pr in a down economy
TRANSCRIPT
Phone: 450.370.8357
Fax: 450.264.8284
E-mail: [email protected]
Alba Public Relations
P.O. Box 1983
Huntingdon, Quebec
J0S 1H0
HOW PUBLIC RELATIONS CAN ADD VALUE TO YOUR
BUSINESS IN A DOWN ECONOMY
There are few things that business
owners feel their company can do
without: management, accounting,
human resources. The first department
most often downsized in a softening
economy is the marketing department
with the company opting to skate on
current or previous marketing cam-
paigns until things pick up.
While it is true that it’s difficult to op-
erate a company without management
and accountants, it is likewise fool-
hardy to think that you do not need to
consistently communicate with your
target audiences—your buyers.
Public relations involve on-going activi-
ties to ensure that a company main-
tains a strong and positive image. PR is
designed with target publics in mind,
helping them understand the com-
pany, services and products.
While the ideal situation is to integrate
advertising (marketing) and public rela-
tions strategies, public relations alone
can bring great value to the table:
• In an uncertain economy con-
sumers’ reluctance to purchase
products and services means
your company will benefit from
providing more in-depth infor-
mation by using media rela-
tions, articles, social media
opportunities and even promo-
tional events and campaigns.
• There’s a reason ’tradition’ has
become tradition: it works. This
means that traditional media
(ie: newspapers, magazines)
remain tried and true, cost-
effective methods to keep in
touch with your target clientele.
News releases, op-ed pieces,
and bylined articles are some of
the PR tools that can be em-
ployed to get your company in
the news.
• Public relations efforts can
quickly seize upon an opportu-
nity—crucial in a competitive
business environment. News
releases can be drafted within
hours and podcasts can be pro-
duced practically overnight.
• PR can build mass media and/or
marketing campaigns that per-
meate multiple channels in this
age of digital media prolifera-
tion simultaneously ensuring
the information presented to
consumers is transparent,
timely and informative.
• You can still save money as you
look to cut corners: hire a PR
freelancer! Experienced copy-
writers, designers or consult-
ants can be outsourced.
Business owners will further
benefit from PR practitioners’
existing relationships with
media, government, special
interest groups or other influ-
ential sources.
• PR practitioners are re-
nowned for their creative
approach. They can also lev-
erage your company’s inter-
nal creativity into something
tangible with their experi-
enced project ’tweaking’.
• PR activities are measurable,
contrary to popular belief.
Media Relations Points
(MPR) and media monitoring
software are two popular
options.
• Perhaps the greatest value
public relations can offer is
that PR campaigns can be
developed and used over the
long-term or be imple-
mented on and off at key
times.
By strategically using public rela-
tions methods and tools you can
continue to deliver your key mes-
sages to your target audiences even
when your budget is restricted.
© 2009—Alba Public Relations