How to Create a Successful PR Package

Celebrity endorsements have played a role in marketing for years, but are often well out of the budget of small to medium businesses. With the rise of social media influencers, however, brands have access to a new type of celebrity, one that doesn’t cost thousands of dollars to hire. In fact, you rarely need to pay when working with a social media influencer. All you need is an attractive, interesting PR package. 

What’s a PR Package?

A PR package, or PR box, is a package containing carefully selected items a brand sends to influencers. The goal is to intrigue influencers enough they share the PR package with their audience. PR packages are used to introduce your brand to influencers and their followers.

While often targeted towards influencers, PR packages can also be sent to potential partners and clients, as well as journalists and other media personalities. 

Why use PR Packages?

PR packages fulfill a number of important marketing functions, including:

• Making your brand stand out from the competition.
• Showing you value the customer experience.
• Building relationships with influencers and voices within your industry and customer demographic.
• Encouraging product reviews.
• Improving brand awareness.
• Raising buzz before a new product launch.
• Starting social media conversations centered on your brand.

Setting a PR Package Budget

While a PR box costs less than securing a celebrity endorsement, that’s not to say it’s free. By the time you factor in the cost of the products you want to send to the influencer, branded gifts, package design, the creation of brochures, other promotional materials, and posting, a PR box will make a dent in your promotional products budget. To keep costs in check, it’s important to carefully choose which influencers receive the box, and that the PR package provides the highest possible ROI. 

How to put Together a Promotional Package

The most important part of any PR box is, of course, the product or products you want to promote. Build the package around these products and samples. In addition to the products themselves, most PR boxes contain one or two promotional thank-you gifts — cool little extras that complement, but don’t overshadow, your own products. 

Promotional item PR box ideas include:

• T-shirts (be sure to get the right size for each influencer)
• Water bottles
• Mugs
• Keychains
• Stuffed animals

Tailor your promotional gifts to match your brand as much as possible. For instance, a cookware company might include a branded apron, while a luggage company might include a travel first aid kit or toiletry bag. 

Remember that influencers connect with their followers through social media platforms. Include a promo code the influencer can share with their followers, as well as a unique hashtag. This code not only brings more business your way: it can also be used to measure how much value the influencer brings to your marketing campaigns. 

Include a brochure outlining the benefits of your product, and any instructional materials. It’s also common practice to include a personalized message to the influencer on branded stationery, thanking them for their time and explaining what makes them the ideal recipient for your PR package. Go the extra mile on this letter. It might well be read out during an unboxing video, so you want to make sure everything you say reflects your brand identity.

In addition, it’s common practice to include a press kit outlining information about your company and your products, including talking points about the products the influencer can use. 

Promo Box Design

A PR package has to make a good impression every time. Even if the influencer has interacted with your brand in the past, their followers may be seeing your brand for the first time. To make the best possible first impression, every aspect of your promo box design needs to be carefully chosen. The box should be camera and video ready, made with brand appropriate materials and with your logo prominently displayed. All colors, fonts, and other decorative elements should complement your logo. The box needs to be durable enough to stand up to transportation and still look its best. 

Once opened, the inside of a PR package should look as good as the outside. Everything from packing materials to the position of box contents should be carefully thought out. 

PR Package Ideas

• Build your promo box around a theme. Holidays, upcoming events, or specific activities are possible themes. Edit your press kit to reflect the theme.
• Customize the contents of the box to the preferences and interests of each specific influencer. Make it clear you thought of them specifically.
• Customized promotional gifts with the influencer’s name. You may also want to engrave or embroider their name on the front of the PR box.
• If sending liquids, ensure all tops are secure to prevent leaking, and that breakable containers are securely packaged.
• Don’t neglect the box or packaging used to ship the PR box. Use clean, branded tape, crisp packaging paper, and smart-looking labels to improve first impressions.
• Follow up any PR box marketing campaign with a personal note of thanks and a carefully chosen gift.

Moving Forward with PR Packages

The goal of PR boxes is to build ongoing relationships with influencers who reach your target demographic. By building a strong bond with influencers you increase their followers’ trust in your brand and their willingness to become lifelong customers. Take the time to treat your influencers right, and they’ll return the favor.