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Guest post by: Anthony Mora Become an Author

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Grand openings can end up being not so grand if you don't take the time and effort to truly make them pay off. Make your grand opening not just an event that's of interest to you, but something that interests the public; and don't stop there, to truly make it pay off, create an event that the media will find irresistible. This isn't as easy as you might suspect. The media is pitched stories on grand openings on a daily basis. To most editors or producers there is not much that is "grand" about most grand openings. Don't think that because you find your opening important, crucial and life-changing, that the media will as well. What is a special day in your life, is just another pitch or press release to the media. So before you are anywhere near your launch date, come up with a PR strategy.

If launched correctly, an effective public relations campaign for your grand opening can pay off in a big way. Unlike advertising, direct marketing, or other forms of promotion, public relations is the only form of marketing that offers you and your company validation and credibility; you not only reach your target market, you are positioned as a news story. That gives you a huge advantage on your competition. But in order to interest the media in your story, you have to give them just that, a real "story," something that will be of interest to their readers, or viewers or listeners.

It's not enough to just say that your store is opening, your open special hours, or are giving special discounts and will have balloons for the kids. None of that is a real story and, unless it is an exceptionally slow news day, that will not interest any media. In order to interest the press, you need to think like the press. What would grab their interest about your opening? What is unique or different about what you offer? What human interest story can you tie into your media pitch? Is there something that drew you to this business that can be pitched as a story? Is there a strong local or regional angle that you can include? Is there a charity you can tie in with, where part of the opening day profits goes to benefit that charity? Make a list of similar questions and use this as a way to prime the PR pump.

If you're going to be pitching TV, think of a good visual you can offer the media. For example, we represented a sporting goods store and for their opening put some sporting equipment in the parking lot and had local male and female experts there to show people the correct way to use the equipment. We also had a contest where a member of the public could win some product. We also had a skate boarding contest. Nothing that special, but enough to offer some fun visuals and help draw a crowd. If you're going to get the media there, you want people there. The only thing worse than not getting the media interested, is getting them to the event and having them be the only ones there.

So think in terms of stories. In real estate it's location, location, location, in PR it's stories, stories, stories. Develop compelling stories about your opening and the media will be there. In other articles, I'll be outlining such topics as: how to write an effective press release, how and when to contact the media, and how to use your media to land more media coverage.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2008

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