We continue to unveil the secrets of successful PR in regions where we have accumulated strong expertise.
Previous posts:
🎃 Working with the Media in Turkey https://lnkd.in/disKTcbB
🎃 Working with Bloggers in Kazakhstan https://lnkd.in/gxaykSBr
🎃 PR Trends in Uzbekistan https://lnkd.in/dwGT_VWg
Today's post is for those planning to enter or strengthen their positions in the Caucasus countries: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan.
Our PR expert Alina Morozova shared insights about the region. Let them assist you in organizing the PR process with minimal hitches:
1️⃣ As in many other regions, local news hooks work best here. If your news is tied to the country, you have a good chance of getting organic publications. If your company has few local cases or news, try adapting them to industry news. This approach, known as hijacking, demonstrates that your experts are valuable not only in their narrow field but can also comment on similar relevant market events.
2️⃣ The Caucasus is known for its hospitality and skill in building relationships, especially offline. Working with the media here involves establishing horizontal connections. If you know one well-known and authoritative journalist here, you practically know them all. Friendly relationships with them will help you be "one of them," making pitching news much easier. And don't forget to invite media representatives for tea/coffee/wine.
3️⃣ Top media here are reluctant to accept articles and news from companies, often directing you to the commercial department immediately. Don't hesitate to buy a couple of news pieces from the top outlets. This way, the media will be more receptive, and you may ask for an additional news placement as a bonus, or even two. This hybrid format works well.
4️⃣ In Armenia and Azerbaijan, you often encounter Russian-speaking journalists, while in Georgia, they prefer to converse with you in English. By the way, it's better to translate materials into the official language of the country. They can speak with you in Russian or English, but the reader's language is the country's language. Find good translators.
5️⃣ The average response time for a journalist to a pitch is 4-5 days or longer. Even when it comes to commercial publications, the response time doesn't tend to decrease, so plan accordingly. Look for alternative ways to contact the journalist more promptly, such as messengers.
There's no market where building relationships with the media is impossible. Knowing the specifics, local realities, and local rules, you will certainly master this path!
☕️ Want to navigate this path faster? Then write us at welcome@itcomms.io or here. We'll provide guidance and tell you about all the possibilities.