Public relations (PR) is an important part of the marketing mix, surprisingly, many people do not know what PR is. Many PR owners spend most of their time explaining that they do not buy advertising space. According to Forbes, PR firms promote their products, businesses, and services. PR relies on media outlets and journalists to share the information the PR firm provides to get in front of their target audience.
PR professionals are storytellers. They create press releases and other communications to protect, enhance and build reputations through media outlets, social media, and self-produced communications.
Public relations professionals have a wide range of tools that help them do their jobs:
- Write and distribute press releases to media outlets
- Draft speeches
- Draft pitches and send them to media
- Develop and execute special events
- Conduct market research
- Write blogs and social media articles
- Crisis PR strategies
Many public relations firms have an area of focus; some specialize in sports, fashion, and beauty, and even the medical and healthcare industries have agencies that focus on their niche businesses.
A recent article in Entrepreneur Magazine stated that “niche and specialized PR will gain in popularity.” More companies are choosing PR agencies based on their specialization.
Choosing a PR Agency that Can Fulfill All Your PR Needs:
When you decide to move forward with a PR plan, you need to find one that has experience working with your target audience. in many instances the business needs local representation. For example if you are in Washington state, you may look for a PR agency Portland based to reach those consumers.
Many PR agencies specialize in for-profit or not-for-profit, business-to-business, and consumer-outreach programs. Some work with niche businesses such as healthcare and medical, technology, consumer luxury goods, etc. So, working with a company that already knows your marketplace is a good place to start.
Look for a PR agency that has a well-rounded, talented team that develops communications that resonate with their audience to create increased awareness and positive bottom-line sales.
If you have a medical product or service, you should look for healthcare pr agency Portland and beyond to make sure they know not only the local environment but the industry. Here are some other specialized services that some firms offer to companies in the medical/healthcare field, as an example.
- Private Group Practices
- Long-Term Care Facilities
- Hospitals & Hospital Districts
- Home Health Organizations
- Commercial Health Plans
- Government-Sponsored Health Plans
- Medical Device Companies
- Biotech / Biologics Organizations
- Traditional Pharmaceutical Organizations & Compound Pharmacies
- Digital Health Organizations: Wearables, MHealth, & Telehealth
Special Services:
One of the most common reasons that companies work with public relations firms is to elevate awareness. However, it may have specific needs. Perhaps there has been negative information about a company and their products, in which case you may need crisis communications to regain a positive image of their company. Special areas of services include:
- Corporate reputation
- Media relations
- Crisis communications
- Speaker’s bureau and industry recognition
Public relations can play a critical role in moving the needle forward in sales and positive bottom-line result
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