The essence of PR in marketing

In seeking to retain the old clientele and attract new clientele, brands have to constantly be re-branded and re-marketed to society. And although a good marketing campaign can have the strength to stand on its own, public relations would come in handy to play the role of an anchor.

Considering public relations involves the cultivation of favourable relations for organisations and products with its key publics through the use of a variety of communications channels and tools, carrying out a marketing campaign without involving any aspect of public relations would be like taking to sea without a paddle.

For a long time, marketers have undermined the importance of public relations viewing it as a mundane function that deals with issues such as press queries and press releases. What is not realised is that in this age of cut throat competition, the consumer is faced with so many choices that making an informed decision becomes almost impossible. In a marketing campaign public relations seeks to allow a marketers message to rise above that of others.

The credibility of public relations and that of a good firm cannot be overemphasised. For example when a company wants to either launch or re-launch a product, engaging the services of a well-known and respected PR firm will immediately elicit client interest even before they find out what the product is about. A structured PR plan will also result in the client getting more information about the product than they would have from a simple marketing gimmick.

Involving PR in a marketing campaign ensures that the media will get a hold of promotional information thus aid in spreading information concerning the product. This brings out the truth in the saying ‘the power of the media' as media coverage can easily make or break a campaign.

The essence of PR in a marketing campaign is that if a company incorporates the services of a reputable and professional PR firm, the firm has the ability to understand and unearth good stories about the company and its products. The PR firm will also use its expertise and knowledge to properly place its clients company and product in the market.

In business one has to spend money in order to make money. And engaging the services of a PR professional or firm is one sure way that a company can sure it gets returns on its investment.