Building success in 2024: Five ways PR can unlock your development’s value
Times are challenging for businesses as they seek to cope with change and volatile economic conditions. The development industry is not immune to these pressures.
Inflation and supply chain disruption increases the cost of delivery and makes it more difficult. Wider economic conditions mean individuals and businesses are taking longer to commit. And there’s interest rate hikes, which economists say are starting to bite.
But, perhaps even more now than in good times, proactive public relations can make a big difference to those working in the built environment by building enthusiasm and unlocking value.
Power of PR
Developing a commercial, mixed-use, or residential development involves more than just bricks and mortar – you must also build a narrative that resonates. PR and communications, when done well, can be a powerful tool to publicise your development and highlight its benefits.
Here are some ways taking a confident approach to PR can create interest and unlock value in places.
#1 Celebrate milestone events
Every site will have milestones that present communications opportunities at each step of the process. From navigating planning, to appointing a developer partner and final completion, these milestones are vital for telling the story of what’s happening and what people can look forward to.
They are an opportunity to engage local stakeholders and businesses too; turf-cutting events, topping-out ceremonies, and project completions aren’t just moments to celebrate internally. They present golden opportunities to publicise your achievements to key stakeholders, and secure coverage with target media – whether that’s local, regional, or sector-specific channels.
#2 Publicise the space
Effective PR can secure media coverage that showcases the available spaces and explains your offering to potential tenants. What are the themes that make your development stand out? Your strategy should identify these and look for evidence and examples that demonstrate it.
In this way, PR plays an ongoing role in business development, ensuring your space remains front of mind, its benefits and facilities are understood, and helping to feed the tenant pipeline.
#3 Share successes
News releases on successful new commercial tenancies provide a powerful third-party endorsement of your project, capturing the media’s attention and shining a positive light on the space. A reputable business name and positive testimonial is a great way of attracting further new business enquiries too.
But new tenancies aren’t the only successes you might want to celebrate. Environmental credentials, job creation or economic impact, for example, are all important messages that can help publicise your development.
#4 Showcase your expertise
PR can position you as a sector expert by sharing insights through comment pieces, thought-leadership articles, and features. Demonstrating your knowledge builds trust and confidence in you and your business and positions you as a go-to authority in the field.
Sharing experience of working on a development can also ‘lift the lid’ on a project and generate interest in it.
And there is plenty of ways to build a profile for your expertise over time. While media coverage is sought after, blogs, LinkedIn, video, and expert reports all have a role to play too.
#5 Raise your profile
Establishing and building a cohesive presence through strategic communication enhances your development’s reputation and elevates your company profile. Ensuring each piece of communication shares a key message about your project means the value of your project is clearly understood.
A proactive approach resonates with your target audience and builds relationships with journalists, to help secure accurate, timely, and positive coverage. Sharing experience of working on a development can also ‘lift the lid’ on a project and generate interest in it.
And there is plenty of ways to build a profile for your expertise over time. While media coverage is sought after, blogs, LinkedIn, video, and expert reports all have a role to play too.
Value of PR
Tough times calls for bold measures. We’re proud to work with partners see the value of proactive communications and use it to generate interest in their developments.
Integrating PR into the strategy for your development project is about more than just reaching your target audience. It is about creating a lasting narrative that builds relationships and amplifies the true value of your work.
Doing so creates a community and a market around a development with strong local support.
Rather than asking if your developments can afford PR in 2024, it may be worth asking: can you really afford not to do it well?
Header image was created by Bing’s AI Image Creator powered by DALL.E.3.
Written by
Share
Latest news & insights
Inspiring news, insights and comments from our Distinctive team.
