What is effective Public Relations?

How to conduct effective Public Relations activities? What to do when we face an image crisis and how to regain a good reputation for the company? This each PR agency deals with every day. Today we have prepared a guide containing tips and tricks to make PR activities more effective. They will also be faster and more profitable.

Effective Public Relations is not only about the media

First associations with PR? Company image, reputation, popularity, recognition. Additionally, of course, the media - mainly television, press and radio. Indeed, generally speaking, Public Relations (PR) can be characterized as activities consisting in building and managing the image of a company or organization in the eyes of the public. However, PR also includes relations with clients and employer branding (positive image of the company as an employer). In fact, however, Public Relations is a much more capacious reality. Television advertising, social networking or commercial information may (but need not) be just a part of it.

Effective Public Relations is a difficult task. They require long-term planning on the one hand, but also the ability to properly respond to short-term crises on the other. In addition, they include the need to establish a goal and strategy, as well as the coordination of all activities by competent persons. It is not only the type and quality of these actions that matters, but even their sequence. Therefore, we explain below what it is effective Public Relations.

Not only profits, but also recognition

Many companies that decide to work with PR agency, mistakenly identifies increase in sales with the achievement of PR goals. Indeed, some PR activities are aimed at indirectly increasing sales, but their direct goal is to increase brand recognition among consumers. It is also building its popularity and ensuring that the brand image is clearly positive. Only such an image basis can help achieve better financial results. Especially if we are dealing with a beginner company. For such a company it should be important that consumers know about it at the beginning.

How can this be achieved? For example, through interesting and memorable creative campaigns. If the fine line is not exceeded, such a campaign almost always produces good results. Of course, you don't have to catch up with controversy right away - sometimes an interesting initiative or a well-conducted marketing campaign is enough.

Coordinate the work of marketers and PR specialists

Sometimes the poor results of PR activities result from poor internal organization of departments in the company. Example: although the scope of duties of a marketing specialist differs from the scope of duties of a PR specialist, their main goals are similar. It is roughly about promoting your products and brand and building its recognition and popularity. Therefore, if these departments cooperate with each other in an organization, the effects of their work are simply better.

Public Relations can benefit a lot by assigning some orders, especially to content marketing specialists. Joint preparation of the content plan and schedule will ensure the consistency of the media message. While content people will take care of the quality of the content, Public Relations specialists will prepare the distribution sites and make sure that the materials are image goals as good as pro-sales.

Bet on Internet activities

Marketing activities on the Internet should be one of the PR pillars of any organization. After all, we live in a time when it is on the Web that consumers look for information about companies, their services and products. Internet marketing is a natural ally of PR activities and gives them a huge amount of tools that can be used to build the image of the brand and its recognition. So the basis will be the website, optimized for Google requirements (SEO activities, positioning).

Another issue is professionally run social profiles on websites most useful for a given company. Reference marketing is also very important, which consists in using the power of opinions and reviews on the Internet. In addition, there are also online advertising activities, i.e. banner campaigns on websites, campaigns of sponsored links, advertising in social media, etc.

Internet marketing has one more advantage that it is generally cheaper than, for example, an advertising spot ordered on TV or a radio spot. In addition, it allows you to set a precise target, i.e. a specific target group.

Cultivate customer relationships

Do you know the saying that friendship is like a flower? If you don't water it and spend your time - it will just wither. The same applies to the company's relationship with its customers. Building long-term and valuable relationships is one of the proven methods of effective Public Relations. Relationship Marketing - how to do it? For example, let customers co-create content, which is possible with the help of social media. Here, the client is not only a passive recipient of messages, but also an active participant in the discussion. Proper management of customer behavior in social media builds these good relationships, and if you devote your time systematically - also long-term. Satisfied customers will buy your products and recommend them to other people.

Just remember that this stick has two ends. A dissatisfied customer will surely let you know about it with a critical comment and a low rating. Here it is very important so skillful crisis management.

Your Public Relations goals must be measurable

Setting yourself measurable goals for your PR campaign is essential. After all, you won't know if you've invested your money well if you don't have it in black and white as figures. Various marketing research as well as special analytical tools are used for this purpose. The latter group also includes various types of media monitoring tools. Depending on whether the campaign was broadcast on television or on the Internet, they exist dedicated platforms measuring the results of activities.

Also, be very specific when you set goals - the very phrase "building a positive brand image" is too general to form a solid foundation for your campaign. Goals must be specific - e.g. increase in sales by 10%, increase in the number of positive reviews on Allegro by 200, increase in the number of active fans on Facebook to 10,000, etc.

Effective public relations and benefits for the enterprise

Goal PR activities it is effective in influencing opinions and behaviors. We live in a time of enormous competition, and the favorable attitude of the environment towards the company is the greatest treasure - it broadens the possibilities, range of contacts, creates brand values and is a source of proven solutions that help in crisis situations.

PR stabilizes relations and helps, among others understand other people's behavior, promote certain attitudes, avoid misunderstandings and disputes, and increase favorable attitude towards the company, both inside and outside. PR aims to ensure that problems do not turn into crises and that there is a positive attitude in the organization when it is necessary to deal with it. Efficiently used PR tools they activate not only customers, but also employees who, believing in a specific vision and mission of the company, are more motivated to work more efficiently.

Effective communication also supports marketing. It educates the market, builds and strengthens brand loyalty, motivates to buy and identifies new opportunities in the sales chain. PR provides potential clients with all information about the offered products or services, carefully listening to their needs and problems.

Well-run PR can provide better profit and return on investment than other marketing activities such as advertising, direct marketing, or sales promotion. Compared to them, PR is much more convincing and the techniques it uses relatively cheaper.

Building effective public relations - the most common mistakes

In order to conduct effective PR activities, we must avoid the following errors:

1. No preparation. Before you start acting, you need to collect as much data as possible that will allow you to set goals, an action plan and ways to measure the effects. Analyze your brand's strengths and weaknesses, as well as opportunities and threats. Get to know your competition and take advantage of their weaknesses. Identify the resources you need and outline a detailed action strategy, then pursue it diligently.
2. Not knowing what your needs are target audience. PR activities are carried out with other people in mind. Your messages should be closely tailored to the preferences of a specific target group. Ignoring the needs, problems and preferences of customers or stakeholders is the greatest sin that the market does not forgive.
3. Lack of skills and willingness to develop. The tools used to build effective PR activities change every day. Just because you know how to handle yourself does not make you a specialist. Knowledge of psychological mechanisms allows you to build better communication, and knowledge about changes taking place in the environment allows you to react faster to emerging trends.
4. Lack of activity. Having the right tools is not enough to talk about the implementation of effective PR activities. The brand image is built using small but never continuous steps. The Internet forced companies to build daily communication with target groups. If you don't, your website goes down in search rankings, and social media reach goes down immediately.
5. No consistency. All activities carried out within the framework of PR should support each other. Your goal is to build a single, clear and legible image in the mind of the recipient. There is no room for arbitrary and ill-considered shots here.
6. No reaction. Nothing lasts forever and changes are inevitable, so keep a close eye on your surroundings, react to received signals and adjust your strategy to changing circumstances. Effective PR requires a flexible approach and quick response. This is the only way to prevent possible crises.

What is effective Public Relations about - summary

As you can see, effective Public Relations is about more than just a press release, a post about a new product or a charity fundraiser. In order to build a positive and lasting image of a brand online or simply make it recognizable, a number of other activities must also be undertaken. That is why it is worth using, for example Internet marketing and digital technologies, which sometimes bring much better results than classic TV advertising. And they are much cheaper. Effective PR activities also include crisis management and skilful use of social media, which enable real dialogue with clients.