Photo courtesy of LoopZilla
Public relations (PR) is one of the most powerful marketing tools for small businesses. With consistent effort and a bit of practice, anyone can use PR to effectively boost their marketing campaigns. If you pique the media’s interest in your story, you can enjoy as much (or more) exposure as paying advertisers – but without the cost.
Large corporations often have big budgets earmarked for PR, but small businesses shouldn’t be intimidated. No matter the size and resources of your company, putting consistent effort into PR can be a cost-effective path to reaping great marketing results. Here’s a five-step method to get you started:
1. Set your goals
Establish how PR will fit into your marketing campaign. Which target audience do you want to engage? Which key messages, products, services, or company values will you promote?
2. Compile your media list
Determine the media sources that engage your target audience. This could be online (blogs, news sites), print (newspapers and magazines), radio, television, or a combination. To ensure the best return on your efforts it’s important to qualify your sources – do they have a large circulation? Are they respected and credible? Do your homework – find the contact information for the best person to talk to at each source. This information can be found on the websites of most media sources.
3. Craft a media pitch
Make it concise and interesting. Ensure that your company’s relation to the story is clear. The media are inundated with pitches. Yours will stand out if it clearly communicates an engaging message and the media source thinks that their audience will be interested in your story.
4. Start pitching
Send your pitch to everyone on the list. If your story is relevant and engaging, someone will get back to you. It’s also important to be persistent. People are busy and emails may slide under the radar so use your judgement. If you don’t hear back, a follow-up email or call may be in order.
5. Maintain relationships
Once you’ve made contact with a media source it’s vital to maintain the relationship. If you become known as an agreeable and reliable source of interesting stories, there’s a good chance that calls and emails will start coming in on their own.
Used correctly, public relations can be one of the most powerful and cost-effective items in your marketing toolbox. Start now!
Tags: Marketing Strategies, public relations, public relations strategies for small business, vancouver business consulting, Vancouver marketing consultant