So you know you need to put together a PR strategy, but you’re not quite sure where to start.
media update’s Aisling McCarthy guides you through 10 tips that will ensure your PR strategy is a successful one.
Here they are:
TIP 1: Get to know your audience
Before you can reach out to people, you have to know who you’re trying to reach. Do your research and be sure that whatever brand you are supporting actually fulfills a customer need.
Wondering how to get to know your audience? Brand tracking can help you with that.
What’s brand tracking, you ask? Brand tracking is a collection of services that enable brands to stay on top of where they are being mentioned in the media. With this information, brands can see how they are being portrayed to help them understand the impact of their brand messages. It’s made up of
media monitoring,
media intelligence,
social media monitoring,
social listening,
advert monitoring and
media coverage reporting.
With the help of a brand tracking service, you’ll be able to know if your customers will be satisfied with what they’re being offered. If not, you’ll need to voice those concerns internally.
You, as a PR professional, can provide your clients with an ear closest to the consumer. Use that knowledge to support your clients’ product development and help them create offerings that will delight the marketplace.
TIP 2: Tell your story, but be patient
We know you’re excited about getting your client’s brand message out there, but have you considered what the
right time for the brand is? For example, if you are representing an ice cream brand and it’s the middle of winter, now might not be the best time to tell their story.
Often, over-exuberant PRs rush to tell a brand’s story and end up sabotaging themselves by putting out some rushed, half-baked content.
Take your time, and don’t succumb to the pressure of ‘doing something’. Tell the right story, at the right time, to the right people.
TIP 3: Focus on your outcomes
What is it that you want to achieve with your PR strategy? Keep that in mind and forget about everything else.
What kind of perception and actions do you want to see delivered through your plan? What is it that you want consumers to see, hear, feel and do?
Instead of always looking at the big picture, look at each short-term goal and work towards achieving each one. If you have formulated them correctly, each short-term goal should be a step towards achieving your long-term plan.
TIP 4: Know the difference between news and stories
When crafting a press release, it’s important to know that there’s a big difference between news and stories. One of the biggest differences between the two has to do with their longevity. News announcements are fleeting, and very much time-related, whereas stories – the good ones at least – are shared again and again.
The people you are sending your press releases to definitely know the difference between news and stories, so it is vital that you do, too. When putting your press releases together, make sure that your content can’t be easily brushed off as 'just another press release'.
Work to make your content something that the media – and consumers – will want to take an interest in, and will want to share with everyone that they know.
TIP 5: Don’t soley focus on yourself
You’re working hard and focusing all of your attention on your new campaign. What could go wrong? Well, in reality, lots.
Ensure that your focus remains outside the walls of your own business. If you spend too much time concentrating on how you (and your organisation) feel about your work, you may miss out on opportunities to understand the broader market sentiment.
Don’t make the mistake of dismissing what competitors do, and take an interest in learning about other brands. What do they do well? Where can you differentiate yourself? By staying informed about the broader environment, you can create a more well-rounded and precise PR strategy.
TIP 6: Stay humble
Stay focused on your clients. When things go wrong, learn from the experience. And when things go well, be proud but not boastful. Things can very easily go wrong – especially in PR – and you don’t want to look a fool.
Remember that the work you do says a lot about you, but so do your actions. No one wants to work with a know-it-all who can only talk about how fantastic they are. Your words and actions can also affect the way that potential clients see you.
TIP 7: Deliver on your promises
This one is pretty simple: Do what you’ve promised to do.
While many people may advise you to under-promise and over-deliver,
HubSpot’s Jami Oetting says that this might not be the best idea.
“Give your team some cushion for the unexpected, and then deliver ahead of time. If you miss a deadline because you agreed to an unrealistic timeline, then all the trust you’ve built up will quickly be forgotten.”
However, this may not always be the best strategy. Samantha Watt, founder of Ginja Ninja PR, says that it isn’t necessarily a terrible strategy, but that your focus should be on the delivery.
“I have come to understand that delivery at all is quite something nowadays. I will never over-promise, so it’s not a bad strategy. Just make sure you deliver.”
Although over-promising is a clear problem, the answer may not necessarily be to under-promise. Many clients may be disappointed with what you have under-promised, and may take up a contract with another PR firm with a more aggressive plan. Irvine suggests that, again, honesty is the best policy and that you should promise on what you
know you can deliver.
“Be open, honest and realistic. If clients think you are lowballing them on what is achievable, that could impact the trust relationship you have with them.”
TIP 8: Have a call-to-action
What actions do you want people to take in order for you to create – and maintain – a relationship between them and your brand? This is where call-to-actions can come in handy.
Want someone to call, sign up or ask a question? Tell them!
This is crucial to ensure that once you have someone’s attention, you keep them engaged.
TIP 9: Remember that no man is an island
PR is far more than simply a vehicle that creates awareness for a brand or product. A great PR team is woven into the fabric of the brand from day one.
As part of a PR team, you should understand the long-term plans of the company to ensure that the PR strategy and the brand or product stay aligned.
Spending a good amount of time with others involved in the business, like the designers or engineers, will give you a good context. Some of the best brand stories will come from those closest to it.
TIP 10: Consider those requirements
Every plan needs to meet a particular set of requirements, such as a launch date, specified partners or time frame. PR professionals can often find themselves in the position of having to decide how, when and where a new announcement will take place.
Keep your initial requirements in mind – sticking to them will give you the confidence you need to know that your plan is sound.
Now that you’re ready to put your strategy together, you have to keep you client’s expectations in check. Wondering how to do that? Find out in our article, Five tips on managing your PR client’s expectations.