Public Relations (PR)& Communication toolkit
Building your business througheffective communications

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Table of Contents

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The Basics of Public Relations (PR)Why do I need to do this?.......................................................................................5
What is PR?.................................................................................................................5
What is an Elevator Pitch?.......................................................................................7
How do you give something the ‘Why Should I Care’ factor?........................8
What are key messages?.........................................................................................8
How to create a basic communications plan.....................................................10

How to get news of your company published
Why do I need to do this?.......................................................................................11
What is your Business Narrative?...........................................................................11
Step 1 – Writing a Press Release.............................................................................12
Step 2 – Pitching your Press Release....................................................................14
Step 3 – Follow ups...................................................................................................17
Step 4 – Preparing for interviews..........................................................................17
Step 5 – Giving your content legs.........................................................................19

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How to use social media as an effective business tool
Why do I need to do this?....................................................................................22
What is SEO?...........................................................................................................22
How to use the various social media platforms:
Step 1 – Creating and maintaining a blog........................................................23
Step 2 - Using Twitter as a business tool..........................................................24
Step 3 - Getting your brand on Facebook.......................................................27
Step 4 - Getting your brand on LinkedIn.........................................................27
Step 5 - Considering other social media platforms.......................................28
External Resource - Using social media effectively........................................29

How to tell good business stories
Why do I need to do this?......................................................................................32
Step 1 – Finding the right stories to tell...............................................................33
Step 2 – Writing an effective story.......................................................................35

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Measuring my ROI

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Conclusion

How do I measure the ROI of my PR?.........................................................36

Why should I use PR in my marketing?........................................................37

If I was down to my last
dollar, I’d spend it on
public relations.
-Bill Gates

The basics of PR01

Why do I need to do this?
Many start-ups have taken the lead of Bill Gates and have invested in PR which demonstrates theneed for new businesses to get their message out there with a focus on cultivating a positive
reputation to increase demand and generate leads.
Creating key messages will form the backbone of all your messaging and this needs tocommunicate the mission and values of your business in a compelling and memorable manner.
PR will also help you to manage your reputation and build good relationships with yourcustomers and stakeholders, which will motivate them to take the actions you want.

What is PR?
“Public Relations Management is the practice of deliberately managing the release and spreadof information between an individual or an organization and the public.” Wikipedia.
Whilst one can understand the Wikipedia definition above, the example below illustrates it in amore humorous context:
If a young man tells his date how handsome, smart and successful he is – that’s advertising.
If the young man tells his date she’s intelligent, looks lovely and is a great conversationalist,
he’s saying the right things to the right person – that’s marketing.
If someone else tells the young woman how handsome, smart and successful her date is –that’s PR!

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There are three different channels you can use when doing your PR:

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Owned
Property that you own and control
Company website, brochures, blog,
Facebook page or internal newsletter.

Paid
Advertising
Newspaper, magazine, billboard, TV,radio, Facebook or Twitter adverts.

What are the benefits
It allows you to create your own content
with unique messaging, tone and stylethat cannot be altered. You can share
this messaging wherever and whenever
you want.

What are the benefits
It is a good way to promote your content,
attract new followers and drive them toyour owned channels. However, it is lessvaluable than earned media.

3
EarnedWord-of-mouth advertising
When someone outside of your businessshares stories about your brand e.g.
Journalist articles, forums, social media
shares.
Why it’s good
This is the best kind of channel as it’s athird-party endorsement of your brandthat people are more likely to trust.

Note: All three channels are important to your communications strategy. It is up to you how you evaluate these channels anddecide where to allocate your resources.

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What is an Elevator Pitch?
An elevator pitch is a short and compelling summary about you, or your business named from the time it takes toride an elevator which is typically 30 seconds long. It is one of the most basic and important pieces of PR and is an
essential tool to provide an overview of your business.

