According to the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR):
“Public relations is about reputation, the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you.”
The focus from the CIPR is very much about reputation. But Public Relations covers many elements and differs depending on your organisations’ aims and objectives.
In simple terms, public relations specialists are story tellers, with an artistic talent in persuasion. They look to translate your key messages to persuade your target audience, either through buying your product, promoting your event, talking about your campaign or recognising your achievements. PR professionals know how to get your key messages into the right place and read by the right people. But, the benefits of appointing a PR agency are vast. We’ve captured our top five reasons why every company needs PR, below.
1. Awareness
It’s all very well having a well-run business with a fantastic proposition, but if nobody knows about it, that proposition is wasted. PR consultants are experienced at researching your target markets and implementing PR strategies to raise the awareness of your brand identity as well as the products and services that you offer. In general terms, PR specialists make sure that the right people know that your brand, charity or service exists and where they can find out more about what you do.
2. Reputation
The aim of a PR practitioner is to take on board your companies’ key values and objectives and translate them into positive publicity which enhances their reputation. Sometimes, things don’t always go to plan and a crisis PR strategy is necessary. A good PR will know how to react to negative media and be able to advise you on the best course of action to ensure your brand’s reputation and trust isn’t affected long term.
3. Communication
Communication is key. A public relations specialist is the glue that bridges the gap between your organisation and its publics. They take time to know what a journalist in your sector wants, and in what format they require it. They ensure that every pitch is a personal one as journalists like to know that you’re familiar with their column or feature page and that you’ve done your research before blindly pitching in your next big launch idea. Journalists can spot if they’ve been included in a mass press release splurge from a mile off and will instantly put you on their ‘spam list’ if your communications aren’t relevant to their subject matter. Good public relations take time and building positive and long-term relationships with journalists is vital to any agency’s success, and to the success of their clients.
4. Brand Credibility
There are several different ways a PR agency can help to gain your brand credibility. Thought-leadership articles, guest blogs or speaker slots all increase your brand’s reputation and obtaining this kind of space highlights your knowledge and experience in your specific industry. Building credibility doesn’t occur overnight. Securing regular expert opportunities builds your reputation as a reliable source, making you a credible partner for information going forward. The more credible your brand, the more likely that your customers will buy into your product or service.
5. Multi-Channelling
Gone are the days where PR is just focused on one, stand-alone media stream. Successful PRs will look at the best channels – whether that’s social, digital or traditional print media – to spread your companies’ key messages. Influencer marketing also shouldn’t be overlooked, especially if there are key influencers in your sector who can make a difference to both your brand awareness and your product sales. However, influencer marketing can very quickly make or break a brand and it should always be fully researched and managed by an experienced PR.
If you’re still wondering, ‘why do PR?’ or ‘could PR really work for me?’ we’re happy to discuss your concerns as well as the opportunities you want to seek for your organisation. Clearsilver’s PR team specialise in mother & baby PR, charity and not for profit PR as well as education and health and wellbeing PR.