IR-PR-Corporate Communications Services for Start-ups & Game Changers Seeking to Raise Capital, Raise Awareness and Win New Business
Most established corporations, whether private companies or those listed on public exchanges, and many start-ups positioned as game changers operate within competitive, if not highly crowded sectors. To advance their respective value propositions, entrepreneurs and thought leaders use properly structured IR and PR (Investor Relations and Public Relations) programs to set themselves apart from the competition. These programs ensure that company executives and brand ambassadors communicate with news media channels and reporters in a manner that will influence those who deliver the ultimate messaging to the end consumers and constituents. Extensive profiles, or even mere well-crafted mentions in the media help companies “punch above their weight class”. Raising awareness in this way helps position those companies and their team members as thought leaders and innovators, especially in features, trend pieces and other areas of coverage.
Potential corporate clients as well as end customers who are researching manufacturers, service providers and product offerings will take two paths to locate a provider, often concurrently. Those paths include (i) soliciting trusted partners and acquaintances (best known as “referrers”), and (ii) navigating online search engines, including reviews and news articles that profile a specific service or product. It is important to note that leading studies have shown those “looking for” queries are typically limited to examining the first page of search results. This means that a brand embracing best practices will have taken various steps to ensure that they can be found easily and quickly by those seeking those respective product/services. An important key to top ranking on search engines is having a portfolio of consistent, quality media coverage. This tactic can dramatically improve a company’s rankings in these results, as it will lead to higher website traffic and social media interactions. More people visiting corporate websites and interacting with branded social media inevitably leads to increased lead generation and conversions.
How Can PPM Experts Help?
The IR-PR-Corporate Communications Services team at PPM and trusted consultants adhere to the thesis that properly-advanced public relations and marketing communications programs will best raise brand awareness. This is achieved through targeted campaigns that are designed to influence a specific audience by positioning company representatives as topic experts and thought-leaders. Companies that serve a very specific niche are often able to demonstrate this knowledge through the strategic use of earned, owned, paid and shared media results across a wide spectrum of outlets and media.
The most reliable media relations advisors and consultants work with companies and individuals by first learning about those clients’ specific areas of expertise and what differentiates those providers from their competitors. Thereafter, the media relations advisor will capture insights to form cohesive messages intended to produce coverage across television, radio, mainstream newspapers and magazines, trade publications, online videos, podcasts, social media, corporate blogs and more. These results can range from insights regarding current trends to breaking news to executive profiles, along with product launch features, contributed content and even surveys. All of these demonstrate domain expertise and added-value when prominently featured on company websites and social media, in sales materials and in newsletters shared with current clients.
Leveraging Industry Conferences and Corporate Events
- When hosting or participating in a major event, media outreach campaigns that support this type of effort enable organizers to drive attendance and media coverage by raising overall awareness and interest among key demographics and media outlets.
- Consultants also often work with executives to plan speeches and presentations. Often referred to as a “speaker’s bureau,” consultants worth their weight will secure speaking opportunities, draft the speeches, assemble presentation decks, and along the way, provide presentation coaching.
Media Mentions Deliver 3rd Party Credibility
- Making reference to media generates marketing collateral and within company operated social media. Websites generate sales leads by placing a company’s top experts front-and-center in reporting on topics of interest to target audiences. Media results should be leveraged across social media because they will reach a captive audience eager to interact with your brand and drive more traffic to the article. Higher traffic raises an article’s rank in Google, also for links embedded throughout, and will continue raising mindshare long after the interview airs or the article is published.
- The more frequently your targeted audience notices your company mentioned on television and/or cited in major news and industry publications, the better the chance your audience will want to learn more about your company or firm. This 3rd-party credibility serves as a catalyst, and is a proven method to increasing inbound inquiries, as well as increasing the size of audience that follows your branded online social media accounts.
Who, Where, How, Why and Where Our Public Relations Experts Add Value
Our team of experts has decades of combined experience that extends across finance, newsrooms and public relations. Having sat on all three sides, we understand your needs and objectives and can effectively and efficiently communicate your value proposition to target audiences by leveraging a robust “rolodex” of media and influencer relationships across the globe.
- Public companies, those about to go public via an IPO, those who are considering an initial public offering and those engaged in a “Testing the Waters” initiative to raise capital via a Reg D private offering can leverage the knowledge of our in-house investor relations experts, enabling a coordination of efforts and more effective promotion of company activities and expertise.
- Investor Relations Initiatives. Whether promoting a ‘testing the waters’ campaign or communicating with existing investors, companies of every profile that have or are aiming at investors can learn more about PPM corporate communication services by contact us via email or phone. Simply go to //contact-us/