Public recognition and trust are huge aspects of business success. By virtue of the stories they run, the news media can develop awareness, extend credibility, generate trust and motivate the audience’s responses toward a company and its products and services. Successful businesses often have solid working relationships with several news outlets, including bloggers, reporters, editors and producers. A recent survey indicated that the public considers news stories to be more persuasive and more credible than advertisements. A high percentage of business owners report that public relations – not advertising – is the most valuable investment for marketing dollars. Because running your business is a full-time job, you should have professionals handling the vital PR responsibilities that can seriously impact your business reputation. Following are three reasons that you should hire a PR firm.
1. Objective evaluation.
Businesses should not underestimate the importance of having a strategic partner offer an independent evaluation of newsworthy events. Not all news is newsworthy. According to Mediacollege.com, newsrooms should weigh newsworthiness using the following criteria:
- Timing. Up-to-date news has the most impact.
- Locality. News is more noteworthy when it occurs closer to home.
- Magnitude. The greater number of people impacted, the grander the newsworthiness.
- Prominence. Famous individuals attract greater audiences.
- Human interest. The best PR firms tell a good story that is designed specifically to appeal to potential clients.
Public relations firms are more capable of distinguishing ideas that provide clear-cut, positive communication with the designated audience. An outside viewpoint can be valuable in discerning business strengths that distinguish the business from others. A good PR agency can study a product, service or business from a different standpoint – one that will resonate strongly with consumers. Ideas that businesses might consider obsolete can be redirected to novel markets and outlets, achieving fresh success.
2. Media specialists.
Public relations firms are media specialists that have strategically built up an extensive array of contacts, relationships and connections with journalists, editors and publicists involved with mass media. Journalists provide free publicity for businesses, and they are much more likely to read and accept story pitches from recognizable sources on specific subjects of interest. PR firms research which journalists actively write about the industry. Journalists typically request a press kit from PR firms that details basic facts about the business, including:
- Director profiles.
- Business history.
- Photographs.
- News releases.
Along with writing story pitches and sending them directly to journalists, PR agencies write and circulate news releases, orchestrate media contacts for special events to generate public awareness, increase familiarity through social media and generate content and blogs for websites. PR companies that have a strong reputation for professional and ethical conduct are in a position to shield, enhance or develop a business’s reputation via mass media.
3. Crisis management.
Crises can hit in any business and wreak havoc on the company’s credibility. Public relations companies are trained to react immediately and proactively to mitigate damages of PR crises.
Partnering with a PR firm can provide a multitude of benefits for your company. From improving your reputation and growing your brand to developing a social media strategy that reaches your target audience, your business will thrive with the help of PR. Axia Public Relations offers a guide to getting the most value from public relations. Download it today to get started developing your PR plan.
Featured image credit: 123rf.com
Topics: public relations, reputation management, crisis communications
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