Working with a public relations agency is a great way for a business to increase exposure and engage with its target audience; however, PR can be very competitive, especially during the holiday season. At South Florida and Aspen-based PR firm Durée & Company, we have compiled a list of ways to leverage public relations throughout the rest of the year.
1. Take Advantage of Hashtag Holidays: There is a unique holiday dedicated to just about everything these days, whether it is International Sushi Day (June 18), National CBD Day (August 8), International Podcast Day (September 30), International Coffee Day (October 1), National Publicist Day (October 30) or National Entrepreneurs Day (November 21). Even though the year is halfway over, there is still an abundance of holidays to utilize for brands within all industries. At D&Co, we have all these dates on our radar, where we research, vet and build story ideas around them, as well as develop promotions or social media hooks around appropriate holidays which can drum up business or sales.
2. Incorporate Corporate Social Responsibility: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become increasingly important to companies over the last several years. Whether it’s by helping the environment or making strides to end poverty, more and more companies are incorporating social responsibility into their overall business strategy. With the holidays around the corner, there are many ways for companies to get involved and give back to the community including donating toys to Toys 4 Tots, hosting a family through Neighbors 4 Neighbors’ Adopt-A-Family program, donating to a food drive through Feeding South Florida or buying a Christmas tree, wreath or holiday decorations at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade’s Annual Christmas Tree Lot with 100% proceeds benefiting Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami Dade and providing great futures for area youth. These initiatives can be leveraged through social media, press, e-newsletters and more.
3. Find a Holiday Connection: It’s never too early to plan for the holiday season, especially because many editorial gift guides are planned months in advance and companies are looking to book reservations for their corporate holiday parties now. We can help brands identify their niche, whether it is offering products and samples for a holiday gift guide, having special products or holiday packaging available, offering an experience such as “the gift of a clean car” at Rising Tide Car Wash, a scalable social enterprise that employs 80+ persons with autism, or offering gift cards specials at restaurants such as “receive a bonus $10 for every $100 bought in gift cards.”
4. Work with Influencers: Since the holiday season is the most competitive time for online companies, it is even more important to find unique ways to promote a brand. One way is leveraging social media influencers to generate buzz around holiday promotions and to drive new customers to a brand’s website. Companies can offer an affiliate program for influencers which would give them a percentage of sales. These influencers turn into brand ambassadors, ultimately introducing their followers to the brand, leading to new consumers who are likely to visit the company’s website down the line. Influencers are also a great way to increase online traffic and sales.
5. Create Email Marketing Campaigns: Another way to leverage public relations is to create an effective email marketing campaign. By integrating e-newsletters into a campaign, brands can showcase their ongoing content to their subscribers, whether its social media, images, upcoming promotions, events, recent press coverage and more. However, the number of e-newsletters sent should be limited – you don’t want to overload your subscribers to where they want to unsubscribe or delete your email.
6. Offer Expert Source Predictions: To close out the year, PR professionals can offer clients as a source to cover industry trends or to make predictions for the next year in their industry. This will help a brand gain coverage in the public eye, as well as an expert in their industry to ultimately gain new clientele. The stories can be merchandised through social media and e-newsletters to gain more traction.
These days, public relations is much more than a press release and earned media, and at Durée & Company, we do this every day. If you’re looking for an experienced PR agency to help you create a plan to capitalize on public relations for the rest of the year, call us at our Fort Lauderdale office at 954.723.9350 or Aspen office at 970.452.2195, or email us at info@dureeandcompany.com.
About Durée & Company – Durée & Company, Inc. is an award-winning, full-service public relations, marketing and special events firm founded in 1999. The firm has offices in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Aspen, Colorado. Durée & Company serves the corporate, agency and nonprofit arenas for local, national and international clients. Services include public relations, social media, marketing, content development, advertising, special events, branding, radio promotions and more. Durée & Company clients include well-known names in yachting, business, fashion, hospitality, travel, wellness and CBD, art and culture, nonprofit organizations, legal and professional services and real estate. Durée & Company is a member of PR Boutiques International™ (PRBI), an international network of boutique PR firms. To learn more, go to https://dureeandcompany.com/, visit Durée & Company on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DureeCoPR/, Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dureecopr Twitter at https://twitter.com/dureecopr or YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/DureeAndCompany, or call 954-723-9350.
