Using the Media to communicate with your customers is a marketing tool that just about all companies can benefit from. Although public relations is only part of the way you market yourself or your company, good media coverage can be a cost effective and rewarding way of promotion. If a story is reported as a piece of editorial (rather than an advertisement), readers tend to consider the facts to be endorsed by the editor and the story to have more credibility.

When you see pieces of news in a magazine or newspaper much of the copy could well have been written by a PR consultant and supplied to the editor as a press release. If a release arrives on an editor's desk well written, interesting and correctly targeted, it is easy for them to use it word for word. The person who supplied the press release is helping the editor produce an interesting, factually correct and newsworthy section to their publication. One thing is for sure, editors welcome professional, lively and interesting press releases. So remember, when you plan your advertising schedule, your direct marketing or telesales campaign, build PR into the whole equation too - it could well provide the icing on the cake!

Who is the best person to do your PR?

Many small companies in the pet industry have traditionally shied away from using an outside agency to handle their media relationships or PR. This is because PR agencies are usually expensive and lack inside knowledge of the pet industry. When an agency takes on a pet account they could have a large learning curve and this costs the client money.

In 1996, Melanie Mines began to work as a freelance PR consultant. Her background was in pets and the pet industry and she saw the need for an affordable agency that really knew about pets, their owners, pet products and the distribution methods used in the industry. Having spent many years in the pet trade, Melanie had already gained experience of PR whilst working alongside agencies and felt confident enough to set up alone. Having spent time as a kennel maid and kennel manager, trained as a Veterinary Nurse, worked in several marketing departments and been on the road selling pet products for both manufacturers and wholesalers, Melanie certainly had the background required to specialise in the industry.

What do PR people do?

Firstly, they need to act as an extension to the company they represent. They need to know the details of their clients' business and be able to feed this information accurately and confidently to the press. Melanie Mines is in an ideal position to quickly understand a pet company's services or products, competitors and position in the market.

Secondly, a PR agency needs to be known by its target media. Pet companies usually focus on specialist press (dog, cat, pet, gardening, aquatic titles) along with women's interest magazines, regional and national newspapers, radio and TV to get to their target audience - the pet owner. They may also need to use trade journals in the pet, garden and grocery sectors to get their 'business to business' messages across.

Because the Melanie Mines for Pets agency is working every day with specialist press and relevant trade journals it can offer opportunities to clients that would not normally come their way. A specialist agency such as Melanie Mines will also know how the different media prefer to work, so they find it easy to deal with her agency, saving time and money.

PR people are also good communicators and this includes the writing of press releases and editorial copy, as well as communicating face to face, on the telephone or by email. They need to be adaptable with the ability to vary their style for a variety of different audiences.

Why use a PR agency such as Melanie Mines for Pets?

A specialist company like Melanie Mines for Pets is cost effective, easily briefed and minimal amount of time is spent correcting work. It is also in touch with the right groups of media and holds a specialist media database for mailing press releases. The database is used regularly and is very much up to date. Building and maintaining the database has taken many years and it is an invaluable part of the business. The service also covers reading many specialist titles in order to identify its client's coverage and collate press cuttings.

Melanie Mines for Pets has been involved with the Internet for sometime. The agency has been a content provider and produced many articles on pet care, product reviews, book reviews and career profiles for publication on the web. When distributing stories for clients, major pet portals and related trade sites are included, if appropriate.

Melanie Mines for Pets is experienced in writing website copy, ezines, company profiles and copy for promotional material. Product photography can also be undertaken at a far reduced cost than photographic a studio. Useful specialist contacts such as distributors, translators and manufactures of own label products are regularly passed on to clients.

Melanie Mines for Pets is unique as an agency by not charging retainers. Clients are charged as work is carried out, if there is no campaign there is no charge! It is also easy to budget the monthly spend.

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