Guest post by Robert Meyer, vice president of marketing for Chamberlin Edmonds (Atlanta)
A public relations program is not an undertaking that typically correlates one-to-one with sales.
Strategic PR is intended to increase brand awareness and market exposure. Position an organization as an
innovator and thought leader in its market niche. Educate target audiences about industry issues. Inform clients and prospects about products, services, value and benefits.
Without a doubt, the long-term objective ultimately is to boost sales and produce the “green” of revenue. But that’s not to say PR can’t bear fruit in the short term as well.
Not long ago, Chamberlin Edmonds worked with our Dodge team to place a case study in an industry publication. And it caused the phone to ring. We received three direct leads from the story.
Why was this particular story so effective? Because it adhered to time-honored tenets that characterize strategic PR:
- The case study was bylined by the customer and focused on the customer’s results, not upon Chamberlin Edmonds as the vendor. It was a classic example of “show me, don’t tell me.” The story outlined the challenges the customer faced and how it was able to solve them.
- The case study was respectful to the reader. Healthcare decision makers are savvy and recognize a sales message wrapped into a so-called objective case study when they see one. Our company name was mentioned only once, very late in the story. But readers got the message: We want to achieve those results, too. How can we do it? Who should we turn to?
- The story was placed in an appropriate publication widely read by the Chamberlin Edmonds target audience. No matter how compelling the story, any message will resonate only with readers who identify with the issue at hand and are likewise motivated to seek solutions that will improve performance – both their own and their organization’s. It’s vital that PR efforts focus on strategically developed media lists.
- The case study met the editorial objectives of the publication in which it appeared. Competition for editorial space in all publications is higher than it’s ever been – and all publications have their own rules. Case studies and bylined articles are much more likely to be accepted if 1) they fit into the publication’s planned editorial calendar or story budget; 2) if they are written in a voice and manner that complies with established style guidelines; and 3) if they offer genuine, non-promotional value to the publication’s readership.
It goes without saying that Chamberlin Edmonds was very pleased when our case study reached prospects and opened doors for us. We don’t expect it to happen every time, but we are convinced that a commitment to strategic PR efforts delivers high-value results over the long term. It will boost sales – and help any organization to “go green” in today’s difficult economy.
