PR is short for "public relations"- and this refers to the strategic communication from an organization to the public to maintain or cultivate public image and/or respond to public dialogue.
PR is about helping a business or individual cultivate a positive reputation through various unpaid or earned channels and formats, including press, social media, and in-person engagements.
As a fledgling startup, spreading the word is perhaps always on top of your mind. Your friends and well-wishers, acquaintances in the industry are your first carriers who take your message to the world. But how do you go beyond that?
They call it Public Relations (PR) – a science and art of consciously engaging with your relevant stakeholders in meaningful ways, such that this relationship is a stable one. PR is about creating a resonance in the minds of people who you want to engage with – could be your potential customers, investors, employees, and others. It is always much more than a traditional press release sent out to the media.
Young brands and companies are in a hurry to get noticed. PR is definitely one good tool to bring your brand into daily conversation. However there is a difference between PR or a short burst of activity and mentions in popular mediums (press/ TV/ radio). Sometime a young brand asks for PR measured by “How many mentions will I get in 30 days?”
Notice the word relations in public relations. Relationships are not built in short time frames. Often the most valuable and cherished associations built on trust authenticity and respect take months if not years to build.
We all know how referrals are a powerful source of repeat business for marketing agencies. When a happy client recommends us to someone he knows, we are riding on the trust of the relationship the two share. This eases the process of creating trust with the potential client. And so, haven’t some of our best wins have been through referrals?
But sometimes the referral well does dry up. Economic conditions change, or clients themselves don’t have any further introductions to make. Sometime existing projects haven’t gone so well. Much can impact the flow of leads for marketing agencies; especially the referral flow.
GroCurv, a sales and marketing services marketplace, is in the “stranger winning high value business from strangers business".
No matter what your reason to bringing positive sentiment around your product or service, a Public Relations agency is the right way to go. Professionals who can help you figure out how to amplify your message with the best ROI. PR is an important component to your brand building story. It supports and amplifies your main storyline by giving multiple perspectives to your brand narrative. Very often, independent perspectives.