- A business of any scale - however small or big - can, and must make use of these strategies to grow and succeed in the market. A lot of MSMEs try implementing various online marketing strategies such as blogging, email, and social media according to their needs and capacities.
- To increase online visibility, the best marketing activities are: 1. Your blog is the most essential marketing tool for a small business and the hub of your inbound marketing strategy. Your blog is where you can showcase your expertise and provide value to your target audience.
- LAS VEGAS, NV – — Every public relation strategy aims to get the business in front of the target audience and investors by getting it featured in the media and press. A press release can be used as a communication bridge between your business and its prospective customers that conveys the narrative about your business.
- We offer a full range of PR services that are designed to get more visibility on your business. Cartwright Communications is an industry leading PR agency based in Nottingham. 0115 853 2110 info@cartwrightcommunications.co.uk.
If a strategy is a set of informed decision on how to win, Content Marketing for PR the ultimate resource for developing a content strategy. The book is packed full of frameworks to draw upon. It also includes a comprehensive survey of the content marketing landscape covering paid, owned and earned media.
What is brand awareness?
Brand awareness is important because it gives companies a leg up on competitors. But it takes an average of 5-7 brand impressions before someone remembers and recognizes a brand. So if you want to be a go-to business whose name rests on the tip of consumer's tongues, you need to think about how you can build brand awareness for your business.
So what is brand awareness exactly?
Brand awareness is the familiarity people have with your company or organization, as well as its products and services. Think about when you see a logo or hear a tagline and can quickly recall the company it's associated with. That's brand awareness – and it is critical to the success of your business.
Increase brand awareness with Rebrandly
Showcase your brand name on every link you share
Lucidpress and Demand Metric's research report on the impact of brand consistency found that consistently presenting a brand can increase revenue by 23%, on average. So to help you build a memorable, recognizable brand that comes quickly to the minds of people in need of your product, we're sharing 20 ways you can build brand awareness for your business. We'll take a look at why each approach works and share some successful examples to inspire you.
1. Post guest content
Guest posting on websites and blogs, other than ones that belong to your business, is a great way to get your name in front of an audience you might not reach otherwise. It gives you access to people who frequent sites and blogs that are relevant to your company and industry. However, these people might not have found you online yet so guest posting it a great way to introduce your brand and increase impressions.
When brainstorming about potential places to guest post, you will want to think about websites and blogs that have something in common with your business. For example, if you sell running shoes, think about guest posting on a fitness company or running app's blog. You want to guest post on sites where people who are likely to buy from you hang out.
Obviously, direct competitors are a no-go, but companies within your industry which have a similar audience are ideal.
Buffer provides a great example of how to guest post the right way. Way back when Buffer was new, their co-founder went into overdrive on guest posts, which generated a customer base of 100,000 in just 9 months.
2. Remarketing and retargeting
On the same note, the use of retargeting can get your brand message in front of people who are already familiar with your business so you can build a place in their memory.
How is this beneficial? It reinforces your brand over others when someone repeatedly sees your message. Remember, the statistic in the intro which says it takes 5-7 impressions before people remember your brand? That's why remarketing can be highly effective in building brand awareness.
If your website is new, without much content and very little traffic, you can still take advantage of this approach with link retargeting. This allows you to add retargeting pixels to the links you use to share curated content on social media and in emails.
3. Referral programs boost brand visibility
Rewarding customers for spreading the word is a widely used tactic to build brand awareness. You've seen it before. 'Refer a friend and earn $10 when they sign up.' It's a great way to have people share your message for you. Plus, you save advertising dollars and receive an endorsement from those who share out your brand.
Dropbox showed how referral programs can generate new signs ups. When it was a new company, the company gave existing customers 500MB of storage for every friend they referred.
Even if the friend doesn't sign up immediately, that's one impression down and just another few to go before you're remembered and recognized by them.
Get twice as much extra free space for each @Dropbox referral! http://t.co/Sgrl4u3z Invite your friends! https://t.co/TayExWGM
— Dropbox (@Dropbox) April 4, 2012
4. Create shareable graphics
Infographics and other shareable visual content are highly valuable to consumers because they provide information quickly and simply. MassPlanner found that infographics are 'liked' and shared on social media 3x more than other any other type of content. Taking advantage of that type of reach is a no-brainer. Well-designed, informational graphics can go a long way in building brand awareness for your business.
