Why Manufacturers Should Have a PR Program

Public Relations (PR) is a strategic communication process that builds relationships with the public and organizational stakeholders. PR interprets public opinions and analyzes how it affects the company. A good PR program helps guide management through decision-making processes by considering all possible public reactions. It seeks to affect public policy by increasing the public’s awareness of an issue or situation. In short, PR shares your company’s story in a positive light.

The Impact of Press Releases

If you’re somewhat familiar with PR, you’ve probably heard about press releases, but PR is so much more than that! Manufacturers should have a public relations program to build vital relationships and gain strategic allies within their market. It could lead to strong industrial partnerships and assist with raising funds from outside investors. Following is a list of the most common types of activities a good PR program provides:

1. PR Consulting
2. Brand Awareness Consulting
3. Speaking Engagements
4. New Product Launches
5. Writing and Editing
6. Crises and Issues Management
7. Media Training
8. Thought Leadership
9. Corporate Communications
10. Social Media Management
11. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
12. Event Production

The Benefits

Manufacturing companies need to have a strong PR program to manage public opinion and provide two-way communications with its stakeholders. Whether using an in-house PR department or an outside contracted agency the benefits are endless:

1. Manufacturing PR professionals help communicate the technical aspects of a product or service to a lay audience without losing vital information.
2. New product introductions are made easier by a good PR campaign.
3. PR provides uniform branding across the company product line.
4. Marketing dollars are limited and exhibiting at trade shows is expensive. PR targets the right shows to attend addressing your niche market in an economical way.
5. It increases industrial credibility by writing technical white papers to position your company as an expert in the field Your company will be perceived as a thought leader.
6. PR helps maintains a positive reputation through promotion and dispels any distrust or confusion.
7. It fosters a good reputation with public officials and policy makers, which is critical in the manufacturing arena.
8. PR professionals seek to manage public perception and expectations by creating persuasive content to help businesses reach their goals.
9. Crisis and issues management are made easier by a well-oiled PR program.
10. Job applicants find your company and the talent pool of applicants expands.
11. Search engine optimization occurs because frequent news about your company drives it to the top of individual searches.
12. A good PR campaign provides speaking engagements and event possibilities for your company. These are important because market awareness of your company increases, as well as the possibility of direct sales occurring at these events.

Public Relations 101

At its most basic format, the progress begins with the identification of a problem or a challenge. Once an issue is clearly defined, goals must be established and an actionable plan developed to meet those goals. Once the plan is implemented, diligent monitoring is required to ensure stated goals are met and expected outcomes are reached. If stated goals are not being achieved adjustments must be made to the plan and implementation process.

A strong public relations campaign reaches a large number of people in a cost-effective way. It stimulates demand for your goods and products while creating a strong brand image. It provides an advantage over your competitors that are not using this powerful tool!

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