What are the most common PR misconceptions, and how can you overcome them?

PR is not about promoting a company, brand, or product (that's advertising.) It is about delivering newsworthy content that the audience will find valuable. Attention, a favorable impression, and increased awareness are byproducts for the company, brand, or product. Newsworthy means current and interesting, and it is often tied to an event - ex. a business expansion that employs more people, a new product introduction that helps a group of people, or an announcement that might mean more business for a community.

Ah, a great question, Bestie! Here are some common PR misconceptions based on the provided context: Public relations is about hype or exaggeration: No, not at all. The reality is public relations requires truth as its foundation, along with verifiable performance, and an emphasis on accuracy and context. Public relations is secretive: Again, this is a misconception. In reality, PR works best transparently in the light of day, often working closely with journalists and others to ensure accurate communication. Now, how to overcome these misconceptions? Always work with transparency. Show your stakeholders and the public that your PR efforts are rooted in truth and accuracy.

One of the most common misconceptions about PR is that it's about spin, lies, and fabrication, which is completely false. The irony is that this misconception comes from people who, if faced with the opportunity, would absolutely spin, lie, and fabricate whatever they felt would help them. In other words, it's all projection. In reality, PR is about clearly communication what your brand stands for and does to the media and the public. It's as simple as that.

As relações públicas têm que estabelecer o princípio da identidade das marcas e instituições. Fazer relações públicas, é comunicar com clareza e objetividade junto da opinião pública, só desta forma os diferentes públicos se tornam fiéis companheiros das instituições.

Always top of the charts..PR professionals are seen as spin doctors and not as those who build and safeguard reputation of a brand. To overcome this, it's important to outline the importance or reputation building and the widespread impact it can have on the overall equity of the brand. Also, it's important to highlight how this helps to build trust across a wide range of stakeholders

PR is very different from Marketing and Advertising- its not limited to building or promoting a product or service. Instead, it works on a much higher level- on building image and reputation of a brand. This is synonymous to building a strong foundation for a huge architectural marvel. It's important to leverage earned and owned Media to drive the right narrative for the brand.

A good way to think of PR is organic, it's not always paid and it's not always to "gain" something. There should be no expectation of lead generation, PR is "top of the funnel". PR should be seen as a way to inform and share information in an organic, non-sales way.

Why did the PR person and the marketer start a band? The marketer played loud, catchy tunes to make the crowd roar, while the PR person made sure everyone was talking about how amazing the concert was afterward! Jokes aside, PR and marketing should be treated as parts of a broader communication scope (which is often not the case). If it were a play, marketing people would be actors delivering a performance. The PR team, meanwhile, would be the stage crew, ensuring the actors look their best, the script is right, and the public thinks that this troop is amazing. From my experience, I'd recommend avoiding antagonizing these roles. However different or similar they might seem, their goal is the same: winning the hearts and minds.

PR is about understanding that you have to earn your place in the media. As PR professionals, we act as a bridge between companies that have a newsworthy story to tell and journalists who want to tell exciting stories to their audience. With that in mind, you cannot help but think of PR as a service to journalists, which means you have to have a service mentality if you want to be successful. If you don't want to make that effort, don't do PR. Do advertising.

This is one of the biggest misconceptions people have about PR and what it can do for a brand. At the beginning of my career, I managed PR for several startups looking to attract investors. While they struggled to make ends meet, one thing that was of utmost importance for their business to thrive was building brand awareness and credibility. PR helped them do exactly that in the most authentic way possible. A well-planned PR campaign supported by proactive media efforts can positively impact market perception. It can help businesses not only build awareness but is vital when preparing for an IPO/ or a potential buy-out.

PR in terms of personal brand applies at all stages in your professional development. A positive personal brand can help to cultivate new career opportunities, maintain a positive reputation in your community, and help to showcase your authentic self.

Not all PR requires big budget, one of the cost effective ways is to leverage micro communities, micro KOL, testimonials and word of mouth

This misunderstanding often stems from the perception that PR is a costly and elaborate endeavor, primarily utilized by large corporations with substantial budgets. In reality, PR is relevant and valuable for businesses of all sizes. PR helps small and medium-sized enterprises build a positive reputation, connect with local communities, and increase market visibility. For small businesses, effective PR includes engaging with the local community, participating in events, managing relationships with local media, and using social media to connect with their target audience. Regardless of a business's size, PR aims to cultivate a positive image, communicate transparently, and nurture relationships with stakeholders.

Las relaciones públicas no son exclusivas de las grandes marcas y celebridades. Todas las empresas, independientemente de su tamaño, pueden beneficiarse de una estrategia de RP bien planificada y ejecutada. Las RP son una herramienta poderosa para construir una marca fuerte, generar confianza y lograr el crecimiento deseado.

Most people only see the end result when it comes to public relations, so they think it's fast and easy. But they don't see the years of effort it took to develop the skills to craft an effective pitch, build and nurture relationships with media contacts, and stay on top of how this industry works so we can deliver the best results possible. The truth is, PR is difficult and it takes a lot of time and effort to get the outcome you're looking for. The people who understand this tend to get better results than those who don't because they have realistic expectations and have a long-term approach to their efforts. In the real world, public relations is difficult, aggressive, time consuming, and often, combative.

PR is marketing. PR is easy. PR is free. These are all misconceptions. PR is a long game involving relationships, strategy and win-win situations. It involves a lot of research, follow-through and time. Its also exciting to see your work in print or on the news.

