How will you grow your business in 2017?

With 2016 nearly behind us and 2017 on the horizon, now is a good time to assess what worked, what did not, and how you will proceed going forward with your public relations and marketing efforts.
 
I continue to believe that earned media – i.e. media gained through public relations efforts and not paid advertisement – is one of the best ways to get the word out about a company or organization. Depending on how you go about this will determine the cost. You can attempt to do it yourself, but it can be time consuming and take you away from the day-to-day operation of your organization.
 
Public relations requires planning. It includes the creation and development of media contacts, ongoing discussions with reporters and editors, a solid understanding of what is or is not news, and how best to position your organization. While you can throw a story out there and hope it gains traction, that’s akin to playing the lottery. Unless you have an unbelievably good story, chances are you won’t have much success using this method.
 
Targeting your efforts is important. Determine what publications you want to be in and go after them. What publications are the people you want reach reading? Niche publications are an excellent place to get your story told. The Daily Business Review is a great outlet for attorneys, while Medical Economics is best suited for those in healthcare. There are thousands of niche publications, not to mention bloggers, which means opportunities beyond your traditional local newspaper or TV station.
 
Although the press release is not officially dead, don’t expect to write it, distribute it via a wire service and have reporters knocking at your door. While these services have their place (especially when it comes to SEO) it’s always better to individually target reporters and editors and tell them why your story belongs in their publication. You may be able to provide them with an angle they have not considered.

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