People often think public relations is only about publicity. While publicity is part of what a good PR firm can do, it’s only a small portion. Public relations focuses on long-term brand management, so when publicity opportunities arise, the company can leverage its strong brand equity for positive attention.

Public relations became important in business in the early 1900s, when major corporations recognized the need to sway public opinion in national and international markets. While advertising and marketing had previously accomplished this, public relations approached the challenges a bit differently. Unlike advertising, which directly promotes products and services, public relations encourages public discussions about the company. This can be done through media relations, creating buzz, commissioning surveys, and arranging speaking engagements, among other strategies.

Public relations also includes crisis management. While many large organizations have crisis management plans, these plans often focus only on operational responses to the issue. For example, if there’s a fire at a factory, the crisis plan may focus on getting employees to safety, putting out the fire quickly, etc. What’s often missing is the communications piece. What do you need to say to your different audiences about the crisis? How frequently should you communicate? What should your messages be? An effective crisis management plan should always include a communications strategy.

Effective public relations professionals do more than generate publicity for their clients. While publicity attracts attention, public relations manages that attention to deliver the best results for the company. Your PR manager may use news releases, news conferences, and interviews to share important information about your company and help you achieve your business goals. But sometimes publicity isn’t what you need. Sometimes you need better communication with a smaller audience, which can be achieved through speaking engagements, experiential marketing, or well-orchestrated one-on-one meetings.

To learn more about how a good PR firm can help your company grow by using innovative and results-driven communications efforts, contact your local Tucker/Hall office.