How PR is Like Buying a New Home - by Johanna Baker-Dowdell

If you?ve ever bought a property, you will know the process involves a lot of research and talking to different real estate agents before you find something that is just right.

There are many similarities between buying a home and establishing your business with PR, the most important being the relationships you build along the way.

Once you?ve done the hard work of setting up the business, ironing out your systems and process and establishing your customer base, it?s time to spread your wings further and tell prospective customers what you do and why you?re the best.

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Here are 7 reasons why establishing your business with PR is like buying a new home:

1. Scan the listings - in the same way you narrow down types of homes and the suburbs where you will look for a property, when embarking on PR you need to do your research. Work out where you fit in the market and what makes your business unique.
2. Attend open homes - I?m not suggesting you commit to traipsing through properties for the next 13 Saturdays, but you do need to see what?s out there. Look at the media outlets where your competitors have been featured and the angle they have used to help you determine how you will promote your business.
3. Settle on your short list - once you?ve done the research and inspected a selection of properties, you will know enough to build a list of your top contenders.
   

   Putting together a media list is much the same because once you know where your business sits and how you?d like to promote it, the appropriate media outlets you should be targeting will become evident.

4. Book a second (or third) inspection - now it?s getting down to the pointy end of the buying process. You?ve been through your favourite properties twice - or more - and are nearly ready to commit. Write a pitch for your top media targets, outlining the problem your product or service solves and why this is the perfect fit for the outlet?s readers/viewers/listeners.
5. Pay the deposit - you?ve found the house! Congratulations, all your months of searching has resulted in one property that is best for you. In pitching your business to the media, there will be one outlet (or maybe more) that really got what you were saying and want to know more.
6. Sold! Once you make that final payment, you get the key to your new home. So, once you?ve made contact with the media and seen there is interest, offer yourself as an expert interviewee, write an article or guest post, or send a product for review.
7. Make the home yours - there will always be something you want to change to put your stamp on the home, whether it?s a new coat of paint, adding a deck or landscaping the garden, so you commit to making these changes in the months after you?ve moved in. Once you?ve established your initial list of media outlets, keep contacting them when you have something to say, adding new contacts, or deleting those who are no longer interested. This ensures you are keeping in contact with the best media to showcase your business.
   

   The most important point here is to keep that relationship going with regular, relevant contact, so when an opportunity presents itself your business is top of mind.

Source: http://www.abn.org.au/blog/pr-buying-a-new-home/

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