Make Your PR Work Online and Off: the 3 Step Re-Purposing Dance

Your team is having a staff meeting, or the group is in the weekly operations briefing. You know someone will bring up something that you’ll all be glad to hear, that deserves a high-five.

Wait for it, wait for it… and then say “should we get some PR about that?”

It could be a cool new client—some community institution or well-known figure who will be a “credibility builder” for your team. It may be that that your longtime journeyman plumber finally passed the Master Plumber test. Whatever it is, if people stop to say, “congratulations”, chances are you have an opportunity for some good public relations.

Now what?

Most people jump to the obvious. For Baby Boomers or older, the first thought is a traditional press release, of course, and possibly a photo in the paper. If members of your team are younger than 30, they’re more likely to think of online PR.

These channels work together! It’s REPURPOSING TIME.

Inventory your communications channels for at least THREE ways to push out the same good news. Boost your social media, lift your website SEO, write an online post and even pump up your in-person presence and word-of-mouth marketing.

You can get this all from ONE genuine, authentic piece of good news—the kind of good news that will stick, because its real stuff, happening to a real business, to real people.

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Here’s how you set yourself up for success.

Step 1: APPOINT A LIGHT HOLDER

Someone in your company should be in charge of having the 10,000 foot view, or these pieces of good news will fly away before you even realize it.

If you’re a large company, its your marketing director/public relations department.

If you’re small, don’t fret. Assign the person who everyone knows is the company cheerleader. He/she may be in a job completely unrelated to marketing, but you know that when this person is home with their family, at a ballgame with friends—they talk about your product, or their coworkers, or your company. That’s who will have a good eye for this kind of good news.

Step 2: TAKE INVENTORY

You may already have done this, but if you haven’t, it’s time for your project manager for this PR opportunity to do a quick assessment.

Take a look at all the places you have available to put out the news. Everyone has more ways than they realize, and it’s time to leverage the channels you have already established. Don’t be tempted to launch a new channel when you’re in the middle of putting out news (such as a new social media platform, press release service etc.), because it will drain your energy from getting out the news you have at hand. During the process, if you think of something new, ask your project manager to make note of the channels you wish you had, and evaluate and develop them after your immediate PR campaign is over.

Existing Channel Inventory

You probably already have several of these:

• Website
• Social Media: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Youtube (Watch a later Woodstreet blog for specific drill downs and examples on these social media platforms and how to connect PR on them to your website)
• Your own blog
• A partner’s blog (your industry association, the Chamber of Commerce, allied business partners such as suppliers and customers) is a great place to share authentic news, if it applies to their content. See if you can spin the story to the angle of your partner’s piece.
• Ads-If you already have a monthly or scheduled ad in a publication, Facebook ad, radio or online ad, use the next ad opportunity to focus the ad on your accomplishment with a photo, a thank you or some other text.
• Newsletter—if you have a customer newsletter, it makes a perfect story.

If you are in a “quiet zone” right now when it comes to news, add one of these channels for when your “light bulb” holder shines the light on your next news opportunity.

Step 3: PUT IT TO WORK!

It happened! The light bulb holder found a success—your cheerleader has pointed out a credible achievement for your company to tout.

Who can carry the ball?

Now its time for you as the organization’s leader to step back and assign the opportunity. Don’t put it off for a meeting next week. Find some time in the next 24 hours to decide who will take on this project. Is there someone likely on the team, or will it go out to a public relations/marketing practitioner? Your business size, model and structure will answer this question.

What would success look like?

Also, before assigning it, think about the goal for this project: What is the company’s purpose in sharing this specific piece of news—is it a good example of your brand at work? Do you hope it will bring you more leads? Are you hoping it might attract employees, or make your competition nervous?

Once you’ve stepped back and thought about your purpose and your project manager’s bandwidth for sharing the news, your team can roll up their sleeves and get to work.

Got an idea that you want to share, or a way that you re-purposed a piece of news on a traditional channel and an online channel? Share!

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Make Your PR Work Online and Off: the 3 Step Re-Purposing Dance