The disparity between what a business thinks is an interesting PR story, and the information that actually grabs the attention of target publications, is often vast. However, by viewing potential press angles through the eyes of the audience, brands can uncover stories which won’t fail to make headlines.
In reality, even the most niche publications are unlikely to have much interest in the fact that you have had an office refurbishment, refreshed your website or invested in a new coffee machine. That is, of course, unless you have a solid angle as to ‘why’ you have made those changes which you can lead on: for example, you have updated your jobs pages to be accessible to disabled candidates to increase applications from this underrepresented group. Otherwise, save those nuggets for building your employer brand though social media.
Ultimately, in order to elevate your brand as a thought leader in its field, you need to keep in mind that the press are interested in what you know, rather than what you do.
We’re previously written on the fact that businesses are sitting on a wealth of valuable information which they often take for granted. And it is only through recognising what makes a great story – and then identifying what your business has to offer in terms of insight – that you can leverage your expertise to gain press exposure.
In order to sniff out a story, it’s worth keeping abreast of current affairs so that you can piggyback angles which are already making waves. For example, specialist recruiter, Global Accounting Network, jumped on gender pay gap reporting and analysed ONS data to determine the gender pay gap at different levels of seniority within accountancy. The resulting press release achieved valuable coverage across the financial services press.
Supply teacher portal, The Supply Register, meanwhile, was quick to pick up on government plans to establish its own national teacher register. The response which followed was picked up across the education press. Similarly, when our client, Healthier Recruitment, shared insights on what a fall in EU nurses would mean for the NHS, their comments were published in various healthcare publications.
There will always be huge appetite for stories which focus on the talent agenda – and your consultants have first-hand, real-time experience of what’s happening on the ground. By sharing not only current trends, but also the reasons behind fluctuations in demand for particular skills, emerging job roles or future predictions, recruitment brands can create genuine interest in the expertise they have to offer – and achieve the press coverage they deserve as a result.
Need help presenting your insight as an interesting story that will result in press coverage? Get in touch.
Author: Carly Smith