If a press release is picked up but doesn’t do anything for your brand, did it count?

In one of my most humbling early career moments, I remember standing before my then department head as he reviewed a fun, catchy press release I had written and shook his head. The release received significant media pick-up and attention, but my leadership wasn’t impressed.

“So what?” He said as I rattled off a list of top tier outlets that picked up the story. His head is continuing to shake as I mentioned the numerous impressions generated by the pitch. I was proud of what I considered a success, but he saw it as a miss.

Finally, patiently, he looked at me and said, “It was clever and quirky, so it got coverage. However, at the end of the day, how does this drive the business?”

The answer – it didn’t.

As public relations professionals, we thrive on building buzz. We proudly accumulate media clips and tally up the positive sentiment and impression data to demonstrate the value we are bringing. Our clients and bosses often love seeing these positive stories come in – especially if the story sparked conversation about the brand. Given that so much of the work we do happens behind-the-scenes and results can be hard to measure, we eat up the praise we receive for these easy wins and forget to ask ourselves that one key question.

Is this helping to drive the business?

I am all for fun and creative ways to get your story out. Who doesn’t enjoy a good stunt or unexpected angle? I love flipping traditional narratives and stories to bring the “Man Bites Dog” element to life and provide somethingo newsworthy and playful to media – but we should never lose sight that not all media hits are created equal and the best placements are those that help further an organization’s goals and objectives.

As one, simple, example, when working with Allstate Insurance Company years ago, I flipped the traditional media story about Trick-or-Treat safety to focus on protecting homeowners from potential stumbles as strangers made the spooky journey to their front door on Halloween. Staging broadcast sets with traditional Halloween decor, a local Allstate Agency Owner spoke about the potential risks created by smoke machines and decoration cords. However, the placements also highlighted the need many homeowners have for an Umbrella Policy, which could help protect them in situations like this and therefore helped generate awareness for a product. The gimmick became a plug that added value for readers and viewers and also the business.

As experts in our field, we need to elevate our thinking and act as strategic counselors who live and breathe our clients’ businesses. We need to ask the tough questions, wear our business and reporter hats, and find a way to connect the dots between headline-grabbing and business driving in an interesting, relevant way.

Stunt or Strategy?

So, how do you know if your press release or pitch is a stunt for stunt sake or something that has the potential to contribute real value to your client or organization? Start by asking yourself a few quick questions:

1) What business and organizational objectives are priorities for your client? You can’t apply a strategic lens to your PR approach if you don’t know what the organization is seeking to achieve. Is it increased foot traffic? Sales? Improved awareness or brand perception?

2) Does my idea connect back to any of those goals? If you are planning a press release that doesn’t connect back to any of your client or organization’s goals, you may want to reevaluate why you are doing it.

3) Will a reporter or editor connect the story back to the brand in the intended way? This is where you should put on your reporter hat and consider how you would cover the story. In the example above, media outlets easily could have seized onto the Halloween homeowner tips portion of the pitch without connecting it back to Allstate or the product. Anticipate these weaknesses and package your pitch in a way that maximizes message pull-through.

4) Is there an implied call-to-action? This doesn’t have to be product-driven. After all, a positive brand story that addresses reputation weaknesses can provide a call-to-action to improve how customers think of the brand. However, ensure there is something you want readers and viewers to take away from your content.

5) Is there another way to measure success? Impressions and media clip counts only provide a glimpse into how much coverage you received. Consider using other measurement tools alongside traditional PR metrics to gain insight on whether or not you are moving the needle and adding value. Simple consumer surveys are a great way of capturing whether or not you are gaining “share of mind” and not just “share of voice” among customers.

What’s your opinion on PR stunts and gimmick press releases? Have you had success using these approaches to drive business results? Share your thoughts in the comments!