5 Tips To Get PR Visibility For Your Business
Many companies want to get their name out into the industry or have a great story to pitch to the media, but are not sure how to get started. Navigating public relations can be tough and time-consuming, but it does not have to be. Here are 5 tips you can start implementing today to help get your business the attention it needs.
Newsjacking Opportunities
One of the quickest, and easiest ways to attract media attention is to insert yourself into the news. No matter the industry, writers are always looking for experts to weigh in with their expertise on any number of topics. Public relations professionals need to stay one step ahead of competitors and can use newsjacking to capitalize on these opportunities to establish their clients as thought leaders in their industry. This practice requires minimal effort for both the PR professional and the client but can lead to high-quality coverage.
Listen & Trust Your PR Professionals
As the experts in the field of media, you need to trust that your public relations professional is doing the right things to help achieve your goals. At the beginning of your relationship, it’s important to listen to what they have to say and the recommendations they make. Being flexible with pitch ideas allows more room for your PR professional to think of angles that you, or your competitors, might not have thought of before. Keeping an open mind and trusting their work will only help you reach your business goals together.
Take Advantage of Media Alerts
Public relations used to just mean press releases. The diverse and nuanced media industry of today now offers plenty of other opportunities, like media alerts. With the intention of spreading the word of an event, media alerts are to-the-point telling readers the who, what, where, and when of an event. These are perfect for when clients have a grand opening of a restaurant, are participating in a food drive, presenting at an awards program, etc. Media alerts are a great tactic to take advantage of when you can cut out all the fluff and deliver information in a timely manner.
Follow-Up to Build Relationships
Forming strong relationships with the media is one of the most important tactics for a public relations professional. Don’t have a public relations professional on your team? That’s okay, it doesn’t really matter who is nurturing that relationship as long as there is a relationship being built. Now, this is easier said than done. It’s important to identify writers who are writing about your industry, are covering your competitors, or even an outside of the box angle. But remember, writers are bombarded with PR emails so do not get discouraged when they don’t reply. Continue to follow-up with them directly in new and engaging ways and you are bound to form a strong relationship.
Be Clear About Your Needs
Communication is key to having a successful relationship with your public relations professional. When you are discussing pitch angles avoid being too vague and make sure what you’re asking for is actually what you want. If your public relations professional is pitching to media outlets, but you decide to change your mind, that can cause issues in both your relationship and the relationship with the media. To avoid these conflicts, provide your public relations professional with all the necessary information upfront for the agreed-upon pitches, keep an open line of communication, allow freedom to pitch new creative ideas, and trust that they are doing their best work to help meet your business goals.
Need help with your public relations?
With decades of experience, Slice’s team will help evaluate your business goals and create a strategic public relations plan to engage with media and secure placements that are right for you.
