10 ways to optimize your media exposure & PR ROI

Successfully doing business from passion & purpose (aka. Inner Skills) require real, actionable business skills – at The Passion Institute, we call this Outer Skills such as business strategy, communication, PR, social media, marketing, budget planning, strategic partnerships, content creation, target audience analysis, market knowledge, product R&D and so forth.

 

Article written by Sandja Brügmann, and published on NewHope360 IdeasXchange August 27, 2015.

In the world of business, having the know-how to creatively optimize and take full advantage of resources can be the dividing factor between a company that is extremely successful and one that’s struggling to make it–or as Tony Robbins eloquently says, “It’s not the lack of resources, it’s your lack of resourcefulness that stops you.” Integrating communications and public relations strategies–whether traditional, social, trade or personal branding PR–is no different.

When it comes to gaining the most return on your investment in this area of business and brand development, producing strategic, creative messaging and stories (the kind that inspire your customers), as well as generating feeling-inducing visuals, is key. Combine this with solid PR execution and top-notch media relationships, and you’ll begin gaining media exposure–a must for almost any business out there.

In addition to being a less expensive way to organically engage people than paid advertising, it’s also shown to be significantly more successful. Nielsen’s research on global trust in advertising and brand messages shows that 92 percent of people trust earned media, such as articles in newspapers and magazines. It also prompts the highest level of word-of-mouth action (between 70 and 84 percent). And with 84 percent of consumers around the world saying they trust word-of-mouth from friends and family above all other sources of advertising, it’s hard to argue the potential of earned media placements.

While the process of landing a media hit is easier said than done (and almost always takes more time than you might expect), seeing your company and/or product highlighted in an influential media channel or article is a very exciting and rewarding moment. It’s also where most companies end their efforts, lean back, and passively wait for the sales to role in. I am sorry to say, however, this is not how it works.

Consistency of message, as well as the efforts you put into it over time, is key, and the following tips and tactics can help you achieve full-circle success. Keep in mind that every business is different, and what works for others might not be the best course of action for you, so take what applies to you, make it your own and leave the rest.

1. Post media coverage on your social media channels

Social media platforms are a great way to create engagement, brand value and interest, and to drive word-of-mouth.

Facebook: Ensure your media content is delivered with engaging consumer messages and images that tie back to your brand, and always “tag” the media source’s Facebook page. This not only helps to build your relationship with that particular outlet/reporter (we are going for long-term, win-win relationships here!) but also increases your chances of winning over some of their followers.

Twitter: Like Facebook, it’s important to tag the journalist, blogger, editor and/or outlet who wrote the piece. This is a fabulous way to say thank you and give them some love, as well as help secure a potential shout out, which will help you reach more of their readers and social following.

Instagram: Always ensure media coverage content is shared with an engaging visual. And if the media coverage is from a particularly notable media source, don’t be afraid to show off the endorsement of your company by inserting the outlet’s logo. For example, our team recently secured coverage for our client, Munk Pack, on Oprah.com – O, The Oprah Magazine’s online edition. This is a big win for any sized company, especially a smaller start-up business like this one, making it the perfect opportunity to create an interesting visual of the endorsement that displays the product’s validity.

LinkedIn: Sharing relevant articles, both consumer and trade focused, can help build your online leadership position. LinkedIn is more business-related than consumer-related, so consider all of your LinkedIn activities an opportunity to attract talent, business partners, investors, strategic partners and so forth. For example, when your company is endorsed by Oprah.com, do you think your cache just went up and that you’ll be seen as a much more legit player? You bet ya. Better talent. Better opportunities.

Pinterest: Create a pin board dedicated to key media mentions of your company. Check out how we at Refresh Agency utilize our boards for ideas on how to support your own company’s vision.

2. Leverage media to generate sales success

Create a FlipIt book (digital) with all of your key media coverage, and then position it to woo key buyers, sales partners, new sales reps and large desired retail partners. If large-scale media outlets cover you, you are probably worth their time and energy, and perhaps even shelf space. Make sure you build your brand up, share your successes and provide examples of highly regarded journalists/editors who have covered your product. You’ll be so much more attractive to the kind of people who you want in on your team to help build your business.

8. On sell sheets

Adding in desirable media logos/decals or quotes from key media exposure (ex: “As seen in…”) on your sell sheets will help your brand pop and get you noticed.

9. Consumer events

Consumer events that your brand participates in, such as marathons, yoga conferences, community clean ups and farmers markets, are great opportunities to share notable media features and can help sway new consumers toward you, as endorsements like this will build value and make consumers more open to a new brand.

10. In-store visits and on-floor personnel training

Share key media exposure with the personnel in the stores selling your product. The person on the floor is not the little guy to overlook; rather he’s your direct-to-consumer contact. Develop these relationships. The more the people on the sales floor know of and love your brand, the more they will be cheering you on and doing their best to support your brand.

And a bonus tip (because the number 10 looked better in the title)

Take the time to write a nice comment on any blog post covering your company, as this is an excellent opportunity for you to further your PR exposure. It can be as simple as a “Thank you for writing about us!” to a more in-depth response commenting on an aspect of the article topic itself. Read the article and develop a targeted response that will open up further dialogue with the blogger or journalist and further build a connection with that media channel. Come across thankful, grateful, intelligent and with an expert voice.

Tagged as: Tags: branding, branding skills, budget, business skills, Get the most out of, leadership, leveraging efforts, Media relations, optimize, passion, PR, PR skills, practical tools, Public Relations, purpose, ROI, ROI communication