Public relations is the tool you use to communicate your company’s image strategically and earn the public’s good opinion. It can also help you sell. Edward Yang, managing partner at the agency Firecracker PR, has identified at least 8 ways public relations can help you sell more. These are the ones that matter most for travel companies.
Step into the spotlight
A good public relations strategy can let you compete with the big players who spend millions on advertising. The big difference is that you do not pay for the space you get in the media. Whether your company is B2B or B2C, public relations can raise awareness among a mass audience and increase sales. It is a very good awareness strategy for reaching new audiences who will enter your sales funnel.
Catch people’s attention
Another advantage of public relations is that a news story generates more interest than an ad, because it carries far more credibility. Sending information that journalists can turn into a good story is key. Think carefully about your pitch: do not talk about what you sell, but about a story worth telling that reflects the audience’s emotions, needs and values, and creates a connection that takes people from awareness to consideration.
Join forces with other areas
Public relations works on its own, but combining it with other marketing activities can amplify it. If you want conversions, add paid efforts to multiply results. If you want to lead potential clients to take action, use content marketing alongside it. Public relations can work at any stage of the funnel: awareness, brand recognition, consideration and even conversion with a good call to action.
Public relations builds credibility
Use prestigious media to deliver your messages: your communication takes on the prestige of the outlet that presents it. Through public relations, potential clients will turn their attention to you because of who is publishing you. It is a great way to show the attributes of your product or service, because it sets you apart from your competitors at the consideration stage.
A foot in your potential clients’ door
What would catch your attention more: an email, a PDF or a link to an article on a news site? Being in the media is a good way to build loyalty among clients who already know you, increase repeat purchases and support remarketing in general.
Content has a longer shelf life
Something published in a respected media outlet lasts much longer than the money spent on an ad. If someone searches online for your business and finds an article, it will keep working for you. That helps you save budget and make your teams more efficient by focusing on efforts that stay relevant longer.
All of this can help you sell more with public relations. Just keep in mind that your product or service must be in good shape; otherwise, your travel sales will not improve. Public relations is a great tool for telling your story with a good agency. Talk to PR Central and tell us yours: we can do great things together.
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Originally published in Spanish in December 2020: Cómo vender más con Relaciones Públicas. The English version omits the original introduction about pandemic restrictions.
