10 steps to a successful PR campaign

 

• Purpose• Audience• Channels• Budget• Strategy• Measurement• Management• Equipment• Details• Follow-up

PACBSMMEDF

What’s the purpose  

• Mission statement, eg: "To showcase Singapore as a fashion hub”.

• This allows you to develop a brand story, with three or four related, but different angles that can be used for pitching to media/your other marketing channels.

 Identify your Audience 

• Who ARE you talking to and who are you NOT talking to:

• Government?• Fashion bloggers?• International shoppers?• Local designers?• Expat housewives?

How can you relate to your public

• How can you make your target media and public feel as though they would be missing out big-time if they didn't attend your event/write a story support you? 

• Check out successful campaigns – how can YOU stand out from the mass of invitations, press releases and Facebook ads?

• Which channels are best for which messages? And which channels will reach your audience.

BUDGET and timeline

• SNORE. But actually, these are some of the most important elements.

• These days, it's rare to have "any budget" so we have to think creatively about how we can use the free, and minimal-cost resources we have for maximum impact in (usually) minimum time.

• Partnerships• Relationships• Inserting your story into a conversation that is already

happening, rather than trying to create your own.

Strategise

• Oops… after looking at the budget, you’ll probably find you need to revise your strategy to align with budget and timeline.

• Look at your target audience, your key messaging and your desired channels, and map out exactly how and when you are going to get people excited.

Measurement

• How are you going to measure the success of the event? Social media mentions? Front page of the Straits Times? Attendance numbers? Sales?

• Prioritise elements of your campaign by making sure they meet your targets – e.g running Facebook competitions will probably boost your social media mentions, but might not result in attendance.

Media management

• Press kits• Prepping the client• Poking holes in the brand story.

What can you do to make the media’s job as easy as possible? (Give them the best possible story).Think about how you going to introduce media? Is the event geared to their needs (wifi, workspaces, interview areas, press briefings, image files etc).

Equipment

• You might think this is the events team's role, but really, if the sound or lighting are off, there's no point in having an event.

It’s all the details

• Again, you might think this is the event coordinator's role, but what are the location, food, invitations, music and collateral going to say about the brand?

A lack of food, an awkward location, deafening music and tacky collateral can be all it takes to deter the media from what could otherwise be an amazing story.

Long-term engagement

• So the event’s over – now don’t let all that hard work go to waste.

• How are you going to track the success of the event, thank guests and media for their support, and give them something to hang on to, to ensure they continue to be interested in what you are doing.

• How can you make best use of the database you have built?

- Thank you -

Jacqui SmithPR Account DirectorMutant Communicationsjacqui@mutant.com.sg