In today’s increasingly digital world, it can be difficult for brands to reach customers through the traditional PR tactics that our industry relied on for decades. Today’s buyers are not easy to reach. Nevertheless, public relations is crucial for enterprise technology companies and B2B brands, regardless of size, vertical, or industry. We’re constantly encouraging our clients to consider creative ways to integrate public relations into their comprehensive marketing plans. While the tactics may have evolved, the end goal of public relations remains the same: increase brand awareness, credibility, and trust with the people you’re trying to reach.
How to Become a Thought Leader in Your Industry
Becoming a “thought leader” is an elusive goal that many business leaders and executives strive for. While some people may think of it as just another marketing buzzword, the reality of having a positive reputation for helping others with your knowledge and insight is important for every business leader.
We’ve been sharing content on thought leadership for years. The channels might have changed, but the opportunity to become a thought leader in your industry is just as possible today.
Can Anyone Become a Thought Leader?
Before we dive into how to become a thought leader, let’s address a common misconception we hear from people: “I don’t have the time or connections to become a thought leader in the industry.”
While becoming a thought leader takes time and intentionality, the reality is that anyone can become a thought leader in their specific industry or niche. All you need is a willingness to do the work of codifying what you know and have the patience to build momentum over time.
4 Best Practices to Become a Thought Leader in Your Industry
So how do you become a thought leader? Here are a few simple best practices we encourage our clients to consider:
- Stick with Your Message
The most effective thought leaders are known because they stick to a specific message. This makes it easier for people to discern what they do and why they’re doing it. Think about the key message you want to share, one that you would want to maintain as a consistent plumbline over the years. If you’re having trouble determining your unique message, you might want to consider the next point.
- Discern Your Niche
While you’re thinking about your brand, finish this sentence: The kind of presence I want to have when helping others is ____________________. The thought leaders who make the greatest impact are those who are committed to helping others achieve their goals. Think about what makes you unique and how you can leverage that as you develop your platform.
What’s your unique personality? Are you a generous encourager who wants to champion people in their work? Or are you a disrupter of the status quo who loves to challenge assumptions?
Are you better at providing long, drawn-out explanations? Or are you good at creating quick one-liners that get people thinking? Would you be open to speaking in public, or do you shrink at the idea?
Understanding your unique gifts and strengths will help you determine the way you build your thought leadership platform.
- Choose the Right Platform
If you want to get the most out of your thought leadership content, it’s important to consider how your audience consumes what you share. To create the greatest impact, you need to meet your audience on the channels they use (social, email, etc.) with the type of content they prefer (written, audio, video). Don’t be afraid to use a mix of platforms and content types as you’re discerning this. The level of engagement you see can help you discern where your audience is and how they prefer to interact with your brand.
- Share Genuine, Authentic Reflections
The thought leaders we celebrate most aren’t the ones who know it all, but the ones who show us they’re human and that they care. As you consider what to share, don’t be afraid to show your humanity by highlighting mistakes you’ve made and lessons you’ve learned.
- Embrace (Effective) Storytelling
Storytelling should be at the heart of every piece of thought leadership content you create. Telling a story engages your audience by giving them a specific example with measurable stakes. Stories also help your audience understand how your company’s products and services could help them solve a problem. It’s important to tell stories your customers actually want to hear. If your audience can’t see themselves in your brand’s story, it won’t resonate with them.
Position Your Brand as An Industry Leader
When it comes to becoming a thought leader, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. However, these tips will help you develop a strategy you can use to reach more people. Any effort will be worth it as it gives you a chance to help others, build your audience and grow your business. For more help positioning your brand as an industry leader, reach out to us to schedule a strategy session.
Your Guide to a Healthcare Public Relations Strategy
Are you in the healthcare field? Do you want to find your target audience and show them how you can help improve their well-being? Well, a public relations strategy just might be the key. Your audience can find you online, but we should never assume that they will. Even with excellent SEO, you might miss out on reaching that one person who is in dire need of your services without a solid PR strategy. If your marketing strategy is missing PR, we’re here to help. To get you started, here are a few considerations as you build a robust healthcare PR strategy.
