We’ve been working with Macquarie University’s Faculty of Business and Economics for several years and have achieved some great results with PR.
During this time we have developed many great PR tactics and tips we’d like to share. These tactics can also be applied to businesses, especially those in the education and training space to build their profile and communicate with their target audience.
Promote key staff
University’s offer a wealth of talented professors who are experts in their fields, who can be pitched to relevant media as experts to interview. When looking at your own organisation think about the key staff members, who specialise in certain areas, who can be pitched to the media as a spokesperson.
It’s a good idea to gain an understanding of what each staff member can discuss so you can gain the right media opportunities. You can also monitor the media for these key topics and pitch your spokesperson to comment on them.
Use good content
University professors often produce research papers which provide great content for media pitches, media releases or speaking opportunities. Think about the white papers, research projects or statistics your organisation produces and how they can be used for media opportunities.
For example, a professor’s research paper can be adapted into an expert article and pitched to relevant media. You can also ask key staff members to write expert articles on their area of expertise for specific publications.
Case studies
Case studies are a great way to show a real example of what your business has to offer. For example, we used current and former students to discuss their experiences at university and pitched these to careers publications.
This strategy can also be applied to your organisation by providing the media with opportunities to interview happy customers or clients about their experiences with the business.
Media releases
It’s a good idea to be aware of any newsworthy stories within your business. For instance we used the announcement of new courses and senior level staff appointments as topics for media releases. In your organisation you may have newsworthy stories about a new award win, new staff appointments, new client win and more.
Speaking opportunities
Many professors have experience in public speaking by running lectures at the University. Think about the key staff members in your organisation who have public speaking skills and how you can best leverage this. You can pitch these key staff members as experts to speak at conferences and events relevant to their area of expertise.
To learn more about our work with Macquarie University’s Faculty of Business and Economics read this case study.
Sydney Public Relations Agency, CP Communications provides specialist media, traditional and online PR strategies that get amazing results. Contact us today. For more great tips visit our website www.cpcommunications.com.au.
