Why Data-Driven PR Is the Future: How Our PRISM Framework Leverages Analytics

In today’s digital era, public relations (PR) is no longer just about pitching stories or maintaining media relationships. It’s about leveraging data to shape strategies, measure impact, and refine messaging in real time. Data-driven PR allows brands to craft more targeted campaigns, better understand their audience, and achieve tangible results.

At Marquet Media, we’ve built our PRISM framework to harness the power of analytics, helping our clients stand out in the competitive landscape. In this post, we will share why data is crucial for PR success and how the PRISM framework uses analytics to drive exceptional client outcomes, with FemFounder as a prime example.

The Shift Toward Data-Driven PR

The PR industry has transformed over the past decade. What used to be an industry reliant on intuition and media relationships has evolved into one that values measurable outcomes and precision targeting. Today, PR professionals must be able to show the impact of their work using concrete data. The increasing popularity of digital channels, social media, and advanced data analytics tools has made it easier to quantify the effectiveness of PR strategies. Data-driven PR isn’t just a trend—it’s become an essential practice for those looking to thrive in a constantly evolving media landscape.

The Role of Data in Modern PR

1. Enhanced Audience Understanding: With analytics tools, PR professionals can delve into audience demographics, behaviors, and interests. Understanding your audience and what they care about allows for more effective message crafting and channel selection, ensuring your stories resonate with the right people.

2. Precise Targeting: Data allows PR teams to create campaigns that reach the right people at the right time. This precision is crucial for brands with niche audiences, like FemFounder, which caters to female entrepreneurs. Data ensures that resources are used efficiently, with messaging customized to the needs and preferences of each audience segment.

3. Measuring ROI: Traditional PR often struggled to quantify success. Today, data helps PR teams track media mentions, website traffic, engagement rates, and even conversions directly tied to PR efforts. These metrics prove the value of PR in a way that was previously difficult to achieve, helping clients know the return on investment.

4. Real-Time Adaptation: Data enables PR professionals to track the effectiveness of campaigns as they unfold. This means strategies can be adjusted quickly, ensuring that messaging remains relevant and impactful throughout the campaign’s lifecycle. It allows brands to pivot quickly when needed, maintaining momentum and adapting to the latest trends.

Introducing the PRISM Framework

The PRISM framework was born from recognizing that successful PR must be rooted in data and driven by insights. The PRISM model stands for Proprietary Tools, Relationship Building, Insights, Simplified Workflow, and Message Development. Each framework component uses analytics to ensure our PR strategies are effective, efficient, and aligned with our clients’ goals.

Proprietary Tools: Harnessing the Power of Data

Data is only as useful as the tools that capture it. At Marquet Media, we leverage proprietary tools that help us track and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) across all channels. These tools allow us to monitor social media trends, track media coverage, analyze website performance, and gather sentiment analysis from various digital platforms.

Example from FemFounder: When FemFounder launched a new blog series aimed at female entrepreneurs, our tools allowed us to track engagement rates and click-throughs from social media channels. These insights showed that posts about work-life balance resonated most with the audience, leading us to create more content around this theme. As a result, FemFounder saw a 25% increase in time spent on its website.

Relationship Building: Data-Enhanced Connections

While data is essential, the human element remains a cornerstone of effective PR. However, data enhances our ability to build and maintain media relationships. Using data analytics, we can identify which journalists and bloggers are writing about topics relevant to our clients, track engagement with past stories, and craft pitches that align with their interests.

Example from FemFounder: Our data-driven approach identified key journalists in the startup and wellness spaces who frequently covered female entrepreneurship. By targeting these journalists with tailored pitches, we secured media placements for FemFounder in leading publications like Inc. and SheKnows, resulting in a 25% increase in media mentions.

Insights: Transforming Data into Strategy

Insights are the fuel that powers effective PR strategies. Our team uses data to uncover trends, understand audience preferences, and identify emerging opportunities in the media landscape. With the PRISM framework, we turn raw data into actionable insights that guide our messaging and outreach efforts.

Example from FemFounder: We discovered that conversations around “female founders” and “work-from-home challenges” were trending among FemFounder’s target audience through a social listening exercise. This insight led us to launch a blog series and webinar addressing these topics, which quickly became some of the most popular content on the site. This data-driven pivot increased FemFounder’s blog traffic by 30% within two months.

