PR is vital to the success of most businesses, particularly within the aesthetics industry, but, surprisingly many people do not know what it is or how it can be used effectively. What is PR? is a question we really do get asked a lot!
In order for clinics or independent practitioners to make the most of their reputation potential, it is critical to understand exactly what PR is, and how good PR translates to business success.
Simply put, PR is largely to do with the way you interact with everyone and everything that pertains to your business. This may include patients, but can also refer to your industry peers and competitors, brand representatives and manufacturers for the materials and equipment you use, and local media.
Whilst many consider PR to be mainly focused on media coverage, this is not always the case, particularly within the world of the aesthetics industry. The ultimate aim of PR should be to increase trust and understanding of your business with your target audiences. The difficulty in executing a good PR strategy comes when you consider that the effects of PR are largely down to third party endorsements; it is not about what you say about yourself, but more to do with what others say about you.
What is the difference between PR and Marketing?
The terms PR and Marketing are often used interchangeably, but despite the blurred lines between the two (and the fact they often work in tandem to achieve a similar goal) there are differences that enable PR to stand on its own as a distinct and separate industry. Marketing as a discipline is concerned with developing and building the profile of products and services to encourage a target audience to buy it. Marketing helps to place and promote products within their industries, and PR falls under the promotion bracket, which is where the confusion between the two lies.
Whilst PR, promotion, and marketing go hand in hand, PR has a far broader goal than just promoting a product or service into the marketplace. Instead, PR is more to do with developing the relationships between your brand and everyone it comes into contact with, be it existing or potential patients, the media, other brands or practitioners, and controlling the flow of information between these relationships. It is not just about increasing a profile, but about building a solid reputation with a foundation of trust and credibility in your business.
What can PR do for my business?
Now you have an understanding of what PR is, you might be wondering how this can impact your business in a positive way. Simply put, successful and well-executed PR should enable you to tackle your industry competitors. With good PR comes increased visibility and the chance to communicate more effectively with both existing and new customers. This translates into more revenue coming through the door- boosting profits, growth and opportunity for your business. In addition, a good PR strategy and strong reputation will stand you in good stead when it comes to handling crises, whether it be an industry-wide scandal or more specific to your business.
If you have any other questions about PR, what it is, and how it can be used to your business advantage, follow the link to our youtube channel, where you will find Julias latest series on common PR questions, or get in contact with us at Kendrick PR today.