If you could create your own fantasy board of directors, who would be on it? CO— connects you with thought leaders from across the business spectrum and asks them to help solve your biggest business challenges. In this edition, we ask a PR pro for her tips and tricks.
In this edition of “Ask the Board,” we feature Alexis Donofrio, Senior Vice President of Prosek Partners, an integrated public relations and marketing agency, where she leads thought leadership development, media strategy, and high-impact awareness campaigns for clients. Donofrio knows firsthand how important a PR strategy is for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Here’s what she had to say.
Most big businesses have PR departments or agencies to help spread the word about their products and services in the media to reach their end consumers. But smaller companies, without those resources, need to start somewhere when it comes to increasing their visibility and maintaining their public image. Here are five tips to get your public relations program off the ground.
Lean into your expertise and build relationships
The holy grail in public relations is a glowing profile or feature story. The truth is, those stories are rarely handed to you.
Start by establishing your (or your employees’) expertise in the space. Own a clothing store? Offer reporters your perspective on the upcoming season’s trends. Run a food manufacturing plant? Opine on the state of the supply chain or industry expectations under the new administration.
Over time, a track record of commentary on a subset of industry topics will help establish your credibility in the space, and it helps you build connections with reporters. This can offer you leverage when you are ready to tell a bigger company story.
It’s important to remember that working with the media is a two-way street: It’s not just about the story you want to tell, it’s also about the sources they need to tell their stories.
When working on your pitch, think about the 'extra oomph' that you can offer. Is there proprietary data you can provide as part of the story?
Identify moments in time and capitalize on them
The news cycle moves quickly, and newsrooms are shrinking. Timeliness is key when trying to capture a reporter’s attention.
When reaching out to the media, whether it be a reporter, blogger, or TV producer, be sure to emphasize any timely elements of your announcement. If it can wait until next month, it probably isn’t newsworthy.
If you are in a seasonal business, get ahead of the seasons. News outlets (and especially print media like magazines) plan stories and segments weeks to months in advance. Reaching out to a news station about a back-to-school story in September means you’re likely too late to make the cut.
Use extra oomph: Data, customer stories, and more
Just being a great company doesn’t necessarily make for a great story. In addition to having a timely element, story ideas that are multifaceted are the most compelling.
When working on your pitch, think about the “extra oomph” that you can offer. Is there proprietary data you can provide as part of the story? Are there customers who would be willing to participate, acting as third-party advocates for your brand? Do you have a spokesperson for the company who has real examples to share?
These “extras” can make the difference between a story that actually gets airtime and one that remains unread in an inbox.
Amplify
Once you’ve secured that piece of coverage, don’t stop there. Increase the reach of your story via paid amplification on social media.
Putting a nominal amount of spend to boost the reach of your article doesn’t just increase the number of views, but it also allows you to target potential customers based on their demographics, putting the story in front of the perfect reader.
Be patient
Once you start on your PR journey, it can be frustrating if you don’t see immediate results. PR is often a long game: You might not get traction from the get-go.
Reporters often will come back to you when the time is right. Set reasonable goals, benchmark against them, and build on them as your program gets off the ground.
CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.
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