By now, I'm sure
everyone has heard about a PR; but not everyone knows
exactly what a PR does. Some people think it is just like marketing, and others think it's something you only make use of in times of crisis.
Well, we wanted to break down all the ins and outs of a PR pro so that you never get confused again!
Saads Abrahams from media update gives us the what's what of public relations!
Defining PR
Before we do our deep dive into everything PR, let us look at what exactly PR is.
By
definition, PR is the
collection of methods and
strategies for controlling how
information about a person or organisation
is shared with the public — particularly within the media.
The key objectives are to:
- spread important news or events
- uphold a brand's reputation and
- put a positive spin on any negative narratives to lessen the unfavourable effects.
This can take place through a press release, news conference, journalist interviews or even a social media post.
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PR and marketing — what is the difference?
I think the
biggest misconception about PR is that it's
exactly the same as marketing, and that couldn't be further from the truth. Although
they work together and sometimes what they do overlap, both have
different end goals.
When it comes to
marketing, the
goal is to create awareness of a product or a campaign for that product and that brings revenue into the company.
PR, however, has a
goal of building brand awareness and loyalty. This is something that a company cannot buy but has to earn, and a PR has to work at building that trust constantly.
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The two types of PR
There are two types of PRs that a company can make use of in-house and external PR.
- In-house is developed in the company, and its sole purpose is to deal with all the PR needed for that specific company.
- External is when a company or brand has a contract with a stand-alone PR firm to assist them with PR for a certain time period.
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Power in relationships
A main component of PR is being able to build and maintain relationships. These relationships are with stakeholders, media outlets, employees and customers.
Stakeholder relationships
PR pros are required to build and maintain the relationship between the company and the investors. This relationship aims to ensure mutual success for both parties.
Media relationships This is possibly one of
the most important relations that PR pros need to foster because media needs to share relevant and accurate news, and PRs are able to give news and information directly from the source. Additionally, PRs need to be on top of any bad press, and strong relations within the media give them a head start!
Employee relationships
Ensuring that the employees are happy and all their concerns are addressed is vital. It prevents employees from airing their grievances in public spaces.
Customer relationships PRs need to cultivate the brand image. By ensuring that the public is happy with the brand, they maintain brand loyalty!
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The PR power tools
All public relations professionals make use of
certain strategies and tools to ensure that they get their job done!
These consist of:
- events
- press releases
- partnerships
- social media management
- product placement
- RACE (Research, action, communication evaluation)
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PR is for everyone
PR has the a
bility to benefit all industries. The main role of PR is to
build brand credibility and help
influence the public's perception of a brand or company. Not only this, but PR pros are there to
help a company or brand during a time of crisis.
PRs, take the time to l
isten to your audience and what their needs and concerns are. This will help your brand or company not only
build loyal customers but also make
strategic moves to benefit you in the long run
and make sure that all future campaigns are viewed in a positive way!
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What do you think everyone should know about PR? Let us know in the comments section below.
*Image courtesy of Canva** Information sourced from Investopedia, Forbes, The Hoyt and CareerGuide.com