By Lori Shepherd
Are you an Oakland Bay Area business or nonprofit? Or, are you based elsewhere? Regardless, any company founder launching a DIY PR campaign or ramping up with an agency, can look to the remarkable Golden State Warriors to glean a few PR tips for your campaign. It doesn’t matter how extensive or not your public relations plan is, what’s important is to use a variety of PR activities to make it effective over the long haul. Some are better for specific types of campaigns and clients than others.
For example, using Pinterest or Instagram as the foundation for socializing your emerging clothing brand is a smart use of your social media strategy. But let’s say you’re representing a conventional brand associated with a older, longer-term customer base within the financial industry for example, then administering a customer survey to unearth quantitative data is a much more advantageous strategy. Clearly, different campaigns require different approaches but if there is one constant that applies across the board, it is: Perseverance. Which brings me to the Warriors.
I can’t say that I’m entirely sports literate, except the ability to intelligently discuss the game of tennis, baseball, and some aspects of ice hockey (and many aspects of the agonizing six years I endured as parent of a junior league ice hockey player) something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, if I had one. But, I do know this much about professional basketball: it’s been 40 years since the Warriors won a significant NBA title. I also know it has taken the Warriors’s miraculous point guard Stephen Curry, tenacity and hard work leading his teammates to victory. Not to mention the extraordinary talent and sportsmanship of the entire team, making it possible for their success and ultimately for Curry to receive the NBA MVP distinction. Which brings me to three important PR tips to glean from Oaktown’s winningest team:
#1. Perseverance is everything. Never give up! The Warriors certainly didn’t and they regularly adjusted strategies along the way to create the perfect mix for a winning team. Regardless of whether if we’ll see Curry’s Warriors or James’s Cavaliers become the 2015 NBA champions, the Warriors have more than demonstrated perseverance throughout. There’s a lesson here for anyone responsible for managing digital PR programs, which proves persevering through insurmountable odds, reigns. In fact, if you’re planning on scoring big on your digital PR campaign, you can be the MVP of your business or organization’s campaigns as long as you avoid becoming disheartened by unanswered emails and calls. Even if your particular digital PR campaign is revisiting a third-round pitching effort and reaping little response and ostensibly no interest, there is always the option of rethinking your strategy as you go. Who says you have to stick with the original plan? You don’t. It may appear daunting, but by taking a few steps back to brainstorm a new approach and a slightly different angle, you can improve the PR trajectory in your favor. For example, take stock of any new industry stats, craft a few relevant quotes attributable to your company founder, or capture 15 compelling seconds of video feed to freshen up your pitching process; but remember when all else fails, persevere and delve deeper to discover a fresh new idea.
#2. Slamdunk the Content. Ah, there’s nothing like a full-throttle play with seconds left in the game. You know how it goes: just after face off, there’s a heated one-on-one exchange, leading one player to maneuver the ball from his opponent in a breakaway ending in a climactic slam dunk. 2015 NBA Finalist Golden State Warriors demonstrated these scenarios play-after-play, game after game throughout the 2014-2015 season. Each play seemingly choreographed to define what is well executed basketball, evident every dribble of the way up and down the court. Ditto for your PR strategy, minus the basketball metaphors. Think about your content as blog articles, video feed, survey data, or images, and infographics. Consider content as a crucial component in your PR arsenal; something you’ll need to select wisely and then use strategically. For Oakland Bay Area businesses and nonprofits looking to increase awareness about their services, widgets, or programs, there’s no better way to set your self apart than using content. It’s a slamdunk!
#3. Engage your Fan Base. Last week, I visited my auto insurance representative’s office. As I entered, I was immediately struck by the blue and gold Warrior-wear everywhere! I found businessmen and businesswomen wearing Warrior caps, jerseys… you name it! I soon learned, it was “Warriors Day.” How cool is that! In PR, there’s nothing more viral than enthusiastic support for your business that comes from your customers and clients. In other words: your fans! Anytime fans advocate for you without being cajoled or paid to do so, you know you’re on to something. Although it wasn’t difficult finding reason to rally around the Warriors this season, I’d bet the Warrior’s PR team played a major part behind the scenes keeping Warriors fans connected and engaged throughout the season on its social channels. You too can spark interest among your customers like an NBA wonder by creating a well thought out Twitter campaign, or by using other platforms to keep your fans excited and talking about you!
Photo courtesy of www.tonypsd.bigcartel.com
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