Freelancer's Question:
I am the owner of two online retail companies. One is aimed at teenagers, and
another is aimed at women aged 20-30. The one aimed at teenagers markets both
to teenagers and their mothers.
We operate in a new niche and currently none of our competitors use
PR
agencies. I am concerned that if we ask three PR companies to pitch,
then those which don't win the contract may go to our competitors. This may
then lead our competitors to engage in
PR, where they
otherwise most likely would not have. I realise that this may be over cautious
but is it a legitimate concern, as I fear it would remove some of our
advantage?
Expert's Answer: In the tough world of retail, it's only natural that brands will engage in public relations. It's an essential part of any retailer's marketing plan, so it's unusual to find a situation where all the retail companies, including yours, is not using PR.
Based on your niche market,I understand you might have concerns about encouraging your competitors to follow you down the same path, PR-wise. But the key to every successful PR plan is to not focus on the competition and instead concentrate on building a solid reputation for your own business/brand through various mediums.
These days PR doesn't just include targeting traditional media like newspapers, it includes all things online like social media and blogs.
There's so much scope to build your brand, attract new customers and boost your turnover, that you really shouldn't worry about the competition.Let them worry about themselves and instead invest more of your time, energy and budget into PR. Doing this, you can ensure that your reputation isn't only protected, but that it is also enhanced and helps you to become a leader in your field. What's more, you'll have a fantastic head start should your competitors catch on and see the benefits you're enjoying from having a solid PR plan in place.
The expert was Katy Cowan, editor of Creative Boom and the founder of Boomerang PR, a specialist in digital and social media PR.
Aug 9, 2010
Email this article
Printer friendly page
Previous Page
