A company can use effective public relations strategies to build relationships with its clients, advertise its products, and support its sales efforts. Because much of the information is crafted to sound as if it has been produced by an organization independent of the seller, PR often gives news stories a positive spin and is seen as more neutral and objective than other forms of promotion. Public relations materials include press releases, publicity, and news conferences. Additionally, businesses use PR to market their goods and support their sales efforts.
There are internal PR departments, media relations teams, and investor relations teams at many businesses that engage in public relations. In order to find and develop public relations opportunities for themselves, other organizations occasionally hire outside PR firms or advertising agencies. PR professionals must establish connections with individuals at various media outlets to help place their stories. Universities, hospitals, government agencies, and nonprofits frequently employ public relations specialists to help spread favorable information about their services and to raise interest in what they do. The promotion budget and integrated marketing communications of a company therefore include PR.
PR experts also assist political campaign managers in obtaining favorable press coverage. When something bad happens to an organization or person, PR experts can handle crisis communication and present a positive perspective. PR firms may assist in ensuring that product concepts are correctly understood in international markets. It is not always possible to place all PR stories in the desired media. It takes a lot of time and effort to get to know the people who can help spread the word or publish the information.
Companies use a range of resources for their PR efforts, including annual reports, employee and public-facing brochures and magazines, websites that highlight their achievements, speeches, blogs, and podcasts. Press releases, news conferences, and publicity are some of the most frequently employed PR tools. Social media, product placements, and sponsorships all contribute significantly to good PR.
Putting a positive spin on news stories is one of a company’s public relations strategies. A press release is a news article created by a company to highlight a service, business, or individual. Think about how much more favorably a story or a product recommendation will be received if the recipient believes it to be from an impartial third party rather than an organization that is writing about itself. Press releases are frequently written by public relations professionals in the hopes that they will be picked up by the media and distributed to the general public. However, there is no assurance that a press release will be used by the media. Companies may use press releases to highlight PR opportunities such as charity events, honors, new products, company reports, and initiatives they are taking to better the local or environment.
Read the following two examples of press releases. The first story appears to have been written by a news outlet, but it was actually produced by Apple’s public relations team to promote the release of the new iPhone 3G. The second press release and picture (see Figure 12. 1 “A Picture of Stubb’s Legendary Kitchen’s “Feed the World Tour””) demonstrate how a business like Stubb’s Bar-B-Q collaborates with Mobile Loaves & Fishes, a nonprofit that helps feed the hungry, to help feed the hungry and replenish food banks across the nation. The story enhances the positive of both organizations.
SAN FRANCISCO—June 9, 2008—Apple® today unveiled the new iPhoneTM 3G, combining all the ground-breaking functions of the original iPhone with 3G networking that is twice as quick* as the model from the previous generation, built-in GPS for more location-based mobile services, and iPhone 2 compatibility. 0 operating system, which runs the hundreds of third-party applications created using the recently released iPhone SDK and supports Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync. The new iPhone 3G is astonishingly priced in the US at just $199 for the 8GB model and $299 for the 16GB model. On July 11, customers in 22 countries—Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, and the US—will be able to purchase an iPhone 3G. Later this year, the device will be made available in more than 70 nations.
This Tuesday, May 26 at 5 p.m., Stubb’s Legendary Kitchen will launch its 12-city “Feed the World Tour.” m. By using one of Mobile Loaves & Fishes’ unique catering trucks, which provide meals in six cities every day, to serve chopped beef sandwiches with legendary Stubb’s barbecue sauce to homeless and working-class individuals in Wooldridge Square Park, 9th and Guadalupe Streets.
To serve the sandwiches and hand out Stubb’s t-shirts, Kurt Koegler, president of Stubb’s Legendary Kitchen, will work alongside Alan Graham, founder/president of Mobile Loaves, as well as MLF volunteers. The Austin-based business selected Mobile Loaves as its partner to launch the “Feed the World Tour,” which takes its name from the stated goal of Texas Bar-B-Q legend, C B. I was born hungry, and I want to feed the world, according to “Stubb” Stubblefield. ”.