Infographics may not drive traffic to your site, but they will attract the attention of prospects interested in your industry. It's another impression for your brand and people will associate your brand name with your field of expertise.
Classy, an online fundraising site, created an infographic to highlight the results of #GivingTuesday 2016. The infographic and its stats gained a lot of traction online.
5. Branded links
Branded links are another way to boost impressions and get your brand's name seen by prospects.
Across the internet, links are the touchpoint between brands and audiences. But many businesses fail to take advantage of this opportunity to showcase their name and use generic short links or ugly long links in their social media posts, emails, and other communications.
Lamborghini chose to use the branded domain, lam.bo, playing off of their nickname.
Using links which feature your brand's name boosts brand awareness, brand visibility and trust in your business. When compared to sharing generic short URL's branded links can increase click-through rates by up to 39%.
There are many benefits of using branded links. Your brand can still make an impression even when a link is taken out of the context of your Facebook page or Twitter account. When a link is forwarded, DMed, shared or copy and pasted, your name will remain to the fore. On top of creating more brand awareness, branded links are trackable, scalable, and are managed in one place.
Don't just shorten links
Create brand awareness with Rebrandly branded links
6. Branded merchandise
Everyone loves freebies, so take advantage of this! Freebies make existing customers – and potential ones – brand ambassadors who share your company name, logo and message far and wide, increasing brand awareness. Try pick an item related to your industry, your brand or which communicates something about what you do.
7. Social media contests
Finding an audience on social media can be difficult. You're sharing helpful content, answer questions, but still no engagement. What gives?
To expose your brand to a wide audience on social, try running contests.
Ask followers to share a photo or video related to your business – and voila! New people are introduced to your brand and are coming to your page by word of mouth.
Even if they don't click through, they'll see your name and logo becoming more aware and familiar with your brand in the process.
Dove's 'Real Beauty Should Be Shared' Facebook contest is a great example of how to stay on-brand while increasing reach and awareness through a competition.
Through sharing a selfie on Facebook, entrants could win a pampered spa weekend.
8. Have a stand-out brand personality
People want to buy from brands who share the same values as them. This applies to millennials in particular. They also feel more comfortable buying from brands that feel authentic.
Showcasing your brand's personality can help you stand out and form a personal connection with your audience. This will help awareness and forge a place for your brand in consumer's memories.
In an interview with MarketingLand, Dollar Shave Club's CMO Adam Webber explained: 'We do use irreverence and humor as a really critical mechanism to deliver that relatability. That's what we really aim to do from a tonality standpoint that I think is different than how brands have talked to guys in the past.'
This approach worked for them. Since launching the brand on YouTube in 2012 with the 'Our Blades Are F****** Great!' video, business has boomed. The brand's personality was loud and its audience heard it – as did the rest of the world.
9. Create PPC Ads for boosting brand awareness
Pay-per-click advertising, like Google Paid Search, can increase brand awareness in addition to clicks and website traffic. A study from Google and Ipsos MediaCT found that search ads have a positive impact on top-of-mind brand awareness.
Converse grew awareness of its brand through PPC search ads by targeting keywords that had nothing to do with its product, but which it knew only it's target audience would be typing into Google.
‘Spelling bee' and ‘How to talk to girls' were just two of the terms it used to target school-goers.
10. Influencer marketing
Similar to guest posting, working with an influencer can get your name in front of a new audience and build brand awareness. Finding people who are passionate about your business, product or service is key to influencer promotions. People pay more attention to user-generated content and reputable influencers than content created by a company or brand. We've learned to ignore advertising to a large extent.
Earlier this year, BMW ran an influencer marketing campaign featuring Instagram influencers. The #RoadtoCoachella campaign highlighted BMW as influencers' transportation of choice to the popular festival. The campaign put the brand in front of a young audience and exposed BMW to the nearly 50 million followers of @sincerelyjules and the one million followers of @thatsojack.
11. Brand partnerships
Partnering with other businesses to host an event, create a webinar series, do a study or release a joint press release creates visibility for both businesses with just half the effort. It's a great way to build brand awareness and can be done on a budget.
Lots of brands cleverly use co-marketing to get exposure for their names. A few years ago, GoPro and Red Bull formed a strategic partnership based on shared values. Their most well-known initiative – Stratos – featured Austrian skydiver and daredevil, Felix Baumgartner, jumping from a space pod more than 24 miles above Earth's surface with a GoPro attached to him.
