Top 3 Public Relations Misconceptions for Entrepreneurs
Written by Alexis Quintal, CEO and Owner of Rosarium PR & Marketing Collective
Public Relations (PR) has been around since the start of humankind, with ancient personalities influencing and shaping the PR industry through published literary about communicating with people, the art of persuasion, and the start of political campaigns. The first known newsletter was published by Julius Cesar in 50 BCE as the first political campaign to convince the public opinion of Romans that he would make the best head of state. This learning demonstrates that truly any type of public communications can be considered PR.
Fast forward to 2022, the digital revolution has increased the options for communications through social media, email, direct mail, digital newspapers, and more as technology continues to evolve styles of communication. Current PR strategies must encompass all these areas and be proactive as stories develop faster than ever.
As generations shift and Millennials and Gen Z become half of our country’s population, the way they interact with brands is completely different from what has traditionally been. In a 2021 study by Brand Builders Group, they discovered that 67% of ALL Americans regardless of their age, gender, geographic location, job title or income “would be willing to spend more money on products and services from the companies of founders whose personal brand aligns with their own personal values.” Public relations empowers personal branding and awareness in a cost effective and authentic way. Brands that are searching for new ways to create an authentic community that not only encourages engagement but also fosters a genuine sense of community should consider PR as a focus for 2022 & beyond.
We’ve outlined the top three misconceptions of PR in the digital age:
- Public Relations is all spin. It’s not real.
FACT: Most news outlets fact check their sources and it’s unfair to assume all news is “fake news.” When done correctly, PR is genuine communication that pushes the true narrative of a brand. - Public Relations is expensive. PR agencies have extremely pricy retainer contracts.
FACT: PR can be very cost effective in comparison to traditional advertising and has the ability to reach large audiences for free. Working with the right PR team can open these opportunities. - PR is not marketing. It should be handled completely separately from the marketing strategy.
FACT: PR is a very foundational aspect of Marketing and should be intertwined in the strategy in order to have consistent messaging.
“PR is all Spin”
Public Relations is a vital part of crisis communication practices and that has caused many people to associate PR with negative press and scandals. However, PR professionals are trained and responsible for all communications relevant to the brand, including providing council and drafting all public statements on behalf of the company, and handling the relationship between journalists and company representatives. A successful PR strategy creates genuine stories that introduces the leaders behind the scenes of the brand and tells their “why” story.
“PR is expensive”
When done correctly, PR is highly affordable and profitable. The average digital marketing budget ranges from $30,000 to $145,000 per year for SMBs, and much of this strategy targets “cold” leads that have never heard of your brand or are not in the market for your product/service. For PR, businesses should budget between $30-50,000 per year to submit press releases on the wire and pay a partner to help with media pitching, content writing, and media relations.
Genuine media coverage should be earned and unpaid, therefore keeping costs low. To be strategic with your PR strategy, research your target audience and where they get their information. Each generation reacts differently to marketing & branding and companies should be thinking more broadly about their lead generation and sales strategy, incorporating PR to share their message genuinely and to build credibility and trust with their audience.
“PR is Not Marketing”
PR is naturally part of the marketing strategy and brands may not even realize it. Every social media post, blog article, and even the website is communicating a message to the public, therefore it falls under public relations. This can be an exciting opportunity to take control of the narrative and communicate a brands true value, while building relationships that may turn into revenue.
According to the Brand Builders Group, in their study on personal branding, they found that 82% of all Americans agree that “companies are more influential if their executives have a personal brand that they know and follow.” Take advantage of public relations the right way and you open the opportunity to build trust with your audience.
About Rosarium PR & Marketing Collective
Rosarium is a forward-thinking public relations & marketing collective, created by Alexis Rose Quintal, based out of Tampa Bay, Florida. Rosarium offers a modern-day people-centered, humanistic approach to public relations and marketing for individuals, businesses, and entrepreneurs across the US. Learn more by visiting www.rosarium.work or contact [email protected].