At Osborn Communications we don’t often have to convince our clients that they need a public relations (PR) agency, as they already understand the benefits.
But if your business isn’t working with an agency and has no internal colleagues dedicated to PR or communications, should it be?
People who are unfamiliar with what a PR agency has to offer sometimes don’t realise that they are missing out on anything until it is too late, writes Osborn communications specialist Rachel Adams.
It can, for example, take an unforeseen event that generates negative publicity to highlight the lack of necessary PR skills in an organisation.
Determining whether your business needs a PR agency involves assessing various aspects of your current operations and goals.
Here are five signs that it might be time to engage PR professionals:
Limited brand awareness
If your target audience is unfamiliar with your brand, or if your business has been operating for years without significant local recognition, a PR agency can help elevate your profile. They can issue press releases and media invites to connect your brand with media outlets, ensuring your marketing and content efforts receive the attention they deserve.
Likewise, if your business growth has plateaued, it may be due to insufficient public engagement or visibility. A PR agency can develop and execute strategies to boost brand awareness, attract new customers and re-engage existing ones, helping to revitalise your growth trajectory.
Inconsistent or disjointed messaging
Are your press releases saying one thing and your customer communications another? A lack of cohesion in your brand’s messaging across different platforms can confuse your audience and dilute your brand identity.
PR professionals can refine your voice, align your communications and ensure consistency across all channels, enhancing credibility and trustworthiness.
Inadequate internal resources or expertise
Managing PR effectively requires time, experience and industry connections. If your team is overextended or lacks the necessary PR skills, hiring an agency can provide the expertise and dedicated focus needed to manage your public image and media relations successfully.
Some organisations make the mistake of thinking that anyone can write a press release, but journalists will not tend to publish news articles unless they are written in a specific style and format, which experienced PR professionals can help you achieve.
If you have tried to gain press coverage but have been unsuccessful, a PR agency can help ask the right questions to identify the issue. Is your content newsworthy enough? Are you sending it out to the media in a format they can use? Are you targeting the right media outlets for your business?
Upcoming major initiatives without a promotional strategy
Planning significant events such as product launches, market expansions, anniversaries or company rebrands without a clear promotional strategy can lead to underwhelming results. PR agencies specialise in ensuring that such initiatives reach and resonate with the intended audience.
Agencies often specialise in a particular industry or geographical region, so you will often find one that specialises in your market and can provide you with the strategic direction you need to enhance public perception.
You fear what might happen in a crisis
Do you have a plan in place for your business in the event of negative publicity or unforeseen events? If not, it might be worth seeking expert advice. PR professionals can help you develop and implement strategies to mitigate damage, manage the narrative and restore public trust in difficult situations.
Saying the wrong thing in a press statement can escalate a situation from bad to worse and cost your company its reputation, so in the long run hiring a PR expert can be a cost-effective decision and save your own team a lot of stress.
Time is of the essence in a crisis, so it is safer to call in a PR agency ahead of a disaster than after it has happened.
If you have been trying to raise your profile without much success, it might be time to call in the experts for a second opinion.
A PR agency can provide advice and suggestions and help you generate new ideas that you might not have thought of.
If you’d like support with building or improving your company’s reputation, we can help. Osborn’s clients benefit from our years of experience generating positive content for different audiences. Drop us a line to book in a chat.