Variety is the spice of life, or so they say. When it comes to what type of PR to focus on, a multi-faceted approach is the one we most commonly advocate. B2B or B2C publications? Local press or national outlets? Online or in print? It’s a complex and nuanced field, and putting several fingers in several pies often secures the best returns. Here at our Essex PR agency, we want to explain just why exactly such an approach can be so worthwhile.
What Is PR?
But first though, what is PR? A mystical term taken to mean everything from events management through to disaster recovery; PR (Public Relations) is an often-used word, and one which is misused even more frequently. In truth, it is a fairly large and all-encompassing field. The day-to-day of PR revolves around securing press coverage on behalf of a brand or client. This is either done in-house or by an external agency. This coverage might be in the form of articles in a magazine, podcast appearances, TV interview, the list goes on. In this piece, we’ll be looking exclusively at written PR. Even then, you’ll see just how wide-ranging it can be. At our Essex PR agency, we have experience securing coverage in all of the following for our clients:
National Press
When people think of publications, they’re typically talking about the tabloids and the broadsheets; the real heavy-hitters in terms of readership and circulation. There’s no denying that the renown and ‘clout’ that these big national publications possess is hard to beat. In the same way that a musical or film can have a ‘big name draw’, so too can having an ‘as featured in’ section on your website which includes big-name publications.
Local Press
Whilst national press is undoubtedly effective, in terms of building your business’ reputation, local press is arguably just as effective. If you’re a small to middling business, then building that local reputation isn’t something to be sniffed at. This is especially important if you’re a location-based business, i.e. you’re a particularly good Essex café, for instance. The two used in conjunction with one another, both national and local outlets, makes for a highly-effective means of getting your business recognised and trusted.
B2B Publications
Trade publications might be niche and specialised, but within those niches they’re read, valued and, most importantly, trusted. Whether you’re a fintech company, a legal firm or a wholesale pet food supplier, there are publications out there specifically tailored to your field. Securing coverage in one of these magazines or outlets, then, can help your business position itself as an industry-leader, or at least a rising star within that particular field. At our Essex PR agency, we’ve got extensive experience working with a vast number of different B2B publications, both in print and online.
B2B publications offer your business a chance to delve into its more technical elements, without fear of confusing the readers. If you’re writing an article about a business for the layperson; then you’re naturally going to keep it fairly broad in its scope, so as to be as accessible as possible. This can prevent getting into the complexities of your business. It also means you can’t show it off as fully as you might like to.
B2C Publications
Though they might not be as nuanced or targeted as B2B publications, B2C publications do have that more general, mainstream draw that can make a long-term difference in a brand’s reputation. Look at it this way, the instant a business can start getting its name into these more general publications, it’s begun to morph from a business into a brand.
Online Coverage
We live in a digital age, a world in which many of us spend as much time online and in front of a screen as we do offline. Whether you like it or not, the digital landscape is an inescapable part of modern living. The instant accessibility of online blogs, articles or thought-pieces mean that they’re an attractive alternative to lugging a damp broadsheet around in your bag on the tube.
With newspapers and magazines having online-only content these days, as well as their standard free fare, there are more opportunities than ever before to reach both wider and further. With the share feature that every online article has, you also have a far greater chance of getting knock-on readership than you would from the alternative in print, which would be word-of-mouth.
Print Coverage
There was a time around ten years ago when people thought the age of books and print media was over; the advent of the Kindle and other e-readers led people to question the need for the physical medium any more. Fortunately (as a massive lover of books) this isn’t the case, and the world of print still remains strong – albeit with a slightly diminished role when compared with, historically.
Newspapers and magazines might have transitioned towards digital-centred setups, but people still buy physical copies, and – to many – the idea of appearing in a physical medium somehow has greater heft than if a business were to get a mention online. Perhaps it’s because of the added steps gone through to reach the final printed product, we’re not sure. Whatever it is, though, the feeling of paper pages is here to stay, so your business should be making the most of it!
Contact Us
So, if you’d like to find out more about our Essex PR agency and the many different types of PR that we offer, then get in touch! Contact VerriBerri today on 01376 386 850 or by emailing us at [email protected]. Alternatively, you can click here to fill out one of our online contact forms and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can.