Keys to Ensuring PR Works for Your Business
By Kathryn Marshall, Chief Operating Officer, 104 West Partners
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Do you frequently have stories written about your company but nothing really seems to happen as a result? This is a common problem many companies face and often times, it’s because their public relations activities are not strategically aligned with the business.
Bill Gates once said, “If I was down to my last dollar, I’d spend it on public relations.” Successful companies have figured out that PR can have a tremendous impact on their business when applied strategically. And the most successful ones have perfected the art of strategically aligning PR with their business needs for maximum return. But how is that done?
Whether you are new to PR or are looking to improve the results of an existing PR program, the first step in maximizing your return on investment is to identify your company’s goals and objectives and where PR can best support these efforts. Many companies make the mistake of getting swept up in the idea of seeing their name in print. Or, some feel any publicity is good publicity. Ask yourself what success looks like and identify what the results will achieve for the business ahead of time.
Before rushing out to speak to the media, take time to review your business goals. Is the business looking for funding, or are you trying to enter a new market? Once you establish the goal, then you can figure out a way that PR can help support that effort.
Now that you understand that PR can be of value, the next step is to identify newsworthy items that can be leveraged to help achieve your goals. The key is to examine the business carefully and find interesting things to talk about that are truly newsworthy. Put yourself in the shoes of a reporter. If you were a member of the media, what would you want to know about your industry and your business?
The fact that you have a new product is not interesting. It’s what makes that product unique and the impact it will have on your market that makes it important. Signing up a new customer is expected from a “for profit” business and won’t make top headlines. Again, dig deeper to find the news value. What is significant about that new customer? Will this contract help your company launch into a new area of the market or will it open the doors to providing access to a significant number of people?
To ensure your PR program not only drives attention in the marketplace but also helps target the people you need to reach to get the results you want, be sure you know where to find your customers. Sending a press release to news outlets that would never cover your market or don’t reflect the readers who fall within your target audience is a waste of time and money.
Ask yourself the important question of whom you are ultimately trying to influence, and then figure out where they live. Are your customers reading technical trade magazines to procure the products or services you offer, or are they more likely to be found on mainstream blogs or business outlets? Creating a map of the people who consume your product and the people who ultimately pay for it, and aligning it with the type of media they read most will go a long way toward making sure the right people are getting your message.
Finally, once you have generated interest from a reporter to speak with your company, take full advantage of the opportunity by being prepared and using the right messages. Getting a story in the press doesn’t net much for a company if the key message your audience needs to hear is buried or, worse, left out entirely. Consider the outlet you are speaking with and put yourself in the reader’s position. What do you think is most important for them to hear and how can you grab their attention and get your message across? Be strategic in what you say and to whom you say it, and always centralize your comments around the most important message you want to convey.
While PR has long been a secret weapon of many of the world’s most successful companies, the key is to use it strategically, not just as a mouthpiece for the company. Hiring a professional PR consultant or PR firm can help organizations analyze the opportunities both inside and outside the company, and help ensure PR is strategically tied to the business goals and objectives for maximum return on investment.
Author Credit: Kathryn Marshall, 104 West Partners, Kathryn.Marshall@104west.com, www.104west.com |