The tour will depart from Austin and travel through the Southeast, up the East Coast, and into Washington, D.C. C. the location of the annual BBQ Battle on Pennsylvania Avenue, where the Stubb’s team will compete. Stubb’s Legendary Kitchen and company president Koegler will host barbecues for the homeless and assist in replenishing food banks in each city.
Stubb was a talented cook, but he was also a people-lover. His life’s principles continue to guide the business that bears his name. Each bottle of sauce and marinade we produce contains a true piece of Stubb’s life. We at Stubb’s are all ecstatic to be working with Mobile Loaves and spreading Stubb’s Love and Happiness to those who all too frequently need it most, said Koegler.
We couldn’t think of a better time to lend our support as the economy has increased demand on institutions like Mobile Loaves and neighborhood food banks, Koegler said. “Stubb’s greatest joy was feeding the crowds that flocked to his barbecue joint from all over, and it is an honor for us to carry out his directive with our Feed the World Tour.” ”.
Graham said, “We’re honored to be chosen as Stubb’s charity partner for the beginning of this awesome tour.” “As someone who once was poor and hungry, C. B. Knowing that his creation is assisting in providing food for people living on the streets here in Austin and across the nation makes “Stubb” Stubblefield smile in heaven. We are eager to introduce Stubb’s to the locals here and in the other cities we serve2. ”.
Using PR strategies like press releases and other PR initiatives can help you contain the damage. Crisis management is the process of mitigating the severe negative effects that negative publicity has on a company. Damage control became necessary for Domino’s Pizza as a result of two of its employees making a video of themselves abusing pizzas and uploading it to YouTube. A company may hold a press conference or prepare a speech for the top executive to deliver if the publicity is especially bad, as it was for Domino’s. In an effort to limit the harm to Domino’s business, the president spoke on camera, for instance. The company then posted the following video on YouTube.
Similar to this, locals may have a negative opinion of businesses that enter foreign markets because they don’t know much about them. For Indian employees and their families, a company’s reputation is crucial. As a result, U. S. Employers seeking talent in India’s tech sector frequently face a challenge in getting people to know their brands and products and thus want to work for them. The firms do so via various PR efforts.
Press conferences can be held when a company is simply looking for good PR, just as press releases can be used to highlight the positive work a person or organization does. An organization might hold a press conference to announce that it has hired fresh, in-demand executives, that construction on a new building has begun, or to discuss its charitable endeavors.
The Staples Center is well-known to many of you (Figure 12). 2), where the Los Angeles Lakers play basketball. But think about how much more exposure the Staples Center received after it was revealed that Michael Jackson’s public memorial would take place there. All of the news articles discussing tickets and memorial details gave the center and the office supply chain Staples, after which the center is named, “free” publicity. For the naming rights of the 1998-built center, Staples paid $375 million3 The chain has, in fact, seen a significant return on its sponsorship of the facility.
Although costly, sponsorships are becoming more and more popular as businesses look for ways to grow their brands, raise consumer awareness of them, differentiate their goods, and reach their target markets. Worldwide, businesses spent over $43 billion on sponsorships in 20084, but the recession has had an impact, and the Dallas Cowboys’ new stadium still lacks a naming-rights sponsor. Sports receive more than two-thirds of all sponsorships in North America, with entertainment coming in second (e g. , music and performing arts) and causes (e. g. , the Susan G. “Alternative spring breaks” for college students and the Komen Race for the Cure) As a way to raise money, other institutions and constructions like buildings and bridges might look for sponsorships. If an organization could pay to have their name on either the Brooklyn Bridge in New York or the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, think of how many people would cross those bridges each day and how much exposure they would receive.
Cause-related marketing is one of the fastest-growing types of sponsorships. When a business provides financial or other support to a nonprofit, it happens. For instance, American Airlines hosts an annual celebrity golf and tennis tournament to raise money for breast cancer research, and M&M’s sponsors the Special Olympics. The airline also donates frequent flier miles to the cause. For each pink lid submitted, Yoplait Yogurt donates money to breast cancer research. Cause-related marketing can boost public relations by increasing people’s affinity for the business that uses it.
