Written by Curt Bennink, senior PR editor. Before starting with Lessing-Flynn, he spent more than 25 years in the construction media industry.

Having spent more than 25 years as an editor, I’ve seen my fair share of press releases. If I made a conservative estimate, I would say I saw five press releases a week. After two and a half decades, that means I’ve seen more than 6,000. With experience like that, you could say I know what stands out from the crowd. Here are five tips to make your press release attract attention too.

 

Keep it concise and accurate

The press releases I’ve seen have run the gamut in terms of length — from an image with five bullet points to five-page documents. The best ones were somewhere in the middle. A concise message drives engagement.

Limit marketing language that most editors are trained to immediately delete. These include:

Stick to the facts. This is a press release, not a marketing brochure. If you do make claims in a press release, back them up. One claim that I almost always cut was “world’s first” or “industry’s first”. A lot of innovations introduced in the last 100 years didn’t catch on. Did you know electric trucks have served in niche applications for over 100 years? Or that there were battery-powered trucks being sold in the 1920s? If you publish a world’s-first claim, someone will be quick to point out it’s already been tried.

 

Use an attention-grabbing headline

A great headline tells editors why they should care. A common industry practice is to stick to an age-old formula: ABC company introduces XYZ product. This leaves out an important element — why is this product being introduced and what problem does it solve?

If you really want to stand out, switch to benefit-driven headlines. Imagine speaking directly to your target audience. Why would they care about this news? If you speak to that, the outlets with similar audiences will see more value in your release. After all, you are doing the editor’s work for them.

Don’t rely on marketing language to make your point. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up with a headline that doesn’t mean anything. One of my favorite examples is: XX Truck Raises the Bar Again: New Truck is Even Tougher, Smarter, More Capable. What problem does that solve? None.

 

State the benefits (not just the features and specs)

Just like with your headlines, benefits are essential to your release copy. But remember: Benefits and features are not the same thing.

Many press releases, particularly in the construction equipment industry, provide a laundry list of features. To make that more useful, connect the dots for the reader. Here are some examples:

A benefits-based approach may resonate with readers who are looking for solutions to common work challenges. It will also help explain the benefits of features a reader might not be familiar with.

You might wonder where specs fit into this equation. A press release packed with every machine spec is difficult to read and therefore less effective. Carefully choose the specs you wish to include in the copy. And remember: It is perfectly acceptable to include the specs at the end of the release or provide a link to the complete machine specs. This can even be a call to action for the editor.

 

Don’t bury the lede

Editors are trained to write in an inverted pyramid style, placing the most important information at the beginning of the article and arranging the remaining details from most to least important. This makes it easy to lay the article out for publication. You simply cut from the bottom until it fits.

Expect your news releases to get treated the same way. Editors are busy, so junior editors are often tasked with handling the never-ending pile of incoming press releases. They may not be as well-versed in your product or service so don’t expect them to invest time extracting the most important information from the release.

Make it easy for them by using the familiar inverted pyramid style. This will help ensure your most valuable message doesn’t end up being cut for space.

 

Include images, graphics or video

According to the 2023 State of the Media Report from Cision, press releases with images or other visual assets get six times more engagement than those without them.

In one of my previous positions, editors couldn’t post a press release without an image because our content management system didn’t even allow it.

High-resolution images are the most desirable since they can be used in print or downsized for digital. If no images of your product or service exist at launch time, don’t try to game the system with your logo. A carefully designed graphic can serve as a good substitute.

In the current digital environment, outlets appreciate video assets. But images and video content take up a lot of space. Sending these assets directly in an email is not practical, so downloadable email links are often preferred.

Some of the more progressive companies post their press releases and all associated assets on a dedicated public relations page on their website. This gives editors a central location to find all the latest information from these companies. As an editor, I bookmarked a couple of the more useful pages which were used on several occasions.

The quality and effectiveness of news releases distributed by members of the construction market continue to vary. Implementing these five attention-grabbing tips is just one of the ways you can make your press release stand out.

Interested in seeing what the Lessing-Flynn public relations team can do for your business? Contact us!

Professional development is the cornerstone of competitive and impactful public relations (PR) practitioners. There’s perhaps no better professional development opportunity in the PR field than the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) process. An internationally recognized professional standard, the APR asserts professional competence, knowledge of cutting-edge practices and demonstrates a commitment to professional excellence.

Fewer than 2% of public relations practitioners in the United States have earned the distinction. As a result, an APR-certified partner can take PR efforts to a new level.

At Lessing-Flynn (LF), Katie James, APR, recently earned the professional designation. The lessons she learned are transforming how public relations is practiced and measured at the agency.

“The accreditation process taught me that PR is a management function between an organization and its stakeholders,” said James, one of just 56 accredited PR practitioners in Iowa. “The practice is so much more holistic than the way many businesses currently use PR.”

With no formal requirements needed to practice PR, many practitioners rely on past experiences and sound intuition. Those are certainly strengths for those working in public relations. However, knowledge of research, measurable objectives and results tied to a business’s overall goals elevate PR to a new standard.

