You need to tell the story of your business and a public relations strategy is the way to do it. Despite the rise and continuing influence of digital and social media, which is a critical part of many of today’s successful media campaigns, there is still a place and a need for good public relations. For new brands, public relations can be an important tool for building an industry presence and for established businesses, the practice can help to further their reach and reformulate the aims and targets of a new product or service.

When done successfully, good PR can help a company generate earned media placements that assist in constructing brand identity and industry equity. Importantly, this can and should increase industry presence and sales. Followers, customers and potential investors want to hear a good story, and the better the story, the better the chance it will be published. Public relations is an effective way to build a brand, communicate with a target market and attract further investment. When properly executed, PR can reap large dividends.

Some companies choose to take this on in-house, while others hire a public relations agency. Of course, before moving forward with any agency, you should consider whether your company is ready to take this step. Are the story, message and direction of your brand in place? Do you know what your unique selling point (USP) is? These are just a few of the things to consider.