The event received huge amounts of media coverage across the globe for weeks, bringing the two brands and their logos into the homes of consumers. And who would be particularly interested in record-breaking daredevil stunts? The same people Redbull and GoPro target.
12. Incorporate social media
Social media is a great way to build social proof and increase brand awareness. If someone likes your brand on Facebook, it will pop up in their friends' newsfeeds and on your PPC ads. If your content is good enough, it will also be shared, retweeted and exposed to an audience beyond your own following.
Sites like Facebook are also great for leveraging testimonials and ratings. Social proof shares the benefits of your business from the perspective of existing customers and assures prospects that your brand is trustworthy.
13. Be consistent in your approach to branding
Consistency is key in every aspect of a business. It is no different with brand awareness. In fact, here it's vital.
In everything you do, your company's branding should be present. Its name, logo, tone, colors, and personality should be coherent no matter the channel. Perfect examples of brand consistency come from Nike and Coca-Cola, which are both unwavering in how their branding is presented.
14. Keyword research and analysis
To build brand awareness, you need to get your business found. Performing comprehensive keyword research and analysis will show you which keywords and key phrases people are searching for to find businesses like yours. Incorporate these into your keyword strategy and optimize your content for SEO to improve your rankings and brand visibility.
Let your keyword research inform your optimization strategy so you can organically build brand awareness and reap the rewards. If you sell sandals and manage to pop up when people search for this word, it will work wonders for your brand's awareness and visibility.
This research can be used to inform your search advertising too.
15. Public relations
Yes, old-fashioned PR should still have a home in your brand awareness strategy.
Traditional media still holds trust and it can get your name out there. It can help you shape the public's perception of your business that other initiatives might not be able to achieve.
A strategic, planned public relations campaign increases the likelihood of media coverage and more people becoming aware of your business.
16. Host events and workshops
Events and workshops are two ways to provide value to your audience. They boost the relationship you have with existing customers, but can also help in familiarize new audiences with your business. Event promotions are often more engaging and attention-grabbing than traditional advertising too.
Apple does a great job with events and workshops. Specifically, its Worldwide Developers Conference showcases its new software and technologies for developers. Though most people are aware of this tech giant, the conference has taken place annually since 1987.
17. Sponsorships
Sponsoring an event, a podcast or even a local sports team exposes your brand to people through an already established and trusted channel. Find an industry-related event to make the biggest impact and get your name in front of an audience that might need your products or service in the future.
TOEFL ® Practice Online tests are the only official practice tests that allow you to experience what it's like to take the real TOEFL iBT test. Review and answer authentic test questions, the same way you see them at the test center. Our Practice TOEFL is here to give you a simulation of the content and is a great primer whether you take the paper-based (PBT) or Internet-based test (iBT). Each testing type is broken up into four sections. For the iBT, you will answer a number of questions in Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing. Welcome to Academic Success Media's TOEFL iBT practice test. Please note that this is not the official TOEFL iBT website. For further information, please look at the footnote at the bottom of the page. Begin Free Online Test. Academic Success Media's Free TOEFL iBT Practice Our instantly-downloadable TOEFL iBT preparation material helps prepare students for the Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based test. We also have two online practice exams that simulate the real TOEFL examination. Ibt toefl practice online free. Free Online TOEFL IBT Practice & Preparation Tests. Search Result for toefl ibt TOEFL Reading - 1. 30 Ques 55 Min. Take Free Test Details. TOEFL Listening - 4.
In 2012, New Relic – a cloud-based software platform – sponsored the popular TechCrunch Disrupt conference. The two company's audiences are quite similar. At the event, the company hosted a Hackathon where attendees quickly built a cool, new product. The sponsorship built brand awareness for attendees, for people who saw the event's promotions and anyone who saw press coverage or photos after the event had finished.
18. Conduct some research
Whether you put together a white paper of in-depth research or the results of a simple survey, providing industry insights can really create a buzz that will get your name in front of the right audience.
Pick an interesting topic related to your business' field. One interesting stat can fuel a frenzy of brand exposure from viral posts and media coverage to link backs and references.
