7 Ways to Get the Most Out of a PR Program
Public Relations (PR) is the effort made to get folks in the media to talk about your brand in newspapers, magazines, podcasts, influencer channels, TV programs – basically anywhere that has a captive audience. Media coverage is an important component to any marketing strategy because it is storytelling; it is long-form content designed to do a deep dive into your ethos, your product, your offerings and your philosophies.
As featured in top publications around the world; the kind of press coverage that builds trust, visibility, and demand.
Unlike advertising where you control the message and timing, media coverage (or “editorial” coverage) is designed to allow the listener or reader to experience your destination through the eyes of the journalist covering you. PR is a long-term strategy which positions your brand in the marketplace and keeps your brand name top of mind for both consumers and trade partners and stakeholders.
If you haven’t yet embarked into the world of PR coverage, here are 7 ways to get the most out of a PR program:
1. Choose a PR agency that reflects your values
A good PR firm should be an extension of your team. Pretend you’re hiring a new colleague to sit next to you in the office. Can you see yourself collaborating with them on a weekly basis? You should agree on philosophy and ethos and ultimately have a good working rapport. Ask for sample coverage. A good PR agency will stand behind its track record.
2. Come to the table for collaboration
Good coverage is the responsibility of brand leaders as well as your PR agency. The stories embedded in your brand are yours to tell. Expect to dedicate a few hours a week to PR collaboration. Your agency/rep will need your help on quotes, stats, internal content and other questions on upcoming press trips and campaigns.
Good coverage is the responsibility of brand leaders
as well as your PR agency.
3. Play the long game
Patience and long-term investment are key. If you start PR this second, you will likely not see your coverage start to emerge until at least 6 months from when you start. The publishing industry (media) will not guarantee when articles or TV segments are published. If you push a story campaign out, you will be waiting a while until you see it in print.
4. Think ahead
If you want coverage for a Travel Special or particular season/time of year, you need to start your placement activities easily 12 months in advance of when you want consumers to start booking.
5. Look for new storylines
Are there new products or initiatives you can implement within your company that will keep you “hot” and interesting? The media always asks the question, “Why Now?” – why is this relevant to their audiences now? Keep up with the media trends and find some exciting new things to do internally that can garner coverage. Your agency will be a good source of exciting new ideas that pop.
The media isn’t just looking for a story —
they’re looking for a reason to tell it now.
6. Read about your competitors.
How is the media covering your competitors? If they are in the media, then they are likely taking up market share. How can you position yourself in the media? What do you provide that they don’t? Gear your storytelling strategy and your media positioning in such a way that you are making clear differentiations from your competitors.
7. Use your coverage.
Many brands don’t do enough to promote their own media coverage. Put your coverage in your newsletters. Shout it from the rooftops in all your digital channels. Find a place for it on your website. Re-post the coverage and engage with social channels of the media sites and writers who have created the pieces. This will also help you grow your digital following and will provide a mutual benefit to the media partners who highlighted you. Having top-tier media coverage positions you as a trustworthy travel partner.
By Mindy Harris, Managing Director, Vineyard Global.
Vineyard Global is a boutique public relations and marketing firm headquartered in Boston, US. Vineyard has been working at the intersection of luxury and adventure travel for a decade. Using a high-touch approach to media relations, Vineyard has built deep relationships with some of the travel industry’s most coveted writers and editors. Collaborations are customized and personal. Vineyard’s clients have seen coverage in Travel & Leisure, National Geographic, AFAR, Wall Street Journal, Travel Weekly, Condé Nast Traveler, VOGUE, The Hollywood Reporter, TIME Magazine, Globe & Mail, The Telegraph, The Times (UK) and dozens of other global outlets.