There are many strategies that companies can use to get in front of the journalists who work in or around their niches or industries. Journalists also constantly have to read, research, and stay on top of everything that’s happening in their industries or niches, in order to be a valuable resource to others.
Companies that are looking to better position themselves in front of the public and the media should always be open to providing their insights on various stories, but there are several other strategies that can help businesses achieve that degree of relevance.
Press Samples
Businesses that are looking to launch a brand new product should try thinking about the types of journalists that might be interested in that product. Aside from sending out a press release to those journalists, companies can also send out an advance sample to increase their chances of getting some early positive reviews on the product, and to generate buzz with consumers.
Having a positive review from a relevant and notable journalist or outlet early in the product release stage is always preferred to an ad campaign that targets the general public.
Freebies
Many companies have hosted events when launching products, but aside from having speakers, they should also offer event attendees branded freebies. Branded items such as shirts, hats, pens, flash drives, calendars, and even gift baskets are things that consumers can appreciate.
Since most product launches have the most loyal consumers of the business in attendance, the company can thank them for being loyal to the brand by giving them a freebie. This strategy helps companies build up brand reputation and increase visibility.
Companies can also give out the same freebies to staff members, businesses that helped with organizing the event, and members of the press.
Communication
Plenty of companies have made the mistake of separating their overall communications efforts from their PR strategies.
Businesses that are looking for an effective outreach strategy that can make all promotional messages consistent across channels and bring more purposeful unity to the outreach should strive to integrate their PR efforts with all of their other communications efforts.
That means any media coverage that a business receives should be shared across its social media platforms, email newsletter, and any other communication channel the company is using.
Calendar
The most successful PR efforts from brands and corporations are those that have been planned ahead of time.
Most media outlets work on a set schedule of daily, weekly, or monthly stories, which means companies need to reach out in advance if they want to secure coverage on time.
That means businesses need to create a PR calendar with all of the events and activities scheduled in it in a way that’s well-timed before any business announcement, event, or holiday season.
That way, instead of a company trying to secure media coverage for Valentine’s Day in the first week of February, for instance, it will finish its media outreach activities earlier. If outreach was completed in December, the article will be published right on schedule.