19. Offline marketing will increase brand visibility
It's easy to forget about offline marketing in our digital world. But when used in conjunction with online initiatives, offline marketing tactics like direct mail and branded handouts can significantly increase brand awareness for your business – especially if it is based in a specific location.
A good example of offline marketing done right is Axe Body Spray's customized stickers. It took offline marketing online by making it Instagrammable and stayed on-brand throughout.
20. Coupons and discount codes
Who doesn't love saving money? Offering promotional incentives for people to buy from your business doesn't just increase sales, but it can get your business seen. People get excited when they save money. And when people save money they tell their friends and family.
They are also great to print out and share at events. A coupon or voucher will pique the interest of many and even if they don't go on to use the offer to convert, its another impression on a future prospect.
Boost brand awareness with branded links
Try Rebrandly today
To build brand awareness, you'll need a mix of initiatives and the more clever and creative you can be, the better. The tactics mentioned here will help improve recognition of your business among your target audience. Just thinking and being aware of the need to build awareness will help you build a campaign that will get your brand seen and remembered by prospects.
Further Reading:
This Article is About:
- What is brand awareness
- Brand awareness examples
- How to build brand awareness
- Brand awareness definition
- Brand visibility
- Brand awareness strategy
- Example of brand awareness
Photo in main image by Wojtek Witkowski via Unsplash
I may earn a commission from the companies mentioned in this post. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.
Whether you're a PR pro or just starting to think about pitching yourself, there's always more you can be doing to get attention for your brand and products.
You don't need an expensive PR firm to help you get visibility for your brand. There are a lot of things you can do yourself to get your name and product out there and in the press.
Today on Rebel Boss Ladies episode 013 I'm joined by Katherine McDermott, creator of Slightly Savvy and the podcast Swipe Up, and she's going to share all of her tips and tricks for DIY-ing your PR.
Katherine has been working professionally and online in PR for years and she's got a TON of strategies and suggestions to help you get your name and digital product more visibility.
How She Got Started in PR and the Online Business World
Katherine says she was introduced to PR during college, when she got elected as the VP of PR for her sorority. It ended up being a life-changing year.
'It ended up being a really crazy year at Florida State… We won a national championship, we had a school shooting, and we had a big football scandal so we constantly had ESPN knocking at sorority house doors for comments and things like that.' All of these events meant Katherine had a lot of exposure to the world of PR, and she pursue it after graduation.
Two days after she graduated, Katherine started a job working professionally in PR and she quickly worked her way up. Within 6 months she was managing the department and getting some great experience, 'we were doing tons of press and media and publicity in really large places.'
In July of this year, Katherine realized that she was tired of building other people's brands for them, and it was time for her to build something for herself. She decided to build up her blog Slightly Savvy, which focuses on PR and working with brands and influencers, and turn it into her full-time job.
Katherine's Transition to Self-Employment and Her Online Business
Katherine made this transition carefully and deliberately. 'I didn't just jump and fingers crossed hope I make money from having my blog and then having clients and having and influencer clients and brand clients on my own. I had already built it up basically where I had people waiting on deck, I had programs that I had built that were still bringing in revenue so I knew it would be profitable.'
While she wasn't nervous about the profitability of her brand, she was a bit nervous about running a business. 'It was scary… finally running your own business and there is no one to depend on for a paycheck.'
What did Katherine Learn from Working in PR
While building her online business, Katherine drew on her experiences working in PR. 'I stepped back and looked at my own business and I was like, ‘if I was a client what would I do to myself? What would I say to myself and how would I grow it?''
After seeing the power of publicity and media mentions, she knew that her PR strategy could be the game changer to help her grow her business quickly. She focused on it early, and started getting a lot of attention after a few guest appearances and mentions.
Katherine says that there's a common misconception about when business owners should start focusing on PR. 'I think a lot of people, especially entrepreneurs, look at PR and say 'I need to wait 5 years before I do something like this.' She disagrees, and stresses that it's never too early for business owners to start working on their PR.
The Best PR Strategies for Business Owners and Digital Product Sellers
Katherine emphasizes that getting visibility for your brand is a lot simpler than most people think. She recommends that everyone, whether you're a new business just starting out or a million dollar tech startup, think about 3 important categories to develop a PR strategy.
6 Pr Strategies Guaranteed To Increase Business Visibility Using
First, think about the goal of your press. Do you want to drive more sales or get your name out there? Think carefully about what you want your outcome to be, and design your strategy around that.
