Promoting your B2B via television, radio, print, and online is essential to your business reputation and growth. After all, when potential customers read about your B2B in their favorite media venues, you receive third-party credibility you can’t obtain any other way.
However, the days of simply posting a general press release and getting media attention are over. Now, it’s all about providing a unique story to a specific media member… at just the right time.
Avoid The Easy Route.
To obtain media attention, your first reaction might be to hire a big, PR agency to handle everything. Then, you’re done.
Well, this works well if you are a well-known celebrity or a big corporation. A publicist can just contact a media venue and get you press because the public already wants to know about your next move.
But, if you are a new or small B2B, hiring a big PR agency may not be a smart move. Why?
- You may not get what (you think) you pay for.
If you are client who provides a small monthly-retainer to a large agency, you may get a few media clips done by the new hire, or even an intern. Don’t expect to have the known, “Superstar Publicist” with all the contacts at the agency working for you.
- People don’t necessarily know who you are or what you sell so your publicity takes more effort.
A big agency may not want to take the time to introduce you to media members, educate journalists about who you are and then find story opportunities for you. This involves extensive research and strategy.
- You may miss press opportunities.There is a chance that your big agency will forget about you or “push you down the ladder” of importance. This means you may be overlooked for story opportunities at niche media venues that are important to your business.
These are just a few reasons not to just hand your PR activities over to a big agency and wait for things to happen. Now, you may read this and get discouraged. But, you actually have some great publicity opportunities if you adapt to the changing PR industry.
What’s the New, B2B PR Way?
Today, anyone can easily reach out to media members, at any time, in numerous ways. You simply pick up the phone, call a reporter, tell them your story, and get some potential publicity. It takes time, but the benefits can far outweigh your effort.
You don’t pay for anything and can receive the valuable credibility of someone else writing about your business. Remember… your target market gives a certain level of trust to the published story that you simply cannot obtain via a paid advertisement.
Plus, reporters are sick of talking to publicists promoting their clients and “spinning” news and stories.
If you, the B2B owner, contacts media members directly with a great pitch, they will want to speak to you.
Why? You are the direct line to your organization, have a passion for your business unequaled by anyone else and can give reporters all of the information they need for a unique and exclusive story.
In other words, if you decide to do the work and reach out to reporters on your own, you can get bigger and better media-placements at a fraction of the cost of hiring a big agency.
Adapt and Win!
You may want to simply hire a popular agency to manage your entire, PR process and be done with the matter.
But, if you adapt to the new way of doing B2B public relations, you’ll save thousands of dollars, build media relationships to grow your business (now and in the future) and boost customer awareness and sales fast!
(Look for information in the future from me on how to do your own PR successfully without wasting time or money… or being ripped off by outside services).
Happy B2B PR adapting!
