Issue makers: public relations agency

Meaning of Public Relations (PR)

There are very different definitions of Public Relations. Very broadly, PR means maintaining the relationship between organization and public. This is about a continuous dialogue: the playing field between listening to the audience (the target group) in the public sphere (in traditional or new media), processing this information and formulating it and conveying the organization's message through ' earned media' (editorial content), and then listen again.

The target group may consist of people who are already familiar with the organization, but that is certainly not necessary. The ultimate goal of PR is to as an organization

• adequately reactively to deal with (negative) reporting
• to proactively tell stories that are relevant to media consumers

In both cases, good PR management contributes to the reputation of your organization. An organization can even use PR to position or profile itself, if done properly. One of the major differences with marketing is that PR is mainly about the long-term goal of credibility and reputation, while in marketing the goal is often to promote the sale of the brand's products or services (through (often paid) media).

Why is public relations important?

Besides the fact that having (good) public relations is indispensable in the event of a crisis situation, it also ensures a good understanding between organizations/companies and stakeholders within daily activities. Furthermore, public relations can provide more media attention and traffic to your website because PR makes it possible for an organization to focus on a specific target group and therefore make it easier to reach.

Public relations steps and strategy

PR starts with listening. By monitoring (traditional and new) media, knowing which journalists write about which topics, knowing which relevant issues are at what stage and getting a taste of what the prevailing views are, you can form an idea of where the client stands in this regard. landscape. Processing the insights that emerge from this external image, together with the internal business objectives, the communication objectives and the available resources, together provide the basis for a PR strategy.

After determining the strategy, it is time to draw up messages. For the organizations we work for, we look for the story or message that the desired target group should hear and remember. This message must make an impact. It has to touch people. This means that the message must, for example, be newsworthy or relevant to the target group in some other way.

An important part of the strategy is searching for relevant media for the message. It is particularly important to consider what the target group of this medium is. Initially we will think of traditional media (newspapers, magazines, radio, linear television). For example, we try to personally pitch the stories to the journalists who write about the relevant topic, send press releases or invitations. We can also produce articles ourselves for the opinion pages of these media.

However, the boundary between newsmakers and the public has become increasingly blurred in recent years. Since the rise of social media, anyone can be a 'news maker' and influence the image of an organization. In addition to 'earned media', an important part of PR is dealing with one's own channels (owned media). The deployment and use of owned media is part of PR.

In recent years, the boundary between earned and paid media has also become increasingly blurred. But what basically does not fall under our definition of PR is the (structural) use of paid media - not even in the case of paid content - which lies more in the domain of media buyers and content marketing agencies. The difference between paid and earned media is similar difference between PR and marketing; working on the image of an organization versus promoting the sale of products or services. We can, of course, think about how this can fit in with our strategy.

Our vision on PR

We believe that public relations revolves around four core points: listening, making choices, personal attention and recognizing and implementing journalistic qualities:

1. Listen before communicating

Good PR policy is first and foremost about listening to what is being said before you start communicating. Listen to the people you want to reach, recognize which frames are used, which assumptions are made and which facts are presented. Hearing what people really find important. Listening does not mean listening to every single opinion, but is about distilling a common denominator in the multitude of messages in the masses of information channels. Good listening is also about listening within the client's own organization or organization. Does the organization's image of itself match what the outside world thinks of us? What are the facts and opinions on which this is based? Only by knowing what is being said is it possible to use communication to build a bridge between the worlds of the sender and the receiver.

2. Making choices: which communication channel?

The choice of communication tools and channels is greater than ever. Is your choice of communication channel not yet included? Then we will start a blog or Twitter channel today. This does not mean that every message is immediately suitable for every medium and every channel. Making choices is essential. Not every message lends itself to wide distribution press release (because newsworthiness and relevance are of great importance for this). Choosing to personally pitch a background story to the right journalist may be the better choice. Reaching a specific target group with a specific message can only be achieved by making choices in messages, resources and channels. Moreover, it is not the case that every objective can be achieved by pumping as many resources as possible through as many channels. (Mass) Communication often seems like a holy grail, but sometimes you can achieve much more impact by choosing a small stakeholder meeting or newsletter for real enthusiasts.

3. Personal attention

In addition, people – both the recipients of the final message and the intermediaries (journalist, blogger or social influencer) – expect personal attention. That a message is tailored to him or her, that it is relevant and appropriate. The time of shooting with buckshot is over. People make their own choice whether they want to listen to you or not. Whether the story you propose to them is 'interesting' or not. Journalists are bombarded with hundreds of 'interesting' stories every day, with or without 'best editing' as a salutation, instead of personally with their name. Technology makes it possible to know what a journalist or medium is waiting for. Who their target group is, what their personal interests are, what they have recently published about, which topics they publish more often, etc. Based on this data in combination with personal contact with your network, it is possible – and essential – to adapt a Taylor-made message and make it interesting.

