PR is one of the building blocks of a successful marketing and brand strategy, and a proven public relations plan template can help you get started.
At the highest level, a public relations plan is about telling the story of your company. An effective PR plan focuses on the unique points of view that differentiate your company from the competition. These plans help companies establish relationships with the media and build credibility with their target audiences.
I’ve been working in the PR world for nearly two decades. In that time, I’ve helped build integrated public relations plans for B2B technology companies of every size, from startups to globally established brands. I’m now passing on those best practices and lessons learned to our Advisory as a Service clients and portfolio companies here at York IE.
PR is a key part of our drumbeat marketing philosophy, which focuses on developing a strong point of view and then consistently sharing it through multiple owned and earned channels until it becomes associated with your company. This strategy is especially important for startups, who need to consistently spread their message to build brand credibility over time. There’s no overnight success stories in business — or in PR.
This post will dive deep into PR plan best practices and tips. I’ll also share York IE’s public relations plan template, which will help you and your leadership team start implementing your strategy right away.
What Is a Public Relations Plan?
A public relations plan outlines the goals, objectives and tactics needed to manage and enhance an organization’s reputation and relationships with its target audience. It helps a company become associated with its unique point of view within its market. It’s possible you’ve heard someone say recently that “traditional PR is dead” or “press releases don’t move the needle anymore.” The landscape is changing, but public relations is still crucially important for your company. Newsrooms are shrinking, and there are fewer journalists monitoring newswires for the next startup story. But that doesn’t mean that PR is dead. It’s still essential to establish a plan for how your company represents itself to the public. The press release is a foundational piece of content within your PR plan. It gives you an opportunity to tell your company’s unique story in your own words — regardless of whether it leads to media coverage. Our CMO Adam Coughlin talks about the concept of manufacturing momentum. If you’re celebrating a small win every month or two — a new hire, award or partnership — you’re showcasing constant growth to potential customers and investors. You’re also pushing out your messaging to your engaged audience time and time again.
Why You Need a Public Relations Plan
You need a public relations plan to help you:- build your brand;
- establish a cadence and timeline for news distribution;
- gain third-party validation through the media; and
- teach employees how to talk about your company.
Build Your Brand
Drumbeat marketing is defined by strong messaging, discipline and consistency. Once you’ve developed a strong POV, you need to constantly push that theme until it’s associated with your brand. A public relations plan gives you the means to execute consistently. It’s essential to establish a concrete plan before you start writing press releases or pitching media. That way, you’ll be distributing a consistent message that ensures your audience knows exactly what you stand for. Every touchpoint that someone has with your company is an opportunity. It is either a good opportunity (brand equity gained) or a negative one (brand equity lost). Naturally, you want to stack good opportunities.Establish a Cadence and Timeline for News Distribution
Timing is an important part of any good PR plan. You’d never want to splash all of your news in a single month and then go dark for the rest of the year. A steady drumbeat of buzz is much better; it’ll help you get your message out consistently and keep your name top-of-mind within the market.Gain Third-Party Validation Through the Media
At York IE, we’re big believers in producing and distributing content through your owned channels: your company blog, company social media accounts and accounts of your executives and subject matter experts (SMEs). It’s also important to gain third-party validation by getting your company’s name in media outlets via an interview, contributed article or mention in a larger story. You’re effectively showing that a credible source deems your company to be credible as well. It’s also a way of reaching a new audience that exists beyond your owned channels.Teach Employees How to Talk About Your Company
As you grow, your public relations plan will provide a framework for any employee who needs to speak publicly about your company. This includes executives who are called on for interviews and marketers writing contributed articles or submitting award applications. Additionally, in a crisis communications situation, it’s important to have a document that defines what your company wants to say to the outside world and who can say it.How to Write a Public Relations Plan
To write a public relations plan, follow these seven steps:- Set clear goals, objectives and benchmarks
- Identify your target audience
- Develop key messages and assets
- Select your media targets
- Establish a timeline
- Delegate ownership of tasks
- Execute