What’s PR & How it Builds Your Brand: A Simple Guide

Have you ever heard the saying “Any publicity is good publicity?” That might be true in some cases, but I don’t believe it. Today’s audiences are much too sophisticated for that. Instead, if you want customers and audiences to fall head-over-heels for your brand, you need a real public relations plan.

But, what is PR exactly and why does it matter? Simply put, public relations, or PR as it’s commonly known, shapes the public’s perception of a person or entity. You know those exciting news articles, compelling interviews, and engaging social media posts about a new product, event, or business? That’s PR in action.

PR leverages earned or unpaid methods, such as pitching stories to media outlets, creating social buzz, or organizing events to grab attention and win trust. It differs from advertising, which is content you buy, versus earn.

Table of Contents:

• Why PR is Crucial for Brand Growth
• Types of Public Relations
  • Media Relations
  • Social Media PR
  • Community Relations
  • Investor Relations
  • Internal Communications
  • Crisis Communications
• The Future of PR
• FAQs about What is PR?
  • What is PR stand for?
  • What is PR on social media?
  • What does being in PR mean?
  • What does the slang term PR mean?
• Conclusion

Why PR is Crucial for Brand Growth

Think of PR like a trust-building exercise between you and the world. When done well, it transforms the way people see your brand. Strong PR results in positive brand awareness.

It boosts credibility because media outlets and influencers sing your praises instead of you singing your own praises in an advertisement. Here are some of the biggest reasons why PR is essential:

• **Building brand awareness:** PR efforts get your brand in front of more eyeballs, boosting visibility and making people familiar with your name. Imagine that cool podcast host interviewing you about your innovative business, or that catchy article featuring your company in a prominent industry magazine — That’s PR widening your reach.
• **Establishing trust:** Consumers are smart and discerning. They trust recommendations from sources they perceive as unbiased — like industry experts or journalists. Strong PR builds that “halo effect,” letting credible third parties validate your brand. A journalist, for example, has no motivation to hype your brand in an article, but this is different in advertising, where companies pay for messages. There’s a great comparison of PR versus advertising found in a previous article in Forbes Magazine here that shows us, side-by-side, the difference between PR and advertising.
• **Positioning your company as an expert:** This means strategically placing your company in situations where you become the go-to authority in your field. This could involve providing insightful commentary on relevant trends, sponsoring events in your area of expertise, or publishing well-researched white papers. This “expert” halo effect creates more consumer and industry trust, making customers see you as knowledgeable and trustworthy. The Plank Center Research Library even dives deep into various communication strategies. Building these strong relationships with the public is essential for long-term success.
• **Generating Leads & Sales:** PR isn’t just about feel-good fuzzies. It’s a direct line to converting leads and driving sales. An interesting news article, a well-placed feature in a publication your target market trusts, or a viral social media post can send potential customers knocking at your door, wallets in hand. PR paves the way for warmer leads, already intrigued by what your brand offers because it creates an “aha.” moment, causing customers to trust your company even before they talk to a salesperson. Smart public relations professionals know how to craft campaigns that resonate with target audiences.
• **Navigating Choppy Waters:** Even when things go south (we’ve all been there.), effective PR becomes your life raft, guiding you through tough situations. A strong crisis communication strategy ensures that you handle negative situations properly, turning a potentially catastrophic PR crisis into a lesson in resilience and responsible action. A classic case study here would be the Johnson & Johnson Tylenol crisis in the early 1980s where an unknown person tampered with product, resulting in numerous cyanide-laced Tylenol bottles hitting the market. Sadly, this crisis resulted in the death of 7 people. But, it’s Johnson & Johnson’s brilliant response that cemented the company as the gold-standard of how to navigate a massive PR disaster. Instead of hiding, Johnson & Johnson became transparent about their efforts and instructed sales reps to visit the medical community and personally introduce tamper-proof bottles of Tylenol. The result? Trust soared even during the height of a challenging crisis. They leaned on good press to get them through.

Types of Public Relations

When considering the question of, “What is PR?” it’s important to understand that there are several branches of public relations. Each is unique, focusing on specific goals and stakeholders:

Media Relations

The heart and soul of classic PR. Think building connections with journalists and news organizations to tell your story through their platforms. Crafting newsworthy stories that resonate with your audience and pitching those stories to the press is a massive component of what it means to do effective media relations. This media coverage can be incredibly valuable.

Social Media PR

You already know this one. This is about rocking social media platforms. Strategically crafting engaging content and building strong communities around your brand builds visibility and brand loyalty.

Community Relations

Think local here. Nurturing positive relationships with local groups, communities, or influencers builds support and deepens local impact. This could mean sponsoring community events or starting local initiatives.

Investor Relations

This one is key if you have stakeholders in the financial world. Think effectively communicating with investors, shareholders, and financial analysts to build confidence in your financial performance.

Internal Communications

Sometimes overlooked, internal comms can make or break employee satisfaction. You know that strong communication with employees cultivates trust and a strong sense of company culture. This might mean employee newsletters or team-building events.

Crisis Communications

What do you do when that fire starts? Every brand will eventually deal with a challenge or problem, whether expected or not. That’s where effective crisis communication steps in. Being proactive with a crisis communication plan before the fire happens lets you stay on top of potentially harmful situations. This involves addressing difficult events and protecting your brand’s reputation during challenging situations. It may also involve working with a PR agency to craft the right message.

The Future of PR

Just as technology changed the way people watch movies (who needs Blockbuster now that we have Netflix, right?.), technology also changes the way brands do PR. I know that navigating this PR landscape sometimes feels overwhelming. There are a million platforms, methods, and tools to use, which can feel exhausting.

But, the answer to, “What is PR?” is about connecting authentically. We are changing the future of public relations, using the power of AI to streamline the entire PR process, putting you in the driver’s seat, and helping you unlock amazing new levels of PR success.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this article shed some light on the power of PR. Now you understand what goes into creating lasting brand connections and building trust. What is PR? Think of it as the glue that binds you to your audience. Smart marketers leverage PR in all its exciting forms to win the heart of audiences and cultivate genuine, long-lasting success.