Rarely does one need convincing that Public Relations strategies provide powerful marketing results. PR (earned media) is far less costly than paid media and done right, can also be a strong driver of brand building, sales and growth. Some benefits from PR include brand exposure, establishing your company and its associates as industry authorities, good community relations and much more.
So, what does it take to keep the news funnel full? A good way to start is to establish a PR champion within your company, or often a more effective and reliable way is to employ the services of a professional PR firm who will consistently keep the news and exposure flowing. PR pros know the ins and outs of working with media and all the appropriate protocols.
Then, creating a schedule is very helpful. Perhaps having a goal to have one news release per month or every other month can help lay the framework. It is possible you will encounter times when there is not anything newsworthy to broadcast, but most of the time the news is just waiting to be told! Below is only a short list of likely suspects to get the wheels turning:
- New products, technology or services
- New personnel appointments
- New distributors
- Facility moves or expansions
- Noteworthy product line expansion, capabilities
- Events or trade shows
- Large or significant orders
- Promotions/ specials
- Milestones – i.e., company anniversary, number of orders taken etc.
- Philanthropic donations/ support including for local community
- Green programs
- More, more, more
Now that you have a primer, what ways can you think of to publicize your company? Start leveraging the power of PR today!