HOW TO BUILD A PR AND COMMUNICATIONS PLAN FOR START-UP SUCCESS

Creative communications consultancy MCG share their top ten tips to PR and communications success through a planned, dynamic approach to content and media.

Two men working at a table in the Nexus atrium

KNOW YOUR OBJECTIVES

Setting clear objectives is your first step to successful planning. They’ll inform your strategy, helping you decide best tactics and ensure everyone is aiming for unified goals. Think about:
– Do we want to recruit innovative talent?
– Are we looking to attract new clients?
– Should we be engaging with like-minded and thought-provoking peers in industry and academia?
– What investment do we want to secure?

UNDERSTAND YOUR MEDIA CHANNELS

Evaluate your communications toolkit, understand the types of media you have available and how to use each one for maximum benefit.
– earned (media relations, events, speaker opportunities)
– paid-for (advertorials, social media advertising)
– owned (website, organic social activity)

MAXIMISE YOUR CONTENTS VALUE

Make sure your content is relevant, informative and engaging. Each piece should be intentional – ask yourself ‘what is this piece’s purpose?’ Use the publications and websites you want to appear in as your style guide.

FOCUS ON QUALITY

Good quality photography, video and audio content is increasingly valued by traditional and social channels. Use this to your advantage by creating engaging, accessible and informative elements that relate to your target audience.

UTILISE THIRD-PARTY ENDORSEMENT

Positive case studies and testimonials will significantly increase traction for your content and set you up as a reputable business.

BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PRESS

Engage with key journalists in your industry and build beneficial relationships. If they see you as reliable producers of copy, then they’ll approach you for article features and quotes – a great way to organically promote yourselves.

NEVER STOP NETWORKING

Trade shows and exhibitions are great for meeting clients and customers, but don’t miss the opportunity to make connections with the media and influencers too.

THINK ABOUT EMERGING TRENDS

Use trending and zeitgeist topics, such as climate change and mental health, to inform your content. Ensure you demonstrate your relevance and relationship to these topics to avoid looking like you’re jumping on the bandwagon.

BE INCLUSIVE

Support the drive for equality and choose an inclusive range of spokespeople and case studies to supplement your content.

HAVE A PLAN B

And a plan C. It’s inevitable that things won’t always go the way you want – a product recall or a data breach, for example. Having a proactive, unified approach to responding to such situations will ensure your team knows how to successfully react. You should think about responsive statements and the kind of language you want to use if these things happen.