ACtion Magazine - March 2017 - 12

Angie Kilbourne

Integrating content marketing
and public relations
Rejuvenate your shop's website and social media efforts with content geared
toward public relations instead of marketing.

n a world full of multiple voices, platforms and outlets, it's getting more and more difficult to grab the
attention of consumers. Couple that with shrinking
attention spans (less than eight seconds now, according to a recent study by Microsoft) and an aversion to anything that even hints of "advertising," and a shop owner
- like any other small business owner - can potentially
spend more time and precious resources for less results,
according to Brian Honigman, CEO of Honigman Media,
a content marketing consultant.
But there are strategies to be heard above the din: "To
enhance the exposure, coverage and reach you're looking
for, learn how to combine the use of modern PR skills
with great content marketing," Honigman advises. He offers five tips to accomplish this:
* Develop a content marketing strategy that defines and clarifies your organization's story and
how the content will be created. Will it be writing blog posts or producing a podcast? Take this
valuable time to map out the plan of action for
how the story will be shared. Create and post
content on social media platforms that is not
only genuine, but provides value in a nondisruptive way for consumers. These efforts build trust,
generate interest, start the conversations about
your brand, which ultimately drive leads.
* Build ongoing rapport with the media most active in your community and industry who are
speaking directly to your target audience. Personalization is vital to success, so do your research
first. Review the newspaper, radio stations, television outlets and other media organizations that
reach your market. Ask for a media kit to see if
similar topics have been covered or are planned
for the same audience you'd like to reach. Take
a look at the social media feeds (tweets, posts,
etc.) of their key media personalities to understand what reporters, editors and other media
professionals are looking for, as well as what interests them and what they and their audiences
are passionate about. These insights will enable
you to customize any pitch you make to them for
media coverage.

ACTION * March 2017

* Encourage your staff to contribute to industry
blogs, community publications and broadcasters
comment areas. Not only does this establish trust
with your customer base, the additional visibility
in the media showcases your staff 's expertise and
caring for the local community. It also can drive
traffic to your business website and generate visibility of your brand among those you may never
have reached on your own. In short, it humanizes
your business, and this attracts interest.
* Cater to the niche. Consumer attention continues to splinter across different screens and apps,
requiring coverage across a diverse range of media outlets from your business. Your organization should not only pitch and build relationships
with traditional media, but also focus on different nontraditional media outlets, such as podcasts, YouTube channels, specific-focus blogs or
small, local publications. These groups can often be starved for good, fresh content compared
to regional or national counterparts. Remember,
attention spans are short, so multiple instances
of exposure will help consumers in your market
take notice.
* Drop any promotional push with your PR efforts
and instead focus on adding value. Appearances
of advertising, however small, put your hard
work at risk for being ignored. Instead, use storytelling to share the reasons why coolant should
be flushed regularly. Teach consumers something
new and original, and disrupt myths with facts,
figures and statistics. Most importantly, solve a
meaningful problem for potential customers by
demonstrating a product or service in action.
"One fundamental truth that most business owners who
use social media fail to understand about a successful online strategy is that public relations should not be excluded," Honigman stresses. "Leveraging the conventional and
online properties of community and industry media organizations can do as much to propel your success as your
own solitary efforts. It's also free and desired, if your content fits their needs and audience interests." ❆

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ACtion Magazine - March 2017