| year has arrived and many of us rang it in with | | | | completing or you could speak about a clever solution |
| promises to lose weight, start eating better or stop | | | | your company found for a pervasive problem; and the |
| smoking. Many years, our resolve to keep those | | | | list goes on. Using public relations professionals to |
| promises begins to fade at about the end of January | | | | cultivate relationships with media industry analysts |
| or the beginning of February. This year, we want to | | | | offers you new chances to show off your expertise. |
| help you keep one resolution — the resolution to | | | | These opportunities, in turn, generate interest in your |
| consider using a public relations strategy to find new | | | | organization and what it has to offer, which can create |
| customers in 2010. | | | | prospects and eventually new customers. |
| Many advertising and marketing managers are | | | | PR Can Be Cost Effective |
| disappointed in their PR agency’s efforts. | | | | Let’s take a quick look of how public relations |
| Advertising can be expensive and the pressure to | | | | compares to advertising. When placing an ad, you |
| show return on marking investment is high. Many | | | | have complete control over the content, timing and |
| advertising agencies and B2B marketing agencies will | | | | appearance of the piece. Even in a well-run PR |
| spend your marketing budget on flashy interactive | | | | campaign, you will not be able to decide exactly what |
| DVDs, personalized websites or electronic newsletters; | | | | is said about your company, when it is said or how the |
| meanwhile they forget or abandon the tried and true | | | | information is relayed to the public. Advertising is one |
| practices of highly effective public relations. | | | | dimensional, with only your side of the story being told |
| PR Is Credible | | | | to consumers, while PR is multi-faceted and more likely |
| A good PR program allows your business or | | | | to be trusted by the general public. The goal for public |
| organization to communicate its message through third | | | | relations and advertising is the same — to |
| party outlets, including trade magazines, newspapers | | | | communicate with a target audience, influence their |
| and similar publications. Imagine you are shopping for a | | | | perceptions of your company and change their |
| new car. Would you prefer to hear the manufacturer | | | | behaviors to increase your sales. |
| talk about why you should buy it or would you prefer | | | | As you can see, advertising and public relations are |
| to read reviews from customers just like you? | | | | different, so a cost comparison can be difficult. In fact, |
| Advertising is one-sided, but PR is objective and | | | | it has been shown that public relations and advertising |
| convincing. | | | | campaigns work better when they are conducted |
| PR Showcases Expertise | | | | together. Consider the steady, strategic use of both to |
| Good public relations can also showcase your | | | | attain your marketing goals. Remember, PR may not |
| expertise. You are busy running a successful | | | | be best for every company or every situation, but |
| company, which means you do not have time to | | | | when it is used correctly, the costs pale in comparison |
| monitor the editorial calendars of trade publications or | | | | to other marketing initiatives. |
| keep track of upcoming industry events for speaking | | | | Public relations is hard work. It takes good research |
| opportunities. These two examples alone provide a | | | | and planning as well as a great deal of patience and |
| great number of opportunities for you to talk about | | | | persistence. Think about this, coffee giant Starbucks |
| how your company is addressing the issues and | | | | spent very little money on advertising in its first ten |
| trends that are interesting to your customers and | | | | years of operation. Instead, the company sank its |
| potential clients. A PR agency could write an article for | | | | money into public relations campaigns. |
| you about the leading-edge research your company is | | | | |