Five Surefire PR Tools & Strategies Every Small Business Will Need in 2019
By Brittanie Price
In today’s ever-crowded digital space, successful PR goes beyond “pressing play” on a press release. Solid PR strategies marry paid, owned, earned and shared media to create meaningful content across target outlets– from regional lifestyle magazines, to the local news or even social media influencers.
So how do small businesses and up-and-coming brands navigate the rapidly changing landscape on a limited budget? Here are five surefire PR tools and strategies every small business will need in 2019:
Influencer Marketing: today’s “traditional” information distributors—newspapers, magazines, digital editorial platforms—are struggling to retain audiences. The new mayors of media are social media influencers whose armies of engaged followers are ready to like, share, click and buy whatever they’re ‘gramming, posting and tweeting.
Influencer marketing is known for having a solid return on investment (“ROI”), making it a worthy investment for small businesses. According to recent reports, the ROI for influencer marketing is almost 11 times higher than the ROI for other forms of marketing or advertising. Influencer marketing also gives businesses an opportunity to target niche audiences. For example, if your target customer has disposable income, enjoys traveling, loves dogs and lives in Washington D.C., there’s an influencer for that! Check out this handy step-by-step influencer marketing guide for small businesses.
Plan Ahead: plan ahead for announcements, as most editors, reporters and influencers work within set editorial schedules and deadlines about three months ahead of time. Editorial calendars are a powerful tool to have in your marketing toolkit as they are an outline for all of the planned features, themes and stories a publication will be covering for the year. Editorial calendars are often contained in a publication’s media kit and readily available online. Business owners can leverage the information typically provided to advertisers by looking ahead and pitching according to content themes.
Help a Reporter Out (HARO): this is an amazing free resource that connects individuals and businesses with media sources looking for help with their stories. Simply sign up for HARO’s daily email that is loaded with opportunities to secure valuable media coverage.
Don’t Get Duped by Empty Promises: PR is part of the marketing ecosystem and a continuous exercise in building brand awareness. While some publicists may draw you in using hype tactics, any seasoned PR expert will not guarantee media coverage. With a calculated understanding of both the industry and the editorial landscape, a great publicist can guide the conversation toward the likelihood of coverage and the timeliness of procurement.
You Don’t Have To Go it Alone: when it comes to PR for small businesses, a bonafide partner can take out the worry and stress of PR and marketing so you can focus on what matters most— growing your business.
About Brittanie Price, Founder & Principal of BCENE PR
Brittanie's passion for unconventional storytelling began at an early age, where she spent hours perusing the fashion magazines in the grocery store as a teenager. Fifteen years later, the award-winning publicist and founder of BCENE PRenjoys an extensive background in public relations and influencer marketing with a focus on consumer and lifestyle brands including Sassoon Salon North America, Girl Scout Cookies, Mamont Vodka, OLIKA and Taste of DC. To learn more about BCENE PR, visit www.bcenepr.com or follow on Instagram @bcene.pr.
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