In a time of high interest rates and fierce competition, companies in the real estate finance and mortgage industries need a secret weapon to rise above the noise and emerge victorious. That’s where a powerful, strategic PR campaign comes in. When executed well, PR acts as a rising tide that lifts all boats.
Positive publicity enhances your company’s reputation, making all your sales and marketing efforts – be it through email, phone, in person or via social media – much more likely to be well-received. After all, people tend to trust companies they read about favorably in the press. And with increased trust, doors open more quickly, prospects consider your company when evaluating vendors, and deals close much, much faster.
But forget everything you thought you knew about PR. First, know that it doesn’t stand for “press release.” PR stands for “public relations,” and it’s about influencing and directing the thoughts and preferences of your target audience. It’s about making them not only consider but invest in your products or services now, rather than later.
As the owner of Strategic Vantage, I have seen firsthand how crucial PR is for businesses in the real estate finance and mortgage industries. But the magic of PR is often misunderstood, with many people mistakenly believing that writing and distributing a press release is what it takes to get publicity. This misconception is akin to thinking that writing and distributing a sales pitch is the same as doing sales.
Critical to generating great PR is having a rock star publicist. Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t require a communications degree. Much like it doesn’t require a sales degree to be a good salesperson, a great publicist needs insatiable drive and depth. This is what you will need:
- Deep industry experience: Years of immersion in the real estate finance and mortgage industries are essential for understanding your audience’s needs and crafting compelling messages year-round.
- Creativity and perseverance: A great publicist consistently generates fresh, original ideas and pitches them to journalists and influencers, even in the face of rejection or indifference. And they are driven to tirelessly keep calling and emailing reporters to generate publicity.
- Reporter mindset: Thinking like a reporter, not like a publicist, helps you identify newsworthy stories that resonate with journalists and influencers, increasing the chances of coverage.
- Strong connections: Having excellent relationships with a large number of reporters and influencers is vital for getting your clients featured in their articles, expanding your reach and influence.
- Genuine passion: A love for the industry fuels the drive to stay updated on news and trends, ensuring that your PR efforts remain relevant and impactful.
Just A Word of Caution
It’s important to note that having an in-house publicist can be very challenging, as reporters are less interested in speaking with a PR person who always parrots the same message. They prefer reaching out to a PR agency, where they can ask for sources and story ideas related to a specific topic, knowing that the agency will provide suitable and well-balanced sources, not just people from the company they work for. Similarly, when a publicist reaches out to a reporter, the reporter may interject and say they’re working on something else. Only a publicist with a lot of angles and sources up their sleeve can maximize every interaction with a reporter, offering them sources and story ideas each day.
If you’ve never experienced the magic of positive publicity and the impact it has on sales, there’s no time like the present to try it. In this competitive market, PR is an invaluable tool to attract clients, inspire trust in your business, and close deals faster than ever before. If you’d like to explore what PR can do for your business, reach out to us at Info@StrategicVantage.com or give us a call at (305) 971-6239. Let’s unlock the power of PR together and propel your business to new heights.
By Rosalie Berg
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