1. Identify Newsworthy Content
Information is changing rapidly in the healthcare industry. Topics of conversation can sometimes change before you even have time to put out a story. That’s why you must stay on top of what is relevant and timely—because that’s what your audience needs to hear. Preferably, you would be the first to give them this information, allowing them to view you as a leader. Your PR team should always look for the most relevant information to share that will add value to your audience’s lives. Try to identify newsworthy and engaging content that people outside your organization either want or need to know. Make sure that all content fits the following criteria:- Timely
- Relevant
- Well-researched
- Easy to understand
2. Build Relationships with the Local Media
Networking is a powerful tool in any type of business, and the media is no exception. Your relationship with local reporters, journalists, and media outlets can skyrocket the effectiveness of your overall PR strategy. When local media professionals know you on a first-name basis and understand the value you bring to the table, they are more likely to reach out to you with questions or to work with you on stories for their outlet.3. Become a Subject Matter Expert
You have experience and knowledge in your healthcare specialty that others will find helpful, but you have to find a way to share it outside of your office. One way to do this is to become a subject matter expert (SME) for different channels, such as local media, social platforms, and podcasts. Once you focus on becoming a thought leader in your industry and sharing what you know with those around you, your audience will begin to look to you as their go-to resource for information on that subject. Reach out to those in the media, letting them know what you specialize in and that you are flexible and available when they have questions.4. Submit to HARO Requests
If you want to hit the ground running and offer advice now, you can subscribe to receive HARO emails. Each email will be a list of requests from media outlets asking for firsthand experience or thoughtful insight into particular subjects. Review the emails to see if there is an opportunity that you could contribute to and take the time to write to the journalists—submissions are usually fairly quick. When a journalist chooses your insight to feature, they will also cite you as the source and link your business, providing you with valuable backlinks that increase your SEO success.5. Consider the Channels You Will Use
Your healthcare content is only successful if you reach the intended audience. You want them to take action or learn something from your information, right? So, it’s important to consider where your target audience will be most likely to find your content. A few options are:- Online and print healthcare publications
- Your website
- Social media
- Local or national news
- Billboards or other public displays
Design a Results-Driven PR Strategy with Green Apple
Could your healthcare office become a leader in your field? We think so. Contact us today to schedule a consultation. Our team is happy to discuss your goals and how we can help you achieve each and every one of them with PR and comprehensive marketing.What is Digital PR (And Why Do You Need It)?
It’s no secret that our world is more digital by the day. Advertising and media relations have completely shifted as the internet has grown and changed. And, of course, the exponential (and constant) growth of social media has completely transformed the way we communicate with our audiences. That’s why a PR strategy alone won’t quite cut it anymore. So, where do you go from here?
To stay ahead of your competition and remain present for your audience, it’s vital that you and your marketing team have a comprehensive digital PR strategy. In this article, we’ll cover what is involved in a digital PR plan and how you can begin putting yours together today.
What Does a Digital PR Strategy Include?
In your digital PR toolkit, you’ll need:- A customer survey tool to collect positive reviews
- Backlinks in trustworthy publications
- Proactive press releases and connections with the media
- A comprehensive social media strategy
How Do You Put these In Place?
