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Issue
14– Fall 2006
More electronic
newsletter articles:
Leadership
Lessons
Public Relations Can Be an Effective Strategy for Your Firm
Public relations, or “PR,” is a brand-building marketing activity that helps build your firm’s name recognition over time. PR activities can include building relationships with the press, article writing, issuing press releases, sponsorships, volunteerism, and other community outreach activities. Most PR activities are often time intensive, although several, including press relations, article writing, press releases, and volunteerism often require minimal hard dollar investment.
In this article, we will explore how you can develop effective press relationships to promote your firm and services. Then, in our Practice Perspectives article, we’ll drill down into two specific PR activities, article writing and press releases, giving you the steps to incorporate these branding activities into your overall marketing plan.
Developing Relationships with the Press
If you’re committed to developing effective press relations, the first step is to get to know the people who work in your local press and in the business and trade publications that you, your clients, and prospects read. For example, if your firm is focused on developing a niche in cost segregation, you will want to identify and then cultivate editor relationships with publications read by builders and land developers in your geography. Obtain the names of the editors of the publications that cater to your ideal readership and then contact them.
Many people approach editors with an “it’s all about me” approach – seeking to be featured but not realizing the importance of developing a win-win relationship to ensure that the editors receive as much, or more, from their association with you as you do. To establish a win-win, remember that most editors are actively seeking interesting stories for their readership and “fresh faces” and new voices to feature in their publications. When contacting your target editors, ask them what their current needs or the needs or their readers are. Be careful to make the focus them, their goals, and their current stories. Your mission is to find out how you can serve the editors, personally, by providing them access to interesting stories and sources you may have in your client and colleague network.
When appropriate, you may also be able to act as an expert source for your editor contacts. For this to come to fruition, let them know your areas of expertise after you’ve learned about them and their needs. Look for areas where you might be able to provide information, access to resources, or write articles on topics they may be interested in. Make it easy for each press contact to remember you by creating a press information kit, which includes information about you and your firm including:
- Firm Backgrounder – a one-page overview of the basic information and demographics about your firm, such as when your firm started, how many partners or owners you have, number of locations, services you provide, etc.
- Firm Story – your firm’s story is distinct from your firm backgrounder. Your story tells about the reason your firm exists, who you serve, the services you provide, and the difference those services (and your team) make for your clients.
- Biographies – your one-page biography, and biographies for other potential sources in your firm, including your firm’s Marketing Director.
- News or Articles – one or two copies of recent press releases and/or articles that you could provide as examples of published materials as well as ideas on topics or themes you could write about.
Treat your editor contacts just as you would new client leads in your contact management or CRM system, including their names, their publication names, their e-mail addresses, telephone numbers, and fax numbers. Be sure to ask for and capture their preferred methods for receiving communications from you, too. Follow up with them regularly (but not so frequently as to be a nuisance) and check in to see what they’re working on to offer any assistance you may be able to provide on the topics they’re focusing on at that time.
Press Relations Take Time
Developing meaningful, win-win relationships with editors occurs over time. Start by identifying the editors in your area and contacting two or three of them.Then watch your relationships translate to opportunities to collaborate, with a potential by-product that you increase your firm’s recognition and establish your expertise, too.
For more information about branding or public relations ideas to promote your firm or services, contact Tamera Loerzel at tamera@convergencecoaching.com.
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