Free PR: Visibility Secrets for Nonprofits & SMBs

For mission-driven small businesses and non-profits, effective pr & visibility is a resource for helping you amplify your message and maximize your positive impact. But navigating the world of brand storytelling and strategic online visibility can feel overwhelming, especially with limited marketing budgets. Are you ready to transform your organization’s reach and impact without breaking the bank?

Step 1: Setting Up Your BrandReach Account

BrandReach is a platform designed to help organizations like yours manage their online visibility and brand storytelling. It offers a suite of tools, from AI-powered content creation to social media management, all within a user-friendly interface. The best part? They offer a substantial free plan for non-profits and small businesses. Let’s get started.

Creating Your Account

1. Navigate to the BrandReach website.
2. Click the “Get Started Free” button, prominently displayed in the top right corner of the homepage.
3. On the registration page, choose the “Non-Profit/Small Business” option.
4. Enter your organization’s name, your full name, and your work email address. Use a professional email address, like info@yourorganization.org, to increase your chances of approval for the free plan.
5. Create a strong password. BrandReach requires a minimum of 12 characters, including at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number, and one special character.
6. Check the box to agree to BrandReach’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
7. Click the “Create Account” button.
8. BrandReach will send a verification email to the address you provided. Open the email and click the verification link to activate your account.

Pro Tip: Before signing up, review BrandReach’s pricing page to understand the limitations of the free plan and the features available in paid plans. This will help you make an informed decision about whether BrandReach is the right platform for your organization.

Expected Outcome: A verified BrandReach account with access to the platform’s free features.

Step 2: Building Your Brand Profile

Once your account is set up, the next step is to build your brand profile. This is where you’ll provide information about your organization, its mission, and its target audience. This information will help BrandReach personalize its recommendations and provide more relevant insights.

Completing Your Profile

1. After logging in, you’ll be directed to the “Welcome to BrandReach!” screen. Click the “Complete Your Profile” button.
2. On the “About Your Organization” page, enter the following information:
   • Organization Name: (This should already be pre-filled)
   • Industry: Select the industry that best describes your organization (e.g., Non-Profit, Education, Healthcare).
   • Mission Statement: Write a concise and compelling statement that describes your organization’s purpose. Keep it under 250 characters.
   • Target Audience: Describe the demographics, interests, and needs of your target audience. Be specific. For example, “Low-income families in Atlanta, Georgia, with children under the age of 5.”
   • Website URL: Enter your organization’s website address.
   • Social Media Links: Add links to your organization’s social media profiles on platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
3. Click the “Save & Continue” button.
4. On the “Brand Voice” page, select the attributes that best describe your organization’s brand voice. Choose from options like “Friendly,” “Professional,” “Informative,” and “Inspiring.” You can select up to three attributes.
5. Upload your organization’s logo. BrandReach recommends a square image with a minimum resolution of 500×500 pixels.
6. Click the “Save & Finish” button.

Common Mistake: Many organizations rush through this step, providing incomplete or generic information. Take the time to craft a compelling mission statement and a detailed description of your target audience. This will pay off in the long run by helping BrandReach provide more relevant insights and recommendations.

Expected Outcome: A complete and accurate brand profile that reflects your organization’s identity and mission.

Step 3: Leveraging the AI-Powered Story Generator

BrandReach’s AI-Powered Story Generator is a fantastic tool for creating engaging content that resonates with your target audience. It uses artificial intelligence to generate story ideas, headlines, and even full articles based on your brand profile and selected keywords. This is where you can really boost your marketing efforts without a dedicated content team.

For more on this, see our article on AI-powered thought leadership.

Generating Story Ideas

1. From the BrandReach dashboard, click on the “Content Creation” tab in the left-hand navigation menu.
2. Select “AI Story Generator.”
3. In the “Topic” field, enter a keyword or phrase related to your organization’s mission or activities. For example, if you run a food bank, you might enter “food insecurity” or “hunger relief.”
4. In the “Tone” field, select the tone you want the AI to use for the generated content. Choose from options like “Informative,” “Emotional,” or “Humorous.”
5. Click the “Generate Ideas” button.
6. BrandReach will generate a list of story ideas based on your input. Review the ideas and select the ones that are most relevant to your organization.

Crafting Your Story

1. Click on the story idea you want to develop further.
2. BrandReach will generate a headline and a brief outline for the story. Review the headline and outline and make any necessary adjustments.
3. Click the “Generate Content” button.
4. BrandReach will generate a full article based on the headline and outline. Review the article carefully and make any necessary edits to ensure it aligns with your organization’s brand voice and messaging.
5. Add images or videos to make your story more engaging. BrandReach integrates with Unsplash, a free stock photo website, allowing you to easily find high-quality images for your content.
6. Once you’re satisfied with your story, click the “Publish” button to share it on your organization’s website or social media channels.

