ChicExecs Co-Founder and Co-President Nikki Carlson shares how brands are turning to PR to win the impressions game on Newsweek. Here’s a highlight from the feature.
The Importance — and Growing Rarity — of Meaningful Impressions
Attention is valuable in an age of always-on entertainment and content. The buyer’s journey used to be pretty linear and predictable, but the digital era fragmented that process. Now, consumers have a wealth of information at their fingertips, allowing them to do all the research they need before interacting with a salesperson.
In many cases, buyers are 70% of the way through their journey before they engage with your sales team. That means your early impressions have to be useful and engaging right out of the gate — or you risk turning off potential customers.
The Role of PR in Impression Frequency
Consumers need to see messages repeatedly before the message sticks. But even then, they might wait to contact your sales team. Instead, most shoppers prefer to scour the internet for their own research. This new way of shopping disrupts the traditional lead generation process, so you need a new approach in 2024 and beyond.
Public relations plays a crucial role in increasing the frequency and quality of impressions for your brand. Consumers are inundated with paid ads, but PR offers a distinct (and usually more effective) way to capture their attention and create memorable impressions.
Boosting Impressions With PR
Paid social media ads and billboards will net a few impressions but can be cost-prohibitive. Instead, more and more businesses are using PR strategies to come out ahead in the tug-of-war for impressions, whether they handle this internally or outsource to a PR agency with connections with influencers and media relevant to your industry.
Managing Media Relations
An effective PR campaign means managing media relations with a well-established network of journalists and media outlets with whom you’ve cultivated a relationship. This takes time but is among the best ways for your brand to get into outlets you’ve only dreamed about. A savvy PR team on staff dedicated to forging this kind of relationship with the media is paramount to your success. Hiring a PR agency to help is also advisable when the interest and workload become overwhelming. Either way, your brand will ideally become front and center for media mentions and a reliable source for content.
Establishing Influencer Partnerships
Influencer marketing is a hot social media trend that’s here to stay. But not all influencers are worth the money. Brands must make time to connect with potential prospects and vet potential influencers to endorse their authenticity to followers. It is time well spent and a growing component of most PR campaigns today. This is one of the best ways to target a specific audience with non-sales-oriented content that generates impressions and brand trust.
Read Nikki’s entire blog here.
