The Importance of Public Relations
Public Relations—or PR for short—is the process of establishing and promoting a positive image of your company with the public (or a specific target audience). Often this is accomplished by getting your company into the public eye in a positive way, such as having your company sponsor a charity event. Another common PR technique is getting publicity placements in the media, such as a profile of your company in the business section of a newspaper, or providing an expert opinion for a news story. As today's public becomes increasingly indifferent to traditional advertising, PR becomes more and more important as a way to get your company noticed.
It is also possible to get much greater exposure through Public Relations. If your news item is something which would interest a national audience, newspapers, magazines, and Web sites across the country (and the world) might pick it up and publish it. For example, Power Marketing wrote and distributed a press release for a survey of buyer's agents conceived by the Home Buyer's Agent of Ann Arbor. The press release, which humorously described the top ten most annoying things agents encounter when showing homes, was picked up by media across the country. In this case the Home Buyer's Agent of Ann Arbor received a huge return of publicity on a small investment of time and money, much more than could have been achieved through a similar investment in traditional advertising.
Public Relations also helps to further reinforce your brand with your target audience. Creating a connection with your audience is becoming increasingly challenging, so businesses must rely on many tools. Obtaining exposure in the media can help generate word-of-mouth excitement about your brand. Media coverage of your philanthropic efforts can generate goodwill in the community and build public awareness of your company.
Press Releases and Media Placement
Press releases are essential to achieving media placements. Successful press releases are well written, sent to the correct media, and followed up with direct contact with the writers and editors to whom the release has been sent. This final stage is often the most important. Having established a relationship with the media professional being targeted can make the difference between getting your release published or not. Often it will require a PR professional with well-established relationships with key media to get your release published.
When developing a media placement campaign, the first step is to create a list of media outlets that are used by your target audience. These will be the publications and Web sites to focus on with press releases and informational stories about your business. To appeal to media outlet professionals, and in turn, your target audience, press releases and informational pieces need to be written in an engaging way. The media are hungry for stories, but the stories need to match the needs of their audience.
It is also important to establish your company as a source of expert opinion about your industry. That puts you in the position of being among the first to be called upon when a media professional needs an opinion. Writing press releases which display your expert knowledge can help to accomplish this. Even if not all of your releases are published, the writers and editors who read them may come to view your company as an expert in its field.
Newsletters are similar to press releases but in some ways can be more effective because you are the publisher and your news item is sure to be published. Also, you control the content of the entire publication. Customers are now becoming more interested in knowing about the company behind the products and services they are buying. A newsletter can provide this information and serve to establish a link of trust between you and your customers. Newsletters can be published as hard copy or quickly and cost-effectively e-mailed to customers and potential customers.
Other Types of Public Relations
Many people are under the impression that Public Relations ends with press releases. In reality, it's only the beginning. Public Relations encompasses many other image-building activities, such as the sponsorship of charity events. In this instance, your company pays a sponsorship fee and improves its public image by being associated with a charitable cause.
Another common component of an image-building PR campaign is the sponsoring of public contests. For example, Power Marketing helped to orchestrate a bathroom remodeling contest for Covenant Construction of Ann Arbor. In this case, Covenant Construction donated the time and materials for a bathroom remodel, but ultimately gained because of media exposure and community goodwill.
A related image-building activity is providing a public service. Lending your expertise to assist people in need—the elderly or the economically disadvantaged—can help to develop good feelings about your company with the public, while at the same time getting your name out in front of potential customers. Volunteering to speak at public gatherings is also a useful and inexpensive way to establish yourself and your company as a trusted expert.
Power Marketing's Public Relations Services
Power Marketing provides a full range of PR services, including:
- Media target lists
- Press releases
- Press kits
- Newsletters
- Sponsorship and event planning and consultation
- Speech writing
Power Marketing will develop a customized Public Relations solution to help you achieve your company's publicity goals. We will assist you in crafting news items with the right angle to get them published. We have established relationships with many media professionals in the area and will utilize this network in building a positive image of your company in the media. Contact Power Marketing today and let us help you to start taking advantage of the power of PR.
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