Fundamental factors to include in your elevator pitch:
1. Introduce yourself and your company
2. Identify the problem
3. Describe your solution and unique selling point (USP)
4. Highlight who makes up your team
5.End off with a compelling call to action

Tips for creating your elevator pitch:

Know youraudience

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Make it a
two-way
conversationby sparking
their interest

Keep it clear
and concise anduse everyday
language (nojargon)If you areaffiliated with
big-namebrands, work
this in. It shows
credibility

Give it the ‘Why
Should I Care?’factorPractice, practice,practice (record
yourself on yourphone or rehearsein front of themirror)

How do you give something the ‘Why Should I Care’ factor?
Make what you are saying relevant to the person you are talking to. They will care if you explain how your businesswill make their lives better.

Instead of saying:‘I have created an app to automatically heat chicken coops.’

Say‘My app helps poultry farmers increase their monthly income by reducing chicken mortality rates.’“No longer should we think of language primarily as a mechanism of conveyance, instead, we should think oflanguage as primarily a mechanism of influence.” Robert Cialdini – Author of Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to
Influence and Persuade.

What are key messages?
•Key messages are the foundation of your communication strategy•Key messages will form the backbone of all your communication materials•Key messages influence your target market
Note: A key message is not a tagline or a slogan but rather a guideline to be used in conversation.

Tips for creating your key messages:• Define your audience. What are you trying to say to them? What do they care about?
• Use simple words and cut the adjectives• Revisit your organizational mission, strategies, goals and beliefs. If part of why you started a business is because
you believe in creating employment, say so, and link it back to why creating employment is important• Back up what you say with facts• Show local relevance• Test if it’s memorable. Can you remember it? Can a friend remember it?
• Conduct a competitor analysis, you don’t want your message toosimilar to competitor messaging

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How to create a basic communications plan
When approaching your PR strategy, there should be a clear roadmap in the form of a detailed plan or matrix. This will include timelines,deliverables, tactics and channels. Most importantly, you need to focus on your goal, and the plan should map to this objective. This keeps
everyone on the same page and ensures that your efforts are consistently mapping to the same objective and reinforcing it.

Key areas to consider:
Target audiences. Try
and minimize it to yourthree most importantones or it will get
complicated. Somemessages will also
overlap audiences.

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The broader
business goals andhow PR can help toachieve them.

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Frequency: For
example, one
newsletter per
quarter/five
Facebook
updates per week

Channels ofcommunication:
How will you
deliver themessages andstories to them?

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Key messages foreach audience

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Timelines: Set
target dates fordeliverables such as
first drafts

Your communications objective should always be closely aligned with your business objectives. To assist you in creating your plan, click throughto this blog https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/communications-plan

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How to get news of your company
published
Why do I need to do this?
• Build critical voice and market share that will attract the attention of investors• Inspire potential consumers to act• Reach new markets and audiences to add more potential customers to your sales pipeline• Build your business narrative• Build your personal story to increase trust. People do not necessarily trust brands, they trust people
What is your Business Narrative?
A business narrative is the story of your business. It provides context and continuity so that consumers
and stakeholders always have a clear idea of where you came from, what you are doing and where
you are going.
Everything you do, whether it is launching a new product or scaling to a new country, should be inharmony with the story of your business. This way, all your steps and strategies are seamless, tie in withyour values and mission and make sense in the mind of your audience.

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Step 1 – Writing a Press Release
What is a press release?
A press release is an official, formal, written statement that you send out to the media toannounce something significant or newsworthy that you have done.

What constitutes significant and newsworthy?
• Starting a new business• Your company’s launch• Introducing a new product• Receiving funding• Receiving an award or winning a competition• Sponsoring or participating in an event, seminar or workshop• Forming a new strategic alliance or partnership• Getting a new, significant customer• Scaling or expanding your business• Celebrating an anniversary

What goes into a press release?
• A Title and Sub-heading• Quotes• Company contact details/social media handles

162• Your key message should include: “Who”, “What”, “Why”, “Where”• A call to action

What is a Call to Action?
A call to action tells the reader what action to take after reading your content. This can include visiting a website, donating to a cause,
reading more, watching a video, or signing up for a program.
Do’s and Dont’s of writing a press release

Do’s
Keep it short and sweet – condense into the most important, newsworthy points
Use hyperlinks to your website and social media pages - make it as convenient as possible to get
more information about you
Utilize SEO – the web is used as most people’s primary source of news including journalists sousing keywords will also create more opportunities for search engines to send you qualified leads
Have it proofread again and again by someone else before posting!

