Tips and advice on international media relations
A quick calculation has shown that currently around 85% of our clients require us to take care of international media relations, as well as that in the UK. With the current BREXIT uncertainty, it is little wonder that manufacturers and business to business companies are looking to market their product and services further afield.
It's here, we can help manufacturers to gain a competitive advantage. Whether you have manufacturing bases or sales agents in overseas markets or not, we can still ensure that you achieve media coverage in new countries.
Here are our top tips for furthering your profile on an international basis:
- Have the right media contacts
As with any media relations campaign, having the right media contacts is key. Dragonfly PR has access to a sophisticated media database which has enabled us to reach out and build relationships with editors on industrial journals and blog sites for over 15 years. This means that we can approach publications in the USA, China, Spain, India, Australia or indeed any country, to seek editorial opportunities, such as inclusion in features and with bespoke thought leadership articles. When we send out a press release or article to our international contacts, we ensure it is personalised and tailored to them, increasing the likelihood of it being used.
- Translation needs to be carried out by an expert
As the product or service you offer may be technical in nature, it is essential that it is translated into the language by a native speaker with an understanding of manufacturing industry. Dragonfly PR works with translation partners in the UK and overseas to ensure that any translations we produce are authentic and appropriate to the target market. In the majority of cases, the translations are carried out by people who have worked as engineers in their field.
- Be seen as the industry experts
Many PR agencies are afraid to pitch in stories to overseas magazines, as they don’t know the format of the publications or the type of articles they will run. We do not treat overseas magazines any differently to those in the UK. This means that we will target them frequently with ideas for thought leadership articles on behalf of our clients. The result is that we secure large, in-depth articles that position our clients as the experts in what they do, securing coverage without the need to advertise and often with the articles included on the magazine’s website, with a back link to the client’s site. The result is high profile coverage for the client and an enhanced Google Ranking.
- Work to their deadlines
Just as UK magazines, international magazines often work to tight deadlines. It is essential that we meet these deadlines and if the article looks like it needs a couple of days to gain approval, keep us informed so we can clear this with the editors. This helps to enhance the relationship with the editors and they know they can rely on us to provide relevant, interesting and timely articles.
- Work with a PR agency that has a proven track record in international media relations
It goes without saying that you will achieve better results from your international media relations, if you work with a PR and digital agency with a proven track record in this area. Dragonfly PR has been providing PR and content marketing services to international clients and to UK clients serving an international market, for over 15 years. Our media relationships are second to none and we understand the publications and the type of articles they will run. Why not contact our PR team for a further discussion on how we can support your international marketing strategy by emailing hello@dragonflypr.co.uk.
And, don’t forget, content marketing should be an integral part of your marketing strategy. Here we have expertise in generating authoritative, technical content for business to business companies to be included on websites and external blog sites across the world. We carry out research into most popular search terms and ensure we build keywords and phrases into our content marketing plan. When Public Relations is combined with a robust content marketing/organic SEO strategy, the results in terms of increased website traffic, sales and conversions, can be huge.
As a Sheffield-based PR agency, we are one of the longest established and most experienced in business to business marketing on a UK and international basis.
For more information, or to receive a free, no obligation review of your PR and international content marketing, please email hello@dragonflypr.co.uk or call 0114 3495345.