Why You Need PR

Many people think that if their organization isn’t having major problems, there’s not a need for public relations. There’s also an assumption that if nothing good is going on in an organization—like being involved in a charity event—public relations is just an added expense. It’s the mistaken belief that we only need PR when there’s a crisis or when we have something new to report. For that reason, Public Relations is rarely seen as essential as other “accepted” organizational necessities, such as HR, customer service, sales, etc.

The question is not DO you need public relations, that’s a given…and I’m not biased because it’s my career. Every company, every organization, indeed, every individual needs good PR. (Note: My actual presupposition is that you already have PR; the issue is whether it’s “good” PR or “bad” PR, in terms of process and results.) The long-term benefits of good PR are worth the investment of time, energy and resources (this is by no means an inclusive list):

* Public Awareness. One of the goals of a PR campaign is to get folks talking about you, your company and your product/services. If you want to get your organization noticed, PR can help.

* Increase Revenue. There are some who are timid about promising that PR will bring in more clients. But why? When PR builds awareness of your organizations, an upsurge in interest in your products/services should follow.

* Rebuild/Restore/Reverse. Sometimes, the issue is not that people aren’t talking about you, but the fact that what they are saying is negative and/or detrimental. To ignore the problem will not bring a solution, any more than an ostrich sticking its head in the sand. PR can give them something positive to talk about.

* Publicity/Visibility. As Bonnie Raitt sang, “Let’s give ‘em something to talk about,” the role of PR is to promote you and what you do. In short, as we saw in a previous post, you want people talking about you and your product/service. If you sell products, you want people talking about you. You also want people talking about you if you’re a charity and need volunteers, have a fundraiser coming up or want to increase donations.

* Reputation. This is what others think about you and it’s the role of PR to position your organization as a trusted, valued brand and to elevate your company/organization to a respected member of the community. (This could also be called Image Management or the common term “branding.”)

* Employee Relations (Recruitment/Loyalty). With good PR, you can make your company a place where people want to work. You can build an organization where your staff is proud to be part of because they know they are valued and appreciated...and rewarded for their hard work. And with the cost of replacing a team member, this can be very cost effective.

* Goodwill. Promote goodwill with your clients/customers and set you apart from your competitors. You can win coveted awards and garner recognition. Your reputation is enhanced when people see you as caring, concerned and involved.

* Credibility. When you place your message in ad (on TV, in the newspaper or on radio), those who read it know it’s what YOU paid to say. When a reporter talks about you/your organization, that carries more weight. With solid public relations, you can position yourself and your organization as an expert in the industry and the “go to” person for the media to call when they need information. Eventually, you can become the expert reporters call when they need a quote. And in return, those same reporters can become priceless advocates for you and your business, thus increasing your credibility all the more. (It’s a wonderful cycle)

And beyond that, when you begin to appear in the media—quoted in articles, on television, on radio—potential clients and customers will begin to associate you and your company as a leader in the field. Whether you are a public company or a private company, media placements—interviews on radio and TV and in print—increase your perceived worth, and the worth of your company, in the eyes of your customers, clients and your industry. All because of media exposure.

* Consistent Messaging. I've worked with organizations that put out many messages, in a variety of formats--brochures, Internet, letters, etc. And upon close examination, there is not a cohesion to what is communicated. With the help of a good PR professional (e.g., consultant) you can do a communications audit to make sure all you messages (everything from e-mail signatures to brochures to web sites) are consistent and presenting the best possible image for your organization.

* Crisis Management. No one wants to have a crisis and (unfortunately) most don't think it will ever happen to them. But it can and it does. If there’s a crisis in your organization, you will be able to handle it. With proper planning, you can help prevent a crisis.

Public Relations is not a magic formula that can fix any problem in your organization. But without a thoughtful, concerted, ongoing PR effort, you will miss out on these valuable benefits.

Can you think of other benefits of PR?
Do you have examples of how PR accomplished one of these benefits?
Please share with us.


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