Don’tsDo not send it out on a Friday or before a public holiday as it will receive less attention
Do not pitch to everyone at the same time as it becomes less newsworthy if everyone is covering it
Do not pitch to the wrong audience – make sure you have identified the right person who will findthe content interesting and relevant
Do not forget to include your brand’s personality and provide context within your industry at large

Step 2 – Pitching your Press Release
Who do I pitch it to?
Once you have your press release ready, it is up to you to research your media and find out
who writes about the topics that are relevant to your news. Do not just send out a mass mail toevery journalist out there! It is also a good idea to start forming relationships with key media
personalities.
Researching your media
Go online and search for online publications
Ask your customers to fill out a survey on which publications they read (you want to publish
news where your customers are)Identify relevant publications (e.g. technology, healthcare, education)

Creating a strong media contact list
Building a media list is essential to get press coverage
Do some research on the media (what they cover, primary medium, audience size etc.)
By identifying your audience, you can create a list of publications / journalists that they would engage with
Refine the above by compiling a list of contact details (email addresses, phone numbers and social media handles) of editors and journalists
from your chosen publications
Keep this list as a working document and update regularly
Note: Building good media relationships with journalists, bloggers and influencers takes time and you need to be focused on not
wasting journalists' time and only sharing relevant stories.

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How do I pitch my news?

On Email:
Send your press release to a journalist
Accompany your press release withan introductory email, addressing thejournalist by name, introducing
yourself and stating the purpose ofyour email, directing their attention to
the press release below
Note: Always send your emails out
individually. Never copy anotherperson or journalist into your email.

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For Phone:

For Social Media:

Call the journalist
Address them by name, introduce
yourself and let them know what the
purpose of your call is.
Always send a follow-up email to thejournalist after the call, so that you
can clarify any details or remind themto take action.

Use your social media platforms to
support the release
Tailor your message and images
according to the requirements ofeach platform
Use relevant hashtags to further
boost the posts

Note: Take note of media deadlines
when pitching your news. Some
media publish news every day, someevery Friday, or some every month.

Note: Take note of what file types
can be uploaded onto the various
platforms.

Building relationships with media and influencers
Why should I do this?
Journalists get hundreds of emails and press releases a day. If they know who you are, and know that you provide them with goodcontent, they will open your email
Only send relevant/quality content e.g. once a month send them an interesting update about your business, or even better, an industry
trend you have spotted that they can use to create a good story
If you are on Twitter you can also engage with influencers on the platform
Positive client feedback is key, and communicating this to your influencers is even better

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Step 3 – Follow ups
How will I know if a journalist has published my news?
• Search online by typing in the name of the journalist, publication, and title of your press release.
• You will see your news in their publication on the same day / week / month
NB: Take note of deadlines and publishing schedules in your media list

Step 4 – Preparing for interviews
What do I prepare if a journalist contacts me for an interview?
• Once you have sent out your press release, a journalist might be interested in interviewing you for more information.
• Interviews can take place over email, over the phone, television and radio.
No matter the format, ensure the following:
Know your topic and the issues surrounding it back to front as journalists often like to branch out and talk about challenges andopportunities in your industry at large
Draft some practice questions (some easy and some challenging) that you can rehearse answering
Sometimes a journalist will send through a list of questions, but sometimes they will not so you will have to preempt possible questions
It is up to you to feel prepared
Research previous interviews that the journalist has done as this will give you a good sense of what to expect
It’s important to include your key messages in your interview so practice scenarios where you can bring them in naturally

