Working in public relations, I have seen a major shift in the way that press is garnered and businesses are promoted. Keeping your target audience informed and getting your brand out there in this day and age has become more challenging, as there are a lot more players in the game than ever before.
Although challenging, it’s also an exciting time for PR as the landscape for press and promotional opportunities has expanded, especially with social media being one of the main forms of PR today. You can now reach more people in more places than ever before.
Here are a few pointers when looking to master the public relations game.
Be creative
Creativity plays a big part in making your gym/brand stand out, as you need to be ahead of the competition and constantly promote new workouts and ideas.
When it comes to communicating with your audience, I am a firm believer in quality over quantity. I have learned that the bigger the placement and the more people that see it, results in far more traction for your brand, which can ultimately increase interest in joining the gym.
Networking is key
You can never know too many people both in and out of the media industry — whether it be managers, booking agents, writers, photographers, etc. No matter how big or how small they are in the business, building your database is key because the fitness and entertainment world is very, very small, and being connected helps expand your footprint.
Never shut out any opportunities
Always look for new ventures, ideas and ways of doing things, and make sure you practice what you preach. You’ve got to love what you do. Journalists want to see that you truly know the brand and that you are experiencing it right alongside them. The best representatives truly believe in your business: they live it, love it and they want to shout about it to whoever will listen.
Jessica Pollack is the senior director of public relations at Crunch gyms. For more information email jessica.pollack@crunch.com.
