By incorporating media relations into your overarching marketing communications plan, you can build brand awareness by securing positive coverage in trusted media outlets. Your public relations agency will develop a custom media database of outlets to target for coverage based on a variety of factors, including your location, geographic reach, industry, and target audiences. Likely, they will look to garner stories about your brand in a variety of outlet types, including newspapers, websites, blogs, podcasts, television stations, radio shows, etc.
Many types of media share product roundups on a regular basis, and this can be a great way to put the spotlight on your brand to grow awareness.
Depending on the type and price tag of your company’s product, an editor, reporter or blogger, might want to receive the product before writing or talking about it.
If your company has a spokesperson that is an expert in his or her field, your public relations agency can pitch your spokesperson to talk about industry-related news.
Trending stories or observances often present opportunities for this type of media coverage. Having your spokesperson serve as an expert on a timely topic is a great way to grow awareness about your company and team members. Having someone from the brand contribute to these type of high-profile media stories can be very beneficial in growing brand awareness.
A bylined article or contributed piece is written by a company or spokesperson for a media outlet and features the author’s name and title in the “byline” of the article.
Having your CEO or someone from your company write a byline/contributed article is a great way to spread brand awareness and to reach an audience who is specifically invested in your industry’s news. Articles like this can help establish credibility in your brand’s industry and allow your company to make a deeper connection with your target audience by highlighting something your company is passionate about.
Depending on what is happening at your company, there may be an opportunity for your public relations team to secure a special story, article or segment about your organization.
No matter which form of media your company is being mentioned in, your brand will benefit from the increased awareness. Not only can media relations help your brand grow, it also provides invaluable authenticity and credibility. Whether you are a start-up or a company who is celebrating its 50th anniversary, gaining the trust of your target audience is essential. Consumers tend to be loyal to brands and products they have confidence in. In fact, most people use the same product, company, organization, etc. for years because they develop a brand bond and it can be hard to convert them over to something new.
Great Brands are built through the consistent delivery of the brand and it’s messages through all touch-points – a strong, unified message reinforces not only who we are and why we exist, it also drives recognition, trust, success, and of course, ultimately, business growth.