PR reps and agencies are paid to develop strategies and deliver major consumer and/or trade results that help move the needle. Securing a national print or digital story in the Wall Street Journal or in USA Today, landing a FOX or CNN broadcast segment, or getting that stand-alone feature in a popular trade magazine, are always big wins. They keep the stakeholders happy and such a story positions a brand as a leader within their industry.
However, one and done simply isn’t good enough, and sustaining a PR campaign is where an agency can truly show its value. Today, many agencies are so consumed with social and digital media, that they have forgotten one important aspect of a balanced PR campaign and that is the grassroots.
Many PR campaigns offer story angles that bring local and regional markets into play, and present a great opportunity to target media that speak to consumers or businesses at the grassroots level. Unfortunately, in many cases, strategies to reach this media have become a lost art and agencies either ignore it, or don’t have the billable time available to connect a story to a local community.
Whether in your client’s backyard or in one of their key coverage markets, establishing brand awareness and credibility can go a long way. In fact, today more and more consumers are looking to their preferred local/regional and community news outlets, print or digital, for news and information. Thus, a well-choreographed grassroots PR campaign can deliver impactful results that complement that national exposure.
If your agency is only focused on pitching major media in an effort to secure the big hit, the news pipeline may become bare. While agencies may ultimately be measured by major media coverage, there should always be a balance, so don’t let them forget the grassroots!