A quick recap on PR

Press & Public Relations activities, or PR for short, can play a key role in developing and enhancing the reputation of a business. 

Almost every enterprise that markets products and services to other businesses and end users can reach potential decision makers and influencers through the press, journals and web sites.  Carefully placed editorial material complements other marketing activities by providing a variety of positive stories and statements about the business, in a way that has the authority of apparently independent editorial comment.  In the long term, regular editorial will help raise awareness of the business, create a positive attitude towards the company and its products and generate enquiries. 

Advertising reaches a mass audience effectively, but works best when conveying a simple proposition designed to gain attention quickly and with maximum impact. PR can expand this message by use of news items, third party endorsement, or by longer articles that reinforce the message through explanation and applications of products and services. News can embrace product launches, important contract wins, personnel appointments, new technology developments, events and company results. Unlike a short-term advertising campaign, PR offers a long-term marketing tool that is the deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organisation and its public. 

When things go wrong, as they sometimes do, the public will be more tolerant of a 'well thought of’ business that communicates with them and is seen to put the problem right. The PR plan can seek to follow a theme that builds a particular view of the business, but is also flexible to react to tactical developments or unexpected events which can be handled quickly and positively at any time, and far more effectively and rapidly than with other promotional activities. 

In today’s quick consumption, time poor working environment, industry and company web sites and social media offer an alternative news delivery channel to traditional print. News headlines can be e-mailed to interested readers offering the opportunity to click a link to read more of stories that attract their attention or just tweeted. 

News is also one of the main reasons for return visits to a web site and a news publishing and archive system such as Technical Marketing Ltd’s Virtual News Office™ can be integrated with the web site.