subject: Public Relations vs Marketing Agencies – What's the difference? [print this page] Public Relations vs Marketing Agencies What's the difference?
When you talk about marketing and public relations it is understandable to think you're talking about the same thing. However, the two are very different. Marketing is the management process that's responsible for the satisfaction of the customer through sales, and Public Relations (PR) is concerned with building and maintaining public image.
If you hire a marketing agency, their function is to deal with the selling part of your business and you or someone from your company will handle the public relations. A public relations strategy for your business adds value to an organization by promoting and branding your business to the public.
What you need to consider is the benefits in hiring a between a marketing agency or a public relations firm is where your business needs improvement and your budget. You should also take into consideration that a firm who is an expert in marketing is not necessarily versed in public relations but a public relations agency, does know how the market.
When you want to hire public relations firm in Sydney you might have a hard time, not finding, but choosing one. There are many public relations agencies that do a lot of good work, but there is always one or two who could take you for a ride. The important thing is making sure the firm you are going to work with are members of the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA), check their portfolios and do your research.
Making pubic relations and marketing aspects come together relies on you having your goals and plans in place. Don't leave everything for them to take care of, make sure you're part of the process. These are some things you should keep track on:
Product: are your goods or services properly designed and developed? Branded and packaged?
Place or distribution: where is your product or service offered for sale? How does it move from production to sale location to consumer?
Price: What is it costing you and how much are you selling it for?
Promotion: how do your consumers know about you? Is it advertising? Sales promotions? Direct marketing? Personal marketing? What are you doing to get your message across?
Competition: who are your competitors and what's your advantage over them? Is there something they're doing that you aren't?
Value: what is the value of your product or service to the consumer? Are they getting what they paid for?
Consumer: who is going to buy from you?
Branding: how are you branding yourself?
Remember, that in the end it is your business and your reputation at stake here, always be in control of your business, aware of your competition and know the direction that you want to take you business. Don't let the decision of you business future come down to affordability. If you want the best then you have to pay for the best and a competent public relations firm will take care of all your needs to move your business forward.
