At one point or another, you would have come across the word; Public Relations (PR). Companies hear a lot about public relations. Often PR is the popular buzzword in marketing and advertising. Although most know it’s important, the benefits are not always understood, so I want to share with you the true and simple benefits of public relations and why it should be important to you and your brand.
Different people have diverse perspectives when it comes public relations or corporate communications. Generally. I have heard business owners or executives dismissing PR people as money guzzlers who add nothing to the bottom-line. I always say such people operate from a position of ignorance and lack of knowledge. The strategic importance of PR, communications or brand management cannot be overstressed. Those who have discovered the goldmine have excellent testimonies and for those who still shun PR, they may not know what they are missing and how much they are paying(losing) indirectly.
Read also: NMA celebrates outstanding brands, individuals in marketing space
Public relations seems so glamorous, after all, what company doesn’t want to say we just hired a PR firm? Public relations, if done right, can reach a large audience without the expensive cost of traditional advertising and marketing.
Building your company and reaching media outlets can be the ultimate way to grow your brand and gain new opportunities. Anybody will tell you that investing in hiring a public relations firm can allow you to reach new heights as a brand and attain marketing heights without traditional strategies.
Most people don’t even understand what the word “public relations” means. A basic definition of what those in public relations do for companies, organisations, and brands is that they can help shape and mould their image. They utilise the right marketing strategies to allow for your company to be heard and seen, whether that’s through organic magazine spots or connecting a brand to other media outlets.
Benefits Of Hiring a Public Relations Company
1. Invest In Proper Marketing and Advertising:
Investing in traditional marketing is immensely expensive. It can be tough to have so many options to advertise but knowing that it all costs so much upfront. Public relations agencies can help with advertising your business organically without actually doing traditional strategies. They can form campaigns and programmes to help your company thrive. You are saving money when you work with a public relations specialist because it reduces, if not totally eliminate, the need to invest in traditional marketing thrusts and designs.
2. Reach Your Target Market:
Working with a PR team can make it easier for you to create a targeted campaign. If your market is teenagers, your PR team will craft a strategy using different magazines and other media outlets that your target market goes to. Whether it’s a video marketing strategy or a social media influencer marketing campaign, your PR team can connect you with the right people and media outlets, so you grow your company.
3. Built Connections:
Want to be featured on a channel for a commercial? Or how about a magazine or another media outlet? The best way to grow efficiently is to know specific people. Those in PR have connections with top media outlets that can allow for you to grow your brand efficiently and get the marketing you need. They pull off the majority of the work required to get your name seen.
Read also: Balancing Brand Belief with Business Reality
4. Creating A Positive Image:
Businesses, celebrities, brands and any organisation will work with a public relations firm, not just to promote something but, to simply build a better image. PR firms can shed light on anything negative about your brand. Effective PR allows your brand to attain a positive image both online and offline, which can benefit your company for the long haul. A bad reputation only damages your potential growth for the future.
Media outreach is merely about leading your company in the right direction. It’s not just about promoting your business, but also about creating a strong brand awareness of your company as effectively as possible. PR firms can cater to almost any organisation or brand in the industry, and it’s merely about properly getting your company in line. Public relations is your source for being seen by your target audience.
As you can see, a well-run public relations program carries with it multiple benefits that can have a significant impact that is greater than traditional marketing or advertising vehicles. It’s a proven fact that public relations also carries a higher credibility factor.
Last line
If PR is not a part of your marketing programme, it may be time to consider and implement a public relations strategy to complement your existing marketing plan, and you can thank me later.
