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Although these terms are sometimes used synonymously, they are two distinct yet complementary disciplines.
Public relations consider the bigger picture of how an organization relates and is perceived by the general public. However, media relations can be described as a company’s interactions with editors, reporters, and journalists.
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As a CMO, one may assume the “M” stands only for “marketing” and therefore thinks in terms of only driving brand awareness, sales, and revenue.
Over the years, however, marketing, advertising, public relations, and other disciplines that were once very delineated have morphed. Today’s CMOs need to have a wide range of expertise to build growth brands. Part of that expertise is the ability to create positive perceptions in the minds and hearts of not only customers and prospects but also those of the public.
A specific example of PR in context came as a result of the 2020 Black Lives Matter Movement, spurred by the death of George Floyd.
Although we don’t regularly have such monumental public relations matters to contend with, we saw this play out firsthand.
We had to have difficult conversations with our clients about topics they were not prepared to address. The above is an example of how organizations and their public perception need to be managed by a PR agency, or in partnership with Incite Creative.
The benefit of including an Incite CMO into the mix is that PR is one piece of the communications process that builds on other articles. Having a team to manage the integration of complex, multi-channel messages will help keep your brand out of the court of public opinion.
Working with the media takes skill, style, and grace. We have found that some journalists are grateful for the news we share, primarily when delivered in a format that makes their lives easier.
Others require a bit more TLC and don’t care about the complimentary content marketing initiatives you have in place and the goals you’re trying to achieve. To them, earned media is just that — you need to earn it and their respect and interest.
That’s why obtaining media coverage is so challenging. With online services like HARO and pitching tools like Cision and MuckRack, journalists and bloggers have a wealth of resources clamoring to share their expertise, insights, and ideas. It’s up to the reporter to determine what’s “hard news” versus “soft news” or not news at all.
Having a CMO like Incite Creative in your corner, we can help you navigate the deluged media outlet terrain, work every angle, and create newsworthy content that helps keep you and your brand in the spotlight. We also build and maintain relationships with journalists in specific industries that look to us to share our client’s thought leadership.
In today’s PR & media relations landscape, press releases are only part of the solution. They still have their place, but more so as it pertains to obtaining the SEO benefit and backlinks. By sharing these third party press pickups on your social media platforms, and as part of an “as seen in” strategy on your website, you do gain instant credibility. Of course, the more familiar and credible the source, the better it is for your brand.
There are some great individual resources available if you’re looking for a public relations practitioner or a media relations specialist. But if you recognize the benefit of working with a team that considers these disciplines as part of an integrated strategic communications process, give us a call.
When we engaged Incite, we needed an organized, customer-oriented marketing plan and we needed execution. They stepped right up, learned our business, and really gave form and substance to our marketing efforts. We have come not only to value and depend on Incite Creative but to really love them as part of our team. We have seen more inquiries, more traffic to our website, greater brand recognition, and really great results in building customer loyalty and retention. We really didn’t know what we were doing when we found Incite or what to expect. We are so lucky that we did find them. Dina – and everyone at Incite – has been awesome.
