There is an old saying: Advertising is what you pay for, and publicity is what you pray for. It can be tricky to understand how an effective Public Relations (PR) strategy can impact your bottom line but done correctly, it can be integral to both your overall marketing strategy and business growth.
How does it work?
When it comes to PR, many people have heard of the concept but don’t fully understand what it entails or the impact it can have on their business.
The definition of PR is strategic communication between a business and its audiences to maintain, cultivate and influence public perception.
The rise of digital platforms alongside traditional media outlets has made it significantly more challenging for manufacturers to cut through and be heard by their target audiences, which is why trust is now more important than ever. No other marketing campaign can build and maintain trust quite like PR, and a carefully executed plan will simultaneously boost exposure.
From launching a new product and being involved in prestigious projects, to simply celebrating business growth, it can be difficult to slow down and identify what is ‘newsworthy.’ A PR professional will help you do this and then take each story, and craft it strategically in a way that will resonate with your audience.
In addition to getting stories heard by the people that matter, a carefully implemented PR campaign will position your business as an industry leader within your target sectors and improve employee relations to boost overall morale and support future recruitment. It can also help build value in your company or attract potential buyers ahead of a business sale or exit.
In the unfortunate event of a crisis or emergency, your PR expert will work with you to implement a management plan to control the flow of information. Typically, this involves a combination of proactive and reactive measures to mitigate the negative impact and maintain trust and credibility.
Whilst PR can seem like a separate entity, it works in tandem with your existing marketing strategy. PR professionals often work with Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), social media, and other marketing tactics in mind to align with and strengthen your overall marketing strategy.
As with traditional marketing, there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to PR. Depending on your overall objectives, some campaigns will generate faster results, whereas others may require a longer-term strategy. It helps to understand that from the very beginning, and your chosen PR expert will be able to guide you.
Choosing your PR expert
To execute a successful PR campaign, you will need a team of experts to help you. When building that team, you could decide to employ people in house or work with an external agency. Ultimately there is no right or wrong answer - it all comes down to business needs.
If you already have a marketing manager or a team of marketing professionals working in-house, you may want to recruit a PR professional to work alongside your existing team.
However, if you don’t have the time, expertise or resources to focus on PR in-house, you may choose to partner with an agency. Of course, with so many different agencies out there, finding the perfect one can be daunting, but it all comes down to experience, contacts, and knowledge.
Experience matters
The manufacturing and engineering sectors are each unique, and your PR activity must reflect this. Each campaign must be bespoke to your business, and your target audience. If you are looking at an agency, it helps to choose one that has experience in your specific sector and can demonstrate tangible results.
Although an agency may have tons of successful campaigns to showcase, if they don’t have experience in your sector, they may struggle to deliver the results that will impact your bottom line.
Take some time to research agencies with demonstratable experience, contacts, and insights within your sector. In addition, this could also prove to be a fantastic time-saver, as your chosen agency may have prior knowledge of your product and market and will be able to hit the ground running.
Partners PR has 35 years of experience and specialises in the manufacturing, engineering, food processing, building product and professional services sectors. Our experts always have a grasp on current affairs in those industries and work with you to craft strategic exposure for your business.
Whether it’s a one-off project or an ongoing campaign, the team at Partners knows PR inside out and understands the intricacies of the manufacturing and engineering industries. We will work flexibly with you to deliver the support you need to get your voice heard by the people who matter to you in your sector.