Understanding PR campaigns: what is it for and when you need one

It is widely known that well-run PR campaigns are beneficial to a business. The first step to launching a successful campaign is understanding why you are doing this in order to get to the hows. So what exactly is the purpose of a PR campaign?

What is a PR campaign? 

The term PR is understood as public relations or publicity, which includes releasing information to the media. In plain English, you could think of it as a plan to get your message in front of as many people as possible.

Public Relations is not just the act of getting positive buzz for your brand, though. It’s a series of planning activities within a time frame to achieve certain objectives for a business. 

Maybe you did an amazing product release or won a big contract, and you want to let the world know in an organised way, or maybe you want just one journalist to write about you; PR campaigns can help with all this. However, before starting any PR campaign, you need to know some purposes of PR campaigns:

• generate interest/buzz
• raise awareness (media/public)
• promote goodwill
• improve/maintain brand image
• crisis management
• create demand

What a PR campaign can do for your business

The savvy use of PR and media placement helps convey your message to a targeted audience that meets your organisation’s strategic goals. PR can help your organisation reach a far wider audience than you could ever achieve on your own. 

Establish brand identity and presence 

No matter what the objectives are, the main benefits of PR is publicity. PR has a long term effect on some products and services. With the right PR campaign in place, businesses are able to maintain a strong presence in the market over a long period of time, using the right resources and opportunities.

Increase credibility and consumer trust 

Whether you’re just launching a new product or service or looking to get ahead, a strong PR campaign will help build your business’s credibility and consumer trust. We’ve all seen ads that claim the wonder of a product or service—but how many of us take these claims at face value? A promotional campaign built by professionals with experience will develop relationships with the media, key audiences, and industry influencers. Instead of selling your audience on your product, this type of advertising will build genuine goodwill and reputation for you and your business.

Beneficial in the long term 

A good PR campaign can bring your brand or product to the limelight (hopefully) on a continuous basis. This attention should result in ongoing sales. PR campaigns could also improve loyalty and return purchases of these customers, which in turn leads to increased sales.

Get the attention of investors/stakeholders 

To the dismay of many startups, turning heads and gaining new clientele doesn’t come easy. Startups want to make a name for themselves, but they also want money. The more press coverage you can generate, the better chance you’ll have to attract venture capitalists and angel investors. A good PR campaign may be an entrepreneur’s best bet for getting noticed by investors or other stakeholders.

When you need a PR campaign

When you need to get things done, PR is not a service you should overlook. PR campaigns can be very effective in helping your brand gain popularity, trustworthiness, and even more traffic. It is widely used among companies today, and it does help, but it is best to know when to call for PR.

Anytime your business needs to fulfil any objective mentioned above is a good time to consider implementing an effective PR campaign.

The key to a successful PR campaign is knowing your goals, objectives and your audience. A PR campaign will last from a month or two all the way up to six months or longer, depending on what you are trying to achieve and what your communication needs are. Campaigns can be extremely beneficial for your business and can give you the visibility that you need.

Where to begin?

Engage professional help to plan and execute

The first step you must take in order to plan a PR campaign is to engage a professional. Most businesses are unsure of how to go about hiring a public relations firm, and therefore, they hire individuals who are working on their own. This may lead to many problems for the business and can really put them in jeopardy as the company may be unaware that their project is falling apart.

Know what you want

Whether you are an individual starting your own freelance PR campaign or the marketing manager of a Fortune 500 company, having a plan is vital to help you achieve your goal. Planning any element within a communication campaign should not be taken lightly even by the most seasoned professionals as PR is perceived to be a complicated, elusive and mysterious discipline.

Your next PR campaign doesn’t have to be complicated. 

READ: How to pick the best PR firm for your startup

We’re often convinced we can do it all by ourselves, and sometimes it works. Self-promotion is rewarding and definitely worth a try. But when it comes to PR, hiring a professional might be your wisest move. There are many things inexperienced clients don’t know about public relations. Even if you manage to get results without paying the professionals, it will cost you more time and money at the end of the day.

SYNC offers strategic business planning, investor-focused PR and has a regional reach to help your business scale faster and more efficiently. If you’re in need of an effective PR campaign, reach out to us at [email protected]