By now you’ve heard of the blockchain. Maybe you’re not that familiar with the ins and outs of an ICO, don’t really understand the difference between ether or bitcoin, and can’t fathom walking into the grocery store and paying for your food with digital currency…but you are familiar with the crypto world and the promises it brings. When asked if you understand blockchain, like many mainstream users, you will probably admit you know the basics, but nothing beyond a limited understanding of the terms.
And while the mainstream world is taking a more “slow and steady wins the race” attitude towards cryptocurrency, industries, professions, even college majors have all popped up around the mass adoption and implementation of the blockchain. One of the industries that has grown the most with the blockchain boom of 2017 was public relations for the blockchain. A whole new approach to the media was constructed around this blooming industry – traditional PR adapting slightly to meet a new clientele. These PR teams function a little differently than just your average tech, finance, or lifestyle PR team. Want to know what it takes to make it in the crypto world? To stand out among the crowd? Read on to learn the ABC’s of public relations for the blockchain
A is for Always check the news!
This one is pretty obvious, but it’s also imperative to a blockchain company’s success. Your PR team should also be checking the news, seeing what’s the latest in the industry. Why? Many times reporters are looking for experts in the field to provide commentary on breaking news. A good public relations blockchain team will be on top of the headlines and ready to pitch your company to relevant reporters based on what is happening right now in the crypto world.
B is for Building your credibility
One of the most important reasons to hire a blockchain PR team is to build your credibility in the space. With so many blockchain companies popping up over the past two years, the market has become overcrowded. It’s hard to make yourself stand out from a crowd that is already oversaturated. Hiring a good PR team will help with that, as being featured in various publications will build your credibility over competitors.
C is for Coindesk, Cointelegraph, and more!
Coindesk, Cointelegraph, CCN, and more! These are all the blockchain publications that you want your company featured in and that your PR team will work effortlessly to get you on.
D is for Dumbing it down when necessary
Blockchain and cryptocurrency isn’t for everyone, in that not everyone will either see the value or understand it. Having a PR team that understands when to dumb down your messaging is important. Just because a reporter does not understand the high level technology behind your company (maybe they are a mainstream or general technology writer), it does not mean he/she won’t be interested in the story you are telling.
E is for Events and speaking opportunities
A good PR blockchain team will always be on the lookout for speaking opportunities and events that your company can attend. Speaking at these conferences allows you to network, meet potential partners or investors, and share your story with reporters at the event.
F is for Follow ups!
A short but sweet one. Your blockchain PR team will always make sure to follow up with reporters when pitching, as reporters get so many emails and pitches a day, it’s easy for that one message to get lost in the bunch.
G is for Guest posts and thought leadership pieces
Just like events, guest posts are another imperative part of the PR work your team will do for you. Guest posts build CEOs as experts on various trends, offering intelligence opinions and commentary, and in turn gaining credibility for the company.
H is for HODLers
An important term to know. HODL is slang in the cryptocurrency community for holding the cryptocurrency rather than selling it.
I is for ICOs…no more!
Unless you are still living in 2017, your company should not be attempting to hold an ICO. Any good crypto PR agency will be able to explain to you why ICOs are dead, especially in the eyes of the media.
J is for Jog, not sprint
PR is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s important to understand that although you may have external pressures, you should not be pressing your PR team to get coverage fast. Good coverage takes a lot of strategy and planning, and the best results will come from understanding that PR, especially blockchain PR, is a process.
K is for Know the industry terminology
This one is obvious, but important to note. Any good PR team will know all the terminology associated with its client’s industry. In the crypto space not understanding the different concepts is a dealbreaker.
L is for Look to your public relations blockchain team for guidance and expertise
Teamwork can really make a difference, and trusting your PR professionals is crucial. Have confidence in what your PR agency advises when it comes to strategy, timing, and media efforts. Ask them questions if you don’t understand something, so that you can see the full picture of the PR efforts.
M is for Monitor, monitor, monitor!
