“Why do we need to invest in public relations?” a tech company asked me recently.
Well, you DON’T need to.
You can let your competition invest in PR.
And let them get ALL the attention.
Let your competitors brand themselves as the go-to source expert in your industry vertical. Let them get quoted in the trade magazines. Give them all the podcast interviews. Let them be invited to speak at your industry’s conferences.
And let your potential customers who read those trade magazines, and who listen to those podcasts, and who attend those conferences — become your competitor’s customers.
You OK with that?
Embrace the Power of PR
It’s easy to ignore the value of PR when you don’t understand the power of PR.
But I get that. I would have never tried mushroom soup as a kid.
But now I appreciate it.
PR suddenly becomes delicious when you learn of and experience the myriad of benefits it can bring your organization.
Here are a dozen benefits off the top of my head:
- Raises brand awareness.
- Builds relationships.
- Preserves your reputation.
- Strengthens corporate culture.
- Creates employee ambassadors.
- Creates customer evangelists.
- Secures press coverage.
- Wins industry awards.
- Books speaking engagements.
- Nurtures investor relations.
- Assures consistency in all your communications.
- Gives you a competitive advantage.
How do I feel when you choose PR silence? Like this…
The Sound of PR Silence
(inspired by 1964’s “The Sound of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel)
Don’t need PR, I’m okay,
Don’t have anything to say.
I’ve got marketing, and that’s enough —
Brand awareness? It’s just corporate fluff.
My competitors keep showing up online,
And that’s fine.
I’ll keep the sound of PR silence.
Hello blindness, my best friend,
I’ve come to lose my leads again.
Because my name was softly fading,
While others’ stories kept parading.
And the posts that once had echoed with my brand,
Slipped through my hand,
Lost in the sound of PR silence.
In restless dreams I scroll alone,
Through the feed on my iPhone.
‘Neath the glare of glowing screens,
I see my rivals in the memes.
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a trending brand,
So well planned,
I’m crushed by my PR silence.
And in that viral light I saw,
Ten thousand clicks —what a draw.
People talking, brands engaging,
Thought leaders on stages raging.
Stories shared where my company had no place,
No trace —
Just echoes in the PR silence.
And the people scrolled and praised,
Competitors newly raised.
And the data flashed its warning,
On the dashboards of the morning:
“The cost of silence grows when your story’s left untold —
Be bold.”
And break the sound of PR silence.
The 3 Big Takeaways
- PR is the engine behind effective communications.
- The sound of PR silence is brand-killing.
- If you don’t invest in PR, your competitors will — and you’ll lose a competitive advantage.
Not sure if PR is for you? Then we better have a little chat. Schedule time with me here.
Stay authentic — and engaged in ALL communication channels!
Jeffery E. Pizzino, APR (seen here in a vintage photo circa 1983 serendipitously doing a Clash impersonation in a since-forgotten location) is a spin-free public relations pro who is passionate about telling the why of your story with clarity, impact and authenticity. He began his PR career in 1987 at Ketchum Public Relations in New York City but has spent the majority of his career as a solopreneur. He’s the Chief Authentic Officer of the Johnson City, TN-based public relations firm, AuthenticityPR. He also functions as the fractional CCO for technology startup Converus.
Jeff has an MBA in Management from Western International University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications — with an emphasis in PR — from Brigham Young University (rise and shout!). He’s a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but also holds an Italian citizenship. Jeff and his storyteller wife Leticia have four children and four grandchildren. In his extremely limited nonwork hours, he studies italiano, practices guitar, write songs, gardens, disc golfs, reads, listens to New Wave music, serves in his church, watches BYU football, and plays Dominion and Seven Wonders. Email Jeff.
