Oftentimes, products and services dominate a brand’s storylines. Whether for-profit or non-profit, talking about what one does is second nature. But sometimes this reliance on “what you do” can translate into a monotonous news cycle and too much of the same – for editors and reporters, for readers and for your internal stakeholders.
Adding something new into your organization’s news mix can open up a wealth of new opportunities. For example, it may lay the foundation for scaling news from local to regional, or even regional to national. It can allow one to put new media outlets on their pitch list and it can help generate a higher volume of press coverage because you aren’t just talking about the same old thing.
As you map out your PR program for summer and beyond, keep these opportunities to embrace something new top-of-mind.
Pivoting from what to why
Regardless of one’s industry, mission or vision there is a common thread – the work is sustainable because there is a need. And that need is an important part of telling your brand’s story.
Whether it’s fulfilling a gap in a service desert, combatting a local epidemic or delivering a product for which demand is known to outpace supply, talking about the why can help secure high-quality press coverage in-print, online and on-air that can help expose new audiences to the important work you are doing. This positioning can also help combat perceptions of being too promotional and offering content that may be better suited for paid, rather than earned, media.
Embracing thought leadership
Behind every brand is a wealth of industry expertise. Whether team is well-versed in the specifications for hospital construction, child nutrition standards, real estate contract negotiations or another area of expertise, there are audiences eager to hear these insights.
Thought leadership comes in many shapes and sizes – webinars, podcasts, workshops, guest blog posts, bylined articles, and more – each offering a unique format to impart wisdom upon audiences. When determining the best avenue for sharing the thought leadership within an organization, consider which medium(s) are best-suited to the content at hand and which channels are best suited to the spokesperson(s). Speaking of spokespersons…
Diversifying spokespersons
While the president or another member of the C-suite is often the face and voice of a brand, organizations often have other experts on-staff. For example, is there a program director that is deeply embedded in the day-to-day funding and operations of a program that your organization provides? Is there a team lead with unparalleled expertise in a specific area that is critical to new client acquisition? Identifying additional experts to tell a brand’s story can not only help to diversify media coverage but engage new audiences by promoting different topics.
A word to the wise, if you have more than one spokesperson within your organization be sure that you have an up-to-date media policy on file. It needs to be clear across the organization who can and cannot speak to media, and what protocols are surrounding sensitive topics. Think of it as a PR safety net – one you don’t want to operate without.
A well-executed PR program that maintains a consistent drumbeat of storytelling across a wide-range of media can support new customer acquisition, nonprofit fundraising, volunteer recruitment and increase market share. Whether you’re a mid-sized business operating regional or a nonprofit operating nationally, diversifying your story lines can play an integral role in securing media coverage that conveys the true depth and breadth
