In the world of marketing and public relations, email marketing is often considered a hidden gem. Although its primary goal is to drive sales, it can also be a powerful tool for building brand awareness, reputation, and trust when combined with public relations efforts.
PR email campaigns aim to build brand awareness and reputation. In this blog post, we will explore seven effective ways to use email marketing for PR. These strategies will enable you to create a consistent, personalized communication plan that will yield long-term benefits.
1. Delivering personalized сommunication
One of the key benefits of email marketing is its ability to facilitate personalized communication. Use email marketing to segment your audience based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and more. Send personalized messages, such as welcome emails to new subscribers, birthday wishes to loyal customers, or event invitations to prospects.
Combining PR and email marketing ensures consistent and personalized communication that builds trust and loyalty.
Examples of personalized PR email campaigns
- welcome emails: When a user subscribes or signs up, sending a warm welcome email acknowledges their action and initiates a personal connection with your brand;
- triggered emails: These are automatic responses to user actions or behaviors. For instance, a follow-up email after a product purchase can recommend related items or seek feedback;
- birthday wishes: Celebrating customers’ special occasions, like birthdays, fosters a personal touch, making them feel valued;
(Source: Email from H&M)
- rewards for frequent buyers: Exclusive discounts or rewards for loyal customers through email campaigns can reinforce their loyalty;
- thank-you notes to journalists and influencers: Sending personalized thank-you emails to journalists or influencers who covered your story or promoted your brand demonstrates gratitude and further nurtures relationships for potential future collaborations;
- requests for reviews: Seeking feedback or reviews from satisfied customers via email strengthens your relationship and provides valuable testimonials for PR purposes.
2. Sharing press releases and important news
Email marketing offers an excellent channel to share press releases and essential news with a broader audience, not just external stakeholders. By informing your employees, customers, and partners through email, you’ll maintain their engagement and create opportunities for feedback and excitement.
Examples of PR email campaigns with important news
- product launches: Announce new products or services through email campaigns, enticing both existing and potential customers. Offer exclusive previews or special discounts to encourage engagement;
(Source: Email from Mercedes-Benz Media)
- awards and achievements: Celebrate and share accolades received by your brand. Express gratitude to customers for their support and loyalty, emphasizing the collective achievement;
- new partnerships and collaborations: Introduce and elaborate on new alliances or collaborations, highlighting how they benefit your customers. This keeps your audience informed and strengthens their trust in your brand’s strategic choices;
(Source: Email from The Folio Society)
- trending topics and newsjacking: Aligning your brand with trending topics or news relevant to your niche can significantly enhance visibility. Craft timely content that offers your brand’s perspective or solutions related to these trends. Incorporating such content into your press releases or email campaigns positions your brand as an active participant in industry dialogues, amplifying your reach and credibility;
(Source: Email from Morning Brew)
- crisis communication and support: During challenging times or situations affecting your brand or industry, transparent communication via email demonstrates reliability and commitment. Provide relevant information and solutions, reassuring customers and stakeholders of your brand’s stability and support.
3. Announcing events, product presentations, and demos
Combining PR and email marketing can be incredibly effective when announcing events, product presentations, or demos. These are excellent PR opportunities to showcase the advantages of being part of your brand’s inner circle.
Treat your email subscribers as VIPs by offering them exclusive content. Whether it’s early access to new products, behind-the-scenes glimpses, or special promotions, exclusive content rewards their loyalty and makes them feel appreciated.
Checklist for effective event promotion
- create a compelling landing page: Craft a dedicated landing page that encapsulates event details, including date, time, location, agenda, and speakers. This acts as a hub for potential attendees to find essential information;
- craft a press release for media outreach: Extend your event’s visibility by drafting a well-curated press release tailored for media outlets. This amplifies its reach beyond your subscriber list;
- email marketing to your list: Leverage your email list to send impactful event invitations. Personalize these invitations based on subscriber preferences, emphasizing the value and exclusivity of attending;
- send timely reminders: For registered attendees, dispatch timely reminders leading up to the event to ensure their participation and engagement;
- influencer outreach, if relevant: Collaborate with influencers or industry leaders who can amplify event visibility among their audiences, creating additional buzz and interest;
- post-event follow-up with exclusive offers: After the event, extend gratitude to attendees and offer exclusive post-event promotions or content. This shows your appreciation for their participation and nurtures ongoing engagement.
4. Sharing brand stories
Corporate storytelling is a powerful tool to transmit your brand’s soul, mission, vision, and values. Email marketing provides an effective avenue to communicate these narratives, allowing you to establish a meaningful connection with your audience, differentiate your brand from competitors, and elevate its overall image.
Examples of brand storytelling via email
- inspiring brand stories: Narrate captivating anecdotes or milestones that define your brand’s journey, resonating with your audience’s emotions and aspirations. These stories should align with your brand’s core values and evoke a sense of authenticity and relatability;
- mission and vision narratives: Articulate your brand’s mission and vision through compelling narratives. Use email campaigns as a platform to articulate the purpose behind your brand’s existence, its future goals, and the value it aspires to bring to its audience and community.
