If you’re a PR professional looking to expand your company’s reach in front of new audiences, you should start by speaking to people inside your own organization. In this era of storytelling, we must accept that everyone has a story to tell.
In addition to speaking with your business development managers about what’s stirring, arrange to have conversations with people on your website development team to find out what they’ve learned of late. Catch up on what account executives and customer service representatives are hearing from customers.
I’ve learned firsthand through casual check-ins here at Shutterstock how much my colleagues across the board have to offer. What started as a fact-finding mission, to uncover ideas for highlights that deserve consideration for press, has turned into something even better. I’ve discovered stories that my colleagues are primed to share.
In the first quarter of 2015, I worked alongside 11 different people at our company on different press opportunities. When PR teams are doing their jobs best, they are thinking broadly and making the right contacts and connections. In each of these cases, the representative we selected to discuss the project or product at hand was the resident expert.
Traditionally, companies balked at the thought of putting coders, designers or researchers directly in front of reporters. But, it’s time for a change: Many millennials are not only capable of building a better wheel, they’re excited to tell you about what makes it so much better. Moreover, it’s valuable for company morale — employees feel proud not only of the work they’ve done, but also for receiving recognition and fair representation for their achievements.
One interview stands out from the rest. I had paired up a product owner who knows his business better than anyone to speak with a small-business writer. Ahead of the call, he walked in asking me for talking points or notes from which he could draw. When I told him that this was all his, he questioned my judgment. I assured him that he’d do fine and he should speak to the reporter the way he speaks to the rest of us.
The interview went so well that afterward the reporter sent me a note telling me how much she enjoyed it. Not only did she wind up doing the story, but we’re also now a reliable resource from which to draw in the future. If you give reporters access to the right people at your organization, who will move the story forward, they’re much more likely to lean on you. There’s a trust and authenticity there that you must hold in an equally high regard.
With this strategy, you can grow your business’s exposure faster, while still being judicious about which opportunities to pursue. The proliferation of internet content means there are more places than ever to get noticed, and more stories being worked than ever before.
When young reporters are starting out and growing their networks, it’s worth reaching out to them to see if you can be of service to them with a source. You never know where the junior reporters will wind up five or 10 years down the line, and it’s useful to form lasting relationships early on. As they move around, change beats, or have evolving needs, they’ll think of you when the time is right.
It all starts with what you can offer them. I know I’m not doing my job unless I’m talking to colleagues as much as I’m dealing with reporters.
Danny Groner is manager, blogger partnerships and outreach at Shutterstock in New York City.
