What is Public Relations and Why Is It Important?

When you think of public relations (PR), scandalous politicians or the Kardashians may come to mind. But you don’t have to be a super famous celebrity or salacious politician to take advantage of public relations.

Contrary to belief, public relations isn’t a tool to bring attention-starved celebrities more publicity. It can be used to grow your business and attract new customers.

Today, we will go over the basics of public relations and reasons why you need to include it in your marketing strategy.

What is Public Relations?

Public Relations is one of those things that’s often misconstrued. While some have an idea of what it is, many still get it confused with traditional paid advertising.

Here’s the official definition according to The Public Relations Society of America:

“Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.”

In layman’s terms, public relations is a way you build your reputation and obtain publicity through unpaid means.

The job of your publicist is to tell a compelling story about your brand. When your business gets negative attention, your publicist helps mitigate the damage.

The main takeaway here is that PR controls how the public views your business.

Now that you know a little bit about public relations. Here are a few reasons why it’s essential for business growth:

Public Relations Builds Brand Credibility

Trust plays a huge role in the success of a business. Without it, you may be missing out on a valuable customer.

To help break the ice between you and your ideal customer, you would hire a PR firm.

A publicist would work to increase your credibility by helping you obtain a good reputation. This would happen through influencer connections, press releases, blog posts, and guest speaking engagements.

Public Relations Boosts Profits

Why else would businesses spend thousands on PR? An effective public relations strategy brings you more money. How? With a positive reputation, you’re more likely to attract leads that will turn into paying customers.

PR firms make this possible by creating a narrative that your target consumer will connect with.

Public Relations Improves Your Online Presence

We’re living in a digital world, and businesses can’t thrive without a substantial online presence. In fact, 76% of consumers purchased a product after seeing a brand’s post on social media. Social media is an ultra-powerful tool.

The role of a publicist is to help you establish what you want to communicate via online media.

A PR firm will also step in and minimize any negative publicity. This would be in the form of crafting responses to poor online opinions — bye, #cancelculture.

Wrap Up

Public relations is essentially a strategy that manages public opinion. It works to advance your marketing efforts and communicate your brand’s values.

If you’re considering hiring a PR agency, look no further than MACLYN. Our group of PR rockstars will make strategizing your marketing plan simple.

Ready to get started? Contact us. We serve clients in the Des Moines, Naperville, and Chicago area.