by Lauren Michaels, Vice President
From roof decks with stunning views and pools, to movie theatres and historic architecture, and sustainable elements that are beyond what the eyes can see, most buildings have key differentiators that distinguish them from the rest. But how do you reach those key audiences with that message?
A significant amount of office, lab and residential buildings have broken ground this year. As the competition intensifies, developers must differentiate their properties from others and establish credibility within a crowded market; two things an integrated and creative PR campaign can do extremely well.
PR can spread awareness, achieve credibility, position a property and its leadership as forward thinking, and provide consistent, tasteful amplification.
Spreading Awareness
It is said that repetition is essential to memory.. PR successfully reiterates your message while positioning it as newsworthy and timely, giving readers extra motivation to become interested in your specific project via visiting a website, clicking an ad, or calling to book a tour / appointment.
Establishing Credibility
Reporters are objective in their work and seek multiple perspectives when they write, therefore positive stories are a credible form of marketing. For example, when nurturing a lead, sharing an article with a prospect about a given aspect of a building can go a long way. We’ve had clients secure meetings with prospects following the placement of strategic articles, whether they be written by a reporter, or penned by us as an opinion piece or op ed.
Positioning to Meet its Target Audience
It is a PR team’s job to understand everything about your property and the industry to best connect with its key audiences. PR firms can then develop creative, out of the box story angles and engagement campaigns that will set your building apart. For example, perhaps your building’s interior design represents a national design trend that is fitting for WSJ Mansion or the Boston Globe Address sections. Good PR firms will come to you with ideas and recommendations to foster reporter engagement and secure coverage.
Consistent Amplification
Unlike an ad, media coverage can be shared and amplified across social platforms, through email campaigns, and marketing materials. For example, if an article about your property is placed in Boston Magazine, you can easily repackage it, underscoring your carefully crafted key message and tagging people who may reshare it for further amplification. You can also put spend behind social sharing to further target key audiences.
As a communications firm with a dedicated real estate practice specializing in strategic PR that differentiates properties across Boston and Massachusetts and up and down the east coast , we have worked alongside many leading developers and owners to help them achieve leasing and sales goals.