Running a Simultaneous PR and Ad Campaign
Multiply your brand awareness with a coordinated campaign.

By Jayne Siemens

Small business owners faced with marketing decisions inevitably want to know whether advertising or public relations is a better vehicle for building revenue for their business.
Many times there is confusion about what PR and advertising can really do for their business. And many business owners are searching for a quick, inexpensive way to meet their marketing objectives. This can spell disaster. I can’t tell you how many times PR and advertising professionals have heard, “Why can’t we just write a couple of press releases and get some quick editorial?” or “Why not just do an ad or two in a publication to get the word out?”

Each piece—public relations and advertising—has a different function.

The most successful campaigns—in terms of building revenue—are the product of a solid strategic campaign that incorporates both a public relations mechanism and an advertising initiative.

Even savvy business owners often need to be guided through the PR and advertising process by a professional. Promotion can be an expensive game, which is why it’s all the more important to have a strategy.

Business owners with a vision for their company’s future can usually see the value of talking through the value of developing a PR and advertising campaign. They understand their marketplace and their competitors well. And they put a line item for PR and advertising in their budget.

PR vs. Advertising
As mentioned, public relations and advertising have different functions.

Public relations is a way to build awareness of your product or service through the media (i.e., newspaper and magazine articles, radio and TV announcements or guest appearances). Positive PR can also take the form of sponsorships or award programs that highlight your company’s success.

PR is a very powerful tool. When used correctly, it can give your target audience an in-depth look at what your company does, what you stand for and what your product or
service is all about. It’s seen as a third-party endorsement.

An advertising campaign utilizes promotional space that you buy in print publications, billboards, radio or TV, the Internet and other outlets, including sponsorships. Advertising, too, is a powerful tool because it allows your company to develop a brand strategy that targets your particular audience and is able to convey, usually in a few words or a visual, what your product or service is. You are in total control.

Running PR and Advertising Simultaneously
When you combine the power of PR and advertising in a coordinated campaign, you can substantially increase the return on your investment.

First, your brand message will be seen in your ads and in articles at the same time, therefore multiplying the total number of times your target audience sees information about your product or service.

Second, because you’ve developed an overall, coordinated strategy, your brand messages in your press releases are the same as those in your ad campaign. They will reinforce each other.

Third, let’s face reality. If you spend advertising money with a media outlet, they will usually be more willing to promote you with editorial coverage. This is not an absolute, but it can make it easier.

Finally, a coordinated campaign gives you repetition, and repetition equals awareness. This is a rule that everyone in business needs to know. The more your brand message is in the media, the more likely your target audience will remember who you are.
    
Working With a Professional Firm
The most successful businesses enjoy the upfront strategic planning involved in developing their ad campaigns and PR initiatives. During this process, you must help your PR firm or agency understand your ultimate goals and objectives for your business. You must also be prepared to explain who your target audience is and what their buying habits are. It’s crucial for you to be clear about where your prospects and clients get their information, which cultural and civic functions they attend, and what perceptions or misconceptions about your business exist in the marketplace.

If you’ve researched your market before developing your campaign, you should be able to provide all the above information to your marketing professional. Successful research also gives you a better understanding of where to spend your company’s advertising dollars and what media you should penetrate.

Finally, make the plan. A well-devised plan leads to the launch of a well-defined PR and advertising campaign that helps you meet your revenue goals. The plan doesn’t need to be complicated. But, it does need to be a plan and it does need to be targeted. Remember, the ultimate goal is to build awareness of your brand.

Jayne Siemens is President of Venice Communications, Inc., a full-service PR and marketing communications business. She can be reached at (913) 268-0606, or at . You can also learn more about Venice Communications, Inc. by visiting www.vencomm.com.