The Rise of “One-Size-Fits-You” PR
By: Team Seismic
PR has never been a one-size-fits-all business, but that has never stopped new clients from proverbially requesting the cover of the Wall Street Journal as the Holy Grail of PR success. Although a top-tier business publication will always be a marquee placement, we’re seeing a much greater advantage in micro-targeting audiences that will directly make an impact on a client’s business – to drive sales, to encourage investment in the next round of funding, or to motivate a partnership with a strategic company.
We work with our clients to build a more tailored, hyper-focused view of success through a “one-size-fits-you” approach, anchored by a well-informed understanding of what their customers need to hear and where their customers can be found, key elements in defining what will move the needle in the sales cycle and drive maximum PR impact.
Blurred Media Lines
The reality is that the very definition of media has blurred. Gone are the days when earned media took precedence over paid media in terms of credibility. Now, with purpose-driven PR, the channel itself is secondary, only needing to meet the requirements set forth by a client’s targeted audience goal. Add to the fact that any media coverage can be promoted through a client’s owned channels – social, newsletter or blog to name a few, and now clients have the opportunity for greater control over how, when and where their audience will receive their message or story, with the ability to fully measure the reach and impact of press coverage.
As the media lines blur, we’ve seen a rise in the number of sponsored content opportunities across business and trade publications that offer an attractive proposition to craft the story you want and use the publication’s audience to reach your target audience. A great example of this are the Forbes Councils, an invite-only community that allows you to connect with other executives, place stories in Forbes.com and offer commentary on industry topics that may be turned into quotes in future stories. All of this is offered for a nominal membership fee, and can be a great option to raise visibility and extend your credibility. Since it’s a paid membership, it could be considered sponsored content placement, but with the ability to submit commentary on future story topics, it can also be categorized as earned media.
The reality is how it’s defined is not nearly as important as what the channel can do for a client’s reputation and thought leadership efforts – the ultimate end game in most PR campaigns. At Seismic, we build holistic programs that favor audience targeting and message development over predefined channels to reach them. If this sounds like something you might be interested in, reach out and let’s talk.