So, you’ve spotted a void in the marketplace, conceived a savvy business concept, studied your customer demographics, and launched your company. Now, you’re staring at a blank “image canvas,” feeling overwhelmed as you scan your skeletal website, unwritten press releases and barren social media pages, wondering how to find the words to bring your business to life.
Crafting a dynamic image and developing a powerful voice is almost as important as setting up the business itself—if your customer base doesn’t hear you, or it hears you and is not moved, you’re not likely to get very far. Before you start exploring the many available platforms to gain exposure—from YouTube to the broadcast outlets to social media networks—you should ensure you’ve nailed down your messaging concepts and defined your business with carefully chosen words.
Here are some essential items for your “content campaign checklist”:
Essential PR Checklist
Messaging
Messaging is critical content that states clearly and compellingly who you are, what you do, and why it matters. It should have a consistent presence in all of your PR material.
Boilerplate
The boilerplate language for news releases states simply who you are and what you do, incorporating your key messages. Craft a few paragraphs that can be shared publicly, including basic profile information such as where you’re based, what you offer, when you formed, and what your main differentiators are. It should also include a link to your website.
Pillars
Think about what you stand for. Identify three “pillars,” or guiding principles that serve as the foundation of your business—such as integrity, transparency and innovation—and explain how they apply and why they’re important. These guiding principles serve as the foundation for your business and can be shared on your website, but are also intended to unify your company’s thinking internally regarding your basic values.
Narrative
Build a flowing narrative that captures compelling aspects of your personal journey or reveals something remarkable about your company’s evolution. This should be less about products or services, and more about moving your audience with stories on how you overcome adversity or experienced professional triumph. It could tell the story of your company’s remarkable genesis or explore an intriguing perspective on one of its differentiators.
Proof points
Make a list of “proof points,” or the hard evidence that backs up the more subjective statements.
Launch release
Write and distribute a news release announcing your launch. This is your official introduction to the public that explains what you do, shares contact information, and announces your availability to reporters. It should incorporate your messaging and any current events that make your launch timely and relevant.
Blog platform
Build a list of potential topics you can explore as part of a blog platform to be posted on your website or on social media sites. The platform is intended to showcase your personality, develop your voice, promote your company, communicate your vision, and establish your expertise.
Develop angles based current events, and identify ideas that can be shaped into compelling commentary and unique personal perspectives. The topics should be crafted to engage your target audience, but also attract the attention of reporters who might want to interview you. They could incorporate aspects of your personal story or explore your views on current events related to your business.
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