Public Relations (PR) has formed part of the marketing mix with large businesses for some time now, with integrated marketing and communications teams with detailed strategies using PR to support key marketing messages and advertising campaigns. However, PR is also perfectly positioned to achieve excellent results as a stand-alone activity - and can be more cost-effective than advertising to boot!
Advertising is paid non-personal one-way communication to increase business - whether that is on television or radio, a billboard, brochure or online on web pages and social media. The same message can be run everywhere, so long as the advertiser has the budget to pay for it. The benefit of advertising is the element of complete control, but it is not quite as believable as PR.
Think about the last advertisement you saw. You knew it was a company saying: "We are the best", and in the back of your mind, you knew that is just their opinion, and not necessarily true.
PR, on the other hand, is about building a positive brand image or reputation of a company by showcasing your products or services as positive news stories or articles in print, online or broadcast media.
PR is about building trust between a brand and its customers, primarily through media exposure and coverage. Remember the last time you read a great review of a product or service in the newspaper or online? Or when you saw a story about someone who solved a problem by using a particular product or service - you were far more likely to believe that news story over an ad right?
A public relations consultant can help you to find those stories about your company, and craft them into a newsworthy piece, and place that in the media consumed by your target customer. These articles are referred to as "earned media" - you have earned the right to be featured in a news story because your company has done something worth covering.
Earned media is considered more valuable than paid media. It is more likely to influence purchasing behaviour because readers think of it as third party endorsement rather than self-promotion.
Many companies don't have the budget for integrated marketing campaigns, and PR can be a cost-effective way to get exposure to your target customers. And every company has a story worth telling. Yes - even yours.
Here are ten ideas for newsworthy stories that can be adapted for most businesses:
- Awards and Accolades - Winning any accolade is newsworthy. While not all awards will make the front page of a national news site, local media and industry media may be interested. It's also something you can share on your social networks like LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook.
- New funding or successful capital raising - For start-ups, this kind of story is especially interesting, and more so if one of your investors is well-known or has invested a large sum. It shows confidence in your business and is useful to attract further investment or bring in customers.
- Surveys and Listicles - Where you want to showcase your relevance in your industry, you can commission surveys to showcase a problem that your business can solve. Think of stories that start: "Almost half of all Australians do or don't do something, according to a survey released today." Listicles are a bit like this article (only shorter) - a numbered or bullet point list of useful tidbits readers or viewers can use.
- New staff, products or services - Unless your business is quite large or experiencing massive growth, this may not make the front page of The Australian or The Sydney Morning Herald. However, it is something you can share on your social networks, in your local newspaper or trade publication.
- Newsjacking - Respond to a current news story. Create relevant news around something that is already in the news cycle. For example, you might sell home security systems and have increased sales following a spate of highly publicised burglaries in your area. The headline might go something like this: 'SALES OF ALARM SYSTEMS SOAR IN THE WAKE OF LOCAL BURGLARIES'. The key is to keep an eye out for a news story relevant to your business and think about how you can find a way to get involved by finding a new angle.
- Case Studies - Happy customers make for good stories, and can be targeted to local media or within your niche market. Case studies are also great for social media and your website.
- Celebrity endorsement - maybe someone well-known has purchased your product or service, and (with their permission) you could publicise that in the media or your social networks.
- Launch a white paper - A white paper works best for businesses offering services rather than retailers or restaurants. A white paper is a short research report. They are often used to entice people to sign up to e-newsletters. Once they provide their contact details, potential customers can download your research report. White papers are also useful to share with the media if your research uncovers something new to your industry. Think of important issues in your industry and think about something new you could add to the discussion.
- Sales results - If your company is growing at an extraordinary rate and your results are fantastic, you may want to issue a press release about it.
- Become an expert in your industry - Journalists often seek experts in all sorts of areas and put a call out for them on various online platforms. They look for everything from business professionals to retailers to dog walkers. By letting media know your expertise and availability, you might find yourself on TV talking about issues in your industry and letting people see how knowledgeable you are.
If you are interested in learning more about how PR can help your business contact Hamann Communication on +61 (0)415 191 659.
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