PR is not Olivia Pope -- as much as many people long for her lifestyle and wardrobe. It's nitty, it's gritty, and it can be ugly. It involves hundreds of pages of strategies and briefs, thousands of hours of typing and staring at a screen, and a lot of coffee.

Indeed I used to run a luxury lifestyle PR agency and we made it look fun! But on the inside it's alot of long hours managing many different groups of stakeholders and requires multiple skills including strong written and verbal communication, be able to build solid relationships with clients, the media and team, be constantly creative and reinvent the wheel (can be hard when you are tired from running events all week!). For anyone wanting to get into PR, speak to folks who have been in it for 2-3 years and get some internship / work experience to get a real flavour of what the PR world is about. PR week is also a good resource as well.

Beyond the perks that comes with PR, it requires the right skills. PR has its technicalities which helps to achieve the primary objective

Consider a new cosmetic brand launching a skincare line. They initially adopt a one-way communication strategy, heavily investing in advertising and social media posts, simply broadcasting their message. After a few months, they notice limited engagement and stagnant sales. The company then shifts to a two-way communication approach. They start interacting with customers on social media, seeking feedback, conducting surveys, and hosting Q&A sessions. They also respond to reviews and tweak their products based on customer suggestions.

As a PR professional, you need to understand that your source is communication (the two way process of sending and receiving messages through a channel). When you set out to create these relationships, it is definitely mutually beneficial and it comes natural if you impress your publics (community, government, media etc). - when your office is on fire during the night, your first point of contact is the community to put it out. When you’re good to the media, they report positive news about your clients.

Pensar que las relaciones públicas solo se tratan de enviar mensajes unilateralmente a las audiencias. En realidad, las relaciones públicas se tratan de establecer una comunicación bidireccional y construir relaciones con los diferentes públicos de interés.

A common misbelief is that PR is outward broadcasting without meaningful engagement. However, it requires two-way communication between organizations and audiences. Nurture this by incorporating insights to shape strategy and providing transparency. Solicit feedback through surveys, interviews and open conversations. By exchanging ideas, answering questions and addressing concerns directly, trust and relevance flourish. Skilled PR cultivates positive perception through empathy, consistency and championing shared values with key publics.

PR is a one way street is not correct,it is a wrong misconception. There has to be a feedback for every message. When a message is crafted by a sender, a channel is used to process the message and when the message is received,it generates a response and there has to be a feedback. Just like in normal day to day life and in business when you get a message ,it's important to give a feedback so the sender knows you have acknowledge the message. The feedback is important because it will determine the next step or the next move. There is no one way messaging in PR. Its a two way communication process.

My biggest advice to anyone who is exploring PR as their professional career is to not get caught up in getting the placement in the “fancy” title of a magazine or brand but rather to focus on building relationships with the people — be it the staff journalists or the freelancers. This will take you far as people are moving companies more frequently or leaving to go off on their own. Having the relationship with the person will make your PR efforts much easier as they’ll remember that you were just as responsive when they were at a “no-name” outlet as you are now when they are at a major title.

Be authentic, be truthful, and be honest with people asking you about your role or accusing you of these misconceptions. The best disinfectant is sunlight. Be honest about your hard work.

Misconception: PR is just social media Overcoming: Showcase diverse PR initiatives—media coverage, community events, and strategic communication plans beyond the social media buzz. Misconception: PR is not worthy of board-level recognition Overcoming: Highlight instances where sustained PR efforts led to continuous positive outcomes over time, debunking the myth of immediacy. Misconception: PR pros are magicians Overcoming: Share the meticulous planning, research, and execution of PR campaigns, showcasing expertise rather than relying on magic. Misconception: PR only has an immediate short-term impact Overcoming: Highlight instances where sustained PR efforts led to continuous positive outcomes, debunking the immediacy myth.

Mostly its under impression that , PR works on Auto mode , But PR people overcome lot of Turbulence and manage the reputation, and Image .

As PR consultants, we need to safeguard our industry from misconceptions. This involves partnering with purpose-led brands, producing work that yields a positive impact, and investing in the new generation of industry leaders by engaging with university students and extending internship opportunities.

Two common misconceptions about PR are: - PR is media relations - All publicity is good publicity While they are valuable in helping organisations amplify their messages, PR also covers internal communication, branding, crisis communication, etc. As for the other misconception, organisations that have managed crises that generated tons of negative publicity can attest that not all publicity is good publicity. The effect of such negative publicity could be as dire as the shutting down of an entire production line. Still, organisations like Johnson & Johnson have survived major crises and rebounded with a stronger brand image. To address the above misconceptions, educate business executives about what PR is and is not.

There are many misconceptions about PR. The top one, according to me, is on relationships. PR is said to be about relationships. But has anyone stopped and asked whose relationships? It is the relationship of the client, not the agency. Yes, the agency can facilitate meetings with journalists. The agency can work on the narrative and the messaging. But it is the client who has to impress the journalist and create a rapport. This requires active participation. The task of relationship building can't be delegated.

Neither PR yields immediate ROI, nor is it immeasurable in the long term. It's measurable and can give significant ROI, just that the P in PR stands for Patience.

PR extends beyond securing media coverage; it encompasses strategic communication, relationship cultivation, and adept crisis management to bolster and maintain an organization's reputation.

PR is not equivalent to AVE. For the longest time, everyone has debated whether advertising is better than PR or vice versa. The reality is they both need to co exist. Marrying your PR strategy to the overall brand narrative in order to get clearly defined results is super important. PR can drive sales and it’s time we put an end to that myth. It’s about using the right tactic at the right time using the right platform.