It is important to understand what public relations is, and what it is not, so you can take advantage of different facets of marketing to ensure success. Every entrepreneur or business has a fixed, or at least finite, budget for “marketing.” Knowing which dollars to put into which “marketing” category saves time and money.
Public Relations (PR) is part of the entire “marketing” process, however its placement, purpose and objectives are very different. According to Dean Hirasawa, Director of PR and Investor Relations for Globalstar LLP, a satellite communications company, “PR is simply a relationship, or communications with the public. PR is part of the marketing promotion function, therefore is generally managed by the marketing department within an organization.” Inside marketing groups often contract with PR specialists, like Three Girls Media & Marketing, to achieve their objectives.
PR seeks to shape consumer perception, building a lasting “Like,” if you will, so that when they come to a decision point about a product, they will already be happily informed about your company, thus more likely to buy. Three Girls Media approaches a sustained, targeted PR campaign as a way to effect managed growth for your company. Through strategic multi-media coverage, we build a lasting awareness and brand credibility for your company. Today, news travels at light speed, and effective PR is a critical yet often overlooked aspect of marketing. Image and public opinion mean everything, especially in the increasingly influential realm of social media. Images are made and shaped here, and PR helps keep your company looking good.
Unlike advertising and some forms of marketing, public relations’ goal is not immediate sales. It is, rather, a more subtle, sustained approach to keeping your business favorably in the consumer’s mind. In many instances, this can be done at little cost, or free, as in tapping into social media, or having articles printed in newspapers or trade journals.
Whether large or small, well funded or not, there is a thoughtful, coordinated way to market your company for optimum results. Three Girls Media invites the opportunity to help you discover the PR message that is right for you. And I’ll leave you with this to consider—a great example of what public relations is:
In third grade, over forty years ago, a woman toured a Ford Motor Company factory with her class. Great educational experience, certainly, but what stuck in her mind was the talk at the end of the tour. Over lunch, the speaker answered their questions respectfully, and generally treated them like honored guests. Even as a youngster, she wondered why a big company like Ford would do all that for “little kids.” She no longer wondered when shortly thereafter, she influenced her parents’ decision to purchase a Ford car.
Photo Credit: DoktorSpinn