 

Changing the way we look at public relations

Many businesses think of PR as a way to earn media mentions. While there are specialized practitioners like press agents and media relations managers, PR is much more than one discipline. An accredited PR practitioner is well-versed in the wide breadth of knowledge and skills needed to build relationships with a business’s external and internal stakeholders.

It is the role of PR to counsel management on public opinion and communicate persuasively with all stakeholders. Arthur Page, former vice president and director of AT&T is viewed by many as the father of corporate public relations. He was the first practitioner to assert that PR should have a seat at the management table. Viewing PR as a management function instead of a tactical arm allows an organization to leverage strategic counsel on business-wide efforts.

“The APR process has broadened my view of what constitutes a stakeholder,” said James. “We always think of end-users first, but employees, policymakers, residents in your business’s neighborhood and more should all be considered in management decisions.”

 

Transforming how we measure PR

Publicity value, media mentions and news release distributions can provide a good gut check on the effectiveness of a campaign. However, they don’t provide the ROI necessary to move the needle on true business goals. Whether it’s sales, awareness or another consumer action, the APR challenges practitioners to think in terms of behavior changes.

“I love sharing earned-media values when I know our efforts are getting some good traction,” said James. “Now, I can create even more value for clients by connecting how our PR efforts are changing stakeholder behaviors or attitudes that directly impact business ROI.”

Accredited practitioners are well-versed in writing tangible, measurable objectives that target a key audience, include a behavior or attitude change, and involve a timeline. And with well-written objectives, evaluation is straightforward.

 

Leveraging research and time-tested methodologies

Research might not be the first word that comes to mind when thinking of ways PR can improve your business. But strong communicators know research and data can make or break communications plans.

Research — whether primary, secondary, quantitative or qualitative — can be a key component in a successful plan. Before diving into tactics, an APR first asks, “What is the problem? How do we know it’s a problem?” Pausing for this question and doing the research to find the answer creates more targeted strategies to drive meaningful business outcomes. Writing comprehensive, integrated communications plans is the crux of the APR process.

APR-certified practitioners follow the research, planning, implementation and evaluation (RPIE) process to author impactful PR plans. This framework provides a rubric that connects PR efforts to overall business goals, PR goals, measurable objectives, strategies and tactics. Perhaps the most critical part of the APR process, this training makes writing plans second nature and contains the data and expertise to back up the recommendations.

As a result, LF clients receive timely, comprehensive plans that directly add value to their overall business goals.

Interested in working with Katie and the LF PR team? Contact us here.

Make your PR go further by challenging these common misperceptions.

For many businesses, public relations (PR) is considered a means to earn favorable media attention or a process to implement when a crisis emerges. While both can be true, PR is much more than media relations and crisis management. The true function of PR is to manage and build positive relationships with the complete array of a business’s key audiences.  Even so, there are misperceptions about the profession — even among practitioners.

You can add a feather to your business’ cap and expand the role PR plays in your organization by tackling three myths.

 

Myth #1: Public relations is about getting earned media.

Too often, businesses are wooed by the glamourous claims of PR firms promising national media stories. While national headlines are exciting and can drive awareness, they likely aren’t moving the needle on your business goals the same way a comprehensive strategic campaign could.

Additionally, if you’re only leveraging public relations for lofty earned media goals, you’re using about 5% of the true possibilities of the profession. PR is a broad management function between your organization and all your stakeholders. Your business must invest in building and maintaining positive relationships with employees (past and present), investors, board of directors, customers, dealers, community members and others. After all, without all of them, your organization likely wouldn’t exist.

The most competitive businesses know that leveraging PR professionals is about using strategic insights to drive business direction, internal counsel, and overall relationship building and maintenance with each key audience.

 

Myth #2: The value of PR is “intangible” and can’t be tracked.

How many times have you heard that the value of good public relations can’t be tracked like the success metrics in marketing or sales? If the value of public relations can’t be proven, why should the organization fund the department? It is up to public relations practitioners to advocate for our profession by demonstrating the clear impact of our work. If we can’t show the value of what we do, who can?

Public relations can be a huge driver of meaningful business outcomes. Every public relations activity and plan should be laddered up to overarching organizational goals and objectives. Tracking media mentions, reach and publicity value is fine, but should not be the end-all-be-all for sharing the value of PR efforts.

Your PR plans need to align strategies and tactics with overall business objectives and your key audiences. Then, PR efforts can be evaluated on whether those objectives were accomplished. Here’s an example.

Intangible impact on overall business: “Earn 15 media mentions by October.”

Meaningful impact on business: “Increase sales of new manure spreader model by 30% to farmers with 500+ head of cattle in one year.”

Note the SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound) nature of the meaningful objective. Additionally, it includes a key audience of the organization to further demonstrate how it will move the needle. While the first objective could inspire an earned-media strategy to accomplish the meaningful objective, it wouldn’t be able to stand alone in proving value to the organization.

 

Myth #3: Public relations lives separately from marketing and communications.

The PR, marketing and communications discussion has bewildered even the most tenured businesses. Let’s break it down.

