We often think that Public Relations (PR) is only for the “big players”, however, this is something that even the smallest local store can use to improve their business. As a PR companies in Orange County we can help a wide range of companies of all sizes, and this is why Twelve12 wants to share with you some exciting info on how to turn PR into a powerful marketing tool.
It is important to understand that, while sometimes we might think of PR as being the same as marketing, they are fundamentally different entities.
Marketing has different aims: the company’s name and recognition, the brand’s name and awareness, and the promotion of specific products and services. All marketing efforts can be perceived and identified by the consumer. It is easy for everyone to point out an ad or a marketing campaign, comment on it, and share it. PR (public relations) takes a different approach; it is an effort that helps the company but from a different base.
Helping out a community, being involved in a cause, or addressing a negative issue caused by an employee or an accident are more in the PR domain. The main difference lies in the way that the particular issue is presented to the public; either a person, a company, or a product that is focused in a positive way instead of on a selling perspective.
A good example may be Mercedes Benz. When Diana Princess of Wales died in a car crash, the car was a Mercedes, and the company got a lot of negative hits regarding the safety of its cars. In response, they launched a strong PR campaign addressing the safety systems developed by the brand and took even more steps to make sure that the public understood that this was an unfortunate accident and not a result of a defective safety system. As you can tell, this campaign wasn’t aimed to increase brand awareness or sell a specific type of Mercedes. It was designed to address a safety issue that was linked to an unfortunate accident of a high-profile person. This was purely PR.
Now that we understand the basic difference between PR and marketing efforts, it must be said that a well-designed PR campaign may also act as a marketing aid, and may sometimes even cost nothing in terms of ads on any media. If your campaign is interesting enough to be shared or even commented on in any type of news or media outlet, then you will find that your events, shows, advocacy, or any other PR effort will be promoted for free and will act as a marketing campaign too.
If you want to know more about how PR companies can help you promote your business, give us a call today.