Next, focus on your timeline. A lot of things in the PR world can be very time constrained. 'There are events and deadlines and we work with the seasons differently in some way.'
If you want to pitch your product, think about when you want your press to be released and plan accordingly. Don't save your pitches for too late, or you may miss the key times for your launch.
'If you have a big launch coming up and maybe you want some personal press for yourself or your business in March, that pitching should start in a week or two and just work backwords from the date where you want to be mentioned and figure out when you need to start pitching yourself.'
Finally, don't forget to think about your dream media placements. Where is most valuable for you to be seen the few weeks before your launch?
Katherine recommends that there are a lot of great places for online entrepreneurs to create press. Writeups in places like Forbes, the Fast Company, Inc., or other small- and medium- tiered publications, an interview in a podcast, and even making connections with other people in your niche can generate a lot of attention for your launch.
'It's as simple as making a list, finding some emails, finding contact info for them, reaching out and just pitching yourself.' DIY-ing your own press can be pretty easy, and you certainly don't have to hire an expensive firm to bring attention to your launch.
What is Press for Digital Product Sellers, and How Do You Incorporate It Into A PR Strategy?
Katherine explains that the definition of press depends on who you are and what your business is. For digital product sellers, press can include media mentions, podcasts, and writeups in publications and blogs. She emphasizes that you should look at what your goals are, and how different press outlets can help you achieve your goals.
Guest posts are another great way to get press for you or your product. 'You're posting or writing something for someone else's audience, you're getting front of them, you're getting mentioned by them.'
Katherine generally defines press as 'getting in front of another audience that's not your own.' The important part about press is exposure. It doesn't necessarily matter how you do it, as long as it's promoting and exposing you to a larger group of people.
If you're ever worried or feel like you don't know what you're doing, Katherine says you're not alone. 'A lot of people are more confused and in the dark about PR/press than you think so I wouldn't worry if you feel confused too.'
Pitching 101: How to Pitch Yourself as a Digital Product Seller to Get Press and Publicity
Katherine says that the basis for getting any press is that you have to ask.
It's easy to be worried about what you're going to say, how you're going to say it and the possibility of getting rejected. 'When I was kind of starting out as a publicist pitching to reporters and journalists I was definitely worried about that too.'
The most important part of pitching, though, is just sending the email. 'You have to get it out there and come at it from the best place you can of A) offering value and B) trying to solve a problem for them first and then asking for that publicity for yourself is kind off a secondary point.'
Receiving a ton of nos can be overwhelming at first. Katherine recommends to not be too attached to your pitches, because nos are a regular part of this process.
'Someone once told me… if everyone is telling you that they love the idea and it's amazing then you're on the wrong path, if people are telling you that they hate the idea and it's crazy and it'll never work, you're on the right path.'
How Much Time Should You Spend on PR When You're Launching a Digital Product?
PR can definitely be time consuming, especially during a product launch. Katherine recommends, 'when you're DIY-ing your PR, you have to make it as simple and streamlined as you possibly can.'
Katherine suggests creating a running list of brands, places, and people that you want to connect with throughout the year and recording their contact information whenever you come across it. This is a great way to 'make it easy on yourself by keeping track so you're not sitting there four weeks before launch and you're like ‘OK I need to be in all these places, how do I even start?''
She also recommends that you carve time into your schedule to focus on PR, especially right before a product launch. 'It's as simple as an hour every Tuesday you sit down and fire off 30 emails or 20 emails just kind of copy and pasting your pitch, it can go a really long way.'
17. Sponsorships
Sponsoring an event, a podcast or even a local sports team exposes your brand to people through an already established and trusted channel. Find an industry-related event to make the biggest impact and get your name in front of an audience that might need your products or service in the future.
TOEFL ® Practice Online tests are the only official practice tests that allow you to experience what it's like to take the real TOEFL iBT test. Review and answer authentic test questions, the same way you see them at the test center. Our Practice TOEFL is here to give you a simulation of the content and is a great primer whether you take the paper-based (PBT) or Internet-based test (iBT). Each testing type is broken up into four sections. For the iBT, you will answer a number of questions in Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing. Welcome to Academic Success Media's TOEFL iBT practice test. Please note that this is not the official TOEFL iBT website. For further information, please look at the footnote at the bottom of the page. Begin Free Online Test. Academic Success Media's Free TOEFL iBT Practice Our instantly-downloadable TOEFL iBT preparation material helps prepare students for the Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based test. We also have two online practice exams that simulate the real TOEFL examination. Ibt toefl practice online free. Free Online TOEFL IBT Practice & Preparation Tests. Search Result for toefl ibt TOEFL Reading - 1. 30 Ques 55 Min. Take Free Test Details. TOEFL Listening - 4.
