What is PR and how can it help your business grow?

by David Barr

PR is often misunderstood or not understood at all by business leaders and is often confused with advertising.

PR professionals are essentially story tellers and their job is about influencing trusted, independent, not paid media, to promote your idea, your product, support your point of view or recognise your achievements.

It is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between your business and its markets.  

PR is about creating newsworthy content that will be of interest to journalists and influencers. This can be done in two ways; by creating a compelling story about your business or by getting your business to follow and respond to a current news story.  

It is important to understand that a top tier PR firm will have a capability to create client stories and content that is of sufficient quality and interest for their extensive journalist connections to want to publish. It cannot be bought in the same way as advertising and it is the inherent value achieved by the independence of a third party view that is the ace card of quality PR. This is far more valuable than advertising where the customer knows you pay for full control of content and your message.  

A quote, thought leadership piece or CEO profile in for example the Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, BBC or CNN is a powerful independent way of promoting your story internationally that typically provides credibility that advertising can never achieve and usually at significantly less cost.

The media landscape has changed significantly in recent years with the proliferation of social media. Whilst these can be important channels they should be seen as an augmentation to traditional media such as broadcast and press. Media such as the BBC, SKY News, CNN, FT, Wall Street Journal and Forbes have a credibility and independence of view with a broad reach that hold high value for clients.

Whatever your business need and goals we believe that quality focused PR can play a significant part in your future growth. Please get in touch if you would like to learn more about how PR can empower your business.