The Public Relations Blog

Understanding the difference between “Buy my product” and “This company has a great product that you should try”

Most businesses are aware that they need promotion to tell their story and attract customers. Some believe that the best method is advertising and others put more effort into PR and press releases.

Many companies mistakenly believe that the two terms are basically the same thing and can be used interchangeably. However, advertising and press releases affect your customers in distinct ways and at different points on the buyer’s journey. Understanding the benefits and differences could help you to better influence prospects and increase sales.

Let PR illustrate the importance of – and help you prepare for – CES and any tradeshow

Before launching a new product, do you wish you could try it out on a smaller, more targeted group to gauge responses and gather feedback? Similarly, when you have a big announcement, it might be beneficial to roll it out slowly, starting with those who would be the most interested.

Many companies are utilizing the power of tradeshows, like the 2015 International CES, hosted by the Consumer Electronics Association in Las Vegas this week.

By Jonathan Bernstein and Jason Mudd, APR

Current events demonstrate that a crisis can strike a company at any time. It's a matter of when, not if. Don’t think that it can’t happen to you. 

Natural and man-made disasters happen all the time and often without notice. No one knows when or if events like the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, SARS, anthrax, or a tornado may occur. In these times, every business must be prepared. Otherwise, you risk the possibility that the media will drag your company through the wringer and allow the public to judge you by scandalous front-page headlines.

How you can use these recent PR crises to your company’s advantage

In the last couple of months, there have been numerous high-profile crises all over the news. An unexpected crisis can happen to any company at any time. How you handle it can either make or break the reputation you’ve worked so hard to build.

Consumers choose your brand based on their perceptions of your company. Get familiar with these case study stories to minimize the chances of your company and its good name being ruined in the event of a major (or minor) calamity.

Get maximum effect from your press releases by hiring a PR firm

All writing is not created equal. Even if you’re accustomed to writing articles for your newsletter, copy for your website or information for your annual report, it’s not the same as writing press releases for the media.

Many companies make the mistake of selecting any employee who can write to handle their press releases. Think of it this way: Even the country’s best-selling authors hire PR professionals to write their press releases and other promotional materials for them. It may be something you should consider, as well. 

While the tumultuous Sony waters continue to swirl, public relations professionals stand on the shore, attempting to discern how a behemoth corporation like Sony could have allowed so many PR flubs to occur – seemingly overnight. The most obvious question is whether or not Sony Pictures is so full of its arrogant Hollywood ego that it believes itself safe from attack and its employees absolutely protected from public scrutiny.

With the landscape of communications becoming more focused on social media and less on traditional media disciplines, there is little doubt that the future of public relations will continue to transform and evolve. Axia PR put together a list of its top predictions for the direction public relations will take in 2015.

Axia Public Relations Offers Four Guidelines

When consumers complain on social media, should a company apologize or seek a different solution instead? In an era of highly social, media-driven communication, it seems like every organization is on high alert in preparation for the uncomfortable, dissatisfied vocal minority. But the thing is, you just can't please everyone. Companies recognize that social media opens up a virtual world in which anyone can speak his or her mind — and do so anonymously. That creates fear that often drives the urge for organizations to apologize, sometimes when it isn't really warranted.

No business wants to deal with a PR crisis. In today’s instant-news world, a mistake or blunder can swiftly tarnish a hard-earned, respected reputation. In 2014, there was no shortage of PR gaffes, and most were avoidable. Axia Public Relations developed a list of the top 2014 preventable PR disasters that prove that even the largest, most well known corporations are not goof-proof.

A common theme in this year’s list of major PR goofs is the mishandling of social media. Three major players: DiGiorno, a subsidiary of Nestlé, Oreo, owned by Nabisco, and transportation leader DHL all bungled their use of social networking service Twitter in 2014. By using less-than-savvy tactics and little forethought, all three corporations outraged consumers with insensitive and outrageous tweets. The takeaway: Because of the instantaneous and widespread nature of social media, it is critical that companies use extreme care when posting to social media outlets.

Let PR help you lay a foundation for this crucial enterprise

Take a moment to think about the products and services you love. Now, ask yourself why you love them, why you’re loyal to them and what you know about them.

Most likely, the names that came to mind are those you’ve used for a long time, that have a good track record for customer service and that add something to your life. All of these things are related to branding, and those companies have worked hard to develop a positive perception of their products for target audiences. You can do the same for your company if you know and understand the principles of branding.