As we pushed through the overwhelming challenges of 2020, we learned some valuable PR lessons and for that we are grateful.
A global pandemic, a contentious election and natural disasters gave us with a master class in public relations strategy. When the realities of COVID-19 hit the U.S. in March, our marketingworx team shifted into high gear. We spent much of this year crafting communications for clients to convey new information to customers, reworking PR & marketing plans and rethinking social media content.
While we know messaging is an important element of any brand, it is more than that. Messaging should not only let the public know about the services a business offers and the benefits or solutions they provide, but it also tells the public who they are. What companies say and how they say it, shows what a brand symbolizes, what a company believes.
Nearly overnight, businesses and organizations needed to communicate changes to the public and reassure customers. Regardless of industry, what to communicate and how to get the word out continues to be a top priority. Company websites, social media profiles, media interviews and promotional materials – all serve as platforms for delivering the message.
In the face of change – how do you formulate and deliver a clear message that successfully speaks to current and potential customers? Here are a few lessons we learned and steps to take:
- Identify objectives
Know what it is you want to achieve. Before launching a PR and marketing campaign, define your business goals and identify target markets. Whether you are announcing a new business venture, promoting a change to existing services or introducing a new product or member of your team – a clear understanding of the goals helps to better hone the message and to push it to the right audience.
- Deliver clarity and consistency
Keep it simple and say it often. Determine what it is you want or need to say and make sure your message is clear. Mixed messaging gets confusing and the result will miss the mark. Then get that clear message out across all platforms. Update your website, share on social media, if it’s newsworthy, send out a press release or pitch the media to share the news via media and consider creating a digital ad campaign that directly targets customers, potential customers and/or referral sources.
- Embrace flexibility
One of the biggest lessons of 2020 was flexibility. Running a business or organization in a changing world requires thinking outside the box. Businesses need to be ready to pivot and innovate in order to survive and thrive. We saw high-end restaurants offering take-out family menus and groceries; companies move employees to home offices and traded in-person meetings for Zoom, Teams and Facetime to connect and collaborate; distilleries and clothing manufactures add sanitizer and masks to their product line-up. To successfully operate in an ever-changing climate, companies must consider incorporating new ways of doing business. When the situation changes, methods and messaging may need revising.
- Recognize opportunities and stay top-of-mind
When businesses face challenging markets, the first reaction is often to cut costs and one of the first things to go is the PR & marketing budget. Rather than consider cutting, spend smarter. Seize PR opportunities to share your story, create compelling content, utilize digital tools – video, images, email, and social media to create engaging and educational messaging and push it out.
We know that implementing a successful PR & marketing strategy isn’t easy and it demands an investment of time and money. Working with experts to help you maximize that investment, strategize, and implement best practices begins with finding a partner or firm that can collaborate with your team and help guide you through from conception to implementation.
If you are looking to enlist a strong PR and content marketing strategy to grow your business in 2021, let’s talk.