September 10, 2010
Becoming a valued media expert and obtaining the ‘all- too-important’ third-party credibility endorsement from the media can be invaluable to driving awareness and building equity in your brand. Public relations (PR) can also have a brilliant effect on the bottom line from a sales or financial performance perspective. Keep in mind, the more your clients and customers see you, the more likely they are to buy, invest in or retain you. So what’s in your PR toolkit? Here are a few ideas…
Media Relations – Never underestimate the power of building relationships and targeted (not self-serving) communication efforts. Whether you use an agency, your favorite PR pro or a do-it-yourself model, identifying and keeping up with media contacts in your industry is a must.
Press Releases – Never out of style, but always newsworthy and timely, press releases provide an opportunity to disseminate important information about your company, product or service to select media outlets or via newswire distribution.
Pitches – Distributing a ‘one-size-fits-all’ press release is not enough these days (was it ever?) With more and more companies and individuals vying for media attention, your press release must be accompanied by a sharply targeted and well-written pitch, which tells each media contact why it’s relevant to their beat, and most importantly, their audience.
Social Media – A growing piece of the PR toolkit that allows you to directly and authentically engage with and influence import audiences. From videos and blogging to interactive sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter, decide what’s right (or not) for you and your business, devise a plan and stick with it.
Events – Hosting events for customers, the public or the media can be an important way to establish or maintain relationships – providing an opportunity to entertain, educate or interact with a select group.
Exert Writing / Speaking – Showcase your expertise by researching and developing topics for articles or speaking engagements at conferences or local events. Establishing yourself as an industry expert can go along way toward building credibility with your target market.