The NB of being a race horse in winners circle or a jackazz
IPR.org.uk - Public Relations
How Can PR Boost Your Business
In today’s world, publicity is everything of course along quality service or product. There is a fierce competition in just about every sector, while the consumers typically decide for brands they are familiar with and which they trust. In order to earn the consumers’ trust, companies rely heavily on marketing strategists but they also rely heavily on PR specialists.
Unlike marketing which is focused on promotion of the company’s products or service, PR is primarily focused on communication with the public, e.g. the potential buyers and the media. By communicating relevant information about the company and of course its products/service, PR specialists also help in the promotion of the business. But above all, they create a positive public image and establish a relationship with the target audience and media. That way they gradually earn the consumers’(investors when dealing with a publicly traded company SS) trust which as mentioned earlier, has a major influence on their decisions including the product/service they choose from the many available.
“Damage Control”
Besides attracting public attention and helping establish a good reputation which directly influences the sales, PR specialists also play an important role in the times of crisis. Imagine that an angry employee or the competition starts to spread unpleasant rumours about your company. The public does not know the story behind and if you do not react, they may think that the rumours are true. And even if they find it hard to believe, they will remember that they have heard something bad about your company.
Now imagine the consumers choosing between a brand from which they have heard only the best and your company. Most of them will not take any chances and choose more respected company instead. And you cannot really blame them because you would probably do the same if you were in their shoes. Therefore it is not a good idea to leave the public wondering about the truth whatever it is and this is where a PR specialist steps in.
In the times of crisis like the situation described above, you need someone who reacts quickly and efficiently to at least minimise the damage. And that someone can only be a person who can think and act fast under pressure as well as communicate well with the public and media – a PR specialist.
Utilising PR Services
Large firms typically have their own PR departments. This is without a doubt the best way to utilise PR services because the PR specialists can focus on your needs alone. Having own PR department and keep full time PR specialists, however, is usually too expensive for small to medium sized companies. In order to benefit from PR services without jeopardising their budget, small to medium sized companies can hire a PR firm or freelance PR specialist for a limited time and job.
Who Needs PR Services
PR services are sought after by many organisations, companies and prominent individuals. A PR specialist communicates with the public and media in their behalf in order to present them in the best light. This helps their clients create and maintain a good reputation. But it also helps them stand out from the crowd and attract attention of both the public and media as well as create a two-way communication.
Benefits of Using PR Services
PR specialists are professionals who have the knowledge and skills to communicate with the public and media. Many come from the lines of journalists and know exactly what it takes to attract public attention which is the key to success in the increasingly competitive business world. But they also know how to respond in critical situations and protect their clients’ public image and reputation.
By helping create and maintain a good reputation in the public, PR specialists and firms play an important role in the overall success of their clients
The Cost Result Ratio
Having own PR department significantly increases the costs of operation because PR specialists are quite expensive. In fact, most small and medium sized companies cannot afford to hire even a single full time PR specialist. This is due to the fact that you do not only need a PR specialist but you need a good PR specialist if you want to benefit from utilising PR services. If you cannot afford to employ a full time PR specialist, the only option is to hire outside PR services which can boost your business as well.
The Effect on the Public
The public reacts very differently to an add than to a newspapers article or a TV report. They know very well when they are reading/looking an add and the information they are communicated is perceived with a certain degree of skepticism. They know that the add wants to persuade them to buy a particular product or service and will either believe or disbelieve the information they are communicated. But when they are communicated news about a new product or service through a third party, for example a newspapers or online article they perceive it as informative and worthy of their attention. A press release for instance does not directly encourage them to buy but it often achieves just that by creating a positive image about the product/service or its manufacturer, or both.
Creation and maintenance of a good public reputation is a complex and ongoing process. Without an effective PR, it is very difficult to reach the attention of the target audience and much less to influence their opinion and decisions. But when the relationship with the target group is finally established, it needs to be maintained in order to keep it on a high level. The process works similar to the interpersonal relationships. When two people lose contact, they pretty much disappear from each other lives no matter how close they used to be. And the same happens with the target audience if the established relationship is not maintained.
Enuff said...those that understand the arguement that the company falls short in the communication/visibility side of things? no explanation is necessary-and for those that want to maintain the status quo and protect their assured private and individual access to management vs broad based disclosure? no amount of explanation will suffice.
One wishes to see the race horse be in the winners circle where it belongs while the other wishes to ride a jackazz and pretend its riding in the Breeders Cup.
SS