Lisette Paras is founder and president of Gravitate PR.
Ask any PR skilled what can assist an organization validate its messages or story, and the reply is unequivocally “knowledge.” Whether or not it’s within the type of findings from a client survey, mixture info from an organization’s expertise platform or commissioned evaluation from a market analysis agency, a corporation that possesses knowledge is storyteller’s gold.
Analysis can assist to bolster an organization’s messaging and views on a subject or development. It may be used to teach and curiosity key audiences. It may be used as a type of thought management for the corporate, serving to place them as an authority. And it may be maximized throughout quite a lot of features and channels – whether or not that’s gross sales groups utilizing the info to help conversations with prospects, or PR groups utilizing it to create information to assist drive media protection.
Given the worth positioned on knowledge inside a corporation, it’s pure for corporations to look to maximise this with PR efforts, writing and launching “state of the business” type stories. Sadly, I’ve come throughout many corporations which have spent an exorbitant period of time and sources on gathering knowledge and compiling it right into a report – solely to search out that its efforts to drive consideration to it fall flat.
Listed here are the highest 5 the reason why PR efforts to amplify data-driven content material have been unsuccessful.
- The info fails to inform a compelling narrative.
After analyzing the info, however earlier than writing a report or compiling it into advertising or PR property, it’s vital to have a look at it by the lens of what the general narrative must be. How do all the person findings inform a much bigger story? What are probably the most fascinating features to focus on and why? What are the takeaways for the important thing audiences who would profit from studying the analysis report? It takes a talented, data-driven storyteller to not simply interpret knowledge, however interpret it right into a compelling narrative. Making an attempt to write down the narrative earlier than the info is interpreted gained’t work.
2. The info is simply too sophisticated.
There is usually a danger of getting an excessive amount of knowledge. Even when there are dozens of information factors and findings, it’s vital to not overwhelm the viewer/reader by having a barrage of data thrown their approach. As an alternative, storytellers must be selective within the knowledge they select to include and use it to ladder as much as a compelling set of messages, narratives and takeaways.
Even when the corporate operates in a extremely technical and jargon-laden business, it’s crucial to speak the findings in a approach that’s easy and easy. If the info is considerably complicated, use real-world examples, anecdotes, or charts and graphs as an instance the influence of the info.
3. The info is overtly self-serving.
Whereas commissioned analysis inherently has some connection to what the corporate does or stands for, the info wants to inform a narrative that doesn’t sound like an commercial. Some model of, “Quick meals firm’s analysis finds that hamburgers are good for you” goes to get extra skeptical eyerolls than eyeballs studying additional. An organization shouldn’t be trying to make use of analysis as the principle option to aggressively promote its services or products – such verbiage is healthier used for direct gross sales techniques than for anticipating it’ll resonate by PR.
4. The info is just not statistically viable.
Conducting analysis might be an in depth and costly endeavor. Notably for corporations in a distinct segment market or targeted on a particular viewers, insights from a small variety of respondents might already show immensely priceless. Nonetheless, sharing this with media shops is probably not as efficient as the info must be statistically vital for reporters to search out the analysis credible in chatting with a subject or development. As a rule of thumb, for U.S.particular stories, it’s secure to have not less than 300 enterprise resolution makers for enterprise-level analysis, whereas consumer-focused surveys require not less than 1,000 respondents. If the analysis extends to further nations, then these numbers will must be additional adjusted to what’s thought-about statistically viable in these markets as effectively.
5. The info is just not maximized throughout all channels.
There’s a ton of effort concerned in making a report, from developing with the subject for a data-focused report, creating the methodology, crafting the analysis questions, analyzing the findings, and drafting, modifying, and finalizing the copy and different supporting supplies (whew!). So it’s definitely crucial to ensure that there’s a transparent technique, plan and timeline from the onset of how you can maximize visibility.
Whereas the report could also be the principle asset, it will also be sliced and diced into totally different supplies – a quick video, presentation or collection of weblog posts – and integrated into gross sales, advertising, and PR-focused content material. This content material might be uploaded onto the corporate web site, company social media pages, injected into editorial op-eds. Furthermore, the breadth of the info signifies that it doesn’t must all launch directly – moderately, compelling analysis has a protracted tail during which it may be referenced effectively after it’s unveiled, sequentially by a collection of channels.
Strike gold as soon as, maintain mining
Establishing a data-driven storytelling program can take a while on the onset. Nonetheless, when you’ve developed the proper strategy, it may be a rewarding, ongoing endeavor! As a corporation’s enterprise and business evolves, so ought to the info it extracts to assist refine and progress their tales. Knowledge shouldn’t solely be used as a strategic and artistic initiative to help an organization’s objectives, but additionally be clear and compelling to the audiences an organization is aiming to succeed in. If PR professionals need to strike knowledge gold, they’ve received to understand how and the place to dig.
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