In 2012, New Relic – a cloud-based software platform – sponsored the popular TechCrunch Disrupt conference. The two company's audiences are quite similar. At the event, the company hosted a Hackathon where attendees quickly built a cool, new product. The sponsorship built brand awareness for attendees, for people who saw the event's promotions and anyone who saw press coverage or photos after the event had finished.
18. Conduct some research
Whether you put together a white paper of in-depth research or the results of a simple survey, providing industry insights can really create a buzz that will get your name in front of the right audience.
Pick an interesting topic related to your business' field. One interesting stat can fuel a frenzy of brand exposure from viral posts and media coverage to link backs and references.
19. Offline marketing will increase brand visibility
It's easy to forget about offline marketing in our digital world. But when used in conjunction with online initiatives, offline marketing tactics like direct mail and branded handouts can significantly increase brand awareness for your business – especially if it is based in a specific location.
A good example of offline marketing done right is Axe Body Spray's customized stickers. It took offline marketing online by making it Instagrammable and stayed on-brand throughout.
20. Coupons and discount codes
Who doesn't love saving money? Offering promotional incentives for people to buy from your business doesn't just increase sales, but it can get your business seen. People get excited when they save money. And when people save money they tell their friends and family.
They are also great to print out and share at events. A coupon or voucher will pique the interest of many and even if they don't go on to use the offer to convert, its another impression on a future prospect.
Boost brand awareness with branded links
Try Rebrandly today
To build brand awareness, you'll need a mix of initiatives and the more clever and creative you can be, the better. The tactics mentioned here will help improve recognition of your business among your target audience. Just thinking and being aware of the need to build awareness will help you build a campaign that will get your brand seen and remembered by prospects.
Further Reading:
This Article is About:
- What is brand awareness
- Brand awareness examples
- How to build brand awareness
- Brand awareness definition
- Brand visibility
- Brand awareness strategy
- Example of brand awareness
Photo in main image by Wojtek Witkowski via Unsplash
I may earn a commission from the companies mentioned in this post. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.
Whether you're a PR pro or just starting to think about pitching yourself, there's always more you can be doing to get attention for your brand and products.
You don't need an expensive PR firm to help you get visibility for your brand. There are a lot of things you can do yourself to get your name and product out there and in the press.
Today on Rebel Boss Ladies episode 013 I'm joined by Katherine McDermott, creator of Slightly Savvy and the podcast Swipe Up, and she's going to share all of her tips and tricks for DIY-ing your PR.
Katherine has been working professionally and online in PR for years and she's got a TON of strategies and suggestions to help you get your name and digital product more visibility.
How She Got Started in PR and the Online Business World
Katherine says she was introduced to PR during college, when she got elected as the VP of PR for her sorority. It ended up being a life-changing year.
'It ended up being a really crazy year at Florida State… We won a national championship, we had a school shooting, and we had a big football scandal so we constantly had ESPN knocking at sorority house doors for comments and things like that.' All of these events meant Katherine had a lot of exposure to the world of PR, and she pursue it after graduation.
Two days after she graduated, Katherine started a job working professionally in PR and she quickly worked her way up. Within 6 months she was managing the department and getting some great experience, 'we were doing tons of press and media and publicity in really large places.'
In July of this year, Katherine realized that she was tired of building other people's brands for them, and it was time for her to build something for herself. She decided to build up her blog Slightly Savvy, which focuses on PR and working with brands and influencers, and turn it into her full-time job.
Katherine's Transition to Self-Employment and Her Online Business
Katherine made this transition carefully and deliberately. 'I didn't just jump and fingers crossed hope I make money from having my blog and then having clients and having and influencer clients and brand clients on my own. I had already built it up basically where I had people waiting on deck, I had programs that I had built that were still bringing in revenue so I knew it would be profitable.'