Marketing attracts and satisfies customers to achieve a company’s economic objectives through quid-pro-quo relationships that include the exchange of services and funds.1

Communications is the execution arm of various business strategies. Communication tactics should always support business objectives.2

Public relations is a management function that creates strategies that most influence reputation and goodwill.3

Regardless of where your PR “lives” within your organization, it is a collaborative function that can unite your marketing and communications efforts. When PR is used how it was originally intended, your efforts can encompass both marketing and communications while prioritizing good relationships with your organization’s most important audiences.

Interested in seeing what the Lessing-Flynn public relations team can do for your business? Contact us!

 

  1. Broom, G. M., & Sha, B.-L. (2013). Confusion with marketing. In Cutlip & Center’s effective public relations (pp. 5–6). essay, Pearson.
  2. Broom, G. M., & Sha, B.-L. (2013). Communication theories and contexts. In Cutlip & Center’s effective public relations (pp. 167–168). essay, Pearson.
  3. Broom, G. M., & Sha, B.-L. (2013). Defining contemporary public relations. In Cutlip & Center’s effective public relations (pp. 5–6). essay, Pearson.

Is your standard public relations (PR) plan feeling a little lackluster? With the global PR market expected to reach $129 billion by 2025, ensure your PR plans effectively put your dollars to work.

A seasoned PR professional can help your brand develop a truly strategic PR plan with just a bit of time and effort. Starting with a strong foundation and adding a forward-thinking strategy will carry you far — especially when your plan is focused on the people your business/products serve.

Incorporating these three strategies can take your PR plan to the next level.

 

1. Keep people at the focus.

News releases and pitches are not an oil change. Simply showing up is not enough to expect results. Approach these efforts with your audience at the center for a truly meaningful strategy.

It’s easy to get excited about media headlines showcasing your brand’s big announcement. But any earned-media effort should keep these three questions top of mind:

  1. Does my announcement hold value for the audience I want to connect with?
  2. Am I adding value for media outlets with this news or am I expecting them to add value for me?
  3. Is my target audience at the focus of this plan or could I be more specific with my efforts?

Hold your brand accountable by ensuring your PR efforts genuinely add interest and value to the news cycle. This is the first step in cultivating mutually beneficial relationships with media partners and your end users.

 

2. Leverage transparency and outside-the-box communication.

Clickbait has been replaced with authenticity. Readers want real. Every parcel of your communication needs to be transparent and authentic to build credibility and rapport with your audience.

It is estimated 77% of companies will devote dollars to influencer marketing strategies each year. And for good reason. Partnering with a well-suited social media influencer or even local community leaders can carry your message further and offer instant credibility for your brand.

Who else could be interested in delivering your news? Is there potential to collaborate with another non-competitive brand? What about elected leaders?

According to Reach Solutions, 58% of consumers don’t trust a brand until they’ve seen “real-world proof” that it has kept its promises. Be the brand that delivers each time.

 

3. Spot-test your messaging.

We all know SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timebound) goals are important. But it’s easy to get carried away thinking about how successful a plan could be.

An easy way to “spot test” a communications strategy before it launches is to lean on trusted contacts before going public. Have your PR pro call on some of their best media relationships to see if the message truly resonates. You can also spot test your message with family members or other lay people who don’t have a background in the work you’ve been doing.

If they express any confusion or an overall lackluster response, it’s likely your message needs some work. And a PR pro with trusted media relationships should be able to tell you quickly if a strategy should go back to the drawing board.

At Lessing-Flynn (LF), we believe relationships are the vessel that make PR work meaningful. With people as our top priority, LF PR efforts are designed to connect our clients, media outlets and other influencers in a mutually beneficial way.

That’s because a truly strategic PR effort goes beyond checking off boxes. It builds relationships between your brand and your stakeholders.

And after your campaign is over, measuring results will help your next one perform stronger. While this may seem obvious, only 51% of PR pros in the U.S. use reporting software to track results.

Interested in connecting with PR pros who track results, have established relationships and genuinely care about your brand’s success? We’d love to talk with you. Get in contact with us here.

You live and breathe your company every day — and to you, everyone should be interested in every update and announcement. After all, it’s newsworthy content, right? We get it.

But consider that in 2021, the average person saw between 6,000 and 10,000 advertisements in just one day. Cutting through the noise to get your brand’s message across is no small feat — especially when the goal is to enhance your brand’s public relations efforts through earned media.

Ensuring your news releases are chock-full of valuable information your audience cares about is critical to not just being another bit of noise scrolled past during the day or ignored in their inbox.

To do this, ask yourself these three questions to determine if your topic is legitimate news – or just more noise.

1. How does this news improve my audience’s lives?

With a firm understanding of who the target audience is, take a no-holds-barred audit of what’s important to them. Does your news fall in that category? Does it make life easier, more enjoyable or serve a use for your audience? Proving information that offers value to others is the first step toward newsworthy content. Of course, those answers are often subjective, so the next question is asking yourself how a journalist would answer those questions.