A product placement is when a company’s merchandise appears in a production such as a book, video game, special event, or television show. You frequently see various Coca-Cola products being consumed in Seinfeld reruns. Likewise, you might see a Nissan Maxima on Desperate Housewives. Each episode of The Biggest Loser typically features more than 400 product placements. Between August 1, 2008, and August 1, 2009, Apple placed products in 24 films that debuted at number one, compared to 20 Ford products and 12 Budweiser products5.
Typically, a business must pay a fee in order to place one of its products. However, there are times when a company receives no payment if a show uses the product in some way or as part of the plot. Cast Away product placement was not funded by FedEx6. Product placement can raise a brand’s visibility and sales by increasing consumer awareness of it. The cost of a product placement can be less expensive than commercials might be given the number of exposures an organization receives.
Although the majority of product placements occur in television programs and films, businesses are looking into alternative strategies. As an illustration, they now advertise products in online movies, computer games, and books. As long as consumers continue to use digital video recorders (DVRs) to skip commercials and advertisements, the number of product placements is predicted to rise.
Public relations (PR) refers to the actions taken by businesses to promote a person, business, or other entity. While press releases are a common PR tool, there is no guarantee that they will be cited in the stories that are written about them. Sponsorships are intended to improve corporate image, reach target markets, and raise brand awareness. The purpose of product placement is to increase exposure, brand recognition, and interest.
Public Relations Tools
18 examples of public relations tools
Here are 18 platforms and tools for public relations you can use to improve the success of your company’s PR efforts:
1. Prowly
Using the public relations tool Prowly, PR experts can more effectively oversee their public relations initiatives. This tool is simple to use and lets you arrange data in a PR CRM. Prowly can help you with media relations tasks such as the creation of visual press releases and maintaining journalist-friendly newsrooms.
2. Meltwater
A social media and PR monitoring tool called Meltwater enables PR managers to interact with clients on social media, monitor PR campaigns, and gather specialized content. Other tools in this software include social influencer management, media database, and media monitoring, for instance. Through media relations, it also assists businesses in managing their brands and communicating with the media.
3. Prezly
Prezly is a complete public relations software suite. You can use this tool to start an online newsroom, pitch a story about your company, and keep track of media coverage of your company. Prezly also offers the ability for email personalization and follow-up emails based on consumer behaviors, enabling media managers to create appealing campaigns.
4. Coverage Book
With the aid of Coverage Book, PR personnel can produce coverage reports with reliable public relations metrics. This tool enables PR teams to assess team benchmarks and return on investment. It offers a variety of formats so you can alter the report to suit the preferences and requirements of stakeholder
5. Cision
Cision features integrated public relations software. Tools on this platform include advanced distribution, feature analysis, and tracking, as examples. Additionally, it enables you to run content amplification campaigns across your website or other platforms to guarantee that any media mentions of your business appear in the best content modules on your sites.
6. Anewstip
PR experts can look up media contacts using the search engine Anewstip. You can narrow down your search results by a journalist’s language, topic, and how frequently that journalist used your particular keyword. This PR tool was primarily used by media organizations, writers, and influencers who had just recently discussed a certain subject on social media.
7. Agility PR Solutions
A user-friendly media database, analytics tools, and return on investment tracking are all features of the PR tool known as Agility PR Solutions. Examples of services provided through this platform include the distribution and targeting of ideas that fit your niche as well as the evaluation of press release results. This can make it easier for you to evaluate the results of your PR efforts.
8. ResponseSource
A PR platform called ResponseSource provides free daily email updates on social media mentions of your business. You can select to have the mentions categorized into particular groups. An additional example of a tool in this software is a media bulletin, press release wires, and journalist inquiry services.
9. Brandwatch
A PR media platform that works well for big businesses is called Brandwatch. This platform provides social media monitoring, which businesses can use to follow and evaluate PR campaigns. With Brandwatch, you can track things like mentions, pertinent topics, and purchase intent.
10. Covered Press
Public relations professionals are able to use a cutting-edge PR solution through Covered Press. This platform has a number of features, some of which include pitch and publishing management, story management, PR reporting and analytics, and story management. By streamlining these resources, Covered Press becomes a complete resource for public relations.
