Food industry leaders and marketers know the importance of effective public relations (PR). From press releases to talking points that prepare your team for media inquiries, PR communications are essential for making your company’s voice heard and for building credibility, generating awareness and positioning your company as a thought leader.
If tackling your company’s PR efforts seems like a daunting task, consider partnering with an agency that specializes in the service. If you can find a company who lives and breathes your industry, even better, as they’ll likely know the strategies, tactics and connections that will be most effective for reaching your audience and achieving your marketing goals.
Here are just a few things to consider when deciding whether or not to have an agency manage and coordinate your PR efforts:
Stay consistent
Working with a PR partner can help your team increase its brand awareness with relevant publications while delivering consistent and accurate messaging across several platforms.
Leverage connections
A successful PR agency viewed as a trusted source in the industry can help you build credibility and effectively share your messages with your target audience. A successful PR team will also have long-term relationships with the editors and publishers of the publications that reach your target audience. This gives your company a leg up when working with reporters or the media. Attempting to establish these relationships on your own can take time and effort that could be invested elsewhere in your business.
Save time and money
Time is money. Outsourcing your company’s PR efforts allows you to focus more on what your company does best. For example, your team lives and breathes your products, so engaging in sales and working with customers is likely a strong skill set, but writing a press release or pitching the media may not be one of your team’s strengths. Finding a partner to help with these communications allows you to dedicate time and resources to generating more sales.
Feel more prepared for the public eye
For some people, speaking with the media can be nerve-racking. PR experts can provide your spokesperson(s) with media training, coaching and key talking points for press conferences and interviews. This can help your team feel more prepared for interactions with the media.
Manage messaging effectively
An agency that specializes in PR can help coordinate and manage requests from editors and publishers. PR partners can also seek out new opportunities and help pitch news and story ideas to editors about your brand, capabilities, resources or products.
So, how do you find the PR firm that’s right for your company? It’s best to start with an agency that specializes in your industry. Having a dedicated team that shares your passion for the industry you serve can help you generate awareness about your company, position your team as a resource and build credibility that will lead to strong, long-lasting relationships with people in your market.
If your company is interested in partnering with an agency that specializes in PR and the business-to-business food ingredient industry, please contact us.