The “Final Four” Tips for Business PR

Whether you’re a lifelong college basketball fan or just looking to test your luck with some friendly office competition, March Madness is an exciting change-up to your daily routine. We’ve seen some unexpected upsets this year heading into the ‘Final Four,’ and I can’t help but think about how each team’s journey to reach this point reflects startups rise to the top within their industries.

While we’re in the spirit of the game, here’s a look at how PR can help businesses go from an unknown to a thriving team to reckon with in the media.

Develop a solid game plan

Consider your product and services to be your team’s home court. It is the heart and soul of your business. But while they’ll set you up to play, implementing the right media strategy will land you the extra points to secure a win.

Here’s where a PR professional can help you develop a solid game plan to serve your business’s media goals. First, you’ll build a brand narrative. A core set of messaging points to convey a better understanding of your story and how it relates to the broader marketplace. Second, you’ll organize announcements strategically to spread out campaigns and promote each at key points to grow media interest around your story.

Study your competition

If you want to beat your competition, the first step is to know your competition. How are companies in your space executing their campaigns and who are they talking to in the media? Boiling down these factors will help you reassess your own strategy. Are you doing enough to stay ahead?

Work with your PR firm to define and hone a fresh perspective on a relevant industry trend. Together, you’ll develop a set of industry themes to elevate your thought leadership efforts.  Changing the narrative will be the Cinderella-story media will bite.

There’s no “I” in Team

While some teams have star players like Duke’s Zion Williamson, as we saw in Michigan State’s upset of the overwhelming favorite, anyone is vulnerable to a unified team. It’s important to educate the entire team on how to promote the media placements that you and your PR firm generate. Your team members don’t have to be thought leaders to contribute, but they can still get in the team spirit.

Your organization’s members will drive more traffic to the company’s social channels and website if they are consistently active and engaging on social media. And if you’re unsure of how to use social platforms effectively, your PR professional should provide guidelines to get you started.

From Bandwagon Fans to Diehard Fanatics

When it comes to college basketball, there are dedicated fans who will stick around for the long haul, while others are only watching the single-elimination tournament. From a business perspective, retaining your audience is the end goal. So while you may want to delve into different topics in your industry, it’s important to keep your story focused when engaging with media. Knowing who you’re targeting will help you stay aligned with your brand narrative.

If you’re ready to be the champion of your industry, get in touch with Paragon PR and let us help you win!