Pro Tip: Don’t rely solely on the AI-generated content. Use it as a starting point and add your own personal touch and expertise to make the story truly unique and compelling. I had a client last year who used the AI to generate a blog post about their annual fundraising gala, but then added a personal anecdote about a family who had benefited from their services. The story resonated much more deeply with their audience and resulted in a significant increase in donations.

Expected Outcome: High-quality, engaging content that tells your organization’s story and resonates with your target audience.

Step 4: Monitoring Your Online Reputation with the Social Listening Dashboard

Knowing what people are saying about your organization online is essential for managing your reputation and building trust with your community. BrandReach’s Social Listening Dashboard allows you to monitor mentions of your organization, its key personnel, and related keywords across the web and social media.

Setting Up Your Social Listening Dashboard

1. From the BrandReach dashboard, click on the “Social Listening” tab in the left-hand navigation menu.
2. Click the “Add Keywords” button.
3. Enter the keywords you want to monitor. This should include your organization’s name, its key personnel (e.g., CEO, Executive Director), and related keywords (e.g., your mission, your services, your location).
4. Choose the sources you want to monitor. BrandReach allows you to monitor mentions on social media platforms like LinkedIn, and news websites.
5. Click the “Save Keywords” button.

Analyzing Your Mentions

1. BrandReach will begin collecting mentions of your keywords from the selected sources. This may take a few hours to complete.
2. Once the data is collected, you can view your mentions in the Social Listening Dashboard. The dashboard displays a list of mentions, along with the source, date, and sentiment (positive, negative, or neutral).
3. Click on a mention to view the full context of the conversation.
4. Use the sentiment analysis tool to identify trends in public opinion about your organization. Are people generally positive or negative about your work? What are the key issues or concerns they are raising?

Common Mistake: Failing to respond to negative mentions or address concerns raised by the public. Use the Social Listening Dashboard to identify opportunities to engage with your community, answer questions, and address any misconceptions about your organization. We ran into this exact issue at my previous firm when a client was accused of mismanaging funds. By responding quickly and transparently to the allegations, we were able to mitigate the damage to their reputation and rebuild trust with their stakeholders.

Expected Outcome: A comprehensive understanding of your organization’s online reputation and the ability to proactively manage your brand image.

Step 5: Engaging with Your Community

Monitoring your online reputation is only half the battle. You also need to actively engage with your community to build relationships, foster trust, and amplify your message. BrandReach’s Social Media Management tools can help you schedule posts, respond to comments, and track your engagement metrics.

If you’re looking for visibility on a shoestring budget, consider focusing on authentic engagement.

Scheduling Posts

1. From the BrandReach dashboard, click on the “Social Media Management” tab in the left-hand navigation menu.
2. Connect your organization’s social media accounts to BrandReach.
3. Click the “Create Post” button.
4. Select the social media platforms you want to publish to.
5. Write your post. Use compelling language and visuals to capture your audience’s attention.
6. Schedule your post for a specific date and time. BrandReach will automatically publish the post at the scheduled time.

Responding to Comments

1. From the BrandReach dashboard, click on the “Social Media Management” tab in the left-hand navigation menu.
2. Click on the “Inbox” tab.
3. Review the comments and messages you’ve received on your social media accounts.
4. Respond to comments promptly and professionally. Thank people for their positive feedback and address any concerns or questions they may have.

Pro Tip: Use BrandReach’s analytics tools to track your engagement metrics and identify what types of content resonate most with your audience. This will help you refine your social media strategy and create more effective campaigns. A IAB report found that organizations that regularly analyze their social media data see a 20% increase in engagement compared to those that don’t.

Expected Outcome: Increased engagement with your community and a stronger online presence.

BrandReach offers a powerful suite of tools for managing your organization’s pr & visibility. By following these steps, you can take control of your brand narrative, monitor your online reputation, and engage with your community in a meaningful way. Here’s what nobody tells you: consistent effort is key. You won’t see results overnight, but with dedication and persistence, you can achieve significant gains in your organization’s marketing and impact. Think of it as an investment in your future.

And for ethical marketing tips to boost loyalty, check out our related article.

The first step to greater pr & visibility is always the hardest. But with tools like BrandReach, mission-driven organizations can now access resources that were once only available to big corporations. Go set up your account, craft a compelling story, and start making a difference. Your community is waiting to hear from you.