www.ceotodaymagazine.com EXECUTIVE INSIGHT 46 Liz Ivens Journalist and Public Relations Consultant All publicity is good publicity, right? Rarely. The media—whether print, broadcast, online or social—is the most effective medium for raising the awareness of a business or brand. And using the oxygen of publicity through PR media coverage is one of the smartest ways to do this. But for your brand to truly engage with its customers, you need to have a powerful narrative. You need to tell a story. It’s crucial you know how to communicate that story in the first place. If you don’t, someone will tell it for you — and it may not be in the way you want. Indeed, get it wrong and it can be catastrophic. What is ‘PR’? In a nutshell, public relations coverage is ‘earned media’— in other words, content that appears in print, online or in the broadcast media, which is there because an editor or journalist believes it is of genuine interest to their audience. It has earned its place to be there. It has what journalists call a ‘news hook’—whether that is a new ground-breaking product, some interesting research, or perhaps a powerful human interest story. Whilst done in the right way it may have the ability to create a visible and instant impact, more often PR is about building a narrative and the credibility of a brand over the long term to solidify your company legend and create a lasting legacy of trust. The right fit So how do you approach PR and decide on the best strategy? Firstly, you need to ask yourself why you need PR coverage. What are your objectives? Do you want to attract new consumers to drive sales? Maybe you are looking for investment and you need more visibility in the business media? Or perhaps you’re simply looking to raise the credibility and ‘talkability’ of your company? After all, the perception of a thriving, innovative brand being talked about in a positive way can create an infectious energy and a buzz that in turn drives growth. HARNESSING THE POWER OF MEDIA AND PR TO PROMOTE YOUR BRAND
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