When Should You Use PR?
- Nov 17, 2023
- 3 min read
Written by: Sachin Parmar
If you’re a company that is looking to expand your offering or reach more customers, then you need to incorporate PR into your business plan. Read this article to find out the key moments when having a PR professional in your corner is the cherry on the cake of success for you and your business.
Focus on the angle of your story
Public relations or PR is all about building, protecting and maintaining a company’s brand and reputation in the media. A PR professional will work in-house, freelance or as part of an agency, and will put together ‘good news’ stories, which they will pitch to journalists from online, print and broadcast outlets. They may be looking to land a full article or just a mention in an associated piece about the business they’re promoting. Alternatively, the PR might put forward a spokesperson from the company, usually someone who is in a senior position and who can speak confidently about a certain topic.
Make it part of your plan
PR should be central to your marketing and communications strategy, as securing organic media coverage will help to foster positive sentiment about your business. It will also compliment paid activity like sponsored posts on social media or adverts that you run online, on TV or in print. If you can get your company included in a trusted title, like a national newspaper or prime-time television programme, then your business will become better known and the general public will be more likely to visit your website and make a purchase.
Share your achievements
Other than the day-to-day promotion of your business to build knowledge and recall of your brand among your target audience, PR can be used to shout about significant milestones. Are you launching a new product, have you revamped your website or are you offering a special promotion? You might have hired someone of note to your team, who is going to revolutionise your company. Just remember, that to lock in a piece with a journalist, your moment of celebration for your business needs to have a newsworthy hook. For instance, is your product the first of its kind to do something ground-breaking for users? Mentioning where to buy the product from or linking to your website to make a purchase would then be the call to action for those who have watched/ listened to the broadcast or read the article.
Defending your good name with PR
Public relations also involves fighting off negative publicity to protect your brand identity. Perhaps an incident has happened at your company and you need support with handling media enquiries to ensure that the situation isn’t misinterpreted, or maybe you need to recruit a PR professional to draft a statement because something slanderous has been said about you or your brand. Whatever the reason, having an experienced PR professional on your books will pay dividends. Like a fire, the quicker a harmful story is extinguished, the less likely it will spread and cause further damage.
As you can see, PR isn’t just long lunches and press parties, as Hollywood pictures it to be in films. If you’re on the lookout for ongoing PR support or a one-off PR push, then evokeu is here to help. We can build you a brand strategy that incorporates PR and can work with you every step of the way to grow a strong reputation in the media.
If you’d like to find out more about Sachin and evokeu, please visit here. You can also follow Sachin on LinkedIn, where he frequently posts business advice and inspiring content.
About the author:
Sachin Parmar is the Co-founder and Creative Director of boutique digital marketing and branding agency, evokeu. With decades of design experience, Sachin has a keen eye for detail and a drive to create consistently superior results. Sachin and his expert team work with big and small brands across many sectors to help clients capture customer attention and create growth. Evokeu also has a vertical brand called Graphic Kitchen, which specialises in the hospitality sector.
