If your company is still an undiscovered gem hiding behind the stage curtain, it’s probably time to step out into the spotlight. Public relations, or PR, is the perfect, tried-and-tested way to do this.
So, read on for some tips. This article will provide the ultimate guide to creating and sending a PR package for your brand and how to make that campaign a shining success.
Get To Know Your Target Audience
Before promoting your business and beginning your PR campaign, you must research your audience. Aim to learn as much as you can about them beyond demographics. That means knowing their values, interests, and the media they read.
Run a survey with your existing customers, and scan online forums and social media for comments and opinions. This research will help you better target your PR efforts and will help determine the channels you choose for your PR and tell you how to pitch your message.
It will also tell you the type of content and offers that will most resonate with them. Which means your marketing budget will be well spent.
Write Your Campaign Objectives
PR campaigns need a clear goal; without that, it’s easy to lose direction. So once you have established your target audience, your next step is to create some campaign objectives.
That will be a written statement explaining the goals you want to achieve with your business promotion. These goals should be measurable where possible.
Maybe you want to launch a new product, or perhaps you are expanding into a new market. You might want to use a PR campaign to build brand awareness.
Focus on one objective, and get as straightforward as possible about what that is and why it’s crucial for your business. Ideally, they should line up with your company’s highest-level strategic goals.
So, if you have a revenue target for the next twelve months, you might want a campaign to help you hit that, like an increase in new customer leads.
Create Your Message
At the heart of any PR campaign is your message. If your customer only takes away one thing from your campaign, it should be a brief one-liner about that message. So, the rest of your PR campaign revolves around this central theme.
Your message should be easy for people to understand, compelling, and relevant. It should tap into the thoughts and feelings of your target audience enough for them to sit up and take notice when they see it.
The best messages are memorable and unique. That said, you may want to try a few ideas before finalising one. You could also test a few out on a focus group. Remember to ensure your message aligns with your values as a company.
Create Your PR Package
It’s now time to design your PR package. When putting this together, take the time to make it look professional. Create a branded design that’s visually appealing to the recipient.
You will need to decide what to include in this PR package. Here are a few ideas:
- Press release
- Business fact sheet
- Leadership profile
- Case studies
- Photos
- Multimedia
- Branded products, like mugs
You’ll also need to think about the delivery method. Digital PR packs are convenient. However, physical ones, especially if they contain branded gifts, are more likely to grab someone’s attention. These also give you the chance to add lots of free branded products into the package, which are great for advertising,
Remember that your core message has to shine through, so add a statement, question, or slogan to the outside of your PR pack.
Related Article: Why Create a Direct Mail Campaign?
Create Your Content
Every PR pack has to include some content that will share important information about your company. You need to make this engaging, so using multiple formats is a good idea. That way, you’ll have something that appeals to everyone.
Add a press release to the pack if you have some exciting news to share. Photos are also great, especially if you have a new product launch. If you have a product prototype that’s small enough to include in the pack, you should add that in there, too. Be sure to also include a written description of the product, such as how it was developed and why it’s different from everything that came before it.
Remember that you need to make the content attention-grabbing, so aim to make it concise but informative. For example, infographics are often a better format for sharing vital data than a wordy page of text. Always add visually appealing graphics to each item in the pack so that everything looks coherent and well-branded.
Digital Options, Social Media, and Your PR Pack
Whether you send a digital or physical PR pack, use technology to maximise your PR efforts. For example, you can combine a PR effort with a campaign on social media. By using the same branding, it will make your marketing more cohesive.
Use social media to tell the world about your PR packs and when you’ll send them out. That builds anticipation. You can also use social media to reinforce some of the messages in your PR pack. For example, if you send a press release, add the same statement to social media.
The other technology that will be handy throughout your PR campaign is analytics tools. These help measure the success of your promotion.
Track how many people visit a website after you’ve shared the link in your PR pack. That will help you see whether you achieved an excellent return on your investment.
Try Personalisation
You can create more of an impact with your PR package by personalising a few elements. Tailoring your content or gifts can help it become more meaningful and memorable for your target audience. For example, you could include some branded gifts and add a customised design depending on the recipient.
You might like to highlight different products you sell depending on who receives the pack. The audience research you did before you began your PR campaign will help determine how to customise your package.
Personalising content makes your PR package feel special. It shows you have put time and effort into making it unique. The recipient will feel valued and will be more likely to explore the promotional content you send.
How to Distribute Your PR Package
There are many ways to share your PR package. You can choose one or multiple distribution methods from the following:
Traditional Media
Established news outlets are a time-honoured tradition for PR campaigns. They offer lots of credibility and a huge audience if you have something newsworthy. Getting featured on a news website is also great for SEO.
However, ensure you get the timing right because traditional media needs a longer lead time between receiving PR campaigns and publishing.
Online Publications
You can opt for non-traditional online news websites and blogs for your PR campaign. If you choose this, you have a wide variety available, so it’s worth finding platforms closely tied to your niche. Influencer platforms are a convenient way to find these channels.
Social Media
You can use your business social media accounts to launch your campaign. A savvy way to do this is to run a competition and give the winner physical PR packages with swag bags.
It helps elevate your brand and will create a buzz on your social media channels. If you are a small business and lack an audience, you can use paid ads to boost your campaign. Alternatively, you can give your PR packages to social media influencers to help spread the word.
Direct Email
Use direct email to create more personalised PR campaigns. You must target the best recipients or send the information to a pre-existing email list.
The benefit of this approach is that you’ll have lots of helpful analytics, like click-through rates, to help measure the success of your PR efforts.
PR Distribution Networks
You’ll find PR distribution networks that will do much of the legwork for launching your campaign online. These will offer an outreach service on your behalf, contacting high-profile blogs or news organisations and sharing a press release with them.
Plan Your Follow-Up Strategy
It’s crucial you have a follow-up strategy for your PR campaign. That will help you build long-lasting relationships with contacts and influencers. After you’ve sent your PR package, drop an email to the recipient.
You could also phone them. Invite them to ask you further questions. They may even want to schedule an interview with you if it’s a media contact. After the PR campaign, keep in contact with your new network. You could also send the occasional branded merchandise as a small reminder of your company.
Taking Advantage of a PR Campaign
Don’t underestimate the power of a well-planned PR campaign.
It’s a great way for people to learn more about your company and to help you build a wider network of contacts. Make sure you create a PR package that will wow them from the moment they receive it.
Get your PR package ready with some branded merchandise. At Prince William Pottery, we have high-quality mugs with premium designs. Contact us today for your quote on branded mugs.
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