Relying on a well-analyzed paid media plan or an organic social media push alone will have its limits. Amplification happens because of a thoughtful and integrated PR plan, ensuring consistent messaging gets into the hands of potential multipliers – and then nurturing those relationships for positive coverage.
The Partnership believes PR is for every brand. By having an integrated PR service, we ensure tight alignment with overarching marketing strategies. This helps extend evergreen marketing efforts and ensures consistent messaging. Our team connects beautifully crafted messaging directly to the right influencer, editor, journalist or other entity to credibly multiply the message. Furthermore, we monitor PR efforts and successes alongside other marketing metrics – providing a well-rounded ROI narrative.
Read on to learn some advantages of closely integrating PR into your marketing program and why it’s helpful to have one partner that does both:
1. Ensure consistency with your brand
Recent research from Salesforce into the state of the connected buyer worldwide shows that 75% of the audience expects consistent experiences across multiple channels, and 73% will switch brands if they don’t get it. It may seem obvious, but it is a sober reminder to ensure your marketing and PR teams are seamlessly working together.
2. Reach farther and faster into your market
When marketing and PR messages are aligned you get less friction in the market and stronger, more efficient coverage. When marketing and PR resources are working on the same team, you’ll have a level of orchestration that ensures your brand story gets into all the right hands, during the “Moments that Matter.” Our PR pros are exceptional at developing and monitoring the conversation – whether that occurs in replying to a tweet or landing a guest podcast spot – ensuring the discussion reinforces the core brand strategy.
3. Build positive brand reputation
While modern marketing is often about obtaining that right mix of paid/earned/owned media and supporting sales with lead gen and funnel velocity, PR is about developing a positive reputation for the brand, obtaining media coverage and building relationships with influential audiences who have the potential to shape the brand on your behalf. Consumers can be skeptical of brand-declared claims, so when credible voices reinforce what your brand is saying – it’s a powerful stamp of approval. Therefore, reviews are crucial. It’s not what you’re saying about yourself but what someone else is saying for you.
4. Lift ROAS farther with integrated PR
Concerned with return on your ad spend? PR helps your campaign reach more people who reach more people. This amplification of marketing efforts is best when planning is synchronized, not an afterthought. The best PR plans are developed alongside paid media plans, ensuring ad units and editorial coverage work together in a powerful way.
5. Embrace a holistic customer journey
The most effective communications reach people where and when they consume information throughout all buying stages. So, whether your message is geared toward awareness, consideration or purchase, having an always-on PR specialist on the team helps reinforce your brand messaging through all stages of the customer’s journey.
6. Give the story tellers what they want
The creator economy has resulted in one of the most dynamic times for story amplification. It’s also created a constant need for content. Publishers need your brand. Podcasters need your stories. Bloggers need references. Conferences need you to share thought leadership. Our PR pros use their technology and relational expertise to identify content providers and then enable someone else to talk about you. That satisfies their constant need for content while further amplifying your story.
7. Reach more audiences
Ad campaigns aren’t always designed for “non-buyer” audiences such as corporate partners, trade associations and employees of the brand. In fact, employees can be some of the strongest ambassadors for the brand they work with. That’s why The Partnership provides crisis communications, media and message training – ensuring employee spokespeople are 100% enabled and camera-ready to be the authority of their expertise and support the brand.
As a new business developer and marketing strategist, I love a thoughtful integrated plan that incorporates push (paid), pull (earned) and shared (owned) media – all made possible by our in-house PR talent. Where many agencies outsource this function, The Partnership nurtures this specialty skillset alongside our creative and digital disciplines.
The smartest marketers integrate PR closely into their marketing mix. If you would like to work with a partner rooted in brand marketing and emerging forms of PR and media, or you just need a better communications outcome, let’s connect!
