By Sandja
Brügmann, CEO at Refresh Agency
In the world of business, having the know-how to creatively optimize
and take full advantage of resources can be the dividing factor between a company
that is extremely successful and one that’s struggling to make it – or as Tony
Robbins eloquently says, “It’s not the lack of resources, it’s your lack of
resourcefulness that stops you.” Integrating communications and public
relations strategies – whether traditional, social, trade or personal branding
PR – is no different.
When it comes to gaining the most return on your investment in this
area of business and brand development, producing strategic, creative messaging
and stories (the kind that inspire your customers,) as well as generating
feeling-inducing visuals, is key. Combine this with solid PR execution and top-notch
media relationships, and you’ll begin gaining media exposure – a must for
almost any business out there.
In addition to being a less expensive way to organically engage
people than paid advertising, it’s also shown to be significantly more
successful. Nielsen’s research on Global Trust in Advertising and Brand
Messages shows that 92% of people trust
earned media, such as articles in newspapers and magazines, and also
prompts the highest level of word-of-mouth action (between 70-84%). And with
84% of consumers around the world saying they trust word-of-mouth from friends
and family above all other sources of advertising, it’s hard to argue the
potential of earned media placements.
While the process of landing a media hit is easier said than done (and
almost always takes more time than you might expect,) seeing your company and/or
product highlighted in an influential media channel or article is a very
exciting and rewarding moment. It’s also where most companies end their
efforts, lean back, and passively wait for the sales to role in. I am sorry to
say, however, this is not how it works.
Consistency of message, as well as the efforts you put into it over
time, is key, and the following tips and tactics can help you achieve
full-circle success. Keep in mind that every business is different, and what
works for others might not be the best course of action for you – so take what
applies to you, make it your own and leave the rest.
1. Post media
coverage on your social media channels:
Social media platforms are a great way to create engagement, brand
value, interest and drive word-of-mouth.
- Facebook: Ensure your media content is delivered with engaging consumer messages and images that tie back to your brand, and always “tag” the media source’s Facebook page. This not only helps to build your relationship with that particular outlet/reporter (we are going for long-term, win-win relationships here!) but also increase your chances of winning over some of their followers.
- Twitter: Like Facebook, it’s important to tag the journalist, blogger, editor and/or outlet who wrote the piece. This is a fabulous way to say thank you and give them some love, as well as help secure a potential shout out, which will help you reach more of their readers and social following.
- Instagram: Always ensure media coverage content is shared with an engaging visual. And if the media coverage is from a particularly notable media source, don’t be afraid to show-off the endorsement of your company by inserting the outlet’s logo. For example, our team recently secured coverage for our client, Munk Pack, on Oprah.com – O, The Oprah Magazine’s online edition. This is a big win for any sized company, especially a smaller start-up business like this one, making it the perfect opportunity to create an interesting visual of the endorsement that displays the product’s validity.
- LinkedIn: Sharing relevant articles, both consumer and trade focused, can help build your online leadership position. LinkedIn is more business related than consumer related, so consider all of your LinkedIn activities an opportunity to attract talent, business partners, investors, strategic partnerships and so forth. For example, when your company is endorsed by Oprah.com, do you think your cache just went up and that you’ll be seen as a much more legit player? You bet ya. Better talent. Better opportunities.
- Pinterest: Create a pin board dedicated to key media mentions of your company. Check out how we at Refresh Agency utilize our boards for ideas on how to support your own company’s vision.
2. Leverage media
to generate sales success:
Create a FlipIt book (digital) with all of your key media coverage, and
then position it to woo key buyers, sales partners, new sales reps, and large
desired retail partners. If large-scale media outlets cover you, you are
probably worth their time and energy, and perhaps even shelf space. Make sure
you build your brand up, share your successes and provide examples of highly
regarded journalists/editors who have covered your product. You’ll be so much
more attractive to the kind of people who you want in on your team to help
build your business.
3. Attract
outstanding talent:
Be it employees, business partnerships or investors, good media
coverage is impressive and attracts interest. People want to be part of
something “cool,” and coverage with outstanding media will increase your
brand’s coolness factor. It will also up your desirability. Like I said above,
if your brand is worth covering in media, you are worth betting on (be it
production times in a production facility, shelf space at retail, drawing in
inspired employees and more).
4. Newsletter
sharing:
Share key media coverage and other inspiring/interesting company news
through your company newsletter. Newsletters are still a very strong way to
build buzz and brand awareness, as well as strengthen your brand.
5. On your website:
Share your best media features upfront on your website. Be sure to
include recognizable media logos and the link to the article, as this not only
ups your company’s credibility right off the bat, but can also be a great way
to build your brand cache.
6. In sales
presentations:
Increase your brand’s desirability with important buyers, sales
personnel, distribution partners and more by presenting key media coverage
through a slide that highlights 4-10 of your most desirable media placements.
This can be achieved by sharing the media outlet logos – if the media is widely
known – or sharing visuals of the media impressions themselves. You can also
share the best quote about your product from the media article by bolding it
and making it stand out.
7. Shelf- talkers and
other in-store communication:
Some retailers welcome materials that help sell your product at the store
level, including shelf-talkers, p.o.p.’s, stand-alone displays and end caps.
This can be an excellent way to build your brand and stand out from the rest of
the competition. Explore with your retail partners what they consider good
opportunities.
8. On sell sheets:
Adding in desirable media logos/decals or quotes from key media
exposure (ex: ‘As seen in…’) on your sell sheets will help your brand pop and
get you noticed.
9. Consumer events:
Consumer events that your brand participates in – such as marathons,
yoga conferences, community clean ups and farmer’s markets – are great
opportunities to share notable media features and can help sway new consumers
towards you, as endorsements like this will build value and make consumers more
open to a new brand.
10. In-store
visits and on-floor personnel training:
Share key media exposure with the personnel in the stores selling
your product. The person on the floor is not the little guy to overlook; rather
he’s your direct-to-consumer contact. Develop these relationships. The more the
people on the sales floor know of and love your brand, the more they will be
cheering you on and doing their best to support your brand.
And a bonus tip (because
the number 10 looked better in the title)…
Take the time to write a nice comment on any
blog post covering your company, as this is an excellent opportunity for you to
further your PR exposure. It can be as simple as a ‘Thank you for writing about
us!’ to a more in-depth response commenting on an aspect of the article topic
itself. Read the article and develop a targeted response that will open up
further dialogue with the blogger or journalist and further build a connection
with that media channel. Come across thankful, grateful, intelligent and with
an expert voice.
No comments:
Post a Comment