Over the years, I’ve sometimes seen public relations being treated as a bolt-on or a box to tick. Something that sits within the marketing team, but no one is sure what to do with it and is only wheeled out as a news release when there’s a new product to promote or an award to shout about.
PR should never be just about making noise. It should be about telling the right story. A story that reflects who the business is, what it stands for, and where it’s going. When it’s not done this way it won’t support long-term business goals.
Good PR works in tandem with other sales and marketing efforts to help shape market perception of a business and build ongoing relationships with target audiences, including customers, investors, stakeholders, or future employees. But it can only do that effectively if it supports your mission and values.
A good PR pro will spend a lot of time getting under the skin of a business, before they even think about news releases or campaigns. They should ask questions and challenge assumptions, making sure they understand not just what a business does, but why it does it and what it aspires to.
When your PR tells the same story as your business (consistently, clearly and credibly), it reinforces the brand, builds trust and it helps people buy into a business’s purpose, not just its products. That’s when PR starts to deliver real value.
So, if your current PR efforts feel a bit scattergun or off-message, it might be time to pause and ask a simple question: “Is this helping us move in the direction we want to go?”
If the answer’s no, it’s probably not the PR that’s the problem – it’s the disconnect.
