PR without borders: an international approach

In today’s connected society, there are a number of reasons why a company or brand may need an international approach when it comes to their public relations strategy. They may be looking to expand business into a new region which has previously little or no visibility of the company’s offering, or they might be looking to launch a specific product into a certain market.

Here at Babel, we use a ‘Hub and Spoke’ method to successfully reach across the globe with our clients’ messaging. In addition to our central London UK headquarters and an extended team in North America, we partner with regional affiliate agencies and specialist freelancers in markets around the world including EMEA and the APAC regions, to support us in achieving our clients’ geographic goals.

But where’s the value of an international approach? And if you’re not a multi-billion-dollar company with a global footprint, what are the strategies we can use for operating on an international scale? Whatever the location of a company, by adopting a collaborative work ethic, Babel is able to overcome geographic borders and achieve our clients’ campaign requirements. Here’s how:

Strategic direction: reach for the sky

Being able to communicate effectively with clients and influencers across the globe requires a honed skill-set, as well as a mathematical ability to work out time zones.

Whilst we can accommodate flexible hours – early mornings and later finishes, all in the name of reaching specific media and analyst targets around the world – for an ongoing PR campaign, we prefer to partner with trusted regional agencies. We collaborate with PR professionals with local knowledge, who can liaise directly with in-country spokespeople and reach out to media within their time zones.

Content development: overcoming the language barrier

There is no doubt, that whilst the Babel team is made up of a number of budding linguists, our talent doesn’t cover every language. This means if we have a client looking for exposure within the APAC market, we would use local translation services to overcome any communications barriers.

Management and coordination: alignment

Babel’s HQ in London is the ‘Hub’. This means we retain the responsibility of reporting and accountability. Whilst we encourage our ‘spoke’ partners to work autonomously, all content passes through Babel’s hub. This ensures consistency of global and corporate messaging, but allows the teams and local spokespeople to push messages that are relevant to local markets and local media.

Client liaison, reporting and measurement

Babel coordinates and drives the PR programme, operating as the strategic hub to safeguard a consistent high-standard of results. It also acts as a single point of contact for the client, providing them with regular updates and reports on a daily basis, supported by regular catch up calls. The PR team also provides cuttings, monthly reports, analysis and measurement as frequently as required.

Are you looking to achieve a global reach with your PR activity? Or do you want to expand the reach and expose your brand to multiple markets? Then visit our website for our client case studies, or contact us directly to find out more about how we can help you.