It goes without saying that before you decide to hire a PR agency you need to know what you want exactly out of the relationship.
Just like any other marketing operation, it can only be effective if done professionally well. But PR agencies are by no means holding a magical solution to all your business problems.
Don’t believe anyone who tells you the opposite.
With that out of the way, let’s move on.
If you’re still hesitant about why you need a PR campaign, or even why you might not need it, here are some of the many problems businesses face that PR can solve:
Fierce competition:
If you’re just starting, you’re probably competing with businesses that are more established, have more resources, or have been in the field longer than you.
Even if you’re already a leader in your industry, chances are you also have new companies getting into the market trying to take customers from you.
Public relations is a great way to assist with this. By helping you tell your story in your unique way and sharing it with the world, you guarantee to differentiate your brand from others. Take a look at these entrepreneur stories to get some inspiration.
Showing your human and personal side is a big part of brand storytelling and ultimately standing out from the competition. It’s going to allow you to connect with your audience on a deeper level and further drive loyalty. In fact, 78% of consumers want brands to connect with people more, specifically on social media.
An excellent example of this is the Land Rover campaign called “The Land Of Land Rovers” in celebration of their 70th anniversary, where they share the story of locals in the Indian Himalayas who rely on 1957 Land Rover vehicles for daily commute.
Increasing visibility and credibility:
Why would anybody follow you, buy your products or services, or even pay attention to your message?
The answer is comprised of 2 parts:
First, people need to know that you exist, that’s visibility. Without taking the necessary steps to boost your visibility, it’s going to be next to impossible for people to discover your brand in the sea of content on the internet or anywhere else.
Second, they need to trust you and believe in your message. That’s called credibility. It needs to be earned and built strategically over time.
Both of these qualities are vital for any business’s survival whether online or offline.
One of the best ways to build visibility and credibility is to get the endorsement of a third party who’s already viewed as a credible source of information in the eyes of your targeted audience. Like getting media coverage from a podcast, magazine, newspaper, or tv show.
For example, this article from Vogue magazine features 41 skincare products that are used and recommended by the magazine editors. This is a great boost for the credibility and visibility of these brands and it’s the result of effective and targeted outreach.
Crisis management:
All companies, regardless of their industry, size, or resources, are susceptible to crises. That's why it's essential to be prepared for anything that may come up in order to avoid the worst.
Crisis management is a field in PR that consists of the set of techniques and means that allow your brand or company to face the unexpected. It is not only applied when damage is already done but also when a triggering event occurs.
Basically, it's about figuring out how to prevent a crisis from happening, and clean up the situation and turn it positive, if it can’t be prevented.
It can be as simple as speaking directly to the media. Or, it can be more complex and require changing a brand’s image and how it’s perceived.
Developing a strong digital presence:
Your online presence is the overall look and feel of your brand across all the channels that you’re using. So you really want to make sure that the experience of your followers on these channels is valuable to them.
These channels include your website, your social media accounts, your blog, other people’s social media accounts, and blogs you’re featured in.
Getting mentioned in the media, recommended by an influencer, or having interviews is a great way to strengthen your online presence since it helps generate high-quality backlinks to your website and gives you content that you can repurpose in multiple ways. Generally, this position is handled by a professional agency or service provider, able to help you benefit from its network and know-how to increase your brand's awareness.
Are you looking for a public relations specialist? Let’s work together
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