5 Reasons Why Public Relations Is Important For Every Business

While it’s easy to run a company with little to no business spend on public relations, investing in PR is something you should definitely consider if you want your company to gain visibility in key markets. Unfortunately, a lot of companies falsely think of public relations as free advertising.

Public relations, or PR, can be very expensive and time-consuming, not to mention the work that goes into the practice. Because it is widely associated with advertising, PR is probably the least understood marketing practices.

In a nutshell, public relations is a communicative approach that aims to establish valuable relationships between an organization and the public. Here are 5 reasons why every operational business needs effective PR.

1. Establish Networks with your Community

Creating a lasting partnership with the local community will position your brand well with the public. By donating time and money to charity or any social causes associated with a community, you work to build ties with the people within the group or community.

This goes a long way in establishing credibility for your company. It also motivates people to buy from you thus supporting your business.

2. Complements Other Marketing Activities

The business world can be harsh and a lot of companies are fiercely competing for attention. As such, marketers use PR as a marketing tool to gain a competitive advantage.

The nature of PR to capture people’s attention by establishing a valued relationship makes the practice a strong asset for marketers. It allows them to convey a more meaningful message and purpose for the brand by sharing useful, compelling, and informative content.

3. Serves as a Good Crisis Mitigation Tactic

A vital function of PR is to ensure the company stays on top of what people say about its operations. Good PR allows an organization to have more control over the information doing rounds about the business.

Imagine a scenario where you run an electronics store in Seattle. A few customers bought some of your products but they found them lacking in various respects, and are brewing a storm about the whole thing. You can mitigate that with good public relations Seattle. Residents there are ‘consumer aware’ and if you fail to act quickly, your business might be in trouble.

Working with credible media outlets in the region to publish press releases on related affairs will display your company in the best light.

4. Good PR Helps Recruit the Best Talent

Good PR will not only help you win over business clients but also potential employees. By working to communicate a positive brand image, you can easily acquire the best talent in the market. This will also help you retain valued members of staff as they will want to continue being associated with a brand that has admirable business values.

5. Sets You up as an Industry Leader

Effective PR practice can give you media access that allows you to tell human stories about your business so you can reach large audiences.

By engaging in certain public relations practices such as media interviews, you gain the opportunity to discuss the work you do and what value you can provide to an audience of potential clients.

The Public Is the Only Critic Whose Opinion Matters

Public relations involves sharing the right information to the right people, through the right channels, at the right time; all to build a strong brand reputation. Companies actively engaged in PR are highly likely to capture a large audience.

Keep in mind that PR is a long-term gain. It can take over 10 years to build a brand but only 10 seconds to destroy it.