It is remarkable how publicity -- high-profile media coverage, speaking opportunities, and awards --- leads to bigger share of mind, and a bigger piece of the market. Public relations builds buzz and triggers people to talk about you in ways that you can never buy through advertising. But once you get the publicity, how do you really make money from it?
Here are 5 ways to turn publicity into profits:
1. Shout it on Your Turf
Your company and insightful quotes from your CTO have just been included in a cover story in your most coveted industry media outlet -- one all your prospective customers read. Wait. They have given you an award too! Besides popping the champagne and doing the victory dance with your colleagues, what else should you do? Well, let's make sure you shout it! Broadcast it to everyone at the office, frame the media coverage, decorate your lobby with plaques and awards, bind the stories into books, and display them prominently -- lobbies, conference rooms, and office walls. Open your treasure chest and let your credentials shine loud and clear.
2. Share With the World
The company that can effectively articulate their achievements to the larger world can significantly influence potential clients, partners, and investors. First thing: share it on social media. Then package your latest awards or media coverage in everything as innocuous as your email signatures, websites, and social media profiles, to more elaborate marketing brochures, newsletters, email campaigns, press releases and advertisements. Going to a conference? Print a large copy to showcase at your booth! And have reprints, lots of them, ready to hand out. When effectively executed, you can reach thousands of people in a relatively short time. Don't give them excuses to avoid you, give them reasons to come knocking on your door!
3. Do PR/Marketing Like Clockwork
Day after day, rain or shine, whatever marketing tool you decide to take on, do it like clockwork. When you send out a newsletter, send it regularly. When you have great media coverage, share it regularly. When you have a content marketing and PR program, execute regularly. Nothing builds trust like frequency and consistency.
4. Arm Your Sales Team
Make sure your sales team can not just sell, but inspire! Equip them with all the tools, materials, and success stories they can use to project the best possible image for your company. Re-purpose all your publicity, third-party endorsements, awards, and customer success stories for the purpose of sharing knowledge, building customer trust and business. Handing a CFO a magazine with you cited as the "expert" is more credibility-building than any advertisement you could have bought in the same outlet.
5. All the Way to the Bank
Once you've established your company as a powerhouse, prepare for site traffic to spike, your phones to ring and your in-boxes to fill up. People are going to ask to meet, invest in, work for, partner with, and buy from you. Embrace every opportunity and watch your publicity turn to profits aplenty!
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