Business in the doldrums?

Every business finds at one time or another that you need a jolt of attention. While you can always purchase print, television, radio, or social media ads, what public relations promotions can your company use to gain attention?

These time-tested, enduring tactics have been used for decades. They’ve endured because they work. They do take time to concept and plan and best promote your firm when they align with your brand, products and customers.

Public relations promotions that work

1. Be community minded and involved. While this is not just a promotional tactic, it is one way to make your firm really different from other businesses. Over time, firms who are active in the community — for the good of the community — win over those who aren’t involved. If you embark on this path, make it truly a part of your company’s DNA.
2. Hold a contest. From essay contests to photo submission contests to best mom of the year, companies have been holding contests for years. Whether it’s soliciting input to name a new product, or getting people to enter to win a trip, contests continue to be one of the all time promotional tactic that work. Be wary of setting the entry point too high. If you require too much effort, today’s consumers may not want to take the time or trouble to enter. And when you hold the contest, at the point of entry be sure to capture names and email addresses, and with permission, use them in the future to communicate sales, specials, or news about your company.
3. Give an award. Media companies do it. Professional associations do it. You can do it too. If you choose to give an award, be sure it aligns with your products or services and involves the community. For example a spa could solicit nominations for Mom of the Month, Year, etc and award services. A restaurant could solicit nominations for New Parents Most Deserving of a Night Out, partnering with a limo service and a babysitting service to give new parents a night on the town.
4. Conduct a study or take a poll and announce results. Almost daily in the news or social media, we read announcements of the results of studies or polls. Many of them capture attention because they announce interesting or compelling results. Examples include topics such and the true cost of being ticketed for DUI announced by an insurance firm; or 9 out of 10 Moms Agree…You will need to involve someone to help conduct the poll or study in a scientific manner or blind study if you want the results to be valid and hold up to intense scrutiny. However, you can also conduct straw polls or online polls which allow you to announce results gathered in a less scientific manner.
5. Demonstrate or offer samples. It’s a fact of being human that most people don’t know how things taste or understand new or different products until they see them demonstrated. In days past, boardwalk hucksters demonstrated products before crowds each summer. Nowadays food demonstrators offer quick tips on using the latest products on offer at Costco. Breweries and wineries allow you to visit and taste their brews and vintages, promoting their brand and sometimes selling right from their tasting rooms. If you have a new, innovative product, you can also video the product in use and put that demo on your website.

Humans are curious. We are attracted to things which are new, or different, or stand out. You can take advantage of this by finding ways to create the news, stand out from the crowd and differentiate your company.

Need help standing out? Call us. We can help think up and hold a promotion, contest, survey or demonstration that gets eyes on your company.