Whether you think of PR as Public Relations or Press Relations, the fact is that both are more important than ever.
Public Relations covers an array of communications initiatives and platforms that help to manage and position the image of brands and organisations.
PR for B2B is public relations to a set audience that is often already informed, understands the market and may already have preconceptions and established preferences. We communicate to these audiences on behalf of our clients using a variety of platforms. Outbound eDMs (email) is one. Blogs and news posts on the client’s website are another. Often, the eDM and blog are linked, providing two parts of the message: a quickly digestible proposition in the email to capture attention, with a link to the blog for interested recipients to learn more. Others are online profiles and directory listings.
We also use selected social media channels. But not all social platforms are relevant to B2B clients and it’s important to be honest about that. LinkedIn is the most popular. A LinkedIn post can also take people to a news item or blog on a website.
Why Press Releases still deliver value
Despite the profusion of digital channels, one platform that continues to work well in B2B is Press Relations. While this includes the very analogue process of maintaining great personal relationships with members of the trade and technical media in the case of many Swordfish clients (we typically do this at exhibitions as most key publishers and editors will attend), creating and submitting press releases on behalf of our clients still proves to be valuable and productive. Here’s why…
When written well and submitted in a timely manner, a published press release carries the implicit authority of the publication’s editorial team. These people are influencers. Their opinion matters. With the profusion of digital platforms, anyone with an internet connection can become a content creator, opinion former and purport to be an influencer. But not all influencers are created equal! ‘PR’ published in a trusted industry journal, by a respected editor, takes the integrity high ground. What’s more, a published press release is a message that gets delivered to thousands of individuals on the publication’s readership database, the vast majority of whom will not be known to our client.
Of course, part of that process is digital. We submit our clients’ press releases and accompanying images digitally. Some publications are online only. Others are specifically digitally focused as industry-acknowledged influencers and bloggers. Those publishers who produce conventional printed magazines usually have an online version as well. It means that the total potential readership for the leading printed and online publications in any B2B sector can be vast – well beyond that which could practically be addressed by building your own database of contacts for direct email.
Doing PR well and doing it right
It starts with a brief. And then writing. Someone has to draft the PR, know how to write it in a way that will appeal to editors and ensure that the piece is accurate, honest, informative for the reader and free from obvious sales content. It’s part art and part science. That’s what we do.
If you’ve been overlooking PR, you could find your business being left behind. In the digital age, effective PR is indispensable. It works. Get in touch and let our PR professionals show you how.
