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In part 1, Mike delivered some great tips on how businesses can effectively approach PR agencies, evaluate their offers, and assess their capabilities. Make sure to check it out.
And while it's important to consider numbers and past successes when working with any PR agency, it's just as crucial to think from a business perspective when getting creative with your PR mentions and marketing narratives.
In part 2, Yana gives some hands-on tips for crafting content and stories that keep people hooked while still aligning with your company’s goals. In case you missed the first piece, we present Mike and Yana’s speech in their unique first-person narratives, ensuring that even the smallest details are captured.
In the business realm, a creative approach can make even the nitty-gritty technical and HR tasks much more effective and a lot more interesting. Not to mention that creativity is the heart of PR and marketing and it helps to come up with a distinctive way your brand talks.
LinkedIn says creative thinking is like the number one skill right now. No wonder companies are constantly seeking out individuals who can think innovatively and bring new perspectives to the table – it's what keeps them ahead. If you are part of a creative team, you are the one who really gets to connect with the audience and shape your company's tone and atmosphere.
However, it often occurs that PR and creative folks have some seriously cool ideas, but these ideas don't align with business objectives, making them fall short. If this has happened to you at least once, no worries! Actually, you should just find ways to cultivate a business-style mindset and mash it together with your creativity.
And let me show how you can do it with minimum stress and pressure.
The rationale behind the need to reinterpret any creative idea from the perspective of a specific business is straightforward: without this approach, any PR initiative loses effectiveness.
But, what does this reinterpretation actually imply? Every company's got its own vibe, powered by a mission that keeps them on track, and that one-of-a-kind thing that makes them stand out – a product or a service, designed to address the specific needs of specific groups of people. In short, every business is defined by its:
For the content creators and creatives on the team, knowing these details is like having a map for coming up with the right messaging. In other words, it all starts with a deep understanding of the company's signature style.
Even though many HRs introduce employee onboarding to familiarize their workforce with the company’s core principles and competitive advantage, the disconnect between what the business wants and what the creative delivers is still the case. This happens because on the one hand, the business is laser-focused on hitting targets and nailing down their market strategy, and the creative is all about finding slick new ways to bring those goals to life.
So, one big way for creative folks to bridge this divide is to really put themselves in the shoes of the company, the potential customers, or even the product.
While everyone gets that understanding the company's vibe and brand identity is crucial, applying that knowledge can be tricky, so I'm here to help out.
To start with, try to think back to why you signed up with your company in the first place and what values you dig about it. People usually jump on board because they're feeling that unique business mission and want to bring something cool to the table. When employees really feel the vibe of the company they're working for, it gets their creative juices flowing and their work just clicks with what the company stands for.
PRO TIP ABOUT SYNCHRONIZING WITH YOUR COMPANY
Don't forget to stay in the loop internally, especially with those who've been around longer than you, as their experience and personal qualities typically reflect the corporate culture. Managers, senior colleagues, and team leaders are really there to help creatives at the company and will make sure that everything matches its vision and purpose.
Meanwhile, remember that a company isn't merely bricks and mortar or a name on paper; it's more like a living, breathing organism in the business ecosystem. If you're part of the team, it's because the company sees your reflection in its core principles. So, inject this essence into your creative work – not just originality, but the very soul of your brand.
This means that you should internalize the company’s values as you grasp its tone of voice. First, identify what aspects resonate with you (like specific ideas or communication style) and then proceed with what you have to adapt to. Think of the process as climbing stairs, where each value becomes a step, grounding your creative approach. Build this foundation from simple to complex to ensure you're on solid footing for new ventures.
So, when you really get what makes the company tick, you start finding genuine ways to link the brand with its customers.
While it's important to vibe with the company and what it's all about, it’s equally important to understand the company's clients and potential customers – its target audience.
You've gotta step into their shoes, too, by getting how they think, what gets them moving, and their spending habits. This helps creatives figure out what drives their audience and create campaigns that really hit home.
And how do you really get into your target audience's head? In most cases, it’s pretty simple. People have basic needs and desires that almost anyone, including creators, can relate to. Just by considering a few key questions, such as
you can forge a crucial bond between yourself, your company, and your audience.
It’s obvious that the company’s USP should get potential clients pumped, but creatives have to be stoked about it first.
The excitement of working with something truly innovative is a powerful motivator. Once you understand why exactly you are impressed by a service or a product you’re promoting, you know how to get the target audience thrilled.
Engaging in this sincere self-reflection will allow you to align yourself more closely with your company's standout features. And, when presented with just a note of creativity, they can easily win over the hearts and minds of those you’re trying to reach out to.
Voila, you've got the inside track on what fires people up!
Sometimes, creators gotta team up with outside entities, like PR and marketing agencies, and then it's their job to show them the ropes of how to do things. Let's delve further into what approach you should take when collaborating with contractors.
People who aren't as deeply connected to your brand as you are might not know all the ins and outs like you do. It's understandable, which is why you should consider going the extra mile to guide and mentor them along the way.
PRO TIP ABOUT WORKING WITH CONTRACTORS
While business reps often see hiring contractors as a time-saver, if they want everything to succeed, they should be ready to dive in 80%, leaving the remaining 20% of the responsibility for success to the contractor.
Thus, don't just let the contractor do all the work. Go beyond merely filling out briefs and sharing corporate documentation. Instead, present your vision of the creative and even garther your colleagues for brainstorming sessions.
By teaming up with agencies, bloggers, and other third-party contributors, you can really get the idea across and present it in the best possible way. Contractors can quickly understand what your company is about when someone who gets its vibe explains things.
Congratulations to those who have stuck around, as I've got a couple of additional tips for you! Earlier, we covered some life hacks on how to blend your creativity with any business ethos. As a little bonus, I’m sharing my exclusive checklist on how to structure your creative ideas for maximum efficiency.
In part 2, Yana's aim was to drop some handy tips to help creators blend business smarts with their creative flair, ensuring their ideas hit the mark for their company. On this note, we are ending our ‘Outset PR at inDrive workshop’ series.
We feel that, having spoken publicly at such a heartfelt yet business-focused event, we’ve passed a very important milestone in the agency’s development. In our toolbox, there are many more professional tips and life hacks we don’t mind sharing. So, follow our blog to learn more about the latest PR approaches and practices to make your business ahead of the curve.
And who knows, one day you might see our names on the agenda of your favorite conference!