Some clients understand PR, while others are dipping their toe in for the first time. Our aim is to make the language of PR and communications simple and easy to understand, with our own spice beginners’ guide to PR.
What is PR?
Put simply, PR is about creating dialogue between a business and its audiences. We use a variety of communication techniques and channels to make sure the right messages are delivered to the right people in the right way.
What is the difference between PR and advertising?
Advertising is paying for space to promote your brand and business, allowing you to have total control over the content and delivery.
PR is about motivating, influencing and persuading others that your messages are ones that they want to deliver to their audiences. This independent endorsement adds to the credibility of your business or brand, making the value of editorial PR far superior to advertising.
Advertising is what you say about yourself and your products. PR is about what other people say about you.
How does PR work?
As specialists, there are a number of different techniques and channels we use to get your messages across. These can range from media relations to online promotion; newsletters and written material; to experiential marketing and events.
When can you use PR?
PR can be used at any time during a brand or business lifecycle. It can be used in isolation or as an integrated part of a multi-discipline approach. PR can be used for projects or as an essential component in your business approach.
Why use PR?
Depending on the nature of your business and brief, PR provides a channel to communicate your key messages to a specific audience in a controlled way. It can entail media relations which ads credibility to a brand or business as it is independent endorsement or it can be centred around issues management where the positioning and release of information is pivotal to the brands reputation. Whatever your need, you need to communicate with your audiences and as specialists we can advise on the best channel and format.
Where do you use PR?
PR can be used when communicating to specific or all target audiences, from Annual reports, sampling promotions to interviews on radio, competitions online and editorial coverage in trade publications.
What is media relations?
Media relations is an important part of the public relations toolbox. Using a specialist public relations consultant helps you to cut through the clutter and achieve editorial in media which is targeted towards your key audiences.
The media market is down sizing and fewer journalists are being asked to cover more stories. It is important to ensure that every story you send to a journalist is well written, relevant and of interest.
As consumers become more media-savvy, and advertising clutter increases, public relations (through media activity) can help create cut-through, by generating editorial coverage.
International standards show that editorial is worth 5x the equivalent advertising space, often for a fraction of the cost.
Consumers are more likely to ‘believe’ editorial as it is seen through the eyes of an independent party (the journalist). Research shows that that the majority of brand managers believe that public relations, when compared to advertising, sales promotion and new media, is critical for establishing brand credibility. Brand managers also feel that public relations is the best way to garner third-party endorsement.
How do you measure the benefits of a PR campaign?
There are many ways to measure the effectiveness of PR campaigns, including evaluating media coverage, surveying customers and analyzing sales results. Often feedback from target audiences is the best way to determine if key messages are being successfully communicated, whether this be anecdotal, sales force comments or industry commentary.
What is the process when working with spice?
It all starts with meeting spice to discuss our range of services, and your needs. Based on your requirements, we prepare a proposal outlining initiatives, budgets and next steps.
We take a partnership approach with our clients. This means getting to know your business, your people and the environment you operate in. We can then create communication platforms that are right for your business.
You will work directly with one of our senior directors, with added support bought into the team, as needed.
We have daily contact with many clients and are kept in the loop on business happenings, even if they are not directly relevant to our brief. Scheduled client meetings and ongoing activity reports ensure everyone is informed and updated on a regular basis.