LF client Champion Seed took this to heart in recent earned media pitches. Instead of promoting their brand, their products or their business goals, they offered value to farmers by leveraging one of their agronomist’s expertise in weed management. Six media interviews later, their brand was associated with real-time problem solving farmers needed to know at that time of year. Value, timeliness, and improving their audience’s lives – the earned media sweet spot.

2. Is this meaningful information or am I just promoting my brand?

Promoting your brand is important. You know that. But there’s a fine line between advertising and public relations. To distribute a news release is to expect media outlets to find your information so newsworthy, they are going to publish it for free. If you only want to promote your brand, advertising may be the better route. But if your news item can provide value for your audience, it is newsworthy content.

Take LF client Rantizo and their exciting news in the ag technology sector. They became the first company in the U.S. to gain historic approval to fly a drone that weighs up to 169 pounds when fully loaded. Their news release focused on the history-making aspect and the added value this drone provides for their customers. Meaningful, interesting and valuable, this release garnered ten pick-ups in ag and tech-focused publications.

3. Is this timely or specific to a certain group of people?

Timeliness is to news what location is to real estate – everything. Timeliness and locality are key for any news item. If you can identify a key target audience and make it clear in your release who that audience is, you’re one step closer to getting published. If your information is dated, or if it exists online elsewhere and has for more than a few days, you’re better to wait for the next news release opportunity. Try sending out your news release no later than two days after the fact or within a day of the content already being posted on your website. Media outlets want the exclusive – not what’s already been published elsewhere.

LF client Conterra Ag Capital took timeliness and location seriously with a new hire release. Targeting the region specific to that new hire, they saw pick-ups in ag publications that knew their audience could be impacted by the announcement. This information was fresh, did not exist elsewhere and came conveniently packaged with a ready-to-go photo. Easy, timely and local, this release did it all.

Every company announcement can be news, but not every announcement is newsworthy content. Taking time to strategically think about location, value and service to your audience can make all the difference in establishing your brand as a credible source of news and information.

Interested in learning more? Contact the PR professionals at Lessing-Flynn to see how strategy can get your news published.

Too many business owners, large and small, have the task of implementing a marketing strategy. The endless ideas and tactics that go along with it can be daunting. But what many don’t consider is that a PR strategy can be just as powerful as a massive marketing plan. When done well, PR can help generate new business, new clients and help with the recruitment of new employees. Not to mention, growing public awareness of your brand.

You might be thinking, “I do marketing, why do I need to do PR? What’s the difference?” From the outside, they might look the same, and they are frequently used interchangeably, but both efforts are very different. A PR strategy aims to evaluate and grow the attitudes toward your brand with both your target audience and the public at large. PR tactics are also usually something you don’t “pay” for, such as a blog post or working with a reporter to get a story about your company in a publication, like a trade magazine or the local newspaper.

Here are three manageable ways to implementing a PR strategy for your business, no matter the size or budget.

Be present on social media

These days, most brands don’t have the option to choose if they want to be present on social media, but they can decide how present they want to be. Being active on social media is a great way to engage with your target audience. Brands can also listen to what customers are saying about you through comments, likes, and shares. It’s a great direct line of communication with your target audience, outside of actually talking to them in person.

To leverage the most out of your PR strategy on social media, it is important to treat copy across all platforms differently. Read our tips on social media copywriting.

Become a content machine

One of the most effective ways to get your company out there is to create your own content through a blog or vlog (video blog) if you feel comfortable in front of the camera. These content pieces allow you to position yourself as the expert in your field by sharing tips and insights, commenting on industry trends and providing advice to potential customers or clients on what you might do in a similar situation. Kinda like this blog post, amirite?!

In addition to promoting PR content on internally owned channels, there are countless ways to engage new viewers through Smart PR efforts. Don’t worry, we’ve written an article on that, too.

Engage with the community

Engaging in the community is often overlooked and undervalued. This could mean volunteering your time with a nonprofit to provide them with a service you offer, such as marketing or accounting for example or sponsoring a local event in the community. This is referred to as corporate social responsibility (CSR). People notice when brands and companies are intentional about getting involved with the communities they serve.

Leveraging PR for your business doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking to be successful. There are many options depending on the marketing and business goals you are working to achieve. But the great thing about PR strategy is that it is very scalable. There are tactics and strategies to fit any schedule and budget.

We’ve got lots of reasons why it is important for marketing pros to get involved with local organizations. Get them here.

More reasons to invest in PR strategy

Need more reasons to invest in PR? We’ve got four more for you to consider.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in August 2017. It was updated in 2020 to reflect relevant changes trends related to PR strategy.

Perhaps one of the most overlooked aspects of a successful brand is its public relations tactics. In some instances, it may be hard to tell the difference between advertising and public relations, but they are different, and they can both be an asset to a business in their own way.

In the digital age, information spreads in the blink of an eye, and brands are competing for the public’s attention. It’s important to make the most of all resources available to help your brand become successful, stay successful and keep a competitive edge over brands seeking attention from the same audience.

