Press coverage is incredibly valuable for B2B companies, imbuing them with credibility while simultaneously giving them new visibility channels and a broader audience. That said, there are some right and wrong ways to pursue press coverage.
What steps should the average B2B business take to get consistent, positive presentation in the press?
The Power of the Press
Don’t underestimate the value of more positive, more consistent press coverage. Mastering both of these aspects can give you more:
· Reach/visibility. Perhaps the most obvious benefit of greater press coverage is increased reach and visibility for your brand. Your brand name is going to be mentioned and celebrated across potentially hundreds of outlets every time you have something new to announce, allowing you to generate more traffic, more leads, and more overall awareness.
· Trust/credibility. This is also a way to build trust and credibility. If all of your press releases showcase your expertise and demonstrate competence, people will gradually begin to trust you more. That’s going to make it much easier to persuade your audience in the future.
· Familiarity/memorability. Thanks to the mere exposure effect and a handful of other interesting psychological phenomena, repeated exposure to your brand is going to breed familiarity and memorability. Over time and with enough positive press coverage, people are going to build more genuine, powerful relationships with your brand.
Higher Quality Press Coverage
With these strategies, you can increase the quality of your press coverage:
· Hire better writers. Much of your press material is going to be handled by writers you can influence, whether those are in-house writers or writers working for your PR firm. Either way, it’s important to find the best writers you can. Good writers who have experience with writing press releases are going to be able to sniff out newsworthy events and put together polished, impressive final pieces.
· Focus on meaningful events. It’s tempting to write a press release for every little event that happens to your business, but doing so can be counterproductive. Instead, reserve your press releases for only the most impactful, meaningful events. Otherwise, you could end up spamming your audience and disrupting your momentum.
· Differentiate your brand. Brand differentiation is critical for any business, and it’s even more important for brands in highly contested industries and those with closely similar competitors. In all your press coverage, try to focus on products, qualities, and characteristics of your brand that are truly unique.
· Avoid exaggerating. In some ways, press coverage is an opportunity to show off. It’s your chance to highlight some of your brand’s greatest strengths – and you should take advantage of that chance. However, it’s best to avoid exaggerating. Ground your claims in objective evidence and don’t be afraid to admit some weaknesses and shortfalls; people appreciate authenticity much more than empty bragging.
· Build relationships with better publishers. You can also improve the quality of your press coverage by building relationships with better publishers. Publishers with bigger audiences and more impressive reputations are going to lift your press releases up.
· Engage. Finally, be willing to engage with your audience. Get active on social media and participate in discussions surrounding your press events. It should increase your total exposure and increase the loyalty of your readers and followers.
More Consistent Press Coverage
And with these strategies, you can increase the consistency of your press coverage:
· Develop a high-level strategy. If you treat press releases as an improvised afterthought, you need to sit down and come up with a high-level strategy. Devise a plan that allows you to regularly publish press releases and get more consistent attention from publishers.
· Create a roadmap for achievements, developments, and milestones. A product roadmap, or something similar, will help you define the high-level trajectory of your brand – and give you a chance to plan for present and future press opportunities. With proper planning, you might be in a position to submit a new press release every month – and have that press release be genuinely meaningful.
· Gather and analyze objective data. Pay attention to the data you gather in your PR strategy. Which types of press releases seem to perform the best? Which outlets and distribution channels seem to generate the most traffic? Are there specific types of headlines or release strategies that boost your results? Double down on the channels and strategies that bring you success, and don’t be afraid to cull strategies that don’t appear to be working.
· Refine your approach gradually. With time and effort, you can refine your approach. However, it’s best to avoid big experiments and total resets. Instead, it’s better to refine your approach gradually. This way, you can take more accurate measurements and avoid culling things unnecessarily; this also makes it much easier to tell exactly which tactics are responsible for changes you see in your results.
With higher quality and more consistent press coverage, your brand can become more competitively dominant. Through a combination of greater visibility, more trust, and more familiarity and loyalty, your audience will be poised to grow.