Is PR right for my business? 3 Elements HR brands need for PR success
Good PR extends a brand’s voice so that it is recognised, and ideally trusted, by those in the broader market. One particular way it does this is by enhancing a brand’s media relations and gaining editorial coverage in key publications.
But is a media relations approach right for every business?
In truth, journalists have niche requirements and are looking for specific information to tell their audiences. So without the right information that hits the media’s sweet spots, even the most incredible companies with amazing products, services and teams won’t be guaranteed coverage and may have PR strategies that fall flat.
So how can brands tell if PR will work for them? What do brands need in order to create stories that will spark a journalist’s interest?
In the HR market, specifically, if brands want media coverage and to improve market recognition, they must ensure they can tick off the points on our checklist below. With this information and these capabilities, organisations can successfully work with a PR team to make the most of every media opportunity.
3 elements brands need before implementing a successful PR strategy in the HR market
1. Original expertise to feed to PR
PR won’t function well in isolation. Brands that want to implement a PR strategy must have original ideas, expertise and thought leadership to feed into it.
Organisations don’t necessarily need to have their ideas fully formed before initiating their PR strategy: a PR expert can use their own experiences of the HR media to draw out the strongest concepts and angles that will interest a HR journalist. Still, having some form of original expertise is vital as the media requires HR knowledge from industry professionals. Ideally, this expertise should be about supporting HR with their issues, rather than providing expertise surrounding specific products and services. More on this below.
2. Issue-based content
Issue-based content is essential for HR news stories. Company announcements and product launches aren’t highly covered topics in this space. Instead, brands must provide information on common problems in the market with actionable advice on how to resolve them. This doesn’t mean directly promoting your own products as a solution, however. Instead, it’s about providing guidance for HR people and thereby indirectly highlighting your brand as an answer. In this way, your company spokespeople are more likely to be seen as thought leaders and expert support for HR.
A great way to create issue-based content that will interest the HR media is to carry out research that uncovers how a problem relevant to your brand is impacting HR and their employees. A PR team can help shape this research too so that it is more likely to intrigue journalists, add to current discussions in the media and pick up a lot of coverage over time. As 55.7% of HR media stories contain data, stats or research, creating this form of issue-based content can certainly fuel a solid PR campaign.
3. Consistent collaboration
Since PRs will be looking for the latest market knowledge and expertise from people in your business, it’s key to have ongoing collaboration. Communication between company experts, marketing and PR is essential so that every media opportunity, journalist request for information, news release and pitch is fulfilled to its fullest potential in just the right context. When teams work together in this way, company messages can be consistently reiterated across the market and PR strategies will have higher chances for success.
Still not sure if PR is right for your HR-related business? Check out the latest updates on how to execute a strong PR strategy among HR buyers, here.