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October 25, 2023 · 4:30 pm

Why Most B2B Companies Don’t Use Earned Media (Public Relations)

Most B2B company websites, across all industries, contain some combination of self-produced “owned media” content, including blog posts, case studies, white papers, podcasts, archived webinars, and event calendars. A significantly smaller number of those websites, however, contain any publicity (earned media) that showcase the company’s intellectual capital, success stories, products and services, or people.

There are 3 reasons why most B2B companies do not pursue earned media:

They fear the lack of editorial control. The intrinsic value, as well as the inherent risks, related to earned media – whether the coverage is solicited by the company, or in response to a media inquiry – is that bona fide journalists from respected media sources are expected to deliver fact-based, objective reporting and / or opinions. Despite the erosion of public trust in “fake news” (mostly related to political and world news reporting), business and industry trade media sources continue to have a high degree of credibility and influence.

Over an after-hours cocktail, most corporate clients will admit to their PR firm flack that one unspoken reason for their engagement is to serve in a risk management capacity. Simply put, if the CEO is looking for a head to roll following negative media coverage, the outside PR rep serves as a convenient scapegoat, and the CMO’s career can remain intact.

Career risk notwithstanding, many companies have legitimate concerns based on fear of being misquoted, or based on dealing with a journalist who either does not understand their business or covers the story with a preconceived agenda.

[[What these companies fail to understand: There are ways to benefit from the market exposure and inherent 3^rd party endorsement of media coverage without losing control over editorial content. For example, bona fide bylined articles (not pay-to-play “native” content), authored by company subject matter experts on relevant topics, written in a non-self-serving manner, provide all the benefits of earned media without the risk of being misquoted or represented in a negative manner.]]

They don’t know how to generate positive coverage. The most valuable type of media coverage – in terms of having a positive, near- and long-term impact – is written by professional journalists associated with respected media sources. Their job is to present “balanced” coverage, which means it will most always include some information that’s considered to be negative by the company, product, or individual that’s featured in the story.

In advance of the media target research, selection, and “pitching” logistics involved in seeking a staff-written story, a company first needs to:

Be confident that the coverage they’re seeking is of likely interest to the journalist, and based on accurate facts and tangible evidence to support the proposed story;
Accept the fact that reporting may include some negative or contrarian information;
Identify the most likely or “worst case” details a journalist may want to include in the story, and be prepared to address those issues; and
Believe strongly that the net positive aspects of the coverage will far outweigh any potential negative information that’s included.

[[What these companies fail to understand: When a journalist accepts a story proposal from a company that’s done its homework – both in terms of supporting their story with facts and outcomes, and in assessing the “balanced reporting” risks – there is an extremely high likelihood that the coverage will be positive, and of benefit to the company.]]

They don’t appreciate the power of earned media. In ways that really matter for companies, notably lead generation, market engagement and revenue generation, no other type of marketing content compares with earned media exposure.

Here’s a real-life example: The business units of Travelers Group, prior to its combination with Citibank, included Travelers Insurance and Primerica; which represented two very different insurance categories and operating cultures. Travelers Insurance sold whole life coverage through full-time professional insurance agents, while Primerica sold term life insurance through its part-time sales force, consisting of teachers, fire fighters and other “blue collar” workers.

Historically, the insurance industry looked down upon term life insurance, and had low regard for part-time agents. With two very different products and cultures under its red umbrella, and with the intention to gain market share in the term life insurance market, Travelers Group set out to reposition Primerica as a legitimate insurance carrier that provided a worthwhile product to customers.

Based on significant improvements in sales practices and compliance it had instituted at Primerica, and with the expectation that any coverage would include Primerica’s prior shortcomings, Travelers Group pitched a “transformation” story to Best’s Review, one of the insurance industry’s most respected publications.

Their calculated risk paid off. Bigtime. The headline of the Best’s Review cover story read: “Primerica’s Metamorphosis: The “termites” of the life insurance industry have been reborn under the Travelers Group umbrella as financial planners to the underserved middle class.”

That article not only became the most requested reprint in the history of Best’s Review, and an important part of the sales kit used by Primerica’s part-time agents; the media coverage was also recognized as the catalyst for a significant and sustained increase in term life sales for Primerica, and as an effective tool for recruitment of new part-time agents.

[[What these companies fail to understand: Earned media is more difficult to achieve, and can involve a degree of risk, which can be managed. But in terms of return on marketing investment, and the potential to generate tangible business outcomes, no other marketing tactic comes close.]]

