What is a PR firm?

39571070_s You wouldn't be human if you didn't register that all-too-human emotion: envy. And it wouldn't be unusual to feel professional envy over seeing a competitor in the news – once again.

With a product or service similar to your own, this competitor seems to have a knack for generating attention and grabbing headlines – sometimes capitalizing on the opportunity to merely comment or supply a rebuttal on some newsworthy event or crisis. You suspect, and with good reason, that one comment can trigger a cycle in which this competitor breeds a media following that could eventually lead to media dominance – and, worse of all, eventually be regarded as a go-to industry expert.

You wouldn't have reached a top, decision-making position in your company without this competitive envy nagging at you, followed by a fundamental question: What skill, insight or advantage does this competitor possess that you do not?

Understand the true role of a PR firm

The solution, in all its simplicity, is that your competitor has learned the correct answer to the question: What is a PR firm?

A PR firm is your very best advocate in all matters relating to your company.

More than a spokesperson (although that is certainly part of the job description), a public relations firm is a seamless adjunct to your company, working closely with upper-level executives like yourself, staying fully informed of changes and developments, engaging with people on all levels of your company and relentlessly combing the terrain for story opportunities.

In fact, you could say that a public relations firm tells the story of your company, serving as its behind-the-scenes narrator. And in case you're like many executives who worry that very little happens at their businesses day to day that is newsworthy, accomplished PR professionals know exactly what to look for and will educate you about the opportunities, which arise each time you:

Improve a product or service.
Develop a new product or service.
Wish to boast about the success of a product or service (in PR circles, it's known as “burnishing your image”).
Win an award or nab a distinction (which the best PR professionals can help you identify and pursue).
Add a talented professional to your executive team.
Create a link to the community through donations, contributions or involvement.
Make an appearance at a prominent industry event or conference – a virtual PR goldmine, teeming with media opportunities.
Feel compelled to comment, in an authoritative manner, on a newsworthy industry event.
Shrewdly decide to position yourself as the voice of reason about an industry controversy.

No decision-maker ever possesses all the answers; discovering them is part of the professional journey. But now that you know what a PR firm is, you might be wondering which PR firm can become your best advocate. The answer: Axia Public Relations. We can develop positive news coverage for your company, elevate your brand’s visibility and develop trust and loyalty among your customers and industry. Download a copy of our guide, Maximizing Your Public Relations Investment, to learn more about how PR can increase your positive media coverage – as well as your profits.

With Axia at your side, your former sense of professional envy will be subjugated by a sense of professional pride, as it should be.