Three Examples of PR Done Right: Exploring What Makes a Successful Program
What makes an effective PR and communications program? There are a lot of components that must come together to ensure success. But success isn’t one-size-fits-all and what is successful for one brand or product may be completely different for another. At Caster, we create custom, bespoke programs that are designed to specifically target the diverse needs and requirements that our clients have. We take a lot of pride in our ability to see both the bigger picture as well as the day-to-day tactics that are needed to create successful campaigns and programs.
Today on the blog, I’m exploring three examples of PR done right – three different Caster client case studies — and the key components that drove their success.
Control4: An Industry-Dominating Awards Program
A steady news and content stream can drive a lot of brand awareness, but press releases and articles alone can’t do it all. Industry awards are an important part of most of our client’s programs – they further establish them as a recognized and credible leader in their respective industries. As Caster client Control4 continued to add new brands, programs, and products, the Caster team turned to industry awards to support in validating the quality of Control4 products and projects, and differentiate them amongst their competition. Focusing on four core products and programs, Caster researched, vetted, wrote and submitted a comprehensive list of industry awards that presented opportunities for both Control4 and Control4 dealers throughout the year.
In the last three years, Control4 has won a staggering 109 awards. Awards are more than just a one-time validation – most award wins are accompanied by a badge for use on marketing materials and the material can then be leveraged for use in e-newsletters, social media, content marketing, and so much more. Award wins are validators; award domination speaks to the growing strength and popularity of a company – by having a system for crafting top-quality award entries, supporting proof points and elegant digital assets, Caster positioned Control4 to maximize their wins each year.
abode Systems: Launching an Emerging Leader in DIY Home Security
For startups and brands first getting their feet wet, crowdfunding remains a popular way to garner both funding and consumer interest and brand loyalty. DIY smart home security brand abode Systems approached Caster following a successful crowdfunding campaign in 2015. The company had an active and enthusiastic user community, but they lacked the bandwidth and resources to move to the next step from a small startup into a respected, well-known player in the competitive DIY home security market. They looked to Caster to elevate their brand, grow on social and gain the attention of press that would help drive sales and interest.
Caster kicked off the program with a SWOT analysis and audit of their existing program, then developed a one-year communications plan. Caster’s tailored pitching efforts landed abode coverage in top tier publications including USA Today, CNET, Forbes, Consumer Reports, Washington Post and more. Caster’s results-driven, paid social media strategy was also an integral part of abode’s success. Centered around critical sales periods such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Amazon Prime Day, abode experienced massive sales returns from small investments.
In less than two years, abode grew from a crowdfunded startup to a company mentioned alongside big names like Amazon, Google, and Simplisafe.
The Khronos Group: Building an Industry Blog
Content is at the core of most Caster programs – from blogs to newsletters, and whitepapers to email campaigns, content is another tool to establish our clients as thought-leaders, experts, and leading voices in their communities. For The Khronos Group, an industry consortium creating open standards for graphics, vision, parallel computing, and neural networks on a wide variety of platforms and devices, their community happened to be a technical developer audience interested in over a dozen APIs. But The Khronos Group Developer Blog had become dormant due to challenges sourcing, writing, and moving content forward.
The blog’s community of developers can see right through marketing jargon and fluff content – demanding a writing and management team with the capability to deeply understand their industry and develop content that they would value. Caster’s expertise in technical writing and ability to learn how to write for some of the most complex industries today, as well as the team’s knack for managing content were quickly put to work. Caster created a goal and plan for the blog, including an approval process, guest blogging guidelines, and promotion plan. Caster worked with guest writers and inspired renewed participation from Khronos contributors, and presented ideas for the blog and drafted technical content for posts.
The blog quickly saw impressive growth and the most popular blog has had over 30,000 views. With a consistent flow of content for a variety of Khronos standards, activities, and initiatives, the readership of the blog has been steadily growing and has reached over 100,000 visitors; in fact, there is a high rate of readers new to the Khronos website who enter for the first time through the blog.
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Want to see more examples of PR done right? Check out the Case Studies page on the Caster site, chock-full of awesome projects and wins that showcase our strategy and results.
