If you own a small business, you may not be paying much attention to your Lakeland public relations needs. But if you want to be successful in your business and you want to brand, market, and promote your company, PR is one of the most important tools that can get you where you want to be.
Define your “why”
Your “why” is the ultimate goal of your PR campaigns. You need to answer these questions: “Why am I doing this?,” “Why does your business matter?,” “Why should they support your business?,” and “Why did you decide to put up this business in the first place?”
Once you have answered your whys, you can then create a PR strategy that will communicate your goals.
Build your own media list
Crafting a press release could be easy but it is in distributing them that you can meet some roadblocks. Which journalists would be interested in your company? Where should you send your press releases and which news outfit will be interested to find out more?
You have to study the journalists and your competitions—what are they covering and what are they talking about regarding the industry that you are in. Before sending anything, you have to make sure that what you are pitching is relevant to what they are writing about.
Create a strong message for your brand
Research your competitors and what they are pitching to the media. You need that information to create a different message for your brand.
This message will differentiate you and will make you unique. If you don’t hear from the media, don’t take it personally. Journalists can be busy and it may take more than just one try to catch their attention.
Build a relationship with journalists
Building a rapport with journalists will take time. Usually, it starts with responding fast to their requests, offering them timely and personalized information, and not pestering them about follow-ups.
Boost your social media presence
Your social media presence will influence the success of your PR strategies. People are so in tune with what’s happening on Facebook and Instagram, you have to maximize this certain obsession with social media. That means creating the right content catered to your audience.
Ask for help
Finally, many consulting firms will know the right way to handle your business’ PR needs. All you have to do hire one of these firms and they can get your business on the right track towards success.