Simplified Workflow: Efficiency through Automation

Data and analytics can be complex, but our PRISM framework simplifies the process, ensuring that our team spends less on manual tasks and more on strategic initiatives. By automating data collection and reporting, we create a streamlined workflow that allows us to focus on crafting compelling narratives and building relationships.

Example from FemFounder: By automating our monthly media monitoring reports, we saved significant time, which allowed us to focus more on strategic partnerships and content creation. This efficiency helped us secure an exclusive interview series with high-profile female entrepreneurs, further boosting FemFounder’s credibility.

Message Development: Data-Driven Storytelling

Data isn’t just about numbers; it’s about storytelling. The PRISM framework uses data to refine messaging, ensuring that every press release, social media post, and email campaign speaks directly to the audience’s needs and desires. By A/B testing headlines and analyzing engagement data, we can continuously refine our approach for better results.

Example from FemFounder: By analyzing the open and click-through rates of FemFounder’s email campaigns, we discovered that subject lines featuring phrases like “exclusive access” and “founder tips” performed the best. We used this insight to adjust our messaging across channels, resulting in a 22% increase in email engagement.

The Future of PR is Data-Driven

The PR industry is at a turning point, with data and analytics playing an increasingly central role in shaping strategies. Brands embracing a data-driven PR approach are better positioned to navigate today’s media landscape. Here’s why data-driven PR is not just a trend but the future of the industry:

1. AI and Predictive Analytics in PR: AI tools can analyze large datasets to identify patterns, predict media trends, and suggest optimal times for press releases and social media posts. Predictive analytics can forecast audience reactions to different messages, allowing PR teams to fine-tune their campaigns before they go live.

2. Personalized PR Campaigns: Data allows brands to craft highly customized PR campaigns that speak directly to individual interests and preferences. By analyzing customer data, PR teams can segment audiences and tailor their messaging, leading to higher engagement and more meaningful connections.

3. The Integration of PR and Digital Marketing: Data has blurred the lines between PR and digital marketing. Today’s most successful PR campaigns integrate with SEO strategies, social media marketing, and content creation. This ensures consistent messaging across all channels and allows brands to leverage PR coverage to drive website traffic, improve search rankings, and generate leads.

Real-World Results: FemFounder’s Data-Driven Success

The PRISM framework has transformed how FemFounder approaches PR, allowing the brand to leverage data for better results. Here are some of the key successes achieved through our data-driven approach:

1. Increased Website Traffic by 35%: By analyzing which topics resonated most with FemFounder’s audience, we optimized the content strategy to focus on high-performing themes. This led to a 35% increase in organic website traffic over 10 months.

2. Growth in Email Subscribers: Through A/B testing of subject lines and content, we refined FemFounder’s email marketing strategy, growing the subscriber list by 100,000 members in less than a year. This new audience directly contributed to a 27% boost in inquiries for Marquet Media’s PR services.

3. Secured High-Profile Media Placements: Using data to target journalists covering the startup and wellness spaces, we secured features in top-tier publications like Forbes, Allure, and FastCompany. These placements significantly increased FemFounder’s visibility and credibility, attracting more collaborators and partnerships.

Conclusion: Embrace the Future with Data-Driven PR

Data-driven PR is not just about numbers; it’s about making informed decisions that amplify your brand’s story and drive meaningful results. At Marquet Media, our PRISM framework leverages data to craft PR strategies that are both strategic and agile, allowing us to adjust and refine our approach in real-time. For brands like FemFounder, data-driven PR has been a game-changer, helping us connect with the right audiences, build lasting media relationships, and achieve measurable success.

If you’re ready to take your PR efforts to the next level with a data-driven approach, contact us at Marquet Media. Let’s explore how our PRISM framework can help you achieve your PR goals, amplify your brand’s message, and build a more engaged and loyal audience. Together, we’ll transform data into insights and insights into success.

Publicity 101: 6 Proven Tips to Secure PR for Your Startup or Small Business

Getting publicity for your small business or startup can seem like an insurmountable task for even the most seasoned founder, entrepreneur, speaker, or coach. But it doesn’t have to be. When you have the right knowledge and tools in your marketing arsenal, securing media coverage in any publication or on any podcast or television show is attainable. 

