Before You Launch, Read This!

Why PR is an Essential Part of Your Next Opening, Rollout or Initiative

What if you opened a store and nobody came? Or, launched a brand and no one noticed? How about repositioning your reputation without reaching anyone that cares?

It seems counter intuitive, but we’ve seen it time and time again: Companies put a whole lot of paid marketing – advertising and social – behind the latest launch and forget to focus on public relations, the marketing discipline that gets people in the doors and interested in your shiny new brand. Earned media is an essential component of successfully creating awareness when you need it most – launches, openings, repositionings and sales pushes.

Awareness and Trust by Day Zero

We’ve covered the benefits of earned media here before. At launch day, it is even more critical to have already established the relationships and awareness that come with a robust PR campaign.  Remember, your product, service or “new you” is a heretofore unknown entity. Building trust through thought leadership, influencer mention, third party recommendation and word of mouth will cut through the noise and turbo charge your paid efforts. It also puts the ball in your court, allowing you to control your narrative before marketplace chatter even has a chance.

Broadcasting on the Right Channels

A healthy pre-launch PR campaign reaches the right people at the right time. By connecting with media outlets, community voices, industry publications and respected voices, it piques interest among the demographic groups that your brand needs to launch successfully. Think of paid media as broad reach – great for general brand awareness. Earned media, though, is specific and targeted, leveraging consumer relationships to spotlight your launch and create consideration. You wouldn’t advertise nationally to drive customers to your new downtown location, would you?

Navigate the Detours with Aplomb 

Real, live rollouts and grand openings rarely go as planned. Reputations take hits all the time. PR helps organizations manage the inevitable through proactive communication with customers and industry insiders. Earned media allows brands to control the narrative before plans shift. Like in any relationship, trust is built on consistency and follow-through. PR helps you do this by demonstrating to your audiences that you are interested in them and willing to course correct to maintain their trust.

PR Keeps the Momentum Going

So, you got the store opened, introduced the new product and elevated the CEO’s Q-score, now what? Smart groups will keep the narrative flowing. PR can create possibilities for brands by introducing new facets and product uses. It also allows for easier expansion into new target consumer groups. Mostly, though, a sustained earned media campaign strengthens the relationship with the public and builds brand equity.

Start the Earned Conversation Now

Needless to say, it’s crucial that companies start launch planning before whatever it is you’re launching, launches. When budgets are tight, this is especially true. Believe it or not, pre-planning even works on shortened timelines. Think of it as free media that builds credibility, increases awareness, focuses reach and creates resilience. Be sure to observe behavior and listen to feedback once you’ve begun your narrative. It’s far easier to tweak the earned media conversation than it is to change paid advertising.

Ready to launch? Drop us a line and we’d be happy to look at your plans. A robust public relations push at launch is worth the effort, creating possibility far into the future.