TSB
TODAY’S SMALL BUSINESS SuperiorBMS.com/tsbmag
Issue 03 - MAR/APR 2014
by Lisa Denten
How to Build a PR Campaign that Works for Your Business Relationship-building plays a large role in the success of any business. Most professionals understand the importance of online and offline networking, and it’s equally important in public relations. Whether you have a staff to handle PR or you’re adding a campaign to your to-do list, let’s dive in and discuss steps for success.
is a way to officially announce your news.
Outline Goals
Social media involves using social networks to amplify your coverage, reach a new audience and build a community.
The first step will help you write the blueprint for your entire campaign. Ask yourself what you’re trying to accomplish--whether it’s a larger share of voice, an increase in sales, or positive branding, it will help set the direction and tone of your PR, and help you track your goals. Once this step is completed, decide what tactics you will use to build publicity. Content marketing, news releases, media outreach and social media are some of the most popular forms of PR and marketing, and used as the foundation for many campaigns.
Types of Campaigns Content marketing is content written for your market that helps solve a problem. For example, you could be a greenery owner who wants to help your audience decipher different types of plants, or if you’re in the B2B industry you might want to present information on emerging markets. It’s a great way to build trust with prospects and clients and nurture a relationship with them. News releases is a tactic best used for big news items – store openings, annual reports, awards – and PAGE
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Media outreach is a way to connect with publications interested in covering the latest big news from your company. Building relationships is a key part of media outreach, as you want journalists to trust and open your emails.
Research and Preparation Once you’ve decided which campaigns are right for your brand, it’s now time to prepare! A well-rounded and integrated campaign will implement tactics from each of the above categories. To prepare for content marketing, build an editorial calendar and consider content amplification tools. You’ll want a newsroom to host your releases, and may want to consider distributing them on the wire and web. Media outreach is the tactic that will – and should – take the most research. To find the right media contacts, consider a media database or build a list by finding journalists that cover your industry. For social media, you’ll want to find and follow industry leaders and engage with like-minded professionals.
Launch and Analysis Now that you have prepared, it’s time to launch your campaign. It might take time to get the momentum going – making connections and building relationships with
the media and on social networks takes some time, but stay consistent. Continue writing, sharing news and story angles with media, and sharing company and industry news on social media, and your public relations efforts will turn the corner from building a presence to maintaining a presence. After your initial campaign is finished, you should have some metrics to help gauge success. These metrics will vary depending on the goals you set at the beginning, but some useful metrics include unique website visitors, newsletter subscribers and amount and quality of media coverage. Measuring your impact also will give you a benchmark for future campaigns, so you understand what tactics are working with your market and can gauge your progress over time.
Lisa Denten is the Social
Media Manager at PR software company Cision, where she leads social strategy, coordinates the blog editorial calendar and manages public relations campaigns. Follow Cision on Twitter or LinkedIn, where they share industry news and trends.