4 Reasons Why Public Relations is Important For Your Business

Public relations is about creating relationships and storytelling to expand your brand’s influence in your industry and community. Here are a few reasons why public relations is important for your business:

1. Increase awareness of your business

There are many ways that PR can increase the reach and awareness of your business including speaking opportunities, media interviews, partnerships, event planning and more. For example; to keep their business on the minds of local customers, Great Clips teamed up with local news stations across the country for a back-to-school haircut campaign. Great Clips stylists went live demonstrating back-to-school hairstyles that can help simplify a busy fall for parents and even offered an in-store coupon to those who mentioned the tv station.

2. Create partnerships within your community

Creating partnerships with local businesses will not only put your brand in front of the people within your community but will also support other businesses that you partner with as well. Online influencers mentioning your business can add credibility to your brand. People that follow these influencers are likely to perceive your brand the way the influencer presents it. 

Birchbox, a monthly box of personalized makeup, haircare and skincare samples, teamed up with lifestyle blogger Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere to promote a special May box with five Instagram photos on her Instagram page. The campaign received over 18,000 likes and reached more than 550,000 consumers.

3. Establish your business as an authority in your industry

You want your brand to be considered an expert in your industry. Media interviews and speaking opportunities are great ways to inform your potential customers of your expertise. Wedding planner David Tutera, for example, was asked to speak at the Wedding MBA Convention for the wedding industry. He plans to share his approach to extravagant event planning and what advice he can offer to those trying to thrive in the industry. 

4. Give your brand a voice

Now with social media, most businesses are able to speak to and engage with the public immediately. But, by using public relations, your business will be able to craft stories your potential customers can relate to as well as reach larger audiences through the media, partnerships and other opportunities.

Simply placing products on shelves won’t cut it anymore. Showcase the stories behind the products, the people who love them and use them, and how they reinforce your brand’s values. Like this example: TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie took a trip to Argentina and noticed that many poor children didn’t have shoes, and decided to create a one-for-one business model. Every product purchase, TOMS will help a person in need.

How does your business implement an effective PR strategy? Let us know in the comments below!