When first getting started with building your brand, it’s important to focus on creating a strong foundation. The goal with building a business is to attract customers and establish credibility within your market. Trust, like in any relationship, personal or professional, is what sets you apart. It is the foundation for which partnerships are built on. 

The first step for any business is crafting the right PR strategy. Why? Because PR is one of the most powerful tools to help you grow. A robust and consistent PR strategy can be the driving force behind your business and make all the difference when it comes to achieving success. 

For many owners, especially those in the start-up space, having a clear understanding of where to start when it comes to creating an effective PR strategy, one that drives success, can feel overwhelming. 

Behind every success story is a dedicated PR team who wants to see their client achieve the level of success they desire. It doesn’t happen by chance, rather, it is the well crafted strategies put into play that help to ensure the client is successful. 

Regardless of whether your business is able to bring on a PR agency full-time, or focus on PRaaS (PR as a service), it’s important to implement some form of consistent public relations  strategy to maintain and enhance your brand’s reputation and visibility.

To help you get started, we’re sharing five tips for crafting a PR strategy that drives success. 

1. Define Your Objectives 

What is it that you want to accomplish? Think about your goals, what is it that you want to achieve? Is it increased visibility and recognition in your industry? Are you looking to establish yourself as a thought-leader and/or industry expert, attract new customers or investors? Having a clear understanding of what you want to be known for is the first step in laying down your foundation. 

2. Understand Your Audience 

Who are your customers? Are they investors, consumers, the media?  What are their needs and how will your product or service benefit them? As yourself, what is the best way to effectively reach and engage them? Creating this type of profile will allow you to hyper-target the right audience, ensuring your PR strategy is effective and the messages being created resonate with the people most likely to be interested in your products or services. 

3. A Compelling Brand Story

Most people find it difficult to effectively tell their own story, which is why having someone else, like a PR agency, tell it for them is oftentimes the most effective.  The goal is to articulate what it is that makes the company unique. If you have a story behind the inception of your start-up, share it, along with any challenges or wins you’ve encountered along the way. You also want to highlight the core values and mission of the company. Being authentic helps you connect with people on an emotional level. When people find you relatable it helps them to build a connection with the brand. 

4. Create and Foster Relationships 

Relationship building is an important step in crafting a successful PR strategy. Before randomly outreaching various people within the media, think about who it is you want to target (this is why you must know your audience). Now start to build a media list of key journalists, bloggers, and influencers within your industry. 

Familiarize yourself with their work, what beat do they cover? What are their interests? Understanding who you’re pitching to will ensure that what you’re sending is reaching the right hands. Journalists are inundated with pitches, so it’s important that yours not only stands out but also demonstrates that you know and understand their focus. By tailoring your outreach to align with their interests and beat, you increase the likelihood of your story being picked up and featured.

5. Choose Your Tools and Channels 

As you're developing your PR strategy, think about the various channels and the tools that will help in spreading your message. The press release is an important tool in PR because it allows for effective communication of significant news and updates to the media. Sharing company information helps to shape the public’s perception and increase a brand’s visibility. 

Additional channels such as a company website, social media, podcasts, speaking engagements, and guest articles provide opportunities to showcase your expertise and establish thought leadership within your field.

Each of these different areas has its own characteristics. Choosing the right channel goes back to knowing your audience and understanding how to reach them. 

Persistence is key in PR; it’s a long-term commitment that requires patience and dedication. Creating an effective strategy will help to ensure the consistent communication needed to be successful. 

Once you embrace public relations as part of your company’s overall business strategy, you’ll be on your way to building and maintaining a strong, positive image for your business over time, and establishing the credibility and trust with your audience needed in order to find success. 

Looking to kickstart your PR journey? The experts at JMG Public Relations are ready to assist you. Click the link below to explore our services and start building your brand's success story today!