1. A Customer Survey Tool to Collect Positive Reviews
One of the most important ways to build trust with your customers is through positive reviews. In fact, according to BrightLocal, 91% of customers from the ages of 18 to 34 trust online reviews just as much as personal recommendations. Knowing the power of reviews, it’s imperative that you have a strategy in place to collect them. We recommend that our clients use LoyaltyLoop; however, there are many other tools out there to explore to see what would serve your business best. Here are a few of the top ways to collect reviews:- A survey tool, such as LoyaltyLoop
- Instructing your team to encourage customers to leave reviews
- Linking to your Google, Yelp, or Facebook pages in your email signature
- Offer your customers an incentive
2. Backlinks in Trustworthy Publications
Your digital PR strategy should also include ways to obtain backlinks on trustworthy sites. A backlink is when another site links to yours because you have relevant information to offer. One of the most successful backlink methods we’ve tested is using HARO (Help a Reporter Out) to submit helpful information to reporters. Though it can be time-consuming, responding to one or two requests per week could significantly increase the number of backlinks you have, and therefore boost your SEO. Another effective method is creating a guide packed with a lot of helpful, actionable information. A large guide is a time investment on the front end; however, it provides you with long-term results. Provide your audience with information that they want to share with others, encouraging them to link out to your guide, which may have tips, steps, statistics, or other information that would be especially helpful.3. Proactive Press Releases and Connections with The Media
To send out newsworthy content, your team must stay ahead of any upcoming stories so that they can be ready to have a timely press release out to the media. Think ahead to what you may be able to highlight in the upcoming weeks or months—events you may be involved in, charity work you plan to do, or big changes to your company. Does nothing come to mind? It might be time to make some waves! Make sure that you’re submitting your press releases to journalists who will be interested in what you have to say. You might consider looking for publications within your industry or focusing on reporters who specialize in your topic. Try making personal connections with these reporters when you can. Knowing someone on a first-name basis can go a long way in getting your story out there.4. A Comprehensive Social Media Strategy
Can you believe we waited this long to get to social media? Well, that’s in part because, although it’s important, social media isn’t everything. Your digital PR strategy should be well-rounded, including all parts of the picture. With that said, social media is an important piece of your plan. Work with your team to decide which platforms work best for your industry and your audience and what types of content you should be creating for each. Create a strategy that works for your business specifically. Tips on content and when and how to post can be helpful, but at the end of the day, you want to spend your time where you’re seeing the best results and getting the most value.Looking for a PR Agency to Get the Word Out About Your Business?
The landscape of marketing is changing so rapidly that if you aren’t staying on top of it constantly, you’ll fall behind quickly. We won’t let you fall behind. Contact Green Apple Strategy today to schedule a consultation. Our team is happy to sit down with you to discuss your goals and how we can help you achieve each and every one of them.Meet the Team: Christa Spencer
Leaving the fast-paced world of journalism, Christa Spencer comes to Green Apple Strategy with a 15-year background as a television news producer. She’s bringing her love for storytelling to our team as a PR Strategist. In this role, Christa will work closely with Chief Marketing Strategist, Samantha Pyle, to develop and execute strategic plans to increase our clients’ visibility with media and public relations.
Christa will build our clients’ brand awareness by identifying exposure opportunities, pursuing awards and recognitions, and monitoring industry news. “My passion for storytelling drew me to this specific role, as well as the challenge of identifying a story that makes people want to listen,” Christa says.
Storytelling is in Christa’s blood, quite literally. Growing up in Fayetteville, Arkansas, she was surrounded by journalism from a very young age. Her dad is a journalism professor at the University of Arkansas, where she earned her degree in broadcast journalism. Going back even further, Christa’s grandmother was a journalist as well, even serving as a White House correspondent for over 30 years.
After pursuing a career in journalism, Christa was ready for a change. She connected with Green Apple to discuss how her skills could translate to our team’s need for PR support. “From my first Zoom call with Sam, I think we both knew this role would be a great match. Sam’s passion for clients, in-depth knowledge of the business, and the way she values her Green Apple team drew me in,” Christa explains.
When she’s not finding PR opportunities for our clients, Christa loves practicing yoga and spending time with her partner, Luke, and their dog, Scott. You’ll often find them at home cooking or getting together with friends. “We love to travel, and Luke is from Australia, so the next chance we get, we’ll head to the other side of the world to visit all of his family. I’m incredibly close with my family, too,” Christa says.
Christa also enjoys Nashville’s live music scene, farmers’ markets and hiking trails across the state.
Green Apple Strategy Makes NBJ’s List of Top PR Firms
What a year it has been! Despite having to make multiple shifts to our work style amid the global pandemic that has affected our world in 2020—socially and economically—we’ve also been able to see some positive outcomes. In fact, we’ve had the opportunity to celebrate a few milestone accomplishments. From our eighth anniversary to winning the Nashville Business Journal’s Best in Business Award, we’re humbled to have even more exciting news to share!