Non-traditional public relations strategies and tactics offer new opportunities for organizations and public relations professionals to build brand awareness, start conversations and generate positive publicity.  Most conversations about non-traditional PR involve social media—the newest kid on the block. In a world where customers, not companies, have more and more control over the message, non-traditional public relations practitioners are re-writing the rules of engagement.

Traditional public relations tactics such as press releases, editorial coverage, public speaking opportunities and media kits stand in sharp contrast to non-traditional devices such as social media. “There is a tone change between traditional public relations and social channels,” says Eric Seymour, vice president of Boston-based PR Firm, March Communications.  While traditional methods are based on controlling and influencing the conversation, the non-traditional techniques encourage natural conversations with the aim of building community.

Seymour advises clients interested in employing a community building strategy, to create LinkedIn user groups before a conference where exhibitors, attendees and presenters are invited to debate the schedule and discuss conference content.  He suggests setting up a blog and asking key influencers to blog about the event, developing a YouTube channel that links back to the show’s Web site and starting a Twitter group. “The idea is to get people excited. It’s a natural PR driver,” Seymour says.

Even though some exhibition organizers are pioneers in the area of non-traditional public relations, there is a natural hesitancy toward embracing new strategies, especially social media, says Roger Halligan, CEO of H+A International in Chicago. The three main questions we always get are,” Who has time for all this, why should I care what Oprah ate for breakfast, and what if the comments are negative?” he says.

The Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) is using video and Twitter to stimulate dialogue about their events. Halligan’s firm helped develop a nine minute YouTube video overview of CHA’s Summer Convention and Trade Show and invited exhibitors and attendees to post their own videos on the site.  After two weeks, the video, also linked to the event Web site, received over 3,200 views and 60 other videos were posted generating 40,000 views in total. During the show, exhibitors were offered opportunities to tweet show specials and participate in Tweet Ups (face-to-face meetings of Twitter users at show site).

As opportunities in non-traditional public relations become available, some new best practices have surfaced. For example, organizations must first determine their risk tolerance. “When you open up to new things, you lose control. If you want to control everything that is said, you aren’t ready for social media. On the other hand,
If you are very risk tolerant and play it more loose, you may want to exercise more restraint,” Seymour advises.

A blended approach that incorporates both traditional and non-traditional tactics is a popular strategy that appeals to a broader audience.  “We are finding with corporations and show management companies that their [PR strategies] are starting to blend. We have been saying for a while that traditional and non-traditional tactics should be part of an overall strategy,” Halligan says.

Timing is very important in non-traditional media.  “You can’t blog every three weeks.  If someone offers a negative comment, you can’t ignore it. You can’t run a correction like in a print publication.  It’s out there and you have to address it right away,” Seymour says. 

Closely monitoring the conversations that result from non-traditional PR tactics is critically important.  Services such as Radian6 and Cymfony offer platforms to advertising and PR agencies for “listening” to and participating in the conversations taking place across the social Web.

Benchmarking non-traditional PR tactics against the experiences of other companies can help to justify a campaign. Seymour uses a social media audit strategy to poll companies in different industries and product categories to determine whether specific tactics have been successful.

Employing an outside agency to jumpstart a non-traditional public relations campaign is an option. “Public relations firms have done their homework and have some experience. Being able to set up a campaign, do the monitoring, measure the results and take the entire process off the organizer’s plate is a huge value,” says Halligan.

The economic downturn, green movement and social media hype are bearing down on organizations, compelling them to branch out into new marketing, advertising and public relations territory whether they are ready or not.  “When you are trying something new, the tendency is to experiment a little.  To keep the message on the right track, pay attention to fundamentals. Consider your audience, tone and message, communicating in the way the audience communicates.  Think through the core principles of basic communication,” says Seymour.

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Written By: Michelle Bruno, CEM