To many outside of the profession, or without a detailed understanding and appreciation of what public relations actually involves, PR is often viewed as something to bring in to support a major event, such as a product or report launch, or to manage a crisis. However, understanding the full breadth of support that the best agencies offer is pivotal, particularly when more organisations across all markets are seeking cost efficiencies and to consolidate their potentially fragmented supplier bases. But what are the different types of PR services provided by agencies, and when should they be utilised?
Media relations and PR are most agencies’ bread and butter, and remain the most familiar element of public relations. In practice, this means pitching stories, securing coverage in newspapers, trade titles, broadcast and online outlets, and managing relationships with journalists and editors. While it can be tempting to chase volume and vanity metrics and the biggest titles possible, effective media relations is about identifying which outlets and journalists are most influential with the target audiences, and then crafting stories that are of interest and useful to those groups.
The best agencies will possess strong relationships with journalists, rigorous judgment, storytelling expertise and have a detailed understanding of the news and media landscape. They will be able to convert organisational expertise and news into narratives that truly resonate, and can link actions to wider sector trends, policy changes or the human impact. They will also be able to build and sustain this press coverage over time and lead sequenced campaigns that last far longer than one-off splashes, in order to build up coverage into a stronger narrative, rather than providing a scattergun of disconnected pieces.
Contrary to what some believe, PR has to be sustained to be effective. It takes time to build up credibility, reputation and influence, and several major studies suggest that buyers need to experience or see a brand on at least eight occasions before making a buying decision. Not only will there be limited journalist interest for companies that appear out of nowhere and vanish just as quickly, but a shorter-term campaign will also be unable to truly bear fruit.
Ultimately, PR and media relations can be used to increase awareness, shape sector perceptions, support recruitment drives by attracting the attention of potential hires, or build third-party credibility ahead of fundraising, procurement or partnership conversations, amongst much more.
However, a common trap many companies fall into is believing that media relations is too intangible to be measurable, and while it may have been challenging to prove ROI in the past, this is no longer the case. For buyers weighing up agency partner options, ask for examples of measurable outcomes and how they have supported wider organisational goals, rather than falling into traps and focusing on vanity metrics like reach, which only paint a limited picture.
Content sits somewhere between PR and marketing and generally includes blogs, long-form white papers, sector reports, case studies, op-eds, videos, podcasts and social copy.
At a simple level, content serves three core purposes: it allows a company to tell a story in its own channels and in its own voice. It provides assets that journalists and other partners can use, and it acts as SEO fuel to drive audience growth and boost visibility. The content type is usually dependent on the audience in question and the overall aims. An organisation that provides financial advice for high-net-worth individuals, for example, is probably not best suited to producing snappy, vertical TikTok-style videos, just as a business offering nail technician services won’t benefit much from a long-form white paper. Each type serves a different strategic goal, and while blogs and thought leadership pieces can establish voice and keep channels fresh, white papers and other reports demonstrate expertise, evidence and can be used as part of a wider strategy to attract high-value leads or media attention. Equally, case studies can showcase concrete outcomes that validate claims, while videos and podcasts show the more human side of an organisation and help to add colour and depth, or summarise complex concepts at pace.
These formats can be applied in different situations, but usually to anchor a campaign, to assert thought leadership and expertise, to raise digital visibility, or when journalists are seeking rich background material to support their activity.
The best PR and marketing activity starts with a strategy, and organisations that don’t plan will fail - it’s as simple as that. An effective communications strategy defines the target audience(s), messaging, timing, and links back to wider organisational goals, as well as providing detail for how to deliver and measure success. This prevents marketers from embarking on a string of disparate and unconnected tactics based on their mood on that particular day, and ensures resources are focused on the outcomes that matter.
A full and detailed strategy will incorporate stakeholder mapping, message architecture, channel selection, a prioritised content plan and measurable objectives, as well as identifying risks and dependency points, for example, product launches, regulatory timelines or hiring seasons. If it sounds challenging, it’s because it is, and the development process should ideally involve other stakeholders in order to ensure it meets the needs of the business as a whole, and not just individual departments.
To many, this is the main function of PR: to ward off danger and damage in the event of a major issue. However, in reality, crisis communications is specialised, reactive and high-stakes. Whether it’s an operational failure, a reputational allegation, a regulatory sanction, an executive controversy or even an employee behaving badly on social media, speed, clarity and ownership all matter to prevent a problem from causing long-lasting damage.
Preparation is key here, and the adage of ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’ has never been truer than in crisis communications, meaning scenario planning, developing pre-approved holding statements, media Q&As, and internal communications that keep staff aligned are all paramount.
The best crisis strategies will present multiple tactics to tackle a crisis, communicate the issue and solution to target audiences, and then plot the recovery communications required to rebuild trust. They will also set out metrics for reputational impact and monitor sentiment across traditional and social channels. All organisations will at some point encounter a problem that could spiral into a crisis, and ultimately, whenever material harm is possible, retained support will probably be needed, as it’s simply not worth risking a reputation that has likely taken years, if not decades, to develop.
A fractional CMO provides senior marketing leadership on a part-time basis. Organisations that cannot yet justify a full-time CMO, or those that need interim leadership during transformation, often benefit from this model. The best agencies supplying their services can integrate marketing, brand and comms strategy with commercial goals, translating high-level strategy into prioritised plans.
This approach is particularly useful when there is either a lack of funding for permanent resources or where there is a gap between executive ambition and execution capability. A strong fractional CMO will set measurable objectives, align cross-functional teams and bring discipline to channel, content and campaign performance, all without the cost of a full-time hire. They’re particularly useful for smaller businesses, to bridge leadership vacuums, or to accelerate capability-building before hiring a permanent CMO, or even when an organisation might need a different perspective, or a new viewpoint to drive growth.
Communication skills are an organisational asset and can add real value in several different ways. The growing demand for communications training has led many PR agencies to now offer mentoring and bespoke training for spokespeople, HR teams and internal communications leads. This can cover a range of subjects, including media interview techniques, writing for executives, crisis simulation, social media conduct or authentic storytelling.
Investing reduces reliance on external counsel and speeds response times, but, more importantly, it makes external campaigns more effective as a well-trained leadership team and HR function amplify PR outcomes through consistent behaviour and internal alignment. Training can be useful at all times, but is particularly valuable to prepare for a campaign or acquisition, or to embed a new tone of voice and message discipline across teams.
EVP development and employer brand work are increasingly integral to PR and combine research, employee insight, messaging and creative execution to clarify why people should work for the business, and what makes its culture distinct. PR plays a core part in this by framing those propositions to external audiences, turning internal values into credible stories and supporting attraction campaigns with assets and earned media. Crucially, it should be remembered that employer brands are fragile, and misalignment between the promise and the reality only damages credibility. Therefore, effective EVP work is evidence-based and is built on reality, such as survey data, exit interviews and live employee testimony, and connected to recruitment metrics, so it becomes a quantifiable lever on hiring performance.
This is only a start, and beyond the core categories listed above, there are also specialist services for specific needs, including investor relations, public affairs and lobbying, sector-specific media campaigns, multicultural communications, internal communications, social media community management, and more. Each of these offers distinct practices and metrics, but the best agency partners will be able to neutrally advise which tactics to adopt to meet the specific organisation’s goals.
If your business is looking to understand which elements of PR and marketing support it requires, get in touch with our team today.