Starting a business, whether from scratch or through a provision can be great, especially if you do not have experience running a business. Each task from finance to marketing to recruit talented staff is now yours, and you are a business owner is required to make sure that your business like a well-oiled machine.
Among the biggest challenges facing many business owners face is awareness of a particular brand or more, how to raise awareness of their brand in the community or industry. This is where public relations comes into the fold. Many people pride themselves on being the outstanding market and while this may be true on the level of business customers, achieving significant media exposure is easier said than done:. It takes several years to build relationships and trust with local media, especially as interest income, staff, media professionals kept growing.
Here are 5 important steps to take are:
Step 1. Set the target customers and the media: the most important challenge of public relations is to identify your target market. When I ask entrepreneurs who market their response most common is "everyone. 'No, everyone is not a subscriber to your destination. You need to pinpoint who you are selling products or services on your to and from that point, customize the list of media that you think might be interested in running a story on the businesses.
The same way, every customer is different, every media is different. Trying to prove something to everyone under the sun is a serious waste of time and money. Read and public awareness in your market and what you believe may be interested in your story.
Step 2. Craft a remarkable pitch: In today's digital age, it is normal for the media to get the majority of press releases and / or pitch through e-mail and in some cases, social media. Call the editor on this phone is almost a thing of the past, however, if your notification is very sensitive, I would recommend doing so.
Before you click or click the Send button, make sure you customize your pitch to a specific media. If your product appeals to women and, most of you are pitching women's publications make sure you say in your pitch. Do not make your work more media research your business. Put as much as possible in your pitch so the editor can make educated decisions as to whether or not to run a story on your business.
Step 3. Use Social Media: Love it or hate it, social media is part of all our lives, both inside and outside the office. Without at least a Facebook page is not a reputable company, or at least that's what people now think. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media are for the most part free of charge, which you can use to promote and market your business.
The only challenge is when you create a social media page, you need to update it regularly, or the entire initiative will be thrown out the window. As a junkie Facebook, I see many businesses that have not updated their Since 201 4 It makes me question if the company is still in business, and that's the last thing you want people to think about your startup.
Step 4. Network. Network. Network: One of the most inexpensive ways to market your new company is to network and share your stories with other members of your community. The event as much as possible, without losing sight of your overall business strategy and taking too much time away from running your business.
But participation in the network is only half the battle. The real challenge is real, network! Instead of running around the room with a stack of business cards in your hand, try to find 3 or 4 individuals and mean to have a conversation with them. Ask them questions. Give them the floor. And most important, do not throw them away. If you think you have found someone who could be a potential customer follow up with a phone call or email.
Step 5. Think outside the box: the editors got dozens and hundreds and in some cases the court of emails every day. Your goal is to stand out from the crowd and literally think outside the box. What about your email will get the attention of an editor? Think about your subject line very carefully, as it will for the first time and possibly, the only thing that editors see. If your subject line does not grab / her attention, then the rest of your e-mail, you can go unread. If an editor to open your e-mail, present your pitch in the first sentence, 2-3. Think of it as an elevator pitch for 60 seconds. How much can a person read in 60 seconds? That's how much time you have to deliver your message.
Public relation is an important part of any business and it must be given much thought and attention just like other aspects of your business. If you are a business owner can not devote the amount of time and energy needed, I would suggest keeping a public relations professional to facilitate these efforts.