617Key tips for the interview
Interviews via email:Answer in as much relevant detail as possible
Use a clear, easy to read font and simple colour
Respond in a timely manner. Remember that journalists have deadlines to meet!
Interviews via telephone:
Set up a time that is convenient for both you and the journalist
Take the interview in a quiet room and speak clearly
Ensure you have good signal and volume
Do not be afraid to pause between questions if you need time to think
If you are having the interview over Skype, Zoom, Teams or any other virtual platform, test theconnection before you start as a broken line will be frustrating for both of you
Answer your phone at the time you promised
Interviews for radio:
Provide biography: Send your bio and other information to your interviewer in advance. This will
ensure that the host has a clear understanding of you and your business
Cheat sheet: Prepare a cheat sheet of key points for your interview. This will help you to deliver yourmessage and avoid getting side-tracked
Visual gestures: Smile and use hand gestures during the interview. This energy will be translated into
your voice and make you sound more natural
Avoid jargon: Use simple language that your audience will easily understand. Jargon will only
complicate your message and leave listeners feeling detached, Avoid using three-letter
acronyms as people outside the industry might not know what they mean.

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Interviews for television:• Preparation is key – know your subject matter and what you want to say to deliver a clear and concise message• Look the part- show up professionally and remain calm and relaxed• Be enthusiastic – Do not ramble or speak too fast but be slightly more animated that you would be in general• Do not look at the camera – hold eye contact with the journalist/interviewer and remain engaged, unless the interviewer is off-camera
and just asking the questions. In that case, focus on the camera and maintain eye contact with it.
What do I do if I get a difficult question that I cannot answer?
• Not a problem. Simply divert to something you can say by saying: “I can’t answer that for you, but what I can tell you is that XX”• Never just say “no comment.” This opens you up for speculation.

Step 5 – Giving your content legs
What else should I do with my press release?
Whether your news got good coverage in the media or not, always consider re-purposing
your news and sharing it on your own channels (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.).
Use it to create a blog post or turn it into a demo on YouTube. This way, you can tailor yourmessage to different audiences and make your news last longer
For example:
If you have a press release around a new mobile app, create a YouTube video that
demonstrates it to your customers
Or write a blog post detailing the process of how you went about researching anddeveloping your app
Beneficiary stories are also very effective, where you use testimonials to show how yourproduct has helped another business or person greatly improve their operations
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Note: If you feel a video is the most effective way to share your news, consider sending the video to journalists instead of apress release. You may also want to do a search for your product online and see what competitors you’re up against.
• Are they on more media outlets than you?
• Do they have more Twitter followers?
• These questions can guide you on where you need to focus your efforts
Set measurement targets upfront
Agree to your measurement targets upfront so you have something to work towards.
For example:• I will get one article published about my business every three months• I will build relationships with at least three journalists in that time
• I aim to double my Facebook followers in the next six months and increase engagements by 10%
Setting targets help, but don’t make them unrealistic. For example, if you have already gained 1 000 Facebook followers within threemonths without doing any real work or advertising, it is probably fair to say you will at least gain between 2 000 – 3 000 in the next
three-month cycle if you double your efforts.
A lot of public relations and storytelling is about building affinity, trust and loyalty around your brand, which is not immediately tangible ornecessarily quantifiable in monetary terms. But it is the constant repetition of your messages that will keep you and your business top ofmind and talked about. And remember, investors probably don’t want to invest in a business that is not mentioned anywhere.