(Source: Really Good Emails)
5. Building relationships with email outreach
Relationship building lies at the core of effective public relations. Use email campaigns to foster relationships with influencers and industry experts. Engage these key figures by providing them with valuable insights, exclusive content, or invitations to collaborate, fostering mutually beneficial relationships that can yield positive PR opportunities in the long run.
Examples of email outreach strategies
- relationship-building emails: Initiate and maintain communication through personalized emails that aim at cultivating rapport. These emails should be authentic, aiming to establish a genuine connection rather than solely seeking an immediate transaction;
- brand awareness campaigns: Engage influencers and industry experts by sharing your brand’s significant achievements, initiatives, or milestones. This keeps them informed about your brand’s progress and accomplishments, positioning your brand as an active and relevant player in the industry;
- exclusive content sharing: Offer exclusive insights or content that isn’t readily available elsewhere. Providing privileged access to information or resources establishes your brand as a valuable source of knowledge and expertise;
- collaboration invitations: Extend invitations for collaborative ventures or projects that align with the interests and expertise of influencers or industry experts. Collaboration fosters a deeper connection and opens avenues for joint ventures that can benefit both parties.
6. Leveraging user-generated content
In an era that prioritizes authenticity and resonates with the preferences of newer generations, user-generated content (UGC) stands out as a golden opportunity for PR. Encouraging customers and partners to share their authentic experiences with your brand, products, or services via email campaigns holds immense potential.
This adds authenticity to your brand’s narrative and directly involves your audience in storytelling. The outcome is that it enhances your brand’s credibility and offers tangible social proof, thereby enhancing your PR endeavors.
Studies suggest that a significant aspect of this trend is consumers’ inclination to seek recommendations and insights from real individuals.
Examples of leveraging user-generated content
- UGC stories with images and reviews: Encourage users to share their experiences accompanied by visuals or reviews. Incorporating user-generated images or videos amplifies their authenticity and impact;
- testimonials from satisfied customers: Encourage satisfied customers to share their positive experiences in their own words. These testimonials serve as compelling social proof, validating your brand’s credibility and trustworthiness.
(Source: Email from AWeber)
7. Creating interactive surveys and polls
Engage your audience by conducting interactive surveys and polls through email marketing. This approach fosters a sense of involvement and ownership and provides valuable insights into customer preferences and opinions.
By incorporating survey responses into your PR efforts, you can showcase the authentic voice of your audience, reinforcing brand trust and credibility.
Importance and examples of interactive surveys and polls
- gain insights into customer preferences and opinions: Interactive surveys and polls enable you to delve deeper into your audience’s thoughts, preferences, and expectations. These insights serve as a compass guiding brand strategies, product enhancements, or service improvements that align with your audience’s desires;
(Source: Email from Really Good Emails)
- build trust and credibility: By incorporating and showcasing survey responses in your PR efforts, you present the authentic voice of your audience. Transparency and authenticity in addressing customer feedback reinforce trust and credibility, demonstrating your brand’s commitment to listening and acting upon customer opinions.
(Source: Email from International Cat Care)
Bonus track: Monitoring, avoiding spam, and mindful targeting
Success doesn’t end with the strategies mentioned earlier. To maximize the impact of your PR efforts, consider the following additional aspects:
Monitor and measure results
To gauge the effectiveness of your email campaigns for PR, it’s crucial to monitor and measure results. Key performance indicators (KPIs), such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates, provide valuable insights into how your audience interacts with your emails.
Additionally, keep an eye on social media mentions and website traffic resulting from your email campaigns. These data serve as a valuable resource for refining your PR strategies and making informed, data-driven decisions.
Keep a safe distance from spam-land
Ensuring that your email lands in your recipient’s inbox is crucial to guarantee that it is noticed and not redirected to the spam folder. After all the effort you’ve put into crafting your email campaign, it would be disappointing for it to end up in the virtual wasteland of spam.
To avoid this unfortunate fate, take the time to understand why emails end up in spam or get blacklisted, and make every effort to steer clear of these pitfalls. Your dedication and hard work deserve better than to be ignored.
Benefit from strategic targeting
While sending marketing emails might involve broadcasting your message to everyone on your email list, PR emails require a more selective approach. Consider the impact your email’s content will have on the recipient. If it’s relevant, informative, and beneficial to them, it’s a green light for sharing. However, if there’s a risk of striking the wrong chord or sending an irrelevant message, it’s best to exercise restraint.
Mindful targeting ensures that your PR emails resonate with your audience, promoting positive engagement and building lasting relationships.
Wrapping up
To thrive in the current business environment, the combination of email marketing and public relations offers a powerful approach to enhance your brand’s reputation and influence.
As you navigate the ever-evolving landscape of business and communication, remember that the strategies outlined in this guide can help ensure that your message is not only heard but also acted upon. Strategic emails are a valuable asset that will result in the recognition and trust that your brand deserves.
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