Master Your Public Relations Strategy
The words “public relations strategy” can sound like a daunting task, and it can be if not thought out carefully and effectively. Our last blog post showed you five ways to boost your business with a public relations marketing plan. But what if your business is not quite there yet? Don’t worry; here are the essentials you need to know in order to get started on your public relations strategy.
Identify your product. This one can sound obvious, after all who doesn’t know what they are selling or providing? Think deeper; this is less knowing what you’re selling and more about why you are selling it. This step is the foundation to your entire strategy. A good way to get started is not to think about what your product or service is or does, but the benefits it has for the potential customer or client.
Know your market. If you are not targeting your message to the right audience, you might as well not be in the market at all. This is the time to put on your marketing hat; the more specific you can get about your targeted audience the easier it will be later on.
Use technology to plan your attack. There is no denying it; this is a social media world. Everyone, from kids to seniors, knows their way around a laptop and carries a smartphone around. So, after you have settled on your target audience, make people listen to you. Once you have researched and decided who you are talking to, you will be better able to design a plan of attack for whichever social media networks are the best fit. Ranging from Pinterest to LinkedIn, your public relations and marketing strategy has a wealth of choices.
Measure your results. Not the most popular step but a necessary one nonetheless. Take it all into consideration and evaluate everything including advertising, marketing and public relations. Trimming what is not quite working out will make your overall strategy work that much more effectively. One great way to track website data is to use the free tool from Google, Google Analytics (www.Google.com/analytics). It’s quick and easy to set-up and provides a wealth of data.
Do you have a crucial step in mastering your public relations strategy? Share them below; we would love to add it to our list.
Image Credit: alanlight
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Great ideas, especially the first tip Erika! It’s easy to say “I do this” or “I see that”, but from a customer perspective what does that ultimately mean? Customers view purchases from a simple principle of “what’s in it for me” (the benefits). It’s the benefits that customers are purchasing, and that’s on what businesses doing PR should focus at the start!
Thanks Lee! I find that business owners & entrepreneurs need to focus less on ‘Selling, Selling, Selling” and more on how and why their products and services are helpful. If you come from a place of genuinely wanting to help a potential client, rather than just making the sale, you’ll build a stronger personal relationship and increase the possibilities of that connection becoming a client.
Terrific Mary! Google Analytics provides SO much terrific information and is really a fantastic tool to gauge what’s happening on your website month-to-month. If you have any questions about how to read or analyze the data let us know! We’re happy to help!