602External links:
External resources
How to get news of your company publishedHow to get Press Coverage
Tips:
An excellent press release:
How to Write a Press Release
15 Rookie Press Release Mistakes (And How Pros Avoid Them)
Great Thought Leadership
12 Rules for Creating Great Thought Leadership and Content Marketing

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How to use social media as an effective
business tool
Why do I need to do this?
• Build your visibility and credibility• Tell your brand’s story with effective visual content• Improve your SEO• Network with new markets and audiences• Have valuable conversations with your customers and get their feedback• Research industry trends and competitor activity
What is SEO?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It is the process of making your website appear at the top, oron the first page, of search results when someone types in a query online so that you are easily visible.
This process is done using organic / unpaid tactics, such as:• Publishing good quality content on a regular basis (blogs, social media posts etc.)• Using the correct keywords and terms in your copy (i.e. the words people are searching for)• Linking to other sites and have them link back to you•Note down all the publications that have sections relevant to you (e.g. technology, healthcare, education)

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Step 1 – Creating and maintaining a blog
Why do I need a blog?
Controlled content
Journalists often tweak your press release or take out / add in certain pieces of information.
A blog gives you full control over your content, allowing you to post what you want, when you want, and where you want.
Good for SEO
A blog allows you to create fresh and good quality content on a regular basis, which is good SEO practice and will help keep your website on
the first page of search results.
Thought leadershipA blog gives you a platform to not only share your news about your service or product, but also offer commentary or insights on relevant
issues or events. This will build your status as a thought leader in your industry and invite engagement from your customers.
How do I set up a blog?
There are two kinds of blogs:• A written blog
• A video blog / vlog
Link your blog to your website to maximize your SEO.
How often do I update my blog?
For good SEO practice, at least 2 – 3 times a month.

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What kind of content should I put into my blog?
Blogs should be more informal and conversational than press releases. Get creative and let the personality of your brand shine through.
Instead of sharing news about a new product in a press-release format, tell the story of how you came up with and developed the idea. Shareyour journey with your customers. Remember to use lots of pictures.
What is a beneficiary story?
Beneficiary stories tells stories of how your product or service is making a significant impact in someone else’s life. Instead of you talking about
your company, you’re getting someone else to do it for you. These are effective marketing tools because they act as testimonials, which
potential customers are more likely to listen to and trust when considering buying from you.

Step 2 - Using Twitter as a business tool
Why should I use Twitter?
For my business:• Marketing in real-time• Engaging with your customers in real-time• Staying up to date with industry trends• Researching competitor activity and behavior• Improving your SEO• Interacting with clients
For myself:• Giving a credible and trusted face to your company (people like doing business with people)• Building your personal brand

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What should I be tweeting about?
For my business:

For myself:• Live tweets from events that you host or attend• Industry trends and updates relevant to your business or industry• Your blog posts and articles• Non-promotional content still related to your brand interests• Activity and updates around your business• Products and specials• Topics that interest you• Live tweets from trainings you host or attend• Personal anecdotes and entertaining content

Note:• Keep self-promotional tweets to a minimum. While it is good to share updates, every tweet should add value to your followers•Think before you tweet. Never make jokes or comments around an issue or event that could offend and cause controversy
Never tweet crude, offensive, rude or demeaning content. Although it is your personal account and you are entitled to freedom of speech,
remember that customers and investors will look at your account and your content could depend on whether they do business with you.

Some tips for tweeting:• Keep your tweets around 110 – 120 characters in length, so that it is easier for other people to retweet it and add a comment• If your tweet starts with an @ sign (i.e. when you are tweeting somebody in specific), remember to put a full stop in front of it if you want otherpeople to see it on their timeline.@Neo – if you want other people to see it@Neo – if you only want Neo to see it. The tweet will only be visible to other people if they click on ‘Tweets and Replies’on your page• If you want it to be 100% private, send a Direct Message•If you are including a long URL, use a URL shortener. These tools are free and available online such as bitly

What are hashtags?
Hashtags (#) are used on Twitter to mark and find messages on a certain topic, so that you can create and connect conversations
Using a hashtag• When you use a hashtag, you make it easier for people who are interested in a topic to find and engage with you• You can search for hashtags in Twitter to find out what other people are saying about a product, event, issue or competitor• Examples: #AfricaDay #Entrepreneurtips #ThrowBackThursday
Note:• Never hashtag random words, such as #technology. Rather hashtag a specific name, event or phrase that you know people
would talk about• Only use a maximum of two hashtags per tweet
How can I use hashtags effectively?
Build yourself up as a thought leader or expert
in your field by starting and facilitating
conversations that interest you
There are websites that calculate the best
hashtags for you based on an algorithm andhistorical data visit http://best-hashtags.com/
Note: Before you create a hashtag, search tosee if it already exists

Step 3 - Getting your brand on Facebook
Why should I post on Facebook?

