1. My business isn't
big enough to invest in communications
Every business
nowadays must have a communications strategy. How else do you expect to
grow? In this digital age it doesn't need to cost much. For a
perspective of modern communications, good and bad, click here.
2. My business is
doing fine without a PR strategy
Well good for you! But can you confidently state that you will keep the same clients for the rest of your working life? What if one of your competitors moves on? What if they are taken over by a larger company that sources elsewhere? Don’t be complacent. PR is about brand management, building reputation and connecting brands to customers and other stakeholders.
Well good for you! But can you confidently state that you will keep the same clients for the rest of your working life? What if one of your competitors moves on? What if they are taken over by a larger company that sources elsewhere? Don’t be complacent. PR is about brand management, building reputation and connecting brands to customers and other stakeholders.
3. My target market
is older, so social media would be a waste of time
Are you kidding me? Everyone and their dog has a social media site these days. Get online, get your ideas across and grow your audience; I can guarantee your messages will reach the correct public one way or another. Key to success is having a joined-up strategy and recognising that specifiers are increasingly looking for suppliers with PR and social media presence.
Are you kidding me? Everyone and their dog has a social media site these days. Get online, get your ideas across and grow your audience; I can guarantee your messages will reach the correct public one way or another. Key to success is having a joined-up strategy and recognising that specifiers are increasingly looking for suppliers with PR and social media presence.
4. Our marketing is
mainly advertising and we have a good website
Great, but don’t stop there, because directing potential customers to your website is now the next stop… no? Don’t be shy to blog and link pictures, quotes or research to your site. Up that traffic to up your visibility. Think about Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook or at the very least LinkedIn. It's about creating a buzz around your brand - and the simple fact is that a communications strategy, reflecting corporate and commercial objectives, is usually the least expensive part of the marketing mix.
Great, but don’t stop there, because directing potential customers to your website is now the next stop… no? Don’t be shy to blog and link pictures, quotes or research to your site. Up that traffic to up your visibility. Think about Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook or at the very least LinkedIn. It's about creating a buzz around your brand - and the simple fact is that a communications strategy, reflecting corporate and commercial objectives, is usually the least expensive part of the marketing mix.
5. I'm a
lawyer/architect/plumber etc and not a marketer
OK, don’t panic. PR, both traditional and digital, is a skill which some have and others don't. However, just like you would use an accountant to do your taxes, why not use DavidGray PR to market your business. We are digital and traditional professionals after all.
OK, don’t panic. PR, both traditional and digital, is a skill which some have and others don't. However, just like you would use an accountant to do your taxes, why not use DavidGray PR to market your business. We are digital and traditional professionals after all.
6. I'm too busy to
think about PR
Communications is a must in this digital, interactive world. You cannot brush it aside like the cleaning (not that we're suggesting that you do). Make time or, if you would like a professional solution, outsource to an agency.
Communications is a must in this digital, interactive world. You cannot brush it aside like the cleaning (not that we're suggesting that you do). Make time or, if you would like a professional solution, outsource to an agency.
7. I'm a smaller
business and can't afford PR
Yes you can. Communications is an investment, not an expense. Go about it in the correct fashion and see a return. After all, PR is about putting your brand in front of potential customers, creating engagement - and delivering a return on investment.
Yes you can. Communications is an investment, not an expense. Go about it in the correct fashion and see a return. After all, PR is about putting your brand in front of potential customers, creating engagement - and delivering a return on investment.
8. I have a sales and
marketing team that handles PR
Great, sales are vital to business. But effective communications is a strategic and vital component of most businesses that thrive. Why not expand your PR effort to support your sales and marketing strategies. (Important: get your sales and marketing teams to work together, with PR as the glue).
Great, sales are vital to business. But effective communications is a strategic and vital component of most businesses that thrive. Why not expand your PR effort to support your sales and marketing strategies. (Important: get your sales and marketing teams to work together, with PR as the glue).
9. Facebook
advertising may increase ‘likes’ but not customers
Facebook is a tool to build loyalty to your brand or product. Facebook advertising is a great way to increase your ‘likes’ and therefore increase customer engagement. A larger customer base with a connection to a brand will see them more inclined to invest. But what's needed is a PR strategy across all platforms, including the dead trees and ink media.
Facebook is a tool to build loyalty to your brand or product. Facebook advertising is a great way to increase your ‘likes’ and therefore increase customer engagement. A larger customer base with a connection to a brand will see them more inclined to invest. But what's needed is a PR strategy across all platforms, including the dead trees and ink media.
10. It isn't worth the
effort if it doesn't go viral
Okay, you want to do something visual and we've all seen the Cadbury’s gorilla advert, the Heineken entrance or the Coca-Cola happiness machine. These are all huge campaigns with millions of views. However, although they were highly successful, they cost a lot of money - and your brand may not be in that FMCG league. In any case, social media marketing is not about a one hit wonder. It is about adding value and context over a period of time and, like everything else, having realistic expectations and objectives.
Okay, you want to do something visual and we've all seen the Cadbury’s gorilla advert, the Heineken entrance or the Coca-Cola happiness machine. These are all huge campaigns with millions of views. However, although they were highly successful, they cost a lot of money - and your brand may not be in that FMCG league. In any case, social media marketing is not about a one hit wonder. It is about adding value and context over a period of time and, like everything else, having realistic expectations and objectives.
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