Noise, noise, noise. Noise annoys. So, is PR just noise, or is it actually business critical?
PR gets you talked about in the media. And that makes you very attractive to investors and top talent is drawn to you. It also means customers convert. And all of that combined, makes your company grow fast.
PR is seen by most as a ‘vitamin’ rather than a ‘painkiller’, a nice to have, so when budgets are tight it’s one of the first things to get cut. Which is only natural but can also be short sighted because it means you slip under the radar.
And that’s what it’s all about. Making noise, being visible. Making sure you don’t get forgotten. Because let’s face it, if you don’t talk about you, who will?
I guarantee everyone reading this has a competitor or peer that seems to be in the press all the time. And we all know how annoying that is! You know they are not doing half as well as you are and their work is lousy! So why does everyone talk about them? Why are they getting all the air-time?
Because they have a PR agency turning ‘business as usual’ — the day-to-day activity of every company — into news. Every company has news — you just need to know how to package and process it. And that’s the beauty of PR — it’s a formula and a process — and that means you can learn it. And once you have hacked PR you will reap the benefits of being talked about in the media.
Most founders, when it comes down to it, care about three things. And although PR is not one of those three things it can deliver on each one. So how does PR:
Save me money?
It’s a fraction of the cost of advertising. Advertising is expensive and people don’t fall for adverts. Earned editorial has a greater value than paid for advertising.
Save me time?
Top talent — at all career stages — wants to work with the companies that are making waves. You will save time and money on your talent pipeline if the skills you need are knocking on your door.
Make me money?
People buy from companies they trust and being written about in the media makes you credible.
Media coverage drives customer conversion rates because, when your leads research you, they read about you in media outlets that have influence. This third party endorsement reduces any anxiety they might have during the purchase cycle.
Press cuttings are a key metric for investors when they do due diligence. Money follows the media darlings of the startup scene. When a journalist writes about you, it is a powerful validation for your business and escalates the growth trajectory.
A story about you in the press gives you power and status. It is the growth hack to beat all growth hacks.
But don’t take my word for it.
“If I was down to my last dollar I would spend it on public relations.”
Bill Gates
“Publicity is absolutely critical. A good PR story is infinitely more effective than a front page ad.”
Richard Branson
“People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories and magic.”
Seth Godin
“Advertising is saying you’re good. PR is getting someone else to say you’re good.”
Jean-Louis Gassee