Developing a modern PR strategy is an important first step in any public relations campaign, but it’s critical to remember that a good plan only gets you started. Next comes the hard work of developing strategies for your plan.
Your PR strategy may include multiple tactics like pitching stories to the press, events, social media marketing, digital storytelling, and more. But how do you go about it all?
Below you’ll find 7 ways to create a modern PR strategy for your brand. Let’s get started.
1. Think long-term
When thinking about content marketing, it’s easy to focus on the short-term objectives: sending out a press release for an upcoming event or product launch or placing ads.
But there’s so much more that can be done to keep your brand at the top of your customers’ minds.
A long-term approach is key to maximizing your impact with content to generate leads and build brand loyalty in the process.
It starts by determining what you want people to think—and feel—about your brand; then finding ways to make that happen.
One way is through public relations planning—figuring out where and when you’ll get media attention, how best to pitch reporters (and bloggers), which social media outlets are most effective at reaching different audiences, etc.
2. Identify the core audience
Understanding who your core audience is will save you time and effort, help create a more effective PR strategy, and ultimately make the most of your budget.
The process can be broken down into two parts: understanding where they are located and how they like to consume content.
Knowing which channels are used by your audience enables you to tailor messages for them through these preferred methods.
Researching what publications form a part of their daily reading habits means you can get both direct face-time with them at events as well as get coverage in media outlets that matter most to them.
3. Identify the key players
Identifying the key players in your niche is a crucial step in creating your PR strategy.
Why? Because without knowing who are the important people you have to reach out to, it will be very difficult for you to make any progress.
Before making an extensive list of names, however, ask yourself: how do I identify key players in my niche?
It could be their level of influence over their audience. Or maybe, they hold a position/job title that would entitle them to be called a “key player.” In any case, you should look for someone who can make a difference.
4. Create strategic content
You have to create content that shows who you are and why your audience needs your brand and its products/services.
This content doesn’t necessarily have to be in the form of press releases, per se. In fact, you could also write blog posts, make engaging videos, or develop infographics to showcase your authority and build your brand image.
Content creation is where you need to get creative and show what makes you genuinely an industry thought leader because it’s one of the rare surefire ways to grab attention.
For instance, note how this short video ad by Dollar Shave Club instantly threw them into the spotlight.
Image via YouTube
5. Customize pitches
The purpose of a pitch is to let journalists know why they should be interested in your product.
The best time to send a press release or pitch is when you have something new and exciting that you want them to write about. A good tip would be: if you can’t think of anything, then don’t send it because it will just end up being ignored.
To increase the chances of your press release getting picked up by media outlets you should make sure it isn’t too long. Try keeping it under 500 words.
Also, consider customizing each message depending on what publication you are pitching to as this could make all the difference.
6. Build relationships with journalists and niche experts
Building relationships with journalists is a great way to get your message out. They can help you promote the content that you’ve carefully crafted and can do it in places where your audience is most likely to find it.
The problem, though, is that journalists are busy people. Most of them have little time for conversing with brands. If a journalist doesn’t know who you are before getting the pitch, then prepare yourself for an uphill battle from start to finish.
A study revealed that most digital PR professionals (94%) said that individual 1:1 emails are the best for pitching to journalists. So, make sure you build a rapport with them through email communication to get things moving.
Image via Muck Rack
7. Mind the content distribution
Now that the press release is live, it’s time to share your hard work on all available channels.
This means creating a blog post on your own site linking to the third party publication, emailing your subscribers about it with a link to the content, and sharing it on every social media channel you have access to (and where appropriate).
The idea is to make the most out of your PR content by distributing it and getting it in front of your audience. Doing this effectively will help in strengthening your modern PR strategy.
Keep creating top-notch content
Building a modern PR strategy is all about creating a powerful brand image both online and offline. But for this to happen, you need to create high-quality content and build a powerful bond with journalists and influencers.
In conclusion, modern PR strategy has gone beyond a simple press release. It takes time, effort, and a lot of strategies to make it happen and it’s not something to be taken lightly because the competition is tough.
Having a strategy is not enough. You need to be willing to do the work.
