Give the brand a personal touch as this gives the brand a personality making it more interesting and ensuring it garners trust for potential clients. While storytelling, be sure to speak on the reason why the brand exists, the ethics, the story of how the brand evolved to get where it is and anything else that would ensure people get the full picture of the brand.
A compelling story is always bound to emotionally connect the brand to its customers while ultimately setting the tone for the company.
2. Keep up with the industry.
It is important to read a lot and to gain knowledge to remain afloat with everything that is happening in the business. One can set up twitter notifications and google alerts. Keep abreast with the top industry influencers and find information on what the competition is doing. Knowledge is power and one never knows when the spotlight will be upon them and when they will need the gained knowledge to impress potential clients.
3. Network with top industry influencers.
Take note of what the influencers mainly focus on and get enough knowledge so that when the opportunity presents itself, one will be able to build networks and relationships. Interact with the influencers by commenting on their blogs, and engage with them either via twitter or Facebook live chats. Networking and building relationships with influencers is a good way to build a name for yourself and the brand as a whole. DIY PR is all about being authentic and staying true to the brand, hence the comments should not be self-focused or self-promotional.
4. Do research and remain objective.
While keeping up with the industry, one should make sure they have something to contribute either in the form of an article, a product or a service that could be particularly helpful. It is also wise to make adequate preparations for pitching ideas. Study the people you intend on pitching to and discover if there is anything pertaining to the industry that is particularly close to their heart.
5. Perfect before pitching.
Before going out there and pitching ideas to companies, it is important to ensure that the product or service you are pitching is ready otherwise this will lead to negative customer reviews. Negative reviews can easily lead to the death of a small business or a startup. The perfection of the product is essential before going out and engaging the press. One can also go and try and get feedback from a small trusted population before going out and pitching to large crowds. The feedback can help one improve the quality of the product or service before it is presented to the big fish.
6. Craft creative and compelling pitches.
It is important to remain objective while pitching the brand’s product or services. One should also keep in mind that opinions vary, and not everyone will agree with you. Top influencers are always bombarded with pitches from people looking to get their products out there; hence one should ensure their pitch is attractive and creative enough to capture the influencer’s attention. It is also important to tell the brand’s story in its true authentic self.
Eventually, larger PR companies will be good for the business, but for a small business, the ideal way forward is to have the right positive attitude and drive for success.
Featured Image: DepositPhotos/ dayangeorgiev2
