If you’re not using PR as a component part of your marketing plan, then you’re missing out. Good public relations will lead to customer loyalty, which is beneficial for the longevity of your business. Moreover, PR can also be used to help protect your company’s reputation and minimise negative public perception following crises or public mishaps.
This blog post will define public relations and explain the top 4 reasons why PR should play an integral role in your marketing campaign. It will also highlight why you should consider hiring a digital PR agency to get your company’s message out to the world and to help you reach your marketing goals.
What is Public Relations?
Public Relations or PR involves strategically managing the release of information about a company or famous person in order to positively influence public perception of that company or person. It is a communication strategy that is used to maintain a good relationship with the general public and to generate goodwill.
A PR agency will help an organisation to gain media exposure and shape public opinion about their products, services and business as a whole. To do so the PR agency will craft and distribute information about their client which shows them in a positive light in terms of safety, accountability, ethics, and social responsibility.
Traditional PR
In the past, PR was carried out by getting press releases into printed media such as newspapers or industry-focused magazines, or broadcast via traditional communication channels such as TV or radio.
Digital PR
Nowadays, we also have what is sometimes referred to as digital PR or social PR which involves distributing information via digital channels such as social media, online news sites and blogs. Digital PR offers the additional benefit of link building, as getting PR stories that include a link to your company’s website on a reputable news site or blog will provide valuable backlinks.
Many companies today use a combination of both traditional and digital PR techniques to foster good relations with the general public and build brand awareness.
4 Reasons Why You Should be Utilising PR
Here are our top 4 reasons why you should consider using PR to benefit your business:
1) It’s Cost-Effective
Like most things in life, getting your company’s USPs printed in a newspaper comes down to an exchange of value. You pay a newspaper an agreed sum, and you get a full-page advert.
Sometimes, this can be a worthwhile exchange. But a press release lets you barter with something other than your bottom line.
Giving a publication compelling content about a story involving your business, helps them fill their pages with an article that their readers will love. It’s the captivating nature of your story, rather than the size of your advertising budget, that will incentivise the editor to dedicate column inches to your company.
This allows you to reach the same audience as an advert, but at a dramatically reduced cost. Moreover, with the correct approach, it is possible to have a press release placed in numerous publications simultaneously. Doing this can multiply your reach without multiplying your spending.
2) It’s authentic
Trust exists between a newspaper and its readers. This trust is maintained by the editors of the publication, who act as gatekeepers and have strict parameters on what makes it to print. This trust has value, and by getting your news item placed within the publication, you can benefit from that value.
If your press release is accepted by the editors, the newspaper is not only printing your story but also endorsing it. Just by its inclusion in the publication, the readership is being told that your business is relevant and important to their lives.
This fact alone has tremendous value, as readers are more likely to retain information about your business when it is presented to them as news rather than as an advert. Better brand retention means better customer conversion down the line.
3) It doesn’t end with newspapers
Good public relations depends on getting your story in the papers or the media at large, and it starts with a well-written press release. But that’s not where it ends. There are trade journals, magazines and publications specific to your industry that can offer a valuable and niche audience who might be particularly interested in your company.
In the right hands, the correct adjustments can be made to a press release to ensure that the story makes it into both the local broadsheet and the highly relevant yet niche trade journals and magazines that are critical to your industry.
4) It’s about reputation
By getting your brand into the media, you can impact more than just your target audience. With the right story, you can make waves that resonate throughout your whole industry.
Your suppliers, business partners, even your competitors will be forced to take note and acknowledge your story.
Handled correctly, a press release allows you to position yourself as an industry leader and enhance your reputation in the eyes of your peers. Bringing you a level of prestige and respect that no advert could buy.
Conclusion
While adverts still have their place in any integrated marketing campaign, PR can offer a variety of advantages. Whilst the circumstances have to be right for PR to achieve its full potential. In the hands of an expert, it can make up the backbone of a successful marketing campaign.
At Azzurro-Blu we will help you take your digital PR to the next level. We are a fully-integrated marketing and digital PR agency offering high-quality PR services to our clients to increase their brand awareness and enhance their reputation. If you would like to learn more about our public relations management services please get in contact at info@azzurro-blu.com or call us on 01224 600005.
