Harnessing the Power of Public Relations in Your Marketing Strategy

It is well-known that public relations, or PR plays a key role in your business marketing strategy, but what exactly does that entail? What should your company be doing to increase public awareness and establish a positive reputation?

Below, we’ve targeted some of the most important facets of PR along with viable guidelines and a simple template to help your company get started.

The True Intention of PR

For your company, the purpose for PR is to most likely create public engagement through mass media by providing education about products and services, ultimately resulting in increased customers and sales.

While advertising is essential component in building your business, physician practice or hospital, it can also be costly and bounded by your company’s budget. On the other hand, since building relationships and awareness through PR is often gratuitous, the extent of PR available to your company is limited only by your time and imagination.

The Consumer Purpose of PR

If your company’s PR plan is properly implemented, it will result in your audience actively sharing, talking about, and writing about your company and its services. After learning more about your company through mass media, your audience will be inspired to visit your website, subscribe to your blog, follow your social pages, and sign up to receive your emails. Ultimately, your PR should be increasing consumer awareness, establishing your company as a reputable, trustworthy source, resulting in the consumer taking action to learn more about your company, and generating new business.

High-Quality PR Material Equals Favorable Results

It is not enough to gain a PR opportunity, you must also follow through with newsworthy, interesting content that educates the public, while cultivating a lasting relationship with media professionals to continue your company’s long-term PR success. When reaching out to media professionals, be sure to provide them with succinct, relevant content delivered in their preferred format. Share or repurpose (stay tuned for our “next” post about how to REPURPOSE web content) the PR news on social media and your website. Follow up by creating an email marketing campaign that denotes your success on publishing newsworthy material.

How to Find PR Opportunities

As soon as you start looking, you’ll begin to notice endless opportunities to create relationships with various groups, organizations and individuals to assist you in increasing awareness for your company. You can contact local and national news teams, thought leaders, community members, advocacy groups, and anyone that can benefit from a partnership with your company. Watch for breaking news the press has highlighted that relates to your business and consider creating a press release. Think about your company’s stakeholders, potential customers, suppliers, vendors, and current customers to determine topics and information they would deem valuable.

Our Press Release Guidelines and Template
 
Press Release Guidelines and Best Practices

1. Create a catchy headline

2. Include specific details in the first paragraph

3. Develop a noteworthy quote from an executive, industry expert or client

4. Share valuable company background
 
Press Release Template Format

[Business Name/Contact Info]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[Location] –  Client is pleased to these announce these new products starting on 0/0/2015.

[Details]
 
[More Details]
 
[Quote From CEO or Expert]
 
[BOILERPLATE] – Company positioning statement.

We hope you enjoyed this post! For additional PR information and inquires, feel free to contact us directly at info@sync-360.com

In the meantime, enjoy your new PR superpowers and the limitless possibilities.