Public relations (PR) is key to the public perception of any business and brand, so why is its importance sometimes questioned by businesses? PR is essential for any successful business as it is a multi-faceted industry that build positive brand reputation through unpaid or earned communications in traditional or new media.
Here are a few common misperceptions that the public relations team at Adoni Media has discovered.
- PR and marketing are the same
While it’s true PR and marketing are often used together, their end goals are very different. Marketing aims to sell a product or service for revenue, while PR is about building the brand and building relationships with key audiences and stakeholders. So, in actual fact, PR creates an environment that fosters marketing efforts.
- Having one PR manager is enough
PR is vital to the success of any business. PR is a long term and deliberate process that needs a team of people, or an external PR agency to run campaigns and help maintain a brand’s positive reputation and communication with the public. A good PR team can help start-up and small businesses grow, and help large businesses avoid decline or saturation. Good PR creates and sustains momentum by ensuring the brand is continually covered in the media.
- PR is all about spin and propaganda
Spin and propaganda are two words with negative connotations and can be interpreted as deceiving the public. While PR historically revolved around spin and propaganda, nowadays it is more about sharing accurate and honest information about a brand. A good PR professional will decline any work that does not uphold ethical standards and they won’t share or produce content that is deemed incorrect or untrue. Audiences expect honesty and transparency.
- PR is all about press releases
Although press/media releases are a key PR strategy, they aren’t everything. Successful PR professionals come up with new ways to promote a business that go beyond standard product announcements. They must generate newsworthy material for the media that communicates effectively with their audience. Some tools include social media, exclusive pitches, media calls, video production, and more.