4. Execution of journalistic qualities

The time of the classic 'press officer' is over. The time when PR employees proclaimed messages from above based on the urge of organizations to tell stories is behind us. More than ever, public relations is based on journalistic values such as being critical, asking questions, determining whether something is newsworthy, bringing the outside world in and holding up a mirror to the top of an organization. Only by embracing these values can an organization create its own credible story. A press release is no longer an inward-looking story ('look how fantastic we are doing this'), but must be able to withstand the critical eye of a journalist. For example, it must be seen (for the medium in question) as newsworthy ('my readers want to read this'), not contain PR bullshit bingo (the journalist or reader decides whether something is 'great' or 'exciting') and offer a perspective for action .

Also see: PR campaign

What does a PR agency do?

A PR agency does all the work involved in generating more publicity for your product, brand, company or service. The intention is that your product, brand, company or service ends up in as many media publications as possible. Whether this is in the local newspaper, the RTL news or on the radio.

If your organization has something to promote or wants to generate more brand awareness, it is smart to use a PR agency. With the right connections, this works enormously to your advantage in both the short and long term when selling or promoting your company, product, brand or service.

Different PR tactics

With this promotion, a PR agency has the option to choose from different methods. However, a PR agency first starts by wanting to understand exactly what you want to achieve. A customized approach and goal setting are therefore very important. Not every strategy is suitable for every goal. That is why it is extra important that your PR agency account manager understands what your brand, company, product or service needs.

There are various tactics to generate (preferably free) publicity. A good PR agency knows exactly how to use its connections to put your brand in the spotlight. You should actually see it as an advertising agency that focuses entirely on generating free publicity for your organization. You pay the PR agency and then it is up to them to generate this publicity for you in the media without them paying these media for this.

The PR agency as image manager

You can also see a PR agency as an image manager. They ensure that you remain relevant in your industry by ensuring that people continuously speak and write about your company in a positive way. And all this without placing a single advertisement.

The success of a good PR agency lies in generating buzz without spending a single euro on media. After all, the goal is and remains free publicity. This is for the following reason.

If a medium such as a newspaper or website tells its readers something in an article or item, this creates more trust in the reader than a paid advertisement. A journalist writes about your product or service because he wants to and not because he earns money from it. This way it creates more credibility. You want to gain the trust of your target group because with that trust you can further expand your company.

The challenge therefore lies in pitching your message in such a way that the journalist finds it interesting for his target group and decides to dedicate an item to it.

How does a PR agency generate free publicity?

A PR agency can generate this publicity in many different ways. As mentioned earlier, it is important that a PR agency first understands what your company does, who you are, what your mission is and who your target group is. Only when you have the answers to these questions will a PR agency get to work generating free publicity for you.

The founder of a fashion brand who mainly focuses on selling fitness clothing to young people needs different PR than someone who has a company that rents out cars on holiday. The target groups are different, the goals are different and therefore the PR strategy must also be different.

Also see: financial PR

1. Distribute a press release

The most important tool for PR agencies to pitch a message is always the use of a press release: regardless of your brand and purpose. A press release is a short publication in which you describe all the important points of your news in a short text. A PR agency sends this text to various media in the hope that it will be picked up and published.

Although a press release has been the most used way of generating free publicity for years, it is no longer the only and best way to generate free publicity. You should actually see it as a good start.

A press release is always possible, but make sure that your PR agency also focuses on using other PR strategies that suit your company.

2. Setting up a press event

A press event is a fantastic way to generate more publicity and reach for your organization. By inviting journalists and bloggers and giving them the opportunity to see, test and experience your product or service in real life, you create a lot of positive publicity.

This way, journalists get a good idea of what you offer and they write more easily from their own experience to put your service or product in the spotlight.

3. Using influencers and online content creators

Influencers is a term that is often criticized, but in the PR industry, influencers are your best friends. Influencers and online content creators are people who have built a large platform on the internet or on social media.

They have many loyal followers on their blog, Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat, for example. People who like to listen to the recommendations of their favorite online personalities. By having an influencer or online content creator talk or write about your brand, product or service you can generate a lot of buzz. And that may lead to new potential buyers and people interested in your company.

Collaborating with influencers and online content creators is a good idea, especially to create more brand awareness.

4. Storytelling

Enthusing people by telling great stories about your brand is an excellent opportunity to reach a large audience. A nice interview in the newspaper with someone who has achieved success thanks to your product or service will bring you a lot. A personal story often works well in the PR industry. This also creates credibility and that is extremely important.

5. News jacking – riding on the current news

Is there something going on at the moment that is completely in line with your company, product or service? Or to you as an expert? Then it is smart for the PR agency to approach the journalist who published this first news. The goal is to have your company, product or service mentioned in a follow-up article. Or perhaps you are an expert on the subject that has appeared in the news? In this way, your PR agency ensures that you offer your expertise and thus appear in the media.

Looking for a good PR agency?

Do you need some help in setting up your own unique, personal PR campaign? Or do you want to outsource PR so that you have more time for what you are good at? Based on our knowledge and experience, we know how to convert your strengths into a valuable contribution. Please feel free Contact with us!

Glossary