 

1. Public relations is personal.

People are drawn to brands that value relationships with their audiences. When businesses produce compelling or relatable content that’s more than just one in the hundreds of advertisements they see every day, they’re more likely to remember and develop a sense of trust with the brand. These days, public relations tactics can be more powerful than ever. Brands are turning to social media, influencers, testimonials, podcasts and other third-party endorsements. These tactics provide positive exposure of the brand to the people who will get the most out of it. Personalized content through a PR strategy provides an opportunity to develop trust and earn credibility with the public as well as promote growth for the business.

 

2. Public relations tactics keep businesses competitive.

It’s plain and simple: If you don’t tell your brand’s story, someone else will. The internet and social media offer a constant flow of information to the consumer. Due to this, businesses are more susceptible to having misinformation spread about them. An audience’s perception can drastically affect a brand’s success. Actively investing in a strategy to control your brand’s narrative is worthwhile and effective. The most successful brands are held together by a foundation of PR pros. These professionals manage and protect the brand’s reputation and public awareness. Businesses that neglect the importance of public relations are likely to fall behind their competitors and, eventually, their bottom line will reflect that.

 

3. Public relations is a long-term solution.

A great public relations plan isn’t something that happens overnight or is a one-and-done deal. Yes, public relations can transform a brand, handle a crisis and build relationships with an audience. But those things take time and require constant management to make a positive impact. A great example is when businesses use PR as a recruitment tool. People always want to go to where the grass is greener, but if businesses don’t continue to use their sprinklers after drawing in the recruits, the grass will turn brown, and people will move on to a more well-cared-for lawn. Of course, this is just a figurative comparison, but you get the point.

PR is something a brand needs to commit to long term. A half-hearted PR strategy can end up being just as bad as no PR. Since public relations tactics and strategies are known to outlast the average advertisement, it’s important to invest in it and take it seriously. Brands don’t want to become textbook case studies for students to learn how NOT to handle a situation.

 

4. Public relations as earned media can make a difference.

Earned media can create just as much of an impact as paid or owned media. Although paid and owned media are much more controllable and predictable, earned media provides an opportunity for brands to work with what they’re given and think outside the box. The pure creativity that goes into PR is one of my favorite things about it. Most of the time, there’s no single right way to do something, which opens up many possibilities for brand growth. PR isn’t “free advertising” as one might assume. It’s all about strategic communication, deciding what’s newsworthy and creatively finding a way to make a mutually beneficial situation for the public and the brand.

Public relations tactics can help shape a brand’s image, promote its values, connect to its community and improve its influence. Being in control of your own brand’s narrative through public relations isn’t about deceiving the public as some may misunderstand it to be; it’s about owning your story and being transparent about who you are and what you do. At LF, we prefer the term “finesse,” and not just because of Bruno Mars (okay, maybe). But really, PR pros work to deliver the most honest and strategic messaging for their client to earn positive media attention with the ultimate goal of helping the business reach success. What business wouldn’t want that?

Editors note: This article was originally published on September 14, 2018. It has since been updated to reflect changing trends in public relations tactics.

When it comes to public relations strategy, getting an article placed in a magazine or an interview conducted on TV or radio just doesn’t cut it anymore. If you’re focused on the traditional media relations-only approach to PR, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity.

Don’t get me wrong, traditional media still has third-party credibility. Even today, despite the blurred lines between journalism and editorial, good reporters, editors and broadcasters are still respected sources of information that PR practitioners can leverage to their benefit. While placing a piece of content on a publisher’s platform used to be the end goal (and perhaps only goal), today we consider that just the beginning of a broader, more strategic approach to public relations we call “Smart PR.”

Traditional PR strategy has its limits

Consider this. The average consumer has literally thousands of media options today. They have multiple media channels to choose from: TV, radio, podcasts, magazines, newspapers, online video, streaming broadcasts, e-newsletters, social media and blogs.

Layered on top of that is a 24-hour news cycle that moves quickly and is so competitive. An article or story that was a headline yesterday is no longer even part of the news today.

In the past, when there were fewer media channels and a longer news cycle, getting your PR story placed was a success and would have been seen by a majority of viewers. That’s not true today.

Does your media relations strategy work?

People are consuming more media than ever before. And, they’re doing it at the same time. 45% of people always or often watch TV while simultaneously using their phone. That means their attention is split. According to e-Marketer, in 2019, the average American spent an average of nine minutes per day reading magazines, 11 minutes reading the newspaper, 3 and a half hours watching TV and 6 and a half hours consuming digital media. Let’s say that your public relations strategy earned an interview on a respected local news broadcast.

Your hope is that the show’s audience consists of the right customers (and that there’s enough of them). You want these people interested in your brand and product or service. They may be watching the whole newscast. But they’re also reading something on their phone so they may miss your segment entirely.

All your public relations strategy comes down to is if your story is in front of the right people at the right time. Is your story enough to intrigue them and convince them to act if they’re only half paying attention?

But what if you can take that same story and put it directly in front of your ideal target audience with the same credibility? What if this happened at the frequency and timing of your choosing across several weeks or months using media that your audience spends the most time using?

What is Smart PR?

Smart PR leverages earned media and owned content with sophisticated audience targeting and promotional tactics. You target the exact audience you want, using the channels they prefer.

