By Trine Hansen
•
03 Sep, 2019
PR takes thought, it takes consideration and it takes time. That’s not to make it sound scary however, it’s important that you know who you are talking to, what they are reading, what you are saying and what you want to achieve. PR can bring your brand a whole new audience, expand your customer base and give you real credibility, ultimately helping you to grow and grow. To help you start your journey and be successful in your communications I wanted to provide a few tips on how you can do it successfully. Before you start however, there are a few things to scope out and get clarity on: Know your USPs: This is true to anything you do and you will have most likely already outlined this in your business planning stages however, make this work for your PR too. There are so many companies that are trying to get noticed each day so think about what sets you apart from competitors or how you do things differently to others and put this into consumer language without too much jargon. It's all about convincing someone why they should work with you/buy from you. Know your audience: This is incredibly important. There are so many routes and options with PR however, you don’t want to show up in parenting press if your main audience isn’t parents etc. Firstly, look into who your current customers are, what do they read, where do they go, what data do you have on them and what do they care about. Do the same for the new audience you want to get onboard and you know what publications you need to go to. What do you want to be known for: This may sound similar to USPs but this is about building around those and giving yourself a voice. You may want to be known as an expert on certain topics or be the one people come to for the latest trends in retail, whatever your goal, make sure you scope out what this will sound like. Passion comes through verbally and written if you really care about something. Know your budget: People often shy away from PR because they think it’s too expensive however, PR doesn’t have to be expensive if you spend your budget in the right way. Again, this totally depends on what you are trying to achieve however, investing in e.g. a survey what will give you stats to provide an edge and back up your story is always a good idea to reach a wider, more mainstream media. This can be a Google survey that starts at $100. When this has been confirmed it’s time to think about how you will get yourself out there and start implementing: Create a plan: this is my favourite part. I always recommend doing a brainstorm with different people and have some fun with this! Tactics are fun and as long as they map back to what you are trying to achieve and resonate with your audience the world is your oyster. If your budget is tight think about simple press office stories that ties into events, seasonal trends, TV programmes etc. to make it easier to get covered. Build out your pitch: With this I always say - why would they care? A great pitch starts with a bit of background, continues with the actual pitch and finishes with what you can offer them (e.g. an interview, stats, images, comment etc.). Do remember that often you will get a credit at the end of a story as PR isn’t advertising so don’t expect the feature or article to be all about your brand each time. However, media loves small businesses so building relationships with the journalists are important. Pitch to media and online: It's completely fair to be nervous but remember all they can say is no. A point to note is that media are always on a deadline, extremely busy and understaffed so know what you are saying to get their attention first off. I promise you the kick you get when you secure your first piece of coverage is unreal! Good luck – can't wait to hear how you get on!