PR vs. Marketing: How is Public Relations Different from Marketing?
Learn how companies can benefit from marketing & PR.
As companies seek to attract more clients and investors, a public relations or marketing company may be called upon to spearhead a campaign. What type of firm do you need?
Before reaching out to marketing or PR firms, you should understand the important differences between the
two practices. Though PR is considered a subset of marketing, each field has a separate focus: PR concentrates on public perception, while marketing is charged with generating revenue.
4 Key Differences
Although both PR and marketing are campaign-driven and results-oriented, success is not measured the same way. Indicators of PR success could mean extensive news media coverage and social media discussions about your firm. Conversely, marketing success could equate to an increase in leads, prospects and revenues.
When you are deciding which service your brand needs, consider the differences between the two disciplines:
1. Focus
A fundamental difference between public relations and marketing is their respective focuses. As we’ve
alluded to, marketing covers promotion and advertising of a product or company to generate sales. Public relations focuses on reputation management. The PR practice is about maximizing exposure and positioning a brand as an industry leader – by way of proactive conversations with, and placements in, the media.
2. Audience
Marketing seeks to reach customers and investors, while PR builds and nurtures relationships between a
brand and its target audiences. Instead of pitching a product or service directly, a PR firm targets key audiences though education, brand awareness and thought leadership. Particularly for a business-to-business (B2B) company with limited resources, PR firms can help develop and sustain a relationship between a firm’s brand and its audiences.
3. Success
Measurement Both PR and marketing work can be based on campaigns, but each discipline has specific methods of measuring success. Traditionally, a marketing campaign’s success is measured directly through sales and revenue. Marketers work closely with a company’s sales team to identify which tactics drove revenue and adjust tactics accordingly.
Alternatively, PR success is measured by the strength of relationships built between a brand and its key audiences. Specifically, PR campaigns are often assessed by the number, quality and tone of news stories,
number of “impressions” those stories generate (average monthly visitors or circulation), and corresponding traffic to a client’s website. Other ways to measure PR success are surveys and focus groups, conducted before and after large campaigns.
4. Tactics
Another way to view the fundamental differences between the fields is to compare typical daily activities of marketers and public relations professionals:
B2B public relations activities include:
Reviewing past media coverage and researching target media
Writing press releases
Pitching company news and trend stories to media outlets
Coordinating speaking engagements for executives at industry events
Prepping company leaders with talking points and media training
Creating content for blog posts, bylined articles and websites; plus, practices to boost SEO and the way the company “indexes” on major search engines.
B2B marketing activities include:
Conducting market research
Designing a logo and tagline
Creating promotional materials such as websites, brochures or postcards
Creating paid digital and print advertising campaigns
Planning activities to promote the product or brand, such as trade show displays at important industry conferences, or sales missions to key markets
The Bottom Line
While both are vital to the operation of a business, PR and marketing serve unique roles. Before
beginning any new campaign, identify your company’s goals. From there, your PR and marketing teams can pursue their respective tasks, often working as a unit to reach new Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
It’s important to understand what each practice provides, and it’s equally important to understand the interplay between the two. When public relations and marketing initiatives are coordinated effectively, incredible results can emerge for your brand.
To read more PR strategies and tips, visit www.violetpr.com/blog.
About Violet PR
Whether it’s rebranding a city, drawing attention to a revitalized neighborhood, or promoting a new sustainable development, Violet PR helps clients make a difference. Through a combination of news stories, social media, and compelling content, our NJ-based boutique public relations firm helps clients attract more dollars and supporters.