What is it?
When you think about PR, think about this:
WHO is saying it is just as important as WHAT is being said.
You are reaching your customer through reporters, social media influencers, lifestyle bloggers, etc. It is their audience from which you are driving action that leads to a purchase.
Typically, these opportunities are based on a mutually beneficial partnership and not a payment, so your story has more credibility because it was independently verified by a trusted third party rather than purchased. However, with influence comes power, and some organizations require an exchange of services or payment.
Why is it important?
Leveraging relevant media, influencers, and organizations to secure a third-party endorsement of your business is a critical piece of the sales funnel and keeps you competitive in the ever-growing market of merchants. Boosting awareness among your target consumer base will not only drive foot traffic but also ultimately lead to greater sales for your business.
The following will provide guidance through some of the most common PR and Media Relations opportunities.
How do I start?
First, consider how to tell a story about your business that is most relevant to your audience. This is simplified by first understanding what makes news in most markets.
- It’s the biggest, the smallest, the first, the last, the only
- It’s a local expression of a national trend that’s getting attention
- It’s the quintessential example of a trend
- It goes against a trend
- It twists a trend
- It taps into controversy
- It’s pegged to something media always covers, e.g., gifts and fashions for back-to-school, holiday shopping, Mother’s Day, even a high-profile local event
- It’s about retail spending (especially in the fourth quarter)
- It links to a cultural phenomenon
- It has timely connections
Below are a few real-world applications of these rules:
- The fifth store of a new brand in the state is hardly news, but the first store might be
- A boutique’s new spring collection of handbags alone is not a news story, however, a roundup story on great pink bags this season, featuring not only that boutique but also other stores, can be the basis of a news story
- You are opening a pet store. Usually, a single store opening might not be big news, but in the framework of relevant coverage about how much people spend on their pets, this connects to a national trend and might be news
