PR 101: Three Simple Steps for Service Providers

By Marie Rourke

When it comes to PR, many channel partners don’t know where to start. And others get discouraged by big dollar signs from agencies that just don’t get the business they are in anyway. Below are three simple and effective tips that will help you get the publicity train moving without taking a big share of wallet from your business.

Step 1: Set a Plan. Don’t freak out. This isn’t a big deal. All you need to do is take inventory of what’s happening within your company – past, present and future – and write it down.

Here are a few examples:

Believe it or not, any and all of the above can be “newsworthy” and will help generate buzz around your company’s success. Once you’ve identified the potential topics, quickly draw up a calendar of PR activity to keep yourself and your team accountable. Two announcements a month is great, but one a month works too. And keep in mind, not everything has to be a formal press release. It can simply be a news brief – just a quick paragraph or two – that you post on your site and include in your monthly communications to your partners, customers and prospects.

Step 2: Ask Around. Recognizing you’re not necessarily the expert here, don’t hesitate to ask others for help. Your vendor partners and distributors often have press release templates, marketing development funds or PR and marketing experts on staff who are more than willing to help. In some cases they may even pay to have your PR and marketing activities developed if you position it as mutually beneficial.

Another easy action: Let your business partners (and associations) know that you’re game to serve as a reference within their press and marketing efforts, and that you’d like to open the doors for them to be a part of your outreach as well. Vendors and distributors are constantly looking for partners to feature within success stories, case studies, press releases and marketing collateral. Lending your voice is a great way to drive loyalty with your business partners and simultaneously, generate greater awareness for your brand without spending a dime.

Step 3: Execute. If you’re serious about PR and marketing, and you’re going to take the time to plan and ask, then make sure you have what you need to execute – and I don’t just mean the people and writing talent. Before you get moving, make sure your home page (at a minimum) is prospect friendly and looks the part. For example: Is your company brand and value proposition clearly defined and differentiated? Asked differently: When a person lands on your site – is it crystal clear who you are, what you do, why you do it and who you do it for?

Another quick box to check is the call to action. Do you have an easy-to-view call to action on your home page? A call to action can be as simple as a phone number clearly displayed on the top right of the page. Another idea would be to include a no risk promotion or valuable download on your home page.

One more painless step before going mainstream, ensure that your organization and especially those answering the phones and in the field know what you’re up to. Share your PR plan in the team meeting and ask for ideas on what else you can promote and do to build your brand.

What challenges do you have when implementing PR into your business plan? How do you overcome those challenges?