11. Business Wire
A PR tool called Business Wire assists businesses in meeting their press release objectives. This tool connects businesses with target audiences, targeted press releases, and investor relations resources as a market leader in press release distribution. Using 200 different niches, Business Wire can distribute press releases to over 100,000 media outlets.
12. BlogDash
With the aid of the PR tool BlogDash, PR pros can access a database of influential bloggers from a variety of niches. With the help of this program, businesses can create pitch lists, campaign goals, and connections with bloggers. Additionally, BlogDash offers an outsourced service that enables you to manage content creation and coordinate blogger outreach.
13. Augure by Launchmetrics
Augure is a cloud-based public relations tool with a number of features for PR firms and specialists. It has a CRM-like platform that allows businesses to monitor communications with media outlets, participate in email marketing, and report on and evaluate PR campaigns. Other tools on this platform include agency modules, content sharing, and coverage highlighting, as examples.
13. JustReachOut
A public relations tool called JustReachOut combines thorough PR software with the expertise of outreach exports to achieve the greatest amount of media exposure. This platform can assist PR professionals in a number of ways, including obtaining reliable press mentions, improving search engine rankings, and constructing trustworthy backlinks. Additionally, it provides access to press opportunities that let users locate journalists and conduct media searches for keywords or categories relevant to their business.
14. NinjaOutreach
A social media search engine called NinjaOutreach enables businesses to locate influencers across a variety of social media networks. With the help of this tool, PR professionals can create influencer marketing campaigns that are successful, and it searches through millions of influencer insights to help you identify the influencers who are most suitable for your needs. This program’s features, for instance, allow you to review influencer marketing and APIs, find business profiles and emails, manage massive campaigns, and track various conversion elements.
15. ProfNet
ProfNet is a platform for public relations that links businesses and organizations with journalists to provide the journalists’ news releases with expert information. For instance, you might come across a journalist who requires a source to comment on a story. You could take advantage of this chance to boost your company’s authority in the neighborhood if it is pertinent to the story or the niche that is being targeted.
16. Mention
Mention is an additional tool that PR professionals use to keep an eye on the web, understand what their audience is saying, and manage social media accounts. You can instantly see mentions of your company or brand on social media sites and other websites thanks to this tool’s real-time tracking technology. Additionally, Mention has a competitor analysis feature that enables you to contrast the success of your PR campaign with that of your rivals.
17. DataEQ
Users of the online PR tool DataEQ can create useful and superior data from online customer communications. In order to give you a better understanding of how consumers are responding to your PR efforts, this tool organizes and analyzes the data pertaining to customer interactions. Examples of advantages this tool offers include improved regulatory reporting, risk management, and social media customer service optimization.
18. Respona
PR professionals can send personalized emails to potential clients using Respona, an all-in-one platform for building personal connections and links. As a result, you can establish connections with clients and customers and collaborate with other companies in your sector. Among Respona’s features are the capacity to connect with bloggers or influencers in your niche, the ability to build inbound links that point users to your website’s compelling content, and the ability to help consumers find accurate content information.
What are public relations tools?
Public relations tools assist businesses in connecting with customers, investors, and employees as well as tracking the success of their PR campaigns. These tools help businesses market their goods or services, and they may have an impact on their reputation and general standing. Press releases and collaboration with the media are a couple of examples of public relations tools. These resources assist businesses in luring clients and boosting overall profitability.
18 additional public relations tools
You can use the additional 18 PR tools listed below to improve the success of your PR campaign:
Please note that Indeed is not affiliated with any of the businesses mentioned in this article.
FAQ
What are the tools of public relations?
- Media relations. To control how your company is portrayed in the media, media strategies concentrate on disseminating messages through media channels.
- Advertorials. …
- Social media. …
- Newsletters. …
- Brochures and catalogues. …
- Business events. …
- Speaking engagements. …
- Sponsorships or partnerships.
What is the best PR tool?
One of the most utilized tools by PR experts is MuckRack. You can “search for journalists, monitor news, and build reports” all in one place thanks to this, which is why.
