While your marketing plan for 2017 will no doubt evolve in real-time to seize unique opportunities and industry trends, it is important to have a research-informed strategy and actionable plan in place to guide your real estate public relations program. As you lay the groundwork for increasing your share-of-voice and enhancing your expert positioning in 2017, follow these real estate PR best practices.
Tell a compelling story
Why is investing in an up-and-coming neighborhood good for the local economy? How will rezoning impact the region’s ability to attract major employers to the area? Will redevelopment of abandoned properties positively or negatively impact developers’ abilities to build and sell new construction? Compelling public relations pitches offer reporters not only unique angles, but stories that will engage and inform their readers, listeners and viewers. From the first news item of 2017 to the last, your brand’s story should shine through your news releases, expert articles and pitches, thereby strengthening your overall position in the marketplace.
Stand out from the crowd
Nearly every real estate firm is vying to tell the media about their latest transaction, newest team member and most recent accolade. The question is – what stories do you have to tell the media that your competitors aren’t already telling? While some of the aforementioned news items play a key role in keeping your company’s name in the media and staying on audiences’ radars, they often garner less ink and don’t tell the holistic story of your company and its impact on the industry.
Maximize your reach
Beyond distributing your real estate PR stories to media, there is an opportunity to use this content to maintain consistent touchpoints with existing clients, strategic partners and industry associates, among other target audiences. For every piece of content that you create, there should be a specific distribution plan in place. Whether you determine that every press release you issue will be shared on Twitter five times during the week it is released or that every speaking engagement your senior leaders execute will be recorded and turned into video content for your blog, knowing how to maximize the reach of your content is part of increasing the impact of your public relations program.
Position yourself as a leader
The value of being a groundbreaker or trailblazer in your industry is undeniable. This expert positioning paves the way for great media coverage, guest blogging opportunities and exclusive speaking engagements, among other valuable brand-building opportunities. As you craft your 2017 PR plan, focus on identifying opportunities to showcase your company’s leadership in the industry – as well as the community. For many organizations, their corporate social responsibility and/or community relations programs provide a significant opportunity to tell their company’s story and establish themselves as leaders. Other opportunities to cement your position as a leader in the real estate industry include securing speaking engagements at conferences and tradeshows, contributing guest columns to trade media and securing recurring interviews with mainstream media to comment on industry trends.
Public relations programs provide real estate firms an opportunity to showcase their team, expertise and results through a wide range of communication channels. By blending original content with a carefully crafted distribution plan, the value of a real estate PR program can be maximized for 2017 and beyond.
Need help building your real estate PR roadmap for 2017? Contact us today!
