Great PR can turn a business into a brand. How? PR gets people — especially credible media — buzzing about your brand, so that your target audience widens as chatter about your products or services increases. You likely know public relations falls under the umbrella of marketing. Even so, it’s important that your PR plan is carefully nestled into the rest of your marketing mix.  

How Does PR Support Marketing Tactics?

Marketing and advertising promote your brand by selling specific products or services. PR focuses on creating experiences — and inspiring your audience to become brand ambassadors. 

PR has a long-term goal to generate brand recognition, brand credibility and establish your company as being superior to your competitors. As a marketing tool, PR builds trust and rapport with journalists to establish third-party credibility. While other aspects of marketing pay hefty figures to showcase the company, its products and/or services, PR can showcase the brand in a way that deeply connects with the target audience, as well as establish customer loyalty and credibility. 

The truth is, people tend to know when they are being sold a product or service. They know the difference between an ad and a newspaper article. Consumers are more inclined to trust a media source than a company-sponsored ad. 

How to Strategically Incorporate PR Into Marketing 

Your marketing team spends money for advertising through different channels, including search engines, podcasts, social media, print media, television, radio and so forth. Your PR strategy should align with your larger marketing strategy. While it’s important to align your PR tactics with the needs of your target audience and the desired message, your strategic communication goals and tools will have a different focus. Effective PR in any marketing campaign could be as simple as having an influencer provide relevant tips or host a social media contest. 

Anything that provides publicity to your company and brand is considered PR. With PR, you can effectively balance short-term sales goals while creating long-term customers. 

As for the many facets of marketing — content, social media, web development, video production, sales and more — they can work well together without spending a fortune. 

Should You Make PR Part Of Your Marketing Plan?

There are several key reasons why your business should use PR as part of your marketing mix. 

• PR develops credible, trustworthy relationships with your customers – you can develop a closer relationship with potential customers that will help them to better trust and respect your brand. 
• PR builds brand awareness – it helps your target audience become aware of your business and its products, so you can establish long-term relationships. 
• PR improves your online presence – it ensures your business has an active and strong online presence that is essential to the success of your company. 
• PR can present your company’s image in a positive manner – securing positive media mentions and avoiding negative press can help position your company in a positive light. 
• PR is cost-effective – One great media hit has the potential to be shared over and over again, especially if it’s in a top-tier publication. In other words, earned media coverage from a credible news source can go a long way. 

These are just a handful of the reasons for including PR into your company’s marketing mix. With the right planning and organizing, you can be rest assured that your PR and marketing campaigns are effective and your business benefits as much as possible. 

Is Hiring a PR Agency Worth it? 

Even if you have an in-house marketing team, enlisting the help of a knowledgeable and experienced PR agency can take your brand to the next level. PR agencies have the right tools, media contacts and tactics to generate excitement about your brand and make it more credible. Reach out to the dream team at Trust Relations to find out how we can help.