While she wasn't nervous about the profitability of her brand, she was a bit nervous about running a business. 'It was scary… finally running your own business and there is no one to depend on for a paycheck.'
What did Katherine Learn from Working in PR
While building her online business, Katherine drew on her experiences working in PR. 'I stepped back and looked at my own business and I was like, ‘if I was a client what would I do to myself? What would I say to myself and how would I grow it?''
After seeing the power of publicity and media mentions, she knew that her PR strategy could be the game changer to help her grow her business quickly. She focused on it early, and started getting a lot of attention after a few guest appearances and mentions.
Katherine says that there's a common misconception about when business owners should start focusing on PR. 'I think a lot of people, especially entrepreneurs, look at PR and say 'I need to wait 5 years before I do something like this.' She disagrees, and stresses that it's never too early for business owners to start working on their PR.
The Best PR Strategies for Business Owners and Digital Product Sellers
Katherine emphasizes that getting visibility for your brand is a lot simpler than most people think. She recommends that everyone, whether you're a new business just starting out or a million dollar tech startup, think about 3 important categories to develop a PR strategy.
6 Pr Strategies Guaranteed To Increase Business Visibility Using
First, think about the goal of your press. Do you want to drive more sales or get your name out there? Think carefully about what you want your outcome to be, and design your strategy around that.
Next, focus on your timeline. A lot of things in the PR world can be very time constrained. 'There are events and deadlines and we work with the seasons differently in some way.'
If you want to pitch your product, think about when you want your press to be released and plan accordingly. Don't save your pitches for too late, or you may miss the key times for your launch.
'If you have a big launch coming up and maybe you want some personal press for yourself or your business in March, that pitching should start in a week or two and just work backwords from the date where you want to be mentioned and figure out when you need to start pitching yourself.'
Finally, don't forget to think about your dream media placements. Where is most valuable for you to be seen the few weeks before your launch?
Katherine recommends that there are a lot of great places for online entrepreneurs to create press. Writeups in places like Forbes, the Fast Company, Inc., or other small- and medium- tiered publications, an interview in a podcast, and even making connections with other people in your niche can generate a lot of attention for your launch.
'It's as simple as making a list, finding some emails, finding contact info for them, reaching out and just pitching yourself.' DIY-ing your own press can be pretty easy, and you certainly don't have to hire an expensive firm to bring attention to your launch.
What is Press for Digital Product Sellers, and How Do You Incorporate It Into A PR Strategy?
Katherine explains that the definition of press depends on who you are and what your business is. For digital product sellers, press can include media mentions, podcasts, and writeups in publications and blogs. She emphasizes that you should look at what your goals are, and how different press outlets can help you achieve your goals.
Guest posts are another great way to get press for you or your product. 'You're posting or writing something for someone else's audience, you're getting front of them, you're getting mentioned by them.'
Katherine generally defines press as 'getting in front of another audience that's not your own.' The important part about press is exposure. It doesn't necessarily matter how you do it, as long as it's promoting and exposing you to a larger group of people.
If you're ever worried or feel like you don't know what you're doing, Katherine says you're not alone. 'A lot of people are more confused and in the dark about PR/press than you think so I wouldn't worry if you feel confused too.'
Pitching 101: How to Pitch Yourself as a Digital Product Seller to Get Press and Publicity
Katherine says that the basis for getting any press is that you have to ask.
It's easy to be worried about what you're going to say, how you're going to say it and the possibility of getting rejected. 'When I was kind of starting out as a publicist pitching to reporters and journalists I was definitely worried about that too.'
The most important part of pitching, though, is just sending the email. 'You have to get it out there and come at it from the best place you can of A) offering value and B) trying to solve a problem for them first and then asking for that publicity for yourself is kind off a secondary point.'
Receiving a ton of nos can be overwhelming at first. Katherine recommends to not be too attached to your pitches, because nos are a regular part of this process.
'Someone once told me… if everyone is telling you that they love the idea and it's amazing then you're on the wrong path, if people are telling you that they hate the idea and it's crazy and it'll never work, you're on the right path.'
How Much Time Should You Spend on PR When You're Launching a Digital Product?
PR can definitely be time consuming, especially during a product launch. Katherine recommends, 'when you're DIY-ing your PR, you have to make it as simple and streamlined as you possibly can.'
