Because I’m never one to let any holiday go un-saluted with a ridiculous blog post (aka my annual Halloween costume round-up and post-Halloween candy challenge), you better believe I’m on the love train (choo choo) with a Valentine’s Day themed article for you.
You can just call me the communications cupid (oh yeah….I went there, go ahead and roll your eyes).
So get out your Valentine’s Day decorated shoebox because the Spin Sucks communications cupid has a very special delivery lined up for all our favorite PR pros.
Communications Cupid to the Rescue
Not sure what to get that special someone?
Or maybe there isn’t a “special someone” and you are drowning your sorrows in ironic candy hearts?
Have no fear!
I’m here to provide some important love advice to my fellow PR pros and make sure your Valentine’s Day has a high rate of conversion (wink, wink).
Consider this blog post your one-stop shop for the perfect strategy to find and woo that special someone in your life.
You’re welcome.
Valentine’s Day: Pick-up Lines that Convert
My favorite article that HubSpot has ever come out with is this list of communications pick-up lines.
This is definitely a post you should bookmark to refer to whenever needed: conferences, tweet-ups, networking events of any type, even conference calls.
And don’t make the mistake of only using pick-up lines for new relationships.
As PR pros, we know our prospects and/or client need to continue to feel loved and valued, no matter where they are in the buying process. So keep that spark fresh all the way through the “marketing funnel of love.”
PESO Your Way to a Love Connection
Pick-up lines are great if you already have a love interest, but we all know the hardest part of the entire process is meeting people.
But if you follow a PESO model integrated approach to dating, all of your problems will be solved.
Let’s take a look at a few of the most productive ways to do that.
Organic Search Matchmaker
Google isn’t just a great search engine, He is an unintentional cupid. The best way to find the man or woman of your dreams is to figure out who is searching for someone just like you.
Head over to your favorite platform of love, we like Moz or SEMRush and start testing out different keywords.
Simply type in some keywords that describe you best into the search box. You’ll quickly get a feel for what some of your most searched for qualities are. Here is an example of what one of my recent searches looked like:
Oddly, it appears no one is searching for this. Weird.
So I tried something else.
Ok, now we’re talking. Animal lovers are in demand.
Single on the Second Page of Google
Maybe a bit too in demand. I mean I like to think my own personal domain authority is pretty high, but I also know there are a lot of animals who do this whole digital marketing thing better than I do. Their parent’s probably beat me by a long shot.
And you know what they say: the best place to find a single PR pro is on the second page of Google.
My prince charming can only find me through a targeted and refined keyword.
(Important note to my fiance: obviously I’ve already been found, this protocol is only for demonstrative purposes. Love you!)
I modified it with location and received a much more targeted result.
If you need help figuring out what keywords you can rank for, check out Gini’s content creation series on researching your content plan.
Romance is in the (Digital) Air
Once you have your keywords, it’s time to work some PESO magic.
If you recently finished our 30-Day Challenge or (for those serious about finding their match) have purchased The Communicator’s Playbook or our Modern Blogging Masterclass, you know what you need to do.
You can also read Gini’s previously mentioned Content Creation Series (this is the first post).
Long story short, you want to use all four media types to find and convert the right love prospect.
Your firsts step is to create a content hub around your most in-demand traits.
This will include both content on your own site and content you place on key influencer sites.
You are going to do some research around your target mate here to learn what influencer sites will make the most sense.
This means you will create a lot of content about yourself. This might feel uncomfortable to some humble PR pros out there, but trust me….it’s easy. It’s really not hard to make everything about you. If you need a tutorial on this, just let me know #prostatus.
Let’s Get Social
Social media often gets a bad rap when it comes to matchmaking. But when used as part of a PESO model plan, it’s tremendously effective.
Don’t be afraid to use both organic and paid social media tactics to create a community of potential suitors.
In fact, it’s not too late to create a Facebook ad to find a date for Valentine’s day. No shame in the sponsored post-game ladies and gents. The right person is probably just waiting to be targeted by your ad.
Try to tie in your top ranking traits and hobbies with trending news stories or holidays. Obviously, don’t keyword stuff. Do this in a natural way. Here’s an example:
See how natural that sounds?
Now you want to make sure to do some cross-platform posting (because you never know where that love of your life might be).
The one exception to this rule would be if you’ve done market research and have a clear understanding of where your best matches hang out online. Then you should focus on those channels.
In my previous single life, I actually had possible suitors find me through YouTube (seriously). It can serve as a great platform for a more real-life first impression.
Oh, and hashtags! Don’t ever forget the hashtags. Remember your goal is to help the potential love of your life find you, so really think through what potential hashtags they might be using to search.
How PR Pros Capture Leads (AKA Love Connections)
You brought them to you, now it’s time to capture those leads for future “nurturing.”
I’ve created a simple landing page example to show you how to do that.
When people opt-in they receive a downloadable checklist that helps them decide if we are the right match.
The next step in the funnel is a workbook to help them create our perfect first date.
Finally, they get a personalized video from me, inviting them to slide into my DMs so we can discuss our future match further.
The content funnel is designed to convince my special someone to click and be captured. Puns definitely intended.
Integrate Online with Offline
It doesn’t just stop online, especially if you’d like to eventually have an offline relationship too (call me old fashioned, but I used to like to date people in real life…crazy, I know!?!).
Easy ways to do this are t-shirts, bumper stickers, or water bottles which back-up your online focus keywords, use branded hashtags, and direct people to your landing page.
Business cards may sound old fashioned, but they come in handy when you happen to catch the eye of a potential love interest while out running errands or walking the dog.
You can either directly hand the suitor in question the card, or “accidentally” drop it in front of him or her. I’ve had success with both methods in the past.
Valentine’s Day for PR Pros
As you can see, PR pros have a distinct advantage when it comes to being Valentine’s Day superstars and wooing that special someone.
Finally, I’ve made a Valentine for all you crazy PR pros out there.
Feel free to share with all the communications pros in your life (and if it sparks that romantic relationship you’ve been waiting for for…don’t forgot who to invite to your wedding!!!).