It’s using the social media targeting power of Facebook and LinkedIn. It also uses targeted native advertising through publishers to place articles within online editorial formats. Plus, it’s leveraging your owned channels like an e-newsletter to get the story out. It’s delivering these articles to your ideal audience multiple times over a period of time.

You’re not dependent on a one-shot-and-done approach of traditional PR. It’s really about the old advertising adage that someone has to see something at least seven times before they respond. Applying that concept to “selling” content to your target audience is really no different.

smart pr content flow

Getting Smart PR right

Smart PR seems simple and when you think about it, the strategy really is a no brainer. But doing it effectively requires the right tools and strategy. Plus a few extra budget dollars to account for paid placements.

For example, we use a media database called Cision to identify media sources, bloggers and other influencers who may have the most interest in the types of stories we’re pitching for a client. We can layer that with our sophisticated targeting strategies based on current clients, current prospects and lookalikes. This determines the ideal target audience, messaging and channels most likely to be effective. And we use analytics tools that provide in-depth reporting on response. This allows us to pivot on messaging if we find it necessary.

PR and earned media is still a valid strategy to bring credibility to the story you’re trying to tell. But if you’re relying solely on traditional public relations strategy without extending your reach and targeting the right audience as part of that strategy using Smart PR, you are leaving a lot on the table.

Want to learn how Smart PR can be integrated into your marketing efforts? Drop us a line, we’re here to help. 

 

As timelines narrow, and days feel longer, the temptation to skip local face-to-face Iowa marketing events and focus on work, intensifies. That’s a mistake for three concrete reasons, however.

As a long-time board member and former president of the Iowa chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA Iowa), I see the value that comes from involvement in professional clubs and organizations. I have reaped the rewards of involvement time and time again and firmly believe it’s crucial for Iowa marketers to be aware of what they’re missing.

 

1. Local involvement demonstrates community commitment.

As marketing professionals and leaders, it is our responsibility to contribute back to the profession, supporting the industry not only through sponsorship but also by getting involved. This has real benefits too.

Iowa has an incredibly strong and connected marketing community, in part to the wide variety of local professional organizations that contribute to keeping it vibrant, competitive and fun. Because of the tightly connected Iowa marketing community, you and your company’s actions make an impact.

Association members, including potential clients or employees, are keenly aware of which companies are investing in the Iowa marketing community and who is noticeably absent. Becoming the champion and showing your commitment to the industry is rewarding for the community and your company.

 

“At Lessing-Flynn, it’s vital for us to support local organizations because they do so much for our business. From providing out-of-office growth opportunities for our team, to opening up new connections, we all love seeing how our involvement makes a difference both in our office and in the community.”

— Emily Nichols, AMA Iowa member and former board member

 

2. Involvement with Iowa marketing groups builds key relationships.

Breaking away from the day-to-day environment to connect with others in the industry is refreshing, inspiring and motivating. The relationships built, serve as key resources outside the office and provide a broader perspective on the market.

In my personal experience, it’s surprising how small the Iowa marketing community and industry as a whole actually is. When you connect, you’ll quickly realize this community is tight-knit. The friendly faces at a social or educational event quickly become mentors, vendors, clients and even your latest new hire. Meeting with these folks in a more casual environment where specific projects and work demands aren’t top-of-mind also builds a deeper personal connection. Connections like these are key in growing not just the community as a whole, but your own company’s marketing prowess.

 

“Like many other organizations, Iowa NAMA is a great space for networking – bringing together C-Suite executives, Iowa State University students and everyone in between. The Iowa NAMA chapter has been a great space for me to grow my professional network and meet new talent to recruit! In my time on the Iowa NAMA Board, I have seen a few key positions be filled through relationships built and fostered through NAMA events.”

— Ellie Wyatt, NAMA member and former board member

 

3. Organization involvement provides unique professional development.

At the foundation of all professional organizations is a focus on continuing education and professional development of its members. And while this is directly accomplished by attending speakers and workshops, there are educational bi-products that result as well.

It’s true attendees of various Iowa marketing organizations are re-energized, and bring back new ideas, broadening their industry knowledge, but committee volunteers and board members also provide each other with a great ad-hoc platform for refining skills they weren’t aware they even had.

Members curious about exploring using Instagram stories or trying their hand at planning a fundraising event need only to raise their hand. With a willing group of unlikely educators, you’ll be a pro in no time, developing leadership skills in a low-risk environment. Leading a team of volunteers is no easy task, but it’s a fast-track way to boost your leadership growth and gain some unique leadership experiences.

 

“The skills I utilize as a creative director are mostly associated with creating content and overseeing a team of creative professionals. Conversely, in my role as co-director of programs for AAF, I utilize a much different skill set that puts a greater emphasis on strategy, planning and coordinating logistics. The challenges I face in this role certainly give me a better understanding of the everyday responsibilities of the Lessing-Flynn client services team.”

— Joe Winn, AAF board member

 

The benefit of getting involved in local marketing organizations is clear and events like the Metro Marketing Mixer – Central Iowa’s premier networking event for Iowa marketers – might just be a great place to start. (It’s back for the second year on January 23rd, and you can Register now!)

