ChicExecs Senior VP of Elevate, Lydia Vargo, shares why and how to jumpstart your brand strategy with the power of PR on Forbes blog. Here is an excerpt.
PR and marketing are separate disciplines that often bleed together. But good PR can give a big boost to marketing, remove obstacles and solidify your presence in the market.
Even if you’re a small business, you can create a strong, unique brand with a little help from PR. Score more coverage, amplify your efforts and spend very little money doing it with these three brand-boosting PR strategies.
1. Audience Amplification
Who are you speaking to? Audience is everything when you’re trying to make a name for yourself, and who you’re engaging with matters. Your audience should dictate everything from your content format to your language choices.
Your marketing is your message; PR gives your story a stage, a microphone and “puts butts in the seats.”
2. Perception And Image
You’ve created a brand, but how do your customers really feel about your brand identity? After all, there’s a reason why some shoppers adore brands like Trader Joe’s and feel lukewarm about big box stores.
Your PR should tell the right story — the one that showcases your values and sets the right tone with shoppers. Instead of crossing your fingers and hoping your audience loves your brand, create a PR strategy that gives you more influence over your place in the market with powerful storytelling.
3. Brand Authority
Authority is hard to measure, but it’s still incredibly important. Make sure your PR strategy boosts the authority behind your brand. It should establish you as a thought leader and trusted investment.
Marketing alone isn’t necessarily strategic and thoughtful. PR, however, is all about strategy and creating a communication plan and playbook to grow your influence methodically. Brand authority will not only net you more press and boost trust with shoppers, but it can also prevent image issues before they happen.
Read Lydia’s entire blog here.
