PR vs Advertising
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Many people are unfamiliar with the purpose of public relations or mistakenly categorise it as advertising. Public relations is a crucial ingredient of an organization's overall marketing mix. We believe public relations means: Managing and enhancing public perceptions. This takes several forms. It could mean ensuring that a company's projects or productss are reviewed by the media, it could mean telling a company's financial story to the business media or it could mean elevating a company's image to position it as a good corporate citizen. But managing public perception is also essential in "crisis situations" when there are very serious questions that organizations must be prepared to answer -- sometimes without notice. Effective public relations is proactive, and having a strong program in place can alleviate a company's tendency to be reactive, and become responsive. |
PR Versus Advertising: What's The Difference?
Simply put, public relations offers organisations something very valuable that advertising inherently never can:
Third Party Credibility
Whereas any person or organization can buy space in a newspaper or magazine, or air time on television or radio to advertise their message.
This medium, though powerful in some cases, lacks a very important element -- credibility.
Organizations strive for a complete marketing mix -- one that incorporates a blend of public relations, advertising, and other forms of marketing.
When leveraged properly, public relations and advertising will complement and support each other. Advertising allows companies to communicate strong, quick messages to the masses.
Public relations lends credence to advertising claims, allowing the company to earn the public's trust. When used in tandem, public relations and advertising provide organizations with a balanced, more thorough and targeted marketing approach than if used independently.
An aggressive public relations program is designed to contribute to a company's overall marketing objective -- to generate growth in sales and market share by securing critical third party endorsement for the company's products and services.
There is no substitute for building long-term brand awareness with the media and potential customers in order to attain maximum mind share for an organization.
Differentiation
Perhaps the single greatest challenge for any business is to differentiate itself from the competition.
This is the thrust of Impact's approach - to differentiate clients by focusing on their unique strengths.
The same is true when selecting a public relations agency. So, how are we different?
Key characteristics separate Impact Communications:
Simple, Straightforward Approach
We work directly with our clients to distill the key message points they wish to convey to their public through experienced, insightful counselling. We begin with answering the following basic questions:
- What is unique about your company?
- Its products?
- Its management?
- What gives your company a competitive advantage?
- Why should the public be interested in you?
We then immediately develop strategy, and once approved, implement the program.
Senior-Level Support One thing most public relations agencies love to do is boast to prospective clients how much senior level attention their account will receive. But what they routinely do, and fail to disclose to clients, is that most (if not all) of the day-to-day account work is delegated to entry-level staffers.
Not only is this deceptive and irresponsible but it is also an inefficient way to operate. With Impact our clients consistently have senior-level support who know the status of an account at any given time.
Media Contacts
One of the ways in which a public relations firm assists a company in building and maintaining relationships with its public is through its own relationships with the news media.
We communicate our clients' messages through an extensive network of media contacts that span the print and broadcast mediums in the trade, business and general consumer press. Whether it is an appearance in the daily news or a product announcement in a key trade publication, Impact is plugged into the media.
Persistence
The only relevant standard of measurement when retaining a public relations agency is results: Are they proactive? Are they getting the job done efficiently? Are they doing it cost-effectively?
Impact pursues every identified media opportunity for its clients and follows those opportunities through to fruition. We don't allow our clients to get lost in the proverbial shuffle. Much of our success has come from working through challenging situations.
Do you need Impact?
What is your current need in the area of public relations and marketing communications? Is your company about to launch a new product? Is there a unique business story you'd like to tell the financial press? Would appearing in nationally syndicated newspaper column or on network television (without cost to you) help bring exposure and credibility to your company's products and services?
If you answered yes to any or all of the above, we would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you to discuss how effective, focused public relations can help your organization realize its full potential and goals. Contact us now.