 

Hosted by American Advertising Federation (AAF) American Marketing Association (AMA), National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA), Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and Social Media Club: Des Moines (SMCDM) — this event is the perfect opportunity to learn more about each organization and network with your marketing peers.

As the sixth-generation farmer and an advertising professional, you could say I’m a little critical when it comes to the many messages used to target the agriculture community. I’ve seen it all — companies using the wrong crop pictures, ads talking about problems they think we’re facing and we’re not — my personal favorite is the Chick-fil-a Holstein cow mascot saying “eat more chicken” because it saves the cow *insert eye-roll*.

 

We Appreciate It

The trend in marketing to farmers over the past several years has been to “thank a farmer”. This phrase usually pops up on National Ag Day or National Farmer’s Day. Countless companies and corporations have jumped on the bandwagon to thank the industry every year.

Who could forget that Dodge commercial that debuted and aired during the 2013 Super Bowl? You know the one — Paul Harvey’s infamous 1978 ‘So God Made a Farmer’ speech over powerful, authentic farming images. I can’t lie, it made this Ford owner contemplate the switch to Dodge. Sure, my family and I enjoy eating at Culver’s after a long day of baling small square bales because of their strong and active support of the American farmer. I mean, why not support a place that supports you and your livelihood?

 

Man tends to calf and mother

But, Stop Thanking Farmers

The “Thank a farmer” messaging has been a great tool to boost consumer awareness of farms and their food. Corporations talk about the dedication, sacrifices and the passions of farmers. They’ve acknowledged the general lifestyle of the farmer and farm families, but we’ve reached a turning point. We should stop thanking farmers and implore audiences to trust farmers.

A decade ago, the target audience of this messaging was primarily people who were three, if not four generations removed from the farm. This decision led to many misconceptions about the industry. Today, those misconceptions have grown and multiplied.

Farmers live in a world today where plant-based burgers are trying to replace actual beef patties as the healthier option. Politicians and celebrities are promoting a vegan lifestyle and blaming farmers for “ruining the earth” because cattle send methane and carbon emissions into the atmosphere.

We also hear the common misconceptions. Chemicals being overused, secreting into our water systems. Organic and all-natural food being better for you.  GMO food or GMO-fed meat can cause cancer or harm to your body.  And organic food has less environmental impact than conventional food production. These all support the idea that farmers don’t care about our land, the water or the planet and that couldn’t be further from the truth.

 

Try a Little Trust

Now is the time to encourage the trust of farmers. Trust us when we say there is a withdrawal period after a sick animal is treated with an antibiotic before it can be sold for market and enter our food supply. Or when we say that “all-natural” labeling is an unregulated marketing ploy used to increase sales. Or when we say we are good stewards of the land, using advanced technology to increase efficiency and decrease runoff.

Much like any successful campaign, there is always a follow-up campaign that piggybacks off the former. ‘Trust a farmer’ is messaging that my fellow farmers and I want to hear next.

Whether it be at a little league baseball game, a grill out with friends, a wedding or any sort of mingling, we do our best to educate and inform the general consumer the best we can about what we do, especially when the follow-up questions or conversation take place.

We can’t do it alone

Preston holds calf with adult cow standing nearby

As farmers, we want big corporations, companies and people with platforms to stick up for us. There are lots of general misconceptions and a negative narrative that has been painted of us. We want others coming forward and saying “Trust these families and these farms.” We want people to understand that we are doing things right for our land, water, communities, food, earth and air.

And we want people to know that we are some of the smartest and most curious people out there, trying to problem solve like the rest of you.

With the help of data, science, technology and the community, we are doing our best to make data-driven decisions, meet customer demands, advance our efficiency and protect our planet while putting nutritious and affordable food on the table.

Much like many consumers and corporations, farmers are doing things to make the land and world a better place for the next generation so that we continue to evolve and prosper. We’re on your side, and we want what you want — trust us.

 

Have you ever heard of the term “agvocate?” Well maybe you haven’t heard that word before, but you probably know an agvocate or maybe you are one! An agvocate is an agriculture advocate — arguably one of the most important roles in agriculture.

 

THE AGVOCATE TEST

 

WELCOME TO THE AGVOCATE CLUB

If the points above sound a lot like you, welcome to the club — as a fellow agvocate and agri-marketing professional I’d like to offer some food for thought.

 

As farmers, we wear a lot of hats. We are the Albert Einstein of our land and crops. We know our soil make ups. We decide when it’s time to use cover crops, when to irrigate land, when to spray, when to practice no-till and so many other factors. We are the Rocky Bolboa of getting stuff done — working sunrise to sunset and even longer during planting and harvest seasons. And we are the Mother Theresa of caring for our livestock. After all, our family’s income depends on every single animal’s well-being.

 

But sometimes things go wrong. We spend sleepless nights — calving, farrowing, kidding — doing everything you can to give every newborn a chance only to lose them anyway. Sometimes we plan our planting and spraying meticulously only to have Mother Nature ruin our plans. When we think about how to reach consumers and how to connect with them, these are the kinds of life events that we should also be sharing.

