By Kipp Lanham, Senior Account Executive, Media & Communications Strategies, Inc.

Clients come to us often seeking advice about how to expand their business, but they sometimes lack the strategy and execution to make it happen. There are a number of methods by which a client can acquire business leads, but these methods may not necessarily suit the client or the client’s target audience. Yet we have found one particular PR tool that provides a client significant pull for new business: the byline.

When we are talking about a byline, we mean an article authored by the client that gives insights and recommendations showing the client’s ability to problem solve a wide range of problems.

For instance, we had a client recently who wrote a niche piece that targeted a specific industry facing a significant challenge. We pinpointed the most relevant trade publications that had the readership that would find the piece beneficial. Our client drafted a summary and outline of the piece, which we sent out to these publications. Next came the full draft for review by the publications. And one in particular expressed the greatest desire for it, and it just so happened to be the most relevant of the trades we targeted. The piece was posted, and after a week or two it came to our attention from the client that they had picked up new business because of the very article we were able to place.

Many clients shy away from the idea of having to author a long article so its important to help them understand its value and that placing an article can turn into real new business. Some call this content marketing. This process includes involving PR to aid in the writing, selecting the right audience, and landing the best media outlet for the article. We have found our clients appreciate having a PR professional to guide them through the entire process, so it’s not so intimidating. Also, it is good to develop an internal system involving not only PR folks, but also a mix of younger and older staff members who can provide their own perspectives for researching, writing, and revising the material. Creating a team always results in an easier and less painful process and there is a better chance of success that will make the creation of the next article even easier and more enjoyable.

So why write bylines to build a book of business?

1. The organization and its author establish themselves as thought leaders on the topic.
2. They become respected by the media that publishes them and are sought after for more content.
3. Other media find your comments online and want quotes from you for articles or other content.
4. Potential clients read about your insights on a given topic in industry trades or daily publications and seek your insights and business. They give you a call.
5. Trade groups within the industry your topic targets can become interested in having you come speak at a conference or webinar, positioning you in front of audiences with potential clients who might be watching, listening.
6. Strengthens overall SEO presence and ranking in Google Search and in social media.

When the phone starts ringing and the emails start coming in, the organization’s intellectual capital invested in bylines is bearing fruit. Generating the content requires time and dedication with all the other activities happening at the organization. The time spent, if applying the right strategy, makes it worth the effort.