Demand generation is, fundamentally, the process of creating a pipeline. PR agencies are more involved in this process than you might think.
PR efforts must tell a compelling story that nurtures customers and keeps them engaged across the entire buying journey. We previously spoke about The role of PR in lead generation which forms an integral part of the buying cycle – creating credibility.
At the core of this effort is finding a way to integrate the stories you tell through the media with the content you’re offering at each stage of the buying cycle.
Here are a few ways PR agencies can support a company’s demand generation campaigns and help achieve their marketing goals:
Social media
Get involved in your clients’ social media and blogging strategy. This is a great entry point for driving inbound interest in their website. Write industry related articles and helpful, educational content to effectively engage their readers. This way, PR agencies create value for their clients’ followers and build interest from prospects.
New, tailored content
A prospective customer should receive valuable, relevant content at every touchpoint they have with a company. Does the content clearly communicate the benefits of your client’s product over the competition’s when prospects are deciding between similar products?
PR agencies already develop by-lined articles and case studies for media efforts. However, it’s worth considering other forms of content for creation. For instance, infographics, whitepapers, FAQs and fact sheets. This can arm your sales teams with the proper materials for moving qualified leads down the pipeline.
Tell an authentic story
It is important to speak to customer needs and demonstrate to target customers that you understand their pain points. And, you must do this without beating them with a sales pitch.
Take the time to understand how clients create value for their customers. This means getting in front of customers and prospects to intimately understand all the reasons they believe in your client’s product. Only then can PR agencies tell an authentic story in the marketplace from the perspective of your customer. And, remember, authenticity garners relevance and attention.
Too many companies contrive their messaging strategies and marketing programs by sitting around a table with their internal teams only. That’s the easiest way to disconnect with your target audience. You’re essentially trying to force a pill down their throat.
In order to tell your story from the customer’s perspective, you need to have a feedback loop that exists at every customer touchpoint.
Data and analysis
Provide reports that bring together disparate data sources. Look at media results, website traffic and social data to provide a holistic picture of the customer journey.
Get access to your clients’ website analytical tool, such as Google Analytics to analyse trends and see which pieces of coverage are driving traffic to your clients’ websites – and even better yet, which pieces of coverage are driving the desired actions to engage the sales team, such as signing up to receive an email newsletter.
This insight not only showcases the tangible value and ROI of media coverage, but also highlights how your message and content is creating demand and resonating – or not – with your target audience.
Final thoughts
With the tips above, PR agencies can build pipelines efficiently and effectively. Take your services to the next level and get involved in your clients’ demand generation campaigns which will enable them to meet their desired marketing objectives. For more advice on PR and marketing, keep an eye on our blog.
