What If I Don’t Launch A PR Campaign?
Think of Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, Dr. Andrew Weil, and Oprah Winfrey. Now think of where they’d be if they’d never been featured in the media; not one magazine article, not a mention in the newspaper, not one TV appearance – no media coverage whatsoever. Granted it could turn out that they’d still be quite successful, but they certainly wouldn’t be the larger-than-life, leaders in their fields, mega successes that we know now.
Most people weigh whether they should launch a public relations campaign. Will it be effective? Will it be too costly? How long will it take? All of these are important questions. But what people generally fail to ask themselves is: “What will happen if I don’t lunch a PR campaign for myself or my business?”
It’s difficult to know what we’ve missed if we haven’t tried something. What we can do is look at those companies who have used PR and see how they’ve benefitted. My guess is you will not find a successful company with a well established brand that has not utilized PR. Media relations is the most important brand-building tool available. Think of the companies and experts that have been launched by having been featured in Time, CNN, the Today Show, the Wall Street Journal or the New York Times.
Even when it comes to the Internet and social media, the best known sites skyrocketed after being featured in the mainstream media. Without public relations, these companies would most likely have reached a certain level of success, but they would have missed out on the validation and credibility that comes with being featured in the news. They also would have missed the exposure to thousand and even millions of potential clients and customers via media coverage. Media begets media, so, the more coverage you get 0the more coverage you get.
So, give some thought not simply to what will happen if you launch a PR campaign, but to what won’t happen if you don’t, then ask yourself is missing out on those opportunities is worth it.
