PR or public relations is a dynamic-sounding thing – and it absolutely is! However, if you are not familiar with PR, it can be a challenge to understand what it is and, more importantly, what it can do for your organisation.
“PR has a vital part to play in the world of marketing,” said Adam Walker, Director of Hubspoke Media. “For me, in simple terms, it comes down to getting others to talk about your organisation. You can do this in the form of a press release or even invite the media to an event you are holding.”
Ultimately, Hubspoke Media realise that clients are often focused on that direct return on investment. If we get coverage, how many people buy our ‘thing’? We get asked this a lot.
What is PR really about?
When it comes to PR, it’s not about that. PR offers an opportunity to achieve some outreach in a way that is more human. What do we mean? Well, simply put, outreach can come in the form of advertising. Whether you are putting something on a billboard or targeting Google ads, you are making a very specific proposition.
There is a frequently used statistic that people are exposed to 4,000 to 10,000 forms of advertising a day. Whilst this is highly exaggerated, people are still exposed to advertising a lot more than they realise. People are bombarded with adverts daily, and they can become switched off and no longer see the content for the noise they see on a daily basis.
What’s the story?
PR done well can tell a story. It is that story that is the most important element you need to get right.
Adam said, “We often get asked how clients appear in the paper. I immediately ask them about the story they have to tell. This is the difference. PR is not advertising, whilst it can advertise your business, this is not the focus.”
What makes a good story?
“Person goes to work and wants more people to buy their services” is not a story. The ‘press’ would not be interested in this piece, as after all, it needs a public interest angle.
However “person has worked at company XYZ for a decade.” or “owner of company XYZ donates old equipment to a charity.” or “person who works at company XYZ is raising money for charity.” or “company XYZ sponsors a local sports team.” or “new person appointed as manager of company XYZ following a career in the military.” – these are all stories, not just an advert trying to sell you something.
“Once we get into this territory, we are starting to uncover some really interesting stories, and with this comes public interest, meaning news interest.”
When asked about the process, Adam said: “There are three main components to good PR. They are: The Story, the most important. The Writing, communicating the story and lastly The Visuals: high-quality photos that draw attention.
“Bringing these elements together, you have a strong basis to get coverage.
“The biggest one of all is circulation and follow-up. Busy news cycles lead to busy newsrooms, meaning we spend a lot of time chasing and monitoring to see where the piece gets picked up.”
Using PR strategically
A strategic approach to PR can really build the profile of an organisation. A systematic strategic approach can be taken to look at a package of PR delivery. Not only is this good for a company profile, but it can also support SEO with backlinking from the news publications to your website, whilst boosting your digital footprint with those articles being searchable online.
If you want to know more about Hubspoke Media’s PR Services – it all starts with a conversation, so get in touch.