The idea of public relations may evoke thoughts of the “mighty” press release, “spinning the story,” or chic parties. While we don’t like to use the term “spin,” those expressions are part of the bigger picture of public relations. So, what’s the buzz about PR?
PR falls under the umbrella of marketing communications and includes strategies to create excitement and interest among the public so they’ll “bite” on the call to action about a company, product, issue or event, etc. Tactics include social media, special events, community relations, government relations, media relations and thought leadership programs (speakers bureaus, panel presentations, white papers).
The “buzz” is created by telling a story that is compelling enough that it travels by word of mouth (WOM) or is picked up by the press. It might be the result of a special event with amazing product displays and theatrics, brilliant speakers, or a philanthropic deed that pulls at everyone’s heartstrings.
But PR is not all smoke and mirrors. A news report as you know, carries the extra credibility of coming from a third-party neutral source, as opposed to an ad that comes directly from the company. While paid media may do the job of spreading the “buzz,” we all know that WOM and peer reviews via social media carry much more weight and they’re free!
So get the word out there and who knows, the buzz might just be about you!
