How Brands Can Clean Up with Content-Oriented PR.
You got a killer piece of PR coverage. So why isn’t everyone talking about you? More importantly, why isn’t your PR driving sales?
Well, a moment on the lips may be forever on the hips. But it’s just a blip when it comes to today’s message-rich, content-heavy culture. Even if everyone was talking about you for a second there, your brand will just be yesterday’s news (at best) if you don’t cultivate ongoing coverage in media outlets that consistently put your brand in front of your desired audience.
To hold a meaningful place in a prospective customer’s mindset, forget thinking of PR as a way to “announce” things. Instead, consider how your brand can become part of the content that your target market is eager to ingest. That’s the key to landing consistent PR coverage that drives sales.
That’s what content-oriented PR does. And that’s how we’ve been helping the historied cleaning brand Carbona claim its rightful place in the consumer conversation – including this month’s feature in Maxim that basically says clean people like getting dirty more often. (Yes, sex still sells, and thanks to an independent survey we discovered that people who have very clean households also have, well, more sex. That may also be why people enjoy hotel sex – the clean, uncluttered room… But I’m digressing about how to get content-oriented PR that drives sales.)
This quiz is just the latest avenue we’ve taken to getting Carbona in front of the media. And our content-oriented approach has landed consistent soundbites in major outlets, including The New York Times, BuzzFeed and Real Simple. We can’t disclose our next big-hit-in-the works. But we can reveal these tips on how to create PR that will resonate with the media enough to become the coverage that your audience discovers – and shares – as content.
3 Ways to Create Content-Oriented PR that Drives Sales
- It’s not me. It’s you. Ditch the brand-centered mindset and think about how you can tie your brand into something that real people in your target audience would actually find compelling enough to share with others. Just like in any relationship, selfish actions can push others away – whereas focusing on others can strengthen the bonds. Media outlets know this, so when they see a story of genuine interest – including the brand tie-in – they are more likely to run with it.
- Mix it up. No matter how good the relationship is, we all like a little excitement once in a while – and doing something unexpected (in a good way) can breathe some fresh air into a sturdy relationship before it becomes boring. This is true of people, and it’s true of brands. Journalists, editors, producers, bloggers, podcasters, influencers…when they hear something surprising from a brand, it piques their interest. The trick is to pique their interest while remaining true to your brand.
- Keep it up. Relationships are built on consistent effort. It’s not enough to do something nice once in a while; you need to be present. For brands, that means not taking for granted that your customers are going to keep coming back – and reminding them that you shouldn’t be taken for granted either. Building in consistent reasons for the media to talk about you should be key to every brand who wants to move beyond one-night-stand status.
In the end, PR that drives sales is PR that helps to foster a relationship between a brand and its audience(s). We all know that strong relationships take work. So does committing to a consistent cadence of content-oriented PR.
Want to learn more about how we can help turn your brand from a one-night stand into a thought leader that the media and your audiences can’t get enough of? Give our VP Sales & Marketing a shout: 908-800-2848 or lgrassi@theS3agency.com.
See the full AOL article HERE
