A good PR campaign can do wonders for a brand or company. It can help ramp up publicity and get people excited about what you have to offer. Following these steps will help you raise brand awareness and get press coverage.
Set A Goal
We always want to start with a goal. This is your plan of action. What do you want to accomplish? By setting goals and different objectives, you will find the true purpose of your campaign. Be sure that goals are clear and achievable since they will help you achieve different objectives that you set. Always make sure that these goals are SMART:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time-Bound
Know Your Audience
You need to decide who needs the campaign before sending it out. This audience will consist of those who you want the campaign to reach and the key message that you want delivered. Be as specific as you can with demographics. Know the audience’s age, gender, location, and likes/dislikes.
Create A Timeline
Creating a timeline will help you figure out when each campaign stage should be completed and how long it should take to complete each step. This will also help your client know how it will be carried out and what to expect with each step.
Choose The Best Platform
You cannot market to every single platform out there. Decide which one will work best for you. Does your audience like TV or radio? Instagram or Facebook? Choose the platform that will really be able to reach your audience.
Unleash Your Creativity
Your story has to be interesting. This is one of the best ways to get attention from the media and your audience. Why should people care? Use creativity to get the message out.
Write A Great Press Release
Even though a press release seems old fashioned, there has to be a reason why it is still used to this day. One of the best ways to write it is to remember to add these elements: who, what, when, where, why, and how. Write it like a news story instead of as a promotion. Include quotes and all relevant information that a journalist will need for your story.
Pitch To The Media
Engage with journalists and make sure to build relationships in order to have a stronger chance of your campaign getting covered. Identify the journalists who write the most about topics in your industry. Email, call, or even DM them so you can start to build that long-term relationship that will make journalists more willing to promote your company in the future.
Follow Up
Make sure to follow up with journalists or bloggers after a few days about your pitch. Introduce yourself, ask if it is a good time to talk, explain what your message is, and offer further information if they wish to run the story. Make sure you are clear, direct, helpful, and courteous. Journalists are very busy people, so you need to be understanding.
Use Social Media
Social media is such an important way to get the message across about your story or event. Use it well. If your story gets picked up, you could consider asking the journalist who picked up your story if they would share it on their social media page. This will widen your audience scope tremendously. You will want to do this immediately.
Continue The Momentum
The work does not stop after you have pitched. Keep tracking your goals and analyzing if they are being met. If not, consider tweaking them a bit. Continue spreading news about the campaign and any other important company information.
By following these ten steps, you should be on the way for a PR campaign that will gain traction and get your company recognition.