Polling Is Great for PR

As I've touched on before, publishing valuable content in your area of expertise is the single most effective strategy for online success.

Surveys are a great form of content that can help you establish credibility and engage prospective clients and the media – all without giving anyone the hard sell. Having your finger on the pulse of your industry and hearing from its thought leaders doesn't hurt either.

Here are a couple local examples of online surveying and publicity methods that resulted in huge PR rewards, as well as some tips for how you can do it yourself.

Know your niche

Last month, Mining Recruitment Group president Andrew Pollard polled 74 mining executives via email, then alerted relevant media of the findings. The story was picked up by the Vancouver Sun and landed Andrew an interview on BNN. Of course, your press release has to have news value in order to be credible, but talking on national TV to a niche audience has immeasurable value for your own credibility.

Think Big

Change Advertising founder Marc Stoiber recently published a major study on consumer perceptions of green branding called MapChange 2010. It was conducted by a traditional polling firm, then publicized using new media and the Web. The campaign has spread like wildfire, and in the weeks since it launched, Change Inc has been bought by the Chicago-based creative agency Maddock-Douglas.

Create your own survey

Pollard used Survey Monkey, an easy-to-use online tool that even offers a free basic plan. Regardless of which tool you use, be sure to create a survey that speaks to and strengthens your claim of expertise – the narrower your focus, the more likely your content will be original and sought after. Whether or not it leads to free publicity, consider your survey a free introduction to potential new customers as well as a way to connect with your existing clientele. For an added touch, offer respondents an exclusive first look at the results.

Publicize your findings

The reality is that much of the news today is based on polls and surveys, whether they're independently conducted or commissioned by the media themselves. So don't be afraid to get in touch with the relevant reporters and other opinion leaders to see if they're interested in your findings. As often as not, it's a win-win for both parties – and you might be surprised at the results.

Online surveys are an inexpensive form of outreach, and they pay for themselves twice over, establishing credibility and goodwill within your industry, and (hopefully) gaining you publicity outside of it. No matter what your approach, don't forget the most important survey rule of all: don't make it too long!