 

TRUE AGVOCACY EMBRACES CHANGE

Agvocacy and agriculture marketing efforts should involve more transparency, recognizing that sometimes things are out of the ag industry’s control — we should always be open to ideas and solutions. We as agriculturalists can get so stuck in our ways that we are not open to others options and choices.

 

For example, we all know that meat can be an expensive food choice, and protein is important to our diets. But, the recent launch of the “ImpossibleTM Burger” by Impossible Foods stirred up a lot of negative talk in the agriculture community. The company said they created a better, meat-less hamburger patty using just plants.

Sure that can sounds a little crazy to most of us who love our juicy beef patties, and maybe it was the word “better” that rubbed us the wrong way. But consider the possible positive impacts that a plant-based protein can provide for world hunger, why not entertain the idea? If this product could reduce costs and help struggling families that’s a great thing! We don’t need to bash new ideas for fear of our market share — animal production will always be important and if meatless patties become in-demand they will need someone to grow the plants to make them, right?

 

DON’T FAULT THE UNEDUCATED (OR AT LEAST TRY NOT TO)

Consumers today are also more thirsty for knowledge than ever before; they want to understand where their food comes from and how it got to their plate. Can you blame them? As keepers of the agriculture flame, it is up to us to make a connection with those that are removed from the farm, not to decide what kind of food a consumer should be feeding their family .

 

It is up to us to have a conversation with classmates, coworkers and strangers sitting next to us on the plane to share what we do for a living. Not to instill in their brains that they need to love everything agriculture, but to be a person that they can ask questions to about things that they just don’t understand. For example, instead of getting mad when someone says they are anti-GMO — ask them to explain their rationale and then correct any misinformation with reliable resources and facts. The rest is up to them.

 

LET’S TAKE THE HIGH ROAD

If you are involved in agriculture, I challenge you be an agvocate that supports new ideas, corrects misinformation with facts and personal experiences, champions the importance of agriculture and answers the questions from critics and bystanders.

 

It’s easy to get frustrated, but it is up to us to have an open-door policy where consumers can learn. After all, we cannot fault the ones that haven’t experienced the magic of agriculture for simply not knowing the full story.

Vermeer Corporation is the manufacturer of one of the toughest yellow iron seen on industrial jobsites around the world. Customers look to Vermeer, to find innovative products for niche markets to help them get their tough work done. With every hole drilled, tree chipped, bale rolled and rock crushed, their customers are doing more.

 

The Situation

Vermeer® launched their new D40x55DR S3 Navigator® horizontal directional drill (HDD), which specializes in drilling in rocky ground conditions, during a major trade show year in 2017. After the launch, Vermeer presented an exciting challenge for the Lessing-Flynn (LF) team: How do we to keep the hype going for the new drill now that the trade show season has ended?

 

Knowing the key goal was to promote awareness and boost equipment sales for a new-to-market machine, LF and Vermeer worked to execute a series of road show-style events hosted by local Vermeer dealerships to put the D40x55DR S3 HDD in front of as many existing and potential customers as possible.

 

The Solution

As an ongoing strategic partner for Vermeer, we know in the world of construction and utility equipment the average path to purchase could take as long as eighteen months. This timeline means Vermeer needs to reach potential customers at just the right time and then stick with them along their purchase journey.

 

The road show event series would provide crucial exposure for the D40x55DR S3 HDD using a series of four events over the course of five weeks. Locations with rocky ground conditions were selected to host the events to help showcase the capabilities of the new drill and appeal to the local contractors who work in those conditions every day. The Rock the Iron theme, provided a fun way to incorporate a creative tie to the rocky conditions that the new drill specializes in.

 

At-Show Experience

Each Vermeer dealership hosting a Rock the Iron Road Show event invited current and potential customers to attend. Events were hosted either in the morning with a catered breakfast or lunch or in the afternoon, followed by a happy hour reception. LF created custom landing pages, a library of promotion materials and a hype video for each dealership to promote their event. Vermeer team members were on-hand to host presentations and machine walk-arounds as well as facilitate customer demos of the machine. A DJ was hired for each event to play music to enhance the rock band theme. At the end, attendees were given custom-branded Vermeer swag to take home including a soft-side cooler, growler, drink koozie, hat and t-shirt.

 

At-Home Experience

To bring the road show experience to those who could not attend, Vermeer and LF worked together to create a series of recap videos for each show location that highlighted a different competitive advantage of the Vermeer D40x55DR S3 HDD. Each video was shared on social media channels and posted to the custom landing page. For those not located near one of the locations, a contest was hosted to give away a trip for two to attend one of the road show stops. At the conclusion of the road show, targeted, media placements were purchased with industry publications to send custom e-newsletters, articles and recap videos.

 

The Results

A total of more than 250 people attended the Rock the Iron Road Show events. Six videos were created and posted to social channels garnering a reach of more than 104,900 people with more than 170,000 video views and over 9,400 post engagements. The custom landing page also received over 5,000 total views that converted traffic with event RSVPs or drove them to the D40x55DR S3 HDD equipment page on Vermeer.com.

 

 

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