Create an identity slowly but surely
When starting a new business or product, creating an identity is one of the most important steps. It’s important to have a name or image that the public immediately associates with your product. Most startup businesses make the mistake of introducing themselves only through aggressive advertising. While this can work during the campaign, people tend to forget names as soon as they’re off the air. A cheaper and longer-lasting way to build a brand is through public relations.
PR uses cheaper, more subtle means to promote your product, such as press releases, field sales and promotion, and trade shows. It involves more than selling your product – it helps you form long-term relationships with your clients. Here are some pointers for using PR campaigns effectively to establish and promote your brand:
- PR is long-term
The point of PR is not to make an immediate impact on the public (as is the case with advertising) but to slowly work its way into public consciousness. It can take weeks or months before your product secures a place in the market, and when it does, PR work continues to make sure it stays there. This way, when you do go into advertising, you can focus on attracting clients using quality content instead of aggressively building your identity. - Integrate PR with marketing
Although it can work on its own, PR is only one of several ways that you can communicate your trade. In an ideal marketing strategy, PR serves as the foundation for advertising and other forms of communication. For example, advertising can cost too much to keep up for a long time, so PR work is needed to maintain your presence during periods of low advertising. - Use publicity effectively
PR should not end at getting printed or booked for shows – you should use the exposure to get even more publicity. Include clippings of your articles in mailing forms, or put up a video of your TV interview on your website. This shows your audience that you are a trusted source in your field and makes them more confident about doing business with you. - Stay credible and ethical
Don’t rely on media connections to get coverage – this makes you appear biased and unethical. As long as you have useful, quality content, you can get published or booked without any back-door deals that can damage your credibility. Remember, no matter how subtle you are, you are still using the media – and public trust – when you use PR. Always assume that your readers will believe everything you say. Back up your content with research so you can defend your statements when you get questioned.
Reminder
When making a PR campaign plan, be sure to define your message, audience, medium, and materials. Design your campaign in a way that will set you apart from the dozens of companies that are likely to show up in the same place with the exact same message.
Finally, avoid fluffy language – address real problems and present real solutions, and make sure each point you make can stand on its own.