5 things to think about before you start your PR outreach
I’m excited to introduce you to a new guest blogger: PR & media outreach expert and copywriter Melissa Hobson. In her post, she covers how to take your first steps in PR and media outreach.
Introduction
Exciting. Intimidating. Nerve-wracking. These are all common words I hear from small business owners who are starting out on their PR journey. And it’s totally understandable. Starting to get your brand (or yourself) in front of the press can feel overwhelming, especially if you haven’t worked in comms or media relations before.
The good news is that even small organisations or solo business owners can generate brilliant PR coverage. If you’re thinking about starting your own media outreach, here are a few things to consider before you get started.
1. Who is your audience?
As with any other elements of marketing, in PR it’s vital that you understand who you’re trying to get your message out to and what makes those people tick. If you don’t know who your target audience is and what media titles they engage with, how can you reach them effectively? For example, if you’re trying to reach scuba divers, you’ll want to contact Diver magazine rather than Golf Monthly. OK, so this is a blindingly obvious example to get my point across but the principle remains the same whatever your audience demographics: you need to know who you’re speaking to so that you can reach them in the right place.
So, before you get going with your press outreach, make sure you’ve taken the time to undertake some thorough audience mapping or even a survey. Who is your target customer or client? What do you know about their demographics? What does that tell you about the type of media they engage with? This will help you formulate a strategy and make sure only the most relevant titles are on your press list.
2. What’s your story?
PR is all about storytelling. A common mistake that businesses – big and small – make with their comms is trying to push out a story that’s (if we’re honest) just not interesting to people outside the organisation.
When you’re planning your press outreach, think carefully about what your story is and why it would be interesting to members of the public. A good test is to think whether you could imagine hearing friends talking about it at the pub or in the coffee shop. For example, you might be really excited about your latest partnership but would someone outside your company care? “Wow – did you hear about that charity that just brought on board a new corporate partner?” I don’t think so.
What’s new about your story? Is it a first or something no one has done before? Do you have interesting data? Can you provide insight into an issue that’s particularly topical? Or do you have an inspiring human-interest story, such as overcoming an incredible challenge?
Read the publications you want to get into. It will help you get a better understanding of what type of stories work for them and whether you have any relevant elements within your own business.
3. Do you have capacity?
It’s no secret that PR is time-intensive. From developing a strategy to drafting press releases, compiling media materials, implementing your campaign and following up with the press, there’s a lot of work involved. So, if you are about to start trying to raise media awareness of your business, make sure you set aside regular slots of time to be able to focus on your strategy and media outreach. If you’re not sure how much time things will take, start small and build up once you have a better understanding of how much capacity is needed for all these elements.
If you have the budget to hire a PR agency or consultant, great! But do be aware this will still require a bit of your time as your external PR support will need you to provide a proper brief and approve the content they create, among other things. Not to mention having the time to take part in press interviews once you start raising your profile.
4. Might you be greenwashing?
As an ethical business owner, you’re likely already being transparent about your social and environmental practices – even if you’re not quite where you want to be yet. With the Green Claims Code about to come into force, this will become even more important.
With more people becoming interested in sustainability – and more businesses jumping on the bandwagon – the Green Claims Code has been created to ensure a business’s environmental claims are genuine and not misleading. Your claims must be: truthful, accurate, unambiguous, substantiated, give full information without hiding anything important and only make fair comparisons. They should also take into account the full lifecycle of a product or service rather than focusing on just one element of it.
Consumers are increasingly demanding green products and services and they’re savvy when it comes to environmental promises. Companies that are trying to greenwash are going to get caught out – make sure you’re not one of them. Be clear and honest with your claims throughout your communications.
5. Enjoy it
There’s nothing like the pride you feel when your business is first featured in the press. Even better is when a friend, colleague or acquaintance calls you up to say “I just saw you in Forbes magazine!” (or WIRED, The Mirror or whatever your dream title might be). A successful PR campaign does take time and planning but it’s worth it when the results come through. So, good luck – and enjoy the ride!
About Melissa
Melissa offers PR strategy support and copywriting for kind people doing good. Melissa loves nature and the ocean and is passionate about making a positive difference to our planet and to people’s lives. Find out more about her consultancy services and DIY PR resources at https://melissahobson.co.uk/
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