always trying to get free advertising, you won’t be happy with the results. Try this: Be an expert, not an advertiser. It’s a simple concept. If you want to have a good relationship with members of the media and get coverage that means…

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Three women speak at a business from the Heed PR article "Why PR Pros Need Leadership Facetime"

It’s not a radical concept: PR pros need leadership facetime so they can be accurate and effective mouthpieces for your brand. Do you remember the game of telephone from your elementary school years? You and your classmates would line up, and the first one in line would whisper something to the next person. The message…

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A newspaper crumpled into a park bench from the Heed PR post "How To Make Sure You Don’t Do Worthless PR"

As is the case with many professions, PR is worthless when pursued incorrectly. And the best way to achieve worthless PR is to have no clear idea what you want from it. “I just want a big splash. That’s it.” That statement right there, friends, is not a North Star we ever want to chart…

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Two hands holding coffee beans from the Heed PR post "What Is PR? And Why Do I Want This Coffee?"

So, what is PR, exactly? Is it marketing or is it something else entirely? And, if it is different from marketing, how do the two work together? Oh, and what about advertising? “Marketing and PR, it’s all the same.” We were sitting on the patio of a riverfront restaurant, enjoying a couple beers and some…

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A woman smiles as she types on her laptop from the Heed PR post "5 Essential Traits In Good PR Professionals"

The best practitioners of every trade typically share certain characteristics. Here are 5 essential traits possessed by good PR professionals. Not too long ago I was asked to guest lecture a group of undergraduates on the 101s of public relations. It was a fun exercise, but also daunting — how to distill a profession into…

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