PR & Communications Opinion South Africa

The PR industry is the most fortunate in today's world

The greatest advantage public relations has in the entire marketing and advertising ecosystem is that the majority of our clients are finding it hard to spend their budgets on billboards and TV ads. In fact, it has been proven to be a very costly exercise that might not yield good results, if not done right. But how do you get the necessary reach and engagement with your product or service at a cost-effective price and have a much better impact of engagement? The answer is PR.

PR is such a powerful tool, and the impact is massive. Like all marketing efforts, the main aim is to win friends, build influencers, persuade the purchasing decision and build a brand, credible enough to sustain itself.

Improving business profile

Apart from calculating AVE and giving clients a figurative value as part of ROI, public relations actually improve your business profile, SEO and improves your credibility. If done properly, it can be a cost-effective way to get your message to a large audience and to an audience that wants your content. Each brand has an image of their own and the mirror is the general public - not the budgets you spend on boosted posts and the subsequent DPS in a trade magazine but how the public is reacting to your messages.

Why do we say that the PR industry is fortunate? Because PR professionals are trained to adapt, understand and immerse themselves in either their brand’s value systems or the lead advertising or marketing agencies agenda - making them able to deliver activities far beyond their expectations; also build a network of influencers, extended reach and most importantly, cost-effectiveness. PR is your economical way to reach your desired audience, affordably.

PR is not free

The greatness of all is how PR strengthens communities and forces corporates to give back by making new connections and building relationships with the local market. The market that actually cares about your brand and has been using your brand for generations on end.

One thing for sure is that PR is not free. The running around and trying to secure those editorial opportunities, meet n greets with potential stakeholders and building a network of journalists aligned with your brand requires time and effort. It also may seem labour intensive but if your business does it right, it will help your company look more likeable, influential and successful.

About Gee Motsepe

Reamogetse Motsepe, better known as Gee. Gee's career spanned across the scenes of traditional and digital playgrounds of the public relations industry. Not only did his career kick-start a couple of years back, however, he's invested so much time and energy in learning, exploring and establishing relationships in the industry that has contributed to the success of his career.
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