The Public Relations Blog

How you can use these recent PR crises to your company’s advantage

In the last couple of months, there have been numerous high-profile crises all over the news. An unexpected crisis can happen to any company at any time. How you handle it can either make or break the reputation you’ve worked so hard to build.

Consumers choose your brand based on their perceptions of your company. Get familiar with these case study stories to minimize the chances of your company and its good name being ruined in the event of a major (or minor) calamity.

Get maximum effect from your press releases by hiring a PR firm

All writing is not created equal. Even if you’re accustomed to writing articles for your newsletter, copy for your website or information for your annual report, it’s not the same as writing press releases for the media.

Many companies make the mistake of selecting any employee who can write to handle their press releases. Think of it this way: Even the country’s best-selling authors hire PR professionals to write their press releases and other promotional materials for them. It may be something you should consider, as well. 

Let PR help you lay a foundation for this crucial enterprise

Take a moment to think about the products and services you love. Now, ask yourself why you love them, why you’re loyal to them and what you know about them.

Most likely, the names that came to mind are those you’ve used for a long time, that have a good track record for customer service and that add something to your life. All of these things are related to branding, and those companies have worked hard to develop a positive perception of their products for target audiences. You can do the same for your company if you know and understand the principles of branding.

Learn more about what to look for to make smart decisions concerning PR expertise

So, you want to increase your positive news coverage, improve your reputation and be sure that you’re ready for any crisis. It sounds like you’re ready to get assistance from a PR firm. But not so fast: Deciding to hire a PR agency can be a big step.

However, before any work can begin, a contract has to be approved and signed. This part of the process can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be when you know the facts.

Give your news maximum reach with newswires

When you’re ready to hire a PR firm, it’s often for increased news exposure or earned media coverage.

Many PR terms and phrases are tossed around, sometimes incorrectly, and it can easily get confusing. It’s important to understand the purpose and differences between various newswires and how they can help you achieve your goals.

While this is all fine and dandy, for most companies, the bottom line is ... well, the bottom line. You need to know what various services cost and what you’re getting for your money. Being able to distinguish between PR tools or press release syndication services, including Business Wire, Cision PR Newswire, Cision PR Web, GlobeNewswire, and other news distribution services, will ensure you’re speaking the same language when it comes to purchasing PR agency services.

Facts about ROI and the benefit of hiring outside PR help

Many companies are either unaware of or unappreciative of the value of a good PR firm. Businesses in every industry – large and small – can benefit from outside PR assistance.

PR work isn’t just something that you pull down from the shelf and dust off only during a crisis or the occasional promotional campaign. To realize the true benefits of PR, you may find it more beneficial to hire a PR firm instead of trying to go it alone with just your in-house operation or, worse, going without.

Learn the true benefits of PR for saving money and increasing profits

Super Bowl ads cost an astonishing $4 million for a 30-second spot. All that, and you still have to hope that most of your target audience isn’t using the bathroom when the commercial airs.

For a lot less money, you could hire a good PR firm to analyze customer behavior, help build relationships with customers and get your message to your target audiences throughout the entire year. When you learn all the true benefits of PR over advertising, you may find that you can use it to better maximize your budget and increase both customer engagement and brand recognition for your company.

If you ignore the gay market, you may be doing so at your company’s peril

There once was a time when companies didn’t go out of their way to attract African Americans or teenagers. To ignore these markets today seems almost unthinkable.

Today, some companies have come under fire for creating policies and crafting campaigns that appear hostile to the gay community. Now more than ever, it’s crucial to ensure that your messages are inclusive and that the gay market feels welcome doing business with your company. You can adopt these strategies immediately to make sure you’re not unknowingly excluding any prospective gay customers.

Learn how AP style relates to your company’s success

You want to give your CEO recognition by citing his title every time his name is mentioned in an article or press release but your PR advisor nixes it. Her only reason: “It’s not AP style.” If you aren’t a journalist or PR professional, most likely you have no idea what AP style is or why it has the power to stop you from writing as you please.

PR can help you give journalists what they want

Press releases are a necessity. Without them, the only way to get the media interested in covering your company would be for you to walk into a newsroom and scream at the top of your voice for someone to listen to you.

Many companies know the value of a press release but still get it wrong and wind up not getting coverage. To be more effective and get results, let PR show you what you can do to make your information more appealing.