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Unlock This CoursePublic Relations (PR) is all about managing how the public sees your business. Think of it as your company's reputation manager. Unlike advertising where you pay for space, PR is about getting positive coverage and building trust through genuine communication with customers, media and the community.
In today's world, a company's image can make or break its success. One viral social media post can either boost sales massively or destroy years of hard work. That's why smart businesses invest heavily in PR strategies.
Key Definitions:
Good PR builds trust, which leads to customer loyalty. When people trust your brand, they're more likely to buy from you, recommend you to friends and stick with you even when competitors offer lower prices. Bad PR can destroy this trust overnight.
Companies use various PR techniques to shape their public image. The key is choosing the right mix of strategies that fit your target audience and business goals.
These are the classic PR techniques that have been used for decades, though many have evolved with digital technology.
Official statements sent to media outlets announcing news, product launches, or company updates. They're free but need to be newsworthy to get coverage.
Supporting events, sports teams, or charities to associate your brand with positive activities. Think of how Red Bull sponsors extreme sports events.
Getting famous people to publicly support your brand. This works because people trust celebrities they admire and want to copy their choices.
In 2018, Nike featured Colin Kaepernick in their "Just Do It" campaign, despite controversy around his protest during the US national anthem. Initially, Nike's stock dropped and some customers burned their shoes. However, the campaign ultimately boosted sales by 31% and strengthened Nike's brand among younger, more diverse customers. This shows how bold PR moves can be risky but potentially very rewarding.
Social media has completely changed how PR works. Companies can now communicate directly with customers without going through traditional media. But this also means mistakes spread faster than ever before.
Platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Twitter allow companies to build relationships with customers in real-time. The key is being authentic and responsive.
Partnering with social media personalities who have large followings. Their recommendations feel more personal than traditional advertising.
Encouraging customers to create content featuring your products. This builds community and provides authentic testimonials.
Quickly responding to negative events or criticism online. Speed and honesty are crucial when things go wrong.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become a major part of PR. Customers, especially younger ones, want to buy from companies that care about society and the environment.
Companies like Patagonia have built their entire brand around environmental responsibility. They donate profits to environmental causes and encourage customers to repair rather than replace products. This creates incredibly loyal customers who share the company's values.
Smart companies invest in their local communities through various initiatives that create positive associations with their brand.
Supporting local sports teams, schools, or events. This builds goodwill in the community where your business operates.
Encouraging staff to volunteer for local charities during work time. This improves employee morale and community relations.
Long-term relationships with charities that align with your brand values. McDonald's partnership with Ronald McDonald House is a famous example.
Unlike advertising, PR results can be harder to measure directly. However, there are several ways companies track their PR effectiveness.
In 2019, UK bakery chain Greggs launched a vegan sausage roll after years of requests from customers. Their cheeky social media campaign, including responses to Piers Morgan's criticism, generated massive free publicity. Sales increased by 9.6% that year, showing how good PR can directly impact profits. The campaign cost very little but generated millions of pounds worth of media coverage.
Companies use various methods to track whether their PR efforts are working and providing value for money.
Tracking mentions in newspapers, TV, radio and online. Positive coverage is worth much more than paid advertising because people trust it more.
Monitoring likes, shares, comments and follower growth. High engagement shows people are interested in your brand.
Tracking sales before and after PR campaigns. This is the ultimate measure of success for most businesses.
PR works differently from advertising, personal selling and sales promotion. Understanding these differences helps businesses choose the right promotional mix.
PR is often cheaper than advertising and more trusted by consumers. Good PR can reach millions of people for very little cost. It also builds long-term relationships rather than just driving immediate sales.
The best companies use PR alongside other promotional methods to create a powerful marketing mix that reaches customers in different ways.
Building brand awareness, managing reputation, launching new products, or dealing with negative publicity. PR is perfect for long-term relationship building.
You need to control the exact message and timing. Advertising guarantees your message will appear when and where you want it.
You want immediate sales boosts. Discounts and special offers create urgency that PR campaigns usually can't match.
When KFC ran out of chicken in 2018 due to supply chain problems, they could have just waited for the crisis to pass. Instead, they took out full-page newspaper ads rearranging their logo to spell "FCK" with the headline "We're Sorry." This honest, humorous approach turned a potential disaster into positive PR. The campaign won awards and actually strengthened customer loyalty by showing KFC could laugh at itself and take responsibility for mistakes.