An interesting topic that comes up regularly in communications and marketing is whether or not a business can be too small to benefit from the services of PR agencies?
It’s a loaded question. The more accurate question should be, can my business afford the services of a PR agency? - and that’s concerning where your business is at on the scale. However, if you mean to drive your business development goals from “small” business to “fierce local competitor” to “recognizable brand,” an even better question to ask would be:
Can my business afford NOT to use a PR agency? We’re going to help you answer that question.
CAN PUBLIC RELATIONS WORK FOR YOU?
First of all, let’s understand what “public relations” means before we begin:
Public relations means the strategic communication that flows from a company to the public that is managed and promoted or curtailed so that you can cultivate a public image overall or respond to public discourse about your company or brand.
In essence, a good PR agency can give your business access to spaces and markets you could only dream about (or have to work exponentially harder on your own to access), and they can also be a valuable partner when things don’t go particularly well for your business.
They can help mitigate lousy press and provide a buffer between your company and the public and the media.
In short, yes - they can work for you. Think about it; we use professionals to manage our websites and digital presence, companies like WEBX360, so why wouldn’t you use a company to manage your public image?
LET’S DEAL WITH SOME MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT “PR” AGENCIES
The most common misconception about PR agencies is that they only work for large companies or complex organizations that meticulously manage the inward and outward flow of communications and events.
This simply isn’t the truth.
No matter what size your business is, you’re hoping that it’s not going to stay that way - right? As an entrepreneur, you’re looking for business growth and consistently managed trajectories upwards to ensure the viability of your company. This means that just about any business can benefit from some level of PR management.
UNDERSTANDING THE FUNCTION
A good PR agency will be able to guide your business through the local landscape and economy that you’re operating in. They’ll be able to set up events for you, host press releases and sales seminars or launches, and utilize their existing links within the community to create new opportunities for you with their client base.
You could be a small business that provides online marketing solutions to local bakeries and restaurants. You could be very good at what you do, sourcing new promotions, creating fantastic advertising campaigns, and operating aggressively in your local business community. Now ask yourself: imagine how much more your business could be doing if you had someone doing for you what you’re doing for your clients?
Just like you can learn how to become an entrepreneur, you can also expand your business acumen towards understanding the value of a good PR partner. Everything works together.
BRAND - COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS
One of our favorite functions of a PR agency is the invaluable connections they can provide and create between your brand and your local community. When you have your local markets down, and you’re operating at your best, that positive-pressure energy creates an energy of its own. Before you know it, your local connections are connecting you to their connections and so on.
That entire process of communications can be professionally managed by a PR agency, no matter how small your starting point is, ensuring that each stage is choreographed to perfection and professionally managed.
All in, if you’re planning on unleashing the hidden potential of your business, a PR agency could be the missing link you’ve been looking for - no matter how big or small your company is.
We hope you’ve found a base idea of what PR could do for you. If you’d like a little more technical knowledge, check out this forbes.com article here.