by Josita Dalli, Client PR Partner | Brand Culture
One of the best ways for a company to get exposure and credibility is through Public Perception Management, more commonly known as Public Relations (PR). PR should be a top priority in every organisation’s exposure efforts, but how do you even start off with a PR campaign? Here are 8 instances which should serve as signals that it’s time to invest in PR:
- Your competition is beating you to the punch.
Competitors may be beating you in customers acquisition or market share. If your brand or business isn’t considered often enough in a customer shopping journey, it might well be time to increase public visibility. In time, earned media and ‘owned’ content placed in relevant publications and/or digital portals can help achieve just that.
- News to share.
You have just launched a new product or a service. The media runs on news and therefore new launches will start off a successful PR campaign. You typically have one shot at such, so it is vitally important that a PR programme is set and includes media reach-out, content generation and paid advertising to support your campaign. A well-crafted PR plan should target existing potential clients as well as the relevant market and industry stakeholders in order to position the brand, product or service.
- No news to share.
It might seem that the story is no news to you, but the right PR resource will help in identifying and communicating stories about your business and the market in which it operates. They will also help to tell the story to the people who really matter.
- Explanations.
PR is a great tool for in-depth explanations. Whilst with paid media space is minimal, earned content gives you more space to describe your product or service in more detail as well as an instance which requires more in-depth explanation, such as in crisis management. Somewhat simple content items such as videos with explanations and by-lined articles will help in educating your prospects in a more credible way when compared to advertising.
- Reality vs perception.
You have added an array of services or products or expanded the business into new areas. Not all customers and prospects will know of such developments, and you might get questions that show a dated perception of your business. A sustained PR Plan will correct these impressions and offer the latest picture of the organisation’s offerings and all its strategic business units.
- Industry changes.
If you are facing rapid changes in your industry, such as in highly-regulated operational environments, or your business is changing quickly, now would be the best time to position the business in a proper way for the future. A PR team can help develop a strategy that navigates through these changes and helps your business to get an edge over your competition.
- Missed opportunities.
Your competition had media coverage through a quote about your industry but your business wasn’t included. Reputation matters! It is important that precise goals are set and that you examine a PR plan that will elevate the company’s position among those that matter.
- Reaction vs proactivity.
Spending time responding to competition means you are being reactive. Media enquiries should be answered to immediately and by people properly trained in PR, Corporate Communications and/or Media Management. Ideally, your PR team creates the best possible positioning and narrative for your company with the help of proactive PR driven storytelling.
What’s next?
Running a proper public relations campaign takes quite a lot of time and effort. A number of companies have dedicated resources to handle public relations. If you feel that you don’t have the necessary resources to manage such Public Perception, speak to us.