Any PR team, let alone one in the crypto world, understand the importance of monitoring for coverage. Your PR team will constantly be on the lookout for any mentions your company may have gotten in the media.
N is for NO buzzwords
Avoid jargon like ‘revolutionary’, ‘disruptive’, ‘innovative’, and more. These are not buzzwords, but rather buzzkills to the media. Don’t oversell.
O is for Outstanding social media presence
Many consumers are now looking at what their favorite influencers recommend and what their friends and families post when looking to learn more about a new brand or idea. When your coin PR agency gets your company coverage or you have a significant update to share, it is imperative that it gets shared across social channels.
P is for Personalize those pitches!
Your PR team will take the lead on strategizing and pitching the media. One of the most important steps in that process is personalizing the pitches they send out to reporters. Rather than sharing your company in a “spam” style email, and good PR team will personalize all pitches, highlighting the relevance of your company and story to the journalists.
Q is for Quote opportunities
Quote opportunities are a great way to build your brand and credibility in between news cycles. Your PR team will share quote opps that are based on trends in the space or breaking news, or can be used to supplement an article that a reporter is writing with some expert commentary.
R is for Recommendations from past clients
Because there is a lot of noise to cut through in the crypto space, make sure that your PR company has had experience with similar clients in the past. Ask around in the industry, talk to other companies, and get some recommendations before choosing the PR team for you.
S is for showing a connection to the “real world”
Because blockchain technology is still such a lofty idea, your PR agency will recommend making some connection to the “real world.” Since your technology will represent the new way of doing things, showing the media that you have a connection to the traditional space, maybe through a partnership with a major bank or technology company, will show that your blockchain company has a real use case.
T is for Telling the story of your brand or company
This is perhaps one of the most important aspects of good PR work. Crafting the right messaging to tell the story of your brand and company in a way that the media will care is why you hire a PR team in the first place. Trust them when they tell you what is interesting or not to the media, they are the experts in that after all.
U is for Understand your audience
Your team will understand the different types of audiences they will be reaching out to, and how to tweak the messaging accordingly. The story for your company when pitched to a mainstream reporter, could and should, be much different than the story being shared with a heavy fintech crypto writer.
V is for Volatility in the market
With cryptocurrency comes volatility. Whether if the market is high, or low, your PR team will understand how to leverage the exact circumstances to your advantage.
W is for Watching the changing trends in the market
One day ICOs are in, the next day they are out. One day STOs are the big rage, the next day they aren’t talked about in the media anymore. Your PR team will watch the changing trends in the industry to not only gather relevant opportunities to pitch you for commentary, but also to understand how they might need to change your company’s messaging to fit in with what’s “hot” and what’s “not.”
X is for eXpertise
You hired a blockchain PR team for a reason. Trust their expertise, even if sometimes you don’t agree with it. For example, releasing many stories at once can be harmful to your efforts, journalists stop distinguishing one story from the other and become irritated at what may seem like “constant bugging.” Don’t question your PR team if they are giving you their best judgement call. Everyone is working towards the same goal…your success.
Y is for Your expectations
Maintain active communication with your PR team, clearly stating your company’s goals, and being a present member in strategy meetings.
Z is for genZ
GenZ is the generation born after 1995, and who, for lack of better words, are technology obsessed. They are an even larger generation than millenials, and have a huge effect on what companies, technologies, apps, or gadgets make it today, since they are the ones using it. The blockchain companies that will be the most successful in years to come will be those that are able to tap into a GenZ audience, or those that utilize PR companies tapping into a GenZ employee base.
The blockchain industry is teaming with compaines hoping to make that major breakthrough into a mainstream audience. If there is anything that these last few years of crypto craze has taught us, it’s that in order to achieve real success, these companies need to be backed by a public relations blockchain team that knows what it is doing. So if you are looking for your next PR team, or you are a PR agency trying to understand what it takes to be successful with the crypto media, it’s back to basics with these ABCs.
