What is public relations?
It’s a question we get asked every day. In fact, we sometimes secretly wonder if our parents really understand what it is we do.
According to the Public Relations Society of America, “Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics,” and we think that sums it up pretty well. Except PR is so much more than just writing a press release, sending it to every outlet in town and praying that someone thinks you’re cool enough to write about. The word “relations” is really important and whether it’s media relations, public relations or social relations, building relationships is the most vital part of what we do and what we can do for you. No, not everyone can do what we do. If you truly thought that, you wouldn’t have read this far.
Yes, public relations is a type of sales. We are pitching your product to reporters and journalists so they’ll talk about you, which in the end, impacts your brand awareness in the community and will eventually impact your bottom line. PR, if done right, will elevate your company’s finances.
But to take it a step further, PR is an essential tool in any brand’s briefcase. The SWPR team uses our expertise to help clients communicate their story in a unique, timely and universal way to journalists, producers and the like, with the sole purpose to generate awareness, drive action and create buzz. Our job is ultimately to connect our clients with their target audience. We build brands through integrated and strategic communications outreach.
What SWPR does really well is create relationships with the media, industry influencers, and the public. We bring our clients into the fold through meaningful conversations often over food and wine, sometimes even during yoga. We establish brands by making them relatable to people who need them, whether they know they need them or not, we share our clients journey with our media contacts and shape positive images while keeping the public informed about what they are doing now, what’s next and why it matters.
And yes, we still write press releases.