Public Relations can grow your business and increase your reach by exposing your brand to more people. Here's what they are and what they consist of.
Let's start with an assumption: what you do and say, both online and offline, creates your reputation.
And if that reputation suffers a snub, well, you already know how difficult it can be to bring it back in a good light. Just think of what happens when a Hollywood star is hit by scandal: he can be the best actor in the universe, that his whole career is completely wiped out, just like that, in a breath.
Do you agree?
Image is an important aspect and makes up a large part of the value of a business: it influences how your customers know, like, and trust you. The perception of your brand is crucial to success (I have discussed this extensively at this article on the brand positioning).
How then to build a positive relationship with your audience?
With the public relations!
I guess you have heard of it before.
They differ from both the marketing strictly speaking, both from the advertisement (the purpose of which is to increase sales): indeed, they serve to improve the perception of what you do and make people connect to your business.
Basically, they are the best way to improve your brand reputation.
Don't you think they are for you? Well, let me tell you: you are very wrong!
Regardless of industry or size, I suggest you consider them if you want to increase the reach of your business.
However, there is always some confusion about it-what do you say we shed some light on it?
I'm sure you'll look forward to putting them into practice later 😉
There you have it: in the article I will tell you what public relations is, what it is for, and what tools you can use to implement it.
Definition of PR
I guess you know the most popular meaning of public relations: talking to people, going to events, and meeting people who might prove useful for your business.
In fact, there is much more.
What exactly are they?
Le PR or Public Relations are all those activities that promote and protect your image, products and policies in the eyes of the public; they aim to manage and develop positive relationships with the target environment.
They are a set of techniques and strategies aimed not only at your customers, but at all stakeholders; they refer to the way you disseminate information with respect to them and the media, with the aim of influencing their opinions. They are based on choosing what to say, how to say it, and with what tools.
They have several goals: to have positive media coverage, to consolidate relationships, to positively influence reputation, to increase brand credibility, and to manage any crises or difficult times.
In other words, PR is a process of gaining visibility through the approval of those around you: you do it whenever you try to portray yourself in a certain way in front of other people.
Doing public relations means building a specialized communication plan, Use the media and other direct and indirect means to create and maintain a positive brand image and a strong relationship with your audience.
Why do public relations
As I mentioned earlier, public relations affects the way others see you; their purpose is not only to acquire clients, but also to create a mutually supportive bond with those around you.
To do this, PR initiatives aim to inform, raise awareness and influence the opinions of all those individuals who can facilitate or hinder you in achieving your goals because they have specific decision-making or influencing powers (decision makers, thought leaders and influencers).
Public relations has numerous benefits. Here's why you should do them:
- To build and maintain a positive image of your brand and spread brand awareness;
- To be more credible in the eyes of your current and potential customers, but also to all other stakeholders (including financial stakeholders);
- To draw attention to your digital content and increase online engagement;
- To create or stimulate demand for your products or services;
- To influence specific target groups and differentiate yourself from the competition;
- To engage and gain community social acceptance of your projects;
- To manage crisis situations, avoiding critical or unfavorable media coverage and minimizing damage to your public image.
This will ensure that people will talk about your brand and your offer without investing in advertising: that is why public relations then has positive implications for sales. Acquire authority and building a strong and positive relationship with your target audience will make them more likely to buy your products or services.
PR tools
The actions of public relations are really many and can support your business in a variety of ways; let's see what the main tools are.
Corporate events
They are an opportunity to market your products or services, meet current and potential customers, increase brand awareness, and share a thought leadership unique or information based on the data that can help elevate your brand. Conferences, trade shows, mall events, demonstrations, open days, public tours and more are examples of activities used to facilitate contact.
Community relations
They refer to building positive relationships with the local community around your business. This could include charitable works, donations, participation in projects, special discounts or anything that strengthens the loyalty of those who are part of it.
Corporate social involvement is one aspect that works to enhance your public image as an ethical organization. It can be especially useful if your customer base is young and well informed about current social and environmental issues, showing them that you understand the major difficulties and care about addressing them.
Crisis management
Anything that threatens to damage your company's identity or ruin your brand's reputation should be handled through PR, monitoring chatter and controlling the quality of any promotional or marketing content that could be misunderstood.
Employee relations
Also known as internal PR, they aim to cultivate a positive perception of your company by those who work for and with you. They may include dedicated communications, confidential benefits, free training or team-building events. These not only keep your employees satisfied and motivated, but also encourage them to be loyal and supportive of what you do.
Media relations
They refer to building positive relationships with the press and media; they include conferences, interviews, and press releases, with the goal of gaining favorable coverage. They are a valuable tool for advertising yourself and conveying the messages you want to get across to your audience.
Social media and public relations
In the digital age we live in, you can't help but think about the world of the web marketing: doing public relations on social, for example, is an effective way to accumulate followers, convert customers, share your content, and solve crises.
Remember that in this case the exposure is very high and the interactions with a single customer are visible to all: it is important that you have a consistent, positive and accurate communication strategy.
This is referred to in that case as Digital PR, a kind of "evolved" form of public relations that involves networking with journalists, bloggers and influencers to increase brand awareness and web reputation.
Conclusion
Well, now all you have to do is get involved and build your public relations strategy.
It is one of the most effective methods of communicating and relating to the market, expressing brand identity and spreading credibility to your message through the support of everyone around you-a well-planned approach is just as important as advertising and sales promotions.
Remember one thing, however: this is not something to be done sporadically or on a one-time basis, but a real modus operandi That needs to become part of your business. And, as in all things, the results will come over time.