The benefit of PR for creatives
PR – or public relations – is an area of marketing which always seems so mysterious and illusive to creatives. So, what is it? Why do you want it? And how do you get it?
What is PR?
PR uses stories and narratives to build your profile and forms part of your overall marketing strategy.
For creatives, PR generally means building your profile and showcasing your work via some form of media – magazines, books, newspapers, podcasts, tv; the list can go on and on. But PR can also extend to other areas such as strategic partnerships, speaking opportunities and events.
Whatever form it takes, the aim of PR is to build your profile and awareness about your creative business, your projects, your process and your team. It gives you a different avenue – beyond social media, your website or digital marketing – to reach your target audience.
Why do I want PR for my creative business?
As creatives, you can feel like the end result is more important than your process; that the process is the least exciting part of what you do. But let me tell you, for those who work outside of the creative industries, the idea of the creative process is what fascinates them the most.
It’s also something that many people in your audience and target market don’t understand. The result is a group of people who don’t know the value of design and the amount of work that goes into creating the end product. Often, this is where the most frustration lies for creatives.
The solution is to tell stories about your process. Not only because it helps your audience understand how you work, but so you can create a genuine and memorable connection with your audience.
What PR allows you to do is:
Reach a broader audience across multiple platforms
Tell the story behind your creative work
Be more memorable and stand out in your market
Provide a unique viewpoint
Elevate your profile
How do I get it?
It starts with the quality of the story or narrative.
This isn’t about saying “I’ve finished X project/product and I want it published”. The success of PR is in the depth of the story. It’s about identifying what is unique about your business, project, process or team and why your audience should care about it.
Pitching an idea to a media outlet is about the hook. In the words of Simon Sinek, you need three things:
1. Start with WHY – the key purpose, cause or belief of the individual or product
2. Talk about the HOW – how you did/do it and what sets it/you apart from others
3. Finish with the WHAT – show the outcome
A rookie error is to start with the finished outcome. Remember, people see beautifully photographed products every day – on their social media feeds, their TV screens, in magazines, everywhere. It might get your foot in the door, but ask yourself - what’s memorable about it beyond the image? It will be the story that gets you over the line.
Find out more about our PR Package or contact us for further information