What should I post on Facebook?

• Marketing in real-time• Engaging with your customers in real-time• Staying up to date with industry trends• Researching competitor activity and behavior• Improving your SEO• Interacting with clients

Campaigns and competitions
User-generated content (testimonials, fan photos and stories)
Polls and questions
Industry trends and updates relevant to you
Your blog posts and articles
Non-promotional, humorous content still related to your brandinterests (at least once per week)
Activity and updates around your business
Products and specials

Note:
Put a Call to Action in every post. Social media is about engaging in two-way conversations, ask them to comment, share or visit
a website to read more about you
For increased engagement and visibility, keep your posts as visual as possible by using high-quality pictures but be aware of
copyright rules and regulations
Regularly check Facebook’s terms and policies (they change frequently) and make sure your page complies with them

Step 4 - Getting your brand on LinkedIn
What should I post on LinkedIn?
• Campaigns and competitions• User-generated content (testimonials, fan photos and stories)• Polls and questions• Industry trends and updates relevant to you• Your blog posts and articles• Non-promotional, humorous content still related to your brand interests (at least once per week)• Activity and updates around your business• Products and specials
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Do I have to use both?
No, but it is better. Facebook is a more informal platform, where you can talk to your followers and market with the occasional fun,humorous and visual pieces of content. It is a great platform for shaping your brand’s personality and managing your customer service.
LinkedIn offers a more formal platform, where you can share the overview, values and mission of your company, your products, yourarticles and your recommendations from customers. Having both a Facebook and LinkedIn profile also enhances your SEO.

Step 5 - Considering other social media platforms
Should I be on all the social media platforms available?
Only be on the platforms that make sense to your brand, for example an accounting firm, for example, would not have much to post on
Instagram but would perfectly suit a clothing brand. It also depends on what platforms are used in your country, so use those where you
will reach the highest number of potential customers. Social media management is a full-time job so only commit to as much as you canmanage and update with relevant and quality content.
Additional social media platforms include:
Instagram
Instagram is a social media platform which allows its users to share visual content in theform of photos or video. This powerful content sharing app is one of the best platforms
to raise brand awareness as it is a highly engaging platform. One is able to create a freeBusiness Profile in which you’ll be provided with insights on your posts and followers.
Pinterest
Pinterest is unique. Because it’s grounded in the future, we get an earlier indication ofwhere consumers are headed and can help brands better predict what’s to come for
their category. Every marketer could use that insight. And although Facebook remains
larger, Pinterest now has comparatively more users than Twitter and Snapchat andcontinues to grow.
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TikTok
TikTok is a free to use platform for making and sharing short looping videos. This easy to use platform has all sorts of tools at yourdisposal from special effects to soundtracks. Although the platform hasn’t been utilized for generating traffic or leads for brands yet, it
has great opportunities as it is a highly engaging platform used specifically for brand awareness as it is a fantastic showcasing
opportunity and for out of the box thinking.
As an example, The United Nations' IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development) is using TikTok to spreadawareness of their cause taking an approach that embraces informative posts and motivational videos that optimisticallyencourage viewers to change the world.

