Introduction

This Cisco Partner Program Public Relations Kit will help you create and promote announcements about your partnership with Cisco, one of the best known brands in the world. The following pages include guidance on tactics you can use to tell the world about your achievements as a Cisco partner. Let’s get started.

Public Relations assets

Use your public relations activities to tell your customers, through the press and analysts, what makes your company unique and valuable to their business. Then, create a value proposition that differentiates your company in your market. Finally, create a plan to amplify your value proposition to your customers and to your entire marketplace. Consider these items:

Press release

Use a press release to announce your newsworthy partnership in the most objective way possible. The purpose of a press release is to get noticed by your customers through press and analysts.

Blog

The reach of blogs continues to grow and should be vital part of your public relations strategy. Use a blog to communicate the value of your Cisco partnership with your customers directly, and then promote it as part of your web and social media strategy.

Social media

According to SproutSocial, 55% percent of consumers learn about a brand on social media. Social media can be a highly cost-effective way to reach your customers in a personalized way. The main social media platforms used for business include LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Email

Email provides a great way to communicate personally with your customers. We suggest that you consider a series of emails, each one reinforcing your message and your value, with a compelling call to action.

Example timeline for your
Cisco partnership announcement

Week 1

Identify your unique value proposition, supported by copy blocks provided in this guide.

Week 2-3

Create and review each asset you’ll use for your announcement including:

Press release
Blog
Social media
Email

Week 4

Distribute your press release to relevant media.
Post your blog on your website.
Post your first social media message to your preferred platforms.
Send your first email to your customers.

Week 5-6

Post additional social media messages to your preferred platforms.
Send your second and third email to your customers.