What Does a PR Company Do?
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If you work in the PR industry, you have probably been asked questions like “what does a PR company do?” It’s a great question, only that there is not one correct answer.
PR covers a broad spectrum of functions, from events to crisis management. It impacts our daily lives positively, helps build brands, and raises awareness of important issues.
PR companies, unlike advertising agencies, develop companies/individuals using editorial coverage. Usually, it’s referred to as “earned” or “free” media, i.e. (stories appearing on websites, newspapers, magazines, and TV programs) as compared to paid advertisements.
So, before we get into what a PR agency does, we need to understand what PR is.
What is public relations (PR)?
PR is part of marketing communications, and it aims to influence the knowledge, opinions, and behaviours of target audiences by employing media relations.
PR, for many organisations, can mean the difference between profitability and failure. The goals of PR include promoting clients or organisations and improving their image to their target publics.
Currently, the PR profession is a tech-savvy and trends-focused field that thrives in a fast-paced environment. It involves working with editors from media publications and different types of influencers on the digital platform.
This digital submerge has expanded the PR scope, giving PR professionals the ability to navigate tools like google analytics to monitor their performance or results.
Modern-day PR is no longer centered on traditional means; it requires employing different tactics every single day. One thing is for sure, PR today is evolving.
PR involves:
- Analysing, influencing, and interpreting public opinion, attitudes, and issues that might impact the strategies of an organization.
- Managing organisational operations concerning organisational policies.
- Influencing course of action, decisions, and communications of an organisation.
- Conducting research and evaluating organisational programs to achieve informed public understanding necessary for the success of an organisation.
- Planning and implementing organisational efforts to influence or change public policy. These can include planning, budgeting, training, and recruiting new staff.
What does a public relations company/agency do?
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What a PR company does for its clients all depends on the goals communicated during consultancy. Different brands have specific needs.
A company might want to increase brand awareness, defend or manage its reputation or engage digital PR to increase search engine optimisation. The list is endless for what a PR agency can do.
In short, most business activities need a PR agency to manage some if not all conversations with their publics.
Here’s an overview of some of the functions of a PR agency:
- Writing and distributing press releases.
- Speech writing.
- PR pitching.
- Organising and chairing special PR events.
- Conducting market research for the organisation.
- Networking to expand organisational reach.
- Crisis management.
- Social media management.
A good agency and practitioner can analyze the organization, find positive commentary and translate that into positive media stories.
Now that you have an overview of what PR firms do let’s dive into the specifics of what exactly that is.
Research target market and public
Researching target markets and buyer tendencies is a highly crucial aspect of PR. Before taking on a new client, you should prioritize your target audience to set the tone for your PR strategies.
If you don’t invest time in your market research, most of your efforts will be futile.
You can identify your target audience using demographics like age, income, interests, goals, and so much more.
By narrowing down the publics you are aiming for, publicists can better understand which publications will suit the specific audiences and perfect the strategies to achieve maximum results.
Identify targeted Press and Media
This goes back to carrying out research to help you know what type of editors and writers you are aiming to contact for your PR marketing strategy.
PR professionals will identify the best and appropriate local or national media for their targeted press lists to reach the right audience based on the product or service you are pitching.
This aspect is essential because it eliminates the problem of pitching to the wrong journalists.
Creating captivating PR pitches
Designing pitches is the more creative side of a PR agency. It involves persuading and enticing media people to cover your story or idea. These pitches are crafted depending on seasonal trends( political, industry, products, and services).
PR firms have to come up with unique and convincing stories involving their clients. Depending on what/who you are representing, pitching can be extremely hard or easy.
Conduct outreaches
Today, pitching is done via email to targeted media and then followed up by email or phone. This aspect is basically about media relations as it involves communicating with journalists and the media.
The optimum goal of outreaches is to create positive press and an image of your client. Securing and maintaining positive relationships with the media helps organizations maximize their media coverage and builds reputation with the media community.
Handle all aspects of influencer relations
With social media becoming an integral part of our lives, influencer relations are a new tool that many modern PR agencies offer. PR firms earmark publicists from social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, etc.
The goal still is to get your targeted clients through online coverage so that you can increase brand awareness, gain new clientele and increase sales.
Bottom line
Whether building brand awareness or increasing sales, PR exists to bridge communication and build mutually beneficial relationships between an organisation and its publics.
Hiring a PR firm will help you achieve all these results faster and more organized than when you do it alone.
Are you looking to hire PR professionals to support your overall brand strategy? Contact our team at Pearl Lemon to see how our marketing services can elevate your business to another level.
