Tell Stories, Not News
Public relations, or people relations to us, is one of the most underutilized and highly effective forms of “nonmarketing marketing” you can do. What do we mean by nonmarketing marketing? Well, while ads, social posts, direct email/mail campaigns are all very effective when done right, they also look, swim, and quack like ads. That’s fine, nothing wrong with ads, but they have one extra hurdle to leap over. You must win the trust of a prospect who knows you’re trying to sell something to her. While good designers and copywriters (such as ours!) have been doing exactly that for decades, a press release, or well done public education event—webinar, seminar, media appearance—are fantastic ways to let your market know that you care and have answers for what ails them. Plus, it gives you a third party endorsement “seal of approval".
So why don’t many companies use Press Releases? Or appear on local media? Or hold educational events? Because, they think, “We don’t have news.” That may be true; the fact that you sold or installed or won a contract, or do something better than Brand X, may not exactly be today’s most exciting news. It’s something better. It’s a story. And that’s what people relations is all about. People are wired for stories; we love them. We form more opinions from stories than from facts. And somewhere in your story of your new store, new project, new widget, new process is a tale of how you understand what your market needs and how to help. There’s a story (or two) about how you solved someone’s problems or fulfilled their dreams. Which will be read by someone in your target market as, “Well, then I bet they can do that for me too!”
You can tell this story over and over. In press releases, articles and blogs, on media, or in workshops and seminars you hold. In so doing you will become what your market needs: a hero. How so? You may think that your market knows what’s special about your service, what’s better about your process, or the quality difference between the product lines you sell. They don’t. Why? Because it’s the 21st century and they’re too busy trying to know a thousand other things they don’t have time for.
They need a hero to swoop in and clarify, not only why such and such service/process/product is better, but how to make the best choice for them. You could be that hero. If they hear from you in the newspaper or magazine, or in a public seminar, they feel like you’re trying to help them, not sell them. But as every great consultative salesperson knows, the two are synonymous.
Six Benefits of PR (People Relations):
- PR Increases brand credibility by garnering third party endorsement from the media it appears on: the “as seen on” seal of approval.
- PR allows you to control the messaging about your business. You control the brand narrative.
- PR enhances company presence off and online: It works in concert with marketing to create presence, reputation, and top of mind awareness of your company.
- PR communicates social values: stories of your social, community, nonprofit involvement create valuable goodwill, building trust in your company.
- Well done PR presents your company as a problem-solver, interested in the welfare of your prospective customers, not simply the bottom line.
- Only 27% of U.S. adults trust the information they find on social media. But 56% trust national news media, and 75% trust local news outlets. —Pew Research Center
Snow B Designs, the mom-run marketing agency of seasoned industry pros has a few decades of tricks up our sleeves. Some new, some tried and true. For a more in depth conversation about what People Relations can do for you, contact us today.
We work like a mother for you!
