Even in this advanced age of the digital economy a sound public relations program, if you accurately pinpoint your targets, remains one of your most-powerful marketing investments.
PR can give you power with an implied endorsement from the media. Even if journalists aren’t motivated to give you publicity, with creativity and resourcefulness, a strong PR campaign will help you to accomplish your objective.
Such power means reaching the most quality prospects for a comparatively small investment.
Moreover, it has lasting benefits if implemented with best practices, will help you to control perceptions about your business and give you a competitive edge.
Whether you are a do-it-yourselfer or you hire a PR specialist — for the most-effective PR planning — there are five strategies to aim at your target.
To aim at your target, use these elements:
1. Be accurate in your appraisal
Perform a SWOT analysis – your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Share them with your PR professional.
2. Set objectives
Thoroughly analyze what you need in the return on your investment. Ask for recommendations from your PR person.
3. Determine your PR budget
Decide on the goals and how much investment is needed for success.
4. Be flexible
If you evaluate what’s worked, what hasn’t and why, this will serve as reminders to develop a new road map.
5. Be fully committed
Don’t make the mistake of delegating the important PR responsibility to a subordinate for coordination of your campaign. If you have a PR consultant, communicate regularly. Remember the PR buck stops with you.
So do the footwork and create a terrific story about your company.
From the Coach’s Corner, here are related PR resources:
How to Leverage the News Media to Brand Your Business — Social media is OK for promotion. But if you need blockbuster publicity, use best practices in marketing. Play a trump card — leverage the news media for public relations. Yes, it’s true that increasing numbers of adults – especially the Millennials – are using social media for their news and information, and for making buying decisions. However, don’t be misled.
Public Relations Expert Provides Crisis Management Tips — Appearances count. But universities, presidential candidates and businesses have all demonstrated a lack of awareness about good public relations.
PR Is Nearly 90% More Valuable Than Content Marketing — Study — A Bill Gates’ quote is famous: “If I was down to my last dollar, I’d spend it on public relations.” Certainly, there’s validity for his philosophy. Even if you go to the competing Google News, you’ll typically find 50 million results for the key word, Microsoft.
“The caterpillar does all the work but the butterfly gets all the publicity.”
-George Carlin
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