The Power Of PR:Taming The Social Beast

27th March 2012

Rob Metcalfe

Managing Director

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#FarmShopDeli

#FoodDrinkExpo

@FoodPRAgency

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72%ABC1s

read newspapers every week

69%Adults read

newspapers every week

63%Mums with

kids read newspapers every week

71%15-34 men

read newspapers every week

Source: NRS, Oct 2010 – Mar 2011 / excludes News of the World

Online newspaper brands growing strongly

Unique

visitors

duplicated26m

13m

Ukom: June 2011Duplicated: sum of unique visitors to each newspaper siteUnduplicated figure: unique visitors, counted once only, regardless of how many newspaper sites visitedIncludes Metro and Evening Standard

Unique

visitors

unduplicated

Get the PR basics right first

• Not bothering is not an option

• What journalists want

• Think journalese

• The inverted pyramid of news

• Press releases vs face-to-face vs social media contact

• Be ready to follow through

• Create a press release library/blog on your website

• Start to connect everything that you do

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Gartner Hype Cycle

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The three ages of media

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Anti-social media

The three ages of media

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Old media

The three ages of media

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Social media

richardstacy.com

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Some UK numbers

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Gartner Hype Cycle

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The fundamental mindshift

• Most brands still get it wrong

• Social media is NOT about reaching out and engaging with your

customers (or potential customers)

• But it IS about your customers (or potential customers) engaging with

you

• The numbers are small but the process is potentially powerful because

they have identified themselves to you

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Why people will engage with you

• To say something nice about your brand

• To say something nasty about your brand

• To ask a question for which your brand may be the answer

• To make a suggestion about how your brand could be better

• Your still need to facilitate, prompt and engage in the conversation

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Making Facebook work its hardest for you

• Evening and early morning posts generate 20% higher engagement

• Wednesdays and Sundays are the best days to post (+8%)

• Posting 1 to 4 times weekly generates 71% higher engagement than 5+x

for retail brands

• Short posts generate most engagement

• Asking questions doubles the response

• ‘Fill in the blank’ posts work well

• Coupons and offers (ideally £off) get response

• Don’t be afraid to break any or all of these rules in the real virtual world

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Tools

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Tools

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A recipe for PR success

• Start with a plan. PR and social media is part of your business, not an

add-on

• Start slowly – play, explore, don’t be afraid to start again

• Find and tell stories

• Measure what you do

• Do it with passion – not because you have to

• Set up a personal LinkedIn account

• Start/invigorate a company Facebook page

• Start a company and/or personal tweet

• Practice and persevere

• Reap the publicity rewards, ie. more business

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Thank You!

@FoodPRAgency

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