As a senior level PR with over 15 years of experience in all areas of the industry, I know my job inside out. But it’s difficult to explain to others (including my parents) who have been asking me for my entire career, what it is I actually do!
So what is PR?
Of course, I can forgive them for being unsure in today’s world, as PR is a multi-faceted and rapidly evolving sector. Simply put, I explain public relations as ‘looking after the reputation of a brand’ and in a nutshell, that’s exactly what it is. PR can take a number of forms – it can be to raise the profile, awareness or credibility of a brand, to change its public perception, to improve SEO, to increase website traffic and much more.
CIPR, the world’s only Royal Chartered body for public relations professionals, describes PR as “The disciple which looks after reputation, with the aim of earning understanding and support and influencing opinion and behaviours. It is the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics”.
PR encompasses the art of communicating – creating debate, shaping personalities, producing quality content, owning the conversation and developing influencer relationships.
PR builds brands – turning your audience into ambassadors who will be able to talk about your business in a positive light when you’re not in the room.
PR builds relationships – with stakeholders (such as media, customers, investors, and partners, etc.) to influence, protect and manage a company’s reputation, and ensure engagement remains constant.
PR helps you find your audience – connecting with that audience and retaining them as loyal advocates to your brand is absolutely key.
What PR Tactics are used in Public Relations?
PR tactics can encompass the following:
Ambassador & influencer Marketing
Brand Strategy & Positioning
Consumer & Media Events
Social Media (Paid & Organic)
Content Marketing
Sponsorship
Product Launches
Crisis & Issues Management
Experience & Marketing Stunts
Publicity & Media Relations
Media Training
Meta Data Copy & SEO
Talent Management
Website Copy & Art Direction
As you can see, it’s quite a long list and covers everything from dealing with influencers to SEO. While some PR experts can claim to be an expert in all fields, it’s advisable to be mindful of this when choosing who you want to work with your brand. Keep the saying ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ at the forefront of your mind when thinking about what you want to achieve and what added value a PR expert or agency can bring.
You may be better off hiring someone who is very highly experienced in leading both big and small brands to success, while specialising in a few of the key areas which you’re focused on improving. The PR expert can then bring in the extra resource from their trusted contacts to provide a well-rounded strategy that works for your business.
PR VS Advertising
It’s easy to see why PR and advertising sometimes get confused. They’re both about promoting your brand, right? While this is true, there are significant differences between the two. PR is about what others say about you, not what you say about yourself. For example, if
you want to promote your brand to the masses, you could easily go to an advertising agency and tell them that you want a campaign that tells everyone how amazing you are. But then the consumer will have to make their own mind up.
Public relations on the other hand is far more powerful and persuasive. PR shapes what people say and remember about you long after you’ve left the room. Effectively, PR acts as third party endorsement.
With advertising you usually pay an expert a fee to come up with the advertising campaign and then you pay a set amount for display or advertorial within a certain publication. The exposure is guaranteed and you can control the messaging, but studies show that people are more likely to read, and importantly be influenced by, an editorial rather than an advert. Any brand, with it’s a good product/service can secure advertising, but PR is much more selective and persuasive.
Public relations embraces many services and tactics, and the fee you pay to your PR expert will cover the time they need to undertake the agreed desired tasks.
When Should You Use PR?
Public relations is a cost-effective ways of generating brand awareness and having directly seen the impact this can have on start-up, growth, established, national and internally recognised brands, it’s something I believe every brand should invest in. You need to consider your timing carefully and you also need to follow a strategic plan.
When brands approach me saying they are ready for PR and I notice their website and social media looks poor and not a true reflection of the credible offering, I talk through the various steps needed before they are really ready to communicate their brand to the world. You get one chance to make a positive first impression so the process must not be rushed.
DIY PR
It is totally possible to hire a PR expert who can teach you the PR reins so that eventually you can handle the PR for your business. However, I strongly advise against going gung-ho and launching a produce/service to media, influencers, or even direct to consumers, if you have no knowledge or training in the area.
Time and time again I have prospective clients approach me wanting to ‘fix’ their relationships with media – often because they have been hounding journalists when they haven’t heard back and the journalist has blacklisted them. Or they’ve had coverage in titles that do not resonate with their target audience, so they have seen no increase in sales or website traffic.
Your PR expert will consider which areas of your business will benefit from PR and recommend the tactics you should employ at optimum times, saving you time, hassle and money in the long run!
