PR strategies can be a very effective way to boost your brand’s awareness and tell your business story. Whether you are hoping to get in front of new customers or launch a new service or product, a PR campaign is a favourable way to do it. Despite this, it’s not always so easy to ensure your PR campaign is a success. It can take a lot of creative thinking and strategy to get the results you’re happy with.
So, with that in mind, we offer some insights on the 5 components for a successful PR strategy, which include: who, what, when, where and how.
1. Who
The first thing to determine when creating a PR strategy is your target audience. Who are you hoping to target with your campaign, and who are you hoping will see it? This can largely depend on who your brand audience is, which you probably already know. However, if you’re launching a new product or moving into a new market, your audience for a specific PR campaign might be different.
It’s important to research your audience types and understand the demographic you are hoping to grab the attention of. Without this, your PR strategy could miss the mark completely.
2. What
Every PR strategy has a purpose, so what’s yours? Consider your reason for wanting to do a PR campaign in the first place and think about what you’re hoping it will achieve. More often than not, PR strategies are there to communicate an important message in the best way, through media coverage.
Your PR campaign should have an aim; it is there to increase interest in your brand, or open doors for new opportunities? In some cases, a PR strategy might be put in place for damage control and to realign your brand’s image.
3. When
It’s also important to think about when you want to run your PR campaigns, as this can determine its success to some degree. For example, are you dealing with something that is time sensitive, or has a deadline? If you were to miss the boat, what impact would it have on your brand?
Consider how long your campaign should run for, and how far in advance you should be planning your strategy and coverage. If it’s a seasonal strategy or a planned product launch, you likely want to be a few steps ahead and have everything in place in plenty of time.
4. Where
As well as important factors like when you are launching your campaign, you should also plan where your story is going to appear. PR strategies can cover a number of media types, but it is worth identifying which types will be best suited for your brand, audience and message.
From traditional newspapers and magazines, to social media and and online publications, your PR campaign can cover as many or as little as you deem relevant. Just be sure that where you place your story is appropriate for capturing your audience’s attention.
5. How
How you will put your plan into action is the very crux of your strategy. How will you manage your PR contacts, the content and its delivery? Working with an agency that specialises in PR could be a successful way to go, with a hands-on team that takes the time to understand your brand and its messaging.
From execution to measuring the success of your PR strategy, SLG are here to make sure your brand benefits every time. Get in touch today to find out more.
