Feb
PR TIP-OF-THE-WEEK: CREATE A PR PLAN
It may seem painfully obvious, but you’d be surprised the number of small businesses that I’ve seen jump in to PR efforts without having a concrete plan or strategy. And NO, issuing a press release is NOT a strategy.
Most small bizzies are familiar with all kinds of plans: business plans, financial planning, retirement planning, travel & vacation plans or even landscaping plans. So, if you put comprehensive thought into your travel itinerary or garden layout, why do you think you should go running amok in the world of
PR without putting some serious planning into place first?
So, the PR Tip-of-the-Week is…CREATE A PLAN! Now that we’ve established you SHOULD plan, how do you do it? Here are 5 easy guidelines for you to follow:
1. Identify Your Objectives: What is it, exactly, that you want to accomplish for your business through the PR process? Common objectives are increasing Brand Awareness and Name Recognition, Increasing website traffic, Increasing Sales, Editorial Coverage etc. Your Objectives should drive all other elements of your PR Plan.
2. Positioning: Now that you’re clear on what your objectives are, decide how you want to be perceived by your audience(s). Do you want to be know as the product that is absolutely the best quality in your category, or as the most cost-effective? Do you want consumers to know that you have vast experience, or is the way you perform your services more important. You should narrow it down to ONE primary positioning statement. More than that will dilute your brand and your impact. Best quality OR most cost-effective – not both!
3. Key Messages: What are the most important FACTS about your business? FYI – Good customer service is NOT a fact! This is one of my major pet peeves. “Customer Service” isn’t measurable or tangible. A ‘fact’ is something concrete: Three Girls Media is the only PR Firm in the nation that guarantees editorial coverage, or PR 101 Radio is the first live call-in advice show about PR, Marketing & Advertising. Once you’ve listed the important facts about your business, choose the three that are most important. These are your Key Messages!
Once you’ve got those locked down, you can move onto the next steps:
4. Strategy: This should get into the nitty-gritty of how you will go about making your goals a reality. This is a really broad area and one that may be well worth consulting a PR or Marketing expert on. It’s critically important that your strategy use your Objectives, Positioning and Key Messages as a guide. Is your strategy marketing your services to a specific demographic or in a certain geographic location? Do you want to appeal directly to consumers, to other businesses or both? Strategy can encompass several things, but it should be well thought out and designed to help solidify your company’s position in the marketplace.
5. Tactics: These are the tools or means that will physically put your plan into action. Are you going to participate in tradeshows? Engage in an advertising campaign? Issue a press release (another major pet peeve of mine because they are incredibly overused and misused). Are you going to try and secure editorial coverage, give speeches or write articles? Joining a networking group or sitting on an Advisory Board can also be unique ways to spread the message about your business.
In general, your PR Plan should ensure you’re getting the desired message to the desired audience. This is often difficult for small business owners to achieve without the advice of a PR Professional. Many companies such as Three Girls Media & Marketing Inc. (www.ThreeGirlsMedia.com) offer consulting services for reasonable fees. It’s well worth it to invest a few hundred or even a thousand dollars in an expert who can help you with strategy and tactics. It can be a far more expensive disaster if you try to forge ahead on your own.
Would you do your own root canal or install a new water heater in your office? Would you represent yourself in a legal case? Probably not, so why engage in something as important as your PR Game Plan without seeking expert advice?
A PR plan is an absolute necessity, but making sure it’s sound and that the tactics are realistic and effective are something that should not be taken lightly. Know when to seek advice and when you’re in over your head and your efforts will be far more fruitful!
