Why do I need PR, anyway?

Learn why PR is a key component to your profitability

You’ve got a great company with loyal customers and you’re successful. That means you don’t need PR, right?

Wrong. If your business isn’t steadily growing, then it’s standing still or, worse, falling behind. This makes you an easy mark for your competition. You need to constantly find new ways to gain customers and increase your market share, and PR is vital to your success.

What PR can do for you

Publicity

People won’t purchase your products and new customers can’t find you if they don’t already know who you are. Consumers need to know what you’re selling, how it can improve their lives and why they should purchase from your company instead of your competition. PR helps you tell your story in unique, creative ways.

Positive news coverage

Some companies think that advertising in various venues is enough to attract customer attention, but the truth is that you need more. When a news story mentions or features your company, it acts as a third-party endorsement for your product. Studies have shown that consumers give more weight to news articles about a company than to advertising, which can really help when they’re in the consideration stage of the sales cycle. PR professionals understand and pitch to news media consistently and have the best chance of getting your company in front of reporters and potential customers.

Crisis communication

No one ever intends for a crisis to hit, but it can happen to any company at any time. It doesn’t have to be as big as the BP Gulf Oil spill or Ford automobile recalls. Your company could be involved in a lawsuit; suffer a major loss financially or personally; or be faced with consumer backlash over your product or something you said publicly. Research shows that approximately half of all businesses that experience a crisis don’t survive it. PR can help you figure out exactly what to say and how to say it.

Reputation management

You can say a million good things about your company but, in reality, your company is whatever the public thinks it is. Even if you’ve built a spotless reputation over the years, a disgruntled customer or former employee can destroy it with just a few mouse clicks. With help from PR, you can constantly monitor your online presence and improve your search engine rankings.

Social media engagement

Today, if your company isn’t interacting with consumers on social media, you’re missing out on opportunities for connections and increased sales. More than 75 percent of adults own cell phones or other smart devices and at least half of them use those tools for social media. PR can show you how to take maximum advantage of these important platforms for two-way dialogue and cultivation of customers.

The importance of a PR firm

With all you have on your plate, it can be difficult to accomplish these tasks on your own. Even if you have in-house PR help, that dance card is likely already full with jobs such as publications, website management and internal communications.

Let the experts at Axia relieve some of the burden. We can help you craft the right messages and get them in front of your target audiences using the best outreach methods. Contact us today or sign up for our 60-Second Impact to learn more about how we can help your company become even more successful.

Lisa Goldsberry is a writer for Axia Public Relations with more than 15 years of public relations experience. She specializes in business, higher education and technology PR. Connect with Axia Public Relations on Twitter @axiapr.