Katherine suggests creating a running list of brands, places, and people that you want to connect with throughout the year and recording their contact information whenever you come across it. This is a great way to 'make it easy on yourself by keeping track so you're not sitting there four weeks before launch and you're like ‘OK I need to be in all these places, how do I even start?''
She also recommends that you carve time into your schedule to focus on PR, especially right before a product launch. 'It's as simple as an hour every Tuesday you sit down and fire off 30 emails or 20 emails just kind of copy and pasting your pitch, it can go a really long way.'
Press is also about momentum, Katherine adds. Just getting a few placements can lead to a lot of other opportunities organically.
How Many Pitches Should You Send to Promote Your Digital Product?
Katherine says that the number of pitches you send depends on how well you craft your pitch. You want to balance the time spent with the quality of the pitch, and not cross the line where 'the quality of your pitch goes down where the number of yeses you're going to get is going to go down as well0'.
Katherine's personal strategy is to find 15 to 20 key places to pitch. 'Really write a strong pitch that A) addresses their pain and B) offers them kind of some value for their own work in return.'
How to Stay Organized with Your PR and Keep Track of Your Pitches
Organization is key in planning a PR strategy, and Katherine recommends a couple different tools and apps to keep your PR plan on track.
First, how do you monitor your brand online? 'In terms of true PR media monitoring, if you're really looking for mentions of your brand there is a software called Mention.' This tool can help you keep track of where you or your brand is being mentioned, and help you find where you're being talked about.
There are also resources online to help you reach out to media sources and find contact information. 'If you're truly going that journalist, reporter route, Muck Rack is really good.' LinkedIn can also be a great way to find the emails of people you want to reach out to.
6 Pr Strategies Guaranteed To Increase Business Visibility 2017
To keep track of pitching and planning, there are a number of organizational tools. 'I personally use Trello and Google Sheets to track literally everything I do,' says Katherine.
A great way to stay organized is to hire some extra help. Finding an intern who can do time-consuming work, like searching online for contact information, can help you use your time more efficiently.
Katherine likes to find interns to help with her list building, so she can focus her efforts on the more important things like crafting specific pitches and communicating with brands. It's easy to find a college student or an intern on Upwork to help you organize your PR.
'You're spending where anyone can find an email address that doesn't take a lot of expertise, but you're honing in on what that person that you're pitching to needs and also you honing in on the own messaging behind your product. You spending time on that is so much more valuable than you trying to piece together someone's email and find their contact info.'
When and How Should You Follow Up on Your Pitches?
Katherine recommends that if you don't hear a response from a pitch you've sent, you should wait a week to follow up. Your follow up should also depend on when and what you've pitched.
She also suggests checking whether or not they've actually opened your email by using tools like HubSpot. 'I like to say a week for waiting to follow up if you truly didn't get a response and you saw they opened your email.'
A big part of following up is adding new information to what you previously sent them. 'When you send somebody an email and it just says ‘hey, following up, thanks,' that doesn't make me any more enticed to open your email to respond to you.' Katherine recommends that when you're following up, add something new like ''I just crossed this threshold' or ‘I just booked this guest for the next two months,' something that could pique their interest a little bit.'
A great way to follow up is to play on a competition or urgency angle. Mentioning other brands or individuals you've engaged can also help you generate interest from other possible sources. 'They're a lot more inclined to be like this is important, this is a big deal, let's get on board too.'
Katherine's Words of Advice If You Want to Start Working on Your PR
6 Pr Strategies Guaranteed To Increase Business Visibility Examples
Katherine's biggest piece of advice for digital product sellers that want to take the step to start working on their PR?
'100% I guarantee you people are going to say no to you and that is the best thing for you. You learn what pitch works, what pitch doesn't.' Trying pitches can help you learn what type of pitches work, what time of year to pitch, and can help you keep an eye on trends and patterns.
'The sooner you can get over [the rejections] and all that matters is the ones who will say yes, I think you'll be a lot more confident and a lot more willing to get yourself out there and at least try it.'
One really important thing to remember? You guarantee a no if you don't even send an email.
//LINKS IN THE SHOW//
Check out Katherine's website, Slightly Savvy, here – https://slightlysavvy.com/
Follow Katherine on Instagram here
Mention – https://mention.com/en/
6 Pr Strategies Guaranteed To Increase Business Visibility List
Muck Rack – https://muckrack.com/
//AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY//
