Consumers now spend an estimated 11 hours per day consuming media. This combines traditional press (newspapers, magazines, television, radio) with digital media (Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, podcasts). The Pew Research Center found that 55% of U.S. adults get news from social media which was up from 47% in 2019. With over 2.5 million Facebook users and over 2 million users on YouTube, it is important to take a look at marketing strategies and be sure to include public relations outreach to increase brand awareness.

Public relations is the practice of deliberately managing the spread of information between businesses and the public using media sources. It is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their pubic audience.

PR differs from advertising in that PR is about earned coverage --- and is not, for the most part, paid.  The purpose of PR is to increase the positive reputation of a product, service, book or non-profit, among other businesses, and to conduct effective outreach to the press to stay relevant in today’s crowded marketplace.

Effectively pitch the press to reach target audiences

The tradition of who, what, where, why, and how continues to be the basis of any media coverage.Start by understanding company goals and what is newsworthy.  If a company has a consumer product, is there a specific time of year that consumers purchase that product? Is the product usable year ‘round? When thinking about holiday gift-giving, for example, the press begins reviewing items as early as June for November and December gift guides. A landscaping company might have one story for Spring/Summer, another one for Fall clean-up and yet another angle for Winter snow removal. A tax accountant has different deadlines for filing tax returns, so appropriately timed tips are always beneficial to the press.

A PR pro will craft the pitch and effectively conduct outreach to target media in the appropriate timeframe. All outreach will include a website and/or social media pages so that interested parties will have a method to follow-up.

Research target media

Remember that potential buyers, whether consumer or business-oriented, wear many hats. Who wouldn’t be thrilled to be a guest on “Ellen”? However, it’s important to note that only celebrities are featured. While The New York Times is the number one newspaper in the country, not every “newsworthy” story will be featured in the publication.

Take the time to research appropriate newspapers and magazines as well as trade outlets, blogs, online news sites, podcasts and more. Magazines and trade media work months in advance. Online media tends to have shorter lead times. Podcasts run the gamut. Some record months ahead while others air live. Have a variety of press in the mix to keep the business in the news on a consistent basis.

Share, Post and Repost

Once stories or interviews appear, take advantage of sharing on business and personal social media pages to increase eyeballs. Be sure to tag the media outlet and, if available, the reporter.

Since a great deal of press coverage can be evergreen, feel free to re-post a few weeks or months later and again a few months after that. Fellow business people and consumers are always looking to absorb new content. By sharing an interview, bylined article, quote or feature, brand awareness is increasing and a company stays relevant and in the news.

Today is the time to begin your PR outreach

According to Richard Branson, “Publicity is absolutely critical. A good PR story is infinitely more effective than a front-page ad.”  So go ahead and add public relations to the marketing mix for your business and begin to reap the benefits of increased brand awareness!

Want to know more? If so, then please contact Andrea Pass at (201) 873-6087 or visit her website at AndreaPassPRcom

Andrea Pass is the owner of Andrea Pass Public Relations. The 30+ year PR veteran has an expertise in national, regional and local media relations outreach for clients in such categories as consumer products, lifestyle, B2B, education, authors, non-profits and more. Her strength in relationships coupled with her knowledge of the ever-growing media base results in securing top tier, targeted media placements to increase brand awareness, reputation management and sales for established businesses and growing entrepreneurs alike. Andrea is the Membership Coordinator of the Northeast Region of NJAWBO. In addition, she serves on the Board of Directors of the United Inventors Association of America (UIA) and is the Chair of the Workshop Council of The Performance-Driven Marketing Institute (PDMI)