Ever taken a second to think about the different types of PR that could work for your business?
You may assume PR activity is limited to the more traditional forms, including press releases, articles and features with online media outlets, publications, or newspapers – but there’s a whole world of PR out there that you could be taking advantage of. We’ll talk through how as a business operating in a niche, you could take your PR campaigns to the next level. You can also read more about PR strategy in our post, How to build an effective digital PR strategy.
Exhibitions and Events:
First, let’s look at events, exhibitions and talks. At Digital Glue, we work with a host of companies in the photography sector, and we know that attending the right industry events can be tremendous for brand awareness, generating leads and making valuable new connections. Let’s break it down:
Media Relations
- The chances are, if you’re attending the biggest exhibition in your industry, i.e The Photography Show, then so are the editors and journalists within your sector. Before the event, take the opportunity to reach out to key press figures to arrange in-person meetings. This is a great way to not only build your relationship with the media but also to understand their content calendars for the year ahead and potential opportunities for your business to secure coverage.
Speaker Opportunities
- Large exhibitions attract large crowds and are a great place for you to take to the stage and unleash your industry expertise. Speaker opportunities are an ideal way for you to generate publicity and positive brand exposure, as well as establishing thought leadership within your industry. On top of this, fielding a speaker at an industry conference keeps your company’s profile at the forefront of your target audience’s minds.
Lead Generation
- Conferences are melting pots of well-connected people, new brands and services and are the perfect place to network and build new relationships. Whilst at the conference, take the opportunity to exchange business cards, handshakes and engage with prospective clients and customers!
Podcasts
Are podcasts a good PR strategy? The short answer is yes. The right podcast is one of the most influential mediums for sharing your message with the masses in an engaging way – in 2021, there were an estimated 2 million active podcasts and 48 million episodes, according to Podcasting Insights.
But why should you be considering podcasts as part of your PR strategy? Take a look here:
Industry Expertise
- Audiences who listen to podcasts, ultimately want to learn. They tune in to further their knowledge of a topic, learn new skills or find out what’s going on in their industry. If you’re highly competent within photography, for example, podcasts are a great way to teach people about new ideas or trends. By doing this, you can position yourself as a credible expert within your industry.
Brand Assets
- Your appearance on a podcast is just your first move – even with a small audience, a podcast is an awesome brand asset you can utilise for other marketing purposes. After the podcast airs, ensure you post a link on your own website, share it across your social pages, in your newsletter and potentially send it to prospective clients.
Target your Niche
- Podcasts cater to all interests and with so many out there, you’re guaranteed to find a couple which speak directly to your niche. By making guest appearances on these podcasts, you can place yourself as a thought leader amongst your target audience and share your brand’s message.
Awards
Who doesn’t love an award? The recognition, applause and trophy which come with an awards ceremony should fill you with pride for the great work your business is doing. From a PR perspective though, securing awards can have long-lasting impacts on your business and are a sure-fire alternative PR strategy for your business to get involved with.
Credibility
- First and foremost, awards provide instant credibility for your company. Depending on just how prestigious the award is within your industry, it could act as the stamp of approval for your business, immediately establishing trust amongst your prospective clients and customers.
Benchmarking
- Awards are a great way for you to benchmark yourself against competitors within your industry. Even if you don’t win the award, the entry process alone can allow you to compare yourself against your competitors and understand what they’re doing differently and how your business could improve. If you do win, however, this can act as fantastic social proof which should be utilised across your website and wider marketing campaigns.
A great PR strategy can have huge benefits on your business’ lead generation and brand awareness and there are loads of great alternate PR strategies you can explore. Through exhibitions, podcasts and awards, you’ll be able to target niche audiences, build new connections and compile great brand assets to be used across your wider marketing campaigns!
Looking to take your PR to the next level? Get in touch with the team at Digital Glue to find the right PR strategy to achieve your next breakthrough.
