You may think that your company is THE thing people need to know about – but if you don’t get to WHY this is within a few seconds, you’ve blown it.

The truth? No one’s got the time to figure out why you’re important to them; you need to tell them. And you need to do it clearly, concisely and consistently.

This is where PR, branding, advertising and marketing come in – the golden quadrant of your communications strategy. But, don’t mistake one corner for the other. Do they all pull the same rope? Yes – but, in different ways.

PR – Public relations

We all know what that is, right? … Wrong. PR is so often lost as the confusing sidekick in ‘Marketing & PR’, or conflated with all things advertising. And what’s at stake here? Your reputation. That’s why it’s first on our list.

PR is all about building and maintaining relationships to solidify a positive reputation for your company. An expert PR agency has ‘ins’ with the media, keeps a little black book that’s chapters long and will work closely with you to nurture a favourable public image.

Branding – The visuals, and more

Your branding includes everything from your logo and company colour to how they’re used on your website and business cards. But it’s also so much more.

Your brand is YOU – your company’s crucial element. It is your company’s personality. From the products you sell and people you hire to the colour you pick and content you write, everything must radiate the character you wish to convey to your clients.

Advertising – Your bid to sell

Advertising is any public announcement aimed at convincing potential and existing clients to buy your product or service. This is where you’ll be thinking about ads in newspapers, on billboards or TV, pop-up shops, email marketing, event marketing etc.

Marketing – The umbrella term

And – before you think we’ve forgotten about it – marketing is everything. It’s your branding, messaging, social media, content, advertising, customer service … everything. Your simple, catch-all term for any communication with clients. And why is it important? Because your marketing strategy is where it all comes together. It keeps your communication well-coordinated and in line with your goals and the desired image for your company.

The key takeaway

Different marketing components are beasts unto themselves – so consistency in brand and message is vital. Why? Because whatever marketing channels you choose, consistency is what paves the path that your audience will walk down.

If you need a customised communications strategy, we can help. Get in touch to see how we can help you communicate effectively with your audiences to achieve your goals.