Why PR? - Galvin Communications

When was the last time you purchased something because of a paid advertisement? In contrast, can you recall picking a movie, choosing a restaurant, or buying a consumer product because you read a favorable review? Honestly answering those two questions gives you an idea of the power of public relations over advertising.

Today's average consumer is drowning in a flood of advertising that costs companies more than $200 billion/year or about $720 per American. The typical American is barraged with over 10,000 commercials a week through radio, television, direct mail, telemarketing, newspapers, magazines, billboards, and the Internet.

To break through this clutter, many advertisers have reverted to desperate attention-grabbing measures such as shooting gerbils through cannons (the now defunct Outpost.com) or equally annoying tactics such as cranking the volume higher on television commercials. It's no wonder that people are retreating in unprecedented numbers to commercial free cable television like HBO and Showtime, and using video recording systems that allow skipping through commercials. A University of Illinois survey found that 47% of all Americans said that most advertising insults their intelligence and 52% of Americans said that they think advertisements generally cannot be trusted.

Does this mean that advertising has no role in the marketing mix? Of course not. But it needs outside validation to be credible, and that's where public relations plays a role. People are much more likely to accept as true what appears in the press as news than to believe paid advertisements.

In summary, a proactive public relations campaign will:

Generate traffic and sales that boost your company's bottom line. Because the cost of PR is relatively low, almost no other form of marketing can generate such a rapid return on investment.
Pre-sell potential customers on the uniqueness of your company's products or services, thereby increasing the likelihood they will arrive as educated customers ready to buy.
Make current customers more loyal. When they see PR pieces about your company, they are more likely to come back or refer their friends.
Give your company valuable third-party accreditation that can be posted on your web site, framed inside your store window, and mailed to current and prospective customers.
Improve your company's public goodwill, thus boosting the overall value of the company.