A public relations campaign is one of the best ways to boost awareness for your brand, but it can be difficult to know how to make it work for your business. At Liquidity we’ve worked on PR for everything from bikini waxes to some of the best chefs in the world. Every campaign calls for varying amounts of time and different tricks of the trade, but we’ve found that sticking to the following six steps results in success, every time.
1. Clearly define the goal
Get used to us saying this. If you don’t know what you’re trying to do, how will you know if it worked? Work out what you want to do, and focus all your efforts on one strong hit rather than have a few half-hearted efforts.
2. Find your story
A new business or a wonderful charitable act doesn’t make a story on its own: your public relations campaign needs an angle. Ideally, what do you want from the journalist? An opinion piece, an announcement, coverage of a special event? Make sure to identify your scope as well – your news might be fascinating for locals but meaningless across the border, or potentially a serious scoop for the whole country.
3. Compile a list of relevant contacts and publications
Don’t use the shotgun approach when it comes to creating your ‘send’ list. Approaching irrelevant reporters will show them that you don’t understand their work, and harm your chances if they happen to be perfect for a future story.
4. Distribute your information
Some journalists will demand a press release with an email, others see them as too much reading and prefer a conversational pitch. In some instances a phone call or invitation might do the trick. Think about the tone of your campaign as well as the last three steps before placing your bets on the best mode of delivery.
5. Triple check everything
Everything. A wrong date or typo in a journalist’s name can be a matter of life or death for your campaign. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
6. Follow up
The show’s not over. A day or two after your initial contact, get back in touch. Maybe the email really did slip past them, or phone time could give you a chance to show your dedication and shed new light.
Do you have a fantastic story but aren’t quite sure how to get it out there? Liquidity pride ourselves on our performance in public relations, Brisbane. Check out our portfolio for our past public relations campaigns.