HOW TO CREATE A PR STRATEGY FOR YOUR BUSINESS
A clear PR strategy may be the one thing your business is missing. If you’re still struggling to sell your product or service; PR is the answer. Developing a clear PR strategy is key to getting what you sell in front of your ideal customer. Think of PR as a bridge between your product, and your customer.
Why PR is really important for brands
Too many brands have absolutely beautiful products, but no one knows about them! These businesses get stuck in a rut, and eventually fold because they’re not making money. Don’t let that happen to you, get your PR strategy clear in your head. Try these tips to create a winning PR strategy for your business.
1. Decide on one objective during each campaign
Every business will be at a different point in their journey, so everyone’s PR objectives will be unique to their business at any given time.
For example: If you’ve just launched your business, you want to get your name out there so people know who you are and what you do. The objective in this case is: Brand Awareness.
Another example: If your business has been around for a few years and you’ve just released a new collection, you will likely want to get your new products in front of as many of your ideal customers as you can. The objective in this case is: Conversion and sales
PR pro tip: Don’t try to achieve every objective at once. Choose one objective for each campaign and stick with it. This will keep your strategy clear and succinct.
2. Refine your audience
No matter how excellent your product is, it’s not for everyone. There will always be some people who fall outside your ideal customer base. When creating your PR strategy, forget these people; they’re part of your strategy. Instead, focus on your ideal customer. This ensures your PR strategy is specific, and as they say it’s better to be an inch wide and mile deep than the other way around.
PR pro tip: Write down exactly who your ideal customer is, and get specific. You can even give them a personality! The more details you put into this customer, the more specific your PR and marketing can be, helping you create really powerful messaging.
3. Choose just one key message per campaign
PR strategy can include everything from press releases to radio ads, so keeping all messaging cohesive is very important. During each PR campaign, choose just one unique message.
For example: If your key message is: ‘the jeans for curvy bodies,’ you don’t want to have a press release mentioning ultra skinny jeans for super slim hips.
Ensure your key message are the same across your campaign, and choose just one message per campaign.
PR pro tip: Adopt one key message in your overall brand strategy too. This will help give customers an immediate glimpse into your brand’s ethos and customer base before they even look at your products.
3. Choose PR strategies that suit your business and fit into your life
As mentioned above, PR is comprised of so many different aspects from press releases to interviews, blogs and events. As a business owner, you need to decide what kind of PR suits your business, and suits your busy life. If you try to use too many mediums, you’ll get exhausted and your message will be diluted. Hand-pick a few mediums that you know have worked in your industry, or have worked for you before.
PR pro tip: Choosing between mediums can be tricky, and some campaigns need more time than others. If you find yourself super busy without enough time, get help from a PR pro so you maximize your campaign. You may only need a hand as a once off, but it’ll help free you up and stay focused.
4. Measure your strategy’s success
Measuring the outcome of your PR efforts is really important to help you refine your strategy. Thanks to social media and great online store metrics, you can accurately measure and observe exactly where your customers come from and the actions they take once they’re there. Make sure you understand how to find all these metrics in the back-end of your website, and social media, as they will prevent you from pushing hard on a strategy that isn’t working.
PR pro tip: There are many different software options that help you see the statistics behind your social and web campaigns, but if your budget is tight, simply use the freely available tools. Instagram and Facebook have great ads managers and stats pages, and most great web hosting platforms will have easy-to-use analytics pages.
PR strategy is the best way to get your product or service out there, in front of not just anyone, but your ideal customers. Use the tips above to work on your business PR, or enlist a PR professional like me to help you get started. Once your strategy is in place, you’re ready to go!