‘If people do not know that your company exists then you do not have a business’
Carol Roth. US media personality and top small business influencer.
In today’s economic climate, recruitment marketing campaigns can be costly – so if you are not already doing so, and in addition to the normal social media outreach such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to create an online presence, it’s time you considered using some of the many other low cost and often free methods of PR available to spread the word about your company and services.
Press Releases
Press releases are cost-effective and they work well for recruitment businesses. Get a press release into print and it will generate interest. Regular, relevant and timely press releases cost nothing to write, yet make the investment return almost infinite and keep your company name in front of potential customers. Use them to introduce new services, celebrate award wins or having reached a significant milestone in your business. Remember to always follow up with a call or letter to the editor as this will ensure you are front of mind and you can also answer any immediate questions they may have to supplement the release. A follow up letter often has as good a chance of being published as the release itself. Such letters provide ideal opportunities to respond to previous editorial comments or share your position. This can help build a positive relationships with editors who may then consider you a useful source for future quotes on other newsworthy items, which makes your chances of getting future press releases into print even greater. It’s not just PR agencies who can get great results with the media – you can do this yourselves and the results will be quickly visible and the return potential is huge.
Article Writing
Writing articles is another simple and cost effective alternative to larger scale marketing for getting your company known among new clients or more candidates. Not only will articles published on your own website improve your SEO rankings with search engines, they may also get picked up by other sites and go viral, providing even more publicity online. Topics should be short and informative, drawing on your own expertise, wisdom and knowledge. The articles also need to consist of entirely new content so write on topics you know about. Regular articles can create and build credibility, especially when they deal with current issues, or explain how to do something. Make sure you include your contact details and any links back to your site in case the content is picked up by others.
Comment Boxes
Use comment boxes for free publicity. If you regularly read other people’s articles then always use of the readers comment box at the end. Not only will other readers look at any important information you may offer, but the authors themselves may consider you or your company for future stories. If your comments are informative and useful to other readers, you may be able to position yourself or your company as a thought leader in the industry and in turn you will receive more opportunities to comment or answer industry-related questions online.
Step into the Spotlight
Many magazine and top periodicals have free business spotlights and they are in constant need of fresh and unique business features. By doing the research and providing a quality focus on your company, complete with suitable photographs or graphics – you can generate brand visibility and website traffic with this type of collaboration with publications in your industry. Successful recruitment publications are always hungry for quality material and if you provide new and useful information the way they like it, they are likely to use it, and even demand more. Just make sure to emulate the in-house style and identify the correct person to contact.
Online Forums
Participation in online forums is another effective way of getting your business and your name known across the industry. Get involved in the forums you currently read or seek out those with subjects specific to your business area or expertise. Regular participation by answering or asking questions will position you as an expert or resource for others. Some online forums will also let you use an email signature that links to your business site. Make the most of links back to your own website as these are also favoured highly by search engines and will increase your search ranking.
Remember HARO
HARO means ‘Help A Reporter Out’. In other words, be a reliable resource for journalists – the sort of person they can turn to for ideas, comments and information. HARO is a North American publicity service that aims to connect journalists with people who can help them with background for their stories. Sourcebottle.com is a similar matching up service available in Australia and New Zealand. Media people post regular requests for potential sources to contribute to written publications, broadcast and web shows, and you can sign up for free to receive PR opportunities posted to your inbox.
Whether you decide to register or not, establishing and nurturing positive relationships with reporters and letting them know the business topics you can help them with, is always a good idea. By understanding their reporting styles too, their target readers and the hooks they use, you can become the resource they may need and the person they will turn to, when they have space to fill or a deadline to meet.
Twitonomy
Finally, don’t forget to use Twitter by carrying out detailed research on specific journalists by using Twitonomy. Sign in using your own Twitter account and use this tool to type in any Twitter handle to see the analytics for that particular user – including their retweets, the users they reply to the most, the hashtags used, and the time/day and frequency they tweet. You will also discover the lists being followed and other peoples lists they are on – all of which provides essential information for you to assess whether the right journalists to engage with.
Generating publicity for your recruitment agency or sourcing team doesn’t have to cost the earth. These few methods of generating PR are extremely effective and can provide instant results for your business.
If you have any questions about the best way to get generate free PR for your business or clients’ recruitment campaigns, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the Recruitment Marketing Group team.