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External resources
Using social media effectively

Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

ArticlesArticlesArticlesTwitter Business Insights

Businesses will be able to sell tocustomers through Shops,
potentially posing a challenge tocommerce rivals such as Amazon
How to use Twitter to grow yourBusiness, Traffic and Sales

Get started with LinkedIn Ads
How to use Twitter to grow yourBusiness, Traffic and Sales

How to Promote your Small Businesson Facebook

5 Essential LinkedIn Strategies for
Small Business

How to Use Facebook for Business:
25 Facebook Marketing Tips andTricksVideo

How to use Twitter to grow yourBusiness, Traffic and Sales
Twitter for Business: Everything youneed to know
Video
Twitter Marketing: The Complete
guide for BusinessVideo
How to Use Facebook for Business

15 LinkedIn Marketing Hacks toGrow Your Business

LinkedIn for Business: The Ultimate
Marketing Guide

External resources
Using social media effectively

Instagram

TikTokArticlesArticlesStand out with Instagram
How to use Twitter to grow yourBusiness, Traffic and Sales

How brands are using TikTok

How to use Instagram for Business: A
Practical 6-Step guide
The Ultimate Guide to Instagram for
BusinessVideo
Instagram for Business – Ultimate
Beginner’s Guide

How to use TikTok to Promote Your
Business
TikTok for Business: How You Can
Use This New Social Network
Video
TikTok for BusinessHow to tell good business stories

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The power of a story is in the storytelling so how do we use this to our advantage?
David JP Phillips shares his neurological findings on storytelling in his TEDxTalk,“The magical science of storytelling
Why do I need to do this?
• Make your brand memorable• Breathe life into complex issues, terms, data and statistics• Create lasting emotional connections that will motivate your stakeholders and customers to act• Increase word-of-mouth advertising

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Step 1 – Finding the right stories to tell
What types of stories can my business tell?

Stories behind the business

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Beneficiary stories

What are they?

Why are theyeffective?

Where can I
share them?

What are they?

Why are theyeffective?

Where can I
share them?

Stories about how
you started, how
you have grown,
how you developed
a product or where
you plan to go next

They make yourbrand human andresonate better withyour audience

Blog, Facebook,
LinkedIn, YouTube
and Twitter

Stories about otherpeople andbusinesses and how
your product orservice made asignificant impact intheir life

They act as
testimonials, which
potential customers
are more likely tolisten to and trust
when making
purchasing decisions

Media, Blog,
Facebook,
LinkedIn, YouTube
and Twitter

What types of stories can my business tell?

Issue-based stories

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Thought leadership stories

What are they?

Why are theyeffective?

Where can I
share them?

What are they?

Stories that look atcurrent local
challenges
impacting people
and communities
and provide insights
on or proposedsolutions to thesechallenges

They show that yourbrand is relevant, up
to date, genuinely
concerned aboutpublic well-being,
and a potential
lifesaverMedia, Blog, Facebook,
LinkedIn, YouTube andTwitter

Stories that shareyour opinion,
expertise andpredictions around
specific industry
developments andtrends.

Why are theyeffective?
They position you as atrusted and informedexpert in a particularfield.

Where can I
share them?
Media, Blog,
Facebook, LinkedIn,
YouTube andTwitterStep 2 – Writing an effective story
What makes a good story?

A problem, challenge
or obstacle

Settings andcharacters (realpeople andincidents)

A climax orbreak-throughmoment of
victory

A resolution

A call to action

Measuring my ROI

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How do I measure the ROI of my PR?
Considering your budgets are tight; you need to know exactly what you are getting for your time andmoney.
The best way to measure your ROI is to always ask your customers: ‘How did you hear about us?’ This way
you will know what channel is working best. Did they hear about you from an article on a blog? Was it
through a Facebook advert? Was it through a Google advert?

Furthermore, do they have a good grasp ofyour business and what you do from theinformation they absorbed. Asking thesequestions will give you an indication
whether you are using the right messaging
on the right platform.

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Conclusion06

Why should I use PR in my marketing?
This question comes up time and again. Truth is, there is no exact way to quantify public relations. Any
weird and wacky formulas used by PR professionals in the 1980s have long since been sacked!
PR is, however one of the most cost-effective ways of marketing your business. It builds brand awareness,
which draws in new customers, entices investors, and attracts employees and is therefore highly beneficial
to business growth.

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Notes630368

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