Have you ever wondered how companies appear in the news, have their products and services mentioned on radio and television, and host successful events? This is all thanks to the work of public relations teams!
For businesses and organizations of all sizes, having a solid public relations (PR) strategy and the team to implement it is integral to staying competitive in their respective markets. Whether crafting eye-catching press releases, developing effective social media campaigns, or building relationships with journalists and influencers, PR professionals are skilled at putting messages into the public discourse that are both captivating and strategically advantageous.
But what, exactly, do PR agencies do? Read on to discover just a few of the tasks that PR professionals handle on behalf of their clients.
Create and Execute Strategic Plans
It all starts with research. Knowing your client well is the key to creating a great PR plan. PR agencies will interview you about your goals, business, and branding so they have a clear understanding from the start. Then they work on creating a strategic plan. This involves:
- Identifying PR goals, target audience, and pitch angles
- Researching media outlets, podcast hosts, and journalists in your niche and compiling a targeted media list to pitch to
- Crafting a press kit
- Creating an editorial calendar of critical dates, such as product launches and events
- Measuring KPIs and altering plans to increase the effectiveness
Optimize Your Message
PR professionals are masters of creating newsworthy, compelling messages. Once your goals are identified, they hone how the news is shared. While this often involves sharing the final message with the public and media, it can include coaching your team on delivering the message in interviews and other collateral. By training your team to say “this” instead of “that,” they’ll be better equipped to handle the age of 24-hour news and social media with skill.
Build, Nurture Relationships
A considerable part of what a PR agency does is build quality relationships with the media and customers. Their goal is to generate media coverage to build credibility, generate leads, and raise awareness of your business. One of the primary ways to do this is through writing press releases and pitching them to the media.
A press release is a short, written statement sent to the media providing information and creating an official account to generate news coverage. It contains essential information about a product launch, event, award, or other newsworthy development. However, press releases are not sent out to just anyone. A great PR agency also has beneficial relationships with journalists, which they use to pitch relevant story ideas and get your business in the news.
Strategic outreach involves more than just relationships and press releases, though. Your PR agency will also identify the right journalists or media to pitch and share messages online through social media and paid advertising.
Monitor Brand Reputation
In a 24/7 digital world, a PR agency aims to improve and protect its client’s public image. This means they have to stay up to date with what is being said about your brand. By monitoring media for stories, they can control how your company is perceived and ensure messages about your brand are delivered accurately and positively.
When the positive press is received, it’s often shared and promoted. In the event of negative press, the PR team will work on damage control, developing communication plans, or advising clients on the next steps. Their goal in crisis management is to minimize damage and restore the brand’s reputation as quickly and efficiently as possible.
And so much more…
Marketing and public relations are different communications branches that work together to help your business meet its goals. Many PR agencies provide various other services beyond outreach, such as:
- Social media management
- Event management
- Crisis management
- Award nominations
- Copywriting
- Branding
Be sure to speak to your agency about your goals and what they can offer. While there is no “one size fits all” approach, these are just a few of PR agencies’ services. These strategic communications experts help place you and your business in front of your target audiences and achieve desired outcomes for your business.
