What is Public Relations -7 tips to run a successful Public Relations campaign
Public Relations matters. It is to brands what creativity is to artists. A company without effective PR strategies is like a house of cards. One blow is enough to cause the foundation to collapse, leaving only dust and debris of hopes in its wake. Simultaneously, ineffective and unscrupulous PR strategies are equally detrimental.
So, what is Public Relations?
If you are looking for a long answer, check out our blog All you want to know Public Relations. In a the most simple, public relations involves effective communication with the company’s or brand’s target audience, which can be the consumers or the stakeholder and sometimes policy makers with the aim of increasing awareness about the organisation, its services and the latest developments. However, one must not confuse with marketing as marketing has the objective of generating direct sales and revenue through paid media, while public relations has to objective of creating presence n the market industry through earned media.
The fact that a public relations campaign focuses on earned media makes PR activities more authentic and effective than the traditional channels of communication. And off course, greater visibility of the brand will lead to greater sales in the run long. PR services include a diversity of strategies such as though leadership building, press release distribution, investor relations, content management, social media management, etc. which add to organic growth of a business. Top PR agencies in India know how to combine the most suitable strategies for the organisation to run a successful Public Relations campaign depending on the end goals.
To run a successful Public Relations campaign, the best PR professionals in India follow these 7 rules and tips.
Distance yourself from the crab mentality
Changing market dynamics and an ever growing economy are fueling market competition more than ever. The position of existing businesses inevitably gets threatened with every new market entry. In haste, businesses come up with a strategy to pull down others instead of incorporating more innovative ideas into their business. This is crab mentality, a business strategy based on the tenet “if I can’t get it, no one else can.”
Given the cutthroat competition in every industry, often businesses fall prey to a crab mentality or become perpetrators themselves, most often unknowingly. Such practices are not only unprincipled but also cause colossal damage to the player’s market position in the long run. Hiring a PR firm can kill two birds with one stone.
With industry insights and experience, a proficient agency would be able to devise ethical and powerful branding strategies for you. Moreover, they can help you navigate through the competition, shielding you from crab mentality.
Never conceal the truth
For a business, the pressure of being flawless can be nerve-wracking. Many lose sight of their goals while chasing perfection. However, no one understands the importance of authenticity over perfection better than PR professionals.
A 2021 survey found that 88% of consumers made brand preferences based on authenticity. The finding shouldn’t be surprising. With the ongoing inundation of data breaches and trust infringements by prominent brands, a general disbelief has built up among consumers.
It is as clear as day, consumers crave something authentic, something real. They are well aware of the sponsored nature of celebrity endorsements and influencer marketing. Multiple companies hire a PR Agency to gain earned media to overcome such barriers and foster trust.
Go Glocal- Target Local Media outlets
While coverage in the mainstream media is vital, it is equally essential to gear your public relations strategy towards the right audience. Barriers such as language are often underestimated. Brand building with negligence to the language of the people is like building a castle in the air.
How does one influence a stranger’s decision-making through vision and language? The best press release distribution services thus target vernacular magazines, newspapers, and other relevant channels to disseminate your brand information in the language people identify with.
Building visibility through industry events
Business leaders continuously struggle with accessing viable channels to engage their target audience and foster brand loyalty. Social media and print media are excellent platforms, however, they are noisy. To be heard among the hullabaloo, you need a credible voice. A voice that is distinguished and trusted widely.
Participation in industry forums is the elixir that grants you a strong voice. Pr professionals not only encourage their clients to sponsor events, but their prospective clients are going to attend them in abundance.
The strategy also involves engaging in public speaking at relevant events to establish a credible reputation and further brand recognition. For instance, if your company provides gaming gear, sponsoring gaming competitions would be the easiest way to reach your target audience.
Learn to walk into the target’s shoes
Knowing about the target audiences is one thing and understanding them is another. Your aim is to drive their decision making in your favour. Top PR agencies let a brand have access to in- depth knowledge of the demographics of your target in addition to industry knowledge.
History has witnessed multiple Public relations crises which could have been avoided if companies were more mindful of their audience’s cultural demographics. Sensitivity and inclusivity go a long way in building customer loyalty and brand value. And research never hurts, right?
Study the competitors- Never miss a trick
Heard of the phrase “Keep your friend close and enemies closer?”. The importance of competitor mapping cannot be over emphasized.
Every player in the market, including the ones who are gone, matters. You might learn new tricks or might learn from mistakes. Either way, knowing the tricks your competitors have up their sleeves is conducive for strategy making. The best press release distribution services offered by PR agencies include competitor tracking so that their clients remain ahead of the competition.
Don’t bury your head in the sand!
Avoidance is a big NO. Oftentimes, companies think silence is some sort of panacea against any adversity. The reality, however, is quite the opposite.
In the face of a reputation crisis, it is more than important to be swift, cautious and aware. In fact, with our experience we have learnt that most crises become worse with failure to react on time.
Experts suggest that things don’t smooth out any soon, however, if companies hire a PR agency, the negative effects are minimized by a significant amount through appropriate communication. Accountability when guilty and facts when the accusations are false are the only way out.
Bonus! Look before you leap
It is true that we learn and grow from our mistakes. Experiencing lows is inevitable when you are aiming for the farthest sky. However, this doesn’t mean you should not go off unprepared.You cannot be a forecaster. Nevertheless, taking action hastily due to market competition often lands businesses in unfavourable situations. Top PR agencies are well equipped with data to avoid such blunders, so it’s always advisable to consult your hired Public relations agency before you act.
How can you to stand out a mile
Competition is innate to business, and everyone is extraordinary. So how do you ensure that you aren’t lost in the crowd? Personalised branding. Effective brand building differentiates you from competitors, thereby redeeming you from the inescapable market competition.
However, Brands with a phenomenal global outreach program fail to connect with a large chunk of their audience. Experts recommend businesses to hire a PR agency to become a brand that is valued by consumers and trusted by veterans via targeted campaigns.
