Surprisingly, it's not an easy question to answer when the person asking the question has little understanding of marketing. If you start talking in terms of developing and raising the profile of a company or brand they tend to assume you work in advertising, or even telesales. I have to let them make their assumptions and then correct them in more detail about what I actually do. I suspect this is a not-uncommon experience for people working in PR.
PR stands for 'Public Relations', however, historically it has probably been more accurate to use the phrase 'Press Relations', because for many years PR has predominantly been concerned with the media - both printed and broadcast - and the ways in which you can build profile and reputation of a company through the pages of established publications read by the people you need to reach. That is the way many people continue to think about PR.
PR is still very much about media relations, but in the digital era a PR campaign needs to be so much more.
Today, press relations is only a part of the overall picture. Yes it's a key part, but in 2014 brands need to fully embrace the wide range of other ways they can reach out to their audience; through direct communications, social media, marketing communications, and events. For many larger businesses, PR also encompasses internal communications aimed at keeping staff informed and engaged. It's a vital part of the picture that shouldn't be overlooked.
A holistic approach to communications and brand-building is crucial. There's no point dedicating time and resources to beautifully constructed printed brochures if your website is poor or if your social media puts out a less-than-professional message. All communications need to be approached with the same care and with a view to the other communications tools you are using.
It's also the case that different communications channels help to spread and reinforce the message. It's important to appreciate the value of this. For example, a well constructed Tweet can drive traffic to a blog that links through to an online magazine article or a brochure download. In this way, the message is amplified. And remember, in the real world you may only have a fleeting opportunity to grab the attention of the customer, so the more ways you can reach them; the better the chance that they will pay attention. But equally, if any one of those messages is poor, it can put them off altogether. Hence the need for professionalism and care in ALL communications.
The PR strategy needs to be the starting point that informs all other activity. Once you have established your ambitions, your strategy needs to set out the ways (the tactics) that will help you achieve your goals.
As a simple example, it could be that you need to raise the profile of your organisation and establish yourself as a market leader in your field in order to support your sales team. You can do this by a concerted and integrated communications programme that includes:
- Building profile in your key media through articles, news, and inclusion in articles,
- Building your reputation as a thought-leader through blogs and direct-to-customer communications,
- Building credibility through case studies that underline your capabilities,
- Creating relevant marketing materials such as brochures and websites,
- Social media that drives traffic and reinforces your message,
- Appearance at events and trade shows that allow you to build relationships.
PR in the traditional sense will always be concerned with the media, but thanks to Mr Gates, Mr Jobs and numerous other innovators, all organisations now have the tools at their disposal to distil their brand and their messages and to present them widely. But it takes time and skill to do it well and consistently across all communications channels.
For more information, or to discuss PR and communications in more detail email dave@davemclean.co.uk
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