One of the biggest benefits of investing in brand-owned original research is that it can help you build brand awareness and authority. But to really boost both awareness and authority, public relations (PR) should be a key component of your research distribution strategy.
Companies that invest in a PR strategy alongside their research can see results like Industrial Physics has experienced:
- 80+ media mentions
- 10+ long-form editorial pieces
- 2.5 million readers reached
- $255,000 worth of free press and media coverage
- Awarded prestigious, hard-to-secure speaking engagements
- Gained more respect and brand recognition in the industry
- Had their research picked up by Gartner, a well-known industry analyst
If you’d love to see similar results, here’s an insider’s peek at the 8 strategies they followed to get the most on the PR front from your research.
1. Bring PR on at the start
PR specialists possess unique expertise in crafting compelling narratives, identifying key media outlets, and creating strategic communication plans. By having your research partner and PR agency collaborate early, you can align research, content, and marketing objectives with PR strategies to ensure a cohesive and integrated approach to generating brand awareness.
2. Use precise targeting when determining the right publications to pitch
The more targeted you are with your pitches, by first defining which audiences and publications are a good match for your research topic, the greater your likelihood of successful placement.
3. Craft multiple press releases with a narrow targeting focus
If you’re targeting various industries and audiences, you will also need multiple press releases for each audience. This will ensure that your pitch feels precisely targeted to the editor and publication with which you’re trying to get placement.
4. Use PR tools to find relevant publications
You can find media lists online to purchase, but they won’t be as effective as one tailored precisely to your topic. To shorten the time-intensive task of building a high-quality media list, consider using a media list-building tool like Prowly or MuckRack. However, Google and LinkedIn are also great free tools to help build your list.
5. Offer media exclusivity to your top publications
Providing select publications with exclusive access for a 24-hour period to your research findings can incentivize them to cover your research promptly. This exclusivity can also help generate momentum and increase the likelihood of broader media coverage once the exclusivity period expires.
6. Create personalized outreach messages
When reaching out to publications, personalize your message so that it resonates with the specific publication’s values and editorial style. Include a concise synopsis of potential angles or story ideas that align with their readership’s interests. Offering editors the freedom to choose the most compelling topic fosters a collaborative approach and increases the likelihood of securing high-quality editorial coverage.
7. Use organic relationships within your company
Technical experts within your company with existing relationships with publishers are a great resource. Ask them to leverage their existing relationships with editors to help get placement for your research. For Industrial Physics, this tactic was quite successful and resulted in a number of placements.
8. Develop long-form editorial pieces from internal experts
Create bylined editorial pieces from your CEO, CMO, or other well-known technical experts within your organization. Having their name on the content, plus doing the work of writing the content for the publication, can increase the likelihood of placement.
