What is PR? Who’s PR for, why it matters and how to get started

The PR lowdown and why it’s the most powerful way to grow your brand.

In this article we’ll dive into what is PR and why it’s one of the most powerful ways to build cult-like brands who thrive with their tribe.

We’ll also dive into who PR is right for – and bust one of the biggest myths around town it’s only for the big end of town.

We’ll also give you some quick tips to get started in the wonderful world of PR today! So let’s get into it!

What is PR and why it builds thriving brands.

You’ve probably heard the term thrown around – but may not have a deeper understanding of the nitty gritty of PR.

In its broadest sense, PR is about communicating and engaging with your target audiences – your customers and their key influencers – in smart and stellar ways.

The goal? To build rock solid relationships with your tribe and position you as the go to in your industry.

And of course, one of the most well-known PR approaches is to influence positive media and influencer coverage of your brand.

Having a media or person of influence loved by your audiences share your brand is one of the most powerful ways to build up your social proof as the best in the business.

But, it’s also broader than just media coverage. It’s a strategic approach to everything your brand says and does.

PR is thinking about the best way to communicate and engage your audiences through campaigns, digital and social media, events and community issues.

It drives widespread awareness, hype, trust and legitimacy – putting your brand in a league of its own.

Who’s PR for?

Busting the myth it’s just for the big end of town

One of the biggest misconceptions I’ve noticed among small businesses is thinking PR is only for big brands.

They feel just because they’re a small and mighty team, it’s too difficult to invest in an agency, or feel they don’t have the skills or capacity to do it themselves.

But, having worked in PR for a long time I’ve seen just how powerful it is for brands of all sizes.

Whether you’re a small creative business like us (check out our latest coverage), a medium-sized restaurant group like the wonderful team at Salt Meats Cheese, or a global corporate like our client Medela – you can use PR in powerful ways to lead to epic long-term results for your brand.

“But, I ain’t got time for that”

So this all sounds well and good, but if you’re a one-man band, a small team, or you have minimal budget to outsource (hey, that’s us too!) you may be short on time to do a PR strategy, let alone pay someone to do it right now.

Here’s what you need to remember. You’re playing in business – it’s a long-term game, and so is PR.

You’re here for the long haul to achieve your vision – so take the pressure off and start with BABY STEPS!

PR’s greatest benefit is it’s a skill you can learn and implement in small, simple, smart ways to grow your business for years to come.

And here are two ways to get started right now!

1) Get strategic

There’s not much point in getting 15-minutes of fame if it’s not tied back to building your positioning or tackling your business vision, goals and challenges.

So, get clear on your purpose and vision for your brand. This is will set your brand apart from any other – and should drive everything you do.

Your purpose will connect your brand with your audiences, influencers and employees to a deeper, greater purpose with your brand.

As marketing guru Simon Sinek shares, “people don’t buy what you do or how you do it, they buy why you do it.”

Think of Qantas – a brand “championing the Spirit of Australia” – how this value aligns with CEO Alan Joyce’s public campaigning for marriage equality rights in 2017.

Not only did they get great media coverage from this, but it gave the company a huge injection of likeability and credibility for standing strong on such a vital issue.

Academics John Kotter and James Heskett also honed this point home for us in their book, Corporate Culture & Performance. They found purposeful, value-driven companies outperform their counterparts in stock price by a factor of 12.

So make sure you’re totally clear on why you do what you do and make sure this reflects every part of what you’re saying and doing as a brand.

2) Start listening and learning from your tribe

Another vital step in PR is understanding what your target audiences want and need.

What are they talking about in relation to your brand, your industry and wider community?

To get clear on this you need listen and learn from your audiences in a strategic and methodical way.

It’s the most basic and fundamental step to knowing if what you’re putting out there is 100 percent on the money.

So if you’re not doing this yet – or have no idea where to start – don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.

I’ve created a PR listening cheat sheet with 10 simple ways you can listen, learn and stay ahead of the curve with what your audiences want and need each month.

You can download your PR listening checklist here!

Remember to keep me looped in with how you’re tracking – I want to hear it all – send me a direct message on Instagram or shoot me an email!