Written By Rebecca Hirsch, With input from Samson Haileyesus.
Public Relations will not only help your business build up a positive public image but also maintain it. But effective dialogue is necessary in order to ensure your image is positive rather than annoying. The best dialogue will gain exposure to their target audiences using topics that don’t necessarily require payment.
According to Samson Haileyesus, “Across America thousands of small- and medium-sized businesses conduct PR campaigns every day with little investments. Whether you’re a small-business owner or an entrepreneur, PR can help level the playing field between you and your bigger competition. For you to excel in PR you will need to sharpen a set of practical skills and strategies designed to enhance your company’s reputation (Haileyesus 101 Public Relations Strategies, Tips and Examples)”.
A successful PR campaign can get you the same benefits as paid advertising at a fraction of the cost. You will need to have creative messaging, and your PR tasks should communicate your message while also being newsworthy.
A planned and consistent strategy is the best way to achieve this.
PR Vs Marketing
Public Relations is not the same as marketing or advertising. Although they are related, there are some important differences. The four key differences are appeal, control, credibility, and repetition.
Appeal
Your PR strategy needs to have an angle. Your message should appeal to your target audience, as well as the larger public and the general media. Ads usually only appeal to a specific audience and don’t reach the larger audience or the media.
Control
With advertisements, you have control over the format, timing, content, and size of your message. You get to pick how big your ad is and when it appears. However, with public relations, you have almost no control over any of those things as they appear to the public. Although you can write anything you want, you cannot control how it will be used or perceived.
Credibility
People don’t like advertising. They don’t usually believe the claims made in advertisements, or take them with a grain of salt. People are more inclined to believe things that they hear, read, or see on the news. Publicity is promotion pretending to be news, which makes it more believable than just a regular advertisement.
Repetition
Public relations is not repeatable the way that advertising is. The same advert can run as many times as you like. PR, on the other hand, can only be run by any given source once
Public Relations Strategies
Listed below are some helpful PR strategies.
1. Know Your Audience
You need to understand who your audience is before you can have a real impact. You can reach different audiences through different strategies. For example, some will only be reached through social media, or some through the radio. Your content should have your target audience in mind.
2. Organize
Your activities must be planned and organized. A calendar to organize your activities is a helpful tool, for example. You should also contact influencers, other businesses, and customers for collaborative efforts.
3. Think Like a Reporter
Your posts should be interesting and brief. Make sure to include your contact details and information about your company at the end.
You need to get the attention of editors with interesting releases. The more you can think like the editor, the better your chances are.
4. Research, Research, Research
Samson Haileyesus says that “there are no substitutes for research and careful planning in your PR work. Research is an essential part of public relations management as it allows you to be strategic.” This will make sure that your campaign reaches the people that you actually want it to. Study PR campaigns that you like in order to get inspiration. Even as you take inspiration from your competition, make sure you’re thinking about how to get ahead of them.
5. Get a Team Together
You’re going to need a dedicated team for your PR efforts. A staff member who is good at graphic design would be a great addition, for example. People who have specialized skills can help you add value to your campaign, because they can provide unique feedback, as well as help you organize and distribute your messages. A good team will ensure that your messages are well received by design.
6. Increase Your Online Presence
Social media platforms like Twitter and Snapchat are great ways to reach your audience. You can use social media for all kinds of PR tasks, like making content, connecting with other businesses and influencers, and announcing upcoming events.
7. Study Your Competition
You need to be competitive in order to be successful. You need to be aware of your competition, and you should always try to keep ahead. The heart of a good strategy is to understand what makes others successful and to try and improve upon their tactics.
8. Make Good Content
Sharing the right information to your target audience is necessary for a good campaign. This helps you build your reputation. Keep in mind who your target audience is. Their desires, language, and things they don’t like. The best content will ensure your audience is interested and engaged.
Design your campaign from your audience’s point of view. Subtlety is key. You need to convey a sense of positivity so that you don’t have a negative appearance. Go over your message with your friends to see what they think before you post it.
9. Define Goals and Objectives
You need to know what you’re trying to achieve so that you can define your strategy with clarity. Determining which your target audience and which tactics will best reach them will help you achieve your goals
10. Establish a Strategy
Choose the best strategy to suit your needs. Keep in mind that strategies are not the same thing as tactics. Strategies are your general approach to achieving your objectives, while tactics are day-to-day activities you implement to carry out your strategy. For example, your strategy might be to grow your audience through daily wellness posts, while designing and posting the daily wellness posts themselves would be your tactics.
Bao Communications
Bilingual PR in the US and China
Headquartered in New York City, Bao Communications is a full-service bilingual PR Agency specializing in social media, media relations, content creation, and influencer marketing. We serve local, national, and global clients in the United States and China.