When you think of public relations (PR), do you think of celebrity publicists trying to clean up after their client has said something offensive? Or, perhaps you think of dry emails and stacks of press releases. In fact, PR for business is a creative, fruitful endeavor, and it can do great things for businesses at every stage!
The current PR landscape is fast-paced, innovative, and collaborative. It spans many facets of marketing, from in-person events to social media and beyond. Each piece works together to support larger campaigns and organizational initiatives. If you’re still a skeptic, read on for 6 ways PR can work for your business.
1. Effectively Reach Audiences
Sure, you can speak at a dozen events, write op-eds for every newspaper in town, and post on 10 social apps. Or, you can hire a PR team to help you carefully target the best channels and platforms to reach your ideal audience.
PR is a low-cost option for speaking directly to current and potential audiences when used correctly. PR teams possess exceptional understandings of the local media landscape, and they’ll be able to hone in on the very best platforms and publications on which your company should focus.
Best of all, PR reaches all business stakeholders, from media personnel to investors and employees. Traditional PR tactics are designed to efficiently disseminate important business information to everyone who needs to hear it–for free.
2. Make it Possible to Obtain Financing
An excellent overall brand reputation is priceless. Traditional and digital PR tactics work to build trust with customers and other stakeholders by exhibiting consistency and credibility. A highly trusted brand is more likely to secure buy-in from investors and other high-level stakeholders when push comes to shove.
Being seen as honest and reliable is truly invaluable in the business landscape. PR teams can work to maintain a positive brand reputation, but they can also negate negative media stories and crises when they arise. Effective PR pros will use their strong media relationships, previously-published positive stories, and clear and concise messaging to bury negative or harmful stories when they are not rooted in truth.
3. Boost SEO
There’s no denying it–search engine optimization (SEO) is an incredibly important practice that must be layered into every company’s PR strategy. Effective PR for business can give a company’s website SEO a boost while building credibility in the process.
Coverage on popular websites and trustworthy media platforms can help your business show up at the top of the page for related searches because search engines like Google trust platforms with high traffic and low bounce rates. Backlinks on already-trusted sites will improve your overall rankings.
PR teams can also employ a keyword strategy to boost SEO further. Keywords and phrases you’d like to rank higher for can be purposefully included in press release copy, interview messaging, and thought leadership pieces until coverage of your company shows up at the top of every relevant search.
4. Build Brand Awareness
An important aspect of public relations is making sure the general public knows about the good your company does for the community. Proactive pitching and thoughtful cause marketing campaigns are a staple in nearly every PR strategy, as they help humanize the people behind the brand and prove to consumers that the company cares about more than just its finances.
In addition to pitching important business happenings to the media, PR teams can share feel-good stories about volunteerism, charitable giving, and inspiring employee stories to expand brand awareness outside of current audiences and promote community goodwill in the process. All of this will improve overall customer recognition, which will in turn, help make future launches more successful, drive existing sales, and build word-of-mouth marketing opportunities.
5. Develop a Recognizable Brand Identity
What differentiates your brand from competitors? What makes your product stand out from the crowds? Effective PR for business can help solidify your unique brand identity by focusing on the best selling points of your products or services and pushing positive messaging.
Tone and visual consistency are great places to start, but consumers need to see your brand image in various places before recall and recognition will be possible. Public relations is a cost-effective way to ensure your brand gets in front of as many consumers as possible, as often as possible.
6. Position Executives as Leaders in Your Field
Heighten the profile of your top executives with a thought leadership campaign. Company executives can share their wisdom and insights about business strategies, industry trends, and leadership with business journals and major dailies. Not only does this type of article promote your business positively, but it also endears readers to your leadership team thanks to their selfless advice.
Final Verdict
A great PR strategy can be an effective tool for business growth, improve revenue and sales, and build a solid foundation for your brand for years to come. PR for business may also enhance marketing and paid advertising results, increase company morale, and nurture long-lasting community and media relationships that can pay dividends down the line.
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Contact a local PR agency to schedule a discovery call and learn more about how PR can improve your business functions in the year ahead. You just might be surprised to find how valuable it can be!