 Continue reading to learn how you can secure media coverage for your startup or small business within the next 30 days! You will save tens of thousands of dollars on hiring a public relations agency.  

If you’re a small business owner, coach, speaker or startup founder, crafting a compelling story for the media can seem like an overwhelming and intimidating task. It’s one thing to produce content for your social media channels, your company blog, your email newsletter, or communicate with customers over email and a live chat, but it’s an entirely new ball game to come up with content for a journalist, editor, television producer, or podcast host.

It’s important to understand that publicity is crucial to the long-term success of any business; however, trying to figure out what story or pitching angle that will resonate with the media the most is very difficult even when you have a PR background or a newspaper or magazine’s editorial calendar in front of you. So, don’t be fooled—PR people have just as hard of a time as regular entrepreneurs. 

But to help you maximize your chances of securing media coverage while shortening your learning curve, I’m going to share my top tried-and-true PR tips below.

1.     PR Newsworthiness and Media Interest: Figure out what makes you and your small business or startup newsworthy to secure publicity. Before you pitch any story, you will need to determine what makes your business newsworthy. A newsworthy story can be anything from a prestigious new hire, opening a new office in a new city, releasing a book, taking a controversial stand, or hosting an event. Announcing the launch or the release of something can be considered newsworthy. Just keep in mind why the media should care about this launch and how this angle will be of interest to whatever outlet you’re pitching. My best piece of PR advice is to consider how your story will help the media or be of interest to the media’s audience/viewership.

2.     Where Your Story Can Fit in What Outlets and What Columns: Now that you know what makes your business newsworthy, it’s time to determine where your story can fit in what types of publications, as well as which column. I encourage you to read all of the websites, blogs, magazines, and newspapers, as well as watch/listen to the television stations and podcasts where your story can fit.

Start by looking at your local news. If you own a restaurant or brick-and-mortar business, then your story can fit into your local newspaper, magazine, or on a local television segment. However, if you own an e-commerce shop, then depending on what you sell, your story can fit into a wide range of media. For instance, if you own a women’s apparel brand, you may be able to secure publicity on ELLE.com or Glamour.com. If you own a SaaS business, then try looking at Mashable.com or business outlets. Determining where your story can fit is just as important as figuring out what makes your business newsworthy enough to generate PR.

3.     Create The Media List of Your Top 10 Outlets: Now that you know why you and your business could be considered interesting to the media as well as which outlets that may want to run your story, it’s time to figure out which media professionals to pitch. I like to build my media lists in Google Sheets and segment it by Name, Outlet, Title, Location, Email, Beat(s), and Status (so you can keep track of who you pitched and when). Beats are topics that editors cover, btw. Keeping a spreadsheet allows me to know who, when, and what I pitched and helps me stay organized because it’s easy to forget who you pitched and when with what story angle. There’s nothing more annoying to journalists than sending the same pitches to them over and over again.

Please note--today it’s easier than ever to find the right media contact through LinkedIn.com, on Twitter, or Instagram. You can also find the right media contacts by looking at the masthead of a magazine, newspaper, or website. If email addresses are not visible, you can use this useful tool to find out the right email format. This resource will show you the format for the largest and notable magazines, websites, and newspapers.

4.     Start Building a Relationship with the Media Before Pitching Your Story: So now that you have your media list, it’s time to build a connection before pitching your story. But I’m sure you’re asking, “Kristin, how do I introduce myself to an editor or journalist without sounding awkward or like an idiot?” Well, I like to reach out to an editor or journalist before I pitch them, so they become familiar with who I am and the types of clients I represent. A short introduction goes a long way. I would use an introduction like the following one.

Subject Line: Introduction to Name or Company Name

Hi Name, (Make sure you spell their name correctly because it shows laziness if you don’t).  

I read your (article name) in (X publication) and I found it useful (in Y way). I wanted to reach out to introduce myself. I’m (name) and I do (insert job title), and in case you’re ever in need of (X), I’m available to comment on:

·      Topic 1

·      Topic 2

·      Topic 3

·      Topic 4

·      Topic 5

Thanks, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Kristin 

End with a short media bio. Here’s an example of mine.

