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Home > Effective Public Relations Builds Business

Many businesses rely solely on advertising to make people aware of their operation and to bring in customers. If ads are the only means you have of promoting your business, you're missing the profit-building potential of public relations - a variety of activities that range from free stories in your local newspaper or trade magazine to speaking opportunities.

First, what is advertising as opposed to public relations? For the purpose of this article, advertising means anytime you pay to have information about your business in newspapers and magazines, or on TV and radio. Within certain limitations, you can say almost anything you want in advertisements. That's advertising's benefit and its weakness. Your customers know you are trying to sell them something and may be skeptical of the validity of the information.

Public relations, however, typically relies on the innate value of your information - about your business, about its benefits, about unique situations - to obtain attention or news media coverage.

In a coordinated marketing program, public relations activities create interest through information and education. Advertising builds on PR's initial information impact with product/service specifics and costs.

A simplified example is a gardening center. Early in summer this type of business may have seminars and publicity in newspapers about what plants grow well in that specific region. Advertising, which shows specific plants and their prices, follows up these efforts.

Most experts agree that a typical business should use a mix of public relations and advertising. However, too often the PR portion of the mix is neglected.

Here are four general areas of public relations that provide small and mid-size business owners with tremendous opportunities.

Publicity

This is getting your business name in the news media for free. How? By showing the news media what is unique, different, interesting and unusual - what's "news worthy" - about your business or company. Publicity's value comes from the fact that it appears as part of the news in the media. This "third-party endorsement" (editors using your information in their news) makes the information more believable and more credible than any advertisement.

Here's an example: You would like to have an article in a local newspaper about your business. The first question the editor or writer would ask is: "Why? What makes you think the readers would be interested in reading about your business?" These are the basic questions you need to answer for them. Once you've shown them that your business is "newsworthy," you may be asked to write your own story or be interviewed by the writer.

Speaking Engagements, Seminars

You are an expert in your business area. People use your product or service, or similar ones. Many of these people would be interested in knowing more about the products or services, how to use them better, etc. Speaking opportunities to explain these points range from seminars your specific company could sponsor to making presentations at regional or national events where your type of customer gathers. These events give your business exposure and give you credibility.

Participation, Sponsorships

Involvement in community activities - from being on local volunteer boards or industry committees to donating money for some event or activity that is connected with your business name - provides an excellent avenue to spread your name and reputation. As with each of these PR areas, you'll need to determine where your time, money and efforts get you the most payback.

Publications

Creating a publication, such as a newsletter (hardcopy or e-mail), provides a way to communicate with your customers. It also serves as a reminder of your products or services. Some computer programs come with easy-to-use templates for newsletters that create an eye-catching publication to help you present information in an attractive manner.

Notice one thing about these four activities. Each one causes you to think about who your customers are and what interests them. Simply preparing to accomplish these activities brings you closer to your customers.

When done effectively, these activities also give you important contact with your customers outside of your specific business. This provides important opportunities for you to influence current and potential customers in ways that purely business connections would not.

Consider public relations as an addition to your marketing activities. Combining effective public relations with effective advertising provides a one-two marketing punch to reach customers in varied and valuable ways.

Michael Bruening is director of corporate communications for the George S. May International Company. He has more than 30 years of experience in marketing communications and management through work with dozens of companies as co-owner of a mid-size public relations firm in Chicago and as an officer in the U.S. Air Force.

This information is compiled and provided by George S. May International Company.
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