Some ideas for maximising resources are the simplest and you often see them in smaller companies. Take research content for example. I have seen many examples of big companies who invest in research, get great insight, but then don't make the most of the PR opportunities that that content offers. The companies who are good at making the most of research results tend to be food manufacturers. They'll do a small piece of research and if the results show that chips, for instance, are actually good for you - well, it will be on the front page of 'The Sun' and on 'GMTV' without a doubt - providing enormous brand exposure and increased sales for the manufacturer who sponsored the resesearch in the first place. You don't have to be a food company to benefit from this approach and importantly, you don't need enormous investment.
In the B2B space, for example, it's easy to do low-cost surveys of the marketplace to get insight into the marketplace's views of a 'hot topic'. The results can spur all kinds of stories and press released to get maximum reach and importantly engagement from your customers and those who should be customers. On top of that, the content can be used to create a webinar or round-table discussion session to bring you face to face with the markeplace.
Sounds a bit theoretical perhaps, so to take this forward and please forgive the plug, but RB Insight have defined a proposition around this 'Hot Topic Research'. The proposition is very cost effective as RB Insight are part of Reed Business Information and have easy access to a huge database of business professionals across most sectors. You can find out more by viewing: www.rbinsight.com, but the way it works essentially is:
1. You think of a key topic that is worrying the marketplace at the moment. The impact of new legislation for instance
2. RB Insight creates a questionnaire and polls their user base and magazine readership to get their opinions
3. The results are written and distributed on their websites, email bulletins and magazines as a start
The whole thing I believe is sponsored and that content itself could provide the sources for a whole marketing programme consisting of emailed video bulletins, webinars and round table discussion groups as well as additional press and broadcast opportunities... not to mention the viral opportunities that social media now presents.
Like every great marketing campaign, it starts with a simple idea that then gets seeded and then takes on a life of its own - but for an initial investment of a few k, you get huge brand expsure and reach, alignement with an important issue and most critically the attention from your marketplace.
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