Fighting Online Brand Sabotage 101

Brand Sabotage May Warrant Ninja Tactics

Complaint websites such as Yelp, Glassdoor and Ripoff Report – that empower actual and imaginary customers or employees to anonymously post their accurate or bogus comments online – have created new brand-related challenges and opportunities for their corporate targets.

Thanks to search engines and social media, anyone with a computer and a personal agenda can now inflict substantial, long-term damage to the reputations of institutions that may or may not be deserving of their viral sabotage. It’s become a dangerous and foreign world for CMOs, PR heads and others charged with protection of their company’s brand; especially for small and mid-sized companies lacking the sophistication or deep pockets to mount a serious defensive strategy.

At the risk of oversimplification, here are a few down & dirty street-fighter tactics that should be on the do-it-yourself checklist of every company that’s a real or potential target of brand saboteurs:

Keep Your Eyes Open – This advice appears rudimentary, but many companies don’t bother to stay on top of online content. At the very least, all companies should use Google Alerts to keep track of what’s being said about them online. This service is free, but does not provide a comprehensive view of everything that’s being said. There are scores of sophisticated social media monitoring solutions, tailored to meet your budget and level of interest. Here’s a list of them.

Take the High Road First – If your company has made mistakes or fallen short of expectations, it’s best to man up quickly. If there’s a way to respond directly to a negative post, then admit your error, offer to make amends, and follow through on any promises you make. Negative posts are opportunities to showcase your company’s integrity and to build goodwill.

However…if it becomes clear that an employee, customer or competitor is using social media primarily to inflict brand damage, it’s appropriate to protect your company in a far more aggressive manner. The basic ninja tactics and rules involve:

Hit and Run – At the risk of being labeled a “troll” by the strange subculture of people whose hobbies include trashing companies online, it’s worth the effort for your company to fight fire with fire, by anonymously posting contrary opinion and evidence, on a selective basis, to discredit the brand saboteurs. If your defensive post is well-crafted (which means it’s not totally obvious that it was written by someone from your company), readers will conclude that the saboteur may not be correct, or at least that there is a difference of opinion.

Avoid Fistfights – If you employ anonymous hit and run tactics, never go toe-to-toe online with saboteurs by responding to their follow-up posts (where they will accuse you of being a shill for the company.) If you engage with them, your original post will lose its credibility, you’ll give them additional opportunities to trash your brand, and it will attract additional attention. If you can’t maintain your discipline, then don’t use hit and run tactics.

Call In The Cavalry – The odds are, if you’re running a successful business, that you have plenty of satisfied employees and customers. The problem is that brand terrorists are always more motivated to trash your brand than your brand ambassadors are likely to praise it. The solution is simple: swallow your pride, and ask for help from your fan base. Don’t tell them what to say, but do provide them with the specific information (or send a page link) they will need to post their positive opinions where it will have the greatest impact. Solicit at least one positive post every month, and don’t forget to thank those who take the time to help you.

Become Transparent – In a world driven by search engines, no news is longer good news; in fact, no news is a brand liability when you are the target of a brand saboteur. The most effective way to reduce and offset brand sabotage is to consistently generate online content that positions your company in a positive manner. This does not simply mean pumping out a press release every time your company introduces a product, wins an industry award, or appoints a new vice president. The content with the greatest value – both in terms of viral shelf life and marketing impact – provides insight into your firm’s intellectual capital…so that target audiences have a clear understanding of your company’s value proposition.

Pull Out the Legal Saber – If the damage caused by brand saboteurs is substantial and consistent, your company should consider legal means as a last resort. This can be expensive, but some companies have succeeded in neutering false and defamatory posts by first filing a lawsuit against the author of the post (not against the website or search engine); if successful in that suit, obtaining a court order related to the offending post; then presenting that court order to Google…which typically will honor the court order by removing the webpage with the offending post from its search index. Although this legal tactic will not remove the post from Ripoff Report, Yelp or Glassdoor, the post will no longer appear in Google search results, which is a significant damage control victory.

Many companies will continue to do little or nothing to prepare for online brand sabotage, on the assumption that it’s unlikely to ever happen to them. Like the classic Fram Oil Filter commercial, they can pay a little now, or pay a much bigger price later. But there’s a growing list of CEOs who regret having rolled the dice with their company’s reputation at stake.