Group Gordon’s Julia Levine shares helpful tips for using quantitative findings to elevate organizations of all kinds.
Utilizing data in the communications effort can be a powerful way to establish credibility and catch reporters’ attention in a busy news cycle. Below are three ways to more effectively incorporate data into your PR strategy, no matter your industry.
When choosing what type of data to collect, consider what will be most compelling to your audiences and the media. Proprietary findings that look at an issue in a new way or from a fresh angle will be more interesting to reporters than data that has already been collected before. Consider what sets your organization apart from its peers and the unique information you may have access to. It is also helpful to think about what you hope the data will achieve: demonstrating the scope of an issue, highlighting a shift over time, or combatting a misconception, to name just a few possibilities. Being smart about what data will have the most value sets your organization up for greater success when releasing it.
Raw findings can only take you so far, and utilizing data to its full potential will also involve packaging your results so they can be delivered to audiences most effectively. This could mean writing a report that explains the numbers you’ve collected, creating infographics and fact sheets to break down your results, or looking at subsets of the data to draw additional conclusions. Depending on the level of complexity of your findings and the types of audiences you plan to share this data with, you may also need to distill the results into simpler, more concise language that can be understood by lay audiences. Once the data is in a form that can be easily absorbed and shared, it will be paramount to frame the information in ways which pique the interest of reporters, developing a few strong media angles, connecting it to larger trends, or otherwise driving home its relevance.
Quantitative information is impactful but often becomes more powerful when paired with a human face. Coupled with stories from those with lived experience connected to the data, the numbers really come to life and resonate with audiences. If such an individual is willing to speak to media, this can further enhance a pitch and lead to more robust coverage. Another way to put a face to a number is offering an expert spokesperson to share their insights about the data. This can take the form of setting up conversations between media and the spokesperson, writing an op-ed where the expert takes a stance supported by the data, or holding a webinar to explain the findings.
No matter the type of organization, data can be a powerful tool for building your brand and reputation. These are just a few strategies for leveraging data to take your PR effort to the next level.
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