PR: a trick or a treat?

Why should one invest in public relations (PR)? To build trust in the product or brand, or people. PR is all about telling a story, building the correct narrative for a company and ensuring it reaches the target audience.

Brands invest heavily in their marketing, especially in PR, to be at the forefront of their consumers' thoughts. The increased interest gained through PR will likely help attract more customers.

However, sometimes, in their reckless attempt to gain attention, brands can attract bad PR and cause lifelong damage to their brand perception and sales. Hence, it is time to bust the myth, "There's no such thing as bad publicity."

This phrase was initially quoted by P.T Barnum, a savvy publicist, who argued that when your company is in the news, whether it is positive or negative, it entices people, lures attention and is, therefore, a good thing. Maybe, it stems from Oscar Wilde's quote, "The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about."

In today's competitive digital age, brands will stop at nothing to get media recognition. But is all press really good press? There is only one answer to this question, and it is a firm and resounding 'no'.

The cost of risking your brand's reputation, be it personal or at a company level, just isn't worth the headlines, if it leads to a huge backlash. Therefore, it is imperative to ensure that you really think your PR plan through.

Too many businesses get burned by bad PR practices, many of which are due to a lack of belief in the importance of right PR and the need to invest in it. But how can one tell the difference between good and bad PR? Is it always beneficial to a business? Is this a trick or a treat?

I can cite multiple examples of billion-dollar companies’ stock prices dropping to less than 50 per cent because of a coverage debacle.

Negative PR can be destructive, irreparable, tarnishing and irreversible. A bad campaign can ruin a brand's reputation and put them years behind in what would've otherwise have been steady progressive growth. This can be extremely damaging to the brand, sales of the company and seriously harm the bottom line.

So, how do you ensure that most PR is good PR for your company? It's simple - plan right, take responsibility and act.

I strongly believe that a good media strategy must be coupled with good products and services. Otherwise, it is a waste of a good PR strategy and detrimental to the organisation's reputation.

A well-planned successful PR campaign should convey a favourable image of any organisation, even if its product appears to be useless to the customer. It positions the firm as a key player in the market. It can also persuade the customers to select one business over others. It's just as nice as getting a referral in person.

If you see some negative PR buzzing around the Internet, do something about it. Can you remedy the situation by offering a different thought? Can you change the minds of negative word of mouth? Can you offer a solution to an unhappy consumer?

You can do all of the above. The most important thing to do, however, is: take responsibility. Nobody cares if you were not at fault. If the media is building you up to be the big bad wolf, then that is what you'll be.

Hire a good PR practitioner. No, PR is not everyone's cup of tea. A good PR practitioner also holds the skills to convert the bad to good and the good to great. He/she will analyse the organisation, find the positive messages and translate those messages into positive stories. Someone who understands unpaid versus paid, earned versus purchased, credible versus sceptical.

Good PR is not only all about the launch, it is also about maintaining a steady flow of communication with media outlets and the target consumers. Thoughtful approaches to any PR campaign will always yield better results, than merely shooting from the hip, regardless of the brand or situation.

It's also crucial to remember that PR entails developing and maintaining positive relationships with everyone. Duh! It's called "PR" for a reason.

In the end, while negative PR may make people aware of your brand, but in order to generate interest or intent in your company and create advocates, the PR has to be positive. Else, it is just white noise.

The cost of risking your brand's/business's reputation isn't worth the reward of notoriety. Popularity is only valuable if it's the kind that draws people to really patronise your business.

Building your product or your business on the merit of media stunts and hoaxes, is not a sustainable recipe at all for success. Good PR, combined with a steady diet of data-driven marketing efforts, is a much more reliable way to grow your brand.

There's an old saying, "Advertising is what you pay for, publicity is what you pray for."

Arushi Awasthi is director, brand communication, Hero Vired