10 tactics to have in your PR arsenal

When you’re crafting a smart PR program, it is important to mix up the tactics that you’re working with. There are numerous ways to leverage creative tactics in PR. What tactics do you rely on when it comes to PR? There are some that are tried and true and others that you may not even realize is part of a public relations program. Here are 10 PR tactics we use for startups (in no order of preference or importance).

1. Respond to and/or comment on trends – an easy and creative way to get included or mentioned in stories is to lend your thoughts to reporters. Often they are looking for expert insight or commentary on industry trends. If you hear about some news, you can get on top of it by pitching your thoughts early and often. Once you have established a relationship with the reporter, they will know what kinds of commentary they can rely on you for in the future.

2. Place contributed articles – another form of thought leadership is actually drafting longer form commentary on trends or best practices. This establishes expertise and shows your peers that you are invested in the industry. We work quite a bit with folks that are creating strong positions in their industry. This works best if you have strong opinions.

3. Start a Movement (#Ididitfirst) – Think Ice Bucket Challenge. There are many ways to start a movement, especially with social media making virality much easier. You’ll want to carefully plan the launch of your movement. The first 48 hours (just like crowdfunding) is the most crucial, so make sure you stack your chips high if you want it to lift off into a life of its own.

4. Hold a press conference – Press conferences are still a thing and if you have something major to announce it may be worth holding one. Tradeshows are common places to hold press conferences, your headquarters or in a major city where most of your media targets are. Make sure you have something juicy to announce and plenty of great sound bites for media to walk away with.

5. Leverage data to create news – Infographics anyone? The media loves data and information that they may only get by paying for research. Think about how much data you may be sitting on. What parts of that data may be interesting to the general public? How can you make it sound and look more appealing? What positioning can help support your PR goals and objectives? Make sure that when you share data there is always a call to action.

6. Plan a media tour or leverage your travel schedule – We typically only plan roadshows around major launches these days, but media tours DO happen. I always advise executives to leverage their travel to major cities by building in some time or a day for press lunches or coffees, especially in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

7. Focus on an influencer campaign – Social media is a part of public relations and you’ll find that many influencers have positioned themselves as “media” as well. A strategic influencer campaign can bring you the positive attention you need to move the needle. You should note that many influencers will ask for money to post blogs or reviews, some influencers are positioned more editorially and will not. We find that a good mix of both works best. Feel free to negotiate prices and request exactly what you want when working with them (ie. 1 blog, 1 Facebook post, etc.).

8. Plan an event – Coordinating an event with big news, a launch or even alongside an industry tradeshow can be a great way to get the attention of key stakeholders. Always try to make it memorable. With a background in experiential marketing, our specialty is turning the event into a memorable and action-focused experience, one that aligns closely with the theme of the announcement.

9. Build your social presence – It is no longer acceptable to lack a social presence, however, all social media doesn’t make sense for all types of companies. There are generally 1-2 channels that are best suited for your type of business and your target audience. Select those and do those well.

10. Maximize your tradeshow presence – Heading to CES? We are. When going to tradeshows remember there is almost always a press presence. If you are exhibiting at the show, you should be able to get a pre-registered press list from the organizers. Reach out to the media early to see if you can set up 1-to-1 meetings at the show. Putting a face to name or a company is always a golden marketing opportunity.

This handful of PR tactics should be enough to get you on the right path to a successful PR campaign, but if you still need help or have any questions, make sure you reach out to us with any questions.