Groundhogs Day predicted an early Spring on the horizon. With winter winding down and Valentine’s Day officially behind us, spring cleaning is in order – and what better time is there to tidy up old public relations strategies for your business? While there are many businesspersons that may be inclined to believe that PR is strictly media relations i.e. landing a brand in a newspaper or magazine, the practice actually encompasses much more than that. PR is known to include executive communications, event planning, speechwriting, social media, and several other disciplines.
So, how can you land your small business on the cover of your ideal magazine? How can you secure the ideal interview on your local news station? Here are some helpful tips just in time for Spring…
- Set Your Goals – The late, great Robin Williams once declared, “Spring is nature’s way of saying let’s party!” The best parties are those celebrating success, and you can’t have success without establishing goals. Identify what your goal is specifically and figure how to get your small business in front of the right people. For example, if you’re an executive caterer and your goal is simply to sell more baked goods, then a feature story in Newsweek may not necessarily be your best bet. Sure, that would probably be good for earning respect as a credible businessperson, but would that really move the needle? Landing in a publication that your customers read is definitely the way to go.
- Be Newsworthy — Before pitching a story, ask yourself if the story is newsworthy. Has your company had a substantial increase in revenue? Did you lend a helping hand to a nonprofit organization to help them achieve a specific goal? Did you have a successful rebrand? Are you able to latch onto a trend? Can you localize your story? These are examples of things that make for an interesting story to share. Always ask yourself what distinguishes your business from others and why you feel people should care – and then spring into action!
- Be Timely! — Timeliness matters. Reporters don’t really want to write about old news, so as soon as something happens or you have something you want to share, make plans to do so. Stories that tend to garner attention and are shared on different platforms are ones that showcase significant milestones, facts, numbers, local elements, and superlatives.
- Know What Doesn’t Work — Typically reporters tend to shy away from stories that are self-serving or overly promotional. Remember that a reporter’s job is to report, not advertise. Be sure to keep this in mind when trying to secure earned media.
Connecting with the right audience at the right time through the right channels can be a challenge. To stand out today takes a bold brand message, delivered simultaneously, across multiple channels – but it can be done! Spring is the ideal time to revisit those PR strategies to ensure a season full of growth and success!
Remember – no winter lasts forever and no springs skips its turn, so be sure to make the most of it!
Jaylen Christie is the Director of Public Relations at Moxē, an integrated marketing agency in Orlando, Florida. As a PR practitioner, Jaylen helps secure, facilitate, organize and manage press interviews and media events for clients. Jaylen’s experience includes work with several brands from various industries such as The Salvation Army, Baker Barrios Architects, Tijuana Flats, and the Walt Disney Company.
Spring PR stock photo by Kate Krav-Rude/Shutterstock
