When people think about PR, they can often think about the crisis communications or reputation management side of it. However, for the most part, PR isn’t about being reactive but being proactive and promoting your brand in a way that aligns with your business objectives.
One of the most valuable outcomes of an effective PR strategy is supporting organic lead generation for companies. Through the right kind of communications, organisations can turn interest into inbound enquiries and press coverage into potential conversions. Here is how PR can support organic lead generation….
1: Increasing visibility
How can customers buy from you if they don’t know about you? Getting your brand in front of your target demographic is crucial to generating sales leads. PR is a fantastic way to do this as it not only helps to get your message out to your audience, but it positions this message in a way that resonates with the buyer. By being regularly in front of prospective – and existing customers – through PR launches and interview pieces, your brand can be front of mind and this means that you have a much better chance of driving organic lead generation.
2: Enhancing credibility
While you can pay for media coverage, earned media coverage generated in trusted titles by PR holds a lot more authority and credibility due to the fact that it’s objective, third-party validation of your brand, products and services. This is incredibly valuable when it comes to organic lead generation. As well as instilling greater trust in your company, online coverage which is searchable when buyers are doing their due diligence could steer them towards your organisation rather than someone else’s.
3: Boosting web traffic
By placing targeted backlinks into your press releases, there is a chance that media will include them in their online articles. In turn, this can help to boost traffic to your website. For instance, a press release highlighting the latest cyber security trends is likely to be covered by technology publications read by decision-makers. Therefore, having a link that directs people to your latest cyber security offering could encourage buyers down the sales funnel and support organic lead generation for your business.
4: Creating thought leaders
Elevating the organisation in the public eye is often the primary goal of any PR company, but positioning company leaders as experts in their industry can be equally valuable in terms of organic lead generation. By creating opportunities with PR content such as opinion editorials and radio interviews, you give prospective customers the chance to get to know the key people in the organisation. At the same time, these spokespeople can demonstrate their expertise. Don’t forget, people buy from people.
5: Targeting niche areas
Targeting niche areas through PR – for example, targeting publications which write about the public sector – can be a great way to drive organic lead generation if it is an area that you company operates in. This way, customers who are already interested in the area or topic will become familiar with your brand. Trade publications often have highly engaged, decision-maker-heavy audiences which is great for sales potential. However, it’s important to tailor your PR strategy to maximise the impact of this approach.
The bottom line is that PR is about so much more than just reputation management; it can also contribute to your organisation’s bottom line by supporting organic lead generation. Going hand in hand with your sales function, PR creates awareness among, builds trust with, and encourages action from buyers – helping your brand to stand out from the crowd and driving business success.
If you want to find out more about how PR can support organic lead generation or align with other business objectives, get in touch with the Comit team today!