What the hell is PR?

It seems strange that in a world where building relationships and raising awareness about your brand is becoming increasingly important, I’m finding that a whole lot of people aren’t really sure what public relations (PR) is.

Allow me to be your guide if you’re just learning about the world of PR.

Let me first clarify that PR is not the same thing as marketing. When I get asked what my major in college was and I answer “Public Relations”. I usually get a confused look. I then tell the person that PR falls under the Mass Comm umbrella, to which I usually get one of two responses: “OH! So you can be one of the girls on the news?” or “Oh, so you do marketing?”

The answer to both is no. I mean, yes I could be on the news. I have been on the news, but I’m not a reporter.

Public Relations isn’t so easily defined because it’s kind of broad and super versatile, which is the whole reason I majored in it in the first place. Nobody tryna do the same thing their whole life! (I’m not for damn sure.) In a nutshell, PR is the cultivation of a positive relationship/reputation with your target audience through various means of communication (earned or paid media). This can be through social media, traditional media or in-person engagements. PR helps to build a relationship that is mutually beneficial between your brand and your audience.

PR professionals are storytellers. We craft positive and compelling ways to connect you to the right people. The thing is that, while marketing is targeting paying customers, PR targets everyone. PR aims to spread awareness using tactics that you don’t necessarily have to pay for.

Marketing, however, you pay for. Sometimes you’ll pay a lot for marketing. Think of how much money these brands spend on that teeny 30-second slot during the Superbowl commercials. Marketing is guaranteed.

Marketing is more focused on promoting and selling a product.

PR can be more beneficial but it can be tricky to get a placement in the exact spot you want it. Some are under the impression that you can send one email and instantly get a placement in a big name magazine, but that is far from the truth. PR takes a lot of WERK. It takes a lot of attention to detail too!

Long story short, PR won’t necessarily directly correlate to immediate sales but what it can do for you is to help craft brand identity and awareness. It can increase your presence in the industry which can eventually lead to more sales. It’s more than just sales, it can help you reap so many benefits.

If you are ever curious about PR and what it can do for you, feel free to schedule a consultation today at blackmambacreative.com.