Why good company PR is more important today than ever
Sustained and controlled Public Relations (PR) has become increasingly important to companies in recent years. With the rise of social media sites and the ability for clients to broadcast their thoughts online (both negative and positive) to a potentially massive audience, keeping a close handle on your company’s image and reputation is now more essential than ever.
PR: a definition
PR, when performed successfully, can be one of your company’s greatest promotional tools. Good PR helps cultivate a positive reputation between a business and its clients and can also increase credibility and trust. PR should encompass all facets of a firm’s day to day operations – everything from your face-to-face dealings with clients to your emails and interaction on social media.
PR and company reputation
No business runs completely without problems; however, how you deal with issues and glitches can mean the difference between fatally damaging your brand and riding out a publicity storm. When things go wrong, skilled PR companies like rcourihay.com can step in and draw on their considerable experience and connections to help minimize a firm’s potential loss of reputation.
PR and relationships with other companies/organizations
Successful PR can help build bonds and relations with other companies (suppliers, consumers or competitors) as well as influential organizations and official bodies. By making a positive contribution to your market sector, you can greatly increase your company’s standing and reputation while also influencing your relations with other businesses. For example, writing an informed article for a well-known trade publication can increase your company’s exposure and credibility as well as generating free advertising.
PR and your company’s online presence
Good PR can have a dramatic influence on your overall online presence. For example, it’s increasingly common these days for companies to run blog sites in conjunction with their main website – to take advantage of the opportunity to publish informative documents and guides for their clients. The importance of blogging cannot be overstated from a PR perspective. Customers are far more likely to engage positively with a company that is regarded as being an expert in its field while regular, keyword-rich blog posts will also go a long way to improving your chances of being found in Google search results. Also, writing articles for other websites or industry publications is another very effective way to increase your standing online and can have a huge effect on your website’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
PR and the positive effect on your company’s brand values
Although PR frequently encompasses and crosses into other common forms of advertising and marketing, it differs substantially from both in that it is free promotion. The old saying, “Advertising is what you pay for; publicity is what you pray for,” perfectly sums up PR as a promotional activity. The fact that companies can’t buy publicity makes good PR seem considerably more impartial than mere advertising alone. For example, positive press coverage will always be viewed more favorably and appear more objective than an advert.
Moreover, good PR is the perfect vehicle for extolling your brand and company values. Writing a press statement or feature article allows you to explore more sides of your company and positively demonstrate its values, working practices, specific skills and areas of expertise. Unlike advertising, PR is more an exercise in story-telling than a direct attempt at sales, making it a far more credible method of company promotion than any other type of marketing.
