A B2B PR strategy has many moving parts supported by a wide range of unique strategies that come together to form a cohesive PR plan. The most successful B2B PR strategies will clearly communicate their messaging, provide compelling insights and be targeted toward a relevant audience. Here are five tips to help develop a high-performing B2B PR strategy:
1. Define your goals
From the start, every B2B PR campaign should clearly define a goal or multiple business goals to work towards achieving. Whether it be thought leadership, brand reputation, brand awareness or simply having a bigger share of voice in the market, each objective will require a unique approach and set the tone of your B2B PR strategy.
For example, if your goal is to establish your business as a thought leader, then hosting an informational webinar or sharing your expertise on a podcast might help you achieve that goal. ColinKurtis can help you identify which strategies can most effectively help you reach your business objectives.
Objectives should also be realistic, measurable and closely aligned with the overall goals of your business. Setting benchmarks for your goals is recommended either as targets or to measure your performance over time and find areas for improvement.
2. Develop memorable messaging
After defining your company’s goals, you can begin the next phase to make your B2B PR strategy shine: developing memorable messaging.
Impactful B2B messaging drives engagement and helps you stand out from your competitors. Simple calls-to-action (CTAs), compelling insights and a strong positioning that fits with your brand purpose can maximize your company’s voice.
Understanding how, why and where your marketing department is developing your company messaging is essential to applying it consistently across the business and offering alternative strategies. By applying consistent messaging across your marketing channels, you can develop and build your brand, directing your target audience towards solutions that will create value for your brand.
3. Identify the best channels and tactics to share your messaging
There are various channels to maintain your B2B public relations messaging. Developing effective messaging serves no purpose when it is being delivered to the wrong channels, ensuring your target audience doesn’t receive it. For maximum impact, identify the best channels to reach your target audience. Observing and understanding where competitors’ messages are being effectively broadcast can help you identify the best channels to guarantee that your business will be visible, understood and valued. It is also useful to understand the weaknesses of competitor messaging and use that to your advantage to secure a place in the larger market.
The four different types of media channels are often identified in the PESO model and are known as paid, earned, shared and owned media. While certain types of media may be weighted more than others depending on one’s goals, it is heavily recommended to incorporate a balance of media types to reach your audience in various ways.
According to Mark Thabit, CMO of Cision, “Paid and shared media get prospects’ attention, but print ads and social posts don’t generally convince them to pull out their wallets. Earned media that establishes credibility and owned media such as case studies that showcase value play a bigger role in converting prospects into paying customers.”
Some PR tactics that ColinKurtis can implement for your business include the following:
- Media relations
- Content marketing (infographics, blogs, videos, etc.)
- Press releases
- Event marketing
- Case studies
- Whitepapers
- Press interviews
- And more
4. Research and create a targeted media list
Strong media relations are often the backbone of a successful PR campaign. Developing and maintaining positive relationships with the media, journalists, news outlets and bloggers can help your business gain avenues in which it can promote content.
Creating a targeted media list identifies the specific outlet and reporters that cover your industry, vertical, trade, demographic and/or region. When building your list, you should also consider your business’s goals and target audience.
With over 25 years of experience in establishing media relationships, ColinKurtis can do all the heavy lifting to promote your business to the most relevant media outlets in the food & beverage, health & nutrition and nutraceutical industries.
5. Implement measurable KPIs
Identifying key performance indicators of your B2B PR strategy will help you determine whether your efforts are paying off or if your plan needs adjustments. Some measurable indicators that you can use to evaluate your plan’s success include, but are not limited to:
- Media appearances
- Number of impressions
- Number of leads per quarter and annually
- Website visitors
- Webinar attendees
- And more
Creating a successful public relations strategy alone can be challenging. That’s why ColinKurtis is here to help!
CK’s Public Relations team offers a wide range of services including: connecting your business with relevant media connections, creating and distributing press releases, preparing and managing crises, organizing engaging events, monitoring and measuring your media coverage and more!
Are you ready to amplify your B2B PR strategy and gain meaningful results? Contact Mitch Robinson at Mitch@colinkurtis.com or call 815-965-6657 EXT. 1 to learn how ColinKurtis Advertising can help you strengthen your B2B marketing strategies.
Blog post from:
Carrie Livingston
Director of Media Relations
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