In some cases, you will hear back from the editor or journalist, which is exactly what you want to happen. When you do hear back, be sure to respond within 24 hours with what the journalist is asking for, if not sooner. But if you don’t receive a response, it’s okay because now they’ve seen your name and your pitch yourself accordingly. Just be polite and respectful when you do send your pitch.

5.     Making Sure to Pitch Your Story to the Right Media Professionals: Okay, so you’ve reached out to the top 10 outlets to introduce yourself to all of the places where you want to be featured, but now you’re stumped on how to draft a pitch that someone actually wants to read and respond to. Your pitch should be relevant and timely, as well as concise and written in the tone of the outlet in which you’re pitching. Your pitch’s subject line should include who, what, and why, the text of the pitch should be fewer than 500 words, answer the five W’s and how in the first paragraph, include a handful of bullet points, and a media bio or boilerplate. Here’s an example of an outline/format of a pitch that I use for all pitches.

Subject Line: Include What You’re Pitching, When, and What Type of Story You Are Pitching  

Hi Name,

You recognize what beat the editor covers and the topic you're pitching (one sentence)

Your introduction (one sentence)

What/who you're pitching and how it relates to the editor's readership (one to two sentences) Why/where/when/how you're pitching it (one to two sentences)

Five to seven bullet points (each one has its own line)

Closing (one line)

Contact information (Telephone number, company, and email address)

Bio or Boilerplate (Four to five lines) Website (one line)

Social Media links (two lines)

If you haven’t heard back from an editor, journalist, or television producer after the first pitch, you can follow up two more times (over the course of two weeks) before marking that publication’s pitch a “no” and moving into the next publication. It doesn’t necessarily mean you were rejected, but it’s more than your story wasn’t the right fit at that time. It happens all of the time, so try not to let it bother you. You can always reach out with a new angle a few months later. 

6.     Syndicate your placements to leverage bigger media opportunities: You’ve secured publicity—a story on an industry website or the digital version of a national magazine or newspaper. That’s very exciting but it’s only the first step. To ensure you promote this credibility and attract more and larger media opportunities, you should syndicate your media features. Here are a few ways we encourage our clients to promote their publicity features.

·      Social Media: Promote all of your publicity features on your social media networks. Twitter.com, LinkedIn.com, Facebook.com, and Instagram.com are the best places to promote your PR stories.

·      Videos: Create videos featuring your publicity stories and upload them to Instagram Stories, Facebook Stories, and YouTube.

·      Email Marketing: If you send out newsletters, include all of your media features in the footer of the emails. These features enhance your credibility.

·      Email Signatures: Include links to your publicity in your email signatures.

·      Your Website: Add a media or press page to your website and include an “As Featured In” section on your website’s homepage. Featuring press on a single banner on the homepage is a great way to show off those media placements along with increasing your credibility.

·      Tag the Media that Cover You and Your Small Business on Social Media: Tag all the media in your social media posts that featured you. In some cases, they will repost your posts. This also helps make the editor’s job easier because the media run will get more traffic, reads, and shares.

·      Blogging: Write blog posts about each PR feature. This is great for showing off your credibility and can help improve search engine rankings.

·      Internal Team: Ask your team members to promote any and all features in their email signatures.

·      Content Syndication: Create a publication on Medium.com and post all of your media features there.

Keep in mind, if an editor or television sees you were featured in a top-tier publication—whether it’s on your website or in a magazine or newspaper--they will be more likely to reach out to you for a comment or quote, over someone who has not had any publicity. A perfect example of this is, a client of mine had been featured in many top-tier women’s publications, so an editor from one of the biggest women’s beauty magazines used her expertise and quote over all of the other experts in her field. This was due to the fact that my client had earned a tremendous amount of publicity and was notable.  

o   Please remember this one thing when it comes to content syndication, Google can penalize your content if it’s duplicated on multiple websites. My recommendation would be to add canonical tags to your duplicate content to prevent any penalties. You can learn more about canonical tags here.  

Getting publicity for your startup or small business can seem like a grueling task for an entrepreneur, but if you follow the six steps above, it will make the process of getting PR a lot easier than hiring a PR firm--which can cost in the mid-four to low five figures per month.