After being in the PR business for more than 30 years, it’s been an interesting ride to see how it’s evolved, morphed and changed.
Yet, while PR has been around for a while, it still is a mystery for many CEOs, CMOs and marketing folks.
Oftentimes, they don’t understand what kind of results they should expect and, if they are hiring a PR firm, how they operate.
We often get asked the standard questions when we are trying to win a company’s business: “Which reporters do you know in our space?” “Which analysts do you have relationships with?” “How much do you charge?”
Yet, oftentimes, the two most important questions go unasked. “How can you help us make an impact in our marketplace?” And “How can we become a thought leader in our industry?”
Oh. . . .we *love* those questions! Because those initiatives are truly why anyone should look at hiring a PR firm. All the other things are just important tactics.
It’s not just about getting coverage or being included in an analyst report (although, those are important ingredients to achieving results for the above two questions). It’s about positioning your company above and beyond your competitors. Not just being a market leader, but, becoming a market driver. There indeed is a difference. You want to shape your industry, not just be a player in it. That’s where Strategic Narrative Marketing (SNM) comes into play.
SNM is focused on elevating a company’s presence in a particular market. Helping it advance the betterment of an entire industry so that all players can participate in a healthy, growing and successful ecosystem. Its underpinnings promote competition, a free exchange of ideas and opinions and, most of all, embrace a theme that whatever is good for the industry is good for everyone.
So, when meeting a prospective PR firm, you should ask, “what are you doing to help your clients advance their industries?” “How have you helped companies become true thought leaders in their space?” “How do your (PR firm’s) efforts contribute toward the betterment of their clients so they build a long-lasting, loyal brand following?”
If you find a PR firm that can answer those questions – along with at least three references to back it up – then, you have found gold. While those types of initiatives take time, they are much longer-lasting than any piece of coverage your PR firm can secure. They help align a company with its customers, partners, investors and employees for longer-term joint success. Everyone wins.
If you are interested in this type of approach that yields long-term market positioning and lasting success, give us a call. We’ll introduce you to our Strategic Narrative Marketing approach. Help you build a market category you can own, shape and drive so that others follow. Make you a sought-after company in your marketplace. Click here to learn more.
Let us know your feedback, your own “good, bad and the ugly” of how you’ve found success working with your PR firm. The more we all